Hope y'all like it! I'm working on updating all my stories this weekend! Might even do another chapter for How To:Brooke Yourself, not sure. We'll see. Enjoy though!

Peyton POV

It's always amazed me how my life could be so horribly mundane for so damn long, and then one single thing would change in just a matter of seconds and throw everything in my life into a tailspin. I should have expected something like this really. It's been awhile since anything truly crazy has happened. I guess it was due? I don't know...

I find myself sighing again as I sit numbly on the edge of the bed. I had been sitting quietly, just watching as Brooke, my self proclaimed new boss, packed up her things in the hotel room. I still can't believe all of this is happening. I mean, how did I go from a miserable housemaid who got fired to personal assistant, or err, maid, or damn it, whatever she called it! But how did I end up working for a nice, rich person, who is even willing to move me in with her...wherever it is we're going, when just two days ago I was a miserable floor manager at this place? It just didn't make any sense to me.

I can't figure out why this woman would go off on my boss like that, but then also even go and basically take me in as her own. I mean, who does that!? Well...Brooke Davis apparently. My eyes focus in on her, watching an almost alarming amount of shoes fill up one rather large suit case. Speaking of suitcases...that reminds me that I still have to get my stuff from downstairs. That's not something I was looking forward to, seeing as how it was bound to not only be embarrassing but I'm semi positive that it will set Brooke off again. She's been all ranting and raving ever since she drug me away with her.

She had basically told me I was going to be coming with her, working for her and such, and that she wasn't going to allow me to stay here. Apparently it wasn't up for discussion. And then she started rambling on about living conditions and sweatshops and a whole bunch of other shit that I hadn't really heard. No, I had been too fuzzy headed from the panic and confusion of first losing the only job I thought I could have, and then from the fact that I'd be leaving this place in just two short days.

Well, low and behold Sawyer, your two days are up and what have you done? Jack shit, that's what! It didn't help though that Brooke and her friends have all been persistent about helping me, even after I assured them there'd barely be a whole box full of stuff. And I had been doing everything I could to keep them away from the 'employee rooms' aka, the dirty basement with paper thin walls put up, but I didn't think I could avoid it anymore. I was gonna have to go get my stuff, and Brooke was still being adamant about being there to help. I was not looking forward to her reaction.

There was only one other thing that had me upset about this whole deal. It meant that I'd be away from Jay(formerly Alistair) and would no longer have my one friend to just be myself with. And as much as I hated to admit it, but that kinda scared me. I didn't know how I was supposed to say bye to my best friend. I mean, ever since I came to this town he has been the one person there for me. He helped me get out of the hell that I was in and he got me a job here. Not saying that it's great here, but it was better than where I was.

My eyes flicked back up to watch the brunette fashionista who was now speaking on the phone to someone about our new traveling arrangements. I eyed her every move and took her in. Everything about her screamed dominant, in command, privileged, and perfect. As far as I could tell, the rest of her friends had seemed the same way. I don't know why they would want to be around someone like me. Why SHE would want to be anywhere in the same vicinity as someone like me. I was lower than the dirt their expensive designer high heels walked on. They really shouldn't be wasting any of their time on someone who was so worthless, broken. Someone who had-

My thoughts were cut off by a hand being placed on my shoulder. I blinked and realized that Brooke was standing in front of me with a kind smile. She rubbed my shoulder as she spoke, "c'mon Peyton. Everyone else is ready and packed up. We just need to go down and get your stuff. Nate, Luke, Skills and Rachel are gonna meet us in the hall to help get your stuff. Everyone else is gonna start getting their luggage out into the cars." She cut me off as I went to go speak, "and I don't care what you say, even if it is just one box, you aren't going to carry it yourself. That's what we have the boys for." She winked at me, officially shutting me up.

Grabbing my hand, she pulled me up and led me down the hall to her waiting friends. I gulped, knowing this was not going to be even remotely pleasant. They all greeted each other as we reached them. I kept my eyes away from them all and stayed silent. Feeling the hand around mine squeeze softly, I felt a tiny bit better and gave a squeeze back. "Ok, so where are we going anyway Goldilocks?" The red head, who I've come to know as Rachel, asks as she moved to stand by me side. I swallow again before answering, "umm, it's in the basement. Just, uh, just follow me."

I shakily led them down to the first floor, through a maze of hallways to a dark oak door, way off where no one would be able to just happen across it. The sign on it read Employees Only, only serving to remind me of all the things that were about to change in my life. Glancing back at the line of people behind me I shuffle to get my keys out and pick out the right one. I'm so wound up though that my hands are shaking, which apparently doesn't go unnoticed as Brooke rubs my back lightly.

As soon as I open the door, I see that the hanging lightbulb is already on, barely lighting the rickety old wooden staircase. Hmmm, well someone's down here. I start down the stairs, causing the wood to groan under my weight. A hand on my arm stops me though and I turn back to see Brooke looking more than just a little worried.

"Um, are these even safe? I mean, they look like they're about to collapse. I'm pretty sure I can even see some missing boards already."

I nod my head, "they'll hold, just move kinda quick."

I catch the Scott boys sharing a look at my words before turning around and carrying on my way. Once we reach the bottom, they all seem to take a breath of relief and I just look around for a second. "C'mon." I say softly before moving through the stone passageways. I can hear them murmuring behind me and try to ignore it. I mean the place is kinda shocking to anyone, so I can't even begin to imagine how bad it looks to people who are used to only the very best in life.

My eyes glaze over everything as we pass, looking for my room. The stone walls, if you can even call them that, are old and crumbling. There has barely been any construction down here, save for a couple of support poles used to hold up the ceiling, so it looks like the halls and doors have just been left after being cut into the rock. The place is dingy and dark, with only free hanging light bulbs and loose wires hanging every twenty feet or so to light it. It smells musty and the moss growing on the walls is a testament to why. The air is freezing and there is no source of heat on this level.

Finally, I saw my room and walked through the open doorway. I stopped in the middle of the room and heard gasps as the others stepped in. Not wanting to see the disgusted faces I'm sure they were making, I let my eyes take in the room for one last time. Two dingy old mattresses sat in the floor, one in each corner. The mattresses were taking up most of the room and were both covered with a ton of old blankets, no pillows in sight. On the other side of the room sat a long row of about seven different sized boxes, all open with clothes in them. There was another pile of clothes in the only other corner of the room on the floor.

My attention was grabbed away from the place I had called home for the last few years though as the fashion designer came to stand next to me. "You live here?!" Her voice is an interesting mix of anger, sadness, and shock. I turn around to see the same response from her friends and quickly look forward again. I just sigh and shrug my shoulders. Moving on, I walk over to a medium size box in the middle of the line and grab it, dragging it over to the doorway.

As I move towards the bed in the left corner, I notice Brooke immediately take a look into the box I left by them before I feel her eyes on me again as I kneel down and crawl on the bed. Feeling that someone else was in it, I shook the blanket, before a black haired woman uncovered herself and groaned at me. "Ugh, Sawyer, what do you want?" I tugged at my blanket, which she was currently laying on top of. She just groaned again before rolling over so I could quickly grab blanket. She rolled back over as I got off the bed saying, "sorry Sasha." I quickly moved to throw the hole filled baby blue blanket into the box.

Skills stops me with a question though. "You getting busy with this girl here Skinny? That's kinda cold, just leaving her in the bed like that." Brooke smacks him and gives him a nasty look. I quietly explain. "Um, no. There's seven of us in this room. We share the beds." Not bothering to wait for a response I go to the pile of clothes. I sit and start sorting through, checking for any of my own. Brooke comes and sits next to me as I have a small pile collected. "Any way I can help?"

"Um, you could put these clothes in that box."

"Okay, how about bathroom stuff?"

"Ugh, it's communal, so I already have it all packed in a bag in my box."

I see her swallow and nod at me, picking up the clothes to go pack them. Soon after, I follow her and close the box, dusting myself off and finally looking their way.

"That's it?!" Rachel says surprised.

I nod and notice Brooke take a deep breath before grabbing my hand and pulling me back the way we came, shouting back, "hey Luke, can you grab that?"

I hear him reply, "yea" and then mumble out, "damn, she wasn't kidding."

We all stay quiet as we reach the first floor again. I drop my key in the bowl that's standing on the nightstand by the door, taking a breath. "You ready to go?" Brooke asks me. I hesitate before nodding. As we turn to head to the door though, I hear my name being yelled.

"PEYTON!"

I see Jay speed walking down the hall and I immediately take off to meet him half way. I jump into his arms as we meet, completely forgetting about the people behind me watching us. We hug and cling to each other for what feels like forever before we pull back to look at each other with tear filled eyes. He sets me back down on the ground and puts one hand on my cheek. "Hey, it's gonna be okay." He whispers to me.

"How?"

"You're gonna go and be something Peyton. You're gonna be better than this. Better than this place, you deserve that much. You have always deserved better than the shit hand you got dealt in life. This is your chance."

"But what about you?" I'm fighting back the sobs at this point and look at him like a scared child being torn from their parent.

"I'm gonna be just fine. I'm gonna get that job at the Concert place and then I'm gonna move out of here and be happy. Have a better life, just like you are going to do now. In the meantime though, I'm gonna be waiting for a call to see how amazing your doing with your great new life. And I better get that call Sawyer! Don't make me come hunt you down!" He says, laughing and crying.

I laugh some and hug him again. "I really am gonna miss you Jay." I whisper in his ear.

"Imma miss you too P."

We hug for another minute before separating and wiping our eyes. He looks over my shoulder and I see him nod. Glancing back I see Brooke standing with a soft smile on her face, watching us. "You take care of yourself." He tells me, gaining my attention again. We nod at each other, both fighting off tears once again as he turns and leaves.

I feel lost for a second, stuck between what was and what would be. The exhaustion finally hitting me, from the last couple emotional days and from all the physical work I had been doing before them. A hand grabbing mine brought me out of my haze though. My eyes met chocolate ones and I felt an arm come around my waist. A small kiss is laid on my cheek before she silently urges me along, the rest following behind us. Before I know it, we are loaded up in two limos and then boarding a plane. First class. Who knew traveling could be so comfortable? The last thing I remember is my head rolling over into Brooke's shoulder and hearing a soft, "it's all gonna be okay. You're okay now." Before drifting off to sleep.