Okay, so I just wanted to say that I am soooo sorry for anybody waiting on updates on any of my series. Things have kinda hit the fan at work, with this one leaving, people going on maternity leave, some people getting fired. Add school on top of that and I just haven't had the time. On the upside, I am going on vacation in just a few days and I do plan to use my free nights to write and catch up! Thanks again everyone for the continued support, I love seeing new reviews, follows, and favorites. In the meantime, I have had this running around in my mind and over the last two weeks have actually managed to get it together. I hope you enjoy it and you will be hearing from me soon.!
Ooooooooooooooooooooooo
The door chimed at Clothes Over Bros as the first customer of the day entered just around noon. Relieved to finally have someone to break the mundaneness of waiting around, Brooke Davis practically ran from her office in the back to the front of the store to greet them.
"Hi, welcome to Clothes Over Bros! How can I-oh. Haley, it's just you..."
The young mother scoffed as she watched the overly cheerily entrance the brunette had made fade into a slight slump. "Well, gee, good to see you too Brooke," she remarked sarcastically.
Perking back up, the fashion designer moved to meet her friend at the counter. "Sorry Hales, I was just hoping you were a customer. Things have been dead all day here and I'm just going mad with boredom."
"Millie's not here to keep conversation up?"
Brooke huffed. "No. I sent her home. There's no reason for both of us to just sit around on our asses. I would've drug Peyton with me but she had some business to take care of at the record label. She hasn't even had time to text me too much." The brunette pouted.
Haley only smiled and shook her head. "Well, what if I give you something to look forward to? Would that cheer you up?"
"Why tutor mom, are you propositioning me?" She spoke seductively.
Blushing and sputtering some, "What!? No! Brooke!"
The designer only laughed, always enjoying how easily the other brunette got riled up.
"You're horrible." Haley grumbled. "So do you wanna hear or not?"
"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. So what's the big plans?"
"Well Cheery, I was thinking of a big fancy dinner party. No kids, no responsibilities. We can all go to an over priced restaurant and eat like royalty and drink all the wine we want."
"Ooh now you're talking Haley James Scott!"
"I thought you'd like that idea." The shorter girl smirked. "Now, do you think you can find a date in time for tonight?"
Feigning an offended look, Brooke cried out, "do you even have to ask me that!?"
Haley laughed. "Right, sorry, I forgot who I was talking to."
Brooke only smirked back.
"Oh and um, Brooke?"
"Yes Haley?" Se asked coyly.
"Could you...not mention this to Peyton?"
All the playfulness Brooke had shown prior suddenly dropped and a slightly pissed off look took over, her protective side kicking in to the fullest extent.
"And why, pray tell, would I not tell my best friend about my plans?"
"Well, it's just that...Luke and Lindsay are gonna be there and-"
"Oh so just because they're gonna be there, that gives you the right to purposely exclude one of your oldest friends in this group?"
"Brooke, it's not like that. It's just, they're finally happy, and I don't want Peyton to mess that up."
"Excuse me? Peyton hasn't done a damn thing to them."
"Yea, that's why she's always getting into it with one of them..." Haley let out, feeling frustrated at how this conversation had turned.
"Haley, Peyton doesn't have a problem with either of them. Lindsay is the one alway giving Peyton dirty looks and Lucas is the one always trying to make things incredibly awkward by bringing up the past."
"Oh Brooke, Peyton came back for Lucas and you know it. She just needs to understand that he's happy now and doesn't want her!"
"Good, because she doesn't NEED him! And for the last time, she did NOT come back for Lucas! She came back with me for Gods sake!"
"Why are you defending her!? She's doing the same thing she did to you with Lucas in high school!"
"Don't talk about that, you don't have half a damn clue about what was really going on in that whole messed up situation! And as far as that goes, it takes two to tango Haley. Peyton wasn't the only who did that. Lucas is just as much to blame for that as she is. He's not a damn angel, so stop holding him on a freaking pedestal while you keep trying to talk down about Peyton like she's the freaking scum of the earth! In case you forgot, you and I wouldn't be friends right now if she hadn't of been nice enough to be your friend first! And who was the one that really understood and accepted you with Nathan? Who helped you two through your troubles and knocked the sense back into him when he was getting over his accident? Hmmm? Peyton. That's who. So stop acting like she's the bad guy and get your priorities straight."
Both girls glared and kept their eyes locked on each other's. They stood their ground, neither willing to back down. Finally, Haley sighed and looked down to her feet.
"Okay, I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be isolating Peyton or anything. I just want everything to go back to being normal and for everybody to be happy, like before all the drama hit us."
"I know what you mean Haley, but out casting Peyton is not the way to get that. We are all happy on our end. The only reason we don't like hanging around and try to avoid everyone is because you have been being kind of a bitch lately, and Luke and Lindsay are no better."
"Okay. I'm sorry." Haley said, truly sounding sincere now.
"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to." Brooke answered firmly, intent on setting the record straight finally. She was just as tired of all of this and wanted everything to be okay just as much as Haley did. Brooke also knew Peyton felt the same way, if not more so even.
Haley nodded back to her old friend. "Next time I see Peyt, I'll be sure to grovel. I really do feel like a bitch now."
Brooke only nodded, feeling no need to take any of Haley's remorse or bad conscious away.
The teacher sighed again. "So...does this mean you're not coming to dinner?"
The taller girl eyed her friend for a moment before answering. "Tell you what. You talk to the newly weds about this issue and then we'll go out to dinner and settle all of this once and for all. I actually have a big announcement to make anyway. So what time is this thing going on and where?"
Haley gave Brooke the details before leaving, not quite as happy as she had entered. Brooke's gaze stayed on her old friend before grabbing her phone to let her +1 know of the dinner plans. 'Ex-nay on the cookout plans. Dinner tonight, we'll tell them then. Love you bunches, XOXO'. Brooke smiled and thought of what was bound to be an interesting dinner. Yup, she sure wasn't bored anymore.
Oooooooooooooooo
Hazel eyes scanned the fancy layout of the most expensive restaurant in the area, searching for a familiar face in the crowd. Finally spotting the familiar face of one tall, dark, and handsome Nathan Scott, Brooke reached for her date's hand before dragging them along behind her. Upon reaching the table, the brunette greeted her friends and silently took stock of their reactions to her date, wanting to have a feel for how tonight might go.
"Hey guys!" The cheery brunette greeted. Her blonde counterpart stood slightly behind her and only let out a mumbled hey. Brooke squeezed the nervous blonde's hand and kept up the strong front. To anyone else, it would look as if the blonde was extremely shy and the brunette was protecting her, which really wasn't that far off base at the moment.
"Brooke! Peyton! Glad you two could make it!" Nathan belted out, earning a few looks from the other patrons. At least someone was truly happy to see them, Brooke thought.
Haley spoke with a forced smile and not so believable happy tone. "Yeah, good to see you guys. Peyton, didn't know Brooke would bring you as a date."
Brooke glared at her, trying to figure out if the teacher looked more pissed or worried by her best friend's presence.
"Brooke. Peyton." Lucas greeted shortly. It didn't escape Brooke that even though he acted like he was looking down at his glass, his eyes were trained on the blonde hidden halfway behind her. Lindsay only nodded at them politely, her lips pulled tight into a slight frown.
"Good to finally see everyone and be all together. I don't think we've really had a chance to do this since Peyt and I have been back." Brooke carried on as she finally moved to allow herself and Peyton to sit down at the table, across from the newly weds at the square table. Brooke sat across from Lucas and with Haley to her side at the next side of the table, the corner between them. Nathan sat next to his wife, with the corner between hi a nod his brother. Lucas of course sat next to his wife, who was directly across from Peyton. The only two blonde women having the unused side of the table to their side.
"Well, the gang's finally back together." Nathan said truly happy to be with all of his closest friends. The people he considered his family. He looked around, his arm resting on the back of Haley's chair, Luke's in the same position with his wife. Glancing over, he noticed how Brooke and Peyton intertwined hands rested on the table top. He smiled at his old friends and how content they seemed. He only hoped it stayed that way. After hearing the play by play of what happened with Brooke and his wife this afternoon, and then hearing her awkwardly explain things to his brother and Lindsay, he wasn't so sure how well this meeting was going to go. Trying to break the tense air, the athlete clears his throat to get everyone's attention. Right as he was about to speak, Brooke beat him to it.
"Okay, why don't we just skip all the awkwardness and get right down to business?" Everyone shifted nervously and uncomfortably, not looking forward to having to deal with the wrath of Brooke Davis, but not disagreeing with the motion to just get it over with.
"Okay Brooke, why don't you start, since you apparently know everything that's going on." Lucas said with some attitude.
The fashion designer smirked. "Oh, it'd be my pleasure. And I'll tell you all exactly what's going on and we'll solve this little problem here and now. We're getting married."
Haley spit out the drink she had been taking, coughing and sputtering. Nathan looked shocked but only for a moment before trying to help Haley clear her airway, patting her back and grabbing a napkin for the mess on the table. Lucas looked as if he was in the middle of having a stroke and Lindsay's eyes couldn't possibly be any wider. Brooke only sat confidently, taking a slow sip of wine and holding steady to her other half's hand, reassuring her through the touch. The brunette looked completely content. The blonde next to her, not so much. Although Peyton looked mostly together, her hands shaking and scooting closer to Brooke didn't go completely unnoticed, at least not to the only other blonde woman at the table. It also didn't go unrecognized how the curly tressed woman turned her gaze to her friend, looking at her like the brunette held all the answers to the universe.
"Wha-What!?" Haley finally sputtered out.
"We're getting married." Brooke repeated simply.
"Who!?" Lucas shouted, completely flabbergasted.
"Me and Peyton, duh." The designer answered in her usual snarky tone.
Silence filled the table for what seemed like an eternity. No one knew how to react to that and suddenly all of the stares they were receiving from the other diners felt completely suffocating.
"CONGRATULATIONS!" Lindsay shot up from her seat and belted out. Everyone at the table jumped and wide eyes all turned to the newest bride. "This is so GREAT!" The editor swiftly moved to the newly revealed couple and embraced her so called enemy. "Oh my gosh, guys, this is amazing! Peyton! Brooke! You guys are getting married!" She squealed out as she engulfed the other blonde again, squeezing the astounded girl to her chest.
"Brooke?" Peyton managed to turn her head and squeak out, utterly confused at this turn of events.
Before the brunette could mutter a word though, Lindsay was dragging the artist up from her seat and ushering her towards the bathroom. Over excited slurs of "oh my gosh! I need details! Tell me everything!" could be heard as the two disappeared into the restroom.
"Um, okay. THAT was unexpected." The designer muttered, watching her girlfriend get wrangled.
"Uh, no, I think THIS is unexpected." Haley spat out, glaring at the other brunette woman.
The women only glared for a moment before it was broken by the surprisingly light voice of Nathan.
"Ya know, it's actually not."
"What?" Haley cut out as she turned her glare on her husband.
"This. Them. It really isn't that surprising."
"What the hell Nathan! How is this not surprising!? They aren't gay! I dated both of them! Hell, you slept with both of them!" a distraught Lucas cried out.
"Hey!" Brooke cut in, offended at his brashness.
"Oh like that even matters anymore. Don't kid yourself Luke. And besides, I knew Peyton had feelings for Brooke way back even when we were dating. I just didn't know Brooke actually felt the same way."
"Wait, what!?" The other three asked ll at once.
"Yea, she always talked in her sleep. I'm surprised you never heard her moaning Brooke's name Luke."
"What? But-but...no. That wasn't...she wasn't. I mean they were best friends. Of course she had dreams about her. I just always figured they were...I just can't believe...oh my god! Did she ever even love me then!? Did you!?" He yelled, turning to face Brooke.
"Yea Brooke, did you?" Haley butted in, backing up her best friend as they both stared down the fashion designer.
"Oh please. Of course I loved you. And I know Peyton did too. We just didn't love you enough to be that person for the rest of your life. We were too busy hiding our feelings for each other, even though I have to say I didn't know she had felt things for me for THAT long..." She trailed off. "And besides, it shouldn't even matter now. You did find that person to love you for the rest of your life. You happily married her just a couple months ago. You didn't give Peyton or me a second thought, so don't act like it's a big deal now. You have your love story, and now we finally found ours. And it's right where it's always been for either of us, with each other." She finished solidly.
"But-" Haley went to cut in again, but was interrupted by her husband's hand gripping her own.
"No Hales, she's right. Before everybody else, it was always Brooke and Peyton. Those two are tighter than us even. Just think about their whole friendship. Does it really even seem like a friendship, or more like a relationship?"
Silence reigned again as the two previously angered friends took a moment to think it all over.
"...okay. So...maybe you're right." Haley finally whispered out.
"But-" Lucas went to interject.
"Luke," Brooke interrupted in a slightly begging tone, "can you please just be happy for us? I get it, it's surprising, you're probably feeling a little offended that your two ex girlfriends are together now. But it has nothing to do with you. Peyton and I are happy together. We're in love. Haley, you have Nathan. Lucas, you have Lindsay. Peyton and I have always had each other and we finally realized how much we really mean to one another. So, with you without you, this wedding is going to happen. That being said, we would love to see our friends their to support us, just as we have been for all of you."
"But, Brooke, are you sure? I mean, I thought Peyton was back for Luke and-"
"Peyton was never back for Lucas. Like I said before, she came back with me. We've been together for almost two years now and it was my idea to move back home. She's just been acting so nervous around everyone because she's been afraid of how everyone would take it. And by the way, thanks for being so reassuring." She adds with an eye roll. "Why can't you two just be happy for us like Lindsay and Nate?"
"Lindsay is only so happy because she's been really stressing over the fact that Peyton-well we thought Peyton was back to steal Lucas."
"But hey, she's still happy. Or actually, I don't know. Maybe I should go check on my girlfriend. I haven't seen either of them since Lindsay swept her away." The brunette mumbled, glancing a little nervously towards the bathroom.
"And you're sure you're in love with her?" Lucas suddenly asked, sounding like a lost child trying to make sure his mommy was okay.
Brooke stared him dead in the eye. "Yes, I always have and I always will."
Nodding, he sighed. "Okay. I'm sorry for being so...inconsiderate. I am happy for you. For you both. It'll just take some...?"
"Some getting used to." Haley finished for him. "But, we will support you and be there for you. Just tell us when and where, we'll be there." She reassured with a light smile.
The quiet moment was broken by the return of the two blondes, one seemingly overjoyed and the other looking a bit overwhelmed.
"Oh gosh, guys! This is so exciting! This wedding is going to be amazing! And with two brides, it'll be twice as much beauty! Oh and we can help, anything you need! Just let us know! Oh, this is so great! Peyton was telling me all the details in the bathroom. Oh, tell them about how you got engaged! It was beautiful, Brooke really out did herself! I would have loved to see the look on your face! Oh, it'd be so romantic! Now c'mon, tell them! It's an amazing story!"
The group of friends all smiled at the newest couple. A beaming Brooke moved her chair closer to her blushing blonde and wrapped her arm around the girl's waist, gushing about all the details of the engagement and wedding to be. One thing was for sure, if Brooke Davis had anything to do with it, this wedding would be perfect.