TROUVAILLE | BROOKE DAVIS

fifteen.

Parker walked directly to Grace's locker and grabbed her older sister's arm, dragging her to the bathroom. There were two freshmen girls staring at themselves in the mirror. When they saw Grace, they immediately packed up their things and left the bathroom. Parker checked each of the stalls before exhaling loudly.

"I made out with Brooke last night and mom walked in on us," Parker said really quickly. Grace's face was first surprised, then confused. She surprised Parker by letting out a loud laugh.

"I can't believe it! My little sister's a slut!" Grace laughed. Parker frowned at her words.

"I am not a slut!" she asserted, she made one mistake. A huge, big fat terrible mistake. A mistake that Parker happened to like. A lot.

"Geez Brooke Davis. How'd you manage that?" Grace asked, leaning against the sink.

"She came over. She found out Lucas was cheating on her with Peyton," Parker explained, and Grace looked at her, a frown now on her lips.

"You're an emotional rebound," Grace told her, "Here's my advice. Let Brooke tell you she regrets it, don't tell Jake about it, and you're all good."

"I really liked it," Parker muttered.

Grace laughed, "Well I'm glad you got your taste of Brooke, but I'm gonna be honest with you. Chances are she was really upset and just needed someone. Talk to her before you talk to Jake, okay?"

"Okay, and thanks," Parker said, Grace could be helpful when she wanted to be. Her sister smiled at her before leaving the bathroom.

Parker walked over to the mirror and looked at herself, giving a mental pep talk. All she had to do was listen to Brooke and not tell Jake the truth. She frowned at her reflection as she realized that this was the same situation that Lucas had ended up in and lying had resulted in Brooke getting hurt.

Parker was a slut.

She left the bathroom and ran directly into someone. When she looked up, she saw that it was Jake, who was wearing a wide grin on his face.

"Hey," Jake said, "I was looking for you."

"Really?" Parker asked, feeling her hands getting sweaty, "What for?"

"My cousin is getting married this weekend and I was hoping that you'd be my date? Since we are dating," Jake tells her, a wide boyish grin on his face. Parker remembered Grace's words in the back of her mind, but the guilt was eating at her.

"I'd love to," Parker answered, "What about Jenny?"

"I asked Peyton to babysit," Jake said shoving his hands deeper into his pockets, "So I'll pick you up around one on Saturday."

"Okay," Parker told him with a nod. Jake smiled at her before disappearing down the hall. Parker let out a shaky breath as she made her way over to her locker and quickly grabbed her books for class.

"Parker," she heard Brooke's raspy voice say as she came toward her. Parker glanced at Brooke and felt her throat tighten as she closed her locker door. Parker wanted to say something, but her mind went blank, so instead, she headed in the opposite direction, choosing to take the long way to class.

___

Parker had driven around all of Tree Hill, hoping to avoid the inevitable conversation with her mother. She knew that there was no escaping it, so she drove home, parking her car in the driveway. Her sister's car was nowhere to be found, but her mother's car was there.

She entered the house and her mother was already in the kitchen, almost as though she had been waiting for her. Jessica lifted her gaze from her laptop and smiled at Parker.