The last bell had rung at Tree Hill High and after the usual mass of students who gathered at the end of the day, the halls finally began to clear out. Only left were the athletes and cheerleaders, along with the band, all there to practice for their respective activities. The girls filed into the locker room, giggly and giddy with each other and those on the other ends of their cell phones. Bags made their way into piles in the corner as they undressed from their fashionably stylish school attire to change into the appropriate sports wear required for all the dancing and tumbling in the gym.

"Oh my God!" Bevin frowned.

The others smiled to themselves between rolling their eyes. They knew what was next. It was a typical Bevin Maskey moment, one in which she'd find a supposed "flaw" in her near perfect body and proceed to have a mini meltdown until one or all of the girls comforted her. It was a daily occurrence almost right before cheer practice started.

"What now?" Peyton joked, taking the bait. "Let me guess, dude…the mountains are crumbling, the sky is falling, the very world as we know it is about to end because you…found a pimple?"

Everyone laughed as Bevin made a face and pointed to the tight, toned and tanned skin of her shapely left thigh.

"Look", she pouted.

"What the hell am I looking for?" Brooke demanded.

Bevin sighed in frustration.

"There. Right there! Don't you see it? It, it's hideous! It, it…it…oh my God, it, it's…cellulite", she managed to whisper in a dramatic and horrified voice.

Peyton just shook her head.

"Dude, you know you're like in dire need of some serious professional help", the blonde teased as she too began to undress.

"But I'm only 17 and I have cottage cheese thighs! That is so gross! What am I gonna do?"

Brooke rolled her eyes. After a friendship that dated back to pre school, the pretty brunette was well aware of the drill.

"Bevin, you don't have cellulite. Your legs are awesome, probably the best on the team. You're beautiful, you have a gorgeous body and you're gonna knock Skills right out of his socks when he sees you in your dress for formal."

Instantly Bevin's facial expression softened as she smiled with glee. She loved reassurance from her peers and compliments from anyone. Plus it always garnered a mile wide smile anytime anyone brought up her sexy, basketball playing boyfriend, nicknamed for his domination on the court.

"Really? You think?"

Brooke bit her lip to keep from letting out a blood curling scream and pulling her hair out by the chunks.

"I know so, Friend."

"I guess I am kind of hot, huh?" Bevin turned to admire her own image in the mirror.

A smirk came across Rachel's face as she pulled her sports bra over her head.

"Sure you're hot, Bev, but there's always room to be hotter."

"What do you mean?"

Rachel shrugged.

"You don't like your tits? Go out and buy a new pair. Too much fat around your belly? Go let the doc suck it out. Nose too big? Get a new one", she explained casually.

"It's that simple?" Bevin asked, checking her reflection once more.

The fiery red head just winked.

"Hey, it worked for me."

Bevin cocked her head sideways.

"Well, my parents were wondering about what to get me for graduation next year. I was thinking maybe a new car or a summer vacation to Cancun but…"

"Bev, you're being ridiculous!" Brooke could no longer take it. "Plastic surgery is lame, especially at our age, and you're hot anyway. That's a waste of time and money and an idea, for that matter."

"But…"

"But nothing", she turned to Rachel. "And you should be ashamed of yourself for even bringing that up."

"What? Why so aggressive, Brookie? It was only a suggestion."

"And a sucky one at that. Just because you chose to go all Joan Rivers on yourself before puberty even ended doesn't mean it's right for the rest of us."

Rachel just shot her and evil but teasing grin.

"To each his or her own. You're totally right. I was just letting Bev know her options. Surgery isn't for everyone. It worked for me…and who knows? Judging by the way your behind looks in those short shorts, it just might work for you, too."

Brooke returned her sarcastic grin.

"You know, Rachel, just because we're cheer co captains and fair weather friends, that in no way means that I can't still stick my foot up your ass", Brooke reminded her, arms folded.

"Ladies, ladies", Peyton intervened with a sigh like always.

"She started it", Brooke licked her tongue out.

"Well, allow me to finish it", Peyton declared. "Everyone in here is a total hottie. We look great at practice, we look great in our uniforms and come formal, we're gonna look equally kick ass in our gowns. Case closed."

Rachel's lips mischievously curled upwards.

"You do have a point there. I tried on mine for Mouth and let's say he plenty approved."

Peyton grinned.

"Yeah, Jake liked mine, too. And you should see Haley's. It's so pretty. Brooke sewed it for her."

Rachel raised an eyebrow.

"You know, Davis, I still can't get over the fact that you actually know how to sew. Pretty cool. But making formal gowns? That is so Pretty In Pink."

"At least Haley is gonna look awesome and she loves it and that's all that matters and wait…why the hell am I explaining myself to you? Besides, how many outfits have you literally begged me to make for you?"

Rachel scoffed.

"I never said you weren't good. Geez, case closed just like Peyton said before Brooke's thongs get twisted in an even bigger bunch. We will be the hottest things at the formal and we're gonna have a blast and all our dates are like the luckiest guys in the world."

"I can't believe you guys let your dates see you in your dresses before the big dance", Kelly said, brushing her long blonde hair while she popped a huge wad of bubble gum. "Isn't that like bad luck or something?"

"Only for a wedding", Peyton murmured under her breath, in honor of her best friend still annoyed that the Tree Hill cheer traitor was still on their squad.

"Oh. Yeah. Well then I guess I should let Lucas see my dress. I only told him that it was pink. He was so sweet about it. He even bought me the perfect corsage. It's sitting in the fridge at the café right now just waiting for me", she gushed.

Just waiting for me, Brooke mocked over and over in her head, wanting seriously to throw up in the trash can and then rub Kelly's face in it. Sometimes she got that way. Most of the time she could deal with it. It wasn't so much that Kelly was with Lucas…that hurt and sucked in itself but Brooke could get over that part. It was the betrayal by both of them, especially after she had loved and cared for them in her own way so much at one time. If you couldn't trust your friends or your boyfriend, who could you trust? But it was an unimaginable situation Brooke was dealing with, mostly because she had no choice.

A few feet away, Rachel ignored everyone's scowls. She had a better idea. She knew the best antidote for Brooke was to show up at formal with a hot date, looking even hotter in her own dress. Sweet revenge and looking like a million bucks was the only option.

"So, Brooke, tell us about your dress", Rachel prodded.

Brooke felt her cheeks burn. Dress? What dress? She hadn't bothered shopping for or even making one. What was the point? And for the first time ever, Brooke Davis didn't have a date when it really counted. In fact, she had been dreading formal and dodging all discussion of such.

"Um…"

"Yeah, Brooke. Usually you have the sexiest dress ever", Teresa chimed in.

Brooke looked away, absolutely stumped.

"Yeah. About that…"

"You do have a dress…don't you?" Teresa inquired.

"Actually…"

"Wait. You are going to formal…aren't you?" Bevin's eyes narrowed.

Brooke was between a rock and a hard place. All eyes were on her waiting for an answer, even Peyton. Brooke glanced over at Rachel whose arms were folded as she seemed to be reading her fellow captain's mind. Brooke had to go to that formal and Rachel reiterated that almost telepathically. To not go would be social and repuational suicide. She had to. Even if she didn't want to, she had to hold her head high and show them they hadn't gotten the best of her…and never would.

"Of course, I'm going, Sillys", Brooke playfully rolled her eyes. "Duh! And of course my dress and my date are both fabulous, thank you very much, so awesome in fact that I have to keep them both under wraps until the big night. But nice try attempting to get the 411."

The others went on about their business as the conversation blew over and it was time to head out front.

"You okay, dude?" Peyton asked.

Brooke nodded and forced a smile.

"I'm great, P. Sawyer. You know me. Um, I'll be out in a minute."

Peyton, still not convinced, nodded reluctantly and followed the others out. Only Rachel remained with her as she applied a quick coat of deodorant underneath her pits. She gave Brooke another smirk.

"You're my hero", she mused.

"What for?" Brooke scowled, hands on her hips.

Rachel nodded, knowing Brooke knew damn well what she meant. Whether they liked it or not, sometimes their minds were just uncannily in sync. It was almost scary.

"For never letting them see you sweat", she tossed Brooke the deodorant as she headed out to the gym.