Chapter Eleven: Your girlfriend went that way!

"Alright everyone, I've nearly finished grading last term's assessment which means it's that time again" Mr Dawson said, looking around at the class.

Everyone sighed. "Yep, I know." He said nodding "This term's project is going to be a little easier because everyone will have a partner to share the burden of deadlines with." Mr Dawson said, looking up at the few suck ups who laughed at his pathetic attempt to make a joke. "Now I want everyone on the left side of the class to put their names in this hat and I want everyone on the right side of the class to pick a topic and write your choice on a piece of paper and put it in the other hat, bare in mind you might not get the topic you put it"

Everyone proceeded to put their names or topics in the specific hats passing them to the front. "Okay, now swap the hats and each side can read out what you got"

Brooke opened her piece of paper.

"Brooke Davis, who is your partner?" Mr Dawson asked.

Brooke looked up "I got Lucas" Brooke said. She didn't even have to look at Peyton to feel her rolling her eyes.

"And Lucas what topic did you pick from the hat?"

"The French Revolution" Lucas said

"Ooooyeah" Brooke said turning around to smile at Lucas. She loved France.

"Glad to see someone is enthusiastic about this" Mr Dawson said smiling at Brooke. "Miss Gatina, who is your partner?"

Rachel turned her paper around, showing it to Mr Dawson "That would be Peyton"

Peyton looked at Rachel, whose expression mirrored hers. Just great. Peyton thought to herself before looking down at her piece of paper "We've got the French Revolution too"

"Okay then, well we've still got ten minutes before the end of the lesson, why don't you find your partners and talk about what you plan do" Mr Dawson said walking back over to his desk.

Most people in the class got up and moved to their partners. Brooke began putting her books in her bag, she saw Lucas in the corner of the class talking to Theresa who was leaning over his desk asking him something about his work. Brooke stood up waiting for Theresa to finish before heading over.

"Hey Brooke" Brooke turned around to see Peyton.

"Peyton, hi" Brooke replied

"So I was thinking that I wouldn't mind switching Lucas for Rachel, seeing how things might still be a little awkward between the two of you…" Peyton said

"No, its fine, I don't mind" Brooke answered

"Seriously, I'd be fine with it, seeing as I'm going out with Lucas and you guys didn't break up too long ago"

"Your right Peyton, we didn't break up that long ago and you are going out with him now" She paused letting what she had just said sink in with Peyton. "It's fine honestly, we're friends. Not in a horrible way but the only awkward pairing right now would be me and you, so it's fine"

Peyton tried to smile but it was obvious Brooke's words had stung her. Brooke noticed and quickly tried to apologies "Peyton, I didn't mean it in that way, it's just with what had happened today and…"

"No, I think you did mean it Brooke, in fact I don't even know why I bother trying with you, trying to do you a favour"

"Please Peyton, this wasn't about doing me a favour, you just wanted to be partners with Lucas that's all" Brooke said

"And what's so wrong with that?" Peyton asked defensively

"Nothing, you just don't have to lie about it" Brooke replied sounding disappointed

"Whatever, so we can switch" Peyton asked

"Well, I don't think we'll be allowed to, Mr Dawson won't think its fair"

"When has that ever stopped you Brooke?"

"And plus I like doing the French Revolution"

"Since when did you ever get so excited about doing the French Revolution?" Peyton asked

"Since Lucas was her partner" Rachel said, getting up from her desk where she had been sitting and witnessing the whole discussion. Both Peyton and Brooke glared and Rachel "So do you have any ideas for our project, Peyton" Rachel asked, nudging Peyton.

"Yeah, here's an idea, how about we switch partners"

"Woah, wait a minute Peyton. So it's alright for you and Lucas to be friends when we were going out but now that you're going out with him, I can't be friends with him?"

"Of course that's not it. I just didn't know you guys were such great friends" Peyton said

"You know you're being really paranoid and stupid about the whole partner thing" Brooke said

"First of all, in case you forgot, you're the paranoid, jealous, insecure one, so don't think that I'm worried for a second about you and Lucas being partners and second of all, I would be really careful how you use the word stupid, seeing as far as I can remember you're the only stupid one here!"

By now the whole class had gone silent and everyone was looking at Brooke, Rachel and Peyton.

"Where do you get off calling me stupid?" Brooke said trying to lower the tone of the conversation.

Lucas looked over at Brooke, Peyton and Rachel. That doesn't look to good. He thought to himself, walking over to the three of them.

Rachel nudged Brooke "Hey, I think she might have gotten that idea from your maths results, you know the one that you guys were reuniting over"

"Trust me that was no reunion" Brooke scoffed. Peyton just rolled her eyes at Brooke's comment.

"So this is about my maths results?" Brooke asked Peyton once again trying to lower the tone of the conversation.

"Why are you guys arguing over Brooke's maths results?" Lucas asked completely confused by the whole thing.

"We're not" Peyton said slightly abruptly

"Peyton was just calling me stupid…" Brooke tried to explain

"And Brooke said I was paranoid" Peyton replied

"Wait, how are you paranoid Peyton and Brooke how are you stupid, you got a C in your maths test you're not stupid." Lucas said trying to rationalise the situation.

Rachel immediately started to fake cough. Peyton smiled sarcastically. "Well, look whose telling lies now Brooke"

"Okay, I've had enough of this" Brooke said grabbing her bag "Peyton it's fine, you and Lucas can be partners"

"Wait, a second what's going on" Lucas asked

"Why don't you ask Brooke" Peyton said "Ask her what she got in her test, what she really got" Peyton said turning around to look at Brooke.

All eyes were on Brooke now. For someone who was usually used to people looking at her, Brooke definitely wasn't coping well with all the sudden attention.

Brooke looked around at everyone. Why are they all so interested in my conversation? So what I flunked maths, why do they care? As if admitting I failed isn't bad enough, I have to tell everyone I lied about it. Could this get any worse? Brooke thought to herself.

Lucas turned to look at Brooke, just as Brooke turned to look at Peyton, pleading Peyton to save her from the embarrassment that was sure to follow, but Peyton glared back, shrugging her shoulder sarcastically. Brooke took a deep breath…

"I got an F, okay" Brooke sighed.

Peyton just rolled her eyes. "Whatever" she said before leaving the classroom.

There was silence for a minute as Brooke tried to mentally pick up what was left of her self-respect off the floor. Theresa, who had obviously just caught on to what had just happened, stood up in shock "Oh my God, she told me she got a C how sad is that." She giggled.

Could things get any worse…Yes things they could, Theresa could be mocking me. Theresa is mocking me. Brooke screamed to herself.

Brooke grabbed her back and left the classroom in the opposite direction to Peyton.

"Brooke, wait…" Lucas called, heading out into the hallway. Rachel followed him, grabbing his arm.

"Erm Lucas, your girlfriend went that way" Rachel said, pointing in the opposite direction.

Lucas looked at her and back at the rest of the class who were all staring. He knew exactly how it looked to everyone else. He paused a minute, then Lucas turned around and walked the opposite direction to follow Peyton, as Rachel continued to follow Brooke.