Secrets//Jake Jagielski

~61~

Brighid stepped out of the car dressed in one of the costumes Brooke had picked out for her. Ironically, Brighid was dressed as a cheerleader, the sluttest outfit Brooke was able to find.

Brighid feeling confident, partially from the pregaming she had done, walked into Tric.

"Come on" Brooke said wrapping her arm around Brighid. Haley staggered behind looking extremely uncomfortable in her outfit.

Tric was packed with everyone in costumes. Brighid not being able to recognize half the people walked to the bar. Haley followed after her while Brooke went to find Lucas or someone else for the night.

"Do you see Nathan?" Haley asked. Brighid moaned at the sound of his name.

"Haley, just have fun tonight" Brighid said looking at all the guys at the party.

"Shouldn't you be trying to fix your relationship too?" Haley asked Brighid which caused Brighid to roll her eyes. The alcohol causing her judgement to fly out of the window.

"It's senior year Haley. Stop trying to dwell over Nathan and move on" Brighid snapped. Her eyes settled on a guy in a mask with a cloak covering his head and body.

"So someone dressed like this is, let me guess, either hiding from someone, or stalking someone. Did I get it right?" Brighid asked. The guy remained quiet, dragging her to the dance floor. Brighid intrigued played along with the little silent treatment and danced with him.

"So you go to tree hill?" Brighid asked. The guy shook his head yes.

"Senior?" She asked again. He shook his head yes.

"Do I know you?" Brighid asked. The guy once again shook his head yes. As the music switched and the dancing stop the guy leaned down kissing Brighid on the lips. She was tilted back before being pulled back up.

He began to walk away and Brighid followed him outside where he ran off. She looked around from the top of the stairs but wasn't able to see where he went.

She walked back into the party confused. Brighid walked up to the bar ignoring Fall Out Boy who was playing on the stage.

"Hey you okay?" Lucas asked.

"Fine Tommy Lee thanks" Brighid joked. Lucas smiled. "You do know Motley Crue is like Brooke's least favorite band right?"

"Learned that tonight"

The two sat in awkward silence until Lucas spoke out again.

"You should really talk to him. What even happened?"

"Not you too! It's none of your business" Brighid said storming off. She sat down outside on the curb of the parking lot.

"Hey" Nathan said plopping down next to her.

"Hey" she responded back. Her elbows resting on her leg and her head in her palms.

"You want to go home?" Nathan asked. His black eye makeup smudging down his face.

"Yeah I'd like that" Brighid said standing up. The two walked over to his car. As Brighid slid into the passenger seat she couldn't help but feel like things were finally back to normal. She and Nathan were talking, acting like the siblings they always had.
———
The next morning Brighid walked into school hiding from everyone. She felt like all eyes were on her with Haley, the superstar being back and her and Jake's fight from the other day.

She walked over to her locker grabbing her things before heading to class.

As she walked down the hall minding her own business she could see Jake talking to a new red head. The new girl was far from ugly and it seemed that Jake was enjoying talking to her.

She mumbled a curse under breath before walking faster to class.