Disclaimer: I don't own anything….
Just a little warning, this story it completely un-beta, all mistake are mine, sorry.
A/N: Thank you so, so, so much for the reviews: crazyjan, HJS-NS-23, RJMoonspell4, leyton95, love-oth, skylove and AnnOTH21. They really do mean a lot to me.
Warning: This story will have swearing, sex, violence and drugs in it. If that's going to offend you , you might want to lave now. Eventually the rated may change to M but I think T should do for now.
Unfair
Do you know that girl?
Peyton sat in the local dinner, absentmindedly stirring her coffee with a straw as she stared out the window. It had been four days since she'd turned off the main road and for the pasted four day's, that's all she's thought about.
Peyton didn't understand why the guy at the gas station almost seem to be looking out for her. Telling her what way to get out of there. Giving her warning's left and right. At any time, he could've taking off with her car and left her stranded or worse. But he didn't and if she was honest with herself, that surprised her. Everything she's been told her entire life, would indicate that he would. But he didn't and that one simple act had turned her world upside down. Now, she was questioning everything she's ever been told about the other side of the river and she's been itching to go back Almost had a couple of time but every time she'd come to the bridge, he's warning's would echo through her head and she would turn right around.
Then there was the blue eyed stranger. A man she knew nothing about, hasn't left her thoughts since that night. She could still see the dangerous glare he sent her way when they first locked eyes. A glare, that she guess, was meant to scare people and it worked. But the second he realized there was no real threat, they soften and it was almost as if they filled with surprise. Surprised it was someone like her that had almost ran him over. Surprised she hopped out of the car and started to yell at him, without a second thought. Like he wasn't used to that kind of treatment. Then, as fasted as they soften, his guard went back up and as he told her to get out of there, it seemed like they had a hint of laughter in them, like they were mocking her. Like he knew she didn't belong there and this annoyed her. Who was he to judge whether or not she belonged there bu,t as soon as that thought entered her mind, the guilt kicked in. After all, that's what she's been doing her entire life.
Peyton Sawyer has never came across another person who held so much emotion in their eyes. Just in the few split seconds they held eye contact, she watched as his eyes went from anger, to surprised, to laughing and mocking her. But what intrigued her the most, was how the danger never left. It was always there, no matter what other emotion passed through his eyes, the danger remained. For most people that would be a big read flag to stay away but for her, it was one of the thing's drawing her back She hadn't meant another person like that and she found herself secretly wishing they'd run into each other, again. Preferably, not in the middle of night when she's scared out of her mind.
Then there was the Range Rover. The more Peyton thought about it, she was certain the one parked on the corner was the same one parked at the gas station. The same one the gas station guy got into before driving off. The one she hadn't noticed when she first pulled in. Not only that, but it stood out to her how the car waited at the corner until she made it to the bridge. Almost like someone was watching to make sure she got out of there safe.
Safe. That word made her think of the gas station guy's words 'It'd be your safest bet.' He told her to take that way. He could have set it all up. That would explain how all those men were on that street without her noticing, the guy running in front of her car and the guy that appeared out of thin air after the blue eye stranger disappeared into the car. She was surprised to see such a car in that part of town in the first place and she knew it was highly unlikely that there was two. But even as she tried to convince herself that, that was what happened, she knew it wasn't true. It might have been the same Range Rover but she highly doubted he set it all up. Why would he? To scare her? He had already accomplished that at the gas station and she knew he knew that.
Those thought's led to thoughts about how wrong every story she's ever heard about how downtown people were but yet, at the same time, so right. She had only talked to two of them but she could tell, even though they weren't very friendly, they weren't spiteful towards her and it was more then obvious they knew she wasn't from around there. Hell, the dark hair man called her an uptown girl. But at the same time, they didn't threaten her. If anything, both of them warned her to get out of there. She was more confused now then ever.
"Hey." Brooke said as she took a seat across from her "You were so right."
Peyton jumped a little but quickly recovered and gave her a look of confusion, saying "Right about what?"
"Locking your car at the party." Brooke said. When Peyton's confusion didn't seem to clear up any, she slowly said " The five different car's that were broken into at the party. I think there was a total of 500 dollar's missing and Tim's CD collection was shattered on the street. Were you even listen at lunch?"
"Oh yeah." Peyton said with a nod if her head "I know."
Brooke raised an eyebrow at her. Everyone noticed how strange Peyton's been acting all week. Ever since that night at the party when she showed up late. At first, Brooke brushed it off as her not wanting to be at the party because Jake was there. She knew Peyton didn't really have a 'headache' like she claimed and she wasn't surprised to turn around only to see Jake making his way towards them before Peyton, pretty much, ran out the door. Or when she saw him on the couch later that night making out with the cause of his problems with Peyton but walking up behind them and flicking him in the back of the head while sending the girl a glare, made her feel a little better.
It didn't the next day as she walked into her best friends house, though. She made mindless chatter until Peyton let out a groan before telling her to just tell her what ever it was that she needed to tell her. Brooke closed her eye's and told her everything in one breath and waited. When nothing happened, she peeked one eye open to see Peyton stare straight a head of her for a second before looking back down at the record in her hands. What happen next shocked the hell out of Brooke.
"That's fine." Peyton had said with a nod of her head as she put the record back in it's rightful spot "We're not together anymore, Brooke. He's free to date, make out or sleep with whoever he want's to." with a smile on her face, she turned to face Brooke, resting against the door frame of her closet, she crossed her arms over her chest and shrugged her shoulders as she went on "But now you see why I need you on my side. So, no more trying to play match maker, okay?"
Brooke expected yelling, Peyton to call the girl every name under the sun. Stuff to get thrown and a few day's later, some grizzly art work to show up. But for her friend to smile and pretty much say she was fine. That what he did was fine. No, Brooke never expected that so, she simply nodded her head and said okay before getting up to give her friend a hug. After that, she expected everything to go back to normal but it didn't. Peyton was still walking around with her head in the clouds. Something was definitly going on and now that she knew it didn't have anything to do with Jake, Brooke was on a mission to find out what it was.
"Peyton," she said causing her to turn away from the window again "are you sure everything's okay?"
"Brooke, I'm fine." she laughed lightly, giving her a reassuring smile.
She was still skeptical but nodded her head as she said "Let's get out of here and go get ready for the game."
"Alright." Peyton said as they stood up. Once they were outside, she let out a groan before turning to look at Brooke "I have to make a quick stop."
"That's what you said Monday night and a quick stop turned it to a six hour road trip."
Peyton let out a laugh as she pulled open the door to the local art shop, saying "Would you look at that, we're here already. See, quick stop."
Brooke narrowed her eyes as she followed her into the store. After looking around for a few minutes, she said "Why'd you need to come here anyway? You can't be out of pen already." She paused as she looked up at Peyton before shaking her head "Never mind, you could be."
"I don't need anymore pen's." Peyton said, shaking her head as she looked around "I lost my sleeve."
Brooke raised an eyebrow, saying "Shouldn't we be at a clothing store, then? And how do you lose one sleeve."
Peyton laughed at her before pulling down a black folder and holding it up "You know, a sleeve. The thing I carry my sketches in."
"Oh." Brooke said making an O shape with her mouth before a smile crossed her face "Good, you have what you need. Now, let's get out of here."
"I was thinking-"
"Well you thought wrong." Brooke said, cutting her off as she grabbed her hand, leading her towards the register "Now pay for that thing so we can leave. We have to be at the school in an hour."
"Fine." Peyton said as she handed some money to the cashier.
Once they walked back outside, they turned and started to walking towards their car's.
"How'd you lose that thing, anyway? You treat your sketches are like they're your kid."
Shrugging her shoulder's, she said "I don't know. I've tore apart the entire house looking for it and I couldn't find it anywhere."
"Did you have any sketches in it?"
"A couple." Peyton said as she looked up just in time to step a side so she didn't run into a couple walking towards them.
"Aww, I'm sorry P. Sawyer. That sucks." Brooke said, rubbing her on the back when she suddenly stopped.
Little did Brooke know, Peyton stopping suddenly had nothing to do with the fact that she lost some sketches. No, she stopped because she heard a laugh. An all to familiar sounding laugh. Looking behind them, she watched the couple that she had just pasted, as they continued on down the sidewalk. The guy had his arm rested on the girls shoulders and she was looking up at him with a smile on her face. It was when he turned his head to bend down and kiss the girl, Peyton realized just where she heard that laugh before.
"Gas station guy." she whispered under her breath.
"What?"
Peyton looked over at Brooke, forgetting that she was standing in front of her. Shaking her head she mumbled nothing before looking back down the road "Do you know that girl?"
"What girl?" Brooke said as she looked around.
Peyton looked at her, wondering if she was serious or not before pointing to the short brunette down the street, who was now leaning up against a wall, picking at her nails. The guy was no longer around, leaving Peyton to wonder if she imagined the whole thing.
"Oh, that is so wrong." Brooke exclaimed a little to loud, getting the girls attention.
She looked up before looking over at them, sending a glare at Brooke before her eye's traveled to Peyton. She didn't send a glare her way, though. Now, she looked just as shocked to see her standing there as Peyton had been to see the gas station guy.
"Do you see what she's wearing?" Brooke said in a loud whisper "That's hideous. Girl need's a make over."
Peyton barely heard a word of what Brooke said. She was still staring at the girl, wondering why she was looking at her like she like she knew her, like she was shocked to see her. Peyton tired to remember if she had every seen this girl before but came up empty.
"Mmm, I won't mind some of that though." Brooke said as a smile found it's way on to her face.
Peyton followed Brooke's line of sight only to see gas station guy running back across the road. Once he reached the girl, he turned to see what she was looking at and Peyton held her breath. She expected him to look somewhat surprised, shocked or even that stupid little grin to appear on his face. The same one he wore that night in the gas station. But none of that happened. No, he just rolled his eye once he saw Brooke and Peyton, now blatantly staring at them before cupping the girls face with his palms and giving her a kiss. Not just any old kiss though. This kiss was the kind that took your breath away, the kind of kiss that clearly let everyone else know they were together. When he pulled away, he held out a single purple flower and the girl smile before saying, what looked like, thanks baby before they continued on their way, neither giving them a second look.
"Oh my god. I know her." Brooke exclaimed as she reached over and grabbed Peyton arm "That's the girl that supposedly got married last year."
"What?"
"Yeah, you know." Brooke said, trying to remember something that would jog Peyton's memory "The one that wouldn't have sex until she was married. Remember all the guy's wouldn't stop talking about it. She wears a wedding ring and everything." she said with a laugh "I mean come on, I know some girls regret their first time but to pretend that you got married is just ridiculous."
A flash back to the guy's hand flashed in her mind. She saw a wedding ring on his finger that night. Looking over a Brooke, she said "Maybe she really is married."
"Yeah, okay." Brooke said with a laugh causing Peyton to glare at her "Come on, Peyton. Who get's married in their junior year of high school? Unless," she said pointing a finger at her " she was pregnant."
"Brooke." Peyton said, shaking her head as she started to walk towards her car.
"What? It's not complete out there. It actually makes more sense, if you think about. Why else would someone get married so young?"
"Maybe because they love each other." Peyton pointed out as she walked around to the driver side.
"Sure," Brooke said, almost as if she was tired of discussing it "Anyway, I'll meet you at your house and you can ride with me to the game."
Peyton nodded her head as she went to open her door only to discover that it was locked.
Brooke's eye went wide when she saw Peyton stumble a little, saying "I totally forgot to lock my doors. Oh, my cd's so better not be shattered in the middle of the road. I will be pissed."
Peyton laughed as Brooke took off down the sidewalk. Once she had the door unlocked, she threw her bag over to the passenger seat before looking up only to see gas station guy a couple of car's down. He had his hand on the door handle, like he was about to get into the car and it surprised her when he nodded his head slightly in her direction. After all, a couple of minutes ago, he didn't act like he recognized her, he just looked annoyed that some uptown girls were checking him out like his girlfriend, wife or whatever she was, wasn't standing right there. She looked behind her because of that and when she didn't see anyone she looked back just in time to see him climb into his car, laughing. Obviously, that nod was meant for her.
When she pulled up in front of her house, her mind was still reeling on that. She couldn't figure out why he acted like he didn't know her when she was with Brooke but yet, when she was alone, he out right acknowledge her. And then he laughed when she was surprised. That was another thing that bothered her. It seemed like every time she ran into one of the two mysteries men, they always walked away laughing. She really didn't understand what was so funny. Then there was the nod thing. That annoyed her to no end. Couldn't they manage a hey, hi or even a simple wave. Did they think it made them look cool?
"Well, I got news for them." she muttered to herself "It doesn't. It's just annoying."
As she approached the front door, she looked up and stopped dead in her track. There, leaning against it, was her art sleeve. Looking around confused, she walked up the stairs and picked it up. She quickly opened it and started to flip through her sketches, wanting to make sure they were all there and once she reached the last one, she saw a yellow post-it note stuck to. No name, no messages saying who found it or where they found it. Just two simple words. Nice Art.
Peyton's head snapped back up and she looked around, again but nothing stood out to her or looked out of placed. Looking back down, she tried to remember the last time she had her sleeve, trying to figure out who might have found it and that's when it hit her. She had put it in the back seat of her car Monday morning.
"Hey, you found it."
Peyton jumped at the sound of Brooke's voice and slammed the sleeve closed before turning to face her.
"Yeah." was all she said before turning around to open the door.
"Where?" Brooke asked as she walked pasted her into the house.
"Under the seat in my car." Peyton lied
"I believe it." Brooke mutter as she walked up the stairs "With the way you drive."
Peyton knew she didn't mean anything by it but it still stung. She didn't mean to lie. It was just, she hadn't told Brooke or any one else for that matter, what happened Monday night. Mostly because she didn't want to hear the lecture that would follow. It started out with little white lies about what took her so long and now here they were, four day's later and she was still telling lies. It was like that night was following her around, begging to be told, invading her thoughts.
*One Tree Hill*
"What's so funny?" she asked from the passenger seat.
"Nothing."
"Uh huh?" she said eyeing her husband, suspiciously. Turning her head, she saw the curly haired girl the guy's had 'not' being talking about the past four days, looking shocked but the shock soon faded and she suddenly looked very annoyed as she got into her car, slamming the door behind her. Looking back to her husband, she said "What did you do?"
"Nothing." he said again before a little laugh escaped causing her to narrow her eye accusingly "Fine, fine. I nodded at her. You know, like hey and she looked behind her."
"What's so funny about that?"
"The look on her face." he laughed as he pulled out into traffic, heading home.
"You're so mean." she said slapping his arm "Don't you think you've already scared her enough. Now, you're just messing with her head."
"What? I was just trying to be friendly. Isn't that what you said Monday night? To be nice." he asked, looking over at her, giving her an innocent smile.
"Yes, I did but messing with her head isn't being nice." she said, crossing her arms over her chest "And I don't call scaring the crap out of her, being nice, either."
"Ah, she can handle it." he said as they made their way over the bridge "She's a big girl."
"Please, you don't know anything about her."
"Peyton Sawyer. She's seventeen and a senior at Tree Hill High. A cheerleader who likes to draw and she's pretty decent at it to. Listen's to some pretty good music, some so not. Her address is-"
"Okay, let me rephrase that. Why do you know so much about her?" she said turning towards him. He knew more about her then she did and she's the one that went to school with her.
"Seriously Hales?" he said looking over at her. When she nodded her head, he laughed "You honestly don't think I got in her car without looking around, right?"
"Nathan, when I called and asked you to be nice to the blonde pulling into the gas station, I didn't expect you to steal the key's out of her car. Let alone snoop around."
"I didn't snoop around. Her wallet was in her purse, the first place I looked and her driver's license was in her wallet. Again, the first place I looked."
"Exactly, you were snooping around."
Shaking his head, he said "No, I wasn't."
"What do you call it then?"
"Getting information on a girl who had no reason to be 'snooping' around our part of town that late at night." he said, giving her a look as he slowed the car down, pulling onto a dirt road, heading into the woods " Besides, she's broadcast her entire life over the should check out her pod cast o rher web site. Why do you care so much any way? You two didn't exactly look like friends back there."
"It's just that. She's Peyton Sawyer. Best friend of Brooke Davis, who she just so happens to be co-caption of the cheerleading squad with and dates Jake Jagielski, caption of the basketball team. Well, use to I think."
"And what's that have to do with anything?"
"That girl has the power to make my life miserable at school and if word got out that I was married to the guy that gave her a hard time when she stopped for gas, my life would be just that. Miserable."
"You care to much about what those people think of you."
"Hey, I could give a rat's ass about what those people think about me." she immediately defended herself as he put the car in park outside the house "It's just easier when you're below their radar, that's all."
"You could always do what Lu-"
"Nathan," she said letting out a breath. They've had this discussion before. Many times before and it always ended the same "I like school. I know you guy's find it weird but I do and I love working at the tutor center. You guy's doing the home school thing was great. I'm glad you got your diploma early but I want to do it the old fashion way. You know, in four years instead of two."
Nathan Scott looked over at his wife and couldn't stop the smile that tugged at his lips. It was always one of the thing's he love about her. Even with all the shit she had to deal with, just because she lived on the wrong side of the river, she still loved going to school. She was the smartest person he knew and could have easily graduated early, with honors, but she didn't. Everyday she would walk into that hell hole with her head held high and he was proud of her for that. It was more then he or any of the guys, could handle which is why they left to do their own thing. If it wasn't for her, he highly doubt any of them would have even looked into the whole school through the mail thing but she wasn't having it. She told them, if they didn't want to go back to Tree Hill High, that was fine but she'd be damned if she let them waste their life, like most of the people on this side of the river.
"Who's all here?" she asked, bring him out of his thoughts.
He shrugged his shoulders as he opened the door, saying "When I left, it was just Luke and Skills but you know how it goes. The house could be full of people by now."
She gave him a small smile before softly saying "Thanks."
"For what?" he asked, looking at her confused.
"For coming to pick me up today. I know how much you hate having to go back there." she paused as she shrugged her shoulders "So thanks."
A smile crossed his face as he reached over and gently put his palm to her cheek, rubbing his thumb back in forth "For you, anything" he whispered before leaning over, giving her a soft kiss.
They got out of the car and he got her bags out of the back seat as she let out a sigh, looking at house. It was a really nice house, for this side of the river anyway. Big too. After all, the four of them lived there together. Nathan and Haley had a nice little set up in the finished basement. It was like their own little apartment, complete with a two bedrooms, a small kitchen area, a living room and their own bathroom. Something Lucas had insisted on once it was decided that they were all going to live together. The main floor was huge. A living room, a kitchen, two bathrooms, a game room off to the side with a fully stocked bar and a couple of bedrooms down a hall. One of which was Skills. Upstairs was Lucas's domain. It was pretty much just a bedroom with a bathroom connected but anyone who knew Lucas knew that is was his safe haven. They used the main floor as the party floor but both doors that led upstairs and down stairs had locks on them, along with Skills door.
A lot of people wondered how four young adults, the oldest being 22, had the money to build such a house. Well, that was a lie. Many people had assumptions on where the money came from but the truth was, Lucas and Nathan came into an nice chunk of change about three years ago. Instead of blowing through it like most people, they found this nice spot back in the woods and built a house for the four of them.
"Hey," Nathan called out from the door "You coming?"
Haley gave him a smile and nodded her head before looking up at the house one more time as she walked towards the door. The four of them hadn't always lived together and just because they lived in a nice house now, didn't mean they always had. Each one of them had their own personal horror story. Each one just as bad as the next. None of them had parent's, well that were alive or in the right state of mind to take care of them and hadn't in a long time.
Lucas, the oldest and Skills, a year younger, had known each other pretty much their entire life. When Lucas was five, his family moved in to the apartment across from Skills family. One day, when they were 8 and 9, some older kids decided to make Skills their own personal punching bag and it was Lucas that came to his defense which only resulted in both of them walking home, shoeless with a black eye and blood running out of their nose. They've been inseparable ever since.
Nathan came into the picture about a year later. A man showed up at Lucas house asking for his father. Lucas was at Skills place but heard his father arguing with the man through the door. Curios to see what all the commotion was about, the two boy's listen, pressing their ear to the door. They couldn't make out every word but Nathan Scott and Clarkson seem to get repeated over and over again. What happened that night changed everything in Lucas Scott's life. That night changed him.
A week later, after thing's calm down, Skills and Lucas boarded a bus heading towards Clarkson. Once they arrived, they did what any kid would do and walked to the nearest school and asked if anyone knew Nathan Scott. Finally, a girl pointed to a dark haired boy, who looked a couple of years younger then them, who sat on a bench down the road. Lucas walked up and said "I guess I'm your brother."
And then there was Haley. Haley James grew up in the same apartment building as Lucas and Skills but rarely came out. They always knew of each other but never really talked. Haley was a quiet girl and always had her nose in a book. She was different then everyone else and she knew that. That's why she kept to herself. But that all changed the day Nathan came to town.
Haley was walking home from the library on night, like she did most night, by herself when she walked upon a situation. Not a good one either. She quickly turned around, walking the way she just came from, minding her own business but the group of guy's weren't having that and caught up with her. First, she was pushed into an ally and before she knew it, she was being held to the ground. She closed her eyes, trying to picture herself anywhere else but in that cold ally when she suddenly felt the grasp on her wrist get pulled away. She heard a groan and the obvious sound of people fighting but never opened her eyes, afraid of what might happen. Then the sounds stopped and she heard footstep walking towards her but it wasn't until she heard someone say "Damn dawg, I think she's dead" that she opened her eyes, only to see Lucas, Skills and Nathan in front of her. From that day on, it was the four of them against the world.
"Hey, baby girl." Skills said to her as he gave Nathan a hand slap/shake.
"Hey Skills," she said, rubbing his bald head as she walked behind the couch, heading towards the kitchen "Where's Luke?"
"Ah," Skills drawled out, never taken his eye off the basketball game on tv. He jump up clapping his hands together when a guy made a shot "That's what I'm talking about." he smiled at Nathan and held out his hand for a high five only to have Nathan stare at him "Oh, you just gonna leave a man hang. That's cold, dawg."
"Skills!" Haley exclaimed causing Nathan to laugh. When he turned to look at her she asked again "Where's Lucas?"
"Oh, he had to take care of something real quick."
Haley shoulders immediately tensed up. She hated it when they said they had to 'take care of something' because it rarely meant something good. Opening the door to the refrigerator, she said "Well, he better be home for dinner."
Nathan sent a glare Skills way, who just shrugged his shoulders helplessly, as he walked up to his wife, kissing her on the side of the head before saying "He always is."
And sure enough, twenty minutes later, Lucas walked through the front door. He nodded his head in the direction of Nathan and Skills and said a quick hello to Haley before walking down the hall. It wasn't to long later they heard a door open and shut before foot steps going up the stairs.
"What's going on?" Haley immediately asked.
"Baby, I was with you." Nathan pointed out before they both looked at Skills, accusingly.
"Man look, Luke said he had to take care of something real quick. I asked if he wanted me to go, he said no."
"And you let him?" Haley exclaimed
"Hales, you're the only one brave enough to argue with him. He said no and I drop it. I'm sure everything fine."
"Yeah, then why's his hand wrapped up in his shirt?" she said, glaring as Skills before disappearing down the hallway.
"His hand was wrapped?" Skills asked looking over at Nathan.
"Man, go back to your game."
"Luke what happened?" Haley asked when she walked into his room to find him standing in his bathroom, running his knuckles under the water.
"Damn it Hales, you really need to learn how to knock." he said, pushing the bathroom door shut with his foot.
She put her hand up to stop the door and walked in, glaring a him as she grabbed his hand to look at it, causing him to hiss in pain. Shaking her head, she softly asked "What happen, Luke?"
"It's nothing, Haley. Really." he said opening and closing his fist "See, it still works."
She rolled her eyes before gabbing some gauze out of the cupboard. Pulling out some rubbing alcohol and gabbing a towel, she pointed at the toilet indicating she wanted him to sit down. She started to clean his cut and decided to take a different approach, asking "Where were you?"
"Uptown." he answered without think, the look he mad afterwards told her, he didn't really want to share that information.
"Damn it Lucas. You better tell me what happened." she exclaimed, pushing a cotton ball she had soaked with alcohol to one of his cut's, making him hiss in pain again.
She knew the guy's hated going uptown and never went there alone. Thing's were less likely to get started if there was more then one of them but when there was only one, certain people seem to target them.
"I punched out a car window, that's all. I forgot to wrap my hand in my shirt first."
"Why?"
"Because it's fun?" he said, giving her a smirk that usually got him out of everything.
"That's not going to work." she said sending him a glare "Why?"
"Because there was money laying on the seat pretty much asking to be taken."
"We don't need the money."
"We didn't need the money Monday night either." he pointed out.
"What were you doing uptown, anyway?" she asked as she started to wrap his hand "And don't say to rob car's because you could do that around here."
Lucas suddenly got quiet. All humor left his face and he was watching her work intently. That's what let Haley know he did something he didn't want other's to know about. It didn't mean it was something bad, just something private. Once she was done, he stood up and started walking towards the door, calling over his shoulder "Is din-"
"Luke." Haley said, cutting him off.
He stopped and waited for her to walk up beside him before he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, softly saying "I just had to take care of something, Hales. Don't worry about it. No trouble's going to come because of it."
She looked up at him for a second before nodding her head, giving him a sideway's hug, deciding to drop it. Besides, he wouldn't lie to her so, if he said everything was alright, she believed him.
"Is dinner ready?" he asked again, once she pulled away.
"Yeah." she laughed, nodding her head down the stairs "Let's go eat."
Most family's now a day's don't seat down to eat dinner together. Everyone so busy that they usually just grabs something on their way out the door. But you see, when you grow up not ever having a family dinner, it's something you craved. Not the guy's really but, it meant a lot to Haley so, they made sure they did it. Every night. They were each other's family now and grow up without one made them cherish their's more. Even the guy's had to admit, they looked forward to that one hour a night, sitting around the table, laughing and joking around, letting their worries slip away, even if it was just for an hour.
"I ran into Goldilocks today." Nathan casual mentioned causing Haley to roll her eyes, knowing they were about to 'not' talk about Peyton again.
Lucas's head snapped up in interest and Skills looked confused "Who?"
"Blondie."
Skills thought about it for a minute before shaking his had again "Who?"
"Skinny girl." Haley said
"Really?" Skills said once it dawned on him "Where?"
"Uptown when I picked Hales up from school."
"Did you say anything?" Skills asked.
"Nah, she was with one of her friends. Figured she wouldn't want me to."
"So, he shoved his tongue down my throat instead." Haley said as she got up from the table.
"Nice." Skills said, giving Nathan a high five causing Lucas to laugh. Skills asked "Why'd you do that?"
"Because her friend was staring at me like she wanted to jump me. I mean come on, Hales was standing right there. Have some respect."
"Most guy's like that kind of attention." Haley pointed out to Nathan.
"Not when their wife is standing next to them." Skills said, pointing over at Haley he said "Why didn't you say anything? I thought you were friends with her. Isn't that why you made us sit on the corner until she got to the bridge?"
"I just wan-"
"Hales, is friends with her." Nathan said cutting her off. The whole reason he brought Peyton up was to see what kind of reaction he'd get out of Luke. But his damn brother just sat there with a neutral look on his face. He was paying attention to the conversation but he didn't add anything to it. Good thing Haley had giving him a bomb earlier and he decided now would be as good of time as ever to drop it "That's how she knows Peyton recently broke up with her boyfriend."
A smile crossed Nathan's face as Lucas looked up at him. Once he realized what was going on he squinted his eyes at Nate while shaking his head.
"That's not true." Haley said as she dug around in her bag.
"What's not true?" Lucas immediately asked causing Nathan to raise an eyebrow.
"Huh?" Haley said absentmindedly as she started to pull things out of her bag.
"You said it wasn't true. What's not true? That you're friends or that she just broke up with her boyfriend?" Lucas asked
Haley immediately stopped what she was doing an looked up before turning to look over at Luke. Raising an eyebrow, she asked "Why's it matter?"
"I'm just wondering." he said causal as a smirk found it's was on to his face.
"Lucas you really don't need to go down that ro-"
"Haley." he said in a warning tone, clearly telling her not to take this conversation in the direction she was trying to take it.
She sent him a glare, letting him know she wasn't one of his little minions but didn't say anything else as she started to dig through her bag again. Letting out a groan, she started to put everything back in her bag, saying "I have to go back to the school."
"For what?" Nathan asked
"There's some quizzes I have to grade and I must have left them on the desk in the tutoring center."
"Haley James, I know you like school but don't you think that can wait till Monday?" Skills said, hopping over the side of the couch.
"Haley James Scott," she corrected, looking around for the key's "No, this one kid has a real quiz Monday morning and I promised I'd have it grade by the time he got to school."
"How are you going to get in?" Nathan asked
"There's a home game tonight. The school will be unlocked and I have a key to the tutoring center."
"Feel like checking out a basketball game?" Lucas asked Nathan, grabbing the key's before Haley could.
"You know, I haven't been to one in a long time." Nathan said with a smirk causing Haley to roll her eye's.
"Man," Skills said as he got off the couch, walking over to the door, putting his shoe's on.
"No one said you have to come." Lucas pointed out.
"Yeah right. Nathan's going to make sure you don't run out on to the basketball court and start a fight 'just because it would be funny' which mean's I have to go to watch Baby Girl back." he paused as he stood up and looked at the three of them "Whatever happened to a nice quiet night at home? What's wrong with you people?" he called over his shoulder as he walked out of the house.
The three of them shared a looked before walking out after him.
*One Tree Hill*
"LET'S GO RAVENS!" the cheerleaders exclaimed, pausing to clap their hands together "LET'S GO RAVENS!"
Peyton let her arms fall to her side as she looked up at the clock on the scoreboard, Five more minutes, she told herself You can last five more minutes as her eyes traveled around the packed gym. She felt like someone was watching her but as she scanned the crowd, she noticed everyone's eyes were on the game.
"Hey," Brooke leaned over "You up for the party after the game?"
Peyton shrugged her shoulders, saying "Why not."
"Don't sound to excited." Brooke said, sending her a smile before turning back to the game.
Peyton laughed a little, shaking her head. Turning her attention back on the game, she felt it again. Someone's eyes on her. Deciding that the hometown crowd was to involved in the game, she scanned her eye's across the visitors side and that when she saw him. Blue eyed stranger was sitting in the far right corner, in between gas station guy and the magic man that can appear out of thin air. The two guys were laughing at something but blue eyed stranger was staring at her.
Once again, blue eyes locked with green but this time they didn't look so deadly. Now they just looked curios and she found herself unable to pull her eyes away. This was what she was wishing for all week. They weren't standing in the middle of the road downtown and she wasn't scared although her heart rate did seem to increase slightly. Suddenly, the basketball came flying by her head caused her to break eye contact first and she was pushed to the ground as two basketball players came crashing down on her. The referee immediately blew his whistle and two hands reach down to help her up.
"Are you alright, babe?"
Peyton looked up to see Jake standing next to Tim. Sending him a glare, she took Tim's hand and stood up. The crowd started to clap as the ball was giving to Tim to inbounds. She immediately looked up to see blue eyed stranger still staring at her, with what looked like concern in his eyes and then he did the one thing that had annoyed her to no end. He nodded his head. This time, though, she didn't look behind her. Instead, she simply nodded her head back. A smirk found it's way across his face as his lips started to move. At first she thought he was trying to talk to her but then she saw gas station guy lean forward nodding his head. Peyton, once again broke eye contact to see what gas station guy was staring at and her eyes landed on Jake. By the time she looked back up, all three of them were walking down the bleacher. When she saw them walk out the back door, she decide she had to do something. She couldn't let them walk away this time. She had some questions for gas station guy and now they were on her turf.
"I have to go to the bathroom." she whispered to Brooke.
She slowly turned her head towards Peyton, looking at her like she had lost her mind, saying "There's two minutes left. Hold it."
"Brooke we're up by twenty. I think we're going to win this one. Besides, I really have to go."
"Peyton, no-"
"I'll meet you at your car if I'm not back by the time the game's over."
She heard Brooke start to protested but she ran out the door before she could stop her, knowing she wouldn't run after her. Once she was in the hallway she looked around and didn't notice anyone. Walking towards the direction of the door they had walked out of, she heard one of the main door shut and started to jog towards it. She looked out the window and saw all three guy's with the girl from earlier, walking towards a black Range Rover. By this time her hands had started to shake. She was nervous again but decided now was as good as time as any to confront them. After all, she was at school, they wouldn't do anything to her here. Before she had time to talk herself out of it, she pushed the door opened and jogged after them.
"Hey!" she called out once she was close enough.
Magic man immediately put himself in front of the girl while the other two guy's turned around, looking ready to fight. Peyton immediately stopped in her tracks and they all just stood there for a second, staring at each other.
A smirk found it's way on to gas station guy's face and he said "Well, look who we have here. Goldilocks. Nice outfit."
Peyton wrapped her arms around her stomach as she glared at him.
"Did you wan-"
"Why'd you steal my sketches?" she said cutting off the blue eyed stranger, looking directly at gas station guy "I mean, you get into my car, take the key's to prove a point and out of everything you could have taken, you took my sketches."
He looked shocked, like she wasn't supposed to know he took her sketches and the girl walked up beside him, slapping his upper arm, saying "Nathan Scott, you told me you didn't take anything from her car."
He looked down at her for a second before looking back to Peyton, saying "I didn't take your damn sketches."
"Really," she said "Because I remember putting them in my car Monday morning and after that, they disappeared. Imagine my surprised when I got home today to see them on my front porch. As a matter of fact, right after I saw you two in town earlier and seeing that she was in school all day" she said pointing at the girl "That only leaves you."
"Leave Haley out of this." he growled taking a step forward only stopping when he felt Haley's hands on his chest "I didn't steal your damn sketches."
Peyton had taking a step back. She didn't expected him to get so angry but then again she was being a bitch and she got the hint that he didn't like her talking about the girl, Haley.
"Come on, Nate." the magic man said, grabbing his arm as people started to pour out of the school, indicating the game was over "Let's get out of here, dawg."
"Yeah, baby." Haley said, sending Peyton a small smile look "Let's go."
He sent Peyton another glare before turning around and walking towards the car, draping his arm around Haley's shoulders as the magic man followed behind them.
"Nice art." She turned her head to see the blue eyed stranger standing there with a smirk on his face. Giving her a wink, he said "I'll be seeing ya" before turning and walking towards the car, leaving a speechless Peyton behind.
A/N part 2: Okay, so I know this chapter was like super long but I wanted you guy's to see how Peyton was feeling about the whole downtown experiences as well as some back ground on the downtown crew. I hope you liked it…