I don't own One Tree Hill or any of the Characters or Flashbacks, just my plot.
Note: I know there's a time inconsistency here, but I didn't mean for there to be, so this is as if it was Sunday even though it isn't, but everything's still happened. Sorry for being stupid and I hope I'm not making this confusing!
It was done. She looked around the room, sighing. The basketball memorabilia and trinkets lined the walls, and the room looked exactly the same way it had when she had come here. One of the big things she regretted was not getting to know her grandma and aunt better. They were such strong women, and she could see how they'd influenced her mother for the better in the past. Something deep inside her screamed at her to run now, before anyone had the chance for any more goodbyes, but something even deeper, at the very core of her existence, seemed to whisper "stay." I can't stay, she reminded herself. Jake and I would never work out, and it would hurt both of us. His mom already hates me and his dad can't have that high of an opinion of me. My so-called father already screwed our relationship up, and I know he'd just make her hurt even more if I don't leave. She'll be tied down to him because of me, just so we can be the kind of family I always wanted. How could I have been so selfish and deluded myself all this time that they were actually together because they wanted them to be? I need to get back to Alyssa and talk this all out with her. She'll know what to do. I have to leave before I have a chance to hurt Jake even more, and before basketball practices tomorrow.
Today's Sunday, she realized with a start. Anna's mom had never been a big fan of church, and they'd only gone a few times throughout her life, and then they'd jumped from denomination to denomination to get her "cultured and open to knew beliefs." Peyton Sawyer always said that someone should have the choice to choose their religion, and if someone had given her that opportunity when she was a kid some things might've been different. Driving into town, Anna had seen a small church next to a funeral home. She remembered where it was pretty well, and thought that maybe she wouldn't be too late for services if she hurried. It was only ten, and she'd seen services run a lot longer than that.
Finally, she arrived. Eventually she'd decided on a plain black screen tee and a black skirt, completed with a white yarn poncho. She hadn't applied any make-up, because mom said some religions viewed make-up as sinful. The sign outside of the church had read "St. Peter's, Sunday Morning Mass:7:00AM, Sunday Afternoon Mass:10:30AM, Wednesday Night Mass:8:00 AM." She sighed with relief at being on time. When she opened the door, she saw a small group of elderly people at the front of the church, all huddled down and reciting some prayer from a mass book. Apparently she was late after all. She hesitated at the back until the time for confession came. Not having any idea what to confess but thinking the idea of spilling her guts to someone totally unattached sounded pretty good right now, she made her way up so quickly she ended up at the front of the line. The young stranger flinched as she felt the curious and condemning stares of the local parishioners on her back. The priest led her back, and he took his place behind the screen.
"Well, my name's Anna Sawyer, and I'm not sure why I came here today. I didn't know what time the services were, I don't go to church at all back home, and I'm pretty sure I'm not even Catholic. I guess that would mean I'm protestant, though, and mom said protestants go to church. I'm definitely not Jewish, though, because no one in the history of my family is Jewish, so I'll just get to the point. My mom had me when I was seventeen, and she wasn't really sure who the father was until I was born. I never knew my dad until yesterday when I woke up in my grandma's house and he was there and my best friend ran out on me after spilling the basic's of my life's story, and..." she went on and on, not caring how long it took. "Just one thing, young lady," The priest finally said. "You ended up not losing your virginity, and other than your friend lying to your mother, there really isn't much you need to feel guilty about. What are you here to confess?" Anna was taken aback. "Nothing, I guess. I just came here to say that if there is a God, his timing sucks, and right now life isn't leaning towards my favor." The priest shifted on his stool and answered, "If there's one thing I've learned after fifteen years in this line of duty, it's that religion or no religion, no matter how much time you spend trying to assign blame to God or your parents or yourself or anyone else, at the end of the day everyone's hurting and all you can do is move on and try to make the most of things." "You know what?" she said, immediately feeling peace envelop her, "I don't think I'll ever be into this whole Catholic church-on-Sunday thing, but I'm glad you were able to help me, and maybe if you're the right person in the right place at the right time, this mass stuff might be okay." With that she hopped up and left, never saying another word to the startled man of faith.
Jake's worst fears were realized as the engine zoomed to life. This girl couldn't drive at all. The car seemed to almost jump and clench up with fright every time she floored the gas pedal, which was too many times in his opinion. Alyssa, he thought she had shouted as an introduction after the first three red lights she'd run, was going to get him an early grave. He wasn't sure if jumping out of the car at such a high velocity or staying in it was the more threatening choice for his health. All of a sudden he was aware of the squealing of her car's breaks and that of another's, and a sickening crash. An air bag hit him in the head and muffled his "What the heck were you thinking?!" He guessed he should be grateful he was still alive and nothing hurt or felt numb, but he wasn't. Jake jumped out of the car at the same moment the other driver did. He recognized the kid as Adam, a kid from the basketball team who was related to Haley Scott somehow. He was pretty sure it was her one/two-year-younger sister's kid or something like that that she'd had when she was fourteen. Her parents had kicked her out and she'd roomed with Mr. and Mrs. Scott for awhile. "Man, what just happened? I saved up for months to get that car, and now the front is ruined."
"Don't blame me!" Jake held up his hands just as Alyssa stumbled out of the car. "Why are you yelling at us? I had the right of way, and just because I was a little late getting through that yellow light does not mean you had the license to ram into my car which, by the way, took months to find. It's irreplaceable, and if you think YOU saved a long time for your car, I've been saving for this baby since I was eight!" Adam seemed shocked for a minute, clearly surprised that she hadn't started drooling over him. He was one of the star basketball players second only to Jake, had looks to make anyone fall at his feet, and was one of the most suave and hard-core party guys in Tree Hill High. "Look, I don't care how long you saved up for that piece of junk, but the plain fact of the matter is, I don't want to have to deal with you any more than necessary, so let's just exchange insurance information." "You're not getting off that easily! I see cases like this in the news all the time where guys like you try to milk thousands of dollars out of victims like me, and I'm not going to give in to you! If you want money, you'll have to get it in court! I think you should know before you say something stupid that my father happens to be one of the most well-respected artists in North Carolina!" The blond realized how rude she sounded and that she was acting like the old Alyssa. "Okay, so that's kind of harsh, but seriously, buddy. I had right of way, and I'm sure that if you get a high enough allowance to buy that thing in a matter of months, it won't be a problem to go to court which would really suck. So let's just call it quits and do what you said." Her tone had softened considerably, and she was acting just like she always used to. It amazed her for a split second that she and Anna had maintained their unique, sisterly bond for so long even though they'd both gone through drastic changes so many times most people in their positions would be arch enemies by now.
After scribbling down all the information at a furious pace, Adam said, "So why are you in Tree Hill anyways? I mean, nothing ever happens here and I can tell from the way you carry yourself you're not from around here." "I'm coming here to get my best friend thinking straight. I just wish Anna had called me sooner. Of course, she didn't call me but I eventually got up off my lazy bum and hopped in my now done-in car. It really stinks, because I was supposed to find some guy named Jake and I just grabbed the first person I saw." "I AM Jake," responded the guy who'd been mostly silent this whole time. "Well then, I guess I made the right choice and as soon as you finish up, we're off to convince her of her insanity." "You know, the basketball team's having a party tonight, and I know Jake's coming. If you can calm down your friend, maybe the two of us could double. I'm always into getting to know the new girls, if you catch my drift." Alyssa let out a huff and said in a way much like her old self's, "That's gross! I'm not going to have sex with you just because you rammed into my car! I won't support your promiscuous behavior, and I'm sure Anna won't either. So if I find her, Jake and you will have to attend that stupid party without us or just not go at all!" She stalked off, leaving both of them behind. "Man, is she hot," was the first thing to find its way to Adam's lips. Jake smirked and replied "I never knew you could take rejection from a girl with class so well. Hopefully you won't feel that way about Anna if you ever meet her." He walked off, not knowing where to go.
I know that was really short and I didn't have any Lucas/Peyton, but I tried to focus this chapter mainly on the teens. I'm hoping to have a lot of them in the next chapter if I get enough reviews. OnTheOutsideLookingIn