This story is completely AU. The setting is in Tree Hill, obviously, but no one is related except for Karen and Lucas, and this Tree Hill is bigger, so no one really knows anyone else in the beginning. The relationships will be obvious as the story progresses, with lots of little twists and turns. Btdubs, my chapter titles are usually the song that inspired the chapter. They do not necessarily denote what will happen in the chapter. Enjoy, readers, and remember to read and review!
I do not own One Tree Hill in any way, shape or form. If I did, James Lafferty would be standing next to me right now.
If there is one thing that I hate doing, it's waking up early. I loathe it. I loathe it even more when there is a woman standing above me and continuously poking me with her talon like nails.
"Mom, five more minutes. All I want is five more minutes."
She rolled her eyes and proceeded to continue poking me. "That's what you said twenty minutes ago, you lazy bum. Now wake up, or everyone is going to beat the boss to the store on the first day."
The first day. Of course. The first day at the store, the first full day in this town. The first new day of the rest of my life. The first day.
"Alright, woman. I'll move. Just get out."
My mom smiled down at me and shook her curly black hair from her face. "That's my boy."
I rolled my eyes as she left the room and stripped quickly. I showered and shaved in record time, threw on a pair of slacks and a white button down shirt and a pair of dress shoes, and met Mom in the car.
She smiled at me. "Record time, kid."
I grinned back, and started the car. The drive to the store was silent, but I think we were both nervous. It was Mom's first day being a boss and my first day training everyone else. We had told everyone to report at the store at ten in the morning, even though we didn't open until four in the afternoon. We had six hours to teach all of them everything that they needed to know. It was going to be a long day.
When we arrived at the store, I let Mom out at the curb, and I drove down the street to find somewhere to park. As I was walking back up the sidewalk to the store, my cell phone started ringing.
I like a girl that can take control. Funny, cute and kiss-
I answered the phone before anyone could hear my embarrassing ringtone. It was my ex-girlfriend Nikki calling me, and I knew immediately that this was a conversation I did NOT want to be having.
"What, Nicole?"
I could hear her smirk on the other end of the phone. "Nicole? Getting a little formal now, aren't we, Luke?"
I groaned. "What do you want? Can't you just leave me alone? Haven't you done enough?"
"Oh, cut the dramatic crap, Luke. It takes two to tango. You know that just as well as I do. But there's a complication with everything that happened. I need to see you. Soon."
I could feel myself becoming physically ill. "Now soon is soon, Nicole?"
She paused, and I could hear her breathing heavily on the other end of the phone. She was nervous, talking to me. She was scared. "Tonight."
"Fine. Drive to Tree Hill. I get off work at 10. I'll see you then."
"Luke, wait-!"
I closed my phone, not even waiting to hear what she had to say. If she needed to talk to me that badly, she'd find a way to get to Tree Hill. How she did it wasn't my problem anymore.
I had reached the store by that point, but paused before going in. I needed to clear my head, just for a few seconds. I closed my eyes and paced back and forth. It was calming, in a repetitious way. Just back and forth and back and forth and back and-
"Hey! Excuse you!"
I opened my eyes in shock and was faced with Brooke Davis in front of me.
"Oh my gosh, Brooke, I'm so sorry! It was completely accidental and I totally didn't mean to hit you. I was just-"
"Just not paying attention," she laughed. "It's all good. I was just scared for a second. But there was no harm done. So, no harm, no foul."
She smiled at me charmingly. She was wearing a short, pleated black skirt and a white turtleneck. She looked like a Catholic school wet dream. God, I needed her. Just looking at her made me forget all my problems with Nikki.
I stood there staring at her until she raised an eyebrow and said, "Uh, Lucas? Are you okay?"
I snapped out of my reverie and grinned at her. "Yeah, sorry. I just spaced. Uh, do you wanna go on in? We should probably start soon."
I held the door to The Corner Store open for her, and followed after. Everyone was there, except for my mom, who had told me that it was perfectly fine for me to start without her. I swallowed nervously and then whistled to get the attention of the group.
"Hi, everyone. So, we asked you all here to get trained up before we officially opened and, uh, I guess that's what we're gonna do. You all know I'm Lucas, and I'm gonna be in charge of training the waitresses. My mom will train the cooks. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask. So let's get started. Boys, go ahead and head towards the kitchen. Ladies, you're with me."
The fiery red head, named Rachel, in my memory serves, winked and said, "Oh yes, I am."
I looked up, and said a silent prayer to God, hoping that he wouldn't let these women eat me alive. All I knew is it was going to be a long day.
