Ok guys... I am so sorry for the delay on this chapter. But here it is now and I hope you all like it. The next chapter should be all about Peyton and Lucas... not sure yet. So here it is... Chapter 9!
Chapter 9: Feeling
DEAR JOURNAL:
School has finally ended. Lucky me. I finally get back to a semi-normal life and one major part of it just ends. I graduated with honors which was something I was very proud of. Too bad my dad wasn't here to see my walk. He couldn't make it due to "travel problems". That's what his excuse is every time. Just once I'd like to see him make it to something that is important to me without some lame excuse.
Lucas was there though. We have grown pretty close over these past couple of months. He's been with me through everything. I had my friends as well but they just couldn't grasp what I was going through. Somehow Lucas understood me. He understands the problems I'm having to face because he was the first one who saw me when I was finally free. He may not have known me then just as I didn't know him, but somehow we get each other.
We're all planning a huge summer trip to Hawaii. Haley and Chris, Rachel and Jake, Brooke and "The flavor of the week", Lucas and I... all of us. Not sure how excited everyone else is about going, but I couldn't be happier. Getting out of Tree Hill is exactly what I need. A fresh start I guess you could call it. A place where no one knows me or what I've been through.
Some part of me can't wait to get away from all of this and just hang out with Lucas, but another part of me doesn't want to leave the comfort of home. I finally have it all back and now I'm leaving it for a summer trip that has the potential to hold more drama than I can even imagine. --
I'm immediately pulled out of my writing by a load racking on my door. I stand up making my way to the door but before I can even open it it flies open revealing one extremely excited Brunette.
"C'mon on Goldilocks we're gonna be late" I stare at her with utter confusion trying to figure out what she is talking about. "Haley's show... did you forget" She furrows her brows as a light bulb goes off in my head. "Actually I did. I thought it wasn't until next week." I give her my best puppy dog look trying to apologize for forgetting that my best friends performance was tonight. "Fine... you get away with that one, but we still have to go."
She pulls me out the door without letting me grab a thing. She shoves me in her car and proceeds to speed off without a care in the world other than making it to Haley's show on time.
X-x-x-x-x-X
We pull up to this little hole in the wall club about 30 minutes later. I looked at Brooke with disgust and then back at the building. "This is it?" I asked. She slowly nodded her head with the same look I had just moments earlier.
We climbed out of the car and began walking towards the door. We were no more than two steps from the door when I heard Lucas call my name. I felt a lump form in my throat but immediately force it back down. I don't know why I had this feeling, but somehow I couldn't shake it. It was almost like I couldn't be around him without feeling weird. Weird about the way he made me feel, weird about the way I acted around him. Everything!
I force a smile as I turn around to meet his beautiful blue eyes. I give him a small hug and pull away just seconds later. I turn my head slightly to the left and I'm immediately greeted with that smile I fell in love with so long ago. "Hey Nate." I flash him an honest smile as I walk up to him as he gives me a warm hug. I sink into his chest and take in his scent. Somehow... I missed that smell. I hadn't seen him in so long and I couldn't have been happier to see him now.
X-x-x-x-x-X
We all find a table in the front of this run down club that somehow feels homey. It might be trashy looking on the outside but the inside is just how I like it. Dim and small with loads of art covering the walls.
We talk amongst ourselves for a few minutes before the club owner comes out on stage. "We have a special treat for you tonight. One of our locals here Haley James is going to do an original song for us tonight... When she hits it bit..." He turned his head to look at her standing at the side of the stage. "I hope she knows we all expect recognition for helping her along... So here she is... HALEY JAMES EVERYBODY"
Haley took a seat on the stool in front of the mic and wrapper her guitar strap around her neck. She adjusted the tuning to her specifications and then adjusted the mic. "Thank you everyone for coming tonight... even if it wasn't for me." A slight chuckle rose from the crowd as she finished speaking "This song is new and it's the first time singing it in front of people so I hope you all enjoy... This song is called 'Halo'".
She glanced back at the house band and nodded. She turned back to face the crowd. She began strumming on her guitar and belted out the first verse.
"I never promised you a ray of light.
I never promised there'd be sunshine everyday
I'll give you everything I have
The good the bad"
Haley looked out into the crowd searching peoples eyes for a response to her song. So far no one was booing or making faces so she knew it was good for now.
"Why do you put me on a pedestal?
I'm so up high that I can't see the ground below
So help me down you've got it wrong
I don't belong there"
By now Peyton, Chris, Lucas, Brooke, and Nathan were all clapping along with the beat and bobbing there heads to the music. None of them had heard this song before and they couldn't have been more proud of the girl on stage.
"One thing is clear
I wear a Halo
I wear a Halo when you look at me
But standing from here
You wouldn't say so
You wouldn't say so if you were me
And I, I just wanna love you
Oh I, I just wanna love you"
The whole crowd was getting into the song now. Chris was grinning from ear to ear as he watched his beautifully talented girlfriend sing her heart out on that stage. He wasn't sure what her inspiration was for writing that song and write now he didn't care. All he cared about was how she felt when she sang it and right now... She seemed to be loving every second of it.
"I always said that I would make mistakes
I'm only human, and that's my saving grace
I'll fall as hard as I try
So don't be blinded
See me as I really am
I have flaws and sometimes I even sin
So pull me from that pedestal
I don't belong there"
Haley couldn't help but smile at the reaction she was getting from the crowd. Everyone was clapping and cheering and she wasn't even done with the song. The best part was the smile she saw on her boyfriends face as she sang her song. She wrote it for him and was happy he was enjoying it. The song was meant to symbolize what he did for her. He treated her like she was a goddess and she felt like she was nothing more than a normal everyday girl. But that wasn't the case to Chris.
"One thing is clear
I wear a Halo
I wear a Halo when you look at me
But standing from here
You wouldn't say so
You wouldn't say so if you were me
And I, I just wanna love you
Oh I, I just wanna love you"
Lucas was staring intently at me with such loving eyes that my heart began to beat harder and faster than it ever had when I was around him. It was like for the first time I was actually letting myself feel something other than pain. He was allowing me to let love back into my life. Something I hadn't felt in such a long time. It was nice to feel that again.
"Like to think that you know me
But in your eyes
I am something above me
That's only in your mind
Only in your mind"
"I wear a, I wear a, I wear a Halo"
Everyone was standing and clapping now, which brought a huge smile to Haley's face. How could a group of people she had never met or sang for in her life, accept her the way they did. She wasn't sure how, but Chris was. It took a sincere face and warm voice to make people this happy... and Haley had both qualities.
"One thing is clear
I wear a Halo
I wear a Halo when you look at me
But standing from here
You wouldn't say so
You wouldn't say so if you were me
And I, I just wanna love you
Oh I, I just wanna love you"
"Hey, a wha ha Halo
Hey, a wha ha Halo
Hey, a wha ha Halo
Hey, a wha ha Halo
Hey, a wha ha Halo
Hey, a wha ha Halo
Hey, a wha ha Halo
Hey, a wha ha Halo
Hey, a wha ha Halo"
Haley stood up as she finished her song. Everyone in the club was now on there feet and cheering and clapping, but she wasn't worried about them... she was worried about her friends and what they thought. That's what mattered most. Her eyes found there way through the crowd as she met her boyfriends eyes. She could tell right then that she did a great job. She smiled at the rest of her friends before saying her thanks and walking off stage.
X-x-x-x-X
We met up with Haley shortly after her performance to congratulate her and give her hugs. She did such a good job. I couldn't have been more proud and I'm sure the rest of them couldn't have been more proud either. She was wonderful. That song may have been for Chris, but I'm sure that it had a meaning to many of the people that were standing in that club... and I was one of them.
It's nice to have a guy like that. One that would do anything to make you happy and treated you so well that you felt you didn't deserve them. That's what a song was meant to do. Give meaning to what some guys will do for the girl they love, and she hit the nail on the head with that song.
X-x-x-x-X
It was getting late and I was getting tired so I decided to leave. I asked Brooke if I could borrow her car after making sure she had a ride home. She through me the keys and gave me a hug goodbye. I said my goodbyes to everyone else and began making my way out of the club I was slowly falling in love with. I was out the door and to Brooke's car when Lucas caught up with me.
"Do you mind if I come over so we can talk?" I stared at him trying to figure out what he had to talk to me about.
"Sure... You can ride with me if you want."
"Well my cars here so I'll just follow you if that's alright"
"Yea that's fine... I'll see you there"
He gave me a hug and told me to be careful before running to his car.
The whole way home I was in constant thought of what he had to say. Why did he wait until I was leaving to talk to me? Why was he so in need of talking to me? Was it that important? Oh god... what if he didn't want to see me anymore... What if I wasn't what he was looking for?
I shook the crazy thoughts out of my head as I pulled into my driveway waiting for Lucas to show up. I walked up to my door and pushed it open. Even after what happened I still didn't lock my door. Maybe I should, but somehow I still feel safe in Tree Hill.
I walk up the stairs to my bedroom and lie down on my bed awaiting Lucas' appearance. Awaiting this talk he had to have with me.
And there he was standing in my doorway. No time to think now... he was here.
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Ok... so I wasn't planning on having Haley sing in this chapter but I absolutely love the song and I haven't had any Haley and Chris in this story at all. They weren't really in here but it was based around the song and them. Which also fell into play with Lucas and Peyton... Hope you enjoyed... please leave a review and let me know what you think!
LOVE SHELL
