A/N: Thanks to my beta: Leeese.

Chapter Eight

Choosing My Own Way of Life

Brooke rushed to the front door and pulled it open. She was surprised to find Millie standing there. However, she gave her a wide smile as she let her in. Millie gave her an apologetic look as she spoke. "I'm sorry to drop by like this, but I couldn't stand being in my house any longer."

"It's no problem," Brooke replied as she shut the door. She then led Millie into the kitchen. "Actually, I could use the company. My mom is gone for the weekend. So I have the house to myself."

Millie nodded understandingly. "Yeah, I know the feeling. My parents are gone all the time too." There was a short pause before she spoke again. "Speaking of my parents, I'm so sorry for the trouble that my dad caused the other night. He can't seem to help himself when it comes to my uncle or my cousins. That's one of the reasons my parents have been having trouble getting along lately. I think that they are on the verge of separation."

Brooke felt sorry for her new friend. "Millie, I'm so sorry. My parents are going through the same thing right now. I know it seems bad now, but they might be happier apart. I know my mother is. And I'm sure my father is happy with his mistress. I haven't seen him since he moved out of the house."

"Yes, but I heard that your parents have been fighting for years," Millie said. "My parents were happily married for years until Julian decided to show up again." Brooke gave her a confused look. "It's a long story. You really don't need to hear it. The point is that they are arguing all the time. And I think the other night made it worse."

Brooke felt helpless, not to mention guilty. "Is there anything I can do for you?" she asked her. She wanted to cheer her friend up.

Millie gave her a grateful smile. "I think just being my friend and letting me hang out here is enough for now."

Brooke smiled in return. She then decided to be a good hostess. "Do you want anything to eat or drink? I have plenty of snacks." Millie nodded and Brooke showed her the cupboard. They both grabbed a bag of chips. Brooke opened her bag and started munching on her chips. "No offense, but why would your parents move to Tree Hill if they know that Keith and Karen are here?"

Millie sighed. "I wish I knew."

Brooke didn't have a chance to respond as they heard the front door unlocking. She didn't even have to guess who was coming through the door. She knew it was Rachel. She had given her an extra house key to use whenever she wanted to come over.

She heard a loud frustrated groan as Rachel marched in the kitchen. "I hate that bitch," she exclaimed angrily. Brooke didn't have a chance to introduce Millie or ask who she was talking about when she continued. "Can you believe that she actually told Mouth that she suspected that I wasn't being faithful to him? Thanks to Haley, Mouth broke up with me. She needs to keep her nose out of my business." She then noticed Millie and turned to her. "Excuse me, who are you?"

"This is Millie," Brooke said, doing the introductions. She didn't dare mention that she was a Scott. She knew Rachel would then ask too many questions about her. "Her family is thinking of moving here."

Rachel was suddenly interested in her. "Really? You wouldn't happen to have any older brothers, would you?"

"Actually, I have an older half-brother," Millie replied. "But I'm afraid that he's more interested in Brooke than anybody else."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Every guy wants Brooke, but nobody wants me. Why is that when I get around just as much as you do?" she asked as she grabbed a snack.

Brooke gave her a look. "I'm not like that anymore. So I don't know why Felix and the others are still chasing me."

"Maybe it's because you're still single," Rachel replied. "After all, you're waiting on Lucas. If you two like each other so bad, why don't you two just start dating before Peyton grabs him?"

Brooke sighed. She had told Rachel this already, but she knew that she had to say it again. "Because neither of us wants to rush our relationship," she reminded her. "Both of us did that before with past relationships and it didn't work out. So we're taking it slow. If you want Nathan, you might want to take it slow with him."

Rachel rolled her eyes and asked, "Why don't you worry about your Scott and I'll worry about mine?" However, she didn't let Brooke respond as she turned to Millie. "What about you, Millie? Do you have a boyfriend?"

Millie had been quiet listening to the conversation. So she was surprised when Rachel asked her a question. She shook her head. "No, I don't," she admitted. "I wish I did though." Since she now was able to talk, she had a few questions. "Who's Peyton?"

"Peyton is Brooke's rival. They hate each other," Rachel explained. "They have since they were little. Peyton thinks that Brooke is a spoiled brat. And Brooke thinks Peyton is a two faced bitch. So stay away from her."

"I'll do my best," Millie replied. She then changed the subject. "Brooke, I didn't know that you were interested in Lucas."

"Are you kidding? According to Brooke, it was love at first sight," Rachel replied. She then frowned as Millie's words registered. "Wait a minute, how the hell do you know Lucas?" she asked.

"He and Nathan are my cousins," Millie replied.

Rachel raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Really? I wouldn't have guessed that you're related to the hot Scott twins." Brooke gave her a look. Rachel then knew that she could be offending Millie and quickly added, "I don't mean that in a bad way."

Millie nodded understandingly. "That's ok. I get that all the time."

"Have you ever thought of having a makeover?" Rachel suggested. "That way, you could be more attractive to guys."

"Thanks, but I like the way I am," Millie replied. "Besides, there are more to people than looks."

Rachel nodded in agreement. "You're right. It's the sex too," she said. Brooke couldn't take her friend's rudeness any longer and roughly pulled her into the other room. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Look, I know Mouth broke up with you," Brooke started to say. "But you shouldn't take it out on Millie."

"You're right. I should be taking it out on Haley," Rachel replied. "After all, she was the one who convinced my boyfriend to break up with me."

Brooke was about to argue with her, but she knew that there was no point in doing it. "Why don't you just forget about it and find another date for my Halloween costume party?" she suggested.

"Does that mean I can pick Millie's half-brother?" Rachel asked hopefully. "I'm sure I can convince him that there is no need to be chasing after you when he has me."

Brooke bit her lip. "I don't know, Rachel. He and his cousins don't get along very well. And I don't want my party to be ruined by them arguing and fighting with each other." Rachel gave her a pleading look. Brooke let out a heavy sigh. "Ok, you can invite him. But you have to promise me that you will make him be nice and polite to his cousins."

"I will," Rachel promised before they headed back to the kitchen. "So what's your half-brother's name and can I get his cell-phone number?"

The next morning, Brooke headed over to the café. Even though she wasn't supposed to, she went anyway. Lucas and Nathan were her friends. She wasn't going to avoid them just because her mother had told her to. She parked the car before she grabbed her purse and climbed out. She quickly locked the car before she walked onto the sidewalk and followed the path to the café.

As she walked in, she was surprised to see Haley taking orders and pouring coffee for customers. She looked at her friend in amazement. Haley just gave her a smile. "Why don't you go and find a seat at the counter? I'll be right there," she told her friend.

Brooke did what she was told and waited patiently until Haley was able to come over to her. "When did you start working at the cafe?" she asked. "I don't remember you telling me that you got a job working here."

"I'm only filling in for Nathan since he and Lucas are getting ready for tryouts," Haley replied. "I thought it would be nice of me to help Karen out. Otherwise, I would have been at your house."

"Well, it's a good thing that you weren't there yesterday," Brooke replied. "Because Rachel was there, planning your funeral."

Haley tried not to laugh. "Why would she want to do that?"

"Because she thinks that you convinced Mouth to break up with her," Brooke replied. Haley rolled her eyes. "But it's all good since she wants to go out with Julian. So that will get him off my back. At least, I hope it does."

Haley gave her a look. "Do you really think that she won't be able to? This is Rachel we're talking about."

Brooke knew that she had a point. She didn't have a chance to respond as Karen walked over to them. She gave her a warm smile as she greeted her. "Good morning, Brooke. If you're looking for Lucas, he is at the River Court with Nathan and their friends."

"Actually, I was coming in for breakfast," Brooke replied as Haley gave her a croissant. "So are Lucas and Nathan ungrounded now?" she asked hesitantly as she started eating her breakfast.

Karen tried not to smile. "They are on probation until basketball season starts. They would have been grounded longer if they weren't good negotiators."

"So would they be able to come to my Halloween costume party?" Brooke asked hopefully. "Or would they have to take Lily trick or treating?"

"No, I'm taking her this year," Karen replied. "I had heard about your Halloween costume party through my customers. So I had a feeling that the boys were invited. If the twins want to, Lucas and Nathan are free to attend your Halloween costume party. I just ask that you don't invite them in front of Lily because then she will want to come too."

Haley nodded understandingly. "Yeah, I know how she feels. The only difference is that I never cared to do what my siblings wanted to do; except for maybe Quinn."

Brooke smiled. "Yeah, she was too busy having fun with me to worry about what her siblings were doing." She then changed the subject. "So do you think you are in the mood to go over to the River Court and invite the guys to my Halloween party?"

Before Haley could respond, Karen spoke up. "Go on. I can hold down the fort for now," she said. Haley smiled gratefully before she took off her apron and followed her out of the café. She watched them fondly before going back to her work.

"So if you're inviting my rival to your party, it would be only fair to invite your rival, right?" Haley asked her hesitantly.

Brooke tried not to laugh. "You're kidding, right? Why would I invite Peyton?" she asked. "I'm inviting Rachel because she is my friend. I'm not friends with that blonde bitch. And do you know what she would do if she was invited? Flirt with Lucas."

"I hate to tell you this, but she does have that right," Haley replied. Brooke gave her a look. "Hey, you two were the ones who wanted to be just friends right away. I understand why you wanted to. I even wanted to take things slow with Nathan, but it didn't happen."

Brooke turned to her with a surprised expression on her face as she asked, "What are you saying? Are you and Nathan dating?"

Haley tried not to smile. "It's not official yet, but we are." Brooke squealed in delight. "It didn't really start until after the Homecoming Dance, but we wanted to wait until you and Lucas started dating before we announced it."

"Don't wait for me and Lucas, ok?" Brooke told her. "Who knows how long it will be before we're dating?" Haley knew that she had a point. "Especially with my mother and Lucas's uncle interfering. That man really scares me."

"Well, I don't think anybody is more frightening than that crazy psycho Ian," Haley replied.

Brooke couldn't argue with that. "Tell me about it. I still have nightmares about him. I just have to keep reminding myself that he is in jail. And that we're both safe." Haley nodded in agreement. She then changed the subject. "Now back to Peyton, give me one good reason why I should invite her."

"Because she knows the right music you need," Haley replied. Brooke wasn't listening. "She would be the perfect deejay for your party." She turned away from her as she spoke her next words. "And I kind of already invited her," she whispered. She then waited for the fireworks.

Brooke stepped on the brakes before she angrily turned to her best friend. "You already invited her without my permission?" she demanded. "How the hell you could do that to me? Why would you do that?"

Haley sighed. "I'm sorry, ok?" she said as Brooke started the car and they started driving again. "But she is coming as your deejay, not your guest." Brooke just shook her head in disbelief. "I thought it would be nice to have a decent deejay for once. Do you remember last year?"

Brooke laughed. "How could I forget? That deejay drove me nuts with his inability to work with the music. I never hired him again." She then frowned. "Wait a minute, when did you talk to her?"

"I ran into her at the music store," Haley replied. She knew that was better than the truth. "We got to talking and I ended up asking her if she could be the deejay for your party. At first, she didn't quite believe me since she knew that you hated her. But I told her that I could convince you to let her do it."

Brooke sighed. "Fine, she can do it. But she has to remember that she is the deejay, not a guest."

Haley was glad that her best friend was willing to do this. "I suppose that you want me to tell her the good news?" she asked. Brooke gave her a look. Haley couldn't help smiling. "I'm just checking."

Once they arrived at the River Court, the guys took a break from playing to hang out with Brooke and Haley. They greeted them as they came over to the stands. Brooke gave them a wide smile as she spoke. "I would like to invite you all to my Halloween costume party," Brooke announced.

Jake and Skills instantly accepted her invitation. So did Lucas and Nathan. However, Mouth was quiet. Brooke didn't even have to ask the reason. She knew that he was feeling down about breaking up with Rachel. She gave him a comforting smile. "Don't worry, Mouth. When you're ready to date again, Haley and I know exactly who you can hook up with."

Lucas gave her a look. "Brooke, he just broke up with Rachel and you're already playing matchmaker with his next girlfriend? What's the rush?"

"We know someone who is interested in Mouth," Haley told him. "And she is way better than Rachel. Trust us."

Mouth laughed. "Give me a little time and I'll consider meeting her."

"Great because I can guarantee that she'll be at the party. So are you coming or not?" she asked.

Lucas didn't let Mouth answer. "Wait, did you say that we would have to wear costumes?" Brooke nodded. "But dressing up is for little kids."

Nathan just smiled. "I don't know, Luke. It could be fun trying to pick out the perfect costume to wear for the Halloween party."

Lucas gave him a look. "That's because you didn't have to wear tights last year. I love taking Lily trick or treating, but I couldn't stand being Peter Pan. He may be a boy, but he needs a better clothing designer."

"I bet you made a handsome Peter Pan," Brooke said. "And if you really don't want to dress up, you can wear your basketball uniform."

"Hey, we haven't made the team yet," Lucas reminded her.

Brooke gave him a comforting smile. "With all the practice, how can you not?" she pointed out. "But it would be nice to see you choose a great costume. I'm going to have a costume contest where I pick my favorite costume of the night. And the winner gets a prize."

"What's the prize?" Nathan asked curiously.

Brooke just gave him a smile. "You'll just have to wait and find out," she replied, not willing to tell them her secret. "So are you guys coming or not?" she asked as she turned to Lucas. "It wouldn't be a party without you two."

Lucas smiled in return. "I'll go, but you won't see me in tights," he told her.