Chapter 7(Sawyer)

I stalked away from Brooke and her current boy toy. I couldn't believe what she'd done. She was the only person who knew that I could count all of my sexual conquests with just one finger. I'm sure everyone else assumed that I'd had more guys but Brooke knew better. The worst part about it was that I'd just never thought she would do something like that. Call me a whore…sure she'd already basically done that. But paint it on my locker, for everyone to see? That was out of line. Did she really hate me that bad? I guess so.

Just as I turned the corner, I heard Felix bust out in laughter. Great, they were laughing it up back there. I ducked into the bathroom really quick, tempted by the sweet relief the vial in my pocket could offer. When I busted through the door I startled Haley, who was checking her makeup in the mirror.

"Peyton?"

I shuffled my feet, trying to look innocent. I mumbled, "Hey, Haley."

She walked up to me, concern etched on her face, "Are you ok? I've been meaning to check up on you. Lucas told me about the fight between you and Brooke at Tric. He said it was pretty brutal."

I looked up sharply, "Maybe Lucas needs to mind his own business."

"He's just worried about you, Peyton. I am too."

"I'm fine."

"Well, I don't think you are. If you need a friend, you know I'm here for you."

That was something I didn't need to hear, I didn't deserve a friend and that's why I didn't have any. I made my voice harsher, "Haley, you're right. I need a friend but you don't qualify as that. It's been about a week since you've even talked to me and before that it's been weeks, plural, since we've had a real conversation."

With that I turned and stormed out of the bathroom, leaving a stunned Haley. I couldn't have friends right now, friends would only get in the way me doing the one thing that could make me feel better.

I slept through my classes for the day but I dragged myself to cheerleading practice. Brooke might not want to ever see me again but it might help me, to be around her. I walked into the locker room and was aware of several death glares from my fellow cheerleaders. It was clear that they took Brooke's side in this whole fiasco, not that I blamed them. Even the usually cheerful Bevin managed a scowl. I heard the door behind me slam and I turned around to see Brooke. She stopped for a second, clearly shocked, when she saw me but then she turned to the other girls, "Alright ladies, lets get dressed and out to practice."

She walked over to her locker to get her clothes out and I did turned to do the same. I reached for my lock and realized at the last second that it was broken, it was hanging at a crooked angle and it looked like it had been cut right where the loop was supposed to join the rest of the lock.

I looked around but everyone was busy with their own lockers. I turned back to mine and opened the blue door cautiously. Water poured out when I opened the door and everyone turned around to look. All my clothes were completely soaked. Anger surged through me. Was Brooke really willing to take it to this level? Then I saw the note taped on the inside of the door. I scanned the words and they brought tears to my eyes,

You think your mom ran a red light?

Then you're even stupider than you look.

Your bitch of a mother committed suicide.

She ran to death with open arms,

Just to get away from you.

Tears flooded down my cheeks and blurred the red ink on the page. Brooke took a few steps closer to me. I crumpled the note up and tossed it in her face.

I choked out, "How could you?" Then on unsteady legs I ran from her. Despair washed completely through me. I reached inside my pocket for the vial of cocaine; I needed to get home so I could wash the pain away.