How would I describe my life? Glamorous, Exciting, Alluring. You'll never hear any complaints from me. I live with my mom in Manhattan. She's a famous fashion designer. She's unbelievable, I swear. She created her own clothing line when she was eighteen, and now she's one of the biggest designers in the world. And one of the best moms in the world. Brooke Davis is incredible. Me, I'm Gabriella. Gabriella Davis. But my friends call me Brie. At nineteen, I'm a sophomore at NYU with a major in English. I've wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. My mom says I'm just like he who shall not be named when it comes to my writing. Oh, sorry, I mean my dad. He's pretty much the only thing I can't talk to my mom about. Mom says he split when I was born. She always shuts down when I bring him up, My Aunt Peyton, my mom's best friend and my second mom says it's because he hurt her so badly and because she probably still loves him, but it's no skin off my nose, as far as I'm concerned, it's his loss. We live in a snazzy condo on the Upper East Side, and my Aunt Peyton, Uncle Jake and their kids, and my best friends Jenny and Josh live next door. Aunt Peyton owns her own record label and Uncle Jake is a signed artist. He has an amazing voice, and even if he wasn't the closest thing I had to a father, I'd still have all of his CD's. I unlock the door to the condo and throw my pick knapsack on the kitchen counter. The first thing I do is log onto my computer. I'm addicted to my laptop, Jenny calls it my lifeline. I scan through my emails and stop at a new email from my Aunt Haley. Haley's my mom's other best friend and my third mom, but she lives back in Tree Hill so I almost never get to see her.

Brie,

I miss you so much! I have a surprise, we're coming to visit, Jamie's been nagging how he hasn't seen you guys in ages so me and Nathan caved and we'll be there in a week. Don't tell your mom or Peyton and Jake, I want to surprise them, I'll need you to pick us up from the airport, I'll have Jamie call you (he has a new girlfriend by the way, I think it's serious) I can't wait to see you Brie, I really have missed you. Write me back

Aunt Haley

I wrote her back how excited I was and that I'd call Jamie tonight. New girlfriend huh. Jamie's the little brother I always wanted. Even though we live 3000 miles away, I couldn't love him more. Seems like he was keeping this new girlfriend a secret.

"Brie, you here?"

"Yeah, I'm in the kitchen"

"I called you" Josh opened the fridge and grabbed a coke. I watched him take a long swig. I would never tell him this, but it doesn't get much better than Josh. Tall, dreamy eyes and a body that he kept up with varsity basketball.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he narrowed his eyes

"No reason"

"Right" He brought the coke back to his lips "So what's up with ignoring my calls"

"I was busy, I was gonna call you back"

"Busy doing what?"

"I was with Ryan." Josh rolled his eyes, and threw the empty coke can into the trash. Ryan Holder was my boyfriend and Josh's arch enemy. O.K, so maybe that's a little dramatic but they've never liked each other and I guess I made matters worse when Ry and I started going out.

"Whatever" he mumbled

"Oh, don't be a baby…where's Jen?"

"She's with Chris"

I wiggled my eyebrows "Chris again huh, they're getting serious"

"I guess" he said leaning against the counter "I don't like him"

"Josh, you don't like anybody we go out with"

"You guys don't like anybody I go out with either" he shot back

"Because you go out with sluts my friend"

"That's a little harsh Gabriella"

"You know it's true" I smirk; amused he had used my full name.

"Are we still on for tonight?" he changes the subject. Josh hates when we talk about his love life. Or maybe sex life would be the more accurate way to describe it.

"Yeah, Uncle Jake said he left the passes in your room" Uncle Jake was performing at a new club, and had gotten us backstage passes.

"We'll leave at nine" he said turning to leave "I said nine Brie, not ten; I swear if you and Jen take forever I'm leaving"

Josh was such a guy.

"By the way" he said sticking his head back in the doorway "I bought you a book, it was written by some guy from Tree Hill. Lucas Scott, Nathan's brother that nobody ever talks about." He pulled the book from his bag and threw it on the coffee table. "It looked interesting; I thought you'd like it"

"Thanks Josh" I smile

He winks at me, and despite myself my heart starts beating a little faster, and my stomach flips

What the hell was that?

"See ya later"

Now I don't know what's getting into me, but Josh is like my brother. Maybe it's because he rarely does anything nice for me, yeah, that's it, because the alternative is just way too weird to even think about. I grab a coke and head to my room to find a dress to wear that night, An Unkindness of Ravens forgotten for the moment on my coffee table.