A/N This is a new story I randomly started, not sure where it's going but I'm working on a chapter two which will involve Derek more, and obviously some fun Brachel friendship Reviews welcome
"Hi... I'm Derek. I guess I'm your neighbor."
He was kind of cute. Muscly, blonde, tanned.
Plus she hadn't had a guy in a really long time, so she figured: why the hell not?
He was smiling at her, always a good sign. And she did look especially cute in the red figure-hugging halter top she borrowed from Brooke (and didn't intent to give back going on his reaction).
She gave him a wink and a smile.
"I'm Rachel, the girl next door." With that she sauntered off, her hands in her pockets and a seductive smile playing at her lips. She opened the door to the house she shared with Brooke without difficulty (Brooke never locked the door, she was trusting) and walked inside.
Leave him wanting more.
"Checked out new boy?" She asked to her room mate who was sitting on the sofa with a sombre expression on her face. She didn't say a word.
"Earth to slut? He's a hottie!" Again, Brooke made no attempt to contribute to the conversation. Rachel sat down beside her and raised her eyebrows.
"Brooke, what's wrong?" She asked outright. She figured something was up: Brooke was never this quiet.
"I think Lucas and I are over. Properly" She said mournfully, biting her lip. Rachel tilted her head.
"Well, let's face it, he wasn't that cute. Plus now Peyton's all over him he doesn't need to fight for you. Sorry. That didn't help. So. Derek. Hot."
Still Brooke didn't say a word. Rachel frowned.
"Seriously Brooke, he's just one guy! And he's with Peyton practically. Plus you seemed OK with it before." Rachel pointed out, tossing her fiery red hair.
Brooke sat up and glared at her friend. "I was being a good friend! Something you should think about doing, missy. Peyton needs him, and she's been really screwed up recently, I don't think she's over the shooting and Ellie yet, and I don't want to take away the one thing she has in her life just because I'm in love with him." Brooke retaliated then sighed.
"Oh crap. I'm gonna have to do something about it, aren't I?" She asked, though she already knew the answer. Rachel nodded.
"Sorry honey, but you can't just let this go. You can't just let him go. And with that insightful comment, I'm off to get some beauty sleep. Not like I need it."
--
"Get up sleepy head, we've got school and classes and stuff. Fun!" Rachel smiled brightly as Brooke turned over and mumbled something incoherent.
She distinctly heard the word "whore". Nice.
"Fine, well I'll just go on my own... maybe stop off at Lucas house, climb in to bed with him..." With that threat hanging over her head, Brooke sat up and growled.
"Peyton might beat you to it!" Was her barbed remark and she stomped into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.
Rachel chuckled to herself: Brooke was always crabby first thing in the morning, and she was especially like this since the whole Lucas saga unfolded. She shrugged. She had more important issues to worry about, such as finding more out about the mysterious Derek.
She walked over to the mirror, applied a coat of lipgloss and tossed her red hair back. She was ready for some flirting. Ten minutes later Brooke was standing in front of that same mirror straightening her hair. She glanced over at Rachel who was standing behind her, pulling her already low-cut top further down so her impressive cleavage was more than visible.
"You're such a slut." Brooke commented distractedly, putting her hands on her hips and inspecting her reflection. Rachel nudged her playfully.
"Better than being fat." Brooke gasped and shoved her roommate before they both descended into a fit of laughter. Insulting each other was the foundations of their friendship and it never failed to amuse.
Finally they got in the car and drove to school. Brooke turned the ignition of her Blue Beetle and put some black oversized sunglasses on. Rachel turned the radio and began humming along.
"I wonder if Derek would sleep with me." She pondered out loud. Brooke glanced over at her.
"I dunno, Nathan knocked you back, maybe you're losing your looks." She replied helpfully. Rachel gave her a sideways glance.
"Don't be ridiculous. Guys always sleep with me. There's clearly something wrong with the Scott brothers. Maybe I should go for Dan instead. He's mature, cute, dominating..." Rachel began to laugh when she noticed Brooke's disgusted expression.
"Ew! He's like... old!" Rachel sat back in her seat, the last of her giggles subsiding and comfortable silence took over.
"So. What's the plan?" She piped up a few minutes later. Brooke blinked. "What plan?" She asked, and Rachel rolled her eyes.
"Duh. Your plan to get Lucas back." Brooke shrugged.
"I don't know. I'm not sure if I should do anything about it. I mean, if he's happy then I should let him go." Brooke said in a small voice.
"Excuse me? Is this Brooke Davis talking? You cannot back down from this. Lucas and you are meant to be. Everyone knows it." Rachel fired back, and Brooke smiled.
"You think so?" She asked, flattered that her friend was fighting her corner.
"Well, yeah. Have you seen him and Peyton? They look related! That's just wrong." As the girls pulled in to the school they spotted the two of them.
"Speak of the devil siblings..." Brooke muttered under her breath.
"This is going to be a long day."
--
"Favorite song with the word love in?" Lucas fired at Peyton as they walked down the hallway. She sighed.
"Dude, you totally know this. Lovesong by The Cure." Peyton supplied. They had been hanging out a lot recently, mainly playing games like this to pass the time, in between having in depth discussions about life and stuff.
"Thanks, Lucas." She said out of the blue, and Lucas turned to her.
"For what?" He asked, though he knew deep down: for taking the time to be there for her since the shooting crap, and Ellie's death. She needed someone and he had been there.
"All sorts of things." She said in a hollow voice.
"I know you really want to be with Brooke, and I know you being friends with me has stopped you. So it's pretty awesome that you've done this"She continued, and Lucas smiled.
"Brooke and I are made for each other. Right now it's gone off course, but everything will fall in to place. And right now I love hanging out with you, Peyton." He replied, and Peyton forced a smile.
She knew it, of course she did, but she couldn't help but wish he had denied his feelings for Brooke, who was walking towards them at that very moment, with that bitch Rachel by her side.
"Hey Lucas." Brooke muttered lightly as she walked by, and Lucas smiled slightly, but didn't reply. Peyton turned to him.
"Why didn't you say anything?" She asked, and Lucas looked lost for words.
"I guess... I guess I don't want her to come between us." He admitted, and Peyton smiled brightly without fully meaning to.
When Lucas said things like that to her it gave her the slight hope that the connection they shared back when their... thing had happened the first time round could be rekindled.
--
"Why didn't you say anything?" Rachel demanded as soon as her and Brooke had turned the corner, and Brooke folded her arms.
"I did! I sad 'hey Lucas'!" She defended herself, but this didn't deter Rachel.
"That barely counts! If you want to get that boy back then you should do something." She pointed out, then grinned.
"Look, can I borrow your car?" She asked, and Brooke bit her lip aprehensively.
"Why?" She asked, and Rachel rolled her eyes.
"Look, I'm not gonna do anything stupid!" Brooke looked at her friend.
"What, like driving into a river kind of stupid?" Was her sarcastic response, but she threw the keys at her anyway.
"Whatever, as long as you get it back by lunch. And don't do anything slutty in it."
With that she wandered off, maybe to find Bevin or Haley, but she kind of wanted to get her head straight about certain things like what to do with a problem called Lucas.
She sighed and glanced over her shoulder at Lucas and Peyton who were laughing about something at the other end of the hall.
It wasn't that she was that mad about the kiss, she just knew she couldn't be with him. She lied when she said she stopped missing him: it was more than that, she longed for him.
She just wasn't ready to get her heart broken again so she sacrificed her own happiness to save herself. And to save Peyton, not that she was appreciating it in any way.
But she had her own stuff going on, and she was dealing with it, so fair enough really.
Still, it cut her deep when she saw them together.