TROUVAILLE | BROOKE DAVIS

thirty-eight

"California?" Parker exclaims as she looks at Brooke, "You can't seriously be moving."

"Why do you care? You dumped me remember?" Brooke asks.

The air is awkward as Parker and Brooke lay side by side in the bed, neither looking at each other, both staring at the ceiling. There's a little space between them and Parker could reach over and touch Brooke if she truly wants, but she settles for something different instead. She turns on her side and looks at Brooke.

"We aren't broken up, more like an open relationship where you can explore your feelings for Lucas and I can pretend that I don't care," Parker tells her.

Brooke rolls on her side and narrows her eyes at Parker, "If it hurts you, then why are we doing it?"

Parker sighs, "Because I don't want you being with me and always thinking what if."

Brooke props her arm up, resting her chin in her hand, "Say I agree to this. Are you going to see other people?"

"Do you want me to see other people?" Parker asks shyly. Brooke bites her lip as she looks off thoughtfully.

"No, but that's selfish of me," Brooke answers, "If there's someone that you like, then you should go for it."

Parker nods silently knowing that there isn't anyone in Tree Hill that could hold a candle to Brooke, however, she knew that if she disagreed then Brooke would probably be more unsettled about the idea.

"Honestly all of this is pointless. I'm going to be dragged to California soon," Brooke mutters, "Goodbye to the girl behind the red door."

"There's gotta be something we can do," Parker says before coming to a conclusion, "Why don't you stay here? You've already moved into my house anyway."

"Seriously?" Brooke asks, "You want me to move in here?"

"Duh!" Parker exclaims, "If it means that I don't have to lose you to California."

Brooke's eyes dance across her face and then a smile graces her lips, "Okay, I'll call my parents."

Parker jumps up from her bed, "I'll talk to my mom."

Parker rushes to her mother's office where she finds her mom sitting behind her desk. Jessica glances up from her computer and raises an eyebrow as she looks at Parker's grinning face.

"What do you want?" Jessica asks as she leans back in her seat.

Parker feigns ignorance, "Dear mother I have no idea what you mean."

"You want something," Jessica says, "What is it?"

Parker bites her lip, "As you know Brooke's parents went down the toilet, but her dad managed to get a great job in California. The downside of that is-"

"Brooke would have to move to California as well," Jessica concludes, "So are you asking me to let her stay with us?"

"Yes. At least until the end of Junior year?" Parker asks, "I know you think this is my stupid teenage thinking because I may be very infatuated with Brooke-"

"-extremely," Jessica interrupts.

"But this goes beyond that. She's got a lot going for her and I'd hate for her to have to start over somewhere new," Parker finishes.

Jessica looks at her, truly looks at her and smiles, "I'll see what I can do, but if Brooke does stay with us, then she's moving into the guest room."

"Deal!" Parker exclaims, "Thank you so much, mom."

"Don't thank me yet, nothing is set in stone," Jessica tells her, "But I'll do what I can."