Fandom: Popular

Series: Three Times Table

Title: Queen Takes Bishop: Sam

Author: Carla

Email: cmfloresfd@yahoo.com

Pairing: B/A

**** Everything else remains the same. Therefore see the preceding post. ****

Enjoy

Brooke heads off in the direction of the bus stop no doubt she’s gone to fill April in on her plans. And there’s no doubt in my mind that she has a plan. Or plans. Either way Brooke’s promised action. Action I am sure Lily, Carmen and Harrison will want in on.

By the time Brooke and Satan deign to grace fifth period chemlab with their presence I’m about ready to explode. Since they’re talking, not clawing, I can only surmise that Brooke hasn’t said anything to Nic, which can only mean one thing. Lunch is going to be interesting, interesting indeed.

"Sam," Brooke says as she slides into the seat next to me.

"Brooke."

"How’s it going?"

"Fine, you?" I make it a point of looking at Nicole as I’m speaking. "We still on for lunch?"

"Yeah about that…"

The bell signaling the beginning of Claw’s reign of terror cuts the rest of Brooke’s answer short. Obviously it’s time to start passing notes.

Brooke gives an almost imperceptible shake of her head. No.

Brooke nods yes and flashes me a Cheshire cat grin. Something in that grin tells me they did more than talk. Though where and when is beyond me, Satan doesn’t usually let Brooke out of her sight long enough.

I sneak a look at Larry, Moe and Curly. Sure enough they’re staring.

This last thing makes me snort out loud; Harrison has loved Brooke since forever. I highly doubt he will ever really stop hoping. Not to mention the whole ‘challenge’ aspect. If anything I can see Brooke’s coming out only serving to bolster the boy’s fantasy life. Unfortunately Claw hears me. I get the death stare that says one more out burst and it’s detention for me. Brooke unobtrusively palms the note; the last thing we need is for Claw to get a hold of it. She/he/it would read it to the class, I’m sure.

Lunch is interesting to say the least. The four of us are at our usual table, which means front row seats for the show. And there will be a show. Brooke is already seated at the Popular table. She must have left her last period early to manage this. Her last class, before lunch, is clear across the school.

"Hey Sam," Harrison slides his tray on the table and sits down. "I’m here what’s up?"

"Nothing yet." I scoot over to make room for Lily. Carmen sits next to Harrison and starts eating one of his tater tots.

"Get your own." Harrison slaps Carmen’s hand away playfully and then freezes.

"Harrison?" Carmen turns around to see what he’s staring at.

April’s standing by the Popular table. Brooke is smiling up at her and patting the chair next to her in invitation.

"Sit with me today," Brooke’s voice carries over the noise around us.

When April sits you could probably hear an atom split, never mind a pin drop, in the silence. For a brief, disquieting, moment everything seems to be happening in slow motion. Nicole’s arrival and my friends’ questions break the time warp effect. All four of them have the same basic question, only Nicole phrases it in her typically bitchy manner.

"Hey bottom feeder are you lost?"

April doesn’t answer; she keeps her head down just staring at her lunch tray. I notice her hand, the one holding her spork, is trembling as she plays listlessly with her Jell-O. Next to me Lily mumbles something along the lines of "Poor April". Brooke says something I can’t hear but whatever she says has absolutely no effect on Nicole whatsoever.

"Are you deaf or delusional?" Nicole’s voice is rising. You can tell Satan’s working herself up to a good head of steam.

Brooke’s keeping her voice low, reasonable so we can’t hear what she’s saying but the conversation gets pretty animated. When Nicole reaches out to grab April’s tray Brooke’s hand closes around her wrist with enough force to make Satan wince.

"Oh that can’t be good," Carmen intones.

"Ten bucks says Brooke wins." Harrison puts the ten on the table.

"No way. Ten says Nic and April leaves in tears." Carm pulls out a ten and lays it down on top of Harrison’s. "Lily?"

"Uh-uh No can do. They cut back my hours at Mr. Cluck’s, money’s even tighter than before."

"Sam?" Harrison cocks an eyebrow in invitation.

"I’m afraid I’ll have to pass." This, apparently, is the wrong thing to say. All three manage to tear their eyes away from the unfolding drama to stare at me suspiciously. Carmen catches on first, leaning over the table to hiss.

"What do you know Sam?"

"No fair holding out Sammy", Harrison whines as he covertly tries to take his ten back. Carmen slaps his hand and he drops the ten. "Oh c’mon Carm all bets are off. You said it yourself Sammy knows something."

"Lily back me up here."

"Carm’s right Harrison a bet’s a bet." Lily looks at me, eyes narrowed as if trying to see into me or through me. "Is this why you told us to be here early, so we could watch April buy the farm. What’s Brooke up to?"

"Yeah Sam, April may creep me out some but even she doesn’t deserve Nicole in full on bitch mode," Carmen shakes her head ruefully and chuckles, "No one deserves that…except maybe Nicole herself."

"I don’t know anything more than you guys. All Brooke told me this morning was to be here early."

"You expect us to believe that," Harrison snorts, "You always were a crappy liar."

"I’m not lying."

"Right Bambi." Shit, I must be doing that deer in the oncoming headlight thing again. Gotta work on that.

"Spill it Sam." Carmen threatens me with her spork. This is worrisome as Lily still has a scar on the back of her hand from where Carm ‘accidentally’ speared her freshman year. We refer to this as the "Olive Incident".

"Uh…guys. Look," Lily thrusts her chin in the direction of the action.

Brooke’s standing now, towering over Nicole who’s looking up at her with an expression that can only be described as belligerent bulldog. It’s obvious that a battle of wills, the likes of which hasn’t been seen since Brooke and I became frenemies, is in progress. April makes to stand and Brooke stops her with a hand on her shoulder, pressing her back down into her chair. "Stay. Nic can either join us or leave it’s her choice."

"It’s okay, really."

"I want you to stay." Brooke continues to stare Satan down. Then in a move I can only think is deliberate she runs her hand through April’s hair, down to her shoulder which she slowly and deliberately squeezes. Nic’s eyes widen, then narrow. You can see the gears turning, Satan may be many things, but stupid isn’t one of them.

"Give me a fucking break!" Nic shrieks. "Her, are you out of your fucking mind. You want to be a dyke I can handle that…but for God’s sake have some standards."

"Nic." It’s one word but it’s a warning nonetheless.

"No! NO. You want to do the ‘But I’m a Cheerleader’ thing fine. But not with that, that is supposed to be packed in oil not ‘Packing’ you."

Brooke’s hand shoots out delivering a resounding slap that no one, not even the hearing impaired student sitting a few tables away can fail to hear.

"Don’t you ever, ever talk about April that way again. Do you hear me? You think you made me Nicole, I beg to differ. I made you; I can break you. Now who needs whom more?"

With that Brooke sits down pointedly ignoring Nicole who then stomps off in a trail of brimstone. The room around us erupts in noise, shock waves really, that will be heard for days to come. Harrison is sitting across from me dumbfounded into complete and total silence. He’s so shocked he doesn’t even remember to take his money off the table and that is not like him at all.

"You knew all along didn’t you?" Lily smirks.

"Brooke’s gay?" Carmen seems befuddled by everything we’ve just witnessed. She keeps looking at Brooke then back at me. Brooke, me, Brooke, me. Like a yo-yo or a tennis match.

Harrison drops his head on the table with a groan. Ten bucks says he’s thinking about how he’ll never have a chance with Brooke now.