AU Brucas. Brooke is America's Sweetheart. Lucas is the boy next door who she has loved since she was 15. The only problem is Brooke's parents have arranged a marriage between her and Julian Baker, an up-and-coming politician. How far will Brooke go to end up with the guy of her dreams? Major Brucas, minor Naley and Jeyton.

All right, so this is my first fanfic that I've actually liked enough off the bat to post. I know there is no Lucas in this chapter, but he will obviously make an appearance, probably in the next chapter. Right now I am trying to decide whether or not I want to keep this in Brooke's POV or if I want to add in Lucas's POV as well. Let me know what you think!

I shoved my way through the crowd, trying to find a way out of the madhouse. Instead of the normal smile and wave I would give to these strangers, I gave glares and growls. I had no interest in being a prop tonight. It was another stupid event I never really wanted to be at anyways. But I knew he would find me and I would once again become his doll, something to be always seen and never heard.

"Brooke, where are you going? We are going to be leaving soon," Julian said stiffly, way too formal for speaking with your fiancée. I could tell by the look on his face he wasn't happy with the disappearing act I was in the middle of pulling.

"Yeah, of course. I was just trying to find the bathroom. Too much champagne, you know?"

I was met with no response other than the glare he had been sending my way since we arrived at the party. A part of me could understand why he was so upset with me. And yet the other, larger part of me was tired of the hatred he spewed at me whenever he had the chance.

As we made our grand exit from the party, I started planning. I was going to make a grand exit from his life. Who cares if this marriage was planned by our parents as a way of improving both of our public images? I could live without being America's Sweetheart.

I just couldn't live with being the wife of Julian Baker.


6 months earlier

I walked into my house and could immediately tell there was something strange going on. For one, my parents were there. I knew it was a huge mistake giving them a key to my new home, but that was the deal they had made with me. I got to finally dip into my savings and have my own house, but they got a set of keys. It was ridiculous, in my opinion. I was 21 years old. I had basically been living on my own since I was 16 and my parents had moved from North Carolina to California. I was nominated for a freaking Emmy Award. And yet, my parents still had the ability to enter into my home without any warning or notifications.

"Mom, Dad… hi?" I said with just a note of confusion. I knew they would be upset if I questioned their motives too much. They always thought that the less I knew about my own life the better.

"Brooke, hello. We have some news for you," my mother replied. My parents had always been the jump right in type. We never really exchanged any pleasantries; the Davis family just got straight to the point.

It was at this moment that I noticed there was somebody else in the room. His rich brown hair had a slight wave to it and his deep brown eyes seemed vacant and cold- almost calculating.

"Who are you," I spat out. I had learned from 21 years of experience that when my parents brought somebody new home with them it typically meant nothing but bad news for me.

"Brooke dear, be polite. This is Julian Baker. He's a rising politician, your father's new business partner. And you two are now engaged."