Chapter Eight

"The Charity Game"

It was six forty, and Brooke was not happy. Everyone had arrived except Carson Lane. She was ten minutes late.

"Where the hell is she? We can't do our charity performance without her!" Brooke fumed.

Teresa said, "She'll be here. I mean, if she isn't she's off the team right?"

"Hell yeah she is off the team." Brooke checked the watch above the scoreboard. "Okay start warming up and doing stretches. Peyton, can I talk to you?" Peyton and Brooke walked off to the side. "Do you know her cell?"

"No." Peyton called, "Teresa! Come here!"

Teresa jogged over. "What's up?"

"Do you know Carson's cell?"

"Yeah, its on my cell. Just a second." Teresa ran over and got her cell phone. She called Carson, and after a minute hung up. "No answer."

"Thanks anyways," Brooke sighed. "Her first game, and she's fifteen minutes late!"

Peyton said, "We have to cheer without her."

"But she's our basket toss!" Brooke exclaimed. "Who are we going to throw?"

Peyton and Brooke made their way back to the rest of the squad. They were all thinking of ways to change the half time performance when the clocked clicked to 6:50.

Carson walked in at the last second. Brooke glared at her. "Where have you been?"

"Sorry, am I late?"

"Yeah, twenty minutes! I said six thirty."

She shrugged. "Must not have heard you."

Brooke wanted to slap the little smile off her face, but held back. "Don't be late again, you missed stretches."

"No, I stretch on my own at home."

Peyton spoke up, "We're a squad, and if you want to be a part of it you need to start doing things with us. No more tardies or you are out."

Jake ran up to them in his uniform. "We're ready to come out."

Brooke took the microphone and walked to the middle of the court. "Thanks to everyone who came tonight! This charity basketball has gotten off to a great start! We have two teams, a blue and red. My cheerleaders are going to wave them all in," she said, motioning to the doorway to the locker room where the cheerleaders had formed two lines, making a tunnel type thing with their poms. "Introducing the captain of the red team, Nathan Scott!" The crowd cheered as Nathan ran out, followed by his team, which included Tim. "And the captain of the blue team, Lucas Scott!" Brooke said, but not as enthusiastic as she had said Nathan's name. Lucas' team included Jake. Once the teams were at their places, Brooke hurried off the court and grabbed her poms and stepped in line with the rest of the squad.

They started their cheers as the game started. By the time half time came around, the score was tied.

Brooke and Peyton walked out into the middle to do charity games with the audience, and then it was time for the cheerleaders to perform.

Soon, half time was over and it was back to the game. The second half was rougher than the first, and Nathan and Lucas seemed to have taken over the game. They kept stealing the ball from each other, and rarely passed the ball onto other teammates.

The score was 62 to 61; the blue team was winning. Lucas had the ball, but Nathan ran up and stole it. About five seconds were left, and he slam-dunked it with less than a second to go. Brooke, Peyton, and Teresa jumped up and down, screaming with excitement. Even though Jake was on Lucas's team, they were happy Nathan won.

Carson was upset for Lucas, but tried not to show it. "Go blue! Its okay!"

The two teams shook hands out of formality, and Jake said, "Good game," to Tim and Nathan.

They grinned, Tim joking, "For us."

Tim and Jake hadn't really cared who won, mainly because it was a charity game. Lucas and Nathan were determined to beat each other, and always had been. It was a silent rivalry.

Brooke and Peyton ran up to Jake and Nathan. "Good game guys!"

"Thanks."

"Nathan, great shot," Brooke smiled.

"Thanks, you girls look hot tonight."

Brooke reminded him, "We aren't on the date yet."

"Right. How could I forget?" He teased. "Jake, man, lets go hit the showers."

Peyton said, "We're going to change, so we'll meet you out here in a few minutes."

Teresa walked up. "I am headed home to get things ready, anyone need a lift?"

"Nope, we'll be there in half an hour."

"See you!" She waved good bye to Tim. "Good game!"

The crowd dispersed, and Brooke took the microphone again. "Thanks for coming, we made a lot of money for the center tonight! Thanks so much and we'll see you next year!"

The cheerleaders all clapped and yelled, playing their part. Brooke grinned. She loved games like these.

Lucas had been standing off to the side, watching Brooke and Nathan flirt and talk. He was upset seeing them together, but tried to shrug it off.

"Great game," Carson grinned. "Too bad you lost."

"That's how it goes."

"See you at the party, right?"

"Yeah."

"Save me a dance, okay?"

"Sure."

She gave him a quick hug before leaving. Lucas wasn't sure what her intentions were, but he planned to have fun that night and forget about the past week.

Haley ran up after Carson left and exclaimed, "You totally should have won! But anyways, good game."

"Thanks Hales. Listen, I am going to shower and I will be out in ten."

Brooke and Peyton walked into the girls' locker rooms and started to change. Peyton asked, "Are you sure you want to do this tonight?"

"What? Get back at Luke and Carson? Totally."

"I mean... dating Nathan?"

"He's hot, so it's a win win."

"I guess."

"So, when are you and Jake going to get something started."

"Brooke, don't," Peyton warned. "We are just friends."

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Like always. You guys are the cutest, yet most boring couple ever."

"What a great friend you are."

"Aren't I though?" Brooke finished changing and moved onto her makeup. "My goal tonight is to not think about Lucas."

"You are so going to think about him!"

"Are him and Carson going together? I heard her talking."

Peyton shook her head. "Nope, she can talk all she wants."

The girls finished getting ready and went outside. Nathan, Jake, and Lucas were sitting in the bleachers talking.

They walked up to them, and an uncomfortable silence overcame all of them.

"Hi," Brooke said softly to Lucas. It hurt her so much to see him.

"Hey," he said, looking her straight in the eyes.

"Luke! Come on," Haley called, tapping her watch.

"Coming!" Lucas got up and grabbed his Athletic bag. "See you guys at the party."

"Bye man!" Jake and Nathan called. Peyton didn't say a word. She was still upset with Lucas for hurting Brooke the way he did.

Nathan and Jake stood up, and Nathan held out his arm. "Ready to go?"

She took it, saying, "Yeah lets get out of here."

They walked out and Jake watched them go, shaking his head. "Wow Luke is going to go insane when he sees them together."

"Tell me about it. Come on, let's stop talking about them and just have fun."

He put his arm around her shoulder. "Sounds like a plan."

Nathan and Brooke got in his car but before they started driving, he said, "Okay we need boundaries."

"Like what?"

"Well, you said no sex. Does that mean no kissing?"

"Um... we have never kissed before."

He grinned. "We could practice."

"Haha," she said sarcastically.

"Seriously, we have to act as though we are into each other, or we will never pull this off."

"Okay okay okay. You can like, kiss my neck and put your arms around me or whatever."

"Can I kiss you now?"

"For practice?" She mimicked him. She smiled. "Yeah okay." He leaned towards her and let his lips touch hers. She withheld her tongue. "Wow, not a bad kisser, Scott."

"Thanks, you aren't so bad yourself."

He started the engine. "Ready to go?"

"I guess," she murmured, looking out the window. She couldn't wait to see the look on Carson's face when they walked in.

In Lucas's truck, Haley was trying to get him to talk. "Luke come on," she urged. "Tell me there are more reasons for breaking her heart."

"Haley!" He snapped. "Let it go."

She crossed her arms. "Fine. Did you hear the news?"

"What news?"

"Nathan is bringing Brooke to the party tonight."

Lucas looked sharply at Haley. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. I was there after school."

"Where?"

"The café. You know, when I couldn't find you?"

"Yeah sorry about that. Carson had cornered me."

"What's your deal with her?"

He groaned. "Are you another one who doesn't like her?"

"I didn't say that. I just asked what was going on. Are you guys like together?"

"No! I just broke up with Brooke, I am not dating for awhile."

"Just checking, because you are always with her."

He corrected her, "No, she is always with me. There's a difference."

Haley grinned. "Looks like you have your own stalker."

Lucas smiled. "Its not like that. I just don't see why everyone hates her."

"Because she spread that nasty rumor about Brooke!"

"That's just it, she didn't spread that rumor."

"Whatever, all I know is, Peyton, Brooke, Jake, and Nathan all hate her."

"Peyton and Brooke hate her because she hangs around me a lot, and Jake hates her because Peyton hates her, and Nathan hates her because she told him it was over yesterday."

Haley threw up her hands. "Are you seriously that clueless?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You break up with Brooke, she stops things between her and Nathan. Hello!"

"Haley, she just wants to be friends."

"Wow. You are so dumb," she insulted him.

"Hales!"

"What? You are."

Lucas stared at the road, and they didn't speak the rest of the ride.

Author's Note: Thanks everyone for all the great reviews! i know a lot of you hate the whole nathan/brooke thing but it gets better!

-Emilie-