"Do you like Tofu?" Brooke asked, as we browsed the isles of the grocery store. I wrinkled my nose, and shot her a look that didn't need any explanation. She dropped the package back on the shelf, a smile on her lips.

"What's going on?" I asked, stopping to look at her.

"What do you mean?" She said, pretending to be very interested in her nails.

"I mean, what's got you acting happier than Lucas at a use book store?"

"Maybe it's the man himself," she said, nonchalantly, throwing a box of cereal in the basket. I eyed her, "Quit with the mysterious mom thing, Brooke, what's going on?"
She grabbed a few more things from the shelves, than put them in the basket, when she looked up, she gave me a devious grin. Suddenly she was running down the isle, jumping up on the cart as it sailed away. "Catch me if you can!" She yelled, rounding the corner.

It's times like this that I can't believe that she's a business woman from 9-5 every weekday. "Brooke!" I giggled running after her. I had a feeling she was heading for the baking isle, because that was her favorite thing to do when she was happy. She was holed up by the icing section.

"What do you prefer, vanilla or chocolate?"

"Neither," I replied, moving next to her, "I'm more of a strawberry kinda girl."

"Yeah," she smiled, "me too."

I didn't push her to tell me what was going on, mostly because at this point I knew she'd tell me eventually. That was the thing with Brooke, and I, we weren't just mother and daughter, we were also best friends. When we were finally at the checkout, she opened up.

"Lucas and I are going out on Friday," she smiled, "to dinner, and then your game."

"Oooh," I cooed, "so romantic." But I gave her a side hug, to let her know that I was happy. Really, happy.

"Gemma! Aunt Brooke!" Jamie appeared behind us, holding a loaf of bread.

"Hey Jame!" Brooke grinned, giving him a hug. "I'm just gonna go pay for the groceries, I'll be right back." She left us, and I gave Jamie a polite hug.

"How you holding up?" I asked, quietly. The twisted thing about Lennie and Mather, was that everyone always thought they had it all together. No fight, or obstacle could keep them apart, or so they thought. Jamie had forgiven Lennie the moment she came clean, and after that she called me in tears.

It took a lot of coaxing to get it out of her, but she finally told me what was bugging her.

"I don't want him to take me back," she sputtered. "I love him, but what I did was wrong, and he can't just forgive me every time I make a mistake. We're too comfortable, and…and I think for once, I want to know what it feels like to be uncomfortable. I want to feel something new."

I admired Lennie for a lot of things, her thoughtfulness, and intelignece, her ability to wrestle my wavy hair into a French braid every day before cheer practice. But most of all, I admired that when she wanted to be, she could be so honest, and so sincere, that it made me so grateful to have her as a friend. Jamie couldn't tell right now, but Lennie had done him a huge favor.

"I'm all right," he shrugged, "We'll work it out, we always do." I didn't have the heart to try and disagree, I just gave him a smile, and told him that he better show up to the game tonight.

"For the last time Maia, it's step, step, pom rotation, step!" Piper barked at Maia behind me. I whipped around, and glared at Piper, just then Lennie walked in the door.

"Lay off," I hissed, turning back around. Lennie is adamant that we ignore Piper and all her ugly traits, but sometimes I have to stop myself from slapping that pretty freckled face of hers. "What are you gonna do?" Piper whispered from behind me, I didn't have to turn around to know she was smirking.

"Trouble ladies?" Lennie asked, tossing some auburn hair over her shoulder.

"Oh no," Piper batted her lashes, "I was just telling Gem that we're gonna have to order her a smaller skirt, that skinny behind of hers." She let out a giggle then ran off to get some water. I watched her go and fought to keep myself from throwing my pom poms at her. Tugging the edge of my skirt down, I turned back to Lennie. "I hate her."

"Hate is a strong word, Gemma." Lennie said seriously.

"I know," I replied, "that's why I used it. Strong like the urges I get to kick her right in the shins."

Lennie laughed, and squeezed my arm. "Why do you care? You got the boy."

"I don't 'have the boy'." I said, rolling my eyes, "Mather and I aren't together."

"Do you want to be?" She asked, lowering her voice.

"Have you answered any of Jamie's calls?" I retorted.

She flushed and looked away. "It's complicated."

"Tell me about it." I huffed. Lennie's face fell, and I was overcome with guilt. "Hey," I said, putting a hand on her arm. "I'm sorry, I can't imagine what it's like with you and Jamie right now." She looked away, but I could tell the frown was still there. She missed him, and I didn't blame her, I missed Mather.

"Let's just try to get through tonight, alright?" Lennie said, sliding the cd into the stereo system. It was semifinals for the basketball boys, they were playing Hanson tonight. Everyone was on edge, and I'd hardly seen Mather all day, apart from lunch. This game meant a lot to the school, and the town, and slowly, it began to weigh on me as well. I loved our boys, I was starting to really enjoy spending my Friday nights in the gym cheering them on, but most of all, I loved the school spirit.

It was like, for one night, the whole school was one. One mind, one body, one goal.

Half an hour later, the game was in full swing, and I swear I could smell the tension. "I think that's just the stench of sweat," Delia, giggled into my ear, as we watched Mather sidestep Hanson's number 8. "Yeah, Kent!" Piper said from the left of me, and I mentally kicked myself for not moving away from her before the game started. Glancing up at the stands, I noticed Brooke, and Lucas sitting next to Hailey, and Nathan. They were smiling and laughing, and it almost made me forget about the fact I was standing next to the girl who took my boyfriend's virginity. Well, almost.

That's when it hit me. The basket ball I mean, not the conclusion about what to do with Mather.