Chapter Two: Best Laid Plans

"Oh my gosh. You are so lucky. Lucas Scott and a diamond ring?"

"Are you inviting the whole school to the wedding?"

"Are you pregnant?"

The questions kept coming as news of the engagement spread across the school and more and more people found out who Lucas Scott and Brooke Davis were.

Despite the countless questions and people wanting to see the ring, Brooke's smile never faltered. She was happy enough to talk about herself and Lucas and her wishes for the wedding.

Even the teachers were interested.

"Hey friend," she said as she sat herself down next to Peyton at lunchtime.

"Hey!" Peyton said, "Let's see the ring," Brooke proudly showed it off. "Lucas said you'd like that one."

"Huh?" Brooke questioned, wondering what Peyton meant.

"Well, since Nathan was busy with Haley, Lucas asked me-" Brooke gasped.

"Oh my god! You knew?" Peyton nodded, "How could you not tell me? Did you know how he was going to do it?" Peyton nodded again. "Why didn't you stop him?"

"And miss the horrified look on your face?" Peyton said, "Sorry, dude. You know you loved it though," Brooke smiled.

"So, P. Sawyer, do you feel like taking a shopping trip with me this weekend? I have dresses to shop for," Brooke said.

"Totally, B. Davis…" she paused, "I realized something. You won't be B. Davis anymore."

"Oh yeah," Brooke said suddenly feeling sad.

"You'll be… B. Scott – and that just doesn't have the same ring to it," Peyton noted.

"I could still be B. Davis if I make Lucas take my name," Brooke suggested.

"How very modern of you," Peyton said, "Although Lucas Davis sounds a little…"

Peyton and Brooke looked at each other before bursting into hysterics just as Lucas joined them.

"What's so funny?" he asked as he kissed his new fiancée on the top of her head.

"Nothing, Broody. Just discussing some wedding details," Brooke assured him. He looked at them.

"Already? We're only been engaged for five hours. Less than that!" he said.

"Well, we need to start planning now if we're going to be married before college." Lucas blanched.

"Before college?" Brooke nodded.

"Yeah, and that is only six months away," Brooke reached into her bag and pulled out a pile of bridal magazines.

"Where did you get all them from?" Lucas asked.

"I skipped third period and went shopping. These aren't even half of them. But I thought we could start with the small things like places, catering, flowers etc…" Brooke said. "We need to pick a date!" she cried.

"Um, okay. What did you have in mind?" he asked, a little afraid of where this was going.

"Well, I want a sprummer wedding," she said.

"What's a sprummer wedding?"

"You know; a date in between spring and summer," Brooke explained, "Oh, and you also need to choose a best man," she told him.

"Are you going to ask Nathan?" Peyton asked. Lucas shrugged.

"Yeah, I want to but… I don't know, maybe it's the wrong thing to do especially since everything he's going through with Haley. I don't want to make it seem as if I'm rubbing it in his face," Lucas said. "I might ask Keith instead."

"That'd be nice, but wouldn't it be worse if Nathan felt a little ignored if you choose Keith over him? I know you've known Keith longer, but you and Nathan seem to have gotten pretty close over the last three years," Brooke pointed out. "At least ask."

"You're right. I might go and see how he's doing after school," he said.

"Good. Now we've got to start talking about floral arrangements," she said turning to a page in a magazine.

"Uh, actually, I think this is a girl's thing. I'll be leaving now," he stood up but was immediately pulled down by Brooke.

"No way, Broody. You and I are going to plan this wedding together," she said. "And if that means looking at floral arrangements until you begin dreaming of them – then so be it."

"Okay, but let me go call Nathan first, okay?"

"Fine. But I want you back as soon as possible because we have a lot of work to be done," Brooke said as Lucas walked away and began dialing his brother's number.

"Hey Broody," Brooke said as Lucas returned almost ten minutes later, "Peyton and I were saying that these pink flowers… what's wrong?" she asked as she noticed the troubled look on Lucas' face. "Are you already sick of the planning?"

"No, it's not that. I called Nathan and it took him a while to pick up."

"He was probably in the shower or something," Brooke said.

"I don't think that was it. He seemed a little out of it. I think this Haley thing has really screwed him up." Lucas sighed.

"Do you want me to check on him? I have next period off," Brooke offered.

"You'd do that?" Lucas asked. Brooke smiled.

"He is my future brother-in-law, after all. Plus, then I could ask him about being best man and stuff if you feel weird about asking him," Brooke explained. Lucas nodded.

"Sure, I mean, if you want," he kissed her, "I love you."

"Same here," Brooke beamed as she returned the kiss.

"Urgh, you guys aren't going to go lovey-dovey on me now that you're 'betrothed', are you?" Peyton questioned, "Because if so, I'm going to need some warning beforehand!"

Brooke threw a fry at Peyton and returned to her magazine, flicking the pages rapidly until she found something she liked.

Brooke pulled up in front of Nathan's apartment. She found it strange seeing as she hadn't really been there very often since Haley left. She saw Nathan once in a while but that was never really at his apartment. Always at Lucas' or at Tric, and very rarely, at school.

She climbed the steps, wondering what to say. The times she had seen him, he had seemed a little… well, a little non-Nathan like. Haley had definitely changed him.

But Brooke thought that Nathan was improving, she had seen him smile once or twice and he had started coming out of the house more.

Although she had to admit that since Haley returned almost a month ago, he'd become a little more recluse.

She knocked sharply on the door, and upon no answer, looked through the letterbox.

"Helloooooo!" she called, "Nathan?" she knocked again and then tried the doorbell. It's Brooke. Let me in!"

It was almost a full five minutes before she heard shuffling within the house and Nathan open the door.

"What do you want?" he asked as he opened the door for her and walked away.

"Geez, nice to see you too," she said as she entered. She surveyed the room, noting the smell of stale food and beer that filled her nostrils. "Did somebody have a party and forget to invite me?" she questioned as she also noticed the mess.

"Is there a reason you're here other than to criticize my apartment?" Nathan asked curtly.

"Well, somebody is a Grumpy Gus. I take it Haley hasn't had any positive affect on you," she said. Nathan's jaw tightened.

"She doesn't live here anymore."

"She moved out?" Brooke asked, "When?"

"This morning."

"Where is she?" Nathan shrugged. "Come on, Nathan. Where did she go? Back to New York?"

"She's with Taylor. I don't know where exactly. She left a number if you want it." Nathan pointed to the fridge, before deciding he wanted a beer. "Want a beer?" he asked.

"No thanks," Brooke said. "So, uh, haven't seen you in school lately."

"Didn't feel like it," he answered. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I came to check on you," she said but seeing the look on Nathan's face made her think this was the wrong thing to say.

"Why? Is Lucas getting you to do his errands now? You can tell him that just because he is my big brother doesn't mean he has to look after me," Nathan told her.

"I'll repeat the message," Broke said, "But actually, I was here to ask you a favor from Lucas."

"And what's that?" Nathan questioned disinterested.

"Well, he – we, actually – were wondering if you wanted to be Lucas' best man," Brooke grinned hopefully.

Nathan just looked at her, "Best man for what?" he asked as his eyes wandered to her left hand, "Oh. I didn't know."

Brooke looked down at her hand, "Yeah, well, it only happened this morning so…" she smiled at the memory. "So what do you say, Nathan?"

Nathan shook his head, "Marriage. What a joke," he chuckled. Brooke's smile faded.

"Nathan," she began, "If this is weird for you…"

"Brooke, do me a favor and just go, okay?" he said, "I'm happy for you and Lucas, I am. But speaking from experience – it was the biggest mistake of my life. And I doubt you want me standing up there as Lucas' best man considering all the crap I went through with Haley," Nathan told her. "I'm not going to slap on a happy face and pretend that marriage is a sacred bond and shit, okay?"

Brooke frowned, "It was just an offer, Nathan."

"Yeah, well, you can ask somebody else. Just don't come crying to me when Lucas runs off with some cocky rockstar and leaves you high and dry for two and a half years." Nathan ushered Brooke out of his door.

"Nathan-"

"Just go, Brooke," he said as he shut the door in her face. Brooke considered saying something but, defeated, she turned on her heel and ran back to her car.

Nathan watched the brunette flee back to her fiancé and he shook his head.

They were going to need all the luck they could get.

To Be Continued…