Chapter 3

"When it isn't like it should be"

"So where are we going to find your dress Mrs. Scott," Brooke teased watching her friend blush to her roots. Brooke smiled, she could get used to seeing Haley so happy.

They were strolling down Fifth Avenue, watching socialites walk in and out of Saks, shopping backs in diamond glittering hands. Taking a look at Haley's hand, Brooke mused that she didn't look that much out of place. Her winter-coat was a dark green and complimented her hair and eyes. Brooke had just pulled the first coat from her closet and looked horribly mismatched. Standing pulling her faded brown coat closer to her, Brooke wished she had picked a better one.

"We're going to Vera Wang," Haley said as she walked briskly back to the waiting limo.

"As in the Vera Wang on Madison Avenue?"

Haley nodded.

Brooke frowned. It seemed as if Prince Charming was trying desperately to make up for the obvious hell her best friend would have to endure once she married him. But she thought against saying anything, "Wow," she said instead, "I get to keep my bridesmaid dress then eh?"

Haley laughed and reached up to hug her, "Of course you do."

If the thin, silver haired, salesclerk was offended by Brooke's coat, she said nothing. Yet,

Brooke was convinced that Haley's engagement ring was their passport to the luxuries of Fifth Avenue and beyond.

Brooke scooted into one of the couches and placed her knapsack on the floor as the salesclerk led Haley away to look at dresses. Absently, she pulled a notebook from her bag and started sketching. The first five dresses did not flatter Haley, in so much Brooke was about to suggest they checked with a store on Fordham Road. She laughed it back. Maybe they'd go over to see what Armani had. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembered that Armani had discontinued their bridal line – well maybe he'd fly them to Milan to look at Versace. It was obvious that Nathan only wanted the best for Haley– or wanted his trophy bride to look lavished on. But when she came out that sixth time,

Brooke felt her eyes well up with tears. The golden silk strapless dress flowed over her body as waves would. The antique meshing at the back of the dress added the fairytale aura she was sure Haley dreamt of whenever she thought of her wedding.

"What do you think?" she breathed.

"It's beautiful," the salesclerk said brightly. Haley looked doubtful, and rightly so, after all this was the same woman who declared the past five hideous dresses as amazing, wonderful, enchanting, delighting and fantastic.

"Hales, it's beautiful," Brooke gushed and Haley allowed herself to smile.

"You think?" she asked again.

Brooke nodded, "Yes Mrs. Scott, you're going to knock Nathan's pants off."

The salesclerk's eyes widened, "Nathan Scott is your fiancé?"

Haley nodded, blushed and smiled but Brooke was looking intently on the salesclerk, who looked as if she was battling between saying something and being quiet.

"You are beautiful," the woman said eventually, "no wonder…"

She allowed her voice to trail off.

"No wonder what?" Brooke challenged. Her hair was pulled out of her face and her annoyance could not be masked, at her side Haley quietly begged her to calm down.

"I am calm," Brooke said softly, "I just want her to finish."

The woman sighed, "It's just rumors have been flying around the place about him being head over heels with this poor girl and no one could figure out why."

Haley froze. Brooke looked up at her, looking at her eyes which had already began to fill with tears

"Why don't you get that dress off Hales?"

Haley nodded and began walking back to the dressing room.

Brooke stood for a moment, looking at herself in the mirror. Her body adequately filled out the red dress and tights she wore. She was not that scared fifteen-year-old any more; and Haley didn't need protecting. Yet, she turned to the clerk and said softly.

"Well next time one of you snobby, arrogant, pain in the ass customers happen to mention they have no idea what Nathan sees in her. Maybe you can see it fit to insert that she is not only beautiful but intelligent, caring and she understands him."

The woman opened her mouth but Brooke cut her off, "No I'm not finished, you condescending idiot. Hales will buy that wedding dress because it was made for her and she looks perfect in it. But you can sure as hell kiss the commission you would have gotten off of my dress and shoes goodbye because this poor girl will be going to Wal-Mart to look for her dress – after all that's where the poor kids shop."

"I didn't mean it like that…" she protested.

"Save it."

x-x-x

"Remind me again of why I need another suit?" Lucas asked as Nathan pulled his Jaguar into a private parking lot in Manhattan.

"I'm getting married Lucas."

Lucas ran his hand through his short blond hair, "Trust me, you haven't allowed me to forget. But all I'm saying is that I have enough suits."

Nathan smiled while he got out the car, "Yes. Mr. GQ, I do understand but forgive me for wanting you to get a new one for my wedding."

Lucas leaned against the car and adjusted his winter jacket, "Apology noted, forgiveness denied."

Nathan laughed, " I'm convinced you've been sarcastic since you were born."

"Yeah Stewie Griffin's got nothing on me."

They walked towards Madison Avenue in silence before Nathan finally said, "Thank you Luke."

x-x-x

It was a grey morning, snow melting quickly against the ground. Yet people were still moving at a New York pace. No hotdog vendors though, not in this clothing district – this was the territory of the elite. Lucas was vaguely aware that a photographer was trailing close behind them. The paparazzi were relentless and undoubtedly, their photos would end up in the middle of some low-end tabloid so for the heck of it Lucas turned, flashed him a smile, then flipped him the bird.

"You're so rude," Nathan commented as they turned into the Armani flagship store.

Lucas stepped onto the dark hardwood floors and smiled, "The marble walls get me every time."

"Please," Nathan scuffed, "you silently enjoy this."

"Have you ever known me to be silent about anything?" Lucas asked.

"You've been silent about Peyton"

"Maybe because there's nothing to talk about"

"Mr. Scott," the salesclerk said excitedly when he spotted them, "and Mr. Scott" she said laughing at her own joke

"How can I help you?"

"We'll talk about this later," Nathan whispered to Lucas before turning to the clerk,

"Getting married, looking for tuxedos."

Lucas allowed himself to fall behind while Nathan and the clerk chatted amicably about the wedding. Nathan had warned him about Peyton. On more than one occasion but he had fancied himself far too in love to listen to anyone. So Nathan had stepped back and allowed him to make his mistake: the mistake that almost destroyed him. He wondered if he could just sit back and watch Nathan make his own mistake. Lucas grimaced, whoever said love was blind got it wrong. Love was not only blind but deaf, mute and handicapped as well. Ambition however was anything but. It had twenty-twenty vision, more lives than a cat and could lie under oath with a straighter face than Bill Clinton, well almost anyway.

He had fallen back from Nathan and the clerk when he saw them. They were walking into the store and Brooke was upset. He almost laughed at how easily he was able to spot that. Her anger seemed to radiate around her. Haley however just looked tired, and slightly sad. Lucas looked at the two girls. Their differences extended far beyond personality. Haley was not wearing expensive clothes, but they were tasteful – Lucas remembered Nathan complaining about her not allowing him to buy anything expensive for her or not wanting to stop driving the unreliable ten year old piece of trash she called a car. Nathan had eventually convinced her that he was ready to trade in his BMW and thought it was better if she had it. Reluctantly, she had agreed. So yes on the surface it was easy for Nathan to argue that if she had wanted his money she would have jumped at the gifts, the trips. But Lucas knew better than anyone else that ambition had unwavering patience. Brooke on the other hand looked as if she had just picked out her coat from Goodwill and didn't seem to particularly care. Lucas wondered how it was possible for her to still be the mot beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Eventually Haley looked up and spotted him. She smiled at him. Lucas didn't return it. She didn't offer to hug him when she was closer to him but instead said, "Where's Nate?"

"Probably giving the salesclerk the name of your kids by now."

She smiled. It went beyond her mouth, it spread to her eyes. Haley was beautiful too.

"I'm going to find him."

"How did gown shopping go?"

"I found one, thanks."

And with that she was off, leaving Lucas to face a scowling Brooke.

"God do you ever smile?" he said more roughly than he intended to.

Brooke grimaced, "Not when I'm pissed. She wants a pre-nump."

"What?" Lucas asked ignoring the thudding of his heart, "I thought you weren't going to help me."

"Me?" Brooke shouted then kept check on her voice, "I did nothing. It was that snotty cow in Vera Wang."

He looked at her questioningly.

"She told her about all those rumors about the precious Nathan marrying the poor girl and no one could see why."

"And she decided that she wants a pre-nump from that?"

"Well after crying for nearly a damn hour yes. First she started muttering about not marrying him to protect his reputation. But damn it she loves him. I don't know why, but she loves him so much. So she is agreeing to sign a pre-nump saying that if they were to divorce she would take nothing."

"Nothing?" Lucas echoed.

"Nothing."

Lucas looked over his shoulder as Haley stepped into Nathan's embrace still smiling and kissing him lightly. For a tiny, niggling moment he wondered if maybe, just maybe he could have misjudged her.