Chapter Eight: As You Were
Haley surprised even herself by her good mood as she bounced back into her own hotel room, but she of all people didn't let herself question it.
"Guys, everyone's down in the lobby, want to go to?" she asked to her assembled squad. She stopped when she saw them circled surreptitiously around Brooke's bed. She raised an eyebrow and they instantly parted.
Theresa was sitting on the bed, red spots beginning to cover her face. Haley zoomed over to her and examined them.
"Oh my God, what are those?" she asked, nervously poking them.
"Chicken pox," she responded.
"Do they itch a lot?" asked Haley sympathetically.
There were titters from the crowd. Haley didn't register what they meant.
"Yeah. Um, Mrs. Scott called my parents. I have to go," said Theresa.
"Yeah, of course," said Haley. Theresa stood and left, half the squad leaving with her. It was only then that Haley realized: they were down to nine.
Haley didn't let herself freak out until Theresa was safely out of the building and heading back to Tree Hill with her mother.
"We can't do this. Tree Hill has a three year streak of winning the Classic, we can't let them down," she ranted.
"It wouldn't be letting them down, you've already led us to victory before," consoled Bevin.
"That only makes it worse! If some other team had won for the past four years it wouldn't matter so much! Now there's all this pressure and I'm short one girl!" moaned Haley.
"It's okay, we'll find a replacement," soothed the other girl.
"It's too late. Even if there was someone who could do it…" began Haley. She cut herself off as Brooke came into the room.
"Who're you?" asked Bevin, silently assessing Brooke.
"Brooke Davis," she said in surprise.
"Perfect. She'll do," said Bevin, matter-of-factly before running from the room to declare the new addition to the entire squad.
Brooke and Haley stared at each other for a moment. Eventually, Haley couldn't help herself: she let loose a peal of laughter.
"She is the biggest idiot I have ever come across. Can you do the splits?" asked Haley, grabbing Brooke's elbow as she excitedly ran from the room.
Haley expected the night to be a blur. A series of long, unending, torturous blurs. But it wasn't. Brooke was a stand in cheerleader (sort of) but that didn't matter: she was good.
She was better than Bevin. She was better than Peyton. She was almost better than Haley. It was unheard of.
"Is this the one gene that Dad passed on to both of us?" silently wondered Haley.
"Guys, stop. This is perfect," admitted Haley with satisfaction, several hours later.
"Not quite. You're hair's a mess," said Brooke. Haley took a deep breath, and surprised herself by being able to laugh.
"Come on, your shoes went out three years ago," shot back Haley.
Lucas and the basketball team (plus Nathan) stopped when they heard familiar voices. Two pairs of eyes immediately went to Haley: Nathan's eyes. And Lucas'. It was a reaction that neither of them expected.
Lucas walked out before he could be seen, but Nathan stayed and bravely approached.
"Hey guys, hey Teeny," said Nathan, approaching. Haley glanced over at Justine Lee as she greeted Nathan.
"You know him?" asked Haley in surprise.
"He's my brother," explained Justine. Haley nodded distractedly.
"Brooke, what are you doing here?" asked Nathan, noticing her.
"They were short one. Lucky me, hey?" said Brooke, laughing.
"Lucky you. I'm going to bed," he announced.
The entire squad watched him go. For a moment it flickered through Haley's mind that in addition to being a tutor and the perfect revenge, he didn't look like a tutor-he looked like a basketball player. Or an underwear model. She shook these thoughts out of her head.
"Everyone's going to bed. We need our rest. Meet at my room at six o'clock sharp for primping," dictated Haley.
"Our room," said Brooke stubbornly, coming up behind Haley. Haley paused.
"Our room," she finally concluded.
Brooke went off to Nathan's room as Haley slipped into theirs, ready to drop into bed.
Lucas turned away from the same window, half expecting Brooke. He was surprised by his tenderness at seeing Haley.
"Hey," he said softly, seeing her not as the beautiful flaunting teenager she'd become but as the unconfident adolescent that had attracted him in the first. As the girl, beginning to grow into herself, who'd lost her virginity to him.
Haley stayed at the door and he slowly approached her. She expected his hands to slide down her hips, to caress the curves of her body, but he took both her hands in his.
"I missed you today," he said. She looked up at him, her eyes shining brightly.
"I missed you too. Luke, I…" she began. Haley was slightly shameless, but she did have a conscious.
"I know. I love you, Haley," he said. She brightened. Maybe she could forgive him. Lucas wasn't perfect, but he was so safe, so familiar. She nestled into him.
"I love you too," she said, suddenly quite sure of it.
XxxxxxX
"So, looks like you didn't kill each other," said Nathan, as Brooke wandered into his room.
"Nope. Amazingly. It was almost…"
"Brooke Penelope Davis, are you about to say what I think you're going to say?" teased Nathan.
"What's that?" she asked.
"Did you and Haley actually have a good time?" he asked.
"Almost. Hey, I don't think I've ever heard you refer to her by her name before," said Brooke, albeit casually.
"I guess," he said awkwardly. Brooke dropped onto his bed and stretched so that several inches of her stomach came into view.
"Nathan," she asked. He glanced carelessly toward her. "Do you want me?"
Nathan considered this. There had been a time that he had. But recently, the image of her in his mind had been replaced by a shorter girl with longer, lighter hair and the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen.
"Brooke, you know you're the most beautiful girl I know. But," he said, kissing her forehead gently. "I'm not in love with you."
Brooke went back out into the hallway, but didn't dare to go back to the room. She was in terror of walking in on Haley and Lucas.