It was a slow evening at Keith & Karen's. Haley propped herself on a counter stool, trying to cram in a quick study session before the next or if any customers came in. After skimming a few pages, she heard the door ringing.

"Hi! Welcome to Keith & Karen's... Café..."

She turned around to find herself face to face with the most unexpected pair of customers to arrive. The cheerful smile on her face shrank to a confused frown.

"Nice to see you too, Holly, was it?"

"Haley,"

"Whatever,"

Brooke stood proudly in designer jeans with a skimpy halter top and heels. Her dark chocolate hair was sleek and straight and her makeup was bright but not overly done. Next to her was a familiar and softer face. Her perfect blonde curls were the envy of a lot of Tree Hill girls along with her model-like form. She sported a simple corduroy mini-skirt, tank-top, and sneakers. Rolling her green-hazel eyes at Brooke, she extended her hand out and smiled warmly at Haley.

"Hi, Haley, it's nice to meet you. I'm Peyton and this skank over here is Brookie, but I'm sure you, along with all the other residents of Tree Hill, know her,"

"P. Sawyer! How dare you call me a skank!"

"Lighten up, Brooke," She nonchalantly replied as she grabbed a menu.

Haley was amazed at the differences in between the two but they seemed to get along in a love-hate sort of way.

"Anyway, Holly... sorry, I mean, Haley," she began sarcastically, "Have you seen my dear Lucas?"

"Judging by your question, I assume you don't have a leash on him... and I don't, either," she firmly answered.

The stunned brunette's jaw dropped in anger as she glared mercilessly at Haley.

"Whoa, mama!" Peyton exclaimed, breaking the obvious tension between the two girls.

Grabbing her text book, Haley went on the other side of the counter.

"So, are you guys going to order or what?"

"Now, that's what I call customer service," Peyton sardonically stated.

Haley smiled at the blonde's sense of humor. She kind of balanced the overwhelming presence of 'skank' being there.

"Actually, could I get the turkey and ham on white, no pickles," Peyton requested.

Haley nodded and took the opportunity to get away from the awkwardness and dove into the kitchen to make her sandwich. She heard the door bell ringing and she quickly checked to see who it was.

"Welcome to Keith & Karen's—"

Seeing that Lucas was the supposed customer, with a puzzled look on his face, she went right back into the kitchen.

He caught Haley popping in and out and then looked back at his girlfriend and her best friend.

"Brooke, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you, silly,"

He looked over at Peyton who rose her hand up.

"I'm here for the food,"

"Will you excuse us for one moment?" Brooke asked her friend.

"Just don't 'third wheel' me, okay?"

The brunette blew a kiss to her friend as she grabbed her boyfriend's hand and led him out of the café. After the young couple had exited, Peyton waited patiently for her order. A few minutes later, Haley reentered, holding a plated sandwich in one hand and a bottled soda in the other.

"Yum! I was starving! But... I didn't order a coke... sorry,"

"No... it's fine. It's on the house—the food and the drink,"

"Thanks, Holly!"

Haley gave a death glare to the blonde, pointing her index finger at her accusingly.

"Kidding!"

Peyton threw her hands up in surrender with a big grin on her face. Haley stuck her tongue out at her playfully. To think; the day that she would be getting along with a cheerleader.

"So... what's her deal?" Haley asked abruptly.

"Who? Brooke? Of course... Brooke. You have to know that she's actually a really cool person. She's got a big heart. It just takes some warming up to get to know her thoroughly."

"I mean... why do I get the feeling that she despises me. I personally don't have anything against her. She just... bugs me with that 'where's your designer brand name clothes?' attitude she has,"

"Oh, trust me. I get it from her all the time. From the words of Brooke Davis, it could be my color choice or just my lack of taste in clothing. That can sometimes get annoying but she's been my best friend since grade school,"

"Wow... that is... uh... pretty unbelievable,"

"I know, right? We actually hated each other at first but that was why she was so appealing! A girl with balls, you know what I mean?" She said through big bites of her food.

"Ew... but yeah, I get the gist of it."

Haley stared at the couple who seemed to be arguing outside.

"Haley,"

Peyton waved her free hand over the other girl's face, absorbed by the commotion outside the café.

"Oh... sorry. Yeah?"

"Don't worry. She's head over heels for him. You should consider him lucky because honestly, I've never seen her that way over a guy."

"Then why does she insist on being such a... you know, to me? I'm his best friend and she treats me like..."

"Like how she treats everyone else? She'll come around. She's not used to being the first one to make nice, especially when she wants to do it because it's her boyfriend's best friend. Like I said, I have never seen her like this over a guy, who just so happens to be your best friend."

Finishing her food, she rummaged through her messenger bag, pulling out a crinkled five dollar bill. Shrugging her shoulders she placed it somewhat forcefully in Haley's hand.

"Two dollars for the food and the rest is for pissing off Rachel all the time,"

Puzzled by her comment, Haley smiled at her as she watched her bizarre new acquaintance leaving the café. She watched in amusement as Peyton grabbed a furious Brooke, latching onto her as best as she could to get her away from her defenseless boyfriend. Nonetheless, Lucas placed a kiss on Brooke's cheek before the blonde-haired girl had finally gotten her to leave. Haley chuckled at the sight of what looked like her exhausted best friend walking in sluggishly. Trying to remain as patient as possible, she busied herself, cleaning up Peyton's plate and wiping down the counter. Lucas just slumped over on a stool, taking a deep breath. She walked over to him smiling widely and said,

"Spill."

"Prom."

"Going, huh?"

"Yes,"

"I like Brooke, already,"

This caused Lucas to give his friend a skeptical stare.

"Whatever... what about you?"

"What? Prom? Me? With who?"

"Hales, you don't have to have a date just to go. You should come with us. I know Peyton is going alone and I'm pretty sure that some of their cheerleading friends are too,"

"Luke, are you okay?"

"Yeah... why?"

"Maybe because you just invited me to go to prom with some of your girlfriend's 'cheerleading friends'."

"What's wrong with that? I know they don't exactly meet your social standards but come on..."

"Please... I think it's the other way around,"

"Well, no... they actually really don't meet your social standards,"

"Thank you,"

"Just speaking the truth,"

--

Nathan gawked at his locker in disbelief. Most of the female students passing by shared secretive whispers in observance of his wrapping paper and ribbon clad locker. He was annoyed by the pink and red heart cut-outs that read, 'BE MY PROM DATE?' individually.

"What's up, Nate-dawg!"

Tim came strolling by.

"I thought the guys are supposed to ask the girls out from prom," he complained.

"What's wrong with a girl asking you, dude? That's like every guy's dream; no hassle."

"Well, well, well... what do we have here?"

Peyton stifled back a laugh, looking at the over-the-top decorations on her friend's locker. Noticing the victimized look on Nathan's face, she knew he didn't find it funny.

"What does it look like, Nate, here, is nothing more than your regular P-I-M-P," Tim stated, enunciating each letter.

She rolled her eyes and refocused on her frustrated friend.

"So, any idea who the mystery girl is?"

"Don't wanna know, don't really care," Nathan huffed.

"That's so mean! What if this girl really likes you?"

"Doubt it,"

As the two continued their conversation, Tim picked at some of the curled ribbons on his friend's locker.

Haley came down the hall, dragging her exhausted legs with her. First thing in the morning a two-mile run had been the class assignment for her Phys. Ed. class. She stopped at her locker, dropping her book bag to rub in her calves briefly.

As Nathan and Tim were talking about some sports game on ESPN, Peyton decided to greet her somewhat of a new friend.

"Hey,"

Haley looked at the curly-haired blonde, too tired to be surprised.

"Hi,"

"Either you had some really rough sex last night or... you just had gym class."

"The latter,"

"Ah, so I thought."

"So... is there something I can help you with?"

Peyton stared at her timidly.

"Okay... so this is going to sound kind of weird and I know we're not like best friends or anything but, I was wondering if you wanted to go to prom with our group of friends. Lucas is going to be there, you know,"

"Did he put you up to this?" Haley asked dryly.

"Well, actually... no. But, he mentioned that you weren't going to go because you don't have a date, which is definitely a lame excuse because I'm going without a date. You should come,"

"You're inviting me?"

"Yeah... why not? And Brooke's having a party later on that night so we should just all go. Because when you're trashed out of your mind, I don't think it really matters whether you have a date or not,"

"Uh... I don't know,"

Peyton sighed deeply.

"Look... you can't say anything, okay?" She quietly said.

"Okay..." Haley replied, waiting for her to continue.

"I thought it would be cool if you came, but when Lucas brought that up in front of Brooke and me—"

"Brooke and I,"

"Right... um..."

"Sorry... bad habit,"

"Whatever... but Broke and I... she like jumped on me to force you to come with us,"

Haley stared at her blankly, not sure of how to interpret this information.

Shrugging her shoulders, Peyton then added,

"She's trying at least. Just think about it... or just say 'yes', or else she'll have my ass,"

"I'll think about it..."

Peyton smiled at her answer, thankful that it wasn't a complete 'no'. She had enjoyed getting aquainted with Lucas' best friend. She was definitely different from the mindless girlfriends she had. For one, her friends she'd grown up within the 'in crowd' would ditch her on a dime, besides Brooke Davis. She knew that Haley and Brooke would click as well, which was quite a rarity in itself.

Peyton gave her a small wave before going back to where Nathan, Tim and bunch of other kids were. That's when Haley noticed his locker. She felt her sudden good mood drop back down to the pit of her stomach.

'What did you expect, Haley James? He's a manwhore...' she thought bitterly.

She slapped her locker shut and starting heading to her next class.

--

Nathan walked quietly alongside Peyton who seemed to be profoundly engrossed by her vocabulary quiz study sheet. Ocasionally he threw glances at her, meaning that something was bothering him and it had to do with her.

"You know it was Rachel, right?" Peyton suddenly said.

"Huh?"

"She's the one asking you to prom..."

"Oh... um..."

"I'm guessing that's what you want to ask since you keep staring at me with those stalker-ish eyes of your's,"

"Oh... well, that's not what I wanted to ask,"

Folding the sheet of paper up, she gave him her full attention.

"Then what is it, Scott?"

He remained quiet, hesistating on what he wanted to say.

"And if you're trying to ask me to prom, forget it. Half of freshman year with you was enough," She jokingly added.

"You keep telling yourself that, Peyt," he said, regaining his composure.

She punched him in the arm and stuck her tongue out at him.

While rubbing where she had hit him, he took in a sharp breath and then began, "I was just wondering..."

"Yeah?"

"Well... I was just wondering why you were talking to Haley?"

"Oh... uh... I was inviting her to... hey, how do you know Haley?"

"C'mon, you know how everyone in this school knows who I am... the least I can do is know at least half of them. She's in some of my classes, too,"

"Uh huh... if that's your story. You know she's like best friends with Lucas Roe, right?"

"Yeah, aren't they like dating or something?"

Nathan asked, trying to pry into his curious nose into Haley's life a bit more.

"Duh... he's dating Brooke. Even though they've been together since the beginning of the school year, why does everyone still think that Lucas and Haley are together?"

"Because girls and guys can't just be best friends,"

Looking pointedly at each other, Peyton agreeably answered, "Well... I gotta give you that."

She continued, "But... anyway, since you so curiously asked, I was inviting Haley to come to the prom with our group since Lucas is going to be there too. She doesn't have a date, so—"

"She doesn't?"

She gave him a strange look before answering,

"No. And niether do I, so—"

"Mmm... some girl-on-girl action..."

"Eat shit, Nathan." She scoffed before making her way into their English class.

He followed closely behind with a pleased smirk planted his face.