Disclaimer: I don't own them. Ryan Murphy does. That man's a genius

A/N: Thanks to all the people that has sent me such wonderful feedback.

Part Five

What the hell am I doing here? Brooke asked herself for the tenth time that evening. Two weeks, it had taken them two weeks to decide to meet up at the movies, which had been Brooke's original idea. But oh no, she'd been subjected to the phone calls that lasted way too long for her liking, and the constant text messages whenever she and Sam were studying. That was when they actually got time to spend together. Sam was always busy doing something lately, and what little time they did actually see each other, she couldn't stop talking about Mia.

Mia, she now hated that name. She wasn't even sure why. She should be happy. She was no longer the subject of 'Tippy's Journal.' No, she'd been replaced by another cheerleading blonde that was on her debate team and the school paper. It should have made spending time with the budding journalist easier. Instead she went to bed feeling unsettled and angry, and she didn't understand why. She'd liked it better when she'd been avoiding Sam, but Sam was her best friend, and she was trying to be supportive.

So here she stood in front of the theater, with a very nervous Sam, and all she wished she could do was go home and curl up in her bed. Sam was shifting from foot to foot, and bouncing incessantly. She ran a shaking hand through her hair before turning uncertain brown eyes to Brooke.

"Are you sure I look okay?" Sam asked.

"For the five hundredth and seventy third time, yes, you look great." Brooke answered in an exasperated tone, but she'd meant it. Sam really did look good. She was wearing the outfit they'd gotten from the mall months ago, and she'd done some cool twisty thing with her hair. She'd even asked Brooke do her make up, and the ending result was amazing.

Just then a blonde with long wavy hair and sparkling bluish green eyes appeared beside them. Judging from the gleam in those blue eyes, Brooke knew she wasn't the only one that appreciated the time Sam had put into her appearance. Sam caught the look in Brooke's hazel eyes and turned around.

"Mia?" She croaked.

"In the flesh, so I guess that makes you Sam." The blonde said with a bright smile.

"Yeah…um…yes, I'm Sam." The brunette replied moving forward to hug the girl.

"Wow, the pictures really didn't do you justice." Mia said with a shy smile

"I could say the same about you." Sam said with bright pink cheeks.

Brooke had to fight making a gagging nose at the two blushing girls. She took one look at the blonde and decided that she didn't like her much. She grudgingly admitted that girl was beautiful, if you went for that petite, leggy, runway type of girl, but she was all wrong for Sam in Brooke's opinion. She was too perky and friendly. Who wore a skirt that short on a first date? Brooke she heard head, telling herself that she didn't really care. She just wished Sam would stop staring the girl's well-toned legs.

"Oh, where are my manners?" Sam turned towards the silently fuming blonde. "This is my stepsister, Brooke. Brooke this is Mia."

Thanks for finally noticing me, Sam. Brooke put on her best, I don't like you, but I'll pretend I do for Sam's sake smile and held out her hand. Something about the brunette introducing her as just her 'stepsister' didn't sit to well with her, but she decided to deal with that later.

"Nice to meet you Brooke. I've heard so much about you." Mia said in her sweetest voice, and it made Brooke want to wretch.

"All nice things, I hope."

"Only the best." The shorter blonde replied, before turning her attention to a tall, blonde haired boy, with movie star good looks and a letterman's jacket. "This is my best friend, Ethan. Ethan, that's Sam, and this is Brooke."

Ah, he was to be her 'date.' Brooke gave him a once over, and she had to admit he was definitely her type, at least her type back when she dated guys like Josh Ford. She wasn't into those guys any longer. She now preferred dark haired, dark eyed guys that were into books instead of sports. Boys who wrote more than the required essays for school were her forte now. This boy with his flaxen hair, deep green eyes, and Tom Cruise smile did nothing for her. Wow, he even had a dimple in his right cheek. Nice touch, Brooke thought exasperatedly.

As they stood in line for their movie tickets, Ethan regaled her with the highlights of his high school football career. All the while she attempted, in vain, to hear what Sam and Mia were whispering about. She didn't like how close Mia stood next to Sam and how, when they talked, the blonde always seemed to need to touch the journalist in some way or another. She was half-tempted to say something, but the brunette didn't seem to mind. In fact, Sam had fixed Brooke with a very excited smirk, which caused the blonde's heart to sink down into her stomach.

She sat in between Ethan and Sam in the movies with Mia on Sam's other side. The two held hands talked while waiting for the previews to begin, while Ethan went on and on about hair gel. She rolled her eyes, making sure that her mouth was always full of popcorn to avoid having to actually talk to the quarterback. She was grateful when the movie began so she could feign interest in that, while covertly spying on the two girls to her left.

Once the theater went completely dark and the opening credits began to roll the nonstop chatter and giggling ceased between the two girls, much to Brooke's delight. Their hands remained intertwined, and she could see them casting flirtatious glances at each other throughout the movie. She had to suppress her triumphant grin when Sam declined a kiss from Mia. It was short lived, however, when Sam took Mia's hand in her own, and kissed the back of it in a heartbreakingly sweet and tender kiss. Brooke sat back in a huff, and turned back towards the screen. She wouldn't be looking at the two girls again.

They stood outside of the theater talking for a few moments, since it seemed Sam and Mia could barely stand to end the evening.

"How about we go out for coffee?" Mia suggested.

"That sounds great!" Sam replied, looking over at Brooke cautiously.

Brooke could see Sam begging her for more time, and she almost gave in, but she didn't think she could stand one more second of Sam and Mia making eyes at each other. "Actually, I'm not feeling all that great, movie theater popcorn loaded with butter always makes me feel a little nasty. Besides, I'm not much of a coffee drinker." She could see the disappointment in Sam's eyes, but blithely ignored it, thanking God that she'd driven that night.

"Brooke's my ride so…" Sam said letting her words trail off.

"We could always drive you home." Mia suggested with a coy smile.

Brooke's heart almost stopped. Why hadn't she thought of that? Would Sam go with them? Why should she care if Sam did? But Sam wouldn't ditch her, right? She really hoped Sam wouldn't. She held her breath, waiting for the brunette's response.

"Not tonight, maybe some other time. Call me tomorrow." Sam said to a very disappointed Mia. Brooke could feel another victorious smile spread on her face, and didn't miss the pointed look the other blonde shot her.

When Sam moved forward to kiss Mia on her cheek, the shorter blonde returned the grin with one of her own. All traces of the smile Brooke had been sporting vanished. The foursome said their goodbyes. Everyone seemed oblivious to the silent battle being fought between hazel and blue eyes. She hooked her arm in Sam's as they made their way back to the car.

"So what did you think?" Sam asked excitedly as they drove home. "Wasn't she gorgeous?"

"Eh, she was okay. If you like that type." Brooke replied, trying to suppress her groan. She so didn't want to be doing this right now.

"What type is that? Blonde, leggy, and supermodel hot?" Sam asked with a big grin.

"Was she supermodel hot? I hadn't noticed."

"Oh come off it, Brooke, you'd have to be Helen Keller not to see." Sam said with a smirk. "Ethan wasn't too bad on the eyes either." She said looking over at the blonde driving curiously.

"No, I don't suppose he was, but honestly, he's not my type."

"Brooke, he's everybody's type! Heck, I'm even thinking about switching back teams. If it wasn't for Mia that is." She quickly amended.

Brooke rolled her eyes. She just wanted the conversation to end. "Yes, but guys like that they don't have a lot of substance. I'm looking for someone with depth, and Ethan had about as much depth as a wading pool."

Sam chuckled, before her look became pensive. "Do you think she liked me?"

Brooke looked over at her incredulously. Then she saw Sam was serious. "Are you kidding me? She couldn't keep her eyes off of you. Or her hands for that matter."

"Yeah, but I've never been in this situation before. I didn't know if all of that was just per the course. So you really think she liked me?"

"She'd be a fool if she didn't." Brooke said, and was warmed by the smile that graced Sam's beautiful features.

She still didn't like Mia, and thought Sam could do a whole lot better, but she could play the supportive best friend role. She just hoped she'd survive it.