This is something that just came to me recently, I'm sorry that it's not the story that I've been writing for the last few months, that is coming though I promise.

This one's AU, Brooke, Haley and Peyton are not from Tree Hill instead they met at college and a huge part of the story is their friendship and their struggles to find love, of course there will be lots of familiar faces from Tree Hill too. Couples are undecided at the moment but I do have something in mind unless the story takes me somewhere else.
Let me know what you think, Lexie :)

Huddled around their small table at the back of the coffee house, Haley and Peyton looked expectantly to their friend.

'Something great happened the other day!' Brooke squealed as she stirred her coffee.

Peyton rolled her eyes at the statement as it wasn't often that something great didn't happen to Brooke, she regularly got excited over the smallest of things that were of little interest to Peyton. Haley on the other hand looked on with more enthusiasm, less bleak in her outlook than her blonde friend, or perhaps just kinder.

'I met this amazing guy!' Brooke grinned in a way that was familiar to her two friends, 'And you know who I thought he'd be perfect for?'

It was an almost weekly occurrence that Brooke would bump into some unsuspecting male who she thought was Mr Right for one of her friends. She was a charmer and usually managed to get the poor guy to agree to a blind date and then blackmailed her friend of choice into joining him. It often meant that she had to do something for Peyton in return for making her go on what she called 'torturous nightmare meetings' but Brooke thought it was worth it as she saw it as work for the greater good.

In Brooke's eyes, a girl's future husband could be lurking just around the corner, no one could ever know where and when their soul mate was going to walk into their life. It was for that reason that she insisted on never leaving the house without make-up, always wearing heels and wearing a smile everywhere. She was the eternal optimist, sure that love was waiting and there was a happy-ever-after for everyone.

Her friend Peyton was rather more cynical. She scoffed at Brooke's efforts pointing out that sooner or later a guy would see through the façade and realise all of her flaws. In Peyton's eyes if it happened that her perfect guy was to see her collecting the morning paper from the lobby with untamed hair and mismatched pyjamas then so be it; he shouldn't not fall in love with her for being normal. She believed that a book shouldn't be judged by it's cover and if a guy was that shallow then he wasn't the guy for her. She wasn't even sure that there was a guy out there for her, it was a nice idea and all but if worst came to worst she would cope just fine on her own.

Haley, the last of the trio did not want to end up alone. She was only twenty-five but the thought seemed to haunt her constantly. She'd been on lots of dates courtesy of her friend Brooke but nothing ever seemed to work out, she was beginning to think that maybe she was doing something wrong as other girls didn't seem to have nearly as much trouble holding down a relationship. She knew her flaws, she was far too practical for her own good; if she saw that things weren't going to work in the long run she'd break it off. No matter how great the guy, no matter how amazing the sex, if she saw no real future she saw no real point. It killed Brooke that she never gave things a proper chance but Haley hated the thought of stringing someone along. She believed to a certain degree that there was someone out there for everyone, as was Brooke's mantra; but she worried that her path may never collide with that of her perfect man and they'd live parallel lives alone, showing her to share some of Peyton's beliefs too.

It was odd in a way that the three girls were such close friends considering their differing personalities; nothing about them seemed to fit together and yet that was what made them so compatible because they balanced each other out. Peyton needed the lift of Brooke's optimism to keep her holding onto the little hope she had; Brooke needed Haley's pragmatism to keep her grounded and Haley needed Peyton's pessimism to shed some humour on the woes of life. They still argued all the time about the smallest of things but for the most part they were the best of friends and it was the strongest relationship any of them had in their lives.

The girls had met at college when they'd been just mismatched and the most unlikely of friends. Since then, they'd formed a bond close to that of sisters and shared everything with one another. Although they each had busy careers they always made time for one another, even if it meant a crowded Starbucks on a Saturday morning when all three of them could have benefited from a lie-in. Brooke had insisted on getting together and in a typical fashion, neither Peyton or Haley had been able to argue their way out of it. It seemed that the hidden agenda for Brooke's meeting was for her to once again play cupid.

Peyton tore the croissant before her into three as Haley opposite her did the same with the pain-au-chocolat; it was a ritual they had perfected. It was only Brooke who wasn't joining in, her glistening eyes too focussed on her matchmaking to notice the pastry in front of her.

'Brooke, it never works out with any of the guys you set me up with, can't just let me go on awful dates with guys I choose?' Peyton groaned, clearly having had enough of her friend's interference in her love life.

'Honey, you never choose any guys to date so if it wasn't for me you'd just sit at home on your own all the time listening to slit-your-wrists sing-a-longs.' She patted Peyton's hand in a patronising manner, 'But as it happens, it's not you I'm setting up.'

Peyton puffed a sigh of relief comparable to someone who'd just been let off jail time whilst Haley dropped the knife she'd been using with a clattering clang to mark her frustration.

'No.' Haley said firmly, 'I really appreciate you setting these things up, Brooke, but do you know how mortifying it is to sit at a bar waiting for a stranger to turn up? Even worse a stranger who might not show up at all?'

It seemed that the last set-up Brooke had organised for Haley was still playing on her mind. It had only proved to Brooke that perhaps Rick Lewis wasn't the guy for Haley as he hadn't even bothered to show up, but it had been an exercise in humiliation for her shy friend who was fearful of being stood up once again.

'That's not going to happen this time, Teacher Girl.' Brooke tried to assure her. The nickname Teacher Girl was one reserved only for use by Brooke in reference to Haley's job teaching high school English, it had begun in college where Haley had adopted the name Tutor Girl thanks to her endless hours of aiding Brooke with her assignments.

Peyton, with a mouth of croissant interjected, 'Boycott, Haley, you should stand him up.'

'That's just mean.' Haley shook her head at the idea, 'I know how it feels.'

'You've got to bounce back, Haley, you'll never meet a guy if you don't.' Brooke said forcefully, 'Besides, you can't stand him up because you're meeting him at my store opening.'

The store in question was Brooke's long-awaited fashion boutique in a prime spot amongst the many high-end designer shops that lined the streets of New York. She had been working for another fashion house for years in order to earn enough money for her own store and finally her dream was being realised, not bad for a twenty-something who had gone to college just to satisfy her father and had no experience in running a business. She had once been rather flighty and uninterested in her school work, but having Haley as a roommate had done wonders for her work ethic and installed a belief in her that if she worked hard enough she could make her dreams happen.

'I don't want to spend the night with some strange guy, I want to spend it toasting your success.' Haley whined, although she really did mean her words.

'Hear, hear!' Peyton chorused in agreement.

Brooke fluttered her lashes in a pleased and gracious manner, 'Thank you, but I'm going to be far to busy with journalists and buyers to spend my night on your arm drinking bubbles, as much as I would love to be.'

'Just let Haley pick someone up at the party if she wants to.' Peyton shrugged, 'Don't force some random on her, we're not that pathetic that we can't get our own dates.'

'Really?' Brooke raised her brow skyward, 'So I assume that means that you're bringing someone with you then?'

The blonde flushed slightly, 'Well, no.'

'Exactly.' Brooke smiled triumphantly, 'It's a good thing anyway as I need you to be Haley's wingman.'

Peyton snorted, 'I think that's worse than being set-up, I'm just there to rescue her if she needs it? Can't you do that?'

Brooke seemed exasperated, 'No because I'll be busy, remember that it's my store that's opening!'

'You never said!' Peyton cried, feigning shock, 'Well, that changes everything, maybe I should buy a dress to wear for this?'

For a moment Brooke's eyes bulged in horror at the thought of Peyton showing up in her day-to-day attire of ripped jeans and t-shirt, before she realised that it was a joke, 'You better be wearing a dress, Missy.'

'Do you have no faith?' Peyton groaned.

'I know for a fact that you once turned up to the ballet wearing skinny jeans and a checked shirt!' Brooke returned.

'It was a blind date that you set me up on!' Peyton shot back, 'You neglected to tell me that I needed to dress up. I thought we were going to a bar or something.'

Brooke folded her arms, 'Yeah, well, it's no wonder the Van-der-Wheelers don't talk to me anymore. Their son was mortified.'

'I don't see how you thought that we'd be a good match for each other in the first place!' Peyton said getting worked up once more at the subject of Brooke and her match-making.

'Guys!' Haley couldn't take any more squabbling; she'd endured enough of it through college to know that her two best friends could make any disagreement escalate into a full scale row in minutes just as much as they could start complimenting each other mid-way through an argument. She wasn't prepared to risk a shouting match in a coffee shop least of all over the fact that Peyton never became Lady Van-der-Wheeler.

Brooke turned sheepishly whilst Peyton held a stony glare.

'Sorry, listen, this guy; he's amazing you'll like him I promise.' Brooke committed, 'I would have snapped him up myself if I hadn't been with Bradley at the time.'

Peyton and Haley couldn't help but exchange a look at the statement.

'So what makes you think that he's my perfect guy then?' Haley conceded flatly.

The sparkle returned to Brooke's eye and she began speaking animatedly about the guy's love for books, old fashioned romance and kids; three of Haley's favourite things.

Even Peyton looked impressed, 'You've found the male version of Haley.'

'Yes!' Brooke clapped her hands, 'So you'll meet with him?'

'Do I have a choice?' Haley asked but in a brighter tone than before.

'No. Okay, he's tall, blond and handsome, oh and he'll be wearing a blue shirt. Just in case I don't speak to you properly before Thursday night; you know I'm going to be a complete wreck by then!' She produced her blackberry from her bag to check the time, 'Well ladies, it's been a pleasure but I really have to go, I have so much to do!'

'What?' Haley had more questions about the mystery man.

Brooke's eyes softened, 'I'm sorry, I'm just ridiculously busy! The store's ready but I have so much stock to go through and people to organise. I'll call you both before Thursday but I probably won't be making much sense. Haley, this guy is faultless and Peyton, just go along with this for Haley, please.'

Peyton pulled a sour face like a child being forced to eat their greens, but agreed for the sake of Haley who she knew deep down was longing for the guy to be the wonderful specimen that Brooke was making him out to be.

'I'll call you!' Brooke repeated as she melted into the crowds in the packed café, her heeled feet dancing around shopping bags, strollers and tables as she headed for the exit.

'That girl.' Haley said in a chuckle, feeling the calm that came after the storm settling in the wake of Brooke.

'Do you think she's serious about the dress thing?' Peyton asked in such a deadbeat tone that Haley took it to mean that it wasn't actually a joke.

'If you value your life, I'd say it's pretty important that you wear a dress.' Haley shook her head.

Peyton began whispering in a low voice, picking through her wardrobe in her mind, scouring for something acceptable to wear, 'I think I need to go shopping.'

Shopping on New York's busy streets for a dress had turned out to be a horrible idea from Peyton, the place was packed with people and the heat was stifling. This had led her to buy the first outfit she tried on, something she knew would horrify Brooke but it was designer so that would earn her some points, she hoped.

Fashion had never been her thing, not high end at least. There was a certain style about her that she'd inherited from her parents; it was the only thing that she really felt comfortable in and that was all that mattered to her when it came to clothes. It was ironic, of course, that she had enough money for high-end couture and yet liked nothing more than band-tees and converse. Brooke had long since given up on trying to style Peyton, eventually coming to realise that she was a 'lost cause'.

After paying for her pricey choice of outfit, Peyton took a stroll to Central Park; one of her favourite places in the city. It was a strange kind of oasis in the hubbub that was New York and Peyton loved it. As an artist, it was a nice place to come for some inspiration, somewhere that reminded her that there was a world out there that didn't revolve around stocks and shares, shopping, commuting and the general rush that went on in the city surrounding the park. It never failed to take her back to her childhood and all of the places that she'd visited as a girl.

As a child, Peyton had travelled from place to place, always on the road with her parents. Yet it was always New York that she loved the most of all of the cities and towns that she'd visited. It was a place that a person could get lost in, and yet never be alone at the same time. She loved that she could hide herself in the many corners of the city; the fact that there was always somewhere else to explore and new people to meet.

Growing up on a tour bus had been a lonely time for Peyton, even though there had always been a group around her, none of them were her age or like her in any way. They had all been her parents' age, trapped in the bubble of the rock star lifestyle and usually intoxicated on either liquor or on a constant high from a whole range of drugs that was readily available to them. It was something that had always made her dislike small towns, there she was always a spectacle to other kids, an outsider who never knew the latest fashions, didn't play the same playground games and had 'weird' parents. Cities were different, there were often lots of kids whose parents had more obscure professions and trends changed so quickly that people were always out of the loop. It wasn't that Peyton necessarily fitted right into city lifestyle, but she didn't stick out either.

When it had come to the time for Peyton to choose where she wanted to go to high school, she had chosen New York almost instantly. It offered all of the perks of the city but there was also a hidden depth that she'd loved about it from the moment she'd first visited at the tender age of four. It was a city of layers, such a vast array of people in one confined space and of course a good music scene.

There had been a lot of things that Peyton would have happily changed about her upbringing given the chance, but music was not one of them. There never seemed to be a moment in her memory that didn't have a song to match it. Her whole life had a soundtrack; every city, every adventure, every sad moment, they all had music to accompany them. For that she had her parents to thank. Mick and Ellie were about as far away from ideal parents as you could get Peyton supposed. They were more interested in their next fix than their own daughter, and often left the childrearing to whatever poor suspecting soul was trying to manage the tour. Peyton learnt a lot from her parents, mainly how not to live her life, but one thing she did gain from them was a passion and flair for music. It was with her everywhere she went and was a way of escaping to a world away from reality.

As she strolled through Central Park, her thoughts wandered to her parents. As a general rule, she tried not to allow it to happen too often – thinking about her parents – as it only made her angry or upset, even guilty sometimes. She'd left their lifestyle behind when she was fourteen so that she could attend school and gain an education, it had been her idea to do so and her parents were thrilled by it; it meant that they no longer had to drag her around with them. From that young age Peyton had run her own life by her own rules and had made more of a success of it than her wayward parents ever had. There was always a thought in the back of her mind when her mind wandered to her parents, and it was why they hadn't given her up at the first chance they got. It had always seemed to her that she was a burden on them so she'd never figured out for why they had put up with her for the time that they did, but like most questions she had about her parents, she'd never got around to asking them. She knew better than to dwell on the past but sometimes it crept up on her, she had learnt to push the feelings away and instead think of how great her life had turned out. She was twenty-five and had a new family, albeit not connected by blood but by bonds formed by stronger ties. A smile threatened her lips as it always did when she thought of Brooke and Haley, a better family she couldn't imagine.

Haley, although she often outwardly protested to Brooke's spontaneous blind dates, secretly liked them. There had been some catastrophes, in fact many catastrophes, especially in the earlier days when Brooke had set her up with guys based on how attractive they were. There had been definite progress though, Haley had to admit. After she and Peyton had given Brooke a lecture on personality over looks, there had been dramatic improvements in the men that Brooke picked out. She at least had Haley's idea of the perfect man, although she'd had little success in understanding Peyton's psyche much to the annoyance of the blonde. Recently, ignoring the one guy that had stood her up, Haley had enjoyed the dates she'd been on even though they hadn't come to anything.

The perfect man; it was something that the three girls had discussed on many occasions. They soon came to realise that they each had very different ideas of what it was exactly, which made a lot of sense considering their dissimilar personalities. Haley had explained to Brooke that she was looking for a guy that was romantic, warm and reliable. She wanted someone who made her feel secure, a guy that was honest and kind, and a man who would put her first. She just had no idea whether he actually existed or she was just living in a fantasyland as Peyton had remarked. Brooke, ever the optimist had promised her that he was out there, and she would help her to find him. So they had christened him 'Mr Haley' and begun the quest to seek him out.

It sounded as though Brooke's latest find was a definite contender for the title of 'Mr Haley' but Haley had learnt long ago not to judge someone on Brooke's credentials. Still, it never hurt to get dressed up and get excited over the possibility of meeting that guy. She realised how much she sounded like Brooke in that moment but maybe that was a good thing; Brooke always had a guy on her arm.

Although Haley wasn't one for long relationships – not because she didn't want one, but purely because she hated dragging out things that had no future – she loved the idea of them. It was the dream, she believed. That was perhaps what excited her so much about first dates; the possibility that she was on the cusp of the greatest adventure she would ever embark upon. The journey could start with just one date, something that in years to come she would look back on with fondness and affection. She also liked the feeling of butterflies that always circled her stomach before she met new people; she always saw it as excitement rather than nerves. She liked to meet new people, even though she was rarely the first to initiate conversation. The fact that each person had their own story, and had a completely unique view on the world was a source of endless fascination to her.

She stared blankly at her wardrobe, wondering what she would wear for Brooke's store opening. It was going to be a classy affair with the top names in fashion present, if that wasn't enough of a worry; she was going to be on a date at the same time. All of the dresses hanging before her had been worn on numerous occasions before, witnessed by both of her friends but she really didn't have the money for anything new; her wage as a school teacher and her high rent didn't allow her such luxuries. She knew that Brooke would have happily given her a new creation or better still hand stitched a gown tailored specifically for her needs but Brooke had far too much going on; it wasn't fair to bother her. Haley was also aware that Peyton would give her the money for a dress and never expect her to repay the debt but over the years Haley had received so many free loans here and there that she didn't want to ask for anymore. She would make do as her mother had always taught her, that method had yet to fail her. Haley had grown up in a big family of which she was the baby. They hadn't had a lot of money, enough to get by but little more for treats and indulgences, she had grown up with the hand-me-downs of her sisters and had learnt the value of money. There was in fact enough money in her account for a nice frock but being a saver, she didn't want to splurge it all on one night, it was for her future. She wanted to look good but knew that appearances were only the tip of the iceberg and people shouldn't be judged so readily upon them, with that in mind she returned to her closet in search of a forgotten gem.

Beyond the professional garments that were a necessity for work, Haley hid her guilty pleasures. There were shoes that she could barely walk in, dresses that she had no occasions for and items that had long since been fashionable but she couldn't let go of. There were also high school year books and photo albums on the higher shelving. As she stretched up, patting her hand blindly along the tallest of the ledges for some inspiration, her hand came to rest on a small tatty book she couldn't place in her mind. Pulling it free from the dust and old memories it was lying beneath she settled her eyes on something she had forgotten all about; her teenage diary.

She sank onto her bed, ignoring the dresses that were creasing underneath her weight; she was engrossed by the faded silver book in her hand. High school had not been a happy time for her, at that time she hadn't had a best friend or anything close. Although there had been a group that she'd associated with she was always the outsider, even amongst the academics of her grade. She was conscientious, hard-working and kind; all qualities that she still possessed, but that was never enough for the kids she walked the halls with. They were all looking to be accepted and considered 'cool', Haley never wanted to be cool, she was far too shy and meek. Having little money hadn't ever bothered her; she came from the happiest of homes, but some reason it mattered to those in her class, as though she was a lower ranking citizen because of it. There were a few of her peers that like her were more focussed on their studies than passing trends and popularity and although they were nice enough, they weren't the socializing type. It made for lonely teenage years, some that Haley looked back on with great sadness. She was just thankful that things had changed for the better at college. Brooke and Peyton, as much as they didn't exactly understand Haley completely, accepted her in the same way that she did to them in return.

The words of a sad adolescent girl Haley had buried long ago were suddenly brought to life again as she skimmed her eyes over her own tidy scrawl. She knew that teenagers all faced the struggles that she had; the battle to be yourself; the wondering whether you would ever fit it; why you were in that place at that time; what did it all mean. Haley knew that hers was only one of a collective voice of thousands of confused, lost teenagers but at the time it had felt as though she was the only one and it still hurt her to relive the thoughts and feelings of her younger self. She knew from looking at her own students that many were trapped in the place she had been then and only hoped that like her they would be able to look back knowing that it had all been part of the journey and would shape them into the people that were to become. Whether that was the true reasoning behind teenage angst Haley was unsure but it was the way that she preferred to look at it. She liked to believe that her path to becoming a teacher and the woman that she was had stemmed from her time as a teenager and in a warped way it was worth the struggle.

After a quick flick through the pages of memory lane, Haley tucked the book back where she'd found it. Her eyes fell on a slither of taupe coloured satin as she fell back on her heels, she grinned realising that she'd accidentally found the perfect dress.

Brooke span around in a small circle, her arms open wide and a gleeful smile on her face. Her skirt floated in the breeze created by her movement and her hair caught on her lip gloss as it whipped around her face. She stopped, just short of giving herself a dizzying headache and let out an animated squeal to verify her excitement. She could barely believe that she was stood in her own store which brushed shoulders with some of the biggest names in New York fashion.

It was a little bubble that she had yet to share with the world; the windows were screened by huge signs announcing the forthcoming opening of the store only to be tore down on the opening night, until then it was all hers. There were of course people coming in and out; builders, the site manager, decorators and sales assistants, but no one who understood just what it meant; those people would be there on the grand opening. It was what Brooke had been waiting for her whole life and she could scarcely wait; one night all about her and her achievements. If she'd listened to all the pessimistic voices that had followed her as she'd grown up she would never had got to the point where she was on the edge of her own empire. It was against all odds that she was stood there, she had her never fading belief to thank for that.

Glancing at the name of her company embellished above the wide curve of the architecture she smiled wider still. It had taken her a long time to finalise a name, in the end it had come to her during a late night drinking session.

The biggest names in fashion tended to be named in honour of their creator, although of course often the mogul changed their name to fit the company. Brooke wasn't keen on either changing her name or christening her company 'Brooke Davis'. She didn't have a problem with her name, she had got this far with it and didn't see the point in changing it; it was more hassle than it was worth in her eyes. It was just that her name didn't seem to stand tall amongst the greats of Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel and Ralph Lauren; perhaps it was because they had made their name already or possibly they did just have a nice ring, she wasn't entirely sure. The one thing she did know was that she didn't want her family's name to be associated in any way to what she'd achieved, because she done it without their help. She barely even heard from her parents these days; Richard and Victoria were happily living it up in LA spending their daughter's inheritance.

It was over a bottle of chardonnay during a complex and frankly boring argument that Haley and Peyton had been having over religion that the name was born. Brooke hadn't really been listening to her two friends as they'd bickered over the pros and cons; she'd heard it all before. Haley was open to the idea that perhaps something was out there and Peyton point-blank refused to entertain the notion. It was only when Haley had started garbling about the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit that Brooke had tuned into the conversation. On her announcement of 'That's it! The name of my company!' both her friends had paused to throw her a strange look. Brooke doubted that she would have ever thought of it if her brain hadn't been on autopilot as it often was when she'd had a drink but she was ever-grateful that it had been.

The silver lettering above the cash registers shone in the light reflected from the diamond chandelier hanging front and centre. Brooke Trinity the words smiled at her from their throne. She didn't mind that it was a religious reference; to her it meant belief and keeping the faith, which summed up how the company had come to be. She also liked the double edge that Trinity happened to mean three which perfectly captured what was at the heart of everything she did; her family which was the perfect trio of her, Haley and Peyton.

Thanks for reading, I'd love to hear what you think as this isn't my usual style of writing.
A lot of the feelings come from how my two best friends and I felt growing up, within the group of three there was an optimist, a realist and a pessimist and we all had - and still have - different views on life and love. Yet we're the best of friends and it kind of reminds me of the girls in the show so hopefully this story shows a fragment of how everyone feels at one point.

Anyway enough rambles!