Chapter 68: The Brett Pack
Tuesday, January 3rd, Morning
The two tall young women walked towards the high school bundled up for the stiff bitter wind. They both were burdened down by several bags as they powered through the icy air.
"So, I've come to the conclusion my mom is crazy," Brett Pierce-Burke said.
"Tell me something, new," Baylee Miller, Brett's friend, and teammate, said, "What did she do this time?"
"She got paranoid when I crashed at my Dad's after my Nana Brooke's New Year's Party," Brett said.
"Was it because you were drunk again?" Baylee asked.
"I wasn't that drunk," Brett said.
"Brooke is cool," Baylee said.
"She'd rat on me to my parents," Brett said, "But, I crashed at my Dad's because I was exhausted."
Baylee made a look at Brett, "Does your mom still think you're a virgin?" she asked, in jest.
Brett laughed, "She thought I was sexually active at like ten," she said.
"I don't get your Mom, she's like perfectly fine at practice," Baylee said.
"Well she's different at home," Brett said, "Thank God I'm at my Dad's this week."
"You're Dad and Step-Mom are cool," Baylee said, "Love that beach he showed us."
"He's strict but cool about it," Brett said.
"How can your parents have two distinctive styles?" Baylee asked.
"I asked my Auntie Tall about that, and she said it was my Mom's Mom that made her the way she is," Brett said.
"Wouldn't that be your grandma? Also, when is Auntie Tall coming for a visit?" Baylee asked.
"I don't know," Brett said, "I miss her too, but she's doing the ESPN thing and there's the Liberty as well."
"That sucks she had to move North," Baylee said.
"I know, but she needed a change, and the Liberty came knocking, and her Mom lived nearby," Brett said.
"It's fun listening to her stories, especially playing at the Barclay's Center," Baylee said, laughing.
Brett nodded and opened the school door, and they walked in. They walked past the school trophy case and stopped to look in it. Baylee pointed at a picture.
"They look like they are having fun," Baylee said.
"They were, that was taken in the regional round of the state tournament," Brett said.
"Isn't that your Mom and Auntie Tall sitting, and isn't that also your Aunt Kelly sitting on the floor?" Baylee asked.
Brett nodded, "Yeah, and the other two are my cousin Kay and Cara Gyles, that was at the end of the Bear Creek playoff game. I was supposedly in the stands for that game," she said.
"We have to get a picture taken like that, after one of the games," she said, "Me, you and Avril sitting there, when we come back, we could tell the story of the picture."
"Cart before the horse, Bay?" A Third voice asked, and they turned to see the third person walk up.
"Don't jinx us, AV!" Baylee said.
Avril Popova was the third senior on the girls' basketball team, along with Brett and Baylee, and they were three of the starters. "Just being realistic, it's a tough act to follow that team," she said.
"If you go by what my Mom says," Brett replied.
Avril nodded, "Bay, does have a promising idea, but who would the other two be?" she asked.
"I don't know," Brett said, with a shrug, "Any suggestions?"
"No, you can't plan it," Baylee said, "Just like that photo it has to be spontaneous."
"You want to plan to be spontaneous, Bay?" Avril asked.
"Yes…No," Baylee said.
Brett laughed and watched as a trail of sophomores came out of the gym. The tall redhead shook her head and looked at her friends.
"Isn't that Sawyer Scott and her squad?" Avril asked.
"Yep, that's coach's daughter and her friends," Brett said.
"It's cute that they all hang out together. Don't you think, B?" Baylee asked.
Brett shrugged, "Maybe," she said.
"Maybe? How can you say maybe?" Avril asked.
"I think it's cute," Baylee said.
"Bay, you think sand crabs are cute," Avril said.
"They're so cute. They're like Tree Hill's own Island of Misfit Toys," Baylee said.
"Sawyer Scott's squad or Sand Crabs, Bay? What do you think, B?" Avril asked.
Brett shrugged, "Cute is a relative term," she said.
"What the hell does that mean, B?" Avril asked.
"When you're related to that brand of cuteness, it stopped being cute a long while ago," Brett said.
Baylee made a face and shrugged.
"How do you being related to them work again, B?" Avril asked.
Brett smiled, she looked at two of her best friends. Avril and Baylee have played basketball with her since they were young. Brett was tall for a woman, but Avril was taller, and they shared the fore-court together, Avril's the center, where Brett was the power forward. Baylee was just over halfway to six feet and was a damn good shooting guard. All three had also committed to college as well. In her thoughts, Brett noted they were playing their last games together. Brett also noted they were the classic blonde, Avril, brunette, Baylee, and the redhead, herself.
"You know my step-dad plays for Miami," Brett said.
Avril nodded, "Yeah, so your point?" she asked, "We've known your step-dad plays in the league."
"He's also coach's nephew," Baylee added.
Brett tapped her nose, "Exactly, so that makes LK my step-aunt, and Sawyer my step-cousin," she said.
"Huh?" Avril asked.
"LK is my Step-dad's sister, Sawyer as we know is coach's daughter, who is my Step-dad's uncle. That's how I'm related to those two," Brett said.
"What about Kendall Stafford?" Avril asked.
"My Step-mom's sister," Brett said.
"You never explained that before," Baylee said.
"It's always just been that way," Brett said.
"The usual tangled family tree of Tree Hill," someone said. The three girls turned and saw an average height woman, with dusky skin and dark hair. Her eyes were bright, and her smile had a laughing nature to it. She was dressed in a cheerleading uniform.
"Really Alexis?" Avril asked.
Brett chuckled as she looked at her friends. Even though Alexis Mourn was a year behind, they were all good friends. The man difference was Alexis was a cheerleader.
"Of course, it's a small community and they tend to inter-marry in families," Alexis said.
"What?" Baylee asked.
"Don't worry about it," Brett said and hugged Alexis, "How was your vacation?"
"It was good, lots of family, how about you all?" Alexis responded.
Baylee shrugged, "Nice and quiet," she said.
"Still going on for me," Avril said.
Brett laughed, "Christmas Eve with my Dad, Christmas Day with my mom," she said.
"But seriously, B, I heard you did New Year's Eve at Beaulieu Manor," Alexis said.
"Where did you hear that?" Brett asked.
"Well it was the T3 Collective, I love watching their stuff, and I couldn't help but notice Brett as their plus one," Alexis said.
Brett nodded, "Yeah, I was there," she said.
"No way," Alexis said.
"Did they have dry chicken?" Avril asked.
"Meet any celebrities this year?" Baylee asked, teasing.
Alexis turned to Baylee and Avril, "Av, Bay, you knew B was going?" she asked.
Baylee nodded, "Yes," she said, knowing that Brett didn't like to admit to the social circles her family travels in.
"Yeah, she's been doing it for years," Avril said.
"What? How?" Alexis asked.
Brett shrugged, "Well, Ms. Davis is close to my family on both sides," she said.
Alexis looked at Baylee and Avril, who both nodded.
"How so?" Alexis asked.
"My Step-dad is Ms. Davis' godson, and My step-mom is Ms. Davis' oldest daughter," Brett said.
"No way," Alexis said.
Brett nodded, "Yeah, you've not been hanging out with us too long," she said, "Ms. Davis is basically my step-grandma."
"That's, so cool," Alexis said.
"Nah!" Avril said.
"B is, well, B," Baylee said.
"Yeah, that's like still so cool," Alexis said.
"It's not a big deal, anyway, do we have to dwell on this?" Brett asked.
"What's it like at Beaulieu Manor?" Alexis asked.
"Right now? Overrun with my cousins and siblings," Brett said.
"No! It's got to be cool," Alexis said.
"I'll take you there when the pool opens up," Brett said.
"Sure, cool, can't wait," Alexis said.
"What can't you wait for?" a voice asked as they walked up to stand beside Alexis. This girl was the shortest there, but there was a look in her deep dark eyes. She looked over everyone.
"B said she'd take me to Beaulieu Manor, Nessa," Alexis said.
Nessa laughed, "So, you want to hang as Big Red's Grandma's," she said.
"You knew?" Alexis asked.
Nessa Coleman was one of the smartest girls Brett knew. They met when Brett was having issues in a few classes and Nessa was her tutor. Nessa looked at her fellow junior Alexis, "Of course, you didn't?" she asked.
"How did you know?" Alexis asked.
"It's not hard to figure out," Nessa said.
Brett shook her head, "So, Ness, how was your break?" she asked.
"It's good, so whose week is it?" Nessa asked.
"My Dad's place this week," Brett said.
"Always liked Tree Hill Hall," Nessa said.
"I'd figure you'd like Jamlyn since it's closer to the beach," Brett said.
"Eh, your Dad's place better," Nessa said.
"I've never seen either of your parent's place," Alexis said.
"Well, I don't know why?" Brett said, and laughed.
"What has got my girl, laughing?" a young man, also a senior, looked at Brett.
Brett smiled and wrapped her arms around him, "Garvan!" she said and kissed him. he was accomplished his friend Forrest Nez.
They split up and looked at each other. "So, how was your New Year?" Garvan Muir asked.
"It would have been better if you could have joined me," Brett said.
Garvan nodded, "I know, but my Dad insisted we go to Raleigh and my sister's for New Years," he said.
Brett screwed up the side of her face, turned to look at Nessa, then Forrest. Finally, she settled her eyes onto Garvan. "So, how are you going to make it up to your girlfriend?" Brett asked.
"Umm," Garvan said.
Brett turned to look at the girls, "Don't you think he owes me?" she asked.
Alexis nodded, "Yeah," she said.
"Of course, he does," Avril said.
"He should, like all gentleman," Baylee said.
Brett nodded, "Nessa, would Forrest make it up to you?" she asked.
"B, why do you have to put me on the spot like that?" Forrest asked.
"Of course, Forrest would," Nessa said.
"Thanks, Ness baby," Forrest said.
"Hey, are you showing me up, Forrest?" Garvan asked.
Forrest shook his head, "No man," he said.
Garvan rolled his eyes, "Better not," he said.
Brett shook her head, "No deflecting, Garvan," she said.
Garvan took a step forward and rested his hands-on Brett's hips. "It seems, I owe you a date," he said.
"An understatement, as always," Brett said and slipped her arms around his neck.
"So, what are you doing tomorrow night, Babe?" Garvan asked.
Brett shook her head, "Can't, My Dad is working, so when I'm over his house I help my step-mom out," she said.
Garvan nodded, "Crap, I didn't know," he said, "How about Thursday?"
"The night before the game?" Brett asked.
"Well, we could do Saturday, but there's usually a party if we win," Garvan said.
"Oh, we'll win," Avril said.
"Are you sure, Av?" Baylee asked.
"It's Pickering," Avril said.
"In their gym," Baylee said.
Brett nodded, "I guess you're right, Garvan, Thursday it is," she said.
Garvan smiled, "I'll text you the details," he said.
"Text me?" Brett asked.
"Still have to plan it, Babe," Garvan said.
Brett leaned forward and down to kiss Garvan. She was slightly taller than her boyfriend.
"Oh please, get a room," a voice said. Everyone turned to see who said it. It was an average height, black-haired sophomore, who was walking by in a cheerleading uniform. She was accompanied by a taller brunette girl, who was also a senior and dressed in a cheerleading uniform.
"You're just jealous, Joce," Alexis said.
Joce shook her head, "Not hardly," she said.
The Taller girl stepped forward, "Have you seen my brother?" she asked.
"You know Jackin, Shan, he's probably in the gym," Forrest said.
"Whatever," Joce said.
Shan shook her head, "Thanks Forrest," she said, "C'mon Joce," she said and grabbed her "friend" and headed to the gym.
"Such an odd pairing," Baylee said.
"I'm surprised you said they didn't look cute today," Avril said.
"Even I have my limits, Av," Baylee said.
That got a laugh out of everyone.