Chapter Fifteen

The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off

Brooke

"I look like Hooker Barbie," Haley says, surveying her appearance in the mirror.

What is she talking about? She looks adorable! Hair straightened, a long sleeved pink tee with just a hint of cleavage and a denim mini that shows off her – I've got to admit it – fantastic legs.

"Oh shush. You look gorgeous tutor girl."

"I wish you wouldn't call me that," Haley says with a scowl.

"Why it's an affectionate nickname, and don't do that, you'll get wrinkles."

She scowls more. Why do I even try?

"So, do you know what you're going to say?" I ask. What I really want to ask is if Lucas will be available after all of this, but somehow I don't think it's appropriate.

"um… I don't really know. I don't even know why I'm doing this."

"Do you love him?" I ask. I've never really considered it, but if she's getting so worked up about this, the only thing I can figure is that she's returning Nathan's ardour and that means that Lucas will be officially on the market, looking for a rebound girl and a shoulder to cry on.

Unfortunately, Haley kind of ruins my little fantasy with a loud "No!"

Okay. Maybe Lucas won't be back on the market. Damn.

"I mean, it's Nathan Scott," Haley says.

"And… I know a lot of girls who have are 'in love' with Nathan Scott."

"And I have Lucas…"

"Do you love him?"

She looks at her reflection in the mirror again. She is taking way too long to answer this.

"I'm in High School Brooke, I mean, what if what I think is love is just infatuation?"

Hmm… Are we referring to Nathan or Lucas here? And she didn't say yes to the Lucas question. Maybe there is hope for a little Brooke Lucas action after all.


Ah, school. I love it. Full of interesting people, and cheerleading. What's not to love? If everything falls to crap and I end up as an obese spinster with seventeen cats, at least one thing is certain: I had High School down!

"You know, this is probably a stupid idea," Haley says suddenly. "I mean, what am I going to say? 'So Nathan, I hear that you love me'?"

Ah Haley, so cute. "Calm down tutor girl. Just pull him to one side, say that you heard what Lucas thinks and you don't believe him, and then ask him what's going on or something like that?"

"What's going on? How… how do I even say that?"

"Well it's simple, see… oh who am I kidding, I don't know the scientific way to speak. Just open your mouth and words come out."

Haley glares at me. Just behind her I can see Nathan walking across the quad with Dave and Tim.

"Nathan Scott!" I yell. Haley turns quickly to where he's stood and then turns back to me, a look of pure panic etched on her face.

"Brooke!" she whispers with gritted teeth. Geez, what is wrong with these people. You do someone a favour and it's like you've just signed a death warrant. I look over for Nathan's reaction at seeing Halye up and running in the school but I don't see one. His eye's are stuck on me.

And then I realise, he thinks Haley knows about Lucas' theory, and that she'll probably believe it.

When he reaches us, him and Haley both speak at once.

Him: "Look, I…"

Her: "Nathan, we…"

Silence.

Okay, Brooke davis to the rescue. "Okay, you two need to talk, and I know an empty music room that is never used by anyone but horny teenagers and…"

"Brooke!" Haley yells.

Nathan doesn't look fazed though. He put's his hands in his pockets and cocks his head. "Let's go." The two of them walk off. Mission accomplished.

"What the hell?"

Damn, problem. Lucas Scott has just seen his girlfriend walk off alone with the guy he think's spiked her. Time for some damage control.

"Lucas!" I say as he comes storming past me. I grab his arm in the firmest way I can and thankfully he stops.

"Where the hell did he take her?" Lucas asks. I look back and thank God that they're out of view. I think they're too far forward for him to track.

"Um…" Damn, what do I say? Lucas 6' of perfection is completely throwing me and I feel like the band geek that just got asked the time by the jock. I am not a band geek!

"Brooke," his voice is low and threatening, and he finally looks me in the eyes.

Oh God those baby blue's are distracting. Don't think about them! "Um… Look, Lucas, I know what you think about Nathan and… well, it's a load of bull."

"What?"

"That he drugged Haley? I know how Nathan acts, but I know him Lucas, and he would never…"

"Brooke, he's my brother, and I know him too. And I know that he's been using Haley to get to me. Now where did they go?"

Uh, what do I say? I can't stall him anymore, in a minute he's going to run off and, and I have a feeling he won't stop until he finds them.

Okay, time to think rationally. What would Brooke Davis the cheerleader, not the band geek, do in this situation?

Well, that's blindingly obvious. I reach up and kiss him square on the lips. Thankfully he doesn't pull away, but when I do he's looking at me with a really confused look on his face that makes my knee's go weird.

"What did you do that for?" he asks. I shrug and throw him my best smile.

"Come on Lucas, you're there and you're hot when you're angry. What kind of hot-blooded female would I be if I didn't take an opportunity of that?" I reply. He gives a small laugh.

"I just… I think I'm losing her Brooke," he says, and his eyes look so sad that I actually find myself mad at Haley for making him feel that way. I'm almost tempted to tell him where they've gone. Almost, but not quite. The best I can do here is be a friend, unfortunately.

"What's meant to be is meant to be, Lucas. I have a feeling that everything will turn out okay." And I don't mean between him and Haley. I'm about to walk off, satisfied that I've stopped his murderous rage but he grabs me gently by the arm.

"You've got a free period now, haven't you?" He asks. I nod at him, feeling a smile spread over my face before I can stop it.

"Do you want to go for a coffee, just to talk?" He asks.

"Sure."

I stop the pang of guilt in my stomach by telling myself that I'm doing this as a favout to Haley, and if her and Nathan do get it on, then I can console Lucas as another favour to her.

A coffee with Lucas? Probably the most fun a girl can have without taking her clothes off...