Heartbeats
by YourArtMatters23
Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill. The title is based on the song by José González.
AN: This is my first fanfiction, so I always appreciate criticism and am happy about reviews. I'm not a native english speaker and therefore I am looking for a beta reader. Please send me a PM if you are interested.
I hope you enjoy the first chapter :)
Chapter 1
Haley had been sitting in front of her laptop for the last two hours, but she couldn't find a summer job and she was slowly losing hope that she would find one at all.
In the beginning, she had been looking for a job in a café or restaurant since that was the only job she had any experience in, but as more and more time went by, she had been considering just about anything.
She wished Karen, her best friend Lucas's mum, wouldn't close her café for the summer so that Haley could just work in her café like the rest of the year. But Karen was going to Italy for a cooking school she had wanted to attend forever and Haley was very happy for her.
After another hour of surfing through the internet, Haley slammed her Laptop shut and groaned loudly, just as her door was opening.
"Wow, what has the laptop done to deserve that," Lucas asked laughing and went over to give Haley a hug.
Lucas and Haley had been best friends for eight years and spend a lot of time together. Since Haley was the youngest of six children, she used to spend as much time as possible at Karen's because she thought that they needed her more than her own family did, because there were only the two of them.
"Ugh, don't ask," Haley groaned and put her head in her hands.
"Still haven't found a job for the summer?" Lucas asked concerned. He knew how important it was for Haley to find a job to save up for college, since her parents couldn't afford the tuition for all of their six children.
Haley shook her head and looked defeated.
"Alright, stop. Moping is not going to get you a job," Lucas said, earning an eye roll from Haley but he just kept going. "We are going to the Rivercourt and ask the guys if they have an idea who might be hiring."
"That's actually a good idea!" Haley said, pretending to be surprised. "Well, I guess there's a first time for everything," she added smirking and pulled Lucas out the door.
"How is it possible that not a single person is looking to hire someone? I mean, I know, Tree Hill is not exactly New York, but this is just crazy!" Haley said, turning around to talk to Brooke and Peyton, while Mrs. Hudson, their English teacher, was giving out some papers.
Brooke and Peyton had known each other for as long as Haley and Lucas had known each other, but Haley had just gotten to know them in the past year. Even though their friendship was quite new and the three of them were completely different characters, they had gotten really close.
"Have you asked the guys? They always know what's going on around here. Maybe they have an idea," Brooke suggested, trying to be a little optimistic.
"Luke and I talked to them last night, but no luck," Haley answered.
"I'm sure you'll find something, you're Haley James!" Peyton added and and pinched her playfully, trying to get a smile out of Haley.
Haley knew they were trying to cheer her up so she attempted a smile, which unfortunately turned out to be more like a grimace.
"Haley, do you have a minute?" Mrs. Hudson asked after the lesson.
"Sure," Haley answered with a fake smile. She really liked Mrs. Hudson and usually didn't mind talking to her, but she wasn't in the mood for talking today.
Hoping this wouldn't take too long so she could join her friends for lunch, Haley walked over to her teacher.
"I couldn't help but overhear you talking to Brooke and Peyton during the lesson," Mrs. Hudson started and Haley's mood dropped even further.
She couldn't believe that Mrs. Hudson was about to give her a lecture about talking during class when she had much bigger problems.
"Yeah, I'm sorry, we won't talk again during the lesson," Haley apologised, hoping this would cut the conversation short and she could go eat the brownie she had packed for lunch. The Brownie had been her silver lining all day.
"Oh no, that's not what I meant," Mrs. Hudson smiled at her and Haley's confusion was written all over her face.
"Is it true, that you are looking for a summer job?" she continued and Haley nodded, trying to hide her growing confusion.
"Oh that's great! I might just have the perfect job for you," Mrs Hudson said as excited as Haley felt.
"Are you serious? That's great! What kind of job is it?"
"It's a tutoring job in a summer school that is also a camp! The camp is brand new and is trying to create a nice environment for kids, who have to attend summer school. They were planning on opening it next year, but there is a very high demand already, so they decided to open this year. Are you interested? And do you happen to know someone else who might be willing to work in the camp?"
Haley couldn't contain her joy anymore. She started jumping up and down and she had to use all her self-control not to hug her teacher.
Instead she thanked her over and over again and assured her, that she would ask everyone she knew.
Mrs. Hudson laughed at Haley's excitement and promised to email her the details immediately.
Haley practically ran into the cafeteria and started looking for her friends. She went over to them and immediately told them the good news.
"Oh. My. God!" Brooke exclaimed when Haley said "summer school camp".
"You can't be serious! I didn't want to tell you because I was ashamed but I have to go there to study this summer! I'm failing math...and chemistry… but this is awesome! Tutor girl, you will be there doing what you do best, and P. Sawyer, you are so going to apply for a job there, too, and then this summer will be awesome! And Luke, you have to apply there, too, of course! The three of us can share a cabin, sorry Luke, and we'll have sleepovers every night and ..."
"Brooke, hold on" Haley laughed! "I thought I was excited about this..."
"And, well, I hate to break it to you, but what kind of job could I possibly apply for, Brooke? It's not like I have ever tutored anyone, or even wanted to, for that matter..." Peyton chipped in.
"Yeah, the same goes for me," Lucas agreed.
"Well Mr. and Mrs. pessimistic, we'll figure something out, we always do! This is going to be the best summer ever!" Brooke announced while Peyton and Lucas blushed at Brookes choice of words.
Before anyone could mention another concern Brooke had left the cafeteria, surely already planning their summer.
The next day, Haley, Peyton and Lucas had already applied for jobs in the camp. They had spent the last afternoon reviewing all the information Mrs. Hudson had sent Haley and everyone had found a job that suited them… more or less.
Haley applied for the tutoring job for her own age group, so that she would be tutoring Brooke. Haley's grades had been nearly perfect this year and everything she had learned was still fresh in her mind, so she didn't have to prepare all that much.
She was really confident she would get the job. With the recommendation Mrs. Hudson had promised to send in and her experience as a tutor at her school, she was sure everything would work out.
She was a little worried about Lucas and Peyton's applications, though. Neither Lucas nor Peyton had ever tutored anyone in their life. The only job where they could meet the requirements was supervising some of the younger kids. Peyton wasn't happy about that at all. She had wanted to spend her summer looking for new music, renovating her room and drawing all day long, but Brooke could be very convincing, and sometimes even scary, so Peyton had agreed.
"Do you think you have to wait for a long time to hear back from them?" Brooke asked when they were having lunch the next day.
"Well, we only sent the applications last night. But they shouldn't take too long since the camp is supposed to open in two weeks and Mrs. Hudson told me they are really desperate by now," Haley said.
Just then, Haley's phone vibrated, announcing the income of an email. Ever since she had sent the application yesterday she nearly jumped out of her skin every time she got an email.
"Guys, I got the job! Check your Mails!" Haley nearly shouted at them.
Lucas and Peyton got out there phones but before Peyton could check her emails, Brooke had snatched the phone from her and squealed with delight after reading the Mail.
"I'm in, too," Lucas said laughing at Brookes outburst.
"Summer camp, here we come!" Brooke said with a big smile on her face.
"Brooke, we are going to summer school and not to a fashion show," Haley laughed when she entered Brookes room the day before they were leaving for camp. The floor was covered in clothes and shoes, two suitcases that appeared to be full already, were standing in the hallway and two more suitcases were lying on the bed, waiting to join the other two in the hallway.
"You have no idea," Peyton said while getting up to give Haley a hug. "Thank god you're here now. She is going crazy. I tried to stop her but when I touched one of her shirts, she scratched me," Peyton said, showing Haley a rash Brooke had given her.
"You and you," Brooke said pointing to each of them, "on the bed and don't touch ANYTHING!" Peyton and Haley looked at each other and decided it would be best to follow Brooke's instructions.
Brooke kept on running from her closet to her suitcases and back and packed and unpacked what looked like about a thousand items, while Peyton and Haley sat on her bed.
"I really don't know if I can do this, Haley. I mean, I don't even particularly like children and now I have to look after them for the whole summer? They probably cry all the time because they are homesick and complain because they have to learn and won't listen to me when I tell them to tidy up…" Peyton said lying back on Brooke's bed and covering her face with a pillow.
"You'll be fine," Haley said, pulling away the pillow. "Remember, you won't do that by yourself. Every group gets two supervisors and I'm sure your group will be fine and your partner will be nice and … you'll be fine!"
"You already said that, genius," Peyton laughed.
"Guys, I have NOTHING to wear," Brooke exclaimed an hour later.
Peyton and Haley exchanged a look and burst out laughing.
"Aright," Haley said after she had calmed down. "Brooke, go sit on the bed, Peyton, come with me," Haley said, getting up and walking towards the hallway, with Peyton following close behind. They dragged the heavy suitcases back into Brooke's room, opened them and dumped everything back on the floor. They ignored Brooke's protest while sorting through the clothes, making two piles.
"All the clothes that are inappropriate for camp go on pile here," Haley explained, pointing to her left, "and all the other clothes go here."
Much to Haley's surprise, Brooke didn't complain but stayed on her bed, moping.
After about twenty minutes Haley and Peyton had finished going through all the clothes. On the left side, there was a huge pile with the inappropriate items of clothes and a much smaller pile on the other side of the room.
A few fights later, Brooke had one suitcase packed with everything she needed for camp and Haley and Peyton lay on the floor, completely exhausted.
"Thank god we have already packed our own suitcases," Haley told Peyton.
"Yes, oh and Brooke, you so owe us," Peyton agreed.