Yah! Just finished writing the next chapter. A bit longer than usual! Hope u like it!
It was 1pm and Brooke was still in class chewing nervously at her pencil. In three hours she would have her first meeting with the mathletes. She could not believe how excited she was. Of course she wanted to meet Julian again but not in such an occasion. When she felt something hitting her back she turned around and looked on the ground. „Nervous?" was standing on the paper that had been thrown by her friend Peyton. Brooke took her pencil out of her mouth and wrote immediately back „Totally. In 2 hours I´ll be officially unpopular." She looked at the teacher in order to see whether he was looking and when he was not she threw it back to Peyton. Peyton had to laugh at her comment „But I cannot hang around with unpopular people!" She added and when Brooke read it Brooke rolled her eyes „Not funny.", she wrote back. Finally the class was over and they could talk loud. Haley walked over to them and put a hand on Brooke´s shoulder „Tigger. You are officially a nerd with good grades and enjoying math." Brooke immediately looked panickly around „Shhh. Don´t say that too loud. I don´t want anybody to know that I am going to be a mathlete. That is just too embarassing. I´ll keep it a secret. And I don´t enjoy math" Peyton and Haley nodded and went out of the class with her. „I have to go to the café at first. See you tomorrow." Lucas came to Brooke and took his arm around her „So. You´re officially my favourite mathlete.", he smiled down at her and teased her. „God Broody. Do you have to say that so loud? I am not proud of."
„Well you should be. And I brought you some gifts for your first meeting.", he gave her a box. Brooke looked suspiciously up at him and then opened it. „You idiot.", she could not help but laugh as well and ran after him when he ran away into the directon of Karen´s café. There he received a soft slap on his chest. „What? A mathlete should look like a mathlete." He took the glasses from her and put them on her. Those were big glasses. Like the ones from the 80s. Brooke raised her eyebrow and put them back into the box „There is no way I am going to wear this." She walked to Karen and hugged her tightly. They had become very close in the last time they had spend together. Almost like mother and daughter. „So my kids. Homework?", Karen asked her son and Brooke when they were eating together at the table. „Already done.", Brooke smiled up and looked into a fashion magazine while eating. But Karen took it away from her. „God Brooke. How many times do I have to tell you that noone should read while eating." Brooke rolled her eyes and smiled at Karen. „Like a hundred times but I am really, really nervous and I need stuff with pictures. Only pictures. No writing or anything else where I have to use my brain." Lucas could not help but laugh at her sweet comment. „But seems like you´re great in using your brain.", Karen said back proudly and went through Brooke´s hair. „When do you have to leave?" „At 3.30 pm" „Okay since you did your homework and later join the mathlete club you can do whatever you want until then." Brooke looked astonished up at her. It was the first time that Karen softened the grounding rule. „Woooah. Cool. Thanks.", Brooke smiled wildly and then thought of anything she wanted to do but all she could think about was the mathlete club. „I have to bake now. Come home straight after the club ok." Brooke nodded and then looked questioning at Lucas. „What?", he asked confused. „I wanna go shopping." „Sooo?", he asked again and did not quite get the point. „Peyton and Haley are occupied so you have to go with me."
„No way. I remember the time when you made me go shopping with you. It´s not fun time for me." „Pleeeeeeease Broody. Pleeeeeease.", she pleaded and hugged him tightly. „Cheery. I really don´t want to go right now." She sat down mad like a little kid and crossed her arms on her chest „It was more fun when we were together. Now I cannot threaten you with anything.", she whined. „So who is going with me?"
Karen was standing besides her and looked pleading at her son „Could you do me a great favour. I don´t have everything to bake, could you buy this.", she gave him a paper with the ingredients she needed. Lucas rolled his eyes but did not protest.
„God what is it with you people today. Everybody wanting anything from me.", he moaned and left. „So, what are you going to do honey?", Karen sat down besides Brooke who had her head rested in her hands. „I don´t know. I am not in the mood to read any fashion magazine now. I would like to go shopping but not alone." „I could come with you.", Karen suggested. She had someone at the café until four and some free time. Brooke looked suspiciously at her and did not know whether this was a good idea or not but then she agreed happily.
xxx
„So, what do you want to shop?", Karen asked while they walked through the shopping mal. „I don´t know. I always get inspired when I am here." Karen laughed at this comment and kept on walking with Brooke. „Let´s go in there.", Brooke took Karen´s hand and pulled her into the next clothing store. „Oh. I love that skirt.", Brooke said immediately when she saw a leather short skirt and showed it to Karen. Karen widened her eyes. „I don´t think that you should wear this Brooke. This suits you better.", she showed her a dress with many flowers on it. At first Brooke had to think a minute whether this was a joke or not. „I don´t think so. I would look like a little girl in that."
„God. Look at the corsage. It would perfectly fit with this skirt." Brooke smiled happily and went to the changing cubicle. Karen rolled her eyes and went after her. „Perfect.", Brooke went out of the changing room and showed it to a very shocked Karen. „What do you think? It will be perfect when I am going to tric...I mean..", Brooke realized that she was underaged and not allowed to go there. But she forgot the minor detail that she would get someone into big trouble if the police would catch her. „What?", Karen asked shocked and looked stunned at Brooke. „Nothing. Nothing. I mean I would like to go there. But only when I am older and...and.", but she was interrupted by a furious Karen. „Okay Brooke. I am really proud of you how you changed in the last time.", Brooke smiled hoping that this would be it „but there is no way I am letting you buy this clothes." „But...but Karen. I have my own credit card and I can buy what I want.", she said back not understanding what Karen wanted to say with it. „I don´t want you to see in this clothes. I already talked to your parents and they agreed."
„To what?", Brooke asked surprised but then an obviously older man came towards her and gave her a hug „Woah. Lisa Morry. You sure look hot. When will I see you at Tric again?", he asked her. Brooke felt flatered but then looked at Karen „Umm...well...", she did not know what to answer. „Excuse me. I am the owner of Tric.", Karen stood besides Brooke and gave him her hand. „Nice to meet you and perfect club. So Lisa. I hope we´ll see each other soon."
This was enough for Karen. „I am sorry but her name is not Lisa and she is a minor, so she will definitely have to wait some years until she can enter my club again." The man looked astonished at Karen „I am sorry mam. But she showed me her ID and I thought she would just look young for her age." Brooke was so blushed that the man knew Karen was telling the truth and left. „God Karen. Do you have to embarass me like this?", she was so furious at the moment and could not understand Karen´s fury. But she soon got to feel her rage. Karen pulled her back into the cabin and said „Get those clothes off of you. There is no way you can buy them. " Brooke did not protest and thought of buying them another time. Karen dragged her outside when she was dressed again and they went back to the café. Lucas could see the rage in his mom and asked „What happened?". But Karen dragged Brooke into a room and screamed „Sit down." Brooke did as she was told. „God Brooke. I am so furious at the moment." „But..."
„Don´t but me."
„How often have you been at tric?"
Brooke widened her eyes and did not know whether she should lie or not. But her pause told everything to Karen. „I could get into big troubles with minors hanging out there."
„But I had my fake ID, so noone would realize.", Brooke tried to defend herself but said the wrong thing.
„Give it to me!"
„What?"
„Your ID." Karen hold her hand out and waited.
„But..."
„Brooke Penelope Davis. Now.", she screamed at her. „No, give me your whole moneybag." Brooke widened her eyes and looked confused at her. „Why? That´s privacy Karen." Karen did not answer to that but looked mad at her which made Brooke shiver and whining „Karen. Pleeease. It is not that big a deal. I did not go there for a long time."
„That was because you are grounded." Karen reminded her „now give it to me."
Brooke hesitated a moment and then gave it to her. Karen took out her credit cards and fake ID. „This is now mine.", she said to her and went outside. Brooke went after her and run accidently into Haley „Oh hey. Sorry.", she said and then adressed Karen „but Karen I need my credit cards." Karen was rooted in the spot and turned around to Brooke. „Not any more. I don´t see Haley or Lucas having one. From now on you have pocket money like any other kid has." Brooke laughed „Pocket money? I don´t want pocket money. My parents gave me those and they are fine with it." „See that´s what I wanted to tell you before. They agreed to pocket money." Brooke´s mouth stood open and she did not know what to say. „But...how much?" „As much as Lucas gets."
Brooke did not know how much Lucas was getting and went to him and asked „Please don´t tell me it´s under 1000 dollars." She asked but looked into a shocked face. „Brooke. You can delete a zero and it´s even under that." „What?", she screamed. „But...but...how am I supposed to go shopping?" Karen sat down besides her and looked without saying anything at Brooke. Brooke shivered and did not know how to handle the situation. „Look. Karen...I...appreciate your...your way of caring. And...thank you. But you cannot take everything away from me. This is just not fair.", she whined and tried to get help from Lucas but he rolled his eyes and said „No way I am getting between you." And went away. „Chicken.", Brooke whispered and then Karen took her hands. „Brooke. You know that I love you, right." Brooke nodded and did not like the awkward situation cause she knew Karen had more to say than this. „So I have one quesion for you. Do you wanna leave One tree Hill and move back with your parents?" Brooke looked down and whispered „no."
„Okay, so you have to accept that I am the motherly figure to you right now until you´re through with school. Which means for a long time." Brooke widened her eyes.
„What do you mean by that?"
„Well, your parents told me that it is okay if you stay at my home till you´re graduated and I would love that." Brooke´s eyes suddenly had tears in her eyes. Although she had ambivalent feelings at the moment, something between fury and happyness. She hugged Karen tight „Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." Karen had tears in her eyes as well „God. I am relieved that you want to stay with us."
„Of course I do.", Brooke answered happily.
„But Brooke. That also means a lot of changes. I know that you did great in the last time but it does not mean that when you´re back to not being grounded you can act like before." Brooke just nodded and tried not to talk back. She felt so grateful but on the other hand she just wanted her way back. „So, no fake ID, no credit cards." Brooke could not help but protest „But Karen. This is not fair. I had them my whole life long and I wanna go shopping."
„You can whine as much as you want Brooke. You won´t get them back." Karen said harshly knowing that the next time would be a lot more difficult than living only with her son. „No. No. No.", Brooke screamed „I am thankful for you taking me in but you cannot take everything away from me"
„Little miss. Do I have to remind you that you´ve been partying in tric as a minor or flirting with guys Brooke that are a hell older than you. I will..." Karen lost her patience now too. „Yeah. Yeah. You will send me away back to my parents if I don´t follow your stupid rules."
Lucas and Haley were standing some meters away from them and whispered to each other „Your mom will win." They smiled at each others and kept on listening.
„Brooke. There is one thing for sure. I will never send you away."
„But I´ll be 18 when I am a senior and can live on my own. So..."
„I don´t have to remind you that your birthday comes late and you´ll be the only one under 18 when you graduate.", Karen shouted back.
„But...what is the big deal Karen. Nobody ever caught me at tric and I only flirt with those guys."
Now Karen totally lost her temper „Do you know what can happen when you do such things. Don´t be so naive Brooke. I don´t want my girl to get into anything dangerous and this is dangerous Brooke. So I forbid you to ever go into my club." Brooke rolled her eyes in fury. „And don´t you roll your eyes on me young woman.", Karen pointed her finger at Brooke. It was then Deb entered the scene. Deb and Karen had become very close friends and helped each other whenever they could. „Honey, what is wrong.", she could see the fury in Karen´s eyes and the finger she was pointing at Brooke who looked mad as well. Karen hesitated a moment but then told her about the fight. Now two women were standing in front of Brooke and looking mad at her. Deb knew Brooke very well because when she was little Nathan and her were best friends and had many sleepovers.
She pulled Karen down on a chair besides Brooke and sat on the other side. The next minutes Brooke had to listen to Deb and Karen talking about responsibility to yourself and what could happen to a girl being drunk and alone in a club and everything else. At one point it was enough for Brooke and she just wanted to go away but this time Deb shouted at her „Brooke Penelope Davis. I promise you´ll regret leaving now." Brooke knew too well how Deb could be and sat down in the middle again and crossed her arms in front of her chest while trying to argument against the two older women but she did not stand a chance. „Brooke. That is so irresponsible. I forbid you to do that.", Deb said concerned. „You actually cannot forbid me anything.", Brooke said back furiously but Karen answered immediately „Actually she can. She is my best friend and I allow her to do so since I am your legal guridian right now." Brooke did not know what to answer.
„We can talk about it later again. You have to go to the mathletes now.", Karen looked at her watch and Brooke widened her eyes. She had totally forgotten about that. „Wow. You´re a mathlete. That´s great Brooke.", Deb touched Brooke´s shoulder softly but received a sharp answer „That is not great. That is humiliating. Even more humiliating than you two acting like two crazy mothers and screaming at me in a café. So thanks." Brooke stood up and took her bag „and now I have to overlive another miserable two hours." With that she closed the door loudly and left Deb and Karen high fiving each other in the café „Is she always that dramatic?", Deb smiled at Karen and Karen rolled her eyes „Always. But it is sweet." Deb nodded „I wish I had a daughter as well.", she pushed Karen´s arm softly and then went away.
xxxx
Brooke stood in front of the room 234 and did not dare to open the door. She could hear that some were already in the room and talking to each others. Why was she so excited? That was not normal for a Brooke Davis. She waited another minute until she could sense that someone was standing behind her. She turned around and screamed shocked when Julian was looking down at her „Sorry. Sorry. I did not want to frighten you.", he smiled at her shyly „You don´t have to be afraid. They are all nice." Brooke nodded and went after him when he opened the door. She was astonished. There were 12 people talking and laughing to each other. Twelve people she had never recognized but all of them must have at least one class with her. „This is...", Julian wanted to introduce her to them but someone interrupted him „Brooke Davis. Captain of the cheerleaders and boys hearts. Everybody knows her Julian", a boy interrupted. Julian just said
„Oh. Well then we have to introduce ourself. Well we´ve met before. So you know that I am Julian."
Julian then pointed to the other members „This is Hanna, Lisa, Laura, Jimmy, Hendrik..."
There was no way Brooke could remember all their names at once. „Just sit down and we show you where we´re at." Brooke nodded and sat down besides Jimmy who looked kinda shocked at her. „You´re friends with Mouth and Lucas, right?", she asked him sweet. Jimmy shook his head and whispered „Were.". Brooke could feel the sadness in this one word but did not ask further. „So, the principal gave us this new math book for our competition. Has anybody read it already?",Julian asked into the group. He knew that Brooke had read it already because he had seen it falling out of her bag when they had collapsed into each others one time. But Brooke was far away from revealing it. „Brooke?", he asked softly. „Umm...yeah. I...well. I am at the last chapter.", she revealed embarassed. „Cool. How is it?", Hanna asked her but Brooke was not prepared for such a question or somebody thinking that this was cool. „Well it is okay." „Did you do the test to each chapter as well?", Hendrik asked her excited while touching his glasses all the time. „Umm...yes." „And?", now Laura looked admiring at her. „And what?", Brooke felt like in a police interrogation and not very well. „They want to know how much you scored.", Jimmy helped Brooke „Ah. Well. Umm...zero errors.", she answered honestly. „God Brooke. You must be a genius.", Lisa answered immediately and already being on the „Admiring Brooke Davis list". Brooke had to laugh hard. „No no. I am far away from that."
„But this book is not even for high school kids."
„I want Brooke to be our female head at the game." Someone then suggested. Brooke could only look from one person to another and did not know what actually was happening.
„Yeah, she would be the best for it. I mean she had the best test results lately and she already read the book." Julian then suggested „Well maybe we should at first do all a test or? I don´t want to rush into anything." He handed out some papers to everyone. „Finish it as fast as possible." Brooke just looked astonished at the paper and then back to the others. „What is a female head?", she thought. Jimmy realized that Brooke was not answering any question but in her dreams, so he pushed her a little. „Hey cheerleader queen. Fill it out.", he smiled at her and Brooke smiled back. She focused on the paper and was surpised how easy the quesions were. She was finished at first. Hendrik then went to the black board and showed the answers to every question but there were some quesions noone understood. Of course Julian had the answers on another paper but did not understand it either. „Brooke. Could you explain it to us?", Jimmy asked while looking at Brooke´s paper „cause she got the right answer." Brooke nodded and went to the blackboard. „Well. It´s not so difficult. You just just have to substract 1 from each of the three expression and divide each by 2, so k will me more than one and less than 10 and..." Brooke kept on talking in front of them. When she was finished she was somehow relieved and looked into many astonishing faces. „Wow. You should have joined us earlier instead of cheering all the time." Brooke laughed shyly „Well, I am good at cheering.", she said back and Julian answered „and you´re defnitely good at math."
So who wants Brooke to be the female head in the competition. All of them raised their hands „Maybe we will win this time. We really have a chance with such a brainie.",someone said but Brooke interrupted them „Wait. Wait. Wait. I don´t know what that means." She asked into the smiling round.
„Every year there is a big mathlete competition between the schools. This year it is at ours and we definitely want to win it."
„A what?", Brooke looked surprised. „Well two groups against each others. Some questions and a little audience. Not so many like when you´re cheerleading.", Jimmy added and smiled at her. „But...but what meand female head." „Umm...you and I are going against the other team. I´ll be the male head and you will be the female one. And we have two jokers and can ask someone out of our team if we defnitely don´t know the answer."
Brooke widened her eyes. „No. I am sorry. But I cannot do this.", Brooke panicked a bit. „Don´t worry. With your skills we will beat the other team.", Hendrik answered proudly and was prepared for their sad faces and laughed. „Why can´t you do this Brooke?", Julian looked down at her with his big eyes and a smile she could not resist. Of course she could not tell him the truth that it would be too embarassing and ruin her popularity and she wants never to be seen as a mathlete so she said „I have stagefright." All of them looked shocked at her. „Oh that´s not a problem because Julian will be on your side", Jimmy said and made her blush a little.
The time was up and everybody left the room. Brooke walked out of it slowly, somehow in trance. „I am glad you agreed female head", Julian said to her and she just nodded and went back home. „How could my life change so fast?", she asked herself.
Hello everybody. This was the next chapter. I know that many want this a Brucas one but I am not quite sure yet what it will be. I like Brulian as well and at the moment Brooke too. I will focus more on the Karen-Brooke relationship and she has to help her through hard stuff in some chapters later...thanks for reviewing and reading. You always motivate me a lot to keep on writing!