hey everyone, happy new year! was floating around the OTH forums and now im feeling writing a new fiction. Its going to be a Brooke/Clay, set in the transition from college to real life, everything about the backstory will be explained as the chapters progress. Not sure whether to go canon with Haley/Nathan and Peyton/Lucas so let me know what the consensus is on that front! This first chapters going to be more building their relationship but im going to introduce more of the other characters as I go along. Reviews and ideas appreciated!
xxx
Brooke woke up. Another day, another hangover, and by the looks of it another one night stand. College was ending soon and the last few nights could be described as a "bender"
She looked to her side and swore. Nathan. Nathan? Really? Nathan as in "her best friend had a giant crush on him" Nathan. And she'd slept with him. She quickly rolled out of bed and in the kitchen, if she could make a quick escape then maybe Nathan would forget..
"Brooke Davis you dog!" came a male voice, and Brooke didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Her best friend Clay lived with Nathan. Of course he was here
"Clay, shush!" Brooke said, and Clay stepped towards her and laughed, pouring himself some coffee
"So, Nathan again huh? Is this gonna be a weekly thing, because, y'know, my best friend and my best friend..little bit creepy.."
Brooke rolled her eyes "oh shut up you know it wasn't meant to happen..its the end of college im allowed to be carefree a little longer..". Clay chuckled a little and sighed at his computer
"College most definately is almost over.." Clay said, looking at Brooke
"Your dad hammering you again?" she asked. Clay nodded
"College was only ever gonna be a 4 year way to avoid joining his stupid business. But in short, yeah, an email per day has increased to an email per hour..". His dad was a wealthy man who owned a big manufacturing company. Both of Clays brothers had joined up, but Clay didn't want to, he tried to put a hold on things. He wanted to run his own sports agency.
"It doesn't have to be.." Brooke said, softly
"Yes, let me say no and then be completely cut off with absolutely nothing" Clay laughed softly and closed his eyes "come on Brooke..get in the real world" he said, tapping her shoulder
"I am in the real world" Brooke said, smirking slightly
"And if you don't want to be wearing your breakfast, i'd suggest not telling Haley about your latest dalliance with Nathan.." he chuckled, leaving the room. Brooke laughed
"Shut up you ass!" she said, jokingly
She was kind of ok. She had a plan .She had a clothing line that she had spent 4 years honing her skills for, she had bought a shop in Tree Hill,and she was going to open it a month after she left college...that was a scary thought. What if she grew apart from her friends, became like Victoria? Living each day just for herself, not caring about anyone else.
6 months later..
Brooke sighed, she was stuck in the shop, on her own, it was completely dead, and everything was changing. Haley was on a music tour, Peyton was doing an apprenticeship for a record label, Nathan was in training for basketball, Luke had written a successful book. Everybody apart from her and Clay seemed to be where they wanted to be. Clay was snowed under with a 60 hour a week job, that he absolutely despised, and she was running what seemed to be a very unsuccessful shop.
She felt like such a loser, she went to college to hone her skills but now there was absolutely nothing she could do, she had had one sale for the whole morning.
She suddenly heard the door open, and Clay walked in, bags under his eyes and holding a coffee
"Hows the shop?" he asked, smiling and giving her a hug
"Sorry, my best friend may be along soon.." she teased, and he sighed
"I know ive been a bit crappy lately, ive been snowed under at that damn office!" he shook his head. "I had to pretend I was coming down with a bug to get this break.."
"Why are you still working there Clay?" Brooke asked, taking her coffee warily
"Because I cant do anything else"
"You can branch out" Brooke said "so you wouldn't have all the money but you would be happy"
"Its not as easy as that Brooke, you know its not" he sighed
"Ive done it" Brooke responded, quickly
"And look how well thats done you" Clay muttered, under his breath
"What?" Brooke sharply wheeled around, folding her arms across her chest and frowning
"Look Brooke..im sorry" Clay sighed, squeezing his eyes shut "ive been stressed lately.." he started
"Are you serious? Dont backtrack just say what you really think! I'd rather have a quiet shop then be spending hours lining daddys pocket at minimum wage!" she shouted, Clay sighed again
"Look, you know what Brooke I really don't have time for this right now. I need stability in my life, thats it" he said, picking up his briefcase
"Oh, another dig..just say what you think Clay! You think growing up with two controlling parents is better then being alone? Well I think differently.." Brooke shouted, her voice turning hoarse
"Of course you think differently nothings right unless its the Brooke Davis way!" Clay shouted back
"At least I know how to stand on my own two feet! Your parents put you through high school, college, and now your stuck in a crappy job WITH YOUR PARENTS!" Brooke shouted
"Well at least my business isn't going to be joining the recession statistics in the next year!" Clay shouted, he slammed his coffee cup down, he knew he had gone too far, he knew he couldn't go back
"At least im not going to be joining the suicide statistics in the next year!" Brooke screamed back, thrusting her coffee cup into his hand. She sighed, she had gone way too far. She knew it wasn't really his fault..
"Clay.." she started, stepping towards him
"Don't even look at me" Clay stepped back "you know, if I didn't see you again, that would be just fine" he said slowly, retying his tie
"Thats it, throw 10 years of friendship down the drain because your too scared to see whats right in front of your face.." Brooke snarled, determined to have the last word
"Maybe i'll just do that, because between your texts and speeches through the last weeks, your just as bad as my dad! And at least I care about my friends, instead of just hammering them to do the thing thats less stressful for you. Your selfish Brooke Davis." Clay said in a low tone, storming out the shop, feeling even more annoyed. He had gone in there for a catch up, one catch up and now he had lost the only person that had been on his side.
His dad was controlling. He did hate it. But what choice did he have? He couldn't start over, his savings were controlled by his parents, his bank account was controlled by his parents, his flat was on his parents estate, his carpool was arranged by them. His email account was even linked onto their domain. The only thing he paid was his cell phone bill and he only had just started doing that.
Brooke sighed and sat behind the desk, one hand in her hair. She hated arguing with her friends, but he had started it. He gave as good as he got. Just like Peyton did over Lucas, and just like her mum constantly did when she was trying to interfere. Clay knew how much her business meant to her yet he just dragged it through the mud, he wouldn't know hard graft if it hit him in the face. She had built that business herself,the designs, the sketches, the whole layout of the store, everything was crafted by her. She wasn't selfish, she just had to do a bit more to keep up her lifestyle. Clay had everything handed to him, unlike her.
Clay scowled as he got back into the office. He barely looked at the reception as he used his swipe key to get back in. He didn't even wave an hello.
"Clayton! Your late!" shouted his dad, Clay sighed, he was really not in the mood for this right now. He didn't respond
"Clayton.." his dad started again, straightening his tie
"Its Clay" he growled, running a hand through his hair as his dad stood in front of him
"Oh come on son, you look like you've crawled out of a bush hungover, this is a big opportunity for you!" his dad sighed. His dad cared about appearance big time. His suit would never be creased, he had people to shine his shoes, and his hair was always cut to perfection,
"You also need to sort out those frown lines, they aren't going to bide well on the conference meetings. I'll get you an appointment with my nurse.." he started
"Dad I do not need botox!" Clay sighed, wide eyed, scowling again. Him and Brooke used to joke about that sort of thing, was his dad seriously suggesting botox..botox?!
"I told you, its Mr Evans here. And with that scowling, your going to need more then one appointment every few months" he said, tapping a few things into his blackberry, not looking at Clay
"Pointless" Clay replied, raising his brow "everybody here knows your my dad. And everybody probably thinks im a bit of a loser for working for 5 dollars an hour for my own family.." he finished, sighing and storming into his office cubicle. He hated how he didn't even have his own base. He had two other people 5 inches to either side of him, tapping away on their computers, staring into the screen, like complete robots. He hated it. He wanted to do something with his life, he wanted to work with big names and help people reach the dream.
He suddenly got a text from Nathan, and opened it, putting his mircophone on for when calls started to come through. It had to be "service with a smile" today.. he read the text. "calling your office phone now, pick up"
The phone suddenly rang, loudly
"Hello, Evans Enterprise, how may I help?" Clay asked into the phone, trying to fathom some sort of happiness
"You sound seriously douchey man" Nathan responded, and Clay sighed
"Not you too.." he started
"Woah, cool it man I was just kidding. Whats up?" Nathan asked,
"Nothing, nothing, whats up with you?" Clay asked, leaning forwards slightly, checking a couple of emails on his computer. Apparently he was scheduled in for even more overtime. Great
"Your degree was in sports agency right?" Nathan asked, quickly. By the sounds of it Clay was pretty tetchy already
"Sometimes I forget, but yeah" Clay said, a soft smile reaching the corners of his mouth
"Right, so my agent said he wants to agree this deal with the bobcats right now, but I don't know man, it just seems a bit of a quickfire"
"Get him to discuss the options then, don't let him agree the first one, thats the easy way out. You could be worth way more.." Clay said, rolling his eyes. Nobody had any personalities anymore, they were just money sharks.
"I wish you would just leave that crappy job and be my agent" Nathan sighed
"If only" Clay sighed himself, throwing a pen across the room in frustration
"Are you ok man? You sound even more pissed off then you usually do in that place?" Nathan asked, a little confused.
"I had a big fight with Brooke earlier, code red" Clay softly answered
"Ah, code red? Really man, didn't you learn from the last time you pissed her off and ended up wearing the dinner she made us. Both of us?" Nathan asked, chuckling a little
"She was just saying all this stuff about me branching out and I just..well look man, I don't need someone to tell me im messing up my life, I already know. Look being a sports agent would be great but college was only ever gonna be a stopgap to delay this job. and thank god I did.." Clay said, blowing a bubble in the water he was drinking
"No offence man but-" Nathan started, but Clay immediately cut in
"Don't say shes right ok..its not as easy as everyones saying. Im an Evans, both my brothers work here, I cant just decide to be different". Nathan frowned
"You remember my dad right Clay?"
"Who can forget Dan Scott?" he answered, and he heard Nathan chuckle from the other end
"Remember when he was pressurizing me, trying to make me into him? Remember when I was taking drugs to try and beat his records? Look man I know you don't wanna hear it but if you carry on doing what your doing at the moment your gonna kill yourself. Listen to Brooke" Nathan said. Clay scrunched up his features. Thats the most concerned he had heard Nathan sound in years
"Are you sleeping with Brooke again or something, have you teamed up?" Clay answered back, a smirk on his face
"Joke all you want man but sort it out. All you do these days is snap at anyone who says the truth, just like I did. You have more then one option" Nathan said, again, sounding uncharacteristically deep
"Save the deep chat for chicks at a club, Nate. I don't need any help" Clay said, in a deadpan voice, and hanging up the call.
Nathan sighed, Brooke was sitting next to him. She went straight to Nathan. She didn't want to directly help Clay, but she figured if she did it through Nathan, then maybe he could get through to him.
"I tried Brooke" Nathan said, sighing
"I know. Hes being an ass" Brooke shrugged, and walked off. She had a life to attend to, unlike some, she paid her own bills. And her bills weren't going to be paid at this rate..