Tree Hill Academy
Chapter 2: Welcome Back
Haley James walked into the dorm building 200, pulling a suitcase on wheels in her right hand. Her newly summer highlighted hair swished behind her. She stopped to peer at the sheet on the doors to see what room she was in. There it was. Haley James and Anna Taggaro, Room 6. She and Anna had been roommates since freshmen year. That was the THA (Tree Hill Academy) system. You always had the same roommate but your dorm house or room might be switched.
Anna and Haley though, had really nothing to do with each other. Anna was part of the elite crowd and Haley to put it bluntly, was not. They got along basically. They were both neat so they didn't have squabbles about that. They were also both serious about their grades, so their room wasn't party central. In fact, Haley and Anna just didn't talk much. Haley's only objection was that Anna blared Spanish on the phone at like midnight when Haley was trying to sleep. Not that Haley had anything against the language. It was just hard to fall asleep when jumbles of unfamiliar words were spewing through the room's airwaves. But it was all right for the most part. They lived together reluctantly, albeit quietly.
Haley turned right from the entrance in the diamond shaped dorm to the even side and walked to the corner where room 6 stood in all its glory. The corner rooms were always the biggest which didn't excite or annoy Haley. She really just didn't care. She opened the door and saw her two big suitcases on the floor. Luckily, her roommate wouldn't be there till the end of the week, so she could pick which side of the room she wanted. Anna was probably on some big vacation before Anna and Felix (Anna's brother) would be flown first class back to school. As you can tell, Haley was just a teensy bit jealous of all the wealthy people she was surrounded by. Time to unpack, she thought tiredly, throwing her jacket down on the bed in the left corner, because it was hidden by what would be her closet. She'd have to catch up with her friends later.
Peyton walked into house 200 a few minutes later. She wore a leather jacket and only carried an art portfolio tote. She spotted her name and walked to room 7. She peeked in and luckily her roommate Brooke Davis wasn't there. She loved Brooke, but she knew that she wouldn't have a minute of peace and quiet after she arrived.
Peyton lay down on her bare empty bed sighing. She only had two duffel bags to unpack, not that she was even going to bother to anytime soon. Peyton wasn't into the whole schlepping everything you own to boarding school like a certain roommate she could think of. It was probably better that Peyton brought so little stuff since Brooke barely had enough room for all the shit she brought.
Brooke Davis, Peyton thought. When she had first gotten to boarding school, she had hated her father for throwing her there. And her peppy enthusiastic roommate had looked to be another very bad thing. But Brooke wasn't like that. She and Peyton had just become close and were now best friends. They told each other everything, and Peyton couldn't imagine going to school without Brooke. This summer she had even spent a month in LA with Brooke since she had a tiny internship with a record company.
Peyton decided to stop being lazy and actually get up and do something, but first she was going to the bathroom. When she was in the stall she heard the door open and someone mumbling. When she came out she saw the back of a girl whose face was made clear by the mirror placing her toiletries on one of the spaces provided on the long sink. The girl was Haley James. Peyton and Haley weren't exactly buds but they were friendly. They had taken music electives last year and had worked as partners a number of times.
"Hey Hales," Peyton said walking up to the sink to wash her hands.
"Oh hey Peyton," Haley said turning to smile at her.
"Wow your hair looks great."
Last year Haley's hair had been straight and reddish brown, but over the summer she had let it grow out and it had become wavier. She had also highlighted it, giving it a honey blonde color. "Thanks, but it can't compare to your beautiful curls," Haley smiled.
Peyton blushed. Everyone always complimented her golden curly hair, especially since they looked beautiful with her hazel eyes. She was used to it, but it was still flattering and embarrassing at the same time. "Thanks."
"Well I have to finish packing, so I guess I'll see you later. Maybe tonight at dinner, definitely tomorrow at orientation."
"Sounds good," Peyton said drying her hands and walking back to her room.
Nathan sat driving his SUV, from his house in Tree Hill, to THA. He was less than a little enthusiastic about school. In fact, he hated it. And the fact that the basketball season was coming, didn't mean anything, since his dad had worked him all summer. He sighed already annoyed. Next to him, his older brother Lucas sat hunched over reading a book.
"Luke, I'm sure we'll do enough reading in school. Why are you wasting your time with that now?" Nathan asked rudely.
"Did you even do the summer reading?" Lucas shot back.
Nathan glared at him before reverting his face back to the road. "Whatever," he mumbled.
Lucas shook his head sinking back into his seat. He actually was looking forward to school. This year, he was taking a creative writing elective, and he was really excited. He also had amazing friends, and he loved the team. He smiled. He couldn't wait to see his two best friends, Jake and Haley. Although Lucas was considered one of the wealthy popular students he felt much more comfortable with people who were down to earth and not so shallow. After all, even though he was Dan Scott's son, with his mom he didn't live lavishly like that. He and Haley had met in English class, and had immediately clicked since they both were the only ones to have already read the book for the class. And Jake he had met on the team. They were kind of like the 3 musketeers although they both had other friends, some mutual, most not.
"What are you smiling about?" Nathan asked grumpily turning to enter the front gate of Tree Hill Academy, and driving down to their dorm 102, blatantly ignoring the rule that only houseparents were allowed to drive cars on campus.
"I'm excited to see my friends, and for classes to start," Lucas said staring out the window and taking in the familiar tress and buildings.
"Oh yeah, you're nerd friends," Nathan said blandly.
Lucas frowned, but at least he wasn't calling them the poor wannabe scholarship friends anymore. "Come on Nate, you know Jake's a cool guy."
"Yeah Jake's alright. He can play well."
Lucas rolled his eyes. Everything for Nathan was basketball. He felt bad for Nathan because he was sure Dan had drilled it into him. Lucas had so much less pressure on him. "Yeah, he's also a nice guy," Lucas said with a duh voice.
Nathan shrugged emphasizing his apathy towards the whole subject. He parked the car in front of the dorm, and jumped out to open the trunk and grab his bags out of the car. Nathan walked into his room, number 4, and threw his bags down.
"You ok?" Lucas called following him into the room and putting his things down too although more gently
"Yeah whatever. I'm going to find Tim," Nathan said referring to his best friend.
"I think he's in 1. I'll go with you; I want to talk to Jake."
"Aight," Nathan said walking back to the direction of the entrance and then turning to the room that was directly left from the front doors.
"Nate man, what's up in the hizzzouse?" Tim squealed when the Scott brothers walked through the door.
Lucas rolled his eyes, and pumped fists with Jake who gave him a smile.
"Nothing," Nathan said flopping onto Tim's bed still looking and sounding bored and depressed.
Tim didn't catch it and began to gossip. "Dude, totally saw Brooke Davis walk in, and her skirt was damnnn short. And Rachel man, she always looks totally sexy. Like, whoa." As Tim droned on, Jake and Lucas began to talk quietly.
"Is Nate ok?" Jake asked concerned.
"Burnt out, and not ready for school," Lucas said waving it off knowing that even if Nathan was really upset about something, he wouldn't talk about it anyway.
"Ah," Jake nodded thoughtfully. "Hey Luke, lets go ambush Haley and get her away from finishing all her packing in the first day."
Lucas laughed. "Great idea, let's go."
Brooke Davis pulled her small designer bag through house 200. The trip from the front gate to the dorm had taken longer than she wanted, since she had of course been required to make small talk with tons of people. All Brooke wanted to do was change out of her heels and short skirt into sweats, tie her hair in a loose bun and eat ice cream out of the carton. She sighed. Sometimes it was so hard keeping up all the appearances. After checking the list she made her way to room 7 excited to see her best friend/ roommate. Brooke knew Peyton was already there, because Brooke herself was always fashionably late to check-in, not to mention the emo, punk mix that no one else in the house would dare to play so loudly.
Brooke pulled opened the door with a flourish, and shouted, "P. Sawyer! Get your ass up and give me a hug!"
Peyton looked up from her sketch able to hear Brooke's demanding voice even over her loud blaring music, and her face broke into a huge smile.
"Brooke," she squealed uncharacteristically and ran over to give her a hug.
"That's what I like to see," Brooke said returning the hug.
"How are you doing?" Peyton asked detecting Brooke's weary expression even through her happiness at seeing her best friend.
"Ugh," Brooke said flopping down on the bed and undoing her heels. She tossed them on top of the rest of her designer suitcase set in the middle of the room.
"Tough being an it-girl?" Peyton said laughing.
"Yes, if you must know," Brooke said haughtily.
"Well at least we have a corner room. Big enough for all your stuff and better for parties," Peyton said knowing this would make Brooke feel better.
"Ooh," she said excitedly. "Wait what bitches have the other corner, because we're going to demolish them."
"Chill, G.I Barbie. Just Haley and Anna."
"Oh," Brooke said sinking back down onto the bed. "Good, they're not exactly fun."
"Brooke, be nice. Anna comes to parties."
"Yeah when her hot brother isn't banning her from them," Brooke said sarcastically.
Peyton gave Brooke a warning glance. "Yeah and Haley is a sweet girl."
"Yeah, but boring," Brooke said making a duh face.
"You don't really know her well."
"Oh please like I'm going to get to know her? We don't exactly run in the same circles."
"Not everything has to be so black and white."
"The Tree Hill social scene is." Brooke said matter of factly.
Lucas and Jake walked up the hill from their house to Haley's. A few girls were milling outside that they waved at, but didn't stop to talk. They walked right through House 200's doors, thankfully having co-ed visitation that year. As they entered they saw Brooke Davis walking down the hall appraising something, maybe the walls?
"Hey Brooke," Lucas called. He knew her well. The elite at THA were pretty small and they all knew each other even if they weren't close. Technically Jake would have been part of that crowd, but he didn't really hang around with the beautiful people outside of basketball.
Brooke looked Lucas and Jake up and down and smiled flirtatiously. "Hi boys, already here to cause trouble?"
"You know it," Jake said smiling back at her. After all, she was gorgeous.
Brooke smiled privately back at Jake. "Bet it was just to see me," she cooed.
"Actually," Lucas started not liking the googly eyes Jake was giving Brooke, "We're here to see Haley."
Brooke's face scrunched into a frown, which didn't escape Jake or Lucas's notice and the look in Jake's eyes slowly dimmed. "Oh, well she's in room 6. Peyton and I are in the other corner room, if you want to stop by later," she called gaily the bright smile returning to her face.
"Why don't you think she likes Hales?" Jake asked as they walked down the hall.
Lucas just shrugged and knocked on the door.
"Come in," Haley's sweet voice called. Lucas pushed open the door and Haley smiled wide before throwing herself into his welcoming arms and then into Jake's.
"I missed you guys so much!" she said barely containing her excitement.
"Ditto," Jake said sitting at her desk chair and spinning back and forth on it.
Haley and Lucas laughed at Jake's kid like antics.
"Hey Hales, I see you're already done packing," Lucas teased taking a seat on the fully made-up bed.
"I was so right," Jake said smiling cockily.
"Shut up!" Haley said blushing, "It's not like I had anything better to do. My two handsome princes didn't rescue me sooner."
"Of course, blame us," Lucas said.
Haley pouted. "It's your fault, duh."
"Whatever," Jake said rolling his eyes before laughing.
"So," Haley said sitting down primly next to Lucas on the bed, "How are you guys doing?"
Before Lucas could answer, Jake interrupted. "If I spend one more minute with Tim Smith, I might hang myself or set the room on fire."
Haley burst out laughing. "I so knew you were going to have trouble since freshmen year."
Lucas smiled. "Well I'm ok. My roommate is much closer to normal. After all we share genes," he joked.
Haley rolled her eyes. "If you consider Nathan normal," she said sarcastically.
Jake and Lucas exchanged looks. Haley's feelings about Lucas's younger brother were known probably throughout campus. She thought he was a complete asshole who didn't give a damn about anyone, and made people who weren't exactly like him feel like crap.
"Nathan's not that bad. He's under a lot of pressure, and he just doesn't have my charm," Lucas defended with some humor.
"If you say so," Jake teased prompting a laugh from Haley. Lucas frowned.
"Aww, don't feel bad Lucas. You know I love you," Haley said wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Well at least that's one thing I have over Nathan," Lucas said smiling.
