you get to meet brooke's daughter ;) adopted of course. and there's a little brothers bonding time part with jamie and parker :c

also stream drama queens podcast on spotify.

✧*̥˚ chapter two: the places you fear most *̥˚✧

Solitude is a beautiful prison, a place of both comfort and despair. It's where you go to escape the world, but also where the world escapes you. Yet in that lonely place, you learn to be your own company, to listen to your own voice, and to find the strength to stand alone. For in solitude, we are forced to confront ourselves and our deepest fears, and in doing so, we discover the power of our own independence.

But sometimes, being alone in your thoughts can lead to overthinking and feeling trapped in your own mind. It can also be difficult to find motivation and stay productive without the support and encouragement of others. so, while solitude can be empowering, it can also have its downsides, especially for a high school student living on their own. Like Parker.

He'd woken up to find that the sun was already high up in the sky, something that he rarely wakes up to. The last time he had slept this late had been in his freshman year when he was admittedly lazy and didn't really care about getting to school on time. He groaned as he got up, glancing at the minimalistic clock on the wall to find that he only had twenty minutes to get ready and get to practice on time.

Just as he was beginning to mentally prepare himself for the day, considering the bad start, a knock on his apartment door interrupted his thoughts. He glanced down at his attire, seeing as he was wearing his pajamas, and decided that for the sake of it potentially being a brief interaction with whoever was on the other side of the door, he wouldn't rush to change just yet. He walked toward the door, before peeking through the peep hole.

He sighed and then opened the door, finding himself face to face with a pair of bright green eyes. Evelyn.

"Hi," She began, her eyes drifting down to what he was wearing, surprised that he wasn't already dressed for school yet. She noted the subtle frustration etched onto his features before she let her confidence come back to her, "Can you give me a ride? My car's in the shop and I don't want to be seen taking the bus. It is not a good look for me." She entered the apartment regardless, as Parker moved away subtly to let her in.

He glanced at her clothes, seeing that she was dressed casually. He could tell it was the same outfit that she wore the day before, given the fact that he remembered seeing her at school yesterday and how unkempt and nervous she had looked. He wondered why. It was out of character for her to wear the same outfit twice, especially within the same week.

Evelyn grew impatient at Parker's silence and bit her lip before she let go and trailed off, "So... are you going to be my knight in shining armor or what?"

He sighed and shut the door, "Sure, make yourself comfortable. I'm gonna get dressed." Without a second look or glance, Parker walked straight back into his bedroom - closing the door behind him so that he could get dressed.

Evelyn noticed the look on his face before he did so, and frowned to herself. She walked further into the apartment, finding her way to the familiar couch and softly brushed her fingers across the smooth texture. His apartment was clean, almost like it was all for display.

She'd always known him to be moderately messy, so she wondered what sparked the change. Her thoughts even went further to the possibility that Parker was keeping his apartment clean for someone else, possibly even a new girlfriend. She wouldn't know, even with her he'd always been pretty private about that kind of stuff.

She frowned nevertheless at the thought of it.

It wouldn't be a crime for him to move on, it had been three months since they broke it off. But that didn't mean that Evelyn liked the thought of it happening, especially considering that her wounds from the end of their relationship was still new to her. She let her gaze falter in regret as she flooded her subconscious with the memory of that day.

And then when the feelings started to resurface, she pushed them down and instead thought about the new emptiness of the apartment that was once full of stupid crafts and decor that the both of them participated in putting up when they were together.

As she heard ruffling from behind his bedroom door, she let her eyes drift to it. Where there was once a decorated name that she had made for fun and a couple of pictures of them surrounding it, was now just an empty space, a newly painted blank canvas.

Everything she could see was just a sensitive reminder that they weren't them anymore, if anything it almost felt like they never even existed.

The door then opened and Evelyn looked to see Parker all dressed up and ready to go, a hand clutching onto his backpack loosely.

He asked politely, "You ready to go?" Evelyn pursed her lips before she nodded at him. He stopped for a moment, sensing that something was wrong. She was quiet, too quiet. With a small pitiful smile, he studied her stone cold expression, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Let's go." The both of them walked toward the front door, Evelyn slightly in front. She knew Parker would have to lock the door so she waited for him outside of it, watching him lock it before he gestured toward the hallway letting her walk first. He strolled beside her as they made their way to the elevator. Evelyn didn't utter a word on their journey, which was incredibly unusual.

Parker found it a little unsettling.

Evelyn usually had a mouth like a firecracker, always blurting out things at an impossible rate. That is when she's okay. When she's not, when she's sad or angry or frustrated, she's silent to almost everyone except those she felt most comfortable with. Often, that'd be her best friend, Hazel.

Parker never experienced that either though. When they were together, any sadness, anger or frustration was always vocally expressed in the comfort of their quality time together. He was used to her telling him exactly how she was feeling. It was unfortunate that now, now that they weren't them anymore, she'd treat him like the rest of them. She'd remain silent.

"Does your mom know that you're here?" Parker questioned as he hit the elevator button. If there was one thing that he was going to ask, regardless of any boundary he could cross, it'd be this one. He knew Brooke Davis to be one of the most caring mothers he'd ever met, possibly more empathetic and understanding of teenage minds, more than his own mother. He couldn't help but wonder if there's a story or a reason behind that. She was cool, but also highly protective, especially over Evelyn - regardless of the fact that they weren't actually blood related.

Evelyn trailed behind him, a guilty expression on her face. Parker knew immediately then, exactly why she was silent, why she was either sad, angry or frustrated. She had a fight with her mom. And for whatever reason, it had ended so badly that she ended up on his side of town, wearing the same clothes she'd worn the day before.

"I... had a fight with her. It's complicated." She said defensively.

Parker raised an eyebrow, "She's trying her best, Eve. It's not her fault that..."

Evelyn interrupted cutting him off mid-sentence sarcastically, "That what, Parker? That I'm a broken, stupid and pathetic little girl needing validation of having a secure family and can't deal with that being at risk because my junkie birth-mother wants me back? That Mom doesn't want to even try to keep me with her and keeps pushing me back to the one person who left me when I needed her most? She didn't even try, Parker."

He tensed his jaw. That wasn't what he meant but he wasn't going to correct himself and cause an argument so with hesitation, he said, "I'm sorry, it isn't any of my business. I shouldn't have said anything. Forget it." At any other time, he would've assured her and tried to make her feel better. He knew that she needed it but... he couldn't overstep. If he did, then he'd open up a wound that he really wanted to heal.

She bit the inside of her cheek, now slightly annoyed. He glanced at her, letting the silence befall them as he felt something bubbling up inside him, a sense of worry about her. Clearing his throat when the elevator doors opened to the apartment garage, he led the way to his car hoping to let the tension ease by itself.

Evelyn climbed into the passenger seat as soon as he opened it and waited for him to get in the car. She took one glance down at her clothes and suddenly pursed her lips in annoyance. She couldn't be seen wearing the same outfit two days in a row, not with her reputation at school. So when Parker settled into the drivers seat, she asked quietly, "Can you drop me off home? Mom's probably out taking the twins to school, and I need to change. I can't wear this to school again."

Parker chuckled quietly, rolling his eyes as he retorted, "There's nothing wrong with wearing the same outfit twice."

Evelyn smiled sarcastically at him, "There is when it's two days in a row, smart-ass."

Parker only nodded at her with a small smile before he started the car and began to drive out of the garage and onto the main street. During the drive, he made sure to keep the music down just in case Evelyn did want to talk but she remained quiet and he felt uneasy at the new tension surrounding them. He tried to break it, "So, I can drive you to school too if you want? I can wait a couple minutes until you're good to go."

Evelyn thought about it, she really did and she was happy that he offered. Especially since she was sure her mom was going to kill her if she didn't get to school on time and if she wanted to avoid her, she'd have to take the bus or catch a ride with someone else which could take more time. She tried to mask her genuine appreciation for his offer with sarcasm, "Oh wow, my very own chauffeur. Do I get a red carpet and a tiara too?"

Parker gave her a look, "I have one in the back if you want it? It might be a bit small for your head though."

Her eyebrows raised at his quick response and she let out a genuine laugh but then when it died down and all that remained was an adoring smile, she glanced at him, "What if I make you late?"

He responded softly, "I'm always late. And anyway, the notion of time is a man-made construct that we use to make sense of the world around us, so who really cares?"

She passed him a beautiful smile, one that he always had the privilege to see. He cherished it and tried to ingrain it into his memory just because he never wanted to forget it and he hadn't seen it since before they broke up. She acknowledged the familiar look he had in his eyes, and fell nervous before she straightened up and cleared her throat quietly, "Thank you, I owe you one."

When they arrived at Evelyn's home in a matter of minutes, Parker turned off the car engine just as Evelyn turned toward him, "I'll be quick, I promise." She muttered before she left the car and disappeared into her home. Then, after ten minutes, she walked back out, looking transformed and sophisticated. Parker can't help but notice the change, admiring how sophisticated and beautiful she had looked walking back to the car. When he noticed her staring at him, he quickly looked away and waited for her to get back in.

The rest of the drive was silent. As soon as they got to school, Parker drove into a parking space and the both of them exited at the same time. Neither of them felt comfortable with the possibility of someone seeing them together, so as soon as the both of them stepped foot onto the sidewalk leading to the school's entrance, the both of them immediately drifted away from each other.

Parker made his way into the school among a throng of other students, lost in thought.

"Parker!" He immediately turned his head at the familiar voice of Lily who had been just a few steps away, jogging to catch up to him.

"Hey, Little Scott," He reached up to ruffle her beautifully set hair, which caused her to swat his hand away in annoyance before she reached up to fix it, "Sorry." He muttered sheepishly when she glared at him.

"It's fine, it'll get ruined in practice anyway," She sighed, eventually just giving up with trying to keep her hair tamed. Her gaze then turned to him with a look of curiosity, "So, I saw you and Eve in the parking lot. What's that about?"

"Nothing, I was just giving her a ride," Parker muttered vaguely before changing the subject quickly, "Aren't you late for practice?"

Lily raised her eyebrows, "Aren't you?"

Parker smirked amusedly, "I am, but I'm always late anyway, Coach practically expects it now." As they walked toward the gymnasium together, where the locker rooms for the girls and guys were as well, they lingered in the silence, tuning in to conversations around them.

It was only when Lily remembered something, when she broke the silence between them, "Hey, you used to be shooting guard at some point during freshman year right? Jamie's only ever been point guard since he was like nine but he's switching to shooting for the game this Friday. I think he might need a little confidence boost and... I was thinking, maybe you could help him out?"

Parker frowned guiltily, "That's actually my fault - it's a last minute attempt at getting a scholarship."

Lily shook her head at him with a dismissive smile, "It's not your fault. Jamie can handle a couple of games in a different position, he's literally a basketball legacy." Parker laughed and appreciated her reassurance.

"I'll help him out." He promised.

When they got to the gymnasium, Lily bid her goodbyes and made her way to the girl's locker room whereas Parker went to the boy's locker room. As soon as he walked in, he was met with an almost empty room. The stench of deodorant and aftershave flooded his nose and he immediately scrunched it up at the strong smell.

Parker navigated to his locker and opened it up, placing his backpack in there and taking out his uniform. He began to get ready only to be distracted by Jamie's voice behind him, "Running a little behind schedule, aren't we, Captain?" Parker turned his head and beamed at the blonde boy, a smile gracing his lips.

"I'm only five minutes late, James," He muttered before he pulled his shirt off and folded it nicely, placing it onto a shelf of his locker. He then continued, "How are you feeling? About moving to shooting guard?" He asked genuinely, wanting to hear directly from Jamie. He watched as the boy groaned and sat down on the bench sitting between the two adjacent lockers.

"Only the worst, I keep going back to PG because I'm so used to it, dad and I spent last night going over it again and again but he kept getting pulled away at the last minute for work." He admitted.

Parker had been fully changed into his uniform and sat beside Jamie, to lean forwards and tie his sneakers. When he was done, he gestured for Jamie to follow him, "We're gonna work on it, today if you want? Coach said you might find the transition a little hard, so he gave me permission to help you during practices. You up for that?"

Jamie smiled, a genuine enlightened look beamed upon his expression, "Yeah, that's perfect. Thank you."

"Alright then, I'll let coach know we're taking half the court," Parker stated, nodding his head in reassurance as he patted Jamie's back, "Now, let's go. I don't want you to get in trouble for being late too."

It didn't take long for Coach to agree to let Parker and Jamie use the other half of the court, as he subjected the rest of the boys to the usual practice.

"Okay, James," Jamie beamed up at Parker to which Parker couldn't help but smile back. They were both ready and prepared for the session but Jamie had been jumping around ready for whatever Parker would through at him. It was admirable and eased Parker's nerves a little. He had to admit that he always found it awkward talking to his younger players like he was miles older than them, even though him and Jamie were only two years apart.

"Being a shooting guard is all about adapting your skills and expanding your game. You have to look at finishing the plays, not distributing the ball like you're used to. We're gonna start with the fundamentals." Parker led Jamie to the three-point line, their sneakers squeaking against the worn-out floors. He demonstrated the proper shooting form - feet-squared, elbow aligned, and a fluid release. Jamie watched, having already done this before but looking at it as if he hadn't.

"Focus on your footwork," Parker advises, his eyes locked on Jamie's, "As an SG, you gotta separate yourself from defenders. So, you need to master the art of pivoting, use jab steps and quick cuts to shake off the other team."

Jamie mimicked the motions, his muscles learning to adjust to the new demands. Parker nodded approvingly with a wide proud smile.

"Good. How about we work on off-ball movement?" He suggested, leading Jamie towards the baseline, "You need to always be on the move, look for any open spaces and read the defense. It gets easier, I promise. People are easy to read, the Panthers? They literally wear their entire play on their faces."

They took their positions on the court, Parker demonstrating various cuts and screens. "Watch closely," he said, smoothly gliding along the perimeter. "Timing is crucial. Learn to read your teammates and anticipate when they need your support. Cutting off screens and getting open will be your bread and butter."

Jamie absorbed the instructions, his eyes tracing Parker's every move. He mimicked the footwork and cuts, gradually gaining confidence in his ability to navigate the court without the ball as his constant companion.

They practiced weaving through imaginary screens, understanding how to position oneself for a catch-and-shoot opportunity. Parker emphasized the importance of timing, reminding Jamie to be ready to release the shot swiftly upon receiving the pass, "Remember, it's not all about scoring, you gotta make smart decisions on the court too. You need to know when to attack the rim, when to pass, and when to create scoring opportunities for us."

Jamie furrowed his eyebrows, "And how will I do that?"

Parker smiled brightly, "You already know - you have a habit of reading the other team well enough to know what to do with the ball. I think you get that from your dad," Jamie brightened up at the comparison. He liked knowing that he was just like his dad because it was all he ever wanted to be, "It's pretty much the same thing, except that your focus is different. Before you were the playmaker, the primary ball handler, but now you just have to focus on scoring and creating opportunities for a score for the rest of us."

"All I need to do is shoot, or make it so you guys could shoot." Jamie repeated to himself, setting himself in the mindset of just a shooting guard.

Parker shrugged, "Basically, there's not as much things to do than when you're on point," He ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it back out of his face, "It's no doubt that you're good at both though, all you need to work on if anything is shooting - getting the ball in the hoop. You think you'll be okay with that for now? Just catch-and-shooting for the next couple minutes?"

They spent a while honing Jamie's shooting form, practicing countless catch-and-shoot scenarios from different spots on the court. Parker emphasized the importance of footwork, balance, and the fluid motion of the release. With each shot that swished through the net, Jamie's confidence grew, and his shooting stroke became more refined.

Their training session continued, encompassing a range of drills: mid-range jumpers, corner threes, and using screens to create open looks. Parker tirelessly provided guidance, correcting Jamie's form, and offering encouragement. Not that there were many opportunities to do so. Jamie had it down, "You got this, Scott." Parker patted Jamie's back, "You can give Rafe a run for his money."

As they exited the gymnasium, the faint sound of dribbling basketballs lingered behind them. Jamie turned to Parker with an appreciative look, "You're a good coach, you know that? I don't think even my dad could teach the way you just did." Parker was stumped, he couldn't find the words as he processed Jamie's compliment. Jamie didn't even think twice about it before he left to go ahead into the locker rooms to change.

"You trying to take my job from me, kid?" Parker turned around to meet the proud smile of his coach who walked forwards to meet him. Coach was the one adult who Parker felt most comfortable with at the school, he was someone that understood Parker for who he is and didn't judge him regardless of the things he's been through.

"Why? You scared? You should be," Parker quipped back jokingly. When Coach shook his head with a chuckle, Parker continued with raised eyebrows. But then he ended up just smiling really widely, which caused Coach to laugh again. Parker then said, "No one could be a better coach than you, so you don't gotta worry 'bout a thing, sir."

"Don't be so quick to shoot it down, Ridley. I'd be delighted to pass on the role to you someday when you're ready. At least then I'd know the boys would be in good hands, that they'd end up with a real chance to get somewhere."

"You mean, other than to the championships?" Parker smiled in appreciation before holding his hand out for Coach to shake, which he had done so, "By the way, I think we got the upper hand at this game Friday. Jamie's a star player, we're lucky to have him. I actually think the kid's gonna get us on TV someday."

Coach nodded in agreement but then brought up something that he thought Parker had forgotten, "You already did that. You got us on TV back in your freshman year, remember? Don't ever forget that. You're a good player and captain, Parker. Don't let your parents absence bring you down from that accomplishment." With that, Coach patted Parker's back and then walked away to his office.

Parker lingered for a moment, in thought at the words that Coach had spoken, feeling a sense of comfort and pride before he turned away to head toward the locker rooms. When he got there, he walked to his locker, pulling out a towel and his bag of clothes before heading toward the showers.

Meanwhile, Jennifer had found herself in the presence of her newly made friend Finley. They were sitting outside, leaning upon a tree just off the sidewalk opposite the school parking lot. They were only there during their break because there hadn't been a place that wasn't already occupied in the school and neither of them liked the crowded rooms all that much.

Finley picked at the laces of her light blue converse as she began to talk, "You think Parker's cute?" She asked abruptly, to which Jennifer immediately choked on her own spit in surprise.

The blonde coughed to catch herself before she widened her eyes at Finley, "What?"

"Don't act so surprised. It's been like two days, and all you do is stare at him in class or look for him in the hallways. And you know the code to his locker? That's like... I don't even know. Top tier flirting? Or psychotic? Maybe both?"

"I only know it because mine won't open and he offered to let me use his for now." Jennifer responded, her tone light and clear before she continued, "Isn't he with that cheerleader in AP English?" She tried to remember the name but she couldn't, she hadn't particularly been introduced to all of the cheerleaders - only the ones that were at their lunch table the days before - therefore she hadn't found an opportunity to introduce herself to her.

"Please. He treats Lily like she's his little sister, there's nothing remotely romantic going on between them." Finley chuckled, her smile wide as she tried to imagine it but couldn't. She'd been at the school long enough to know that Parker wasn't really the type of guy to date cheerleaders, and definitely not with the girls that he was currently friends with. He always expressed his platonic love for them but never romantic. Some girls figured that he just had a type but no one knew what it was.

Jennifer glanced over at Finley with a nod, "Oh, okay. I probably shouldn't have assumed."

Finley smirked at her, "So?"

"I'm not interested." Jennifer lied, her eyes drifting away from Finley, who only just laughed.

"Once you get past the stage of denial, let me know, I can set you up. Parker's a good catch, it'd be shame if someone who likes him, who he possibly likes back, doesn't make a move."

Jennifer rolled her eyes, "It's been two days, who ever likes a person in two days?"

Finley shook her head, "You're thinking about love, like is different. Like can mean many things. It could mean attraction. And, well, attraction is quick. I got attracted to the mystery graffiti person the second I saw that comic mural last Saturday. It's strange, but surprisingly possible." She leaned back and thought about it, her eyes squinting as she zoned out a little.

Jennifer straightened up at the mention of it, asking, "Does anybody know who it is?"

It wasn't so much of a surprise that the main thing the students talked about was that artist. Everywhere she went, every single class, every lunch break, even in the restrooms, all the conversations revolved around the identity of the artist, and the controversial pieces of art that they display, not only just around school but also recently outside of school too, in Tree Hill's hotspots.

Finley shrugged, "No, but whoever it is will probably end up getting suspended. I heard Principal Buttkiss going on about tracking them down and using students to find out who it is so that she could unload the consequences that this delinquent deserves." She said the last part with a little bit of a dramatic flair.

Jennifer asked, furrowing her eyebrows, "She said that?"

"Loud and clear," Finley lifted her eyebrows up, "Jokes on her though, rumor has it whoever it is will be doing another one today and no one's said a word about it to her." She pulled out her phone after being subtly reminded about the artists social media account, knowing that usually they'd post a story of where they were.

"Do you know where?" Jennifer asked curiously.

Finley clicked onto the story which was right there where she expected and then smiled as she recognized the flowers in the background of the picture that popped up, "Actually, yes, I do. Want to go on a little school adventure?" She suggested, a sudden excitement lifting the brightness of her eyes.

"So we can catch them in the act? Find out who it is? Where are we going?" Jennifer asked, before standing up and wiping away any of the grass that could've been stuck on her clothes.

"There's this spot by the school's greenhouse, it's a great place for a mural, don't ask me how I know this but that picture the account took was definitely was taken there." Finley muttered before she felt herself being pulled up by Jennifer's hand. Surprisingly, the blonde was strong and the weight of Finley barely even affected her. Finley suddenly smirked when she was stood, "Wow, that was hot. Do it again."

Jennifer rolled her eyes at her before playfully bumping her shoulder with hers, "Lead us the way, Finley."

When they got there, they find the fresh smell of paint and an already graffitied mural on the wall, with barely anyone suspicious in sight. They were sure they were the first ones to see it, because nobody was even close enough to see it and none of them were there.

"This one's... personal." Finley noted, seeing as the subject of the mural had been the Principal. It wasn't negative, but one could say it wasn't positive either. In a comic-strip form, were the detailed images of Principal Rimkus with growing devil horns and a faint halo, the words 'divine devil's advocate' written in a speech bubble next to it.

Jennifer looked at it in surprise, mostly at the detail but also at the mysterious message behind it all. She then turned around to see if she could find the person who may have done it, resting her eyes on the only suspicious figure.

"That boy, over there." Finley pulled her eyes away from the mural to see Logan Evans, a known bad-boy in their school. He wasn't particularly popular with the teachers, definitely not Principal Rimkus, though it was mostly because of his careless attitude and his reluctancy to find his education as something serious.

Finley pursed her lips as she studied Logan, her eyes flickering to his sad blue eyes and his blonde hair that he had intentionally kept messy before she finally rested them on a faint part of his jeans enveloped in spots of paint, all in different colors, "That's Logan Evans." She muttered to Jennifer who also happened to notice the paint marks on his jeans too.

"Logan Evans is Ravens4n3Ver, it's the most obvious conclusion. Now what do we do now? Confront him? Warn him?"

Finley still wasn't convinced though, despite the evidence. Logan didn't seem like the artsy type of guy, she'd known if he was. They'd been classmates since elementary school and regardless of the fact that the two weren't friends, she knew that Logan could probably care less about anything other than himself and his art skills were severely lacking.

"I don't think it's him. I mean, it's gotta be someone else. The paint on his jeans are not even the same colors." She had seemed so sure, her voice sharp as she spoke, so much so that Jennifer figured she shouldn't fight it.

"Looks like we probably missed them then." Jennifer muttered skeptically as she continued to linger her gaze between Finley and Logan with curiosity.

Just then, the bell had rung and both of them returned to the school. In the distance, they'd miss the true culprit, watching after them curiously. Hoodie up and hands cradled in their jacket pockets, they stared at their own art with a mixture of sadness and admiration.

If only the students of Tree Hill knew who they were, maybe they'd understand the place the art comes from, and why sometimes distributing it out like this could be a dangerous thing.

a/n.

that's the end of the chapter. the they/them part at the end is so that the true identity of the artist is kept secret, since it could be any of the characters in this story and i didn't want to give away their gender and make it easy to guess. none of the characters in this story go by they/them pronouns.

currently the scheduled publishing is set to wednesdays. but it may change. if it does, i will update you. next chapter includes brooke ;) finally.

much love.