Hey everyone, sorry for the really long delay! I know it's been forever since I've updated! It's just work… lots and lots of work but I'm managing to get on top of things again.
Anyway, as a form of apology, I've prepared TWO long chapters for you!
Thank you for all your comments; they're what keep me writing.
I hope you enjoy this double instalment…
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Chapter Twenty-Three: The huge smoke signal
Brooke and Rachel walked down the school corridor, both equally unenthusiastic to be at school.
"Why does Monday have to come after Sunday" Rachel moaned, wincing at the sound of her locker opening.
"Why do you have to drink your self silly every time we go out?" Brooke retorted, feeling no sympathy for Rachel's hangover
"Excuse me; you're the one who wanted to go out last night not me" Rachel fake smiled "Even though I thought you would have gotten enough excitement from Dan's on Friday"
"I thought we said we weren't going to talk about that and for the last time nothing happened between me and Dean"
"Your damn right it didn't… he's way too hot for you" Rachel said, taking her books out her locker.
Brooke rolled her eyes annoyed that they were talking about the one evening she wished everyone could just hurry up and forget about already.
Brooke had dragged Rachel to Bevin's house party on Sunday night, hoping to drown her sorrows and forget about what had happened at Dan's but, instead she was surrounded my loads of people who couldn't stop talking about it. People who had been there were keenly retelling the story to anyone who would listen, people who hadn't been there were asking for details and making their own assumptions as to what really took place and people like Brooke… people who had wanted to forget about it… well; they should have never have gone to the party in the first place.
"Earth to Brooke" Rachel said waving her hands in front of Brooke "Have you spoken to Lucas since Friday?"
"No, why would I?" Brooke answered quickly, a little too quickly.
"Because, he's heading over here… just wanted to give you a heads up" Rachel said really quickly, as Brooke flung her locker open, burying her head inside.
"Oh yeah, I really can't see you" Rachel smiled sarcastically
"Rrrr" Brooke moaned, closing her locker "Let's just go"
"We can't now, he's made eye contact plus, I know you want to speak your Mr. Lover… Hey Lucas" Rachel smiled widely as Lucas approached, just missing Rachel's nickname for him.
Brooke turned around slowly to face him, smiling briefly, then turning back to face her locker.
"Hey Rachel, hey Brooke" Lucas said smiling politely before taking a deep breath "I tried calling you" Lucas said softly to Brooke
Brooke didn't turn to face him; instead she continued taking books out her locker "I must have been washing my hair or something" She said simply
"What all four times?" Lucas laughed slightly, trying to make light of a growingly painful situation.
Brooke just shrugged her shoulders continuing to look in her locker.
Rachel looked between the two of them, she didn't usually feel any sympathy for Lucas but after that complete brush off Rachel actually felt like helping him pick his pride off the floor.
Lucas looked at Brooke and then a Rachel who shrugged her shoulders apologetically; even she had to admit Brooke was being a little harsh, fair enough she didn't know what was going on and Brooke had avoided anything to do with the topic of Dan's party but she could tell they were both hurting.
Lucas smiled briefly at Rachel before turning to walk back down the hall in the opposite direction. Brooke automatically took a huge sigh of relief.
"Okay I thought he was never going to leave" Brooke said, shutting her locker and beginning to walk down the hall with Rachel by her side.
Rachel shook her head completely unconvinced by Brooke's apparent relief.
"I thought you left your bag at Dan's" Rachel asked
"Yeah I did" Brooke replied
"Well then why didn't you tell him that?" Rachel asked
Brooke paused trying to think of a reasonable excuse "Because…" Brooke began stuttering whilst trying to motion with her hands "Because…."
"Because you want to make the whole you love him, he loves you situation… ten times harder than it needs to be" Rachel interrupted looking at Brooke seriously.
Brooke just looked at her unable to deny that she wasn't make things any easier. Rachel smiled sadly at her before spotting Bevin and Theresa "Hey girls" Rachel said walking over to them.
"Brooke?" Rachel called, disturbing Brooke's thoughts "You coming or what captain?"
Brooke huffed walking over to the girls as they made their way to cheer practice.
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"Great guys, I think we got it that time" Brooke smiled, reaching down to stop the player. "See you all on Thursday" Brooke said as the rest of the cheerleaders began to pick up their things, heading back through into the locker room.
Brooke took a deep breath, turning around to pack up her things. She placed her gym bag over her shoulders and the player in the other hand.
"Do you need a hand with those?" A familiar voice said.
Brooke turned around to see Peyton, standing in front of her. "No thanks" She replied quickly, reaching over to try and pick up her CD cover.
Peyton watched for a moment as Brooke struggled to hold her CD between her only free fingers. "Here" Peyton said reaching for the cover "It's no big deal"
Brooke glanced over at Peyton, suspicious of her sudden change in heart, as they both walked over to the benches placing everything down.
"You should really get some help with all this stuff" Peyton said, breaking the awkward silence
"I can manage" Brooke said, slightly snappy.
"I just would have thought cheer slut Rachel could have helped you" Peyton laughed, before seeing Brooke's far from amused expression.
Brooke just looked at Peyton shaking her head before grabbing her gym bag and heading through into the locker room.
"Brooke wait" Peyton called after her
"For what exactly" Brooke asked spinning around suddenly
"Is this how things are always going to be, between the two of us?" Peyton asked
"You're kidding right?" Brooke asked, knowing the answer to the question
"No… it's just… the way things are Brooke…"
"You never seemed to have a problem with the way things are a week ago… what's changed?" Brooke asked, completely unconvinced by Peyton apparent epiphany.
"I just want my best friend back Brooke" Peyton said, stepping closer.
"That doesn't make any sense" Brooke said, remaining firmly where she stood "Why now, after everything… why all of sudden do you care about our friendship?"
"What do you mean Brooke? I've always cared about our friendship"
"Oh really? Did you care about our friendship when kissed Lucas, or when you told me you had feelings for him?"
"How many times do I have to tell you…I just wanted to be honest with you"
"Honest?" Brooke spat "You don't know the meaning of the word, you only wanted to be honest with me when it suited you Peyton. You could have buried your feelings for Lucas, like a true friend, especially considering all of our history… you could have buried it, you should have buried it…"
"But…"
"But you couldn't trust yourself… was that it?" Brooke asked
"No" Peyton responded defensively
"You thought at least if I tell her I like her boyfriend then when I make out with him AGAIN it'll be okay because I gave her a warning"
"No it wasn't like that Brooke, I swear"
"Or how about my birthday Peyton? How about my birthday?"
"What about your birthday" Peyton asked completely oblivious to where the conversation was headed.
"Did you come and see me, did you call, did you text?"
Peyton shook her head slowly
"Not even a short and sweet, "Happy 18th birthday Brooke" hmm?" Brooke continued the sarcasm spilling from every word she spoke.
"You told me you never wanted to speak to me again" Peyton answered defensively
"True, it just surprised me that you would go to the mall, on my birthday with Lucas" Brooke began, her voice cracking "The mall… our tradition. Remember how we used to go every year since we were like what…?" Brooke said trying to think
"Thirteen" Peyton said, looking over at Brooke sadly
"I went to the mall that day because I thought you'd be there, because I wanted to spend my birthday with my best friend despite everything I'd said, I wanted to be with you on that day and just remember how things were, how things used to be before it all got really messy" Brooke said, fighting back the tears "But…" She continued, composing herself "I saw you there with Lucas"
"Brooke we were waiting for you"
Brooke laughed bitterly "Yeah right Peyton. You expect me to believe that you were waiting for me, so that we could all spend my birthday together. That would have been real cosy, my ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend who P.S. is in love with him"
"We thought…"
"What exactly did you think would happen Peyton? That we'd all kiss and make up and go and for some ice-cream?"
"Brooke" Peyton whispered, unable to think of answer to her question.
"Just tell me why Peyton?" Why now?" Brooke asked
Peyton paused, looking down at the floor, she didn't want to answer the question but she knew she'd have to tell her sooner or later.
"Why now, Peyton?" Brooke asked again
"Lucas and I… we broke up"
Brooke was slightly taken aback by her words. It's not that she was completely surprised by Peyton revelation but she just wasn't expecting it, with everything that had been going on with Dan and Mouth… Lucas and Peyton being together had felt like one of those things you just endure but never really accept. Brooke looked up at Peyton wondering whether she needed Peyton to repeat it, just to make it sound more real… but decided against it, seeing as Peyton's words were already clearly ringing in her ears, letting Brooke know she hadn't heard wrong.
Just as Brooke was about to offer a weak and strictly polite "Sorry" or "Are you okay?" She remembered the conversation they were had just been having and all her feelings of disappointment and frustration washed over her.
Brooke nodded her head "And that's why you care about our friendship again?"
Peyton looked down, aware of how Brooke saw the situation. "You're wrong Brooke?"
"Am I? Tell me Peyton, did you break up with Lucas because you thought it would get our friendship back or did you break up with Lucas because…"
"That doesn't matter Brooke"
"It matters to me" Brooke replied firmly "Did you break up with Lucas because you thought it would get our friendship back, yes or no?"
Peyton shook her head
"If you and Lucas were still together, would you be having this conversation with me?"
Peyton paused, not wanting to respond to the question
"Would you Peyton?" Brooke asked, her eyes pleading for Peyton to respond to the question she already knew the answer too.
"Probably not" Peyton stuttered "But Brooke you…"
Brooke didn't stick around to hear Peyton's lame explanation. Things were crystal clear. Brooke grabbed the CD cover placing it in her gym back and walked through into the changing room, leaving Peyton alone in the gym.
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"Hey Rachel" Mouth called, as he walked over to Rachel who was sitting outside.
"Hey Mouth, we missed you all weekend. Where have you been?" Rachel asked.
Mouth smiled nervously which didn't go unnoticed by Rachel "No where really, how did the thing at Dan's go?"
"Don't tell me you haven't heard" Rachel asked more than happy to fill in all the details.
Mouth shook his head pretending not to know a thing, something he had become very good at.
"Well" Rachel began before spotting Brooke heading over to them. Rachel rolled her eyes, disappointed that she wouldn't get to tell the story "I'll have to tell you some other time… Miss Sunshine" She said gesturing over at Brooke "Is coming over and she doesn't want to talk about anything that happened at Dan's" Rachel said
"Why?" Mouth asked
"That's the thing I don't know. She stayed behind like ages after everyone left and I'm guessing something must have happened"
"Where were you?" Mouth asked worried by the sounds of things
"I got a ride from Dean and his mates. Dean was totally out of it, so being the kind person that I am, I told him he could come in for something to drink and well... I don't really have to fill in the blanks for you Mouth do I?"
Mouth took a second before realising what she meant "Oh right"
"But Brooke doesn't know, so that can just stay between the two of us… well the three of us if you count Dean" Rachel said grinning "And Brooke thought he was into her" She said trailing off into her own thoughts.
"Hi Rachel" Brooke said as she approached the bench "Hello earth to Rachel"
Rachel snapped out of her daze "Oh hi, I was just thinking about…"
"Dean and you're "classy" encounter on Friday" Brooke said sitting down
"How did you know?" Rachel asked
"Because you talk really loudly when you're boasting to like the whole squad" Brooke said rolling her eyes.
"Oh well, I told you he was into me" Rachel smirked "I'll see you guys later" Rachel smiled getting up
"Where are you off to in a hurry?" Brooke asked, suspicious of Rachel's quick departure
"The guys have practice and I'm just going to offer my support" Rachel grinned
"You're offering something alright, but it isn't you're support"
Rachel faked shock, smiling "Whatever Captain Bitchy, you're just jealous because Dean turned you down"
"He did not… you just need to be careful with him okay, he's…" Brooke began but then decided against it knowing that whatever she said about Dean, Rachel would most definitely take a completely different way "Just go already and… have fun" Brooke smiled sarcastically
"Oh I will" Rachel smirked heading off into the school.
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Practice had been going well so far. Whitey and Nathan had engaged in their usual power struggle at the beginning of the game but, after a speech from Whitey on team work and equality, directed solely at Nathan, the guys began to play. Rachel and some of the other cheerleaders had given up on pretending to stretch for an obviously non-existent cheer practice and had settled on cheering frantically every time Dean got that ball.
The girls over enthusiasm had not gone unnoticed by Lucas who spent most of his time rolling his eyes at Dean. It had become extremely annoying when Dean would asked for the ball only to pause and look over at the girls, winking, milking it for every it was worth before finally deciding to continue with the game. As if Lucas's day wasn't bad enough he had to watch that jerk flirt with nearly every girl on the team. He was just thankful Brooke wasn't there because the way Dean was going on, if he had so much as looked at Brooke right now, Lucas seriously would have hit him.
"Ball, Nathan ball" Dean called as Nathan frowned, pausing for a second before passing Dean the ball reluctantly.
As soon as Dean caught the ball a cheer could be heard from the girls. It was mostly Rachel but Dean still stopped to turn around and grin over at the girls. Both Lucas and Nathan looked at each other, equally annoyed at Dean.
"Hey Coach, are you going to do something?" Lucas asked "At this rate, we'll never finish the game"
Whitey nodded. He had been trying to keep calm but Dean was clearly getting to him too. Whitey blew the whistle angrily. The hall went quiet as everyone turned looking over at Whitey "Excuse me Casanova, would you mind focusing on the game long enough for your team score or would you prefer I put you on the bench at Friday's game, that way you'll have a clear view of the cheerleaders and be able to make eyes at then all night"
Tim started laughing only for Whitey flash him a look and he stopped.
"Which is it gonna be?" Whitey asked
Dean looked around quickly, bouncing the ball once "Continue with the game" he nodded obediently but clearly annoyed that he had to be "told off" in front of his adoring public. Dean continued dribbling the ball towards Lucas who was standing by the basket.
"Hey, next time you have a problem with me, how about you tell me instead of running to Whitey about it" Dean hissed.
"What you mean like Friday, when I pinned you against the banister and you practically begged me to back off" Lucas replied
"Pity Brooke didn't say the same to me, huh" Dean smirked knowing full well the effect of his comment.
Lucas stopped trying to tackle him and shoved him away from the basket.
"Boys!" Whitey whistled "Cut it out"
"Hit a nerve did I?" Dean teased as he regained his balance
"Trust me, I'm gonna hit more than a nerve if you talk about her like that" Lucas said stepping forward.
"Is that a threat?" Dean asked stepping towards Lucas.
"You think you're so smart don't you. Thought you'd just put something in her drink make things a hell of a lot easier" Lucas shouted, pushing Dean again.
The gym went silent as the girls looked over at Dean, shock and disgust across their faces.
Dean looked around; Lucas's words had quickly changed the opinion of most of the girls on the team; especially Rachel who looked like she wanted to slap him. "Oh come on" Dean shouted addressing the whole gym "As if Brooke Davis needs a drug to make her… "easy" Before Dean could turn to face Lucas and the rest of the team. Lucas's fist went smack into Dean's face, causing Dean to fall on his side.
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Brooke fiddled with her bag looking for her calculus textbook. "Thank goodness" She said to herself, as she found it, placing it on the table and getting out her pencil case.
"Okay, you must be really mad at me" Mouth said as Brooke ignored him, continuing to get her pen out of her pencil case.
"You'd rather do maths than talk to me" Mouth continued
"This might sound a little odd to you, seeing as you don't seem to have a conscious but… I didn't get a lot of anything done this weekend so excuse me for trying to catch up" Brooke said calmly, still looking down at her work
"So this is all about Friday?" Mouth asked.
Brooke didn't reply.
"I told you I was going to do that" Mouth continued
"No. You said you wanted to do it, I told you not to and you went ahead and did it anyway!" Brooke snapped
"But Brooke…"
"I was stuck there the whole evening and…" Brooke stopped not wanting to go into further detail.
"And…" Mouth asked
"And you just shouldn't have done that okay"
"But Brooke, it worked… everyone's talking about it" Mouth said, the excitement clear in his eyes.
Brooke shook her head, annoyed by his naivety "No one believes it Mouth, if anything you discredited the entire accusation. Dan and his pet puppet Simon have turned the whole thing into another campaign angle"
"But everyone's talking about it" Mouth repeated
"Yeah I know, but not in the way you want to be" Brooke said sadly "The only person this has really changed… is Lucas"
"What do you mean?" Mouth asked, worried
"He seems angrier... I don't know" Brooke said, trying to shrug off her guilt.
"Why did you stay there?" Mouth asked "At Dan's, why didn't you leave... Rachel said you were there until really late and when you came home you didn't want to talk about it"
"I must have missed the huge smoke signal you sent me, warning me to leave the crime scene" Brooke said sarcastically
"Seriously Brooke… what happened?" Mouth asked softly.
Brooke paused for a second, looking at Mouth. She didn't know why but she felt scared to tell him, scared to talk about it. "Dan" She said so quietly that Mouth wasn't even quiet sure of what she said. "Dan thought it was me" Brooke said.
Mouth's sat back in disbelief "What? How?"
"I don't know" Brooke said, trying to end the conversation she had already regretted starting.
"Brooke" Mouth said
Brooke rolled her eyes, knowing she'd have to tell him sooner or later "A while ago, when I was on my way to Luke's to revise. He gave me a lift" Brooke began, taking a deep breath "Well, we were in the car and he started saying all these horrible things, you know the usual and we somehow got onto the topic of Keith and he said something that really got me and…" Brooke paused looking up at Mouth who was listening intently "I… I shouted at him, I told him I knew he killed Keith" Mouth eyes widened "And he grabbed by wrist really tightly and yelled at me to shut up, he said I didn't know what I was talking about and to stay out of stuff that didn't concern me" Brooke said quietly turning to look at Mouth who was staring into space, trying to process what he had just heard.
"That's why you had that bruise on your hand" Mouth spoke
"How did you know about it?" Brooke asked
"Lucas mentioned it when we were in the library, he told me he was worried about you but he didn't want to push it… I take it you didn't tell him the truth?"
"How could I?" Brooke asked defensively "Mouth, Dan thinks it was me. He cornered me at his house and told me I was going to pay for what I'd done… I'm scared Mouth, I don't know what he's going to do"
Mouth looked at Brooke, trying to think of some comforting words. He knew it was all his fault but he couldn't bring himself to say it "Look, Dan might think it's you but he has no proof. And if this whole thing has taught me anything, it's that you need proof… without it… well you end up breaking into a guys house and painting things like 'murderer' on their walls" Mouth laughed and so did Brooke.
"How about we get out of here?" Mouth suggested glad that she had cheered up a little
"Mr McFadden, are you suggesting we skip" Brooke said putting on a fake surprised tone.
Mouth smiled nodding, getting up and putting his bag over his shoulders.
"Fine by me" Brooke smiled, packing her things away "Let me just get the keys from Rachel" Brooke said before linking arms with Mouth and walking into the school building.
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The whole gym and erupted in noise, as Whitey whistled hopelessly, trying to restore order. Lucas punched Dean across the face again, only for Dean to retaliate by punching Lucas just as hard. The guys on the team had stood there for a second, wanting to see who could take who but after Whitey's fourth whistle decided it best they intervene.
Nathan pulled Lucas off Dean, forcing him back against the wall as Skills and some of the other guys on the team helped Dean up.
"Get off me, man" Lucas said, edging forward.
Nathan however, kept a firm grip, holding him back. "I get it man, you're angry that guys a jerk but this isn't going to help"
"I didn't touch her… okay" Dean shouted, wiping his bloody nose.
Lucas laughed "Yeah right"
"I swear… I didn't put anything in her drink, I took some…" Dean looked up at Whitey realising his chances of playing this Friday were getting slimmer and slimmer "I took some… stuff and I was out of it, I might have… forced myself on her…"
Lucas edged forward again, only for Nathan to hold him back.
"She turned me down, so I backed off! That's was it, okay. She wasn't into to me, she said no, so I left it… I swear" Dean said looking at Lucas seriously.
Lucas looked at Dean, pausing for a minute before nodding his head. He gestured at Nathan to let go of him. Nathan stepped back, not entirely convinced as Lucas walked over to Dean.
"Why was she upset?" Lucas asked "If you left it, why was she upset?"
"I already told you man so back off" Dean said walking away from Lucas.
Lucas smiled angrily walking over to Dean "If you hurt Brooke…" Lucas began
"You'll what?" Dean said looking around at the gym again, performing to his wider audience "Get Daddy to kill me, like he did Uncle Keith"
Lucas winced, punching Dean hard, so that he fell against the wall. Dean didn't bother get up.
At that moment, the sound of the gym door slammed shut echoing through the room.
Everyone turned to see, Brooke and Mouth staring at Lucas. Brooke shook her head, walking straight back out of the gym.
"Brooke" Lucas called after her, following her out the gym.
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