High School Never Ends-
Note: (In terms of my fanfics, this story is a flashback. This story is the back-story to my first fic- No Place Like Home For the Holidays.) It is two days before graduation. Haley is incredibly pregnant and has been relying heavily on Brooke and Nathan for emotional support. She does talk to Peyton and they are still on good terms. Lucas and Peyton are still dating, but since their initial get-together, the spark seems to have gone out. But, with Brooke single, and Jake back in Tree Hill for the ceremony, sparks are sure to fly...
"Nathan! NATHAN...Stop!" Haley was giggling as her husband was tickling her with the tassel from her newly acquired graduation cap. Her gown, a sheer pile of blue fabric, lay folded on the table next to the couch she was lying on. Brooke had had to loosen the seams a bit (A bit is what she told Haley, a massive, but kind-hearted understatement.)
Once he stopped, Nathan placed her cap gingerly back atop her gown, and settled back onto the couch, lying behind his now very pregnant wife.
"Can you believe?" Haley said. "Can you believe that we are two days away from being High School graduates?"
"Actually, I'm more in awe of the fact that any day now we're gonna be parents," Nathan said, kissing the top of Haley's head. And he truly was. Ever since Haley had returned from the hospital after the accident, Nathan had dedicated his life to providing for his unborn son and wife. He took back his old job in the mall and worked whenever he could. And each time he came home from work, he always bought a little present for his son from a little baby boutique and a single rose from the florists. It wasn't much, but Nathan was willing to do all he could to make them happy...
"Nathan, are you even listening to me?" Haley questioned, laughing.
He hadn't been. Her voice shook him back to reality.
"Wha-Yeah, sure of course, sounds great," Nathan tried to cover for himself.
"So great! We'll name our son Xavier!" Haley said. The look on Nathan's face made her giggle. "Well, at least now you're listening," she laughed.
"Have you thought of any names yet, Hales?" Nathan asked, snuggling close to his wife.
"Well," she started uneasily. "I was thinking about naming him Keith," she said, bracing herself for Nathan's reaction.
"That's wonderful, Haley," Nathan whispered. Naming their son after his beloved uncle gave Nathan a sense of pride. "That's perfect."
And they would've dozed off, if someone hadn't burst into their apartment...
"Tutor Wife! You are going to love me even more than you already do!" Brooke Davis had entered the apartment. She was carrying a massive box, something that made Haley very uneasy. Nathan and Haley, with some difficulty got up, and walked to the kitchen table, where Brooke had placed the box.
"Brooke?" Haley asked, nervously. The previous boxes Brooke had brought over had been filled with lots of drawings for Haley to look at and decide if she liked. Apparently, they were for Haley's "Post-Baby Body". But, Haley doubted that, even at her original size, she would be able to wear some of Brooke's risqué designs.
"This time it's different, O Conservative One!" Brooke said happily to her best friend. Nathan brought the girls each a bottle of water and Haley waited anxiously for Brooke to reveal the contents of the box.
"I would like to present to you, Haley James Scott, and Mr. Nathan Scott, a humble gift for the soon to be born golden-child!"
She opened the box and inside was two adorable onesies that Brooke had designed and made herself. One had a bunch of little basketballs and hoops, with the words, "MAP: Most Adorable Player". The other made Haley laugh. It was white and had the words,
"Brooke Davis Loves Me! Jealous?"
across the front.
"You like?" Brooke said, biting her lip.
"Oh they're sooo cute, Brooke! Thank you!" Haley got up to hug her friend, but Brooke, knowing that the process of Haley standing up these days took close to twenty-five minutes instead walked to her friend and hugged her.
The friends continued to drink and chat, and wonder just how the last day of school would go...
Meanwhile, at Lucas' house, he and Peyton were having what seemed like the nine-hundredth fight ever. Since one month after his accident, their relationship had started to crumble. Neither one wanted to admit it though, so they continued staying together and began to fight in a very "Pathan-esque" way.
"What do you mean I don't care?" Lucas said angrily. "I've always been there for you! Even when I shouldn't have been!"
His last words struck a nerve with Peyton. "Shouldn't have been? Do you mean when you were with Brooke and said 'She's not you' or when you came with me to see if my DAD was DEAD or not and we almost ha-?"
"Don't even Peyton! I saved you from that psycho and the school shooting! And yet now you say I don't care because I forgot some silly little day!"
"Silly? Luke, it's our anniversary!" Peyton was getter angrier and angrier. "Well, it seems fitting," Peyton said, with a sigh.
"What?" Lucas said, trying to calm his nerves and his heart after such a big disturbance.
"Fitting to end it now. We tried, Lucas. But, it's just not there," she said simply, and with that she walked calmly out of Lucas' bedroom, leaving a very confused, somewhat liberated, Lucas Scott...
DING! DING!
The halls of Tree Hill High filled with screams, laughs, and students. The final bell of the year had rung. Haley, Nathan, Brooke, Lucas, and Peyton, who all miraculously had the same last class together, were probably the most excited, though Peyton and Luke were still in their post-breakup awkward stage. Regardless, the five friends walked out of their class last, to find a very quickly deserted hallway, littered with papers and tests, binders and notebooks, pencils and pens.
The school had been everything for them for four years. It kept everyone together. It forged friendships. It broke them. It saw heartaches and happiness. Despair, depression, and even death happened here.
Nathan's jersey number was painted on a rock in the quad.
Haley's name was posted in the tutor center for all those in need of help.
Flyers for old Tric shows still hung on bulletin boards.
The trophy for the state championship still gleamed in a case in the office.
And as the friends walked to their respective lockers they couldn't help but feel the weight of how big this moment was. It was the ending of an era. The start of a new life.
Naturally, this triggered the emotions of all three teenage girls and they began to cry. Neglecting their lockers, all three decided to leave everything there, as if they were never truly leaving. The three friends had gone through a lot during their four years here: Laughter, betrayal, forgiveness, pregnancies, unconventional roommates, rock stars, and tattoos. They had overcome it all and remained friends until now, the eve of their graduation their separation. They gathered into a group hug, quite literally, leaning on their friends for support, one final time.
Nathan and Lucas looked at one another. They laughed and shared a man-hug, but both were traveling down memory lane as well. This school had changed their lives, too. They finally became the brothers they were destined to be. They shared a love of a game, a love that brought them, however rocky, on the journey to where they stood today.
And as all five friends walked out of the school for the last time, they didn't say a word. Four years had come to speak for themselves...
"Here's to freedom!" Brooke said, lifting a glass of sparkling cider for a toast. In true Brooke Davis fashion, she had organized a party for the night before the graduation ceremony. Held at Rachel's enormous mansion, there was room for everyone in the school, which was a good thing seeing as that was who Brooke had invited.
"TO FREEDOM!" the crowd yelled, raising their glasses, some of which Brooke knew did NOT have just cider in them, and cheering.
Brooke, Peyton, and Haley were all happily chatting in one of the many rooms in Rachel's house when Rachel, clearly a little tipsy, waltzed into the room.
"Heya guys!" Rachel said. She hiccupped twice and then continued to speak. "This came in the mail for you!" She held a letter out to Brooke. It said "Rogue Vogue: Extraordinary Fashion for Extraordinary Girls" emblazoned on the front.
"AH!" Brooke screamed happily as she jumped to grab the letter. Rachel let her take it and walked out of the room, humming "SexyBack" under her breath and looking for someone to dance with.
Brooke tore open the envelope and...
"Congratulations! We received your job application and are pleased to inform you that you'll be working for us starting in the fall! Thank you and welcome to Rogue Vogue!"
"AWESOME!" Haley yelled, wanting desperately to be able to jump up and down like all excited girls, but, due to her condition, she resorted to clapping for her best friend.
"Brooke, that's great," Peyton said. She truly was happy for her friend, and wished that she could say more. But they had drifted. And things could never be the same.
Oh, things would never be the same all right. As the Tree Hill seniors partied, one of their former classmates had just crossed the town line, driving slowly past the "Welcome to Tree Hill" sign, remembering with a sigh his long-abandoned past. His future was presently sleeping in her car seat. Little Jenny meant the world to him, and, after he was granted sole custody of the child, he made the easiest decision of his life; he started to drive home. Home to his family. Home to his friends. And home to a girl who held his heart, a girl who took his breath away, a girl whom his daughter called "Mama". A girl named Peyton Sawyer...
Brooke woke up happy in her bed in the room she shared with Rachel. Rachel, however, had probably spent the night at any one of the basketball player's houses, or was passed out on the couch. Brooke smiled. She was finally getting set to live her dream life. But, on a sadder note, it meant leaving her home, her friends, and well, quite frankly, her Lucas. Speaking of whom, someone was knocking at the door...
Brooke hopped out of bed. She was still tired, but always anxious to be with people. Although she was still wearing her pajamas, Brooke raced downstairs to the door. She pulled it open to reveal a very happy looking Lucas Scott, something Tree Hill had not seen in a long time.
"Luc-Lucas! Hi," she said, a little bit embarrassed, happy, and curious, all at the same time.
"Good morning to you too, Pretty Girl," he said, gesturing to her silk pajamas. "You do know that it's 10 o'clock, don't you?"
"Yeah. Contrary to popular belief, I can tell time," Brooke said, leading Lucas into the living room. She really hadn't looked at the time this morning and now felt behind schedule for her big day...
"What brings you to this part of town?" Brooke said, munching a little piece of toast she'd made herself for breakfast. She and Lucas were sitting next to each other on the couch. "Not that I'm complaining," Brooke said, smiling at her erstwhile lover, her present friend.
"Well," Lucas started. "I was going to ask you two things. You ready?"
Brooke knew what was coming. She put down the toast and braced herself. "As I'll ever be," she said softly.
"Could you ever possibly forgive me? For all of it?" Lucas said. He meant all sorts of things. He needed her to forgive him for every mistake, though he knew it to be impossible. She couldn't possibly...
Brooke, remembering everything, all the happiness, betrayal, mistrust, reconciliation, and then her stupid choice, started to cry. "I guess...I have to," she said. And she really did. To start her new life, she wanted no bad feelings. She wanted to be able to look back at her high school life, and Tree Hill, and be happy, not questioning or miserable.
"Don't cry," Lucas said, wrapping his arms around her. "Why had I ever done anything to hurt her?"
Brooke composed herself and, with her best attempt at a smile, asked, "What's the second thing?"
"I was wondering...if... you maybe...wanted to go to graduation together?" Lucas said, preparing himself for one of three things; a slap, a very angry no, or maybe, just maybe a...
"Yes," Brooke said. "Like a..." She couldn't bring herself to say "date". A date with Lucas would send her straight into a tailspin of emotions that she really wasn't ready for again.
"Like a date," Lucas said, getting up. He held out his hand for Brooke to take.
She did.
Meanwhile, Haley and Nathan were also spending a lazy day at home. After all, the ceremony didn't start for another eight hours.
"You excited, Hales?" Nathan asked kissing his wife of the cheek. "Last time we'll be high school seniors!" He said, laughing.
But Haley was anything but happy. She knew that this meant that everyone would be leaving; Brooke to New York, Peyton to heaven knows where... at least Lucas was staying for a while to help his mother with her new baby.
"I guess. At least tonight will be fun," she said, snuggling closer to her husband. Brooke, with Peyton's help, had planned yet another party, this time at Tric, for after the graduation.
"Yup, I'll bet it will be interesting..."
It was 15 minutes until 6:00. Nathan and Haley were driving to the school, with Brooke and Lucas following in Brooke's car. Peyton had decided to walk and was already there, waiting in the lobby of the school for her friends to arrive.
"Peyton Sawyer. I've never know you to be an early bird," a voice said from behind.
Peyton turned and gasped. She'd recognized the voice, and now, she'd seen his face.
"Hey Jake."
Peyton looked at him. She'd seen him only a few months ago but he still looked so different. But, he was still Jake. Jake. Even the name brought back so many memories, so many different feelings. She loved him.
"You just gonna stand there or are you gonna give us a hug?" Jake said.
Peyton started walked toward him and realized what he meant when he'd said "us". Jenny was clinging to her father's leg, peeking around it to see who he was talking to. Peyton started to cry. Jenny recognized her and said, "MA!" and ran to hug Peyton before she had the chance to hug Jake. Peyton picked the little girl up and kissed her cheek.
"We've missed you," Jake said, and he hugged his two favorite girls in the world...
"Brooke Davis!" The crowd roared in the gym and Brooke walked up the stage set up in the middle of the gym. She was handed her diploma and she calmly walked down the set of stairs leading from the stage. She did it!
"Haley James-Scott!" Haley, helped by Nathan, got up, and walked up to the podium to receive her diploma. She moved the tassel on her cap over and walked back down the other set of steps. She laughed to herself. Tutor Girl has finally graduated. God help anyone who was failing now.
"Peyton Sawyer!" Again, applause. But all Peyton could hear was Jake and Jenny screaming and whistling. She started to cry as she walked to the stage.
"Lucas Scott!" People stood up. They stomped their feet, clapped, and hollered. Lucas made his way to the stage, smiling. He moved his tassel over, and went to stand by his newly graduated friends.
"Nathan Scott!" It was pandemonium. Everyone was going crazy cheering for their best basketball player and great guy. Nathan got up on stage and as soon as he got his diploma, raised it in his fist to more screams and applause. He then walked off the stage and kissed his wife.
And the five friends watched as their fellow classmates stepped out of their old world...
At the graduation party at Tric, Brooke and Lucas are dancing to Augustana's "Boston" on the dance floor, while Jake and Peyton are happily chatting while Jenny plays with Peyton's hair. Nathan and Haley are sitting at the bar, talking with Karen. Suddenly, everyone hears a scream.
"NATHAN!"
It wouldn't be Tree Hill without something intense happening on graduation day. Haley was going into labor. Nathan had driven her to the hospital while Haley told Brooke to grab the "Baby Bag" full of stuff for the hospital from her and Nathan's apartment.
Brooke, Lucas, Peyton, Jake, and Jenny were all sitting in the waiting room of Tree Hill Hospital. Brooke had brought Haley her things and the group waited anxiously for news.
It came in the form of a very exhausted, yet happy looking Nathan Scott. He smiled as he walked into the room.
"It's a boy!" he exclaimed. Though all the people congregated in the room already knew that, they clapped and yelled just the same. "His name is Keith. Would you like to see him?"
They all did.
The friends made their way into the hospital room. Haley was sitting up, holding a little baby wrapped in a blue blanket. He was sleeping soundly, so she silently waved to her visitors.
"Wow," Brooke whispered, in awe of the little boy. What she had put on the onesie was true: she already loved the little guy.
Lucas started to cry. He was excited to be an uncle, but he was crying due to the boy's name. Lucas thought it was very nice for Haley to name the baby after such a beloved person. He loved his friend even more.
"Wanna hold him, Luke?" Haley said. Lucas nodded, and Haley gently passed her sleeping son to his uncle.
"Hey there, little guy," Lucas whispered. "I'm your uncle Lucas, and I love you very much." Lucas passed the baby boy back to Haley and she cradled him close.
The group of friends left Haley and Nathan and their new son to themselves and went home. But the night wasn't over yet...
Lucas, instead of driving Brooke home, started to drive out of town with a bewildered Brooke in the front seat.
"Um, Luke? Where exactly do you think you're taking me?" She said, confused but excited just the same.
"You don't remember the way?" He said. And just then he turned into the parking lot of a restaurant and bar called "The Blue Post".
"Lucas! What's this?" She said. She knew that something must have been going to happen. Lucas was very romantic and if he was taking her to the spot of their first date. Well, she really didn't know what to expect.
"Let's eat first, and then talk," he said, getting out of the car.
The two finished eating and talking and decided to play a game of pool, for old time's sake. Brooke was beating Lucas by a landslide.
"You need some practice," Brooke laughed as she hit yet another ball into a pocket.
"I also need to ask you something," Lucas said.
"Not more questions Luke! I can't take anymore," she said.
"Hear me out, Pretty Girl," he said, and took a deep breath. "I love you. Can we try this whole thing again?"
Brooke didn't know what to say. But she knew she couldn't lead him on.
"I got accepted to an internship with Rogue Vogue," she said.
"That's great!" Lucas said, smiling.
"In New York."
"Oh." His smile faltered. "Well, congratulations I guess."
The two left the bar and drove home silently. As Brooke got out of the car, Lucas said, "I'm always here, I'll always love you. See ya later, Pretty Girl."
Brooke, on impulse, got back into the car, kissed Lucas passionately, then got out again and shut the door, waving goodbye.
Lucas shook his head and laughed, hoping with all hope he'd see her again...
THE END!