TROUVAILLE | BROOKE DAVIS

one.

"Is that Parker Taylor?"

Brooke Davis followed the gazes of everyone at her lunch table to see a girl entering the cafeteria, bottle of water in her hand. All eyes seemed to be on her as everyone tried to discreetly get a glance, but everyone was failing. Parker also seemed aware of all the eyes on her. Each step she took was hesitant and shy.

Freshman and Sophomore year of high school, Parker had been tall and awkward. She had no fashion sense and there were braces in her mouth. The only reason anyone knew her name was because she was the photographer for the school newspaper and interviewed the most popular jocks and cheerleaders.

Something had happened over the summer because Parker no longer had braces and she seemed to have thrown out her old wardrobe, because Brooke found the outfit she was wearing to be – hot. Parker no longer moved awkwardly, but with a sense of shy grace.

"Damn," Peyton Sawyer, Brooke's best friend, said from beside her, "What did Parker do over the summer?"

Nathan, Peyton's boyfriend, laughed, "Get hot apparently."

Tim licked his lips as he kept his eyes on Parker, "I can't wait for her to take pictures of me."

Brooke laughed, "Pictures of what? You passing the ball to the other team?"

The table fell out in laughter as they looked at Tim. His cheeks flushed red with embarrassment, but Tim being the guy that he was laughed along with them. Brooke's eyes drifted back over to Parker who took a seat beside her best friends, Lucas Scott and Haley James. They certainly weren't a popular bunch, but everyone knew who they were. Lucas was Nathan's infamous bastard brother, Parker was the daughter of the wealthiest man in Tree Hill, and Haley was the highest bid for Valedictorian.

They had been friends for as long as Brooke could remember. Parker moved to Tree Hill the summer before second grade with her older sister and her younger brother. Parker had always kept to herself, until Lucas and Haley had brought her out of her shell.

"Brooke you're staring," Peyton muttered as she nudged her shoulder. Brooke didn't look away, instead she decided to redirect the conversation.

"Where do you think she got that jacket?" Brooke asked, "I love it."

Peyton laughed, "Why don't you go ask her?"

Brooke sat straight in her chair, looking away from Parker, "I'd rather not."

~*~

Parker couldn't handle the stares. Ever since the school year began, everyone had been watching her. People she had never spoken to before were coming up to her, guys that had never seen interested in her before were asking her out, and Parker could not handle it.

She sat at her usual lunch table with Lucas and Haley. They grinned as they saw her.

"There she is, Tree Hill's Lois Lane," Lucas said, causing Parker to laugh as she took her seat.

"She's also Tree Hill's newest hot girl," Haley said as she bumped shoulder with Parker, "I've had like three guys come up to me and ask for your number."

Parker frowned, "Please tell me you didn't give it to them."

Haley feigned a gasp as she looked at Parker, hand held on her chest, "Do you think so little of me?" Haley laughed as she shoved a grape into her mouth, "I gave them the number to the café."

"Great, now my mom's gonna ask why guys are trying to pick her up," Lucas teases, causing Parker and Haley to laugh.

"So is Jesse enjoying high school?" Haley asked. Jesse was Parker's younger brother and it was his Freshman year. He had been excited at first, mainly because he'd be playing basketball with Nathan Scott, a legend.

"He's excited for basketball," Parker told them before taking a sip of her water, "That's about it."

Lucas chuckled, "I can only imagine."

"How has he been playing?" Haley asked, and Parker shrugged.

"Grace goes to the games and says that he's doing really well, but Grace knows nothing about basketball," Parker told them. 

"Just ask Grace if Nathan passed the ball to Jesse. If she says yes, then Jesse had a great night," Lucas tells her, causing Haley and Parker to laugh.

Haley then looked over at Parker with pleading eyes, "Can you give me a ride to work today?"

Parked laughed, "Haley you don't have to ask. I do my homework at the café anyway," she looked over to Lucas, "Are you going to the Rivercourt after school?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Can you take Jesse with you?" Parker asked, "He has basketball fever."

Lucas nodded with a smile, "Of course."

They continued talking about nothing important and then the bell rang, indicating that lunch was over. Parker smiled and offered her friends parting waves as she went to her next class. As she walked to her locker, she could still feel the stares and hear the whispers.

When she made it to her locker, she quickly grabbed her books for chemistry and shut her locker, only to find Brooke Davis leaning on the locker next to hers. She smiled up at Parker, it seemed genuine, but she and Brooke weren't really friends.

"Hi Brooke," Parker said shyly, adjusting the strap of her bookbag.

"Parker," Brooke said to her, "Where are you headed?"

"Chemistry," Parker said, holding up her book. Brooke looked at it with disinterest before quickly shifting her attention back to Parker's face.

"Well I just wanted to be the first to invite you to a party at my house this weekend. The basketball team and the cheerleaders like to get together and celebrate the beginning of the season and since your brother is on the team, I thought you'd might like to come," Brooke said, still smiling at Parker.

She had never been invited to a party before, let alone a party that included the most popular people in school. The thought of her in Brooke's house surrounded by people that she didn't know or truly care for left a bad taste in her mouth. Nevertheless, Parker couldn't help but to be a bit excited for the invite.

"Um thanks," Parker said smiling gratefully, "But parties aren't my scene."

Brooke pouted and Parker could see why so many guys bent to her will, "Well will you at least consider it? You can bring your friends if you'd like."

"I'll consider it," Parker told her, and Brooke's grin widened.

"Great!" her eyes ran over Parker's body before meeting her eyes, "Something tells me I'll be seeing much more of you."

Parker didn't say anything as Brooke disappeared down the hall. With the interaction with Brooke replaying in her mind, Parker walked to her Chemistry class.