Chapter 2

"Between Order and Randomness"

Brooke blinked back the massive headache that the sunlight had begun to bring on.

Walking towards her small bathroom, she carefully rehearsed what she was going to say to Haley. After taking a shower and brushing her teeth, she made her way down the narrow hall to her living room.

She gnawed at her bottom lip as she dialed Haley's number. After four rings, Brooke entertained thoughts of hanging up but eventually Haley picked up.

"Hello," her voice sounded quite bright for someone who had just encountered such a fight with their best friend.

"Hey," Brooke stated softly, tapping her bare feet against her forest-green carpeting.

Upon hearing her voice, Haley briskly informed her that she was busy and hung up.

It took all the effort that she possessed to prevent her from starting to cry, but knowing that such a breakdown would make her late for work, Brooke returned to her room to get ready.

It was nine-fifteen when she finally arrived at the small clothing store where she worked. Brooke loved fashion, and was convinced that it was the only thing that kept her sane. She parked a few blocks from the shop and walked along the paved sidewalk, until she arrived. The shop maintained a steady stream of customers and Brooke was positive that had she been given an opportunity to display some of her work, she would have been discovered. Her boss thought otherwise, and told Brooke each time she asked that the only way she would display her work was if she quit the job. Conflict of interest; the short, wiry looking woman had said, but Brooke maintained that it was merely the fact she was jealous. Despite owning a successful clothing she had no designing talent whatsoever.

The day went by smoothly, and Brooke was happy when the clock struck 6 and she could leave. As she was closing up, she heard her name. The voice was distinctly familiar but she had no idea where from. The icy way in which the individual spoke her name, made her turn around disgusted.

'And rightly so,' she thought when greeted with Lucas' image.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped.

"Good afternoon to you too," he all but snarled.

"What do you want?"

"To stop a wedding."

"Excuse me?" Brooke replied. The words stopped her in her tracks.

"You heard me; we both know that your friend and Nathan are making the worst mistake of their lives," Lucas stated and in an icy tone added, "Nate more so."

"I beg to differ on that."

Lucas looked at her disdainfully before continuing, "I don't want it to happen, you don't want it to happen. If we work together it most likely won't. Both you and I will have our peace of mind, and Haley and Nathan may move on to rendezvous with persons within their social brackets."

Angrily, Brooke stormed past him and began to make her way to her car. Lucas grabbed her.

"Let me go you idiot," she snapped.

"I'll make it worth it."

'Excuse me? Do you think I can be bought?"

"Last time I checked you could," Lucas stated his eyes sparkling.

A blush crept up her cheeks. She slapped him and with one final yank disentangled herself from his grip.

He followed her again but Brooke slapped him away, "Leave me alone. Unlike you, I am loyal to my friend. I will not do anything to vindictively hurt her and trying to stop her marriage will. I do think she is making the biggest mistake of her life, subjecting herself to arrogant, self-consumed jackasses like you but I will allow her to make that mistake. Then I'll be there when she needs me."

Those were the exact words Brooke recounted to Haley when she had finally managed to get a hold of her. Brooke, sensing that it would be for the best however, omitted any mention of Lucas

"So you'll be my maid-of-honor?" Haley stated hopefully, from Brooke's couch.

"Of course I will."

"Can you manage some time off then? We have loads to do; dresses, the menu, flowers; The wedding has been moved up."

"To when?" Brooke called out from the kitchen where she was making dinner.

"Next week," Haley called out but the strain could be heard in her voice.

"Why?"

"His parents are kicking up, with the help of Lucas and he's afraid they'll do something stupid so we're leaving on Wednesday."

"Leaving?"

"Did I not tell you?" Haley asked, sounding puzzled moving from the lime green sofa towards the kitchen, "We're getting married in Antigua. There we only need two witnesses and we're going to be damned if there's anyone there to object when that time comes."

"So who's the other person?"

Haley rolled her eyes as she dumped the spaghetti on her plate, "Lucas of course, he's evil and conniving but Nathan's brother nevertheless and he won't dare say anything."

Brooke was unconvinced but kept her mouth shut.

"We're going to a honeymoon documentary and we want our bridal party in it, so can you stay for two weeks or so after the wedding?"

"I'll have to talk to Mrs. Smith."

"So do it. You've always told me that she thinks you deserve a break. And the Caribbean is lovely Tigger, plus you can sketch while you're there, so it won't be a complete waste.

Brooke joined Haley around the dining table and pushed her thoughts aside, her concerns were primarily about her friend's well being.

"So, Nathan loves you…at least you insist, how are you going to withstand all the scorn you'll get from his family and friends?"

"Nate believes that once they get to know me they'll think differently. When you look at it, they're all just worried about Nathan being hurt."

Brooke smiled sarcastically, "Some more than others."

Haley unaware of her implications continued, "They somehow think that someone with money has less to gain and will thus less likely scam but me on the other hand…"

Brooke nodded, "But they're wrong Hales, you're an amazing person." Haley smiled.

"Nate is trying to convince them that it's all about character not financial status.

It was at that point in time Brooke deemed it appropriate to change the topic.

x-x-x

Brooke looked up from the sketches she was doing with a smile as the door chime signaled an impending customer. Her smile faded immediately when her gaze met Lucas' icy blue eyes.

"Why don't I get the impression that you came here to buy anything?"

"Cut the sarcasm Brooke," he stated coldly.

"Get out Lucas," she retorted, her gaze never leaving his. She was not about to make him feel as if he was superior to her, she was not to hint to him that he caused her blood to run cold.

Lucas strolled lazily towards, hand in his designer jeans,

"I thought we should speak."

"You know what the problem with you is Scott," she said mockingly walking towards him, "you think too much."

She was not a tall person, had never been. But she held her ground and looked up at Lucas until her eyes met his, and stayed there.

"I'm not afraid of you asshole"

He placed his hand on the side of her face, "I understand that Haley will be a mistake that Nathan will have to make."

Brooke bit back her comment, "You have five seconds to get you hand off of me."

"I just want her to sign a pre-nump Brooke."

She stepped out of his touch and sat behind the small white, desk before motioning for him to sit in the steel chair beside it.

"I will compensate you."

"Fuck you Scott," she said icily.

He smiled at her

"You're an ass, you know that. Really! All the billions of dollars in the world can't change that. You don't know anything about Haley…you didn't take the time out to. For God's sakes stop judging her."

He sighed, "I'm trying to protect my brother"

"Oh yeah," Brooke said with a snort, throwing her hands up in the air, "and this has been a walk in the park for me right? Yeah, I'm pretty sure Haley doesn't realize the arrogant, self-absorbed assholes she'll have to put up with once she's Mrs. Nathan Scott. She's just too damn caught up in the fact that she thinks she's in love with him."

"Thinks?" Lucas asked raising an eyebrow cynically.

Brooke got up from behind the desk with a frustrated sigh and walked towards him.

"Yes," she said softly, positioning herself over him until her long hair fell over both their faces, "thinks. Because you and I know that she is too good for him. Money doesn't buy character."

With that she stepped away from him and brushed her shoulder-length hair from her face,

"Leave."

"Talk to her Brooke. If she really wants to convince us that she's not in for the money, a simple pre-nump would set things straight."

"I'm not sure it's us they need to prove their love to but each other."

Lucas looked at her as if he was pondering saying something but instead her got up, smoothed his jeans and said, "See you in Antigua."

As he walked to the door, Brooke ran after him.

"You won't do anything stupid will you Lucas?"

He smiled and she could see that the situation really pained him, "As I said. Haley will just have to be a mistake Nate will have to make."

He turned to the door but smiled, "I never know how women manage to walk in those things."

He pointed to her four-inch heels and despite her annoyance at him, Brooke smiled.

Lucas slid into the waiting limo and stared out at the small building which housed "Suburban Filth" before he signaled to his driver to go. He had to return to the gym. Coach wanted him to lift some extra weights if he wasn't going to be working out for two weeks to watch his brother make a fool out of himself.