Chapter Seventeen

Moving On

Brooke walked with Nathan to her second period class."You know you really don't have to keep doing this. I am capable of walking to class all by myself. Lucas and Peyton won't be bothering me anytime soon, so don't worry."

"I know."he looked at her."What, you don't like spending time with me?"

"Nate, I love spending time with you, but we're together all the time. If this continues I just might start to get sick of you."she laughed at the look now on his face."Besides I think people are starting to talk."

"So let them. We know what's up."

"That's not the point, Nathan."she sighed, she wasn't getting through to him so she went with another approach."You know, I think your girlfriend, Haley, might want you to walk her to class occasionally."

"She understands."

Brooke let out another huge sigh."Okay, Nathan I love you. Really I do, but your not getting it, so I'm just gonna have to say it out straight. I want to start walking to class by myself. You need to spend more time with Haley. I feel like I'm hogging you."

"Your not hogging me Brooke, but I get it now. I'll let you walk to class on your own."

Brooke jumped up and threw her arms around Nathan for a hug."I feel so stupid for getting excited about this."she was about to pull away from him when she heard someone speak.

"Excuse me."

She turned to see Lucas looking back at the two of them.

"Excuse me."he repeated.

Brooke just stared at him not moving. Having him in front over after what they did was over whelming. She missed him so much, but knew she couldn't be with him.

Nathan grabbed Brooke by the arm and moved her out of the doorway. She was startled at first, but quickly realized why he was saying excuse me."Oh, right, sorry."she looked down.

He nodded and went into the classroom.

She turned back to Nathan."Oh my god, I am so stupid. I couldn't stop staring at him and all he wanted was to get in the classroom."she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Brooke your not stupid, but you really should have moved out of his way."he said with a laugh.

She playfully hit him in the stomach."Shut up. I guess I should go in. Hopefully I won't make an even bigger idiot of myself in front of him."she rolled her eyes."I'll see you at lunch."

"Actually, you won't. I'm going to work with Lucas again today. Tonights the game and we want to show Whitey what's up. So it's just going to be you and my girl. Tell her I love her, will you?"

"You see, you could be telling her yourself if you would have walked her to class."

"Okay, okay. I said I get it Brooke, no more walking you to class."

"Thank you. I'll see you later."she walked into class and saw Lucas looking at her. She looked back for only a second and then took her seat next to Jack.

"Hey, I hope your feeling better."

She looked back at him confused.

He saw and explained."When you didn't show up for class yesterday Ms. Kahn asked Lucas if he knew where you were. He said you went home because you weren't feeling well."

She turned to look at Lucas, he had covered for her when he didn't have to, but he was talking to Kelly and he looked pretty interested. She turned back around."I took a personal day, that's all."

"So you weren't sick?"

"No, Lucas was just covering for me."she turned once again to look at him, but quickly turned back in her seat.

"Good. So I guess we should get started."

She nodded and smiled at him.

Lucas turned from talking to Kelly to look over at Brooke. She was talking and laughing with Jack. She looked happy. He hadn't seen her really smile since before the day he ruined everything and it looked good. He just wished he was the one next to Brooke, making her smile. He continued to glance her way all through out class and Jack seemed to keep her laughing. He already couldn't stand the guy.

"So do you think we're ready for the game?"asked Lucas.

"I know I am, but you, I'm not so sure of."

"Thanks man."said Lucas as he threw the ball at Nathan.

"It was a joke. We are both more than ready. We'll show Whitey."

"Show him what? That he was right, by making us work together?"

"Yeah, I guess we shouldn't be too eager to show him that huh?"

"No, we shouldn't, but I am looking forward to using everything we learned to beat the Bulldogs tonight. They won't know what hit them."

"That's right. So are you coming to the beach house tonight?"

"I don't know. Haley wants me to, so I guess so. I just don't want to make things awkward for Brooke."

"She'll be fine."

He nodded."So is Haley going to cheer in the game tonight?"

"Yeah, Brooke taught her one cheer so far and wants her to do it tonight. She'll be there in a uniform."Nathan wriggled his eye brows."Man I can't wait."

"Dude, come on, that's my best friend. Gross."

"Sorry, but come on, Haley in a cheer leading uniform. I can't wait to see that."

Nathan threw the ball back to Lucas and the continued to play, but stopped when they heard the gym door open. They both looked to see who it was.

"Just great."muttered Lucas.

Nathan heard and turned back to the guy at the door."Do you need something man?"

"Yeah, can I talk to you for a minute Nathan?"

Nathan turned to Lucas, who in return just shrugged.

"Sure, but, uh, do I know you?"asked Nathan as he walked over to him.

"No, not really. I'm Jack, a friend of Brooke's."

Nathan nodded.

Lucas strained to hear what they were saying, but couldn't.

"Okay I'm just going to come out and ask. Are you and Brooke together?"

"What?"

"I know she went out with your brother, but now I always see her with you."

"We're just friends, but why do you want to know?"

"I wanted to ask her out, but wanted to make sure she wasn't with anyone first."

"Well we're not together, but I'm not sure she's ready to date, so don't get upset if she tells you no."

"I won't. Well thanks. It was nice talking to you. I'll leave so you can finish doing what you were doing."he turned and walked out the door.

Nathan walked back to Lucas, who was staring at him."What?"

"What do you mean what? What did he want?"

"Nothing."Lucas continued to look at him."Okay, he asked if Brooke and I were together."

"Why is that any of his business?"

"I guess because he wants to ask her out."

"Well in that case, I hope you told him you were."

"No, I told him we weren't. I wasn't going to lie."

Lucas shook his head."I knew he was going to try something."

"Just because he asks her out doesn't mean she's gonna say yes."

"That's true. You should go talk to her and tell her to say no. She'll listen to you."

"Do you hear yourself?"

"I know I sound crazy, but I don't care. I don't want her going out with him."

"Well then you shouldn't have screwed her over. Hell, I don't want her with you, so if this keeps her away from you then good."

"Thanks man."said Lucas sarcastically.

Nathan shrugged."It's the truth."

Brooke was talking to Haley when Jack came up to them.

"Hey Brooke."

"Jack, hi. What's up?"

"I was just wondering if I could talk to you for a minute."

Haley looked at Brooke questioningly.

Brooke shrugged and turned back to Jack."Sure."she got up."Lets go inside."she turned to Haley."I'll be right back."she nodded.

They walked together."So, what's up Jack?"asked Brooke once they were inside.

He looked at her and then looked down. He was so nervous. He was about to ask out Brooke Davis and wasn't sure he'd be able to go through with it.

"Jack?"

"Yeah...um...I was wondering if...would you maybe like to go out with me tonight?"

Brooke couldn't help, but smile. He looked so nervous. It was cute. She hated that she had to hurt him and turn him down. He seemed like a really good guy."I would love to..."he smiled."But..."his smile faded."I can't. The games tonight and being the cheer leading captain, I kinda have to be there. I'm sorry."she gave him a small smile.

"What about after the game?"

"There's the after game party that I really need to go to."

"Oh, okay. Maybe another time then. I'll see you in class."he turned and walked away.

She felt so bad. He seemed like he really wanted to go out with her and it was sweet."Hey, wait."he turned around."Do you maybe want to go with me to the party? It could be fun."she shrugged.

He walked back to her."I don't know. I've never been to a Nathan Scott party before."

"Don't worry, it's not all it's hyped up to be. It's just like every other party. So what do you say? It'll be fun. I promise."

"Sure what the hell. I'll even go to the game."

"Great. I'll see you there. We'll leave right after."

"Okay."he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

She smiled at him and watched him leave.

Peyton came up to her, having watched everything."So is that your new boyfriend?"

"Why, you thinking about trying to steal him too?"

"Your really funny Brooke, you know that?"

"Get out of my way."she pushed passed her.

"Oh wait. One more thing. I'll see you at the game tonight. I had that decision of yours over turned. I'm still on the squad."

"I'm sorry, but you've already been replaced."

"Well isn't that too bad, you'll just have to get rid of her."

"No, I may have to keep you, but that doesn't mean I have to use you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Get ready to warm the bench Peyton."she walked off and went back to sit with Haley."Ugh, I really hate her."

Haley looked at her."Who? I thought you were with that Jack guy?"

"I was, but Peyton saw us together and then came up to me. I knew she was going to find a way to stay on the squad. Didn't I tell you?"

"You sure did?I guess this means you no longer need me huh? It's really too bad."said Haley with mock disappointment."I was really looking forward to it too."

"That's good because I still need you."

"But I thought you said..."

"I did, but just because I have to keep her doesn't mean I have to use her."

"Yay, for me."

"I know."

"Whatever, so what happened with Jack?"

"I have a date tonight."

"What? I thought we were going to the beach house tonight."

"I'm still going to the party, I'm just now going with Jack."

"So your bringing a date to Nathan's party, where Lucas will be? Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I didn't really think about Lucas being there, when I asked him. I guess I should have, but the beach house is huge. I doubt that we'll even see him there."

"Come on Brooke, you don't really believe that, do you?"

"No, but we're not together anymore. I shouldn't have to worry about him being there. If we see him there, then we see him there."even as she said those words she didn't believe them. She couldn't believe she hadn't thought about Lucas being there.

Haley left Brooke and walked to the gym in search of Lucas. She knew this was none of her business, but she felt like she should do something to fix this. She knew that if Lucas saw Brooke with someone else it would kill him. She didn't even know why Brooke was doing this. It was obvious that she still loved Lucas."Hey you two. Are you almost done?"she asked when she entered the gym.

Nathan and Lucas both walked up to her."Yeah, we're done."said Nathan."Why? Do you miss me already?"

"Don't flatter yourself. I just need to talk to Lucas."

"Fine, whatever. I'll just go find Brooke. At least I know she'll want to see me."

"Oh come on, you know I love you. I just need to tell Lucas something."she walked up to him and gave him a kiss.

"I love you too."he kissed her back."I'll see you later babe."

"I left Brooke outside eating, so go find her. I'm sure she needs to talk to you."

"Will do."

Nathan walked out and Haley turned to Lucas.

What's up Hales?"

"I've been feeling bad. I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to do and I know you don't want to come to the beach house tonight, so you don't have to. You can stay home."she didn't want him to get hurt and she also didn't want to tell him the real reason she didn't want him to go.

"Just yesterday you were begging me to go and now your telling me to stay home. What's up Haley?"

She looked at him."There's no hidden agenda, I just know that it's the last place you want to be tonight."

He didn't believe a word she said. He couldn't figure out why she would lie to him, then it hit him."Brooke's bringing Jack to Nathan's, isn't she?"

She nodded."How did you know?"

"He showed up here earlier saying he was going to ask her out and then you try and get me to stay home. It's not hard to put two and two together."

"I'm sorry Luke."

"Don't be. This isn't your fault, it's mine. I can't believe she's actually going out with him though."he shook his head in disbelief.

"Me neither, but this is something she feels like she should do, so I'm not going to try and tell her it's wrong."

"I guess I might just stay home tonight. I don't think I'd be able to take seeing her with him."

"I really want you to go, but if you don't I'll understand."

"I don't know what I'm gonna do."

Nathan plopped down in front of Brooke and stole a chip from her bag.

"Hey if your hungry, get your own."

He grabbed another."Wow B, these are really good."

"Shut up."She threw him the bag and he continued to eat them."So what are you doing here? I thought you'd be with your new best friend Lucas."

He scowled at her."I was with him, but we finished early and I missed you, but I see you don't feel the same way, so I guess I'll leave."he gave her a half smile and slowly started to get up. He loved messing with her like this.

"Nathan, do you think I'm a selfish bitch?"

He sat back down. Clearly this wasn't the time to play around."What? Where did that come from?"

"I don't know. I have a date tonight and I'm bringing him to your party."Nathan shrugged, not getting it."Lucas will be there. Is what I'm doing wrong? Maybe subconsciously I'm doing this to hurt him."

"I doubt that Brooke. You wouldn't hurt a fly consciously or subconsciously."

"That's not true. I hurt you and Haley in the beginning, remember?"

"Yeah I do, but I also remember how bad you felt afterward and how you made it up to us. Your no longer that person Brooke."

"I know."

"So your going out with that Jack guy?"

"Yeah, that's his name. How did you know?"

"He came up to me earlier and asked if we were together."

"He did? God, it's like nobody believes a guy and a girl can be just friends."

"I'm sure they know that a guy and a girl can be just friends Brooke, just not this guy and this girl."he said motioning between himself and her."Come on don't blame him, you know our pasts."

"Whatever. So do you think it's wrong for me to take Jack somewhere Lucas is going to be?"

"No, I don't. Brooke it's a party. If you want to bring him then do it. You need to move on and he seems like a good guy, so go for it."

Brooke smiled at him. He always knew how to make her feel better."I will. God look at me, he cheats on me and when I decide to move on, I feel like the one who is doing something wrong. I need to just stop this."

"Yes, you do. Your the last one that did anything wrong. You need to have some fun. You really deserve it after everything you've been through."

"Thank you."

Coming Up:

Haley in a cheer leading uniform.

Peyton has some words for Brooke.

Haley is upset with Brooke.