Brooke hung up the phone quickly. If there was one person she didn't want to talk to this morning it was Lucas Scott. Her eyes widened as Jake walked into the kitchen wearing only a white towel and a smile. "Who was that?" She didn't really even hear the question as he walked towards her. His unruly chestnut hair, his easy smile, his beautiful brown eyes, those muscles... "Brooke?"

"Huh?"

"I asked who was on the phone."

"Oh, uh, no one. Wrong number."

"Okay." Jake said skeptically. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah..." She answered, tearing her eyes away from his body. "Just a little... warm."

"Let me see." Jake demanded, in father mode. He walked up to her and placed the back of his hand against her forehead. "You do feel a little warm... and you looked a little flushed..."

"Uh," Brooke stuttered, backing hastily away from him. She only stopped when she backed into the counter. "I'm okay... why don't you just, um, take your shower? I'm okay, really..."

"You're sure?" Jake asked. Brooke closed her eyes and nodded.

"Yeah, go. We don't have all day." Brooke only opened her eyes when she heard the shower running again. "What the hell was that?"

By the time Jake and Brooke reached the high school it was lunchtime. Brooke breathed a little easier, seeing as the only classes she had with either Peyton or Lucas took place in the morning. "Okay," Jake said, turning to Brooke "So I was thinking that if you're not busy after school you could have dinner with Jenny and I and then we could go pick up your car. I could even teach you how to cook something..."

Brooke felt a little something inside her melt as Jake's smile lit up his face. "I, uh, I was just going to call some kind of tow company to get it for me..."

"Why would you spend money on something you could easily do yourself?" Brooke sat pondering that question as Jake grabbed both of their bags and got out of his car. "Are you coming?"

"Yeah, just let me grab my stuff."

Jake smirked and shook her bag in front of her face. "Come on."

Brooke shook her head in disbelief; he really was something...

The rest of the day passed by without incidence, Brooke had successfully avoided Peyton, Lucas, and Jake. She wasn't entirely sure what she would say to the brunette the next time she saw him. Things were moving pretty fast, not that she'd never experienced that before, but there were some interesting feelings getting thrown into the mix. Feelings she'd definitely never experienced before. Not even with Lucas...

"Hey Brooke." Brooke squealed a little as she felt someone grab her waist.

"Jesus Christ, Tim! What the hell?"

"Ow!" Tim rubbed the arm where Brooke had punched him. "What the hell Brooke?"

"What do you want, you letch?"

"Nothing." Tim said, raising his hands in mock innocence. Brooke put her hands on her hips and gave him a hard stare. "Okay, I wanted to ask you what's going on with Luke and Jake."

"What do you mean?"

"The fight they had after last period."

"What fight?"

"You didn't hear about it? I thought everybody heard about it..."

"What fight Tim?" Brooke demanded impatiently.

"Outside, near the parking lot-" Tim didn't have the chance to say anything else as Brooke practically ran toward the parking lot.

"And Tim?"

"Yeah?" he called out to her rapidly disappearing figure.

"Don't touch me again!"

When Brooke got to the parking lot Lucas and Jake were still going at it. The two were evenly matched at similar heights, and Lucas' speed matched the slight weight advantage Jake had. Brooke caught sight of a bleeding Nathan sitting on the ground being tended by Haley. "What the hell is going on?"

"Nathan tried to break them up." Haley answered.

Brooke shook her head. "I mean that!" She nodded toward the brawling basketball players.

"No idea. Luke screamed something about a phone call..."

Brooke paled and ran impulsively into the fight.

"Brooke..." Jake panted as she stood between him and an angry Lucas "Get out of the way."

"Look Jagielski, I'll do whatever I damn well please. Now get the fuck into your car and wait for me."

"Brooke."

"Now Jake." Jake looked at the furious cheerleader and decided it was for his own good if he backed down.

"I'll be in the car."

"You better wait for me Jacob." Jake nodded as he picked up his forgotten backpack and made his way to the car. "What the hell is going on Lucas?" Brooke screamed turning around to stare the blonde in the eye.

"Leave me alone Brooke." He said warningly.

"No." She refused. "You better tell me right now what the fuck is going on, or so help me God-"

"What?" Lucas screamed, "What could you possibly do to me?"

"I could fuck your life up as badly as you fucked up mine." With that Brooke turned on her heel and strode to Jake's car. The fight audience watched in silence as Jake and Brooke peeled out of the parking lot. What the hell was going on?

"What did you think you were doing?" Brooke asked Jake lowly as he drove in silence. He refused to answer until they were both safely ensconced in his apartment. Even then he didn't talk to her until he had called Jenny's daycare to explain that he would be later than usual. "Jake? Jacob? Answer me."

"You know what Brooke? I don't have to explain anything to you!"

"What?"

"I don't owe you anything! I don't have to explain my actions or lack there of to you, or anyone! I've gotten this far on my own..." Brooke stared at him speechlessly.

"Look Jake-"

"You know what Brooke? Just go home!" Brooke watched as Jake stormed away from her, she didn't sense anything until she heard his bedroom door slam shut. The cracking sound of splintering wood was what shook her out of her reverie. She made an impulsive decision and followed Jake into his bedroom.

"You want to know what I think?" She asked.

"Br-"

"No, you know what I don't care, you're going to listen to me anyway!" Jake stared at her as she stepped up to him and started jabbing him in the chest. "I don't care what the fuck you think, and if you don't want me around fine. That's your choice, but I don't have to take your shit too! You can jerk other people around, but not me. So when you pull your head out of your ass and decide to tell me what's going on give me a call, but I'm not going to stand around and be your punching bag!" She was about to leave when Jake grabbed her arm and spun her into him.

"I don't need you as my punching bag," He whispered, his breath hot against her face. "That's what Lucas is for."

Brooke opened her mouth to respond when Jake slammed his mouth against hers in a kiss.