Eloquent!Brooke Fic for Rachel (laws_of_dawes)
[Takes place before the assault, when Brooke still has her company and plans to present her new line to the board and prove she can run it herself. Rachel aka laws_of_dawes is used (and hopefully not butchered) with love]
"Which is better, "determined" or "resolute"? Or should I think of something more dramatic?" Brooke tapped the pen on her chin.
"I think "determined" sounds more natural," Rachel offered thoughtfully. She sat on the other side of the couch, her legs pulled up against her comfortably. "You want to be you, Brooke."
"Wrong," Brooke huffed. "I want to be you. Tell me again why I'm not making Lawyer-Girl write this whole speech? You could probably have that whole room throwing tiaras at me. You're smart, you're eloquent, you can--"
Rachel eyed her, carefully. She gave her "the look," one which Brooke often received and was quite content to pretend not to see. "Brooke," was all her friend needed to say.
"I can't do this, Rach. I know why I need this company. I know why I want it. But I can't describe it. And I can't make them understand. Whatever fantastic phrase I come up with, Victoria will do me one better. She knows how to work them better. What the hell do I know?"
"So what are you even trying for, then?" Rachel challenged, sitting up and looking at Brooke closely, examining her. "Why do you even deserve it? Explain it to me."
With a frustrated sigh, Brooke slammed the pencil down on the notepad. She put her head in her hands and looked into the kind, inquisitive eyes of her friend.
"When I told my mother I wanted to start a company, she said 'Your chances are one in a million.' And I said, 'Maybe I'm that one.' And she said, 'You're not." And she was wrong. I carved the backbone of Clothes Over Bros from my two hands and a website. The clothes, the label, the ideas were all from my own resources. Victoria found me when she saw my company was going somewhere, that it had potential...potential I was on my way of fulfilling. Our business partnership did benefit the company. It spawned the cosmetics line, the magazine, and took Clothes Over Bros a step further. But she made me think I would fail without her, and I haven't. I won't. This new line, Baby Brooke...it's going to draw a whole new market. And without Victoria, this company is going to thrive. And it's going to thrive with me at the top. Whatever Victoria Davis thought she saw in me was wrong. Because I am one in a million. If they can't see that, then they're all wrong...just like her."
There was a weighty silence, and Brooke eyes flickered from the blank notepad to Rachel's small, knowing smile. She gave a little huff. "You totally just did that on purpose, didn't you?"
Rachel just shrugged, but the twinge of a devious smile on her lips gave her away.
"Who knew lawyer-girl could put on the manipulative bitch pants?"
"Who knew Brooke Davis could describe why she deserves her company so eloquently?" Rachel countered, her smile nothing but proud, now.
Brooke couldn't help but beam. "I did kinda rock that, didn't I?"
Rachel put an arm around her, squeezing her shoulder and tugging her into a hug. "You kinda definitely did, Brooke Ermengarde."
"Which is better, "determined" or "resolute"? Or should I think of something more dramatic?" Brooke tapped the pen on her chin.
"I think "determined" sounds more natural," Rachel offered thoughtfully. She sat on the other side of the couch, her legs pulled up against her comfortably. "You want to be you, Brooke."
"Wrong," Brooke huffed. "I want to be you. Tell me again why I'm not making Lawyer-Girl write this whole speech? You could probably have that whole room throwing tiaras at me. You're smart, you're eloquent, you can--"
Rachel eyed her, carefully. She gave her "the look," one which Brooke often received and was quite content to pretend not to see. "Brooke," was all her friend needed to say.
"I can't do this, Rach. I know why I need this company. I know why I want it. But I can't describe it. And I can't make them understand. Whatever fantastic phrase I come up with, Victoria will do me one better. She knows how to work them better. What the hell do I know?"
"So what are you even trying for, then?" Rachel challenged, sitting up and looking at Brooke closely, examining her. "Why do you even deserve it? Explain it to me."
With a frustrated sigh, Brooke slammed the pencil down on the notepad. She put her head in her hands and looked into the kind, inquisitive eyes of her friend.
"When I told my mother I wanted to start a company, she said 'Your chances are one in a million.' And I said, 'Maybe I'm that one.' And she said, 'You're not." And she was wrong. I carved the backbone of Clothes Over Bros from my two hands and a website. The clothes, the label, the ideas were all from my own resources. Victoria found me when she saw my company was going somewhere, that it had potential...potential I was on my way of fulfilling. Our business partnership did benefit the company. It spawned the cosmetics line, the magazine, and took Clothes Over Bros a step further. But she made me think I would fail without her, and I haven't. I won't. This new line, Baby Brooke...it's going to draw a whole new market. And without Victoria, this company is going to thrive. And it's going to thrive with me at the top. Whatever Victoria Davis thought she saw in me was wrong. Because I am one in a million. If they can't see that, then they're all wrong...just like her."
There was a weighty silence, and Brooke eyes flickered from the blank notepad to Rachel's small, knowing smile. She gave a little huff. "You totally just did that on purpose, didn't you?"
Rachel just shrugged, but the twinge of a devious smile on her lips gave her away.
"Who knew lawyer-girl could put on the manipulative bitch pants?"
"Who knew Brooke Davis could describe why she deserves her company so eloquently?" Rachel countered, her smile nothing but proud, now.
Brooke couldn't help but beam. "I did kinda rock that, didn't I?"
Rachel put an arm around her, squeezing her shoulder and tugging her into a hug. "You kinda definitely did, Brooke Ermengarde."