Thanks everyone for the reviews! Tardychick06, I hope your college search is going better... and that your weekend proved to be happier than the week. If it helps, I'm also currently going through the college-search process (only with grad school this time) and I know it's no fun. I hope the search gets easier for you and you find the right school. Best of luck to you!

Chapter 9 Loving you Anyway

The weekend after school started, Peyton found herself with a free day after Lucas decided to take the kids to some science museum about an hour away. Normally she would have gone along for the day but the week had been long and tiring; she needed a bit of time alone. She was in the middle of working on a sketch of Winifred and Gretchen when she heard the front door open. "Hello?"

"Getting paranoid in your old age?"

"Funny Brooke."

"Hi Friend, how are ya?"

"Blissfully alone for a few hours," Peyton replied as her friend entered the living room and sat down across from her. "What brings you by?"

"I need a reason to visit my one and only best friend?" Peyton answered Brooke by giving her a glower. Peyton loved Brooke, she really did, but their relationship had become a little more strained over the years and primarily couldn't withstand any of Brooke's seduction games. Peyton hadn't usually fallen for them when they were younger, but at that time she could at least tolerate her friend's façade. That ability had ended about five years prior and their friendship had continued only with compliance to certain provisions. One called for complete honesty; no games, no acting, no pretense; straight to the point every time.

"Okay, I need help."

"What with?" Just then, the door slammed again and a girl of about sixteen came stomping into the room, her eyes shaded by dark glasses and her hair, which was highlighted purple, pulled into a messy bun. "Hey Jen."

"Hi Aunt Peyton. Can I use your computer?"

"Sure," Peyton said without batting an eyelash. "You okay?"

"Whatever," Jenny mumbled as she walking down the hall toward the den.

"Why do you need the computer now?" Brooke was obviously appalled at Jenny for one reason or another.

"E-mail," she yelled back. Peyton tried to hide her smirk as she turned back to Brooke but her oldest friend noticed it.

"Don't laugh. I can't deal with her. She hates me."

"She doesn't hate you. She's a teenager. She hates everyone." As if to prove that point, music came on from the den and Peyton could hear the strains of Greenday. If Jenny had learned anything from her, it had been her appreciation for good, and sometimes angry, music.

"What am I supposed to do with her? I never wanted to be the evil stepmother."

"Brooke, she's just not used to sharing her dad."

"It's been five years." Including the years they had dated, it had actually been much longer. Brooke and Jake's relationship before marriage had always been kept away from Jenny because of it's volatile nature; Brooke's volatile nature to be more exact.

"Well, she's a kid. It takes time. What are you fighting about this time?"

"You didn't notice her hair?" Brooke asked incredulously.

"Actually, it's kind of cute. Wouldn't be my first choice—"

"Cute!" Brooke was outraged, pacing the room in front of a bewildered and slightly bemused Peyton. "Fine. I'll give you cute. Next time you see Fred, don't be surprised if she has cute green hair."

"Lucas would kill you."

"She does this to drive me crazy."

"And I'd say it's working," Peyton said, trying to hide a smile behind her hand.

"She quit the squad."

"Maybe it's just not her thing."

"Not her thing? It's been her thing for the past few years. What's different now? And Jake is all worried about her because she's doing these weird things, purple hair excluded. He doesn't know about that yet. And there's no time left over for me," Brooke said in a small, sad voice. "And I just don't know what to do with her."

"There's probably nothing you can do," Peyton said nonchalantly. "She's a teenager and she's going to make your life hell as long as she has a problem with you. What have you been doing?"

"Nothing!" Brooke said immediately in defense. Peyton's look of disbelief caused her to squirm a bit, and then reflect on the possibility that she had been part of the problem. "I guess I nag a bit. And really, would it hurt her to dress like a normal person? Go to a few parties? Socialize. She just sits in her room and does homework and mopes. It's not normal."

"She only just turned sixteen. She has plenty of time to develop a social life."

"You would think that," Brooke said accusingly. Peyton quickly changed the subject, deciding it safest not to disagree with Brooke too much in one day.

"Where's Jake today? What are you two doing?"

"Jake's away for the weekend. And we're supposed to be shopping for a dress, but she doesn't want to."

"A dress?" At this point, Peyton had completely discarded her sketchpad and pencils and was leaning forward, actively participating in the conversation.

"A boy actually asked her to her first homecoming. After that awful break-up with Tommy. Jake and I still don't understand why she dumped him. He was such a nice boy. But anyway, by some miracle, she said yes. But now she doesn't want a dress. She's just going to find something to wear. Ridiculous."

"She's just having a hard time. You've got to give her space."

"Why can't I understand her?"

"You are very different people, Brooke. Listen, why don't you leave her here? I'll bring her home after dinner. You can go shopping or whatever it is you want to do. I'll see what I can do with the purple hair."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you" Brooke said excitedly as she rushed to hug Peyton.

"Don't get too excited. I already told you, I don't completely dislike the hair."

"The hair goes," Brooke insisted emphatically, then broke out into a smile. "Have a good day. See you soon!" Three minutes later, Brooke was gone. Peyton picked up her drawing and realized that the inspiration was gone for the moment. Before she could begin another sketch, she realized that she should probably take advantage of the alone time to talk to Jenny; she wasn't sure when Lucas and the kids would return.

Setting her sketch pad and pencils on the coffee table, she brushed her hands off on her dark blue jeans and walked into the hallway, making sure her black heeled boots clicked as they hit the smooth wooden floor; she wasn't about to ambush the young girl. Jenny looked up from the computer when Peyton walked into the den and turned back long enough to log off. She knew Peyton's expressions pretty well and this one indicated a serious discussion was to be had.

The chapter title comes from this quote (I'm not sure where it comes from, but it's not mine):

"A friend is someone who knows all about you...
and loves you anyway."