Cooper closed his eyes as he swallowed another gulp of ice cold beer from the frosty mug. There was nothing better than enjoying a brew while enjoying the company of a beautiful woman at the same time. That had always rung true for Cooper Lee…but there was a first time for everything.

It had started out so right. She was blonde. She had a cute face and a super hot body. She was talkative and he even dug that sweet little way she giggled at him like a little girl. Fast forward an hour and a half later. What had first made his newfound companion (what was her name? Dottie or Donna or Diana or something like that, something that started with a D) so desirable had eventually made her so…annoying. The giggle was no longer cute, nor was the little girl voice or the way she swatted his arm every time he made a comment and said as loudly and dramatically as she pleased, "Nuh uh!"

"So that's like so cool that you race cars, well, I mean, you used to race cars and all and it's like you've lived everywhere! I've always wanted to go to California. That would be so fun, you know, like the California Girls song."

Cooper downed a shot and chased it with his beer.

"Uh, yeah", he smiled, still being the nice guy no matter how irritating his company had turned out to be. "California is nice. I spent some time out there. A buddy of mine and I spent a lot of time surfing out near Dana Point."

"You lived in California?"

"Not long but yeah."

"And you surf?"

"I try", he answered, blue eyes sparkling.

"Nuh uh!" she screamed with an obnoxious giggle that turned heads in their direction.

Cooper forced a smile.

"Uh huh", he shrugged.

Wow, were his ears ringing. At least she didn't slap him silly that time.

"Oh my God, that is so awesome!" she hauled off right at his arm.

Cooper cringed with pain, imagining how red the area would look once he removed his long sleeved shirt. He had always been known as a bit of a daredevil with a high pain tolerance but Danielle or Deidre or Devyn or whoever the hell she was, had almost pushed him to the limit.

"Yeah…awesome. Those were pretty good times, I guess."

"And now you're in Tree Hill."

Cooper sighed. Tree Hill, it was.

"Looks like I'll be hanging around for a while."

"Must be pretty boring."

"It's not too bad."

"Nuh uh!"

She went to slap him again but he quickly dodged the path of the tiny but nevertheless mighty blow.

"I like it. My family is here so it's cool. Besides, sometimes you just have to make the best out of the situation."

"Like turning lemons into lemonade?"

"Story of my life, as of late", he laughed.

She began to giggle again, really giggle. The Chrissy Snow giggle that made her actually snort. Cooper just kept on smiling…and drinking. He had gone to the local downtown watering hole to relax…and get away from his brother in law. Maybe staying home with Dan wouldn't have been so bad after all.

"Well, you could tell me more about it…"

"Huh?"

She playfully rolled her eyes and swatted him again before he had the chance to get the hell out of dodge.

"Silly Willy! You know what I mean. We could go back to your place and you know, hang out, and stuff and you could tell me all about everything…over breakfast tomorrow."

Cooper nearly choked on his drink as he accidentally spit some out. In his day he hadn't turned down a lot of offers of hot sex with pretty girls but Delores or Deanna or Daphne was beginning to make him reconsider. On the pro side, sex was always good…even when it was bad. It was also something to do to past the lonely night away. But on the con side, she was starting to get on his nerves. And if she was that overbearing in public, imagine what she'd be like in private. She'd probably break out the porn star moaning and screaming before they even got their clothes off good. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad, he raised an eyebrow and smirked. Then he thought of the aftermath. He could see it as plain as day. An angry Deb outside his door, arms folded, lecture ready. And then there was Dan. Yikes! Some things just weren't worth it.

"I, I don't know…"

"Oh, don't be a poo poo head, Coopie." she began to pout.

"Look, you're a great girl and you're beautiful and I've had a blast hanging out and talking with you but um, taking you home wouldn't be the best idea."

"Why not?"

"Because…because…"

Ouch! He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Excuses were so much harder to come up with when you had a nice buzz going on.

"There you are! Cooper, I have been looking all over for you."

He and his lady friend both frowned, turning in the direction of the mystery voice. He knew that voice sounded familiar and the gorgeous face only cemented that fact. He was glad to see her but confused at the same time. Where had she come from?

"Hi", he managed to croak.

The blonde wrinkled her nose.

"Who's this?"

Cooper shifted in his seat.

"Um, this is, this…"

"His girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" the blonde repeated.

The brunette standing over them extended her long, tanned arm.

"That's right. Brooke Davis", she turned to Cooper, pecking his forehead. "Been waiting long, baby?"

"No. Um, not long. Not long at all. Just having a drink."

He saw the twinkle in her eye and caught on quickly. What a lifesaver.

"Wait a minute. You have a girlfriend? You're his girlfriend?"

"In the flesh", Brooke winked.

"Nuh uh! No way!"

"Way. Now would you be a doll and excuse us?"

Cooper tried to shrug as Brooke dragged him off to the opposite end of the bar. They took a seat in a private corner.

"What was all that?" he smiled.

It was her turn to shrug.

"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, just like everybody else in the joint, mind you. Is it just me or was she like super loud? Anyway, you look liked you needed rescuing and when has Brooke Davis ever walked away from a male damsel in distress?"

"Yeah, that was pretty bad. I mean, she's sweet and all but a little like…"

"Nails on chalkboard? Yeah, yeah, I totally get it."

"Maybe but I have a question for you, Brooke. What the hell are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?" she feigned teenage innocence.

"It's after midnight on a weekday, which in your case, is a school night."

"So?"

"So when did they start letting high school seniors in here?"

Brooke looked around.

"I don't see any high school seniors", she reached in her purse and pulled out a card she flashed him with.

Cooper couldn't help but grin.

"Ginger Lovelace?"

"What?"

He shook his head.

"It sounds like a stripper's name."

"Whatever", she snatched it back from him. "It was either that or Geraldine Fisher and that sounds like a grandma's name."

"I remember those."

"Back in your day?" Brooke teased.

"Ouch", he laughed again, pretending to be hurt. "Thanks for the 'in my day' part. I've heard that one before but for your info, the Coopster is still alive and kicking, thank you very much. The Shady Pines nursing home is still a few years off but yes, I did have a fake ID once and yes, it was about as cheesy as yours."

"I take what I can get", Brooke finished her beer.

"But seriously. You're a nice girl, Brooke. This isn't exactly an appropriate place for a Ravens cheerleader to be hanging out."

"It's good enough for you."

"You got me there but we're talking about you. I'm not 17."

"Neither am I", she sighed, showing him her real driver's license. "At least not anymore."

He looked past the pretty, smiling face in the small picture and noticed the date.

"Happy 18th Birthday", he said quietly.

Brooke rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah. It's been loads of fun."

"Well, what did you do special?"

Brooke thought.

"Let's see. I woke up, went to school, barely passed a History test that I barely studied for, broke a nail at lunch, discovered I had a flat tire in the parking lot after school and oh yeah, after cheerleading practice, I got to watch Lucas and Kelly make out while I waited for the mechanic to help me."

"Sounds like a rough day."

"Try a rough year."

"Hell, at least it'll be memorable, right?"

Brooke cracked a small smile.

"You really know how to cheer a girl up."

"I try. It just sucks to see you here all dolled up looking so sad on what is supposed to be one of the most fun nights of your life, instead you're getting wasted on stale beer."

"Life's a bitch."

"It can be but I feel bad."

"Don't. It's not your fault."

"I know but I want you to be happy. I wish I could make you feel better. And it wasn't a total loss, right? Today is just the eve of your big day. Your actual birthday is tomorrow. There's still time to save it."

"True but never mind me", Brooke waved her arm. "It's just that normal brooding, overly dramatic teenage angst I'm always teasing Peyton about. Only this time the Gucci heel is on the other foot, I guess. But whatever. Peyton used to drown her sorrows in creepy art and loser rock. Me? I prefer alcohol…lots of it."

"Been there, done that. Not always a good thing."

"I know that. I mean, a few years ago I was Brooke Davis, queen of the party people living it up getting wasted every time I had the chance. Yeah, you might not be able to tell that tonight but um, I'm not that girl anymore, Coop."

"What happened?" he asked softly.

She sighed.

"Lucas happened", she replied in an even softer voice. "I met him and I fell in love…and I got my heart broken. As much as that sucked, it was probably good for me. The rebound part was hell but I eventually got over it and pulled my head out of my ass and grew up. I kind of had no choice. But I realized there is more to me than keggers and boys and pom poms. Don't mean to get all Lifetime or Hallmark on you but I kind of discovered myself and found out that I'm not so bad after all. I have talents and goals. I have a brain and a heart. I have great friends…and I have myself. That, that was pretty cool."

"It is."

"Just when I thought I had things under control, Lucas came back into my life and turned it upside down again. I gave him my heart again."

"Big gamble."

"One I totally lost", she breathed.

"It's okay, Brooke."

She looked right at him.

"I know. I know that now. Like you told me before, this is high school. It'll all be over soon. It might hurt now but it's supposed to hurt. And I'm okay with that. I know this looks like a real pity party and yeah maybe it sort of is but it's what I wanted. Sure tomorrow I'll hang out with Bevin and Teresa and Peyton and everybody and we'll celebrate. I'll take goofy pictures and eat melted ice cream cake. And when I get home, I'm sure my parents will have a really cool and super expensive present waiting on my bed. Hell, it all kind fades into the same old routine after a while, you know? And I'm fine with that, too. In a few hours that will be the way it is but for a few minutes, the first few minutes of my birthday, I don't know…I guess I wanted to make it mine, if that makes sense."

Cooper couldn't help but stare at her. Her intensity, her sincerity, her thoughtfulness, her honesty…her beauty. At 18 she already had more maturity than most of the people his age.

"It makes a lot of sense. I get it."

"Listen to me getting all Dr. Phil on you. See? Watch enough Oprah and there's no need for therapy", she tried to joke.

"For what it's worth, Brooke, I hope you have a really great day. I mean that. You deserve it."

"Thanks", she smiled.

"No. Thank you."

"For?"

"The big rescue back there. I guess I really needed it."

"Nuh uh!" Brooke gave him her best imitation.

"Oh yeah", Cooper laughed. "And chill with that. You do it a little too well. I might have a flashback or something."

"It's all good. It's late anyway and I have an English quiz tomorrow. Oh joy."

"I hope you actually studied…"

"Look at cool Uncle Cooper, the Tree Hill hottie getting all parental on me. Of course I studied…a little."

"Brooke…"

"It was a joke. I'll be fine."

"Good luck on your quiz and like I said, try to have a good day tomorrow."

She nodded.

"I will."

He took out his wallet and threw a few loose bills across the bar.

"Good night, Brooke."

She turned to leave before a light bulb began to mischievously flash above that pretty little head.

"One more thing before I go, Coop."

"What's up?"

"You said you wanted me to have a good birthday, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, what's an awesome b-day without an awesome shot? Hell, I'll even let you buy."

He grinned.

"Wait a minute. Are you asking me to buy booze for a minor?"

"Yeah."

"Nuh uh!"

Brooke giggled.

"Oh shut up. It never stopped your ass before."

"I guess you're right", he shrugged, signaling the bartender over for one last hoorah. "It'll be out little secret."

Brooke nodded as those crystal blue eyes nearly melted her into a puddle on the floor beneath them. Their little secret. Something felt wonderful and warm about that.