Okay so unfortunately, only 5 people voted (hey I was opting for more! But I guess I'll be happy with what I've got), but fortunately, BROOKE was picked to be this story's main character. And heads up people, everyone or everything that is used in this story as a choice for voters is going to actually be used in some way or another. So Brittany and Elaine are going to be minor characters in this story. So this chapter is going to be a little short, but that's because I don't get to choose what's going to happen. Okay, so on with the story!

Choices

I, Brooke Amery McKenzie, have officially sworn off men. For good this time. They were infuriating egotistical jerks who had no sense of right or wrong. Everything was just a game to them. First there had been Ben, very cute – but also very unconventional with his abnormally large hands. I had never kissed him (thank the Lord for that) but we did date. He said he found me interesting, and I had to admit that at the time I found him interesting too. Tall, blonde and domineering, he had been every mother's perfect enterprise of her daughters date.

And my mom had liked him well enough. That is, until he made out with my cousin in the hall closet at a family diner. We don't talk about her anymore; or Ben for that matter. The day he traded saliva with my… tactless cousin, I had decided to never ever become associated with the obviously inferior species of human. I didn't want to befall humiliation again.

But then there was Derek; he was tall too, only where Ben was fair, Derek was definitely dark. He had a Mexican heritage, and he tried to woo me in Spanish quite of number times into going out on dates with him. I had rejected him more times than I could count, with excuses like "I have homework" or "I can't, I'm babysitting tonight", but eventually he snagged me into dinner and a movie notwithstanding my former vow of independence. Despite his unnatural attempt at asking me out, he was uncannily shy. Half way through eating taco salad at Les Mexicana, Derek froze up like a block of ice halfway through his sentence when a tall blonde sidled up to our table with a demon glint in her amber eye.

At that point, I knew something was up. As it would turn out, Brittany, the blonde giantess, was Derek's girlfriend. I had oh so subtly got up from the table, shooting an evil glare of my own at Derek as I stood. Within 10 seconds, I was out of there, more than willing to let the two "lovebirds" duke it out. As soon as I got home, I reinstated my man-hater status, and stayed far, far away from Derek and Brittany for the next few weeks.

At first, Brittany hated me, but when she realized that I had no idea that Derek had already been taken, we became the best of friends. And it was like that for two whole years. Sleepovers, shopping days at the mall, hair, make up and boys had been the center of our attention for the longest time, though Brittany was the one who ended up with most of the boyfriends. We discovered things about each other that we never even knew we didn't know.

When high school came, we were still the best of friends, though we took on some different interests. Brittany got absorbed with cheerleading, while I became immersed in music. She was a top cheerleader, and was soon made cheer captain. We celebrated her promotion with our ritual slumber party and cookie dough ice-cream. When I entered a music concert, she was right there cheering me on with her corny optimism. When I won, she threw me a party, which turned out to be a blast, despite my anti-party outlook.

It all finally came down to one day when Brittany's latest boy toy had taken a sudden interest in me. It had really creeped me out, and I tried to tramp down his appalling attention, but Brittany had just thought that I was cheating on her with her boyfriend. I tried explaining; she wouldn't accept my elucidation and we haven't been friends since.

It hurt more than I could say, because Brittany had been the best friend I had ever had. She used to be kind and caring, but when this whole ordeal went down, she become cold and acutely aware of other's emotions. She became a mass manipulator in a matter of seconds. Much to my distress; she ended up spreading horrible lies about me that created a huge crater in my "popularity status". I was eviscerated from friend to foe. Everyone I had previously engaged contact with suddenly turned on me, and they wouldn't give me a chance to explain.

I realized later that because Brittany claimed to be in love with this boy (I think his name was Bob) he could do no wrong, and Brittany would never choose me over him. In her eyes, I was the culprit who was feeling up her boyfriend, not the other way around. I accepted the fact that it was not Brittany's fault. She had always ended up falling head over heels for every guy and ignored everyone's warning to guard her compassion. I had always been the one to nurse her broken heart and pick up the pieces with bucket of our habitual ice-cream and a pile of rented movies. She would get over the guy, and move on to find more. Like Bob.

He could lie abominably, and she would take it as the honest to god truth. He could get high, and she would believe someone slipped something in his drink. He could get suspended, and she would think that the blame was forced onto him, even after he admitted to it and bragged to the rest of the school about his fiendish deeds. He could steal her money and spend it on booze, and she would think he needed it for emergency purposes.

He could cheat; and she would not believe he had gone willingly to another girl.

So, when I had come up with this solution, I forgave Brittany, and I was always nice to her even when she was not. Furthermore, I decided men in any age shape or form were the evil spawn of the devil himself.

I wanted nothing to do with them.

Okay, like I said, it's short. It took me forever to write it – just because I'm so very lazy. So sorry to everyone who was expecting an update really quick! It's probably not going to happen very often… I tend to get writers block habitually. I should also warn you, I loose interest in stories very fast if I don't get feedback. It's always nice when someone says your story is great and that they want you to continue with it, but I prefer it when someone gives me something to go off of. Like giving me examples of where my writing is weird, or tips on how to write in first person, because I'm not that great at it. Or maybe just write a long review… I love those. It gives me more inspiration to write.

Okay, for this chapters voting poll:

Which of the following choices would you like for the romance plotline?

Brooke and the main male character hate each other, then slowly turn their hatred to love

Brooke secretly find herself falling in love with the MMC, despite her previous oath of remaining a man hater OR

Brooke likes the MMC as a friend, and is wary of anything going farther than friendship, while the MMC is falling madly in love with her

Okay, the voting poll is officially open ;) please vote, and (if you have a minute) write me a long review : P they're so fun to read!