Authors note: Its been forever since I've last updated! I know, but I had some stuff going on and I didn't want to continue writting the story while I'm upset because trust me, it just didn't come out right doing that. Anyways, this is the longest chapter so far :) I worked hard on it. Oh and thanks for the positive reviews! you guys know who you are :D.

CHAPTER FIVE- Look after you.

"Come on Brooke, this is totally gonna work" Rachel continued to pull on my arm, dragging me across the street and over to Karen's Café. Its been exactly a week since Peyton completely stopped talking to me, so I decided to let Rachel's plan take action; jealousy. "I don't know if we should do this, what if she gets pissed?" I said as I'm forcefully getting pushed through the double doors. "That's the point." Rachel's hand was now in mine while we walked to the counter and placed an order for two coffees. I looked over and noticed Peyton quickly glance up from talking to Lucas. Wait, why the hell would she be with Lucas?? My face has a very confused and aggravated expression now slammed across it and Rachel obviously took notice to it as she began to speak "Cute, she's with her ex. Or wait, that's yours too." I tried to act like it didn't phase me, but to be honest I wanted to freak out right there and then. No more then two minutes later we ended up sitting at the table next to them, my eyes kept wandering over to Peyton but luckily she didn't notice. Rachel, who was sitting right next to me, pulled me by the collar of my shirt into a deep kiss. As we pull away I shoot her this very confused look then she whispers "She was looking." and smiled at me. For some reason it felt like Rachel was enjoying this way too much, I wasn't offended by it. I was starting to like her a lot, and that's what scares me. It would end up being just another thing getting in the way of me and Peyton. I snap out of my thoughts when I see Peyton and Lucas get up from the table; both smiling. I couldn't take, I don't know why. It just bothered me to see her happy with some one else, especially him so while they were about to walk past, and to the door I leaned in and kissed Rachel about as passionate as I could, tongue and all. I pulled out of the kiss and looked up as I heard the door shut, almost slam. I glared out the window to see the blond girl that owns my heart looking back, until she notices I was looking too.

The next couple of weeks went about the same. Rachel and I walked around campus practically tying to sell PDA around the whole school. Here we were, back to playing her games. I'm not sure if they've taken an effect on Peyton yet, she acts like she doesn't even notice. Scratch that, I definitely have had an effect on her. Lately she's been updating her PODCAST frequently, and its all been about anger or jealousy. I can't help but almost feel bad about it, I feel like I'm hurting her again. Like this isn't even helping, but the more I see her with Lucas the more I cling myself to Rachel. It's becoming a habit that I think will be hard to stop. The redhead pulled up in her car, and I got in the passengers seat. We were going to this big party type of thing that happens every year around this time, its kind of lame. A bunch of us go and do old school party things until morning and then every one goes home. There was one reason I was going, Peyton was going to be there. Hopefully, she wouldn't be around Lucas all night and I might have a chance to talk things out with her. Music was pounding into my ears as we walked through the house; people were already wasted and laying around. "Spin the bottle! We have to play!" Rachel had to basically yell into my ear for me to hear a word she was saying; I followed to where she was leading me. "That game is so stupid" I kind of laughed as I spilled those words out of my mouth, the last time I remember playing this I was around 12. We sat down in the circle, inviting ourselves into the game. I looked from Peyton, who was sitting at an angle from me, back over to Rachel almost pissed off. She just smiled and winked at me, she must have set me up. I half smiled back at her and then looked over as my name was being called out, now seeing the glass bottle was pointing towards me with some people giggling. "Brooke has to kiss Peyton!" My jaw dropped a little, I must have looked more surprised then anything. I started to look over at Peyton, she was already up, she shrugged her slim shoulders and nodded for the closet. She didn't look too excited about it at all, this wasn't going to go over well.

The door is shut; it's dark to a point where everything is almost pitch black. "Peyton…" I started to speak until I was interrupted by her sudden words "Lets just get this over with" I closed my mouth from speaking, and swallowed hard. I wasn't sure what was going on. All of a sudden she presses her lips against mine and I felt the feeling surge through my body; it was the most amazing feeling I've ever felt. I was aware that she was putting more pressure onto my body and I felt her tongue make its way into my mouth almost violently. I kissed her back as hard as I could just trying to show her how much emotion I've been holding inside me all this time. Maybe this kiss would help her realize something, help her realize we should be together and all these games we're playing aren't worth it. Every thought left my mind as soon as I felt her hand run up the side of my stomach and the kiss just get more intense. FUCK was all I could think as I heard a loud knocking on the door signaling that it has been seven minutes. She quickly pulled away from me and just simply walked out the door. I stood there for a second, taking in what just happened and trying to make sense of it. Instead of taking my seat again, I turn around the corner and fill myself a cup of beer from the keg that was sitting there. I claim my spot on a couch that was definitely over crowded with drunken teenagers. I glance over to see where Rachel has gone; she's still playing that stupid game. I down my beer, thinking about how much it frustrates me that I can't just talk to Peyton. I'm not sure how much time has passed, probably because I am way to drunk out of my mind to tell. Hell, everyone was drunk and I still haven't found Rachel since the game ended. I guess I should go find her because it'd probably be smart to start heading home now. I'm stumbling all over the place tripping over things that were never even in my way. POW! I smack right into someone who was obviously not very strong seeing as I brought her straight to the ground. "What the hell Brooke??" the words barely processed in my mind; I couldn't even tell who was talking and I didn't care. I laughed and then I'm not sure what happened after, everything went black.

The sun beamed in through the window, causing me to let out a slight groan. I dug my face into what I thought was a pillow, except it wasn't a pillow. It's the shoulder of someone who was sleeping right next to me. As I slowly lift my head up I realize this isn't my room, it was Peyton's and the someone next to me was Peyton. What the hell happened? I have no idea what went on last night all I remember was bumping into someone and passing out. Before I could get any further lost in my thoughts I feel shifting in the bed and then a nudge on my shoulder, I look over to the now awake blondie "Oh, good you're up" Peyton spoke almost mono toned. "Why am I here?" I know that may have sounded a little bitchy seeing as how she probably helped me out but I was just so confused. I slowly move my hand to my forehead; I had a killer head ache that seemed to just kick in. "You were drunk, I gave you a place to stay." I hated the way she spoke, she made it seem like we were strangers and that just about killed me. I just nodded and lay back down, I decided not to get into anything right now. A couple minutes passed, she's in the kitchen and I'm still laying in the same spot with my head lodged into the pillow. Ah, hangovers, now I remember why I haven't had a drink in so long. In all honesty, I'm not sure what else to do then lay here. Do I get up and just go down the hall and enjoy breakfast with someone who was now a near stranger? Or do I get up and walk out the front door without saying a word. I let out a loud groan, all this thinking was hurting my head even more. "Here, drink this. It'll help with the hangover" She had a glass of orange juice in her hand I grabbed it from her and slowly took a sip, I shrieked from it being so damn cold. Now, to me this doesn't seem like it's helping its just giving me a brain freeze on top of the headache. "Was it necessary to get that wasted last night?" I simply shrugged my shoulders and answered her not fully looking her in the eyes "The party kind of sucked anyways." I don't know why I answered her so cold; I guess I just wasn't sure how I was supposed to act. She nodded and stood up from the bed, was she leaving already? "I'm going to run some errands, you should probably stay in bed…when I get back I think we need to talk." And with that, she walked out the door leaving me alone in her house.

Minute by minute passed, until those minutes became hours. I had a long time to think, and all that I was thinking was the fact that we were finally going to talk when she came back. I mean, actually have a conversation that will end up meaning something. I have no idea what I would say to her though, I still have all the feelings in the world for her but then again I still have my thing with Rachel. Speaking of the devil, my cell phone began to ring the tune that was set for her. I quickly picked up the phone and spoke lightly "Hey, what happened to you last night?" I heard slight shuffling from the other end of the line. "I ended up going home with some guy last night, sorry." She said it like it was nothing, I guess that's why we would never work. She doesn't give two shits about anyone else. We weren't dating or anything like that, but it still sucked to hear because after all this time I started developing feelings for her. "Oh. It's fine." I heard the door open and looked out the room seeing Peyton had just walked into the house. "Hey, I got to go I guess I'll just call you later." And before she could reply I hung up the phone placing it down on the nightstand beside me. I took sort of a deep breath as Peyton walked into the room. I don't know why, but I could feel the nervousness building up inside me. This could go one of two ways, great or really badly. After a second, she sat down beside me and I turned so I could face her and waited for her to start. "Ok…so I'm sorry." What?? Did she just apologize? I don't understand why she would need to say sorry to me. After I shoot her this confused look she continues "I should have never have gotten mad at you in the first place…I was upset and didn't know how to react." I nodded and looked down "I hurt you, and I feel sick about it everyday." Before I could realize it my hands were in hers and she looked me in the eyes "Brooke, can we just forget the past?...and just be back to normal…I mean do think its possible?" I sighed, she was probably asking the wrong person. "If we tried…" but wait, I didn't want to go back to normal, I wanted to start new or maybe pick up where we left off. All she did was nod and pull me into a hug with me returning the embrace; I let a little smile curve on my face. Before we pulled away I asked her one question "Why did you help me last night? Why didn't you just leave me there?" It took a second for her to reply but then I heard he speak softly, almost softer then I have ever heard her speak. "Because, I'll always look after you."