The game was a blowout. If high school basketball had had a slaughter rule in effect, Pickerington would have been done by the end of the first half. The final score was 79 to 51 in favor of the Tree Hill Ravens. A celebration at Nathan Scott's parents' beach house would surely follow after the nearly hour long bus trip back home.

"Brooke, it's so awesome!" Bevin squealed. "We won another one. I can't believe it. It's just one more step closer to the State Championship, I can feel it."

"What can we say?" Brooke shrugged. "Our boys are the best."

It was an understatement as she glanced over to the court. Standing near the entrance to the locker room, still celebrating, were Nathan and Haley, along with Lucas and Peyton. The Scott brothers had been an unstoppable offensive and defensive duo the entire season. As always after the post game victory interview, the first thing they did, the first thing any of the players did, was run to their significant other. It was a regular sight seeing Lucas and Peyton cuddled up following the games. For Brooke, it was still a sore spot. Not so long ago, it had been her to congratulate him on his wins and console him on his losses with hugs and kisses.

"So are you gonna head over to the party when we get home?"

"Huh? Um, nah. Probably not."

Brooke looked away. She was cool with Lucas and Peyton but the new dynamics of their relationship had changed everything. She no longer purposely partied in the same place where she knew they were going to be.

"Why? Are you kidding me? Come on, Brooke. It's gonna be a blast and everybody is gonna be there. We used to have so much fun at the parties at the beach house. It just won't be the same without you."

"Bev, the parties kind of all blend together after a while anyway. You'll be fine. It will still be fun. Besides, you'll be so wrapped up in Skills, you won't even know I'm missing."

Bevin grinned as she always did whenever the subject of Skills came up.

"Maybe so but I'll still miss you. I mean, this, you not showing up, it's all about Luke and Peyton, right?"

Something caught Brooke's attention out of the corner of her eye. A face emerged from the crowd she hadn't noticed while she was cheering.

"No," she smiled. "It's all about him."

"Hey Brooke," he approached her as they hugged.

"Chase, what a surprise. I didn't know you were coming."

"Me either but I thought, why not?"

"Wish you had come for a more interesting game. Basketball is usually more exciting than this. Tonight the other team didn't have a chance."

"It's cool," he shrugged. "I still had a good time besides, it was really nice seeing you. You looked great out there, Brooke."

She loved how he possessed that uncanny ability to always make her blush.

"Thanks. Um, Chase, this is my good friend, I think you guys might have met before briefly, Bevin Maskey. Bev, you remember Chase."

The two shook hands.

"Of course. Nice to see you again, Chase."

"Same here. So Bevin, how have you been?"

"Pretty great. There's gonna be this kick ass after party tonight that I have been begging my friend here to go to. She's breaking my heart by saying no but I guess I'll live."

"Party?" Chase turned to Brooke.

"It's nothing. It's just a big get together at the Scott house over at Wrightsville. It's no big deal. I wasn't even planning on going but if you want to…"

"I don't care," he looked right at her. "Whatever you want to do."

"Whatever you want," she coyly sent it back to him.

"You guys are way adorable," Bevin shook her head. "Normally I'd be like grossed out or totally jealous but since I've found my own honey bunny to swoon over, you two and your togetherness is way acceptable."

"Thanks," Brooke grinned at Chase who was grinning himself.

"I have a really great idea," Bevin posed. "We should get something to eat, then go to the party together. It'd be fun, besides, Chase, I really think you'd like my guy. His name is Skills, he's a real hottie and he scored like a bunch of points tonight."

"Okay. Sounds like fun. Brooke, if you're cool with it…"

"I'm down. Did Skills go back to the shower yet?"

Bevin looked around.

"I don't know. I don't see him yet. Do you?"

Brooke looked around the gym, searching through the faces of the people still left behind. She was looking for Skills but was not prepared for what she actually saw.

"Uh oh."

Bevin frowned.

"What's wrong?"

Brooke closed her eyes. She couldn't believe it. Not Skills. Not in the middle of the damned gymnasium for all to see.

"Bev, wait…"

But it was too late. Bevin followed her friend's gaze right over to the front bleacher in the corner by the home team's locker room. Skills had been found alright. But he was not alone. Sitting practically on his lap was a girl, a pretty Pickerington cheerleader, giggling and rubbing his muscular arm, seemingly hanging on to his every word. And Skills seemed to be eating it up. He sat close to her, whispering as he grinned.

"Oh my God…" Bevin managed.

Brooke put her arm around her. She didn't know what else to do. What was she supposed to say? That maybe it wasn't what it looked like? From personal experience, it was exactly what it looked like.

"Bev, I am so sorry," Brooke whispered.

Tears welled in Bevin's eyes.

"I…I can't believe it."

"He's a real jerk."

"How, how could he do this to me?"

Brooke could feel her anger rising. Skills was her friend but so was Bevin. How dare he hurt her and publicly humiliate her in the process?

"Come on. It's not even worth it. He's not worth it. Let's get out of here."

Bevin was stunned, along with a mix of other emotions. She was hurt. How? Why? What had gone wrong? She had just seen him at school. Everything had been fine. They had even kissed. Things had been going so well. What would make him want to go be with another girl all of a sudden? Mouth, who had just seen the interaction, shared the same sentiments as he walked over towards Chase, Brooke and Bevin.

"Bev, are you okay?"

Okay? Okay! Hell no she wasn't okay. In fact, she was anything but okay. Her feelings had been crushed, the guy she liked had just stunned her and above all he had pissed her off. Bevin was tired of playing the fool and having the broken heart. She was tired of being played period.

"Don't cry," Brooke said. "Not here. Not in front of everyone."

But it was too late. The tears streamed but so did the anger. Despite her worried friends shouting her name, Bevin Maskey walked right across that court over to Skills and his mystery friend. Standing over them, she folded her arms. The girl looked up first, rolling her eyes, half attitude, half smirk.

"Can I help you?" she asked rudely.

"No thanks," she said before turning her attention to Skills. "But you can."

"Bevin…" he looked surprised. "What's up?"

"What's up? You tell me what's up! What the hell is all this?"

He scratched his bald head, not knowing what to say but knowing full well that he had been busted. People were starting to look in their direction, including Nathan, Haley, Lucas and Peyton.

"This is Keisha…"

"I don't care who the hell she is, I just want to know why she's all over you like a cheap suit!"

"Uh oh," Mouth muttered nervously under his breath as they all looked on.

"What?" the girl looked up.

"Oh you heard me! You weren't deaf a few seconds ago when you were all over him."

The girl identified as Keisha laughed.

"Skills, you better calm your girl."

"Oh I'm not his girl, trust me! At least not anymore! I don't hang out with guys that dis me and hang out with skanks after the game."

"Bitch, who you calling a skank?" Keisha stood up.

"You…bitch."

Several of Keisha's cheerleading friends began to surround Bevin. Without hesitation, Brooke, Rachel, Peyton and the rest of the Ravens girls immediately had her back.

"Yo, this is enough," Skills stood between the two girls. "Everybody need to just calm down."

"Is this your girlfriend?" Keisha asked Skills.

He looked right at Bevin, tears still rolling down her face as she stood her ground. He didn't have a real answer for that.

"You're a real jerk, you know that?" Bevin whispered. "I thought you were different, I thought we were different. I thought I meant something special to you."

"Bev…" he tried to speak.

"So it's like that?" Keisha continued. "Are we hanging out tonight or what, Skills? You need to let me know right now if you want to be with me or Miss Barbie over here. I can't even believe you get down like that anyway. You ain't nothing but slumming to her with her fake ass breasts and her fake ass blonde hair and her fake ass Mercedes driving, Valley girl self."

Bevin had had it and she wasn't going to take it any more. Stepping forward, she gave Keisha a push that sent her stumbling backwards.

"You don't know me! How dare you say anything like that? You don't know a damned thing about me! And for your information, it's a BMW, you boyfriend stealing tramp!"

"Bitch, I'm gonna kick your ass!" Keisha lunged for her.

"Bring it on!"

Slaps and punches were thrown and hair was pulled as the two girls went at it, the Tree Hill cheerleaders an equalizer against the Pickerington cheerleaders, as the guys stepped in to break them up. Once they were apart, an angry and disheveled Bevin stormed off, her friends hot on her heels.

"This ain't over, you rich Tree Hill bitch!" Keisha yelled out.

"Any time," Bevin turned and defended with no fear.

Skills ran towards her, making his way through the people surrounding her.

"Shorty, what was all that about? Yo, why you getting all crazy fighting over me?"

"Fighting over you? Please. Just get out of here and leave her alone," an annoyed Brooke advised.

"No, it's okay, Brooke," Bevin stepped forward.

"Bev," Skills started.

"Don't even speak to me," she cut him off. "What happened in there was wrong and it was all your fault. How dare you treat me like that? Who the hell do you think you are? All I did was like you and be nice to you and have fun with you. If you don't want to be with me anymore, fine, but did you really have to make a fool out of me in front of everybody?"

"Bevin…"

"Shut up. Just shut up because I so don't want to hear you right now. There's nothing you can say. You really hurt me. These tears I cried tonight were for you but no more," she wiped her eyes. "Because you don't deserve them. Just like you don't deserve me. I thought you were a nice guy, Skills. I thought you cared about me, I thought you were different. But you're not, in fact, you're worse. That night you played the hero and beat up Evan? You said he needed to learn how to respect women. Looks like he's not the only one. And try learning some self respect while you're at it."

With that, she walked off, right out of the school, into the parking lot with Mouth and Brooke right behind her.

"It's okay, Bev," Mouth tried to assure her as Brooke held her close. "It's all gonna be okay."

But it wasn't. And Bevin didn't know if it ever would be again.