AN/ Hi everyone! Thank you again for the awesome reviews I can't thank you enough! And I totally agree that Yellowcard is awesome :P
Don't worry I'm just changing a few things because I'm a bad guesser and I noticed things while re-reading. I know I'm a pain :P
Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill or any of the characters featured in this fic. I also don't own Jay Z and his song can't knock the hustler.
Options. That's all I have now and have had for a long time now. I need to raise enough money to pay them back in exactly 20 days and looking at the options I have right now there is no way I can do it. I don't have a job, I can't rob a bank, I couldn't possibly pick-pocket enough people and I can't keep running. Well I could but the next time they find me I am a dead man.
What am I suppose to do? I think to myself as I bury my head under the blanket Peyton gave me only to kick it off in frustration and stand up. Sighing I start to pace the basement trying to think of someway out of this. Looking around didn't help much either until I saw the black Nike basketball sitting on top of a few cardboard boxes.
I quickly look at my watch to see that is 10 past 9 in the morning. Never too early to start I tell to myself as I pull out the red T-shirt I wore yesterday and a pair of dark blue jeans from my rucksack I quickly got dressed, picked up the basketball and climbed the stairs. I slowly opened the door just enough to be able to see though it and made sure no one was around. But just as I was about to walk out I could hear someone coming down the stairs I quickly shut the door again and waited. Who ever came down walked right past the basement door and I could hear he or she turn on the coffee machine. I have to fight the urge to go into the kitchen myself and make a coffee but instead I open the front door silently and leave.
I managed to wake up, go downstairs and make coffee before I realised that Bryan is still in our basement. I nearly dropped my coffee in the process. I quickly put the mug on the side and walked over to the door but before I could open it Dork walked down the stairs. I quickly lent against the door like I was just hanging around. He slowed down as he walked towards me and eyed me suspiciously.
"What?" I snap He frowns at me for a moment before shaking his head and walking into the kitchen. I waited a few seconds before opening the door a little so I could sneak in. I closed the door quietly behind me and snuck down the stairs only to find that he has already left. The camp bed is still down and the blanket is still there but none of his things are. I sighed and sat down on the camp bed. I thought he would at least say goodbye before he left again. Good knows if he is still in town but sighing once more I get up and walk back up stairs. I couldn't however help but wonder where he has gotten to.
Walking the streets of Tree Hill I managed to have time to think things through as I bounced the ball slowly. In the end I decided to make money any way I can so I walked to a busy street and watched the people pass me, picking the perfect mark. It wasn't until I saw a man in a business suit that I made my move. I placed the ball under my arm and walked into him but as I did I slipped my hand into his coat pocket and picked up his wallet.
"Sorry man" I apologised as he took a step back.
"No problem" He replied as he kept walking. I smiled to myself and opened the wallet to claim my prize of 10 bucks.
"Not bad" I tell myself as I pocket the 10 and drop the wallet on the floor as I move on. The man will either realise he has lost his wallet or someone will find it. I can't keep it on me.
My next mark is a young man who looks about 21 years old and is walking with what I assume is his girlfriend. I walk towards them and stare at the man for a moment.
"Harry!" I shout as I hug him and like before I quickly take his wallet out of his breast pocket but make sure that I hide it up my sleeve.
"Err… you got the wrong man. I'm not Harry" The guy says as he pushes me away from him slowly. I regard him with a confused expression before laughing like this is all a misunderstanding.
"Omigod I'm so sorry!" I exclaim, covering my mouth with my hand.
"Its Ok" The man says as he takes his girlfriends hand and walks away. I smile to myself once more and wait until I am further up the road before I see that the man has now just lost 15 bucks. 25 bucks made in half an hour. Not bad I tell myself.
I decided to leave that street and move on before people start to get smart to what I'm doing. You can never be too careful. The new street I'm on isn't very busy but it will do for now. Sighing I take the ball from under my arm and walk towards my next mark slowly, never taking my eyes of the ball like I'm an amateur basketball player I wait until he is about a foot away from me before I let the ball bounce away from me and chase after it. He bends down to get it for me which pushes his wallet further out of his back pocket. I walk up behind him and carefully pull it out so he doesn't feel it.
"Here you go kid" He says as he stands up. I make sure no one saw me swipe his wallet and thank him before running off and adding another 5 bucks to my collection. What a stupid place to put a wallet? I say to myself and laugh.
After taking the last 5 bucks I stop before I get caught and wonder around town for a little while. I might as well get accustom to the place if I'm going to be staying here for nearly three weeks. But as I look around I realise that I'm lost and I haven't seen any cars or people for that matter in a while. I stop walking and look around. I seem to be in the outskirts off the town and there are no signs to help so I keep walking forward.
After walking for 10 minutes I manage to find the best place ever. A basketball court. It is a little run down with graffiti all over but it is out in the middle of nowhere, by a river and no one seems to be here. It is perfect. I immediately discard my hoodie and start to take shots and do lay ups.
"Looks like we got a new guy" I quickly catch the rebound and look over to see two men watching me. One is African American with a bold head while the other is kind of nerdy looking. An idea hits me like a ton of bricks and I smile to myself.
"Hey, so anybody up for a game?" I ask, spinning the ball on my fingers. The two men look at each other before looking back at me.
"Why not" The African American man says.
"One condition" He raises his eyebrows at me. "If you win I give you 10 bucks but if I win you give me 10 bucks" I explain. He looks back at the nerdy looking guy and laughs. I wait silently as the two talks it over.
"Deal?" I ask, getting annoyed.
"Deal" He replies. I hold out my hand to him. He regards me and shakes my hand.
"Your ball. First to 11" I tell him. He nods and takes off his brown hoodie before joining me in the middle of the court.
"Hello ladies and gentleman and welcome to another river court face off. Today we have the one and only Skills Taylor facing a new contender…" I look over to see the nerdy guy sitting on the bench commentating the game.
"What's your name dawg?" The guy, Skills asks. I regard him for a moment but decide that since I already told Peyton and a police officer my fake name I might as well tell him.
"Bryan Smith"
"I'm Skill's Taylor and that is Mouth McFadden" Skills introduces. I nod in Mouth's direction and he nods back.
"… Facing a new contender Bryan Smith. Skills has the ball…" I laugh at Mouth as he continues.
Skills laughs and before I know it he is rushing forward and shooting. The ball goes in and I retrieve it. I smile at him and give him the ball again. He smiles back and fakes right before shooting again. I wait until he is 5 points up and is starting to get self-confident before I start to really play and immediately have the upper hand.
"How the table have turned ladies and gentlemen. Bryan is now up by 3 points and if he makes this basket he wins the game" I take a deep breath and catch the ball as Skills throws it at me. We take our positions in the centre of the court and I bounce the ball.
"You aint getting the ball in dawg" Skills teases as he holds out one of his hands to block the ball. I smile at him and bounce the ball once more before faking left and dodging him. I hear him coming up behind me but I look back at the net and in one fluid motion I push the ball through the air and it goes straight in with a swoosh.
"Yes" I say to myself. Perfect!
"Oh and it goes in! Skills Taylor has just lost his first game! He is no longer the undefeated champion!" Mouth shouts.
"Shut up Mouth!" Skills say as he goes into his jogging bottom trousers and pulls out 10 bucks. "A deals a deal"
"Thank you" I say as take the note from him and laugh. 40 in one day. Kerching! I think to myself as I put the 10 in my pocket with the rest.
"Hey you saved Peyton yesterday right" Mouth asks coming over to us.
"Yeah" I reply as I twirl the ball on my fingers again.
"Well Dawg you're Ok in my books"
"You know Peyton?"
"Yeah we got to school with her" Skills replies.
"Well me and Skills are going to get a something to eat you wanna come?" Mouth asks. And spend my hard earned cash?
"Nah... I'm cool" I say as I pick up my T-shirt from the floor.
"You sure?"
"Yeah… I'm not hungry anyway" Lie. I'm actually starving but I can't spend my money. I fan myself off before putting my T-shirt back on.
"Well come anyway. Come meet the others" Skills say as he pats me on the back. I sigh and collect all my stuff.
And guess where they take me? As soon as I walked past that damn bench I knew where we are going but I don't say anything. I consider making an excuse and leaving or just running although I don't.
"Guys this is Bryan. Bryan this is Nathan, Haley, Brooke, Chase, Fergie and Junk… You know Peyton" I look over at Peyton and she looks at me confused for a moment before smiling at me. I smile back and we all squeeze into the both. Guess who I sit by? I look around the table at everyone and can tell immediately who the couples are. The dark haired boy with dark blue eyes is going on with the girl who sits by him with dark blonde hair because a) they have had been holding hands since I walked in and b) I can see from the look in his eyes that he is mad about her. The second couple is the couple to my right who are a both black haired simply because he has her undivided attention and he has his arm around her neck. I looked away as he stroked a strand of her hair out of her eye.
"What have you been doing?" Peyton asked as she lent towards me slightly. I shrug innocently. She raises an eyebrow at me before turning to Mouth. I got back to looking around the booth at each teenage. Everyone is having their own conversations and the atmosphere is very friendly it is kind of overwhelming.
"Hey, look who just walked in" I look over, like everyone else at the door to see a brown haired boy with light brown eyes walk in. I was about to look back at the girl who announced his arrival when my eyes landed on Peyton to see her bright red as a tomato. Everyone started to chuckle at her except me. I actually felt bad for her and couldn't help but put an arm around her shoulder. She looked up and me but didn't say anything. I look back at her before looking up to see most of the teenagers looking at me with curiosity.
"So Bryan what brings you to Tree Hill?" The dark haired boy with dark blue eyes asked me. I mentally rolled my eyes, knowing that the questions would soon roll round.
"Sorry what's your name again?" I ask.
"Nathan"
"Well Nathan… I just happened to be here. It's a spur of the moment thing" I answered, hoping that no more question would follow but luckily a brown haired woman walked towards us.
"What can I get you kids?" She asked, looking around at us all before her eyes stopped on me and my arm around Peyton. I forgot about that. I removed my arm while keeping an eye on her.
"Mum this is Bryan" Peyton said to her. So she's Peyton's Mum and must be the famous Karen. I watched as her faced changed from curious to very happy.
"So you're the young man that saved my Peyton. Thank you very much and if there is anyway I can do to repay you just let me know" I nodded at her with a smile. So that's where Peyton gets her generosity from.
"Fries all round?" She asked, looking at everyone. Everyone nods and she leaves. An idea came to me as she does.
"Hey, Skills can you let me out please?" Skills nodded and stood up so I could get out. I thanked him and walked over to the counter where Karen stood. She looked up at me and smiled.
"Hey Karen you know how you said that if I needed anything I just had to ask" She nodded. "Well I was wondering if I could have a job"
She smiled "Of course we are very short staffed lately"
"Do you mind if I ask what the pay is?" She smiled at me.
"8 dollars an hour"
"And would I get paid monthly?"
"Yes"
"Would it be possible for me to get paid weekly? Money is tight right now"
"I'll see what I can do. Can you start tomorrow?"
"The sooner the better. Thank you" I replied as I walked back over to the other teenagers. 40 bucks and a job not bad for my first day.
AN/ I have no idea how the work scheme works in American since I'm English so I just made it up and then had to changed it after finding out that the minimum wage is like 6.25 (correct me if I'm wrong). Also Luke robbing the people is of my own imagination and things I saw on TV lol.
Drop me a review and tell me what you think. I will have more Leyton interaction in the next chapter but it will be a while before the Leyton loving… Ok that sounds wrong... I mean before Peyton and Lucas realise they have feelings for each other.
Deanie.