Chapter Three

Lip Gloss and Let Down

"And this year's starting lineup for the Tree Hill Ravens…"

The crowd roared as "Bring 'em out" played throughout the packed gymnasium. Peyton, Brooke, Bevin, and Rachel sat in the English classroom down the hall from the gym. The girls could hear Mouth's voice over the speaker system.

Brooke smiled when she heard Lucas's name and looked down at her shoes. She stood up and ran her manicured fingers over her emerald green satin dress. She heard a knock at the door and looked at Peyton. Peyton shrugged her shoulders and walked toward the door. Brooke followed behind her and peaked over Peyton's shoulder.

It was Jake.

"He's back?" Brooke asked, excited for her best friend.

Peyton opened the door and said, "I hope so."

Earlier that day…

Peyton was in shock. There he was. She had been waiting for him to come back for so long. She couldn't move. Her mind, her body, every part of her was in total and complete shock. She put her hand out and put it on his. "I just wanted to make sure it was real this time."

He smiled and intertwined his fingers with hers. "I'm glad it's real this time." Jake pulled her close to him and she dug her head deep into his chest. She breathed in deep and closed her eyes. He put his face into her hair. "When I would dream about you…" She looked up at him. "I could never smell your hair, or touch your skin, or kiss your lips." Jake kissed her on the forehead, "But now here I am… and you're exactly how I remember. Perfect."

"Please don't leave me again Jake." Tears started to fall from hazel eyes. As each tear fell from her eyes, he would kiss them away. "Please tell me you're back for good."

"I wish I could." Peyton looked down at the sidewalk. Jake put his hands on her cheeks and pulled her face up to look at him, "Please Peyton, don't cry, you know I love you and that I wouldn't leave…"

"Wait."

"What?"

"You love me?" She said now looking up at him.

Jake put his hands on her hips and kissed her, "Of course I do. You didn't think that me being gone would change that did you?"

"I didn't know… you were gone and I was here and I just thought…"

"Well you thought wrong. Peyton, you are perfect… for me and I don't want to be with out you again. If I have to leave again… I want you to come with me."

"Where would you have to go?"

"Jake? What is going on?" She looked him up and down. He was dressed in a tuxedo.

"You look amazing." He said as he kissed her.

"Thanks." She said with a huge smile crossing her face. She shook her head, "But what are you doing? Why are you dressed like that?"

"I have an idea." He said grabbing Peyton's hand and leading the way. He led her to the gym where he went to the announcers table.

Mouth looked painfully confused. "Jake?"

Jake nodded, "Mouth I need you to do me a favor."

Mouth shook his head and mouthed, "Not now."

"No, Mouth, I need you to do this for me."

Mouth grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down, "Write what you need."

Jake reached for the pen and wrote, "For the homecoming escorts, put my name with Peyton, Lucas with Brooke, and Tim with Rachel. Okay?"

Mouth wrote, "I can't do that Jake," as he continued to comment on the game.

"Please, this means a lot to me. " Jake wrote quickly.

Peyton grabbed the pen from Jake, looked at Mouth and wrote, "Do it for Brooke."

Mouth closed his eyes, took the pen from Peyton, and changed the name on the sheet.

Peyton smiled and kissed him on the cheek. Jake took Peyton's hand and led her back to the class room. The two walked into the room and Brooke looked up from the magazine she was reading. Bevin and Rachel stood in the other corner of the room, Bevin lacing up the back of Rachel's corset dress.

When she heard the door open, Rachel whipped her head around. She smiled at him and started to walk in his direction. Bevin followed behind her, continued to lace up the back. "Hey," She said, in a breathy voice, "I'm Rachel, the new girl, and to be new head cheerleader. And you are?"

"Taken." Peyton said as she squeezed Jake's hand.

Brooke glared at Rachel. She hated her. She despised her. Lucas was her escort and she hated her for that. She was trying to take over Brooke's life. That made her hate Rachel even more. She watched Bevin ooh and ahh over Rachel. Brooke felt like she might vomit.

Bevin looked up at the clock and said, "First half should be about over. Maybe we should head on out there." She tugged on the straps of her brown halter dress and walked toward the door.

Rachel reached into her purse and pulled out a tube of lip gloss. Bevin watched her every move, "Hey Rachel, what's that called?"

Rachel smiled and tossed Bevin the tube, "Orgasm," She said choking on her own words.

"You have got to be kidding me." Brooke said standing up from her chair.

Peyton walked behind Rachel and said, "Rachel you have some threads hanging." She reached into the teacher's desk and pulled out scissors. Peyton cut the top and the bottom lace of the corset. "There. Perfect." She said patting Rachel on the back.

Rachel smiled at Peyton, "Thanks."

Peyton smiled back and Brooke glared at her.

The principal knocked on the door and said, "Girls, come on and line up."

The girls stood up and got in line, Rachel, then Bevin, then Brooke, and finally Peyton. Brooke turned around to Peyton, "Why the hell did you help her?"

Peyton rose an eyebrow and said, "Oh I didn't, just wait, you'll see."

Brooke smirked at her and followed Bevin out the door. The four girls stood in line outside the doors of the gymnasium. They all lined up how they thought they were supposed to. Brooke was first. Tim stood next to her trying to take her hand. She pulled it away quickly and hit him on the arm. "What?" He screeched, "I'm your escort. I have to hold your hand."

"No," She said, glaring at him, "No you don't."

Behind Brooke stood Peyton and her escort, Chance Hampton, another senior basketball player. Every few seconds she would look over her shoulder, checking to make sure Jake was still there. And every time she looked, there he was.

Next was Bevin. Bevin could not take her eyes off Nathan. Nathan kept starting at the ground, trying to avoid her and Tim.

"Hey Nate, look at this." Nathan look up at Tim and Tim opened his dress coat. "I didn't put on my shirt." He started laughing, "I'm not wearing a shirt Nate."

"I see that Tim." Nathan said he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Tim, do us all a favor and put a shirt on." Peyton said to him as she leaned forward.

"Rachel likes it don't you Rachel?" Time said as he turned to the back of the line.

Lucas adjusted his bow tie as Rachel said, "Yes Tim. Very sexy."

"Don't get a hard-on Tim." Brooke said staring forward, refusing to look back at Rachel and Lucas, "We have to walk out there soon."

"… And now the 2005 Homecoming Candidates…"

"We have to go out there now."

"…Chosen by the senior boys, Brooke Davis…"

Brooke interlocked her arm with Tim's and started to walk out the door.

"… escourted by senior basketball player… Lucas Scott…"

Brooke looked up and toward the back of the line. He walked toward her. Both of them confused.

He took her hand and looked her in the eyes, "Life has a funny way of making sure you are still paying attention, huh?"

She looked into his deep blue eyes and fell in love all over again.