Authors Note: So this chapter has took me a while to write and I'm not too sure about it. I was blown away by the amount of reviews for last chapter. You guys are awesome. I'd like to personally give a shout out to Kaitie {naley23love}, Alex {arubagirl0926}, stagediva23, pam211, Elle {Elbelleee23} & Elli {HeavenLullaby} for reviewing last chapter! I appreciate all your opinions and hope that this next chapter is good enough...
February 2029-
Brooke looked down at the scribbled on piece of paper that was in Haley's handwriting. The right side of the page was full with Cons and the Pros side was barely empty. Haley didn't have to tell Brooke what her decision was. The answer was right there in her hands.
"I understand Haley. We were asking too much of you, but it was worth a shot huh?" She tried to smile although tears were already running down her face. "I didn't realise how many cons there were to being surrogate, especially looking at them compared to the one pro."
"You're right, there are a lot of cons on that list Brooke –but they're not as important as that one pro. After speaking to Nathan, I realised that I'm extremely lucky. I'm doing a job that I love, children that I adore and a husband who has stuck with me through the good and the bad...kind of like my friends." Haley hesitated, trying to choke back the tears that were filling her eyes. "I realised that you have everything that I have; an amazing job, a husband that would go to the ends of the earth just to be with you and great friends who just want you to be happy. But the one thing that I've got that you haven't is children. How can I look at my children and not want to give you the exact same thing."
"Wait, are you saying..?"
"I'm saying that I want to make your dream come true Brooke; just like you made Peyton's dream real when you gave her money to set up her own label and Julian is trying again with the Ravens script. You two are honest and good people, you deserve to get your dream and I want to give that to you Brooke. I want to be your surrogate." Haley finished.
"Seriously? You're not joking?" Brooke asked in her husky voice that was breaking slightly as she spoke due to her tears. "You really want to do this?"
"Yeah, I mean we're going to have to see , run some tests but if everything is okay with her then..." Haley was unable to finish her sentence as Brooke had already flung herself onto her friend in gratitude.
"I love you Haley Scott."
"I love you too Brooke."
The gym was loud and buzzing. It looked like the whole town had turned up to watch and support the Ravens second game. The team were currently in the changing rooms receiving a pep talk from their coach, whilst more and more people continued to fill the gym. Lucas and Peyton had already taken their seats. She had her legs stretched across the seats next to her.
"Keep moving kid, these are taken," Peyton said to the young teenager who was looking for a place to sit. Peyton had her legs on the seats so that no one would sit down.
"Peyton, you don't have to put your legs up. No one's going to sit there, you goof, when you shout abuse at them."
"I'm not saving the seats, I need to stretch my legs out. And I wouldn't call it abuse, more like heated instructions."
Lucas chuckled to himself and kissed the top of Peyton's head that was lying on his shoulder.
"Hi guys," greeted Alex as she walked along the row of seats with Caleb to Lucas and Peyton.
"Hey Alex."
"Are we okay to sit here?" She indicated at the seats that Peyton's legs were lying on. "Or are you saving them?"
"No, sit down. Peyton was actually saving them for everyone, weren't you babe?"
"Of course I was," she smirked and moved her legs so that Caleb and Alex could sit next to them. Shortly after, the rest of the group arrived. Haley sat next to Alex and had Brooke and Julian on her other side. Lydia joined Ella & Sawyer on the row in front.
"Look Momma, it's Ave," Caleb called out and pointed to his sister who was warming up on the side of the court with the other cheerleaders.
"Yeah and you're going to cheer really loud for her aren't you handsome?"
"Where's Chase, Alex?" asked Peyton.
"I don't really know. We haven't been speaking much lately. He comes to pick up the kids and drops them off but that's really it."
"I think he had to work late tonight," Julian suggested.
"Go figure." Alex could not believe that he would miss a basketball game. Everyone else had shown up to watch and even if he didn't like basketball; his daughter was still a cheerleader.
"Ella, who are you looking for?" Lucas asked his daughter who was searching the gym benches.
"Oh no one, I just thought that my friend Lanny would be here but I don't think he's the basketball kind."
"Friend?"
"Yeah, Dylan Carter. He's new; works in the tutor centre with me."
"Come on then Hales, dish the dirt," Peyton winked.
"He seems like a great kid. Obviously intelligent and good looking too. Good choice Els."
"Yeah well as long as he doesn't bring his brother along," Sawyer scoffed in detest.
"Why who's his brother?" Peyton enquired, looking round the group for an answer.
"Jonny Carter."
Sawyer thought back to earlier that afternoon when she was meeting Ella afterschool.
"Hey little brother, let's go," called Jonny to Lanny who was standing at his locker with Ella. At the sight of Ella and Lanny talking, Jonny acknowledged her. " And who's this Lan, got a girlfriend finally?"
"Ella, this is my brother Jonny. Jonny, this is my friend Ella Scott." Lanny introduced the pair, emphasising the word friend.
"Another Scott huh, it was only a matter of time before I came across another." Jonny smirked at the sight of Sawyer striding down the hall angrily. "Speaking of Scott's, here comes my favorite," he said sarcastically. " Well if it isn't Little Miss Cheery."
"What are you doing here?" Sawyer asked bitterly.
"Haven't we been through this already. I go to this school now. The peroxide in your hair must be seaping into your brain, you're clearly not the brightest blonde."
"Actually, this is natural and I didn't mean here here idiot. Here talking to my little sister."
"Little sister? Ella is your sister? I should have known. She's nicer to me though than you are."
"You don't know her, and you don't know me. But that doesn't answer my question, why are you harassing an innocent 14 year old, you pervert?"
"Calm down Scott. I was here to meet my brother. I believe he's friends with you sister. Lanny this is Sawyer Scott."
"Hi,pleased to meet you. I'm Lanny Carter." Lanny formerly introduced himself, trying to make the situation less awkward and intense.
"Ella, we're going." Sawyer pulled Ella away from the lockers before giving Jonny her best evil stare.
Sawyer still couldn't believe that Ella had suddenly become so friendly with the devil child's brother.
"Ella I don't think you should be hanging out with this boy."
"Dad, that's not fair. You've never even met him. We're just friends okay. You always told me not to judge a book by its cover. Even Aunt Haley said that he's a good kid. Please dad, he's kinda the only friend I have right now." Ella pleaded with her father.
"Hey Els, I'm your friend too," Lydia nudged her cousin.
"Your my cousin Lyds, there's a difference. Your friends don't really like me; we're just not into the same things."
"Of course they like you silly."
"Lydia, you're in band, the debate club and still manage to be friends with the popular kids. Believe me, we have nothing in common."
"I love you Ella, your my cousin and my favorite one at that, so you're welcome to hang out with me and my friends whenever you want."
"Thanks Lyds but I think I'm happy just hanging with Lanny."
"Lets go Ravens, lets go!" The cheers echoed through the gym along with the clapping from the crowd. The older cheerleaders were cheering and shouting out the names of the senior basketball players. But Avery was cheering for the Scott's; her best friend Annie, who she had to apologise too, and for Quinley, who she had a huge crush on.
The team got into their positions on the court ready to play, team captain Mason Daniels leading the tip off. At the sound of the whitsle, Daniels jumped high off the ground and flicked the basketball to Annie who caught it gracefully and dribbled to the hoop. She had a gracious air about her when she played, like she hovered above the court rather than ran over it. She threw the ball into the air in front of the basketball hoop and out of nowhere Quinley jumped and dunked the ball into the hoop.
"The first Ravens basket of the night made in the first minute by our young Quinley Scott in his number 14 jersey. We're two games into the season folks and it's clear that the two young Scott cousins are here to make an impact on the court. It feels like having the original Scott pairing, brothers Lucas and Nathan, on the team again."
Lucas looked to the gym wall where several framed jersey's were hanging; Durham 1, Scott 23, Fields 44 and Scott 22. No basketball player from Tree Hill had ever come close to getting their jersey on the wall since.
The game continued the same way it started; Ravens dominating the court, they were leading 30-21.
"I'm going to take Caleb to get something from the vending machine does anyone want anything?" Haley offered, looking round the group.
"We're fine thanks Hales," said Brooke turning away from Julian to reply to Haley but quickly continued her conversation with her husband.
"Luke, Peyton?"
"Errm, a couple of bags of chips, a chocolate bar and ooh some skittles please," Peyton grinned.
"Okay, you remember that Cale," Haley said as she turned to walk out of the gym.
"Haley," Lucas whined to his best friend making her turn around. "What about me?"
"But I thought..." Haley indicated to Peyton, thinking about the list of vending machine items that she had requested.
"Yeah that was just for her," he laughed. "Could you get me a coke please?"
"Sure, see you in a minute." Haley led Caleb out of the gym by his hand.
It wasn't until this moment that Alex realised just how alone she was, wedged between two extremely in love couples. On her right, Luke and Peyton were rubbing her rounded baby bump and laughing about something that Lucas had said. She had reclaimed her position, leaning on his shoulder.
Over on the left of Alex was Brooke and Julian. She couldn't help but watch them, clearly in deep conversation. Julian was looking at Brooke's face so intently, like he was trying to take everything in so that he would never forget how she looked in that moment. It was the way Julian had always looked at Brooke. To him she was Queen of the world and nobody else even came close. Alex remembered the days when she wished that Julian would look at her that way and then she wished the same of Chase. But she never felt like any man had looked at her in such a way.
The final buzzer rang and the Ravens supporters cheered for another win; the scoreboard read 57-33. The team were pumped for their next game tomorrow night and proud of another victorious win.
"You keep playing like that boys and the Scouts will be begging to have you. I'll meet you all in the locker room." Nathan left his team on the court to celebrate and he joined Haley and his friends near the exit of the gym.
"Good game guys, the crowd loved you." Avery sheepishly joined Quinley and Annie.
"Thanks Avery. Listen I'll catch you both later. Hey Tasha, wait up." Quinley ran to catch up with his hot and popular girlfriend.
"She doesn't deserve him," Avery bitterly said. Natasha Jacobs was in 9th grade with Quinley and also on the cheerleading squad. Her and Quinley had been dating for two months but Avery was still hoping that Quinley would realise that he was supposed to be with her and not Natasha. She was your typical blonde, skinny cheerleader who went to all the right parties and wore all the right clothes. The only person who knew how Avery felt about Quinley was Annie.
"What? You're talking to me now?" scoffed Annie.
"Ann I'm sorry okay. I was having a bad day and I took it out on you when I shouldn't have. The turht is, my mom and dad have broke up and I don't think they're going to be able to fix it." She tried to fight back the tears and not let her emotions show, something that she was getting better at.
"I'm sorry Ave. I'm sure they'll work it all out," Annie tried to comfort her.
Avery shook her head in disagreement. "They don't even talk anymore. But that's not the point. I shouldn't have shut you out like that. You're my best friend and you were only worried about me. And for the record, the other cheerleaders don't know anything about this. They're actually giving me a lot of hassle because I missed so much practice. I'd only tell you this sort of thing because you're my bff. You're the one who goes to the mall for hours with me, even though I know you hate it. And I can be a total dork with you and it doesn't even matter because you're kinda one too." Both girls laughed at the truth in Avery's statement. "I don't want to fight anymore Annie."
"Me either."
"So we're bff's again?" Avery held up her pinky finger.
"Bffs!" Annie agreed and smiled as she laced her pinky finger around Avery's. It was their version of handshake. "And for the record, Tasha Jacobs has got nothing on you."
Alex and the children arrived at the apartment after the game; Caleb had fallen been falling in and out of sleep on the journey back home.
"I'm going to put your brother to bed but then I can make you something to eat," Alex offered to her daughter as they walked towards the bedrooms. Avery carrying her gym bag and Alex holding Caleb.
"I'm okay, thanks."
"But Avery, you didn't have any dinner. You must be starving." Alex had protested against Avery going to the game without having any dinner but she didn't want to push her, especially as she had finally got her out of her room.
"Honestly mom, I'm not hungry. I was thinking of getting a drink and then going straight to bed. Plus I had a big lunch. Goodnight mom." Avery ended the conversation.
"Oh okay then, night princess." Alex disappeared into Caleb's room whilst Avery headed to the kitchen. She placed her gym bag on the kitchen table and searched through it till she found the brown paper bag that contained her lunch for the day that she had not eaten. She pulled her lunch from her gym bag and threw it in to the trash, knowing that she had just lied to her mom.
Authors Note: So the two main things in this chapter is Haley's decision and the basketball game. I've known from the start where I wanted to take this story and it's always been with Haley agreeing to attempt the Surrogacy. I think that in the end Haley would be completely selfless and care more about her friend than herself because that's the Haley we know and love!
I thought that it would be best for me to describe a few basketball games although I've come to the conclusion that I'm not very good! I wanted to add some lightheartedness and have a almost group like scene. I'm also trying to go a bit deeper into the younger characters. I wanted to write a chapter that will be based mostly on the teenagers, maybe them splitting up into pairs like 4x13 and then them getting to know each other. I'm not sure though what do you guys think? What sort of setting should they be in because it can't be a class assignment as they're in different grades. Any suggestions would be helpful thankyou and as always, leave a review if you can!
Next Chapter: Girls night/Guys night. A fun chapter...hopefully ;)