Only in the News
By: caramelo
I do not own One Tree Hill or anything related to it.
Chapter Two: Every Hour of the Day
The mob of students ran towards the front entrance when the people up front suddenly began to scream, louder than before. It was utter confusion as people began turning away, looking for someplace else to run. Classroom doors were slamming shut and going dark, a hasty, haphazard lockdown procedure barely practiced and never while a quarter of the student body and teachers were at lunch. Nathan, Lucas, and Haley ran down a side hallway.
"What are we supposed to do?" Haley panted. The gunshots, sporadic but ever-present, seemed to echo all around them, along with screams and cries of their fellow students.
Nathan's eyes kept darting around, panicked. Lucas spoke up. "That classroom," he said, pointing to a door that was still open. "There's a storage closet in there that connects to the classroom beside it. If we hear somebody coming in one door, we can just go out the other."
Haley nodded, but she couldn't help but argue against his logic mentally. What if one person came through one door, and another came through the other door? They'd be trapped like rats. Then again, the chances of that happening were pretty slim. "Good idea," she finally said. "Come on, Nathan."
They crept in the classroom quietly, and Nathan inwardly cursed the fact that the keys to deadbolt the room were only available to the teachers as he shut the door behind him. Hastily, they scrambled into the storage closet and pressed tightly into the back corner, just in case.
This was probably the longest part of the day. The waiting in the dark, the not-knowing, the stretches of silence broken by screams or pleas, or worse, guns, but having no idea where those sounds were coming from. It was complete torture.
"Please, no," they could hear the faint plea of a girl. "I'll do anything. Please…"
"Get off me," a rough voice growled. Nathan was positive he recognized it from somewhere.
"I don't want to die," the girl begged. "Please, don't kill me."
Nathan could feel Haley shaking against him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight, wishing there were some way he could block the sounds from reaching her ears. This was too much for her—for all of them—to hear.
"I said, get off!" the other voice roared. "Now!"
Nathan wasn't even surprised when the gun went off. He had almost expected it to come.
"This is sick," Lucas whispered. "I can't just sit here and listen to this."
"You have to," Nathan said firmly. His eyes shot down meaningfully towards Haley. If Lucas tried to go out and start saving people, she would inevitably follow him, risking her life in the process. Nathan knew he wouldn't be able to stomach the idea.
Lucas got Nathan's meaning, but he couldn't help but protest. "I just feel so guilty," he said, "in here while people we know are dying out there."
"It's not like we're not in danger either," Nathan reasoned. "Besides, how are we supposed to help them? We'll just get shot too. It's not like we have superpowers."
"You're right," Lucas sighed.
Haley saw his defeated resignation and wriggled out of Nathan's grasp to sidle up next to him. "You may not be a superhero, Luke, but you're a good person. Just because you can't fly out there and save everybody does not make you a bad guy."
"I know, Hales," Luke sighed. "But it's still hard."
Haley nodded and nuzzled against his shoulder. "Nothing about this is easy," she said. "You just gotta concentrate on keeping yourself and the people you care about alive. Are all the people you care about alive, Luke?"
Lucas shut his eyes, pained. He tried to stop the flood of images of all the people that he knew, either dead or trapped in some hiding place like he was now. Brooke and Peyton seemed to stick rather incessantly at the top of the stack. "I don't know."
Brooke and Peyton were having much more problems finding a place to hide.
For the time being, they had settled for squeezing together inside a girls' bathroom stall. It was a tight fit, as they had to share the space on a covered toilet seat, legs drawn up to give the illusion that nobody was there, but as far as they were concerned, it was better than the alternative: shivering alone in their own stalls.
"This is no good, Peyton," Brooke whispered. "As soon as they walk in they'll be able to find us."
"I know," Peyton said, "but where else is there?"
Brooke shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe we could try knocking on some of the classroom doors?"
Peyton shook her head. "What if nobody opens them? We'll be sitting ducks in the hallway." She pulled on her own curls, frustrated and frightened.
Brooke frowned and fell deep into thought, trying not to pay attention to the large space between the door of the stall and the floor. Why did they make the doors like that anyway? It wouldn't stop anyone from getting to them.
Don't think about that, Brooke told herself. Stop picturing some guy just slowly sliding himself in and… Brooke shook her head, hard. Peyton glanced back at her, concerned.
"I'm fine," Brooke assured her hurriedly.
Peyton nodded, but she wasn't convinced. Brooke wasn't fine. Nobody was fine. Nobody would ever be fine after this.
Peyton rarely prayed. It just wasn't something she did, especially since her mom died. But here, huddling with Brooke, terrified and shaking inside a small bathroom stall, Peyton closed her eyes hoped to God her confused, disconnected thoughts and pleas could make it off the ground.
It's been awhile since I've done this, she thought, feeling oddly apologetic as if she were saying these words aloud, to a real person, I might have forgotten how. But I'm here, and I'm trying, and I really hope you can hear me, God…Mom…anyone.
Brooke peered over at her friend and quirked a brow. If she didn't know any better, she'd think Peyton was…but no, Peyton didn't do that. She was almost as cynical about religion as Brooke was. She was probably just thinking, thinking of a way to get out. Of course. Brooke was sorry she hadn't been putting as much thought in an escape plan too. She should start. Right away.
It wasn't often Brooke concentrated so hard on something, but when she did, she always came up with something killer. After a few beats of silence, she opened her mouth to say something, when all of the sudden, the door to the bathroom opened.
Nathan, Haley, and Lucas remained in the corner of the closet, pressed up against each other, for quite a while. "Do you think it'd be okay if we loosened up a little?" Haley pleaded. "It's sort of hard to breathe."
They each took a step back instinctively, letting loose a sigh of relief. "That was so uncomfortable," Lucas said.
"No kidding," Nathan agreed. "No offense, man, we're brothers and everything, but I never want to get that close and personal with you again."
"We'll be the kind of brothers whose only means of contact is a high five during games," Lucas joked. "And even then, only when we win at the last second or hit a shot from half-court or something."
The three laughed despite themselves. It was a welcome relief from the horrors that lurked outside the classroom.
Makes you feel kind of guilty, Lucas reflected as he looked around at the weakly smiling faces of his friends. What kind of person laughs at a time like this?
But the truth was, for them, the laughter couldn't have come at a better time. It would've only been a matter of time before one of them snapped from the heavy intensity of all that had happened.
Gradually, their laughter died down, leaving a considerably less tense silence behind. Haley gave one more chuckle and took a relaxing breath. "I think I needed that," she said.
"I think we all did," Lucas agreed. "But it felt wrong, you know?"
Haley looked to the ground. "So many people out there…"
Slinging an arm around Haley's shoulders, Nathan tried to comfort her. "Don't feel guilty, Hales. Today's been hell. Something had to give."
Uncertainly, Haley nodded. "I guess."
Before Nathan could persist, an ominous creak echoed somewhere in the near vicinity, cutting off all conversation entirely. It was a number of terror-filled seconds before Lucas dared to whisper. "It's probably just the foundation. My house makes those noises all the time."
"I don't know," Nathan whispered back. "I don't think I've ever heard the school settle before. Is it really safe to be talking?"
"Probably not," Lucas admitted.
They spent the next twenty or so minutes in complete silence, their ears straining to catch any semblance to what may be danger for them. Unintentionally, their minds began to wander.
Nathan looked over at Haley. Her gaze seemed far off, and her body rigid with fear. He tore his gaze away. He wanted to take her into his arms and tell her that everything was okay and that they would be okay. But how could he? Every time any slight noise was made around them, they'd wince. There was nothing okay about the situation they were in. No bright side to any of it.
Haley could feel Nathan's stare on her but chose not to reciprocate. He could always see right through her, and she hated looking scared and weak in front of him. But that was exactly how she felt—scared and weak.
Too young, Haley thought, I haven't lived enough yet. Why did I hold myself back? I want to scream, I want to sing, but most of all, I wanna kiss Nathan and tell him how much I love him. I want to tell Lucas how great he is, and he'll have it all figured out someday with Peyton and Brooke. Peyton and Brooke…Peyton needs to let everything out. I need to tell her that. And I need to tell Brooke how sorry I am about the party. I would've invited her. I wanted to. It was just bad timing. Everything has such bad timing. Haley looked around the room. If…no, she reprimanded herself firmly, when I get out of here alive, I'll make sure I have a good, long talk with everybody.
Haley glanced up, and her gaze happened to fall upon Lucas, who was carefully keeping any sign of emotion blank as he stood in the corner of the closet.
Lucas had pressed his ear firmly to the wall when he felt somebody sidle up to him.
"Is this really helping any?" Haley whispered.
"Not right now," Lucas replied. "But if somebody comes, we'll know to get out."
Haley sighed. She hesitated before speaking again. "I know it's really wrong," she said, "but I sort of liked it when we were laughing earlier. It took my mind off everything for a second. That sounds horrible, doesn't it?"
Lucas wrapped an arm around Haley and pulled her in close. "Not at all," he reassured her. If he hadn't been whispering right into her ear, Haley wasn't sure if she would have ever heard the next part. "I liked it too, buddy."
Haley's eyes watered as she sent him an appreciative, if not fully convinced expression. She rested her head on his shoulder. "Oh, Luke," she whispered tearfully. "Why is this happening?"
Lucas brushed his lips against the top of her head. "I don't know," he answered, wishing he had a better one.
They stayed like that for a while before Nathan came to join them. He had watched the entire exchange silently, trying to ignore the pull on his heart. Those two were as sappy as only best friends could be, and Nathan knew he'd never share that type of bond with Haley.
But as he studied the two, he knew he'd never want to come between what they had and replace Lucas. They had fought in the past, yes, but things were getting better between them now. He was really beginning to respect Lucas, especially after today.
"Just wanted to thank you, man," Nathan whispered as he walked towards them and snaked an arm around Haley's waist. It felt good when she leaned back against him. "For, you know, everything today." The image of Lucas pulling him along in the cafeteria after Tim's murder surfaced before his eyes.
Lucas understood right away. "Hey, you'd do the same for me."
He meant it too.
Nathan nodded.
Their brotherly moment, however, was cut too short when they heard footsteps coming towards the classroom.
Peyton and Brooke froze. As the person shut the door behind them, Brooke's breathing became more and more ragged, until Peyton, who looked like she was on the verge of fainting herself, covered Brooke's mouth with her hand. Brooke grabbed Peyton's other hand and held onto it tight.
"Is anybody in here?" a timid voice whispered. "Anybody at all?"
Brooke relaxed instantly, slumping against the wall of the bathroom stall. Peyton, seeing her friend's reaction, dropped her hand from Brooke's mouth. Her eyes searched Brooke's questioningly.
"Bevin," Brooke whispered with a sigh of relief.
"Brooke?" the girl asked. "Brooke, is that you?"
"Yeah, Bev," Brooke whispered, unlocking the stall door to reveal herself and Peyton. "It's just me and Goldilocks in here."
Bevin launched herself at Brooke and threw her arms around the squad captain's neck tightly. "Oh, Brooke!" she squealed softly. "I was hoping I'd find you."
Brooke gave Bevin a quick hug before immediately pulling away. "Not that I'm not glad to see you," she explained, her eyes darting about, "but what are you doing? It's dangerous to be out here like this."
"Like it wasn't just as dangerous in there," Bevin pointed out. Brooke shrugged noncommittally, and Bevin rolled her eyes before continuing. Her eyes sparkled with oddly enough, joy. "Oh, Brooke, there's a way out," Bevin said, close to laughing from giddiness. "We've been watching forever now, and they've finally left the door. We can get out of here, Brooke. We can get out of this hell."
Nathan, Lucas and Haley all tensed and strained their ears to listen. The steps were heavy and fast, and the sound of them pounding on the floor reverberated in Nathan's mind. A shot went off, just outside the classroom, and then a thud. The feet remained silent for a few moments before thudding along again. For one brief, tense, second, it sounded as if the footsteps were headed for the classroom, but the three let out a collective breath as the person seemed to change his mind and thudded on by.
"Too close," Nathan murmured against the top of Haley's head.
"Way too close," Lucas agreed.
"We have to get out of here," Nathan said, "Next time they might not decide to just walk by. Eventually, somebody will find us. We have to get out of this school."
"No," Haley argued. "They're watching the exits, remember?"
"There can't be that many people involved with this, Hales," Lucas reasoned. "Chances are, one or both of them left their doors and are just wandering around and shooting the people they find. We're not going to be one of those people."
"I don't like the idea," Haley insisted. "It seems too dangerous."
"And you call this safe?" Nathan questioned dubiously. His tone softened, and he tugged on a lock of her hair affectionately. "Don't worry, Hales. I'm looking out for you, okay?"
"And what about yourself, Prince Charming?" Haley retorted. "I don't want anything to happen to you." She glanced at Lucas. "Either of you."
"We all have each other's backs, Haley," Lucas reassured her. "I'll personally make sure that every one of us makes it out of here."
Haley's expression wavered, and Nathan knew she had caved. She threw her arms around Lucas, sniffling back tears. "Thanks, Luke," she said, overwhelmed. "You're the best."
Lucas rubbed her back, smiling softly. "Anything for you, buddy."
Reluctantly, Haley pulled away, but in a split second, she was now clinging on to Nathan. "I'm so lucky to have you looking out for me too," she said. She released her grip on him and gazed into his eyes seriously. "You have no idea how much it means to me. I love you, Nathan."
Nathan held back a few of his own tears. "I love you too, Haley." He grabbed her hand, squeezing tighter than usual, and nodded at Lucas. "So you really got my back, brother?"
"Of course," Lucas gave a small smile. "What about you, brother?"
"You bet."
The trio crept out of the storage closet, every sense heightened tensely, and made sure everything was clear before venturing out into the hallway. They could hear voices somewhere to the right of them. The body of a fellow teammate on the basketball team lay slumped against the wall, and Nathan and Lucas did their best to avoid looking at him.
"Jesus," Nathan swore softly.
"Let's go this way, shall we?" Lucas led them in the opposite direction. They were headed towards the back exit, which was hopefully abandoned.
After a few good minutes of coaxing Peyton, the two cheerleaders and the reluctant blonde all stepped out into the hallway. "You're sure this is safe?" Peyton demanded yet again.
"Positive, for like, the seventeenth time," Bevin said, close to exasperation.
"So explain what happened again, Bev," Brooke requested to soothe Peyton's obviously frayed nerves. "How do we know that everything is clear?"
Bevin blew out a frustrated breath which propelled some of her blonde strands of hair upwards. "A group of us started looking for a place to hide together after what happened near the front entrance," Bevin's eyes darkened, and she swallowed hard before beginning again, "We found this janitor's closet that some people were in already, but they let us come in because, well, they just did. It was really nice of them." Bevin paused, a soft smile spreading across her face. "Really nice of them," she repeated.
"Anyway," she continued, "we were all hiding out in there for a while all cramped up and scared when we decided that we should send out like scouts or something like that to check which hallways were clear. We based it on who was the fastest and quietest and all that. Jake was one of those people, and he was gone for an awful long time, and we almost thought that he'd been…but anyway, we were wrong, and he came back and told us about a clear shot to the back door. The guys with guns have moved towards the front of the school, I guess."
"So where are we going now?" Peyton asked when they went straight ahead instead of making a left towards the supposed exit.
"To meet up in the janitor's closet," Bevin answered. "We decided to find as many people as we could before leaving."
"That was nice of you," Peyton said sincerely. She and Bevin had never really gotten along, just a few years ago Bevin had tried to take Peyton's place as Brooke's best friend which hadn't gone over very well, but what Bevin was doing, risking her life, it took guts. Peyton was surprised, in a good way.
"Thanks," Bevin smiled back.
They slipped around the last corner stealthily, and Bevin did some sort of complicated knock on the door of the closet, gaining them admission.
"Thank God, Bevin," Jake said as he ushered her in. "You're the last one. We were getting worried." He caught sight of Peyton and Brooke, and a smile crept across his face. "I'm glad to see you guys. You have no idea how much."
Peyton threw her arms around Jake. For some reason, even after everything she had seen today, Jake's words moved her the closest towards actual tears. "Good to see you too, Jake," she whispered in a choked voice. Just as quickly as she had, she released him and hurried inside the closet, embarrassed and wiping away stray tears before they could fall.
"Brooke," Jake said affectionately as she paused in front of him too.
"Jagelski," Brooke said, reaching up to brush a clump of dust of his shirt. "You didn't honestly think you had to worry about us, did you?"
"Of course not," Jake reassured her, even though both of them knew he was lying. "I knew you guys would be okay. You can take care of yourselves."
Brooke nodded, appeased, and disappeared inside the closet as well.
Author's Note: Well, that's it for chapter two! Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for all the encouraging reviews before. I actually had this chapter done a week ago, but there was some stuff that didn't sound right or fit in and I've been really busy with research papers, and it's just been crazy. I'll try to be better with the next chapter…but those of you who've read my other story (which is close to being updated) know how I am about that.
Responses…
Innoccent Devil, Queen of Elven City, flame31, xxxkattxtienxxx, OTHlover04, Smallville's Chick 1989, charli, dead beat heart, cheergirlie1, flephanie: Thanks! You guys are great! I'm glad you liked it so much.
Angelica: Thanks and sent.
Meg: There may be one…or two…more deaths. Maybe.
l-a-c-18: Yes, she did. Brooke happens to be my favorite character, but I'm trying my best not to explicitly favor her in this story. Thanks for the review!
LucasnHaley: I adore Lucas and Haley as friends. I'm doing my best to incorporate their friendship into this story. I'm actually trying to work with all the friendships. But I did add a little extra scene in this chapter for Lucas and Hales with your request in mind. I hope I'm doing a good job with it…I've never really messed around with writing them before. Let me know!
Hanna: I'm flattered. Seriously. And yes, I do tend to lean to that coupling, but nothing has been decided yet. I hope you like this chapter!
Somnambulist29: Wow. I seriously don't believe there's an author anywhere that doesn't like to hear that their story made someone think. It's like one of the greatest compliments I've ever had.
LucasnBlondie03: Yes, Tim's death is sad. He's another one of my favorites but unfortunately, I needed that for the storyline.
Princessbm: Thanks, I'm glad to hear I'm doing this storyline justice. And I know what you mean…I hate it when my favorite characters die, and they always do. I seriously could make a list that's at least a page of characters that I like from books or movies or tv shows that end up dead or gone by the end. In The Patriot, I had to pick three different people to like throughout the course of the movie because they all died. I hope I don't mess with your characters!
IntentionallyCruel: Thanks for the review! So you got Tim…Can you guess the other(s)?
SeriousFan: Intuition is very important to the characters in the story.
Agel15: I'm glad you thought it was good. I actually like Tim, but I needed him to die. And yeah, there will probably be at least one more death.
Friendsfan: My first review! Thanks a bunch! : ) to you too!
