A week passed since that disasterous but oh so eventful breakfast and things were not progressing well. While Sam and Brooke were fine, if a little awkward around each other, Lily was downright hostile to both of them. Poor Sam was clueless and Brooke was guilt ridden. And she was no closer to telling Sam the truth or figuring it out for herself than she was when the whole mess started.

Her dreams were changing, becoming more vivid. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. But she enjoyed it nonetheless. Every night she made doubly sure that her bedroom doors were locked so that Sam wouldn’t hear anything should she accidently make any noise. Every night she dreamt of Sam. Every morning she came close to telling Sam. And every morning she chickened out. She’d stare at herself in the mirror and not believe that the face staring back at her could possibly be gay. And then the images from her dreams would flash through her mind’s eye and well, there was only so much denial the brain could manage before it told you to go screw yourself and wake up and smell the coffee. Right about now, Brooke’s brain was on Hazelnut.

(I think, Brooke, that you’re going to have to face the fact that you’re gay) she told her mirror image one Thursday morning. Her image stared back at her blankly. (Yeah, I can see that you’re shocked by that) she thought sarcastically. Her image blinked. (Oh, you’re a lot of help) She sighed. (I’m gay AND insane, what a wonderful package)

"Staring at it isn’t going to make it get any less ugly," Sam said from the doorway. Brooke turned and shot her a mock glare. Sam smirked.

"Har har, Sam, very funny," Brooke said peevishly although she wasn’t really upset. "I was thinking." Sam laughed.

"Yeah, I could see the smoke coming out of your ears," she pointed out. Brooke sent her a real glare and she put her hands up in surrender. "Truce, truce!" she pleaded. Brooke nodded. "Seriously, it looked pretty important. Anything I can help with?" Brooke regarded Sam strangely for a moment. Was Sam McPherson, former enemy and current object of her lustful affections, (which thankfully Sam was unaware of), actually offering to help her?