This is my fanfiction. Please be critical with your reviews. I need to know if I can actually write, or if all my friends are egging me on (like I presume some friends do for people auditioning on Australian idol!). Just thought I'd try this story out as it is much more fun than uni assignments!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters; Mark Schwahn and other OTH writers created them. No copyright infringement intended. I also don't own the "Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar" rhyme but am insure of where it originated.
Chapter 1
Little Haley Scott sat underneath the counter at her mother's café. The notebook she carries with her everywhere rested upon her bent knees. Haley was an inspiring author. While she was only 8 years old, she had written many stories that her father had published with his old typewriter. The bottom row of her bookshelf in the room she shared with her older brother Lucas was filled with her published stories, unfinished stories and old notebooks.
Haley had been annoyed with how the original Cinderella story ended. So her latest project has been to rewrite her own version. Her version was in the point of view of the step sisters, where an evil Cinderella marries Prince Charming for his money, forces her stepsisters to do all her housework and doesn't let them have the happy ending they deserve.
While she was thinking of an intelligent word to use in her next sentence, two large boots appeared in front of her, almost squashing her little toes.
"Haley, time to get up now. Your mum needs help closing up." Haley looked up to see her dad, Keith, still in his mechanic uniform, peering down at her underneath the counter. She packed away her writing equipment and he helped her up.
Haley helped her mother pick up the dirty plates and cups from the tables, while her brother sulked around the counter, sweeping.
"This is slave labour you know. We learnt about all of that at school. You should be paid for your work." Lucas argued.
"You are getting paid, son. You're getting paid in food. If don't help at the café, you will probably go to bed starving every night." Keith replied.
"Well nobody else has to. Most kids my age…" Lucas started.
"Most kids your age don't know the value of money, have no professional experience and will live off their parent's money until they are 40." Keith interrupted.
"What so when I'm 20 you're just going to kick me out?" Lucas asked.
"No of course not." Keith replied, Lucas sighed gratefully, "You're leaving home as soon as you graduate from school." Keith added smirking at Lucas' not so happy expression. He tossed him a cloth to wipe down the nearest table.
"Dinner's ready." Haley's mother, Karen called from the kitchen. The two boys dropped whatever they were doing and rushed into the kitchen for their usual family dinner.
It was the last day of the school holidays for the two Scott children, and all their friends and peers who attend Tree Hill Primary.
Lucas was standing outside the front of the café, bouncing his basketball waiting for his friends Antwon and Marvin to arrive. Lucas still wasn't allowed to go to the river court by himself, despite the numerous arguments he put forward that 'everyone' was allowed to.
Shortly later a skinny dark skinned boy wearing clothes that were falling off him, and a short, geeky looking boy wearing a huge grin across his face arrived. Lucas and his friends decided to get a quick drink before spending the rest of the day down by the river. Hoping that the big high school kids had something more important to do than to steal their basketball hang out.
The bell hanging over the front door rang as more people entered the café.
"Yo, dawg, look who it is." Antwon said.
Lucas turned to see his cousin Nathan and the gang of bullies, taking time off from egging houses to terrorise customers in the café.
"What's he doing here?" Lucas muttered, getting up from his seat. He stood infront of Nathan with his arms crossed, blocking the path. Antwon and Marvin stood behind Lucas, not as confident in their stance. "What are you doing here?" Lucas demanded.
"It's a free country." Nathan replied, then he noticed Lucas' basketball and scoffed, "What, you going to attack me with your lame old ball skills?" Nathan said and all his buddies burst out cackling.
Karen stepped between the two evil glaring boys. "Lucas, Haley needs help in the kitchen." She said, Lucas stomped away with Antwon and Marvin, leaving Nathan and his buddies still cackling.
In the kitchen Haley sat with her best friend Brooke. Brooke usually stayed at Karen's café, playing with Haley, as her parents were often away busy with work. It was lucky the girl's were best friends, with all the time they were forced to play together. On this day Brooke decided to help Haley write a story so she brought along her Barbie dolls to act out the storyline while Haley scribbled away.
Lucas scoffed when he saw the dolls, "Why do you have to be so girly?" He demanded of Brooke.
"Because I am a girl, you idiot." Brooke replied poking her tongue out.
"Just ignore him." Haley commented, "Boys are stupid."
'That's for sure! I'm never going to date a boy." Brooke replied scrunching up her nose in disgust.
A moment later Karen burst into the kitchen, her face red with fury. "LUCAS SCOTT! Did you empty all the cookies from the cookie jar when I wasn't looking?"
I would usually call cookies, biscuits, but 'cookies' fits better with the story...