I'm here for you.

RIINNGG

The bell rings signaling the end of the day. A flood of students rush out the front door eagerly trying to get out of school.

Brooke is waiting impatiently at the front of the school and glances around anxiously from time to time. She checks her watch and sighs when she noticed she'd been waiting for more than 25 minutes. Just when she started walking away, she saw him running towards her.

"Hey"

"You're late" she shot bitterly.

"K, Buddy, I'm helping you out here ok? A little more gratitude please?"

Brooke rolled her eyes and groaned. "Can we just get this over with?"

She turned around and strode off to her car. Nathan sighed and followed suite. They got in the car and drove off, oblivious to a confused Lucas who had witnessed them from afar. Gritting his teeth, he turned and walked away.

Back in the car

"Ok, so first thing we need to do is find out what you're good at." He paused a moment to think. "What…are you good at?"

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Well let's see…flirting, partying, se—"

"Ok. Ok. Stop! I meant things that would help you in your JOB!" he waited for a moment before he realized she wasn't going to answer. "O…K. This is going to be harder than I thought."

"Then maybe we should just forget it."

"No Brooke." He said sternly. "You need to do this. You can't live off you're dad's money forever."

"My mom seems to have no problem with it." She mumbled. Nathan shook his head and smirked.

"And that's another reason why you should avoid doing so."

Brooke glanced at him and sighed. "Guess you're right." She paused, and thought hard. "Well…I'm really good with people. That helped me get that crab job."

"Ok." Nathan opened his back pack and took out his laptop. "Good…people…skills…" he said out loud as he typed.

"What are you doing?"

"Writing your résumé."

"But I already have one." She fished through her bag and pulled out a practically empty paper. Nathan just looked at her.

"Brooke…do you want another crab job?"

"What? Heck no!"

"Then I'm writing your résumé."

"Whatever" she sighed.

"Now, what else?"

"Ummm…well…I'm good at planning parties."

"Planned…many…social…events."

"And I am the captain of the cheerleading squad."

"Excellent leadership skills."

"I don't let people get in my way."

"Determined to get the job done."

"And if anyone even tries, I'll set them straight!" She said bitterly.

Nathan thought for a moment before he started typing again. "Good sense of negotiation."

"Damn, you're good." She smirked, impressed.

"I try. Now, what have you done?"

"Besides plan parties?" She thought hard for a moment. "Well, nothing really."

Nathan sighed. "Haven't you ever helped anybody in a job or something?"

"Nope…"

"Ok…ummm…you teach the girls techniques for cheerleading right? So that means you're creative…attent…ive….and patient."

"HAH!"

"Well you're supposed to be. Anyways we'll put down you won best choreographer."

"Remind me how this is going to help me get a job again?"

"It's going to help make your resume look less like a title page. Now stop complaining and help me out."

"God! Tutor-Girl sure did a number on you!"

"Brooke!" he groaned.

She giggled. "Ok, ok. Ummmm…well, in grade 7 I gave my entire allowance to a homeless family."

"Really?" he said both impressed and shocked. He never pictured Brooke really helping out the 'little guys' as she liked to put it.

"Well..yeah…sorta." she gave him a nervous glance.

"Brooke…."

"Well…I was kind of paying them back for running into their shelter." She smiled meekly.

"YOU WHAT?"

"I was 12 ok! And I had just gotten this car...I paid them triple that cardboard box would ever have been worth! I practically did them a favor!"

Nathan shook his head in disbelief. "Whatever. Let's just say you donated to many charities."

"Ok. Ummm…Ooh! Ooh!I helped in the fashion show last year!"

"Experienced in fashion."

"I redecorated Peyton's room 100s of times."

"Experienced in interior design."

"Ummm…that's it—Oh yeah, and I'm president!" she smiled widely, flashing her brilliant dimples.

"Oh yeah. And you started that taxi service thing."

"Yeppers!" she smiled. "DWnotI is doing great!"

Nathan finished typing on the laptop. He looked over it one more time. "Ok…looks good. Drop by Staples and we'll print out copies."

"Brooke! Go! Please?" Nathan pleaded as he tried to push her into the café. It had been a long day of interviews and they hadn't been able to get anywhere. They were both exhausted and wanted to go home. Brooke—who was pushing with all her might against the edge of the doors to stop from being pushed in—was especially tired and wanted to give up. "Nathan!" she whined. "What's the point? Common, none of the others took me." She pouted as she struggled to keep out of the door.

"Well you WOULD have gotten that bakery job if you hadn't told off the manager!"

"Oh please! You would snap too if a 56 year old checked you out!" she defended.

"Ok, fine but what about that worker in Stitches you jumped?"

"She was making fun of my outfit! Snobby little bitch."

Nathan sighed and gave up pushing. "Ok, ok, fine. We'll go home."

Brooke turned a suspicious glance to him. "Promise?" He nodded his head and she hesitantly let go of the door frame.

"Psych!" he yelled pushing her in as soon as she let go.

"Nathan!" Brooke tried to get around him but he stood firm blocking the door. "You promised I wouldn't have to do this!" she pouted.

"No, I promised we'd go home. I never said when." He smirked, proud of himself.

Brooke glared at him." This is the last one!" she swiftly turned on her heel, put on her confidant face, and walked up to the counter.

"Hi there, I'm interesting in applying for a job here. Can I speak to your manager?"

The young male worker smirked. "I'll be the manager for you any day." He said slyly checking her out and stopping at her breasts.

Brooke clenched her jaw. "I'm up here jackass." She shot. "Now, I suggest you take your horny ass—"

"What my friend meant to say…" Nathan cut her off. "…was that she's flattered but would like to talk to the manager of the place." The guy nodded and checked Brooke out one more time before turning and disappearing at the back.

Nathan narrowed his eyes at him as he walked away. Brooke whipped around and seethed at him. "What the hell was that? That jerk was asking for a total ass whooping!"

"And he'll get it…after your interview." His tone showed there was no room for argument.

Brooke huffed. "You're jus doing this to punish me for something, aren't you?"

"Whatever helps you get through this." He laughed, and she stuck her tongue out.

"Hem hem." They turned and saw an elderly woman staring back at them.

She had dirty blonde hair which was at the peak of graying, tied up in a tight bun. She wore a hair net that flattened her hair down revealing her oval shaped head and she had on an ancient skirt under her white, tattered blouse. "Umm…hi? Brooke was surprised by the appearance of the woman. Her gray eyes narrowed to a slit as she studied the two teenagers skeptically. Brooke really didn't like the way the woman was looking at her. She gave off the eerie feeling of a bitter old lady living alone in her big house with her 40 cats.

"Did you ask for the manager?"

"Oh, yeah…I wanted to talk to you about a job applica—"

"We are not hiring." She said quickly.

"Ummm…Heh, This might just be me, but I thought I saw a 'Now Hiring' sign at the front of this place."

"Well, that's just for people with experience." She said flatly.

Brook let out a sarcastic laugh. "Ok. Let me get this straight. We haven't even talked for like what? TWO minutes and you're automatically judging me? You don't even know my friggen name lady!"

"I've been in this business long enough to know that I don't need spoiled over-emotional teenagers like you sitting around wasting my time!"

"By the looks of it you don't have that much time to waist in the first place!" Brooke yelled. She was more than pissed right now. So she was a spoiled overemotional teenager eh? (I'm Canadian lol) 'Well, I'll show her. This old hag doesn't know who she's messing with.'

"I also know that I don't want anyone with such disrespect to their superiors! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to attend to my business." She turned and walked off.

Nathan sighed and shook his head. "Common Brooke. We'll try again tomorrow." he turned to walk away, pulling Brooke along, but she stayed in her spot.

"Are you kidding me?" was all she said to him before stomping up to the old woman.

"Brooke No!" he yelled after her but it was too late.

"Listen here Martha, I don't know what the hell you're problem is. I'm sorry that you weren't very popular in high school, and that the guy that you were crushing over always rejected you. I'm sorry that you couldn't make the soft ball team or that you never won a single metal in the dance competitions. And I'm terribly sorry that you never found the guy of your dreams or that your kids all left you, leaving you to live alone with your filthy cats. But I came here for a job application, and since your hiring at the moment, I deserve an interview, and I'm not leaving without one!" Brooke yelled this in the woman's face attracting the attention of all the inhabitants of the café. Everybody looked at her in utter shock but she didn't care. It's been a hard, long day and she was tired and hungry. Everything she's ever known was falling apart and she couldn't do anything to stop it. She's lived her whole life in Tree Hill, and it's the only place she's ever felt at home. There was no way she was leaving it behind. So she tries to go out on her own and then this old bitch judges her without a second glance? Uh-uh. She's taken enough of that shit from students at school. There was no way she was going to let this hag do the same.

The old lady looked her over a moment in silence. Her face was expressionless but inwardly she was fighting to suppress a smirk. After another minute of silence, she spoke. "I don't do interviews. I don't necessarily care what the heck you've done with your past life. All I care about is how good you do the job. Come by in two days and we'll see what you can do."

Brooke took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "Thank you." The woman nodded and started walking away. "Oh and by the way…" she turned back and looked at her. "I'm Brooke Davis." Brooke smiled her million dollar smile and turned and exited the café, Nathan following close behind.

They sat in silence as the car sped down the highway. Nathan had a hundred questions to ask her, but Brooke seemed to be deep in thought. Nathan shook his head as he remembered the events of the day. Suddenly, the situation seemed a lot funnier than he thought. Out of no where, he started to laugh hysterically getting weird looks from Brooke.

"What's so funny?"

"Did you see the look on her face? She looked mortified." He continued laughing and Brooke started giggling.

"Well the truth hurts."

"How did you know all that stuff anyways?"

Brooke thought for a minute. "Well, I knew she wasn't popular in school because of the way she was dressed. Who wears plad skirts that high anyways? Everyone is rejected by their first crush at one time or another, I knew that she never made the team or won anything because of the way she prided herself on that café. And I figured she was alone without children because of the way she described teenagers as 'over-emotional brats'."

"Who woulda thought that you'd be so observant?" he teased.

"Oh there's a lot you don't know about me boy-toy." She smirked.

"I bet. But seriously…Martha?"

"Shut up! I couldn't think of any other name ok? And besides, she reminded me of Martha Stewart." She defended. Nathan just laughed and she playfully hit him.

Brooke slows down to a stop when she reaches Nathan's apartment. There is music blaring from the stereo and the two are singing—more like screaming along to the lyrics.

B: Can I make it?

N: Damn right.

B: I' be on the

N: Next flight

B: Paying Cash!

N: First Class!

B: Sitting next to Vanna White.

Nookie: If you wanna go and take a ride with me

Wit three women in the fo' with the Gold D's

Oh why do I live this way?

Hey! Must be the money!

The two erupted in a fit of laughter after the song was over.

"That was hot!" Brooke said through giggles.

"Oh yeah! We both have quite a voice." He teased.

"Are you kidding me? We sounded like dying hyenas!"

"Hey! Speak for yourself." He shot in mock hurt.

"Like I said, the truth hurts."

Nathan chuckled. "So B, how does it feel to know that you are officially independent of your daddy's pay check?"

Brooke frowned. "I wouldn't really know."

"Why not? If you're worried about your interview, forget it. You got to her once, you could get to her again." He tried to reassure her.

"It's not that Nate. It's just that I still haven't found an apartment and if I don't find one in, I don't know…what? THREE days, I'll either be living as a hobo or forced to go to Cali."

"Brooke, don't worry about it ok? I'll help you find one tomorrow. I promise."

She smiled at him. "Thanks Nate." They shared a smile.

"Welp, this is my stop. I'm gonna go get started on my homework. Mrs. Kendal's being a total bitch this year! 6 hours of homework a night!" he shook his head as he started getting out of the car.

"Nathan…" Nathan whipped around at the quiet sound of Brooke's voice. He was shocked at how uncertain it sounded, almost like a lost little girl.

"Brooke? What's wrong?" he was getting worried by the sad expression on her face.

"I'm…I'm just scared." To his surprise, she started tearing up. "I don't want to leave Nate." Her voice was quavering slightly as she fought to gain control of her tears. "I mean I've lived here all my life. The people of this town are the only one's I've ever known. I can't just go to another city Nate. I mean what about Peyton? I can't just leave her. And the girls in cheerleading? God, what if the new captain doesn't know how to handle them? And what about my parents? It's not like they're going to change. I'm going to be stuck by myself as usual only this time I won't have anywhere to go." She was starting to freak out now. Everything was starting to settle in. She was only 3 days away from leaving everything she's ever known and loved and she still didn't even have an official job yet.

"Shhh…hey, listen." Nathan started in a soft voice. "You won't have to go alright? None of us are going to let you. First thing tomorrow, we'll go out looking for an apartment. Don't worry it'll be alright."

"What if it isn't? I'm not as dumb as I make myself out to be Nathan. I know how long these things can take. And my parents aren't going to let me go homeless even if it was for just a week. They would never risk it on their social status."

Nathan frowned at her last comment. "Look…It'll be alright ok? Don't worry. If it takes too long then you can stay with me for a while."

Brooke's eyes widened in shock. "Are you crazy? Do you know what kind of rumors that will start?"

"Who cares? It's not like it's anything knew. Besides, you won't be there permanently. Just until you find a suitable home for yourself."

Brooke shook her head frantically. "Uh-uh Nate. No way! What about Haley? She's going to get the completely wrong idea."

"Well, you see, Haley isn't here at the moment so she won't really have any idea at all." He said bitterly. "And besides, I'm not asking you to share a bed. I have an extra room that you could take."

"No Nathan. Listen, it's sweet of you to offer. But common! We've just been friends for like what? 3 days? I won't let you chance your marriage for me. What if Haley comes back early? With everything going on between you two I don't think me moving in with you two is gonna help any."

"Oh please Brooke! You're acting like we just met or something! I've known you my entire life. And it's not like you've never slept over at my house before. You were like the little sister I never wanted!" Brooke gave him an 'excuse me?' look. "And I mean that in the most loving way possible." He said quickly. Brooke just laughed. "Look, it was just an offer."

Brooke nodded. "Thanks Nate. But I think I'm just going to look for a separate apartment. It's a lot safer that way."

Nathan sighed. "Alright, but the offer still stands if you change your mind." He said and she smiled. She moved up and gave him a tight hug. "You know I'm here for you if you need me." Brooke was shocked at his words. But she immediately smiled and nodded.

"Alright. So, as much as I hate to break this wonderful Hallmark moment, I really need to get home and sleep." Nathan laughed at her abrupt change of attitude.

"Yeah, Yeah. See you tomorrow."

Brooke smirked. "That soon? You know Nathan, if I didn't know any better I would think that you couldn't get enough of me."

"Oh please I just want to help you so you would stop nagging me already!"

"You keep telling yourself that!" she then quickly drove off without giving him time to respond.

Nathan glared at her as she turned the corner and disappeared. "Same old Brooke." He sighed, and shook his head in amusement. He then turned around and walked into his apartment.