Clearly Charmed
Authors' Note: Thanks for sticking with us, this took longer then I anticipated. But it was my first chapter and I wanted everything to be perfect. Thanks go out to Steph for betaing in a rush even though it took me like days afterwards to post it. And stay tuned for Elena's next chapter!
"Dancing is a perpendicular expression of a horizontal desire."
George Bernard Shaw
Keith Davis winced as another thump sounded overhead followed by numerous adolescent female giggles. He'd been through this before, on a much, much smaller scale. Prom had always been a huge ordeal when it came to his daughters, but before it had only been one of them running around like a mad person. This time it was five and his sister was right in the thick of it, shouting orders room to room as to what looked right, what didn't and how to act.
"Daddy," Brooke pushed through her father's study door, "please, oh god, save me."
Keith chuckled at his daughters frazzled appearance, half of her hair was rolled in curls on the top of her head, her make up was done but she's wearing a pair of pajama bottoms and a tank top. "Having fun?" He asked with a slight smirk on his face.
Brooke's hazel eyes rolled, "No, do you realize that Davis women are nuts?"
"I've been slightly clued in, but what about you Brookie Cookie? You're a Davis woman."
"Well yes, technically, but I think I've got all Roe blood." She sighed dropping down on the arm of her father's chair.
"So you're disowning your poor father now?" Keith's brow raised in a teasing manner.
Brooke grinned and wrapped her arms around him tightly, "never, I'm just denying that I have any claim over my sisters or my aunt."
"How's it going up there?" Keith asked, unable to suppress the smirk that took over his face.
"They are nuts. Every single one of them, generally I can count on Hales to maintain some sense of normalcy but even she's lost in her own little 'lalala'world. I don't think I can handle it." She sighed and leaned her head atop her fathers.
"Aww poor thing," Keith teased, patting the side of her cheek, "but I'm sure you're maintaining a sense of calm and peace."
"Of course I'm not!" Brooke exclaimed jumping up instantly, "I'm going to kill them, I swear I'm going to."
"So you've decided to come hide with me?" Keith said crossing his arms over his chest, the side of his mouth twitched in an attempt to hide another smirk.
"Well see I wish I could say yes, but no. Not for long anyway, I'm on a brief leave of absence. In fifteen minutes I am to go upstairs so Jules can finished my hair." Brooke exclaimed, touching one of her curlers and as she moved to sit beside him once again.
"Oh really? What a shame, I think the hair curlers are very stylish." He reached out to flick one of them.
Smacking a hand away Brooke shook her head mockingly, "Right, Jules gave us all a ten minute speech on how we are supposed to exude confidence, grace and what was the word? Charm. Yes, that's it we are supposed to ooze charm."
"Ooze charm? Very nice." Keith winked at his daughter.
"Brooklyn! Get up here, NOW!"
Brooke cringes, "she does know that with the intercom system she doesn't have to shout right?" She scowled at the 6 by 8 inch box glued to the wall next to the door.
"Of course she does, but your Aunt Jules takes a ruthless sense of pleasure in making everyone as uncomfortable as humanly possible." Keith nodded.
"Sisters, can't live with them can't..." Brooke shook her head with a laugh, "nope you just can't live with them."
"Go," Keith gently shoved Brooke toward the door, "before I become the object of my sister's wrath and she comes looking for you."
"And I can't convince you to come to this thing tonight?" Brooke asked once she was halfway out the door.
"Not a chance in hell."
"No fair," Brooke pouted before hurrying out of the room as Jules' loud voice can be heard once again over the intercom.
"Why aren't you coming tonight anyway Aunt Jules?" Bevin asked once the girls were assembled in the entrance way of their house, all five were primped and powdered, all of their individual features played upon perfectly.
"Because we don't need them to think that you have overbearing parents who want nothing more then to find you a perfect match."
Brooke wanted more then anything at the moment to quip up that, no they didn't have overbearing parents but they did have an aunt who filled that roll nicely. Instead though she shares a brief glance with Haley that speaks all of those words.
"Just remember," Jules was back in her speech mode, "you want them to believe that you love them. Most of the men that are going to be at this party have more money then you can imagine but keep in mind, their one weakness. They've never done anything against their parents before, falling in love with a girl who might not come from the wealthiest family in the town and you could be the perfect rebellion."
Brooke shook her head, Jules definitely had her own set of moral code, she caught a glimpse of Quinn's appalled expression which was a stark contrast to Taylor's enthralled one. Taylor was a mini-Jules, there wasn't even a question in that and there wasn't a doubt in Brooke's mind that one day Taylor was going to end up broken and bitter. Burned by love but desperate to find something, anything, that resembled it. It made Brooke sad for her sister, they all drove her crazy but there was nothing she wanted more then to have all of them happy. She didn't care about how wealthy any of them ended up, she didn't care if they married; happy was all she asked.
"Alright, you girls look beautiful," Jules does a final once over of all of them and gives a smart nod. "Brooklyn, I'd like to speak to you before you all leave. Go on ahead to the car girls, Brooke will be there shortly."
"What is it Aunt Jules?" Brooke asked in state of foreboding as she set her hands on her hips annoyed.
"Jake, he's clearly expressed an interest in Haley, I want you to encourage it. Haley has no skills in the art of seducing a man, I want you to teach her." Jules all but ordered.
"Aunt Jules!" Brooke shouted in shock.
"Don't play naive with me Missy, I'm supposed to believe that Lucas fell asleep on your couch multiple times a week?" Jules' tone turned serious.
"I am not going to encourage Haley to seduce anyone! She is a grown woman and she is perfectly capable of handling her own relationships." Brooke added scornfully.
"I know what you think of me Brooke, you think that I think nothing of how to get the Davis family back into societies good graces. And maybe that's true, but I'm doing this for you and your sisters, this family is hardly surviving. Your father's precious company, the one he swore was going to help this family out is failing and we may very well have to sell everything. Including this house."
Brooke gasped, unwillingly her eyes traveled around the room. That house had been her mother's dream house, she'd designed everything and her father had had it built as wedding present. "Daddy never..."
"I know you think that he tells you everything, but he doesn't want to worry you. I'm telling you this now because you and your sisters have a chance to help this family out. Jake's father owns a company that could very well save your father's. Close your mouth Brooklyn, it's impolite. And don't look so shocked, I do my homework, now it's time for you to do yours. Now go, you're verging on unfashionably late."
Brooke left without another word.
"Are you alright?" Haley asked once they had slipped out of the limo that Jules had splurged on to deliver them to and from the party. Leave it up to Haley to notice that Brooke's mood was less then stellar immediately. She had waited until they were out of the car to say anything, thankfully, because Brooke wasn't sure that she could handle her sisters' questions.
"I'm fine." She smiled as best she could, considering what she's just learned.
"You're not, what did Jules say to you before we left?"
Brooke hated lying on principal. She didn't like to be lied to so as a result she didn't lie to other people, but she didn't want to worry Haley. Haley was a worrier by nature, her personality went one of two ways. She either had her head off in the clouds, lost in her own little world or she worried, constantly. And a worried Haley was a Haley that Brooke didn't liked to deal with. So a half-truth would have to suffice, "the same old stuff. Find rich guy, hook rich guy. Do it all in one night. You know, I don't think the speech really changes, and I'm just tired of hearing it, that's all." She said as they walked into the party that was now in full swing, fake smile pulled expertly in place.
"Are you sure?" Haley looked concerned, and Brooke knew that she didn't have her completely fooled. It would have to do for now, until she could talk to her dad and he could deny all of Jules' words. Until he could tell her that it was just his sister trying to get her own way and using any means necessary. After that she would tell Haley and they would both have a nice laugh about it, until then she would keep her mouth shut. Besides, by the looks of it, Brooke wouldn't have to do anything to encourage the relationship between Jake and Haley because he'd spotted them and was on his way over.
"Positive, and here comes your new lover boy." Brooke nudged her chin in his direction.
"What?" Haley turns around quickly and the instant her eyes locked on Jake's approaching figure she turned a rosy shade of pink. "Oh god...Brooke..."
"I'm going to go...you know find my rich future husband and secure my place as Aunt Jules' favorite niece. Have fun." She winked.
"Brooke Penelope Davis don't leave me," Haley grabbed Brooke's hand before she could even make a motion to move.
Brooke rolled her eyes, "it's not me he wants to talk to."
"I don't know what to say to him, Brooke..." Haley bit her bottom lip nervous.
"Hello would be a nice start," Brooke grinned but at the look of terror on her sister's face she conceded. "Fine, I'll stay for a couple minutes, but if by the end of this convo every bachelor in the entire county is taken, I'm blaming you!"
"Yeah, yeah..." Haley stuck her tongue at her sister, then immediately sobered.
"Hi Jake!" Brooke greeted cheerfully as Jake came within hearing range.
"Hi Brooke, hi Haley. You both look amazing," Jake's words, although meant for both of them, are directed entirely at Haley.
"Thank you," Haley's blush only managed to spread farther over her features, "the house looks amazing."
"Rachel did it all," Jake responded, "or really she hired a bunch of people to do it all, but yeah it does look pretty great." His eyes locked onto Haley's and her hand on Brooke's goes slack, a definite indicator that Brooke could make her escape.
Once she'd slipped away Brooke surveys the room filled with some people she knew from around town and some people who obviously didn't live in Tree Hill. It isn't hard for her to find Taylor or Bevin flirting with several gorgeous, well dressed, men in the center of the room. Brooke doesn't spot Quinn but that doesn't surprise her in the slightest, Quinn tended to slip away almost as soon as she was drug along to the party. Brooke didn't know were exactly Quinn disappeared too but if she had to guess it was somewhere hidden from view with a book or a notebook.
Brooke wished then that she knew where Quinn disappeared to, she generally loved all parties but tonight she had to wrap her head around all of this. Everything in her wanted her to believe that Jules was making it up, that she was saying it all so that Brooke would do what she wanted. The sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach told Brooke that Jules was telling the truth, no matter what she wanted to believe. Her father looked older almost everyday, she'd noticed but hadn't really paid any attention to it. Even without this new stress Keith Davis was a hard worker and did everything within his small company.
With a sigh Brooke scanned the room once more, but this time her gaze landed on a doorway leading to the outdoors. She wouldn't hide out through the whole party, she just needed to get her head screwed on straight, with the hopes that she could put everything out of her head and just have a good time. Slipping, hopefully unnoticed, out of the door Brooke welcomed the breeze that blew up off the ocean and in the darkness her gaze sought out the spot where she'd met both Jake and Nathan. Nathan, Brooke wasn't sure she'd met a more infuriating individual in her life. They hadn't run into each other since the fabric shop earlier in the week but the entire encounter still made her angry.
Glancing around for a place to sit on the back porch she found Quinn occupying a lounge chair with a book propped open in her lap. "Quinny!" Brooke greeted moved toward her sister and moved a lounge chair next to her.
"You know I hate being called that," Quinn closed her book with a snap and stared over at Brooke, clearly annoyed.
"Aww Quinn you have to learn to loosen up, live life more." Brooke teased, they had this conversation a dozen times a week. It never annoyed Quinn less which only seemed to cause Brooke an equal amount of amusement.
"Listen, you drug me to this stupid party," Quinn stood up, "I came. Why can't you just leave it at that?" With her words Quinn stalked off toward the water.
Brooke groaned as she leaned her head back against the lounge chair her eyes focused on the stars above, "are all the Davis women as friendly as you and that one?"
Brooke closed her eyes, 'he's a figment of your sick, twist imagination, he really, really is.' "You aren't dead, are you Davis? That would be an unfortunate way to start the summer."
Brooke sighed and cracked open one eye, "I was hoping you were an evil mirage."
"I'm serious though Davis, I mean you and your sisters are real sweet girls..." He took on a derisive tone.
"We don't like to be provoked," Brooke retorted, "we have a low tolerance for the annoying." She growled and stood up to leave.
"If you find me so annoying why are you here?" Nathan's hand darted out to pull her back by the arm.
"I'm here because we were invited." She snipped, eyes cast down at the hand gently curled around her forearm.
"I would think you'd want to avoid me at all costs.." He muttered, fingers regrettably released her.
"You know Nathan, as much as you would love to hear me say that I base every choice I make around avoiding or running into you I don't. Your friend, Jake, invited me and my sisters to this party, my sisters wanted to come. So we came. If you want me to leave then throw me out, but there's something you don't know about Tree Hill. This is my town, and I don't give a damn how much money you have or who your father is. So like I said, this is my town and you, coming here for one summer won't change that." Her eyes narrowed in challenge.
Nathan's eyebrows raised at this and the smirk that infuriated every fiber of Brooke's being settles on his face, "of course." He nodded and moved out of her way, bowing in the most polite gesture towards the door for her to walk through.
The action set Brooke off, "Why do you have to be so...so...so..."
"So?" He asked innocently.
"So annoying!" Brooke threw both of her hands into the air, "I tried to play nice. I even gave you a second chance not to act like a complete ass. Why? Because my sister is clearly interested in your friend and he is clearly interested in her too. But clearly you don't have the decency to be a nice human being." The last is said through gritted teeth.
"Clearly." Nathan's smirk doesn't move but Brooke does, she stormed past Nathan and back inside without so much as a glance.
"There you are Brooke," Haley greeted cheerfully upon Brooke's arrival, "I was wondering where you'd disappeared off to. I was just telling Jake and Rachel what an amazing dancer you are." She said wrapping an arm around her sisters slim waist, genuine smile widening across her beautiful face.
"Many years of lessons," Brooke forced her own grin, "and of course there was many years of extra practice while I helped Haley." She hip bumped her sister.
"It's not my fault I was born with two left feet, not all of us were blessed with your grace Brookie," Haley smiled, and it's then that Brooke recognizes just how comfortable Haley seems to be standing next to Jake.
"So what kind of dancing is it that you did exactly Brooke?" Rachel's blood red lips curled at the sides.
The words were innocent enough but there was a tone behind that Brooke couldn't stand, add that to her previous encounter with Nathan and Jules, and to say that Brooke was on edge would have been an understatement. But Haley was happy, that much was clear, and she was comfortable with Jake which was something Brooke had never seen her sister be with someone of the opposite sex before, or so soon after meeting him anyway. So, for Haley, Brooke would play nice. "Oh, all sorts of dance styles. I started dancing in elementary school and just never really stopped. Jazz, tap, ballroom..."
"Ballroom?" Jake's interest peaked, "well that could be put to good use here, my sister did decide that the best way to come off a pretentious snobs around here would be to put on a ball in the middle of 2006. Nathan!" Jake calls his greeting, "you must dance with Nathan, his father sent him to charm school when he was 10 because...well to say that Nathan wasn't the most polite boy would be an understatement. I do believe ballroom dancing was a part of the curriculum." He said gesturing Nathan over.
"Really? Nathan, not polite?" Brooke raised both of her eyebrows until Jake's insinuation registers. "I don't think Nathan wants to dance with me...in fact I'm fine not dancing at all."
"No, no," Jake cut Brooke off, "I'm sure he's fine with it. Actually I insist that the two of you dance."
"Brooke clearly doesn't want to dance," are the first words out Nathan's mouth as he enters into their conversation, did he not quit? Was it seriously Nathan's goal in life to poke and prod at her buttons?
Brooke clenched her jaw as she fought to keep herself from giving him the ugliest tongue lashing imaginable. However, seeing Haley's encouraging nod Brooke had no choice but to oblige the offer Jake had bestowed upon her. So it was because of these two things that Brooke made her decision to dance.
"Fine, let's dance," Brooke glared at Nathan but grabbed his hand and drags her toward the area where several people have taken to dancing. In a smooth motion they've taken the appropriate stance, Nathan's left hand rests on Brooke's upper back and with his free hand he's taken Brooke's. "Why can't you be nice?"
"Nice? You're the one who refused to dance with me if I remember correctly." Nathan says through a fake smile, his eyes darted all over to be sure no one was watching as they engaged themselves in the art of ballroom dancing.
"You've been an ass since the moment I met you." Brooke hissed for only him to hear, her shoulders tense.
"Don't be so stiff," Nathan scolded her as he spun her about the room.
Brooke's tolerance for the man began growing thin, "You see? This is exactly what I am talking about." She snapped, her posture straightening. Soon the dance is no longer gentle and elegant, but hard and jerky. Each time Nathan moved Brooke met him step for step, her body language giving him the impression that she disgusted him.
"If you didn't want to do this you could have said no." He said practically tossing her out before pulling her back to him violently.
"This isn't how you ballroom dance." She barked in reply, pushing off him by placing her a hand on his chest. "I thought you were supposed to be some amazing dancer..."
"Oh face it you know you're glad to be dancing with me. Hell, you're glad to have met me, I'm hot and I'm clearly sexy. Admit it, you're glad that I was the one to find you on that beach." He said with the utmost arrogance.
"Charmed, I'm sure." Brooke sneered and raised an eyebrow but her eyes only met Nathan's smug grin and it's then that Brooke realized that there's less then six inches between the two of them.
"I'm sure." He whispered back, the tension between them suddenly becoming something dangerous and new.
"I have to go," Brooke stepped away from Nathan, putting a good foot in-between them and Nathan drops his hands from her. "Cause, you know there's not enough space in this room for me and your ego."
Turning on her heel Brooke clicked off the dance floor and passed her sister and Jake. It wasn't until she'd stormed out of the house and down the driveway that she realized that her heels would kill her before she made it the miles back to her house. With a sigh Brooke slipped her heels off and headed in the direction of home, she had to talk to her dad and she had to put as much distance between Nathan and the feeling in her stomach that had settled there during the dance. With a smirk Brooke realized and silently thanked Jules for her suggestion that she take a handbag that wrapped around her wrist and hell no more then a cell phone and a tube of lipstick.
After hitting the second speed dial she nearly sighed in relief at the voice on the other line, "thank god. I need you."