A/N: Hey everyone, thanks for the reviews. Sorry this took so long, schools started, and I was sick last week. I hope you like this, and the next ud will be next tuesday, sorry, ill be out of town this weekend. If I get more reviews, I might be enticed to give you one sooner, but only if I get alot of reviews.

Stop Pretending

After tending to the rest of his meetings, Lucas was, again, gazing out his window. This time, unlike last, a certain figure had caught his eye. A woman, dressed entirely in fur, right down to the matching purse, walked up the street. Actually walked wasn't the word, the word was strutted, she strutted up the street. Occasionally a passerby would wander to close, not watching where they were going, causing a sharp bark or growl, Luke was to far away to make out which, from a dog in the purse. As if sensing his judging eye, the woman stopped, head help high in the air, nose turned up, and signaled a nearby taxi.

Luke watched the retreating taxi, making comparisons between the woman in the taxi, and a woman he knew to well. They both had a sense of fashion, both buying into the theory that, the more money the design cost, the better it made you look. Luke wasn't that way, his theory was that, however much money the clothes were, they were made by the confidence you exuded when you wore them. They were also the same in the fact that their noses and heads were always held high. To Luke that signified arrogance, to the women it was a sign that they were better than everyone, that they were privileged in some way. Luke was beginning to wonder what happened to the woman he knew, he still talked to her, at least once a day, but he wondered what happened to the women she used to be. The happy go lucky GIRL that had quickly found a place in his heart that no one else had. She was someone that he could always go to, always count on, now she was totally opposite.

She was never there, sure she had a job, but she never asked how he was, like she did when they first became friends. She had been the person he turned to, the person he depended on, the person that he needed if he wanted to change. She had helped him change, see the light, take life seriously, and he had repaid her by making her a star. He had made her the biggest star she could be, but during that process she changed. She became self centered, uncaring, egotistical, things she wasn't. He blamed himself for that, he had made her the star. He talked to her about it one day, telling her that she had changed, and she responded with a shrug and a simple "I had to." That was it, he knew he wouldn't get through to her, so he had taken up the position of making sure she didn't get any bigger, but not smaller. He waited, waited for her to slip and fall, to need him, and the way he saw it, that time was getting close.

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Brooke couldn't take it anymore, the sight of her best friend in far better condition than herself was depressing. She couldn't stand the sight of her former best friend on stage, clearly better off than herself. It wasn't that she hated Haley, she actually wanted to talk to her, get her friendship back, but she couldn't bring herself to do it in her current condition.

She looked around, considering her options, and found that the only realistic way to escape led her right by the stage. She sighed, and started walking, making sure to shield herself from Haley's line of vision. As she walked, she could hear the mothers of the children whisper behind her back, the state of her clothes the subject of most.

"There you are, we needed you about ten minutes ago. She will be done in a few minutes, and you have to finish setting up her tent or you won't have a job much longer." A large woman with gray hair had grabbed Brooke by the arm and forcibly dragged her towards the back of the stage. "You're new, so there are a list of rules that you will need to memorize, but here are the highlights. First, whatever you do, don't look at her. Second, don't talk unless spoken to. Third, do whatever she says, no matter how outrageous. Got it, good, you're over here with the rest, finish setting up and then leave."

The woman had, finally, let go of Brooke's arm when they had reached a tent that a few other people were setting up. Brooke tried to protest, but to no avail as the woman had already left. Brooke looked around at the other people that were busy working, and decided that she could get out without too much trouble.

She turned on her heel, and started walking to the opening. As she emerged, Brooke began looking for the grey haired woman that had dragged her here. As she looked to her left, she felt a presence in front of her.

"Excuse me." The presence said, angrily. The voice made Brooke look up, until she came face to face with a familiar pair of brown eyes.

"Haley?" Brooke asked, a little timid.

"And you are." Haley had her head turned over her shoulder, calling the grey haired woman back over, about to tell her that she could find another job.

"Brooke," That made Haley turn around, she knew a Brooke in high school, but this woman in front of her couldn't be her Brooke, she was far to different. "Brooke Davis."

Haley looked into Brooke's eyes, searching for the same playful, cheery soul she was always able to find. She found none, instead she found a broken soul, something that wasn't the Brooke Davis Haley knew. She stepped back, eyes now focusing on Brooke's appearance. She looked at her clothes first, noticing the wrinkles and dirt smudges, then she saw her hair, she wasn't Brooke.

"Brooke, what happened to you?" Haley asked.

Brooke was a little taken back by the question. No how are you, or what have you been up to since high school, all she got was a what happened to you.

"Well I'm sorry if I'm not up to your standards Miss I'm to good for everyone Singer, some of us don't have as good of luck as others." Brooke couldn't understand why she had answered the question with such hostility, but she knew she was wrong.

"Brooke, I didn't mean it that way. I want to help, you just have to tell me what's wrong." Haley pleaded with Brooke.

Brooke sighed and told Haley all that had happened to her since college. She knew that if she hadn't, Haley would have probably dragged it out of her at some point, and she wanted Haley's friendship. It actually made her feel better to get it off her chest, now she was waiting for Haley's response.

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Luke walked in and the mood changed. A big shot in New York, Luke always got attention when he went out, and he liked it that way. He walked over to the bar, sat down, and was greeted by a beer. Luke knew it was free, having Lucas Scott in your bar was free publicity. Luke scanned the club, finding a woman he wanted.

Luke got up, walking through waves of people, towards his target. When he reached her, he slipped in behind her, grinding against her. She turned around, blond hair almost hitting him, clearly not excepting someone to be so forward, her eyes widened when she saw Lucas Scott. She quickly started to grind back, she wanted to be with him, all the women in the bar did. Most would come up at some point, trying to be his conquest for the night, and some being so, but when he set his sight on one girl for the night, she didn't get away.

When the songs changed, Luke pulled her to the bar, ready for more alcohol. They both quickly downed their drinks, and Luke knew she was ready.

"You want to go somewhere more private?" He asked, while leaning close to her, blowing in her ear.

She quickly nodded yes, and he pulled her out of the club and into the night.

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