Sawyer Scott opened the door of her car, as her younger brothers hopped over the doors. "Keith!" Sawyer snapped. She was afraid he would scuff her interior. Keith ignored his older sister's requests and just walked over to his friend and cousin, Liz Scott.

"Hey, Liz," he said. "Hi," she replied tucking a strand of her brown hair behind her ear.

Keith, as well as his older sister and brother, Sawyer and Michael, were the children of Peyton and Lucas Scott, while Liz, and her older brother Jamie belonged to Nathan and Haley Scott.

Keith and Liz were best friends, both somewhat popular, but only due to their older siblings.

Both subdued and intelligent, they went together perfectly, and their parents often commented on how their friendship was nearly identical to that of Haley and Lucas.

Liz's older brother was Jamie Scott, college basketball player for the Duke Blue Devils. He visited often, and he and Liz got along well.

Sawyer, though, was different. She was popular, but only because she dated Jared Carlton, one of the most popular boys in school. Sawyer was like both her parents, more like Peyton though. She enjoyed music and writing, but was very sarcastic, and sometimes moody.

Michael was the artist, but he was not popular. People knew him as "RJ's friend", RJ being Skills and Lauren's son. He was quiet, but also knew how to have fun.

The bell rang, and Keith and Liz ran to their classes. Liz went to the left, heading for history, and Keith went to the right, for English, as he ran to not miss the bell, which sometimes happened, he ran right into Vicky Davis-Baker.

Vicky looked at Keith. She grumbled. "It's Klutzy Keith!" Alison Davis-Baker joked. The girls and Keith were friendly, but weren't that close.

The three of them continued their separate ways. Alison Davis-Baker was the adopted daughter of Brooke and Julian Davis-Baker. She was popular, girlie and bubbly. Vicky Davis-Baker is the birth daughter of Brooke and Julian, and is also popular, but less bubbly and girlie.

As if on cue, Jessica Davidson appeared. She was Brooke and Julian's foster daughter, and had been for a couple of years. She was tough and moody, and hardly displayed emotion. But, when she was your friend, she was amazing. Jessica wanted to stay with Brooke and Julian, but it was highly unlikely that she would be able to.

Keith continued down the hall, until he reached English with Mrs. James Scott. He opened the door and took his seat. The bell rang, and class started.

The last bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Doors flew open and students flooded out into the hall, towards their locker to get ready to go home. Liz and Keith walked out their last class together, going towards their lockers.

"Can I come over later? I don't think I can do this assignment on my own!" Liz said, referring to the English Lit homework they had to do tonight.

"Sure, can you come over at five? I have a couple chores I have to do."

"No problem, I'll see you then!" Liz said, shutting her locker. Keith did the same and they walked down the hall together.

Before they could reach the doors going outside, Victoria Davis-Baker stopped them.

"Hey, Liz, can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Uh, sure. But my mom's probably waiting outside, so make it quick."

"Oh, don't worry. I know your brother began hosting the beginning of the year parties, and you're kinda new at this so I'll hold it this year."

"Okay."

"You're going, right?"

"I wasn't planning to."

"Oh, no, you have to go, Liz!"

"Can I think about it?"

"Yeah, but you really have no choice. Okay, so bye!" Vicky bounces away, going to meet her foster sister and best friend, Alison.

"She can't make you go, Liz!" Keith said once they began walking again and exited the school.

"I know, maybe I can ask Jamie and he can excuse me."

"He's coming home today?"

"Yup!" Liz smiled widely.

"Well, I'll see you in a couple hours!" Liz said after they got to Haley's car.

"Yeah, see you then! Bye!" Keith waved to his aunt and cousin.

"How was school?" Haley asked, pulling out of her parking spot once Liz put her bag in the back and buckled in.

Liz shrugs, rolling the window down a bit.

"It was alright."

"Looking forward to seeing Jamie?" Haley smiled.

"Yeah, I am! But I kinda have this assignment."

"Ok.." Haley said, pulling down to their street.

"So can I go over to Keith's for a bit at five?"

"Sure, I don't see why not. Just be back for dinner, I think Jamie's bringing Kelly."

"Really?"

"Yeah, is there a problem with that?"

"Oh, no, I just really missed Jamie and wanted to spend time with him like we used to."

Haley looked over at her daughter and smiled as she parked the car.

"I'm sure you'll find some time with him."

"Right, sure." Liz rolled her eyes and unbuckled, pulling her bag out from the back and leaving the car.

"So," Sawyer said, surfing through the radio channels.

"Yeah?"

"Jared is coming over, so whatever weirdness you're going to be up to, keep it far, far away from us."

"Yeah, I don't really care about bothering you and your boyfriend, who, by the way is the only reason you're so popular."

Sawyer glared at her brother and sped up down the street, irritated.

"Slow down, you're going to get us killed!"

"Don't tell me what to do, you weirdo." Sawyer growled, then suddenly stopped the car.

"Wait, where's Michael?"

Keith rolled his eyes.

"He's spending the afternoon with RJ. You aren't supposed to stop in the middle of the street!"

Cars began honking and people drove by, flipping them off or rolling down their windows and yelling.

"Well, I didn't know that!"

"Yeah, probably because you were with that jock boyfriend of yours."

"Shut up, don't talk about him like that!"

"Whatever."

Sawyer walked into her house, dropped her bag on the floor and plopped in a chair at the kitchen table.

Keith came in shortly after and grabbed a box of Cheez-Its off the counter and sat at the table.

Sawyer shot him a nasty glare.

"What?" Keith asked with a mouthful of food.

"You're disgusting!" she sneered.

Peyton came into the kitchen then.

"Hi, how was school?" she asked.

"School was fine," Sawyer said with an attitude.

"Yeah, school was good. The car ride home just sucked," Keith responded.

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing!" Sawyer said, grabbing the box and throwing a handful of Cheez-Its at her brother. "Where's Liz? You spend so much time together, I swear you two were dating," Sawyer jeered, grabbing a Cheez-It and popped into her mouth.

"We're related dumbass! Plus your brain is probably too small to comprehend a guy and a girl being friends without them screwing or having a romantic relationship." Keith retorted.

Sawyer rolled her blue-green eyes.

"Mama's boy! Mom's never yells at you for the way you treat me!" Sawyer whined, looking over at her mother, expecting her to do something.

"Yeah, she does. Like I said before, you're probably too busy with that jerk boyfriend of yours to notice."

Peyton realized that this wouldn't be one of those problems that they would solve themselves.

"You two, cut it out. Apologize to each other. Now!"

"Sorry," they both grumbled to each other.

"Where's Michael?" Peyton asked, snatching the Cheez-Its box away and stowing it in the cupboard.

"With RJ." Sawyer replied.

Lucas walked in the door and kissed Peyton on the cheek.

"Who is with RJ?" He asked, hanging his coat up.

"The favored son," Sawyer said with fake sweetness.

"Nice one, Sawyer. I thought those pills were for PMS!" Keith threw back.

"Oh, yeah, you're right! Can I borrow yours?" Sawyer snapped back.

"Enough!" Peyton yelled.

Sawyer and Keith turned away from one another.

"Oh, mom." Keith started a couple minutes later, "Liz is coming over soon, is that alright?"

"Sure, but isn't Jamie coming home today?"

"Yeah, he isn't going to be home until dinner. Liz needs help with homework."

"That's fine."

Keith got up and left the kitchen.

"Sawyer, why don't you invite Jared over?"

A shadow instantly crossed over Sawyer's face.

"He's busy." The teenager muttered.

"Are you sure? Because it's fine if--"

"He's busy!" Sawyer yelled, storming upstairs.

Keith had just walked back into the kitchen when his sister stormed past him. He looked at his father. Lucas shrugged.

"Girls are confusing!" Keith said, sitting back down at the table with his English Lit book and notes.

A couple minutes later, the front door was heard being opened and a couple seconds later, Liz walked in with her backpack.

"Hey, Uncle Lucas. Aunt Peyton." She said cheerfully, sitting at the table.

Lucas and Peyton greeted their niece and left the kitchen.

"So, let's do homework." Keith said, opening his book. Liz was pretty smart, a year ahead of her classes, but sometimes the work could get to be a bit too much for her and he stepped in to help.

Liz pulled open her book to the page where the assignment was.

After working for a little while, Keith looked up and decided to ask a question since there wasn't anyone else around.

"Do you think Sawyer and Jared are good together?"

Liz looked up and frowned.

"Honestly? No."

"Why?" Keith persisted.

"He just seems like the kind of guy who doesn't really care about his girlfriend, or his friends, he just cares about himself," Liz answered thoughtfully.

"She can't see that though."

Liz looked into Keith's eyes and smiled weakly.

"She's fine on her own."

"Yeah, I know."

Before they could return to their homework, Liz's cell phone beeped. She opened it up to see she'd gotten a text from her mother.

"Jamie's home. I have to go!" Liz said, putting her book and papers into her backpack. "See you tomorrow, Keith! Bye!"

The girl ran out the kitchen and out the door, and Keith was left alone.

**********

"How's my little sister?" Jamie grinned happily when Liz appeared at the door. She ran over to him and gave him a huge hug.

"Hi, Liz." Kelly waved. Kelly Rivera was petite and beautiful with dark brown hair and twinkling brown eyes.

"Hey, Kelly."

"Dinner's ready!" Haley called from the kitchen. They were having spaghetti and meatballs, Jamie's favorite.

Everything was set on the table, Nathan already in his seat, when the three walked in. They all sat down and began serving themselves.

"So, Kelly, how have you been doing?" Haley asked.

"I'm good, how about you?"

"I'm fine, thanks." Haley smiled.

"So, Liz," Jamie began, "are you ready for the party you have to hold?"

"Oh, um, Victoria and Alison Davis are doing that."

"Really?"

"Yeah, they're giving me a break. But I am still going." Liz said, sighing and forcing out the last part. She really didn't want to go, but she had to. It was tradition Jamie began his freshman year, a beginning-of-the-school-year party and her brother expected her to carry on this tradition.

Nathan smiled at his children. While the party was going on, he and Haley were going out to dinner in Charlotte with Peyton, Lucas, Brooke and Julian.

"But you can't be as reckless as Jamie," Nathan winked at his son.

Jamie laughed. "You really can't." Liz smiled. She started moving her food around on her plate, in a daze, until Haley spoke to her. "Liz, can you help clear the table?" she asked.

Liz got up and put the plates in the dishwasher. After about twenty minutes, Kelly said, "We better get going." "Alright." Jamie hugged and kissed his mom, and hugged his dad and sister, and he and his girlfriend were soon out the door.

"I'm going to go finish my homework," Liz said, walking up the stairs. She opened a textbook, and filled in her packet, when her phone received a text from Alison:

party 2m! better be ready!!

Lily sighed, and shut her phone off. Party tomorrow. The party that she was being forced to go to, and the party she wouldn't even dream of going to.

With her textbooks in front of her, and these thoughts running through her head, Liz finally drifted off to sleep.

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