First off I want to thank my wonderful reviewers. You guys make me sooo happy. Prettygirlandboyfriend, tutorwife123, lemonwedges4, NaleYLuV01, Naley, Onetreehillfan1988, goober396, laleyfan4ever, badielover101, luvnaley23, ell6ange

Disclaimer: I do not own any of one tree hill the characters or any of that. One can only wish the right?

"Hey girls, how was your first day?" Peyton and I walked into my house.

"It was all right, well after first period that is." I took a seat on the barstool that was in front of our kitchen counter. My mom was cooking. Peyton plopped down beside me and grabbed a cookie.

"So what was wrong with your first period?"

I thought about telling her, but certain things, I didn't want to say in front of Peyton, not yet anyway. Plus I just wanted to forget. Push it in the back of my memory with all of those other need to forget memories. "I dunno mom. Maybe just because it was my last first day at Tree Hill."

She looked at me questionably, but didn't ask. That's what I love about my mom, she has never pressured me to say or do anything. She knew I would tell her when I was ready.

Peyton and I walked upstairs to my room and laid down on the bed. "So what's question one say?" I asked as I closed my eyes.

She didn't respond. I felt her get up which caused my eyes to open. I looked at her with one eyebrow raised because she was standing there, with her hand outstretched. She was looking at me like she wanted something.

"Hi! I'm Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer." She kept looking at me and when I didn't respond she added "And you are?"
I stood up and looked at this blonde head like she was nuts. "Peyt, have you lost your mind?"

"Just answer the question."

I shook my head and took her hand. "Haley Marie James."
"Nice to meet you. We have now completed question one."

I busted out laughing and shook my head. "Peyton you are so corny."

We got settled down and looked at the packets. The instructions told us each day we had something to complete, to get to know one another. There were thirty envelopes, each one had a serious of things we were supposed to do. Since there were 31 days in August, the last day was for us to put together our report on each other. I knew this month wasn't going to be bad, it was the next four that were going to hurt.

I was lost in thought when I felt something smack me across the head. I looked up startled and once again got nailed in the face with a pillow. I grinned and grabbed my other one. For like thirty minutes we jumped around my room in an all out pillow fight.

We were laughing so hard that we didn't hear my mom walk into the room. I swung my pillow hard, Peyton ducked. "HALEY MARIE!" Ooops. I had just hit my mom in the face and almost hit Sky.

"Sorry mom." I reached out and pulled the eight month old into my arms. "I'm so sorry bubba." I kissed his forehead.

"It's all right Haley. I was just coming to tell you girls that dinner is ready." She walked out of the room and we followed her. Dinner was pleasant as always. My mom and dad went out so I gave Sky a bath and put him to bed.

"You know Haley, I admire you. You have school, work and tutoring but you still find time to spend with your friends and you help out with your little brother."

I just smiled at her and pulled out the envelope. I took our the first card and read allowed. "Haley and Peyton, your first task for Day 1 is to take a picture together. After you have the picture, label it day 1 and put in your portfolio. Then read card 2."

We contemplated on how to take it. Finally we decided to sit up on my bed, our legs crossed over each others. We weren't really sitting, but were on our hips, with our hands on our heads. Our bodies were facing each other, but our faces were facing towards the camera. My hand held up a b in sign language and hers and f for best friends. My mom snapped the photo.

After we got our pictures put up and settled back down, Peyton grabbed the next card and read. "Tell each other about your favorite article of clothing and why."

I bit my bottom lip and went into my closet. I pulled out my auto body hoody. I fingered the material and smiled. The smile was somewhat strained.

I sat on the bed. "I have had this hoody since the summer before eighth grade. There is only four others like it. It was given to me by a dear friend. He gave us the hoody's when he found out he had cancer. He was the real Uncle of two of us and like an uncle to the rest. We had all been friends since birth. He wanted us to remember him when he went to his treatments. In.. in.. in case he didn't make it." I broke down and told her I needed a minute. I walked out of my room and into my bathroom. I shut the door, locked it and slid down to the floor. Remembering.

Flashback

"C'mon Hales! We're going to be late!" A thirteen year old Jake was yelling at a thirteen year old Haley from the bottom of the stairs.

"Don't yell at me Jacob. It's not my fault. It's Brooklynns! She is trying to look good for Lucas!" Haley said as she dodged a pillow that the other thirteen year old had thrown at her.

"Ya, well Lucas won't be impressed if we're late! Uncle Keith has something to tell us and he said that it was urgent!"

Twenty minutes later the trio met up with the other two friends at Keith's Auto body Shop. They walked in and saw Keith sitting on the couch with a box in his hand.

He looked at the five and had tears threatening to brim over. He handed them each a hoody. "Listen kids, I love you all so much. Once a month for a week or two I will be gone to another state. I want you guys to have these hoody's to remember me when I'm gone."

It was Nathan that spoke up. "C'mon Uncle Keith. It's not like your going to die."

Keith was quiet and Luke looked scared. "You aren't. Are you?"

It was then that Keith told the kids he had cancer. They went back to Luke's house and all just sat around crying.

End flashback

I got up, washed my face and went back into my room and continued the story. "Every time he was gone we would wear those hoody's until he came back. It continued like that for half the school year. He ended up beating the cancer.

At the end of the year though, everyone moved. The last week we spent together we each wore one another's hoodys. After they left we fell apart. We lost touch.

This is my favorite hoody for many reasons. It's a sign of strength, hope, courage and accomplishment. It has the scents of my old friends. It has the memories. It's the one thing that hasn't changed. You will never see these hoodys anywhere else because none of us wear them any longer."

I quit talking and put my hoody back in the closet. I sat down and nodded at Peyton to go on. She sighed. "My favorite piece of clothing is this pink dress. It has ribbons all over it. My mom bought it for me when I was seven because I begged and begged her for it.

I wore that dress for every holiday, every family portrait. The day before she was killed... we had our family portrait. I wore that dress and it still smells like her. I never washed it, because no matter what that will have her scent and her scent reminds me of her."

We sat there and hugged for awhile. Both of us remembering and hurting of losses. Tears were streaming down our eyes. Who knew a piece of clothing could bring up so much emotion.

I pulled away from her and pulled out the next card and read. "Since this was just the first day, that was all. When you go home tonight write in your journals."

Peyton and I hugged and said bye. I pulled my hoody on and took out my notebook.

August 1, 2005

So today we got assigned this project. We had to introduce ourselves, take pictures and tell one another about a favorite piece of clothing.

I told Pey about my hoody, just didn't mention any names. All though she has become my best friend, I'm not ready to share with her that part of my past. I know in time she'll figure it out, because it seems inevitable. The five Musketeers paths have crossed once again. The bullets will soon be fired, and Peyton will be in the crossfire.

Today she shared with me the pink dress and her moms memory. It is difficult to imagine her and pink but that was another lifetime ago. Before tragedy turned her world upside down.

Until Next time,

Haley Marie James