So here I am. In my car. On the way to Haley James's house. This is so weird. I've known her for what? Little more than 48 hours? But I just really want to hang out with her. Have you ever had a feeling about someone…and you didn't understand the feeling or where it came from, but it's still there? It's like that. I don't have a crush on her…at least I don't think so….but I don't want to hang out with her just to be her friend, you know?
I knock on the door and when no-body answers I'm actually semi relieved. I wasn't to sure how I would explain my being there. I'm half way down the steps when I hear the door open and I turn around quickly.
There's Haley….carrying a small child. Could this be? Haley James- teen mom?
She seems to be able to read my stare and rolls her eyes at me.
"She's not mine you nitwit. My sister and her family are here for the weekend."
"I didn't think she was yours…" I say unconvincingly.
There's a moment of a silence before we both start laughing. I look at the little girl in Haley's arms. She must be about 3, and she's peering shyly up at me. She's adorable- with big green eyes and a halo of auburn curls.
After our laughter subsides there's another moment of silence. A little more awkward this time.
"I just wondered if maybe you'd want to hang out today?"
A big smile slowly spreads across her face.
"Come in," she says, "oh, and this is Amy"
I follow Haley into the house and smile at Amy who's watching me over Haley's shoulder.
"Hey there Amy.."
She giggles one of those gloriously happy hicupping laughs that only very small children can achieve and buries her head back into Haley's shoulder.
I take in my surroundings. The James household is everything the Scott household isn't. It's warm and friendly. There are family pictures all over the walls and children's toys scattered all over the floor.
She leads me into the big sunny living room. A good looking middle aged woman is sat on the floor playing with another little girl. This one looks a little bit older than Amy and looks a lot different- she's got a thinner face, black curly hair…in fact the only similarity is those big green eyes.
A lady who looks a bit like a slightly older version of Haley sits on one of the big armchairs with a tiny baby cradled in her arms.
"Mom, Becca this is Lucas" Haley says putting Amy down next to the other little girl.
"Hey" I mumble, raising my hand slightly in greeting and giving all the ladies in the room a sheepish smile. I feel so uncomfortable. Not because they're making me uncomfortable….but I guess it's just…I just wanted to hang out with Haley and I seem to have stumbled upon some huge family gathering.
"this is my mom, my sister Becca and her kids- Lori," she gestures to the dark haired girl, "Sam," the baby I'm assuming, "And you've already met Amy."
I wave awkwardly again. God I feel so stupid…
"So you've stumbled into a house full of women…" Becca smiles at me, "Dad and Jerry couldn't hack it, they've gone off to do their manly things. Sammy here's the only real man in our family…" she laughs. She looks at bit like Haley when she laughs.
"Have a seat Lucas." Haley's mom says as if she's known me forever.
"We're actually gonna go out mom…."
We are? Thank god. Not that I don't like Haley's family…They seem really awesome. Definitely cooler than my family, but I've only just decided I'd like to get to know Haley better…I'm not sure if I'm ready for a full on family get together.
I follow Haley as she goes to get her coat (a plain black woollen one- surprisingly normal for her)
"So we're headed out?"
"Yea- sorry I didn't ask you, but I just assumed babysitting my sister and her brood wasn't exactly what you had in mind when you suggested hanging out."
I grin, "Not really no."
"So what do you want to do?"
I shrug, "I'm pretty hungry"
She rolls her eyes, "Of course. Typical boy." she grabs a wallet off the side table and that god awful hat, "Let's go to Angelo's"
"Who's Angelo? And not that I have a real problem with it but why, WHY do you wear that hat?"
"Angelo's is an incredible place that makes the best pizza in the history of the world…not that you would know that, as you and your little posse don't tend to venture any further then Starbucks…and I wear this hat because I like it."
I laugh at her playful jibe. I know from her slight smile she's joking. "I resent that…I hate Starbucks and I certainly don't consider myself part of a posse."
She looks me dead in the eye and prods my chest with her index finger.
"You insult my hat, I insult you….Guess we're even."
I go to get into the car but she tells me we should walk. So we do. It's a 20 minute walk and it flies by. I don't think I've ever met a girl so interesting.
Angelo's turns out to be a small building in a row of shops down a street that I swear I've never seen before…which is weird since Tree Hill is so tiny.
It also turns out to be one hell of a pizzeria and I strongly recommend it.
It's lighting is warm but not dim. I hate restaurants with dim lighting…Brooke loves them, thinks it's romantic or something- she was always dragging me to them…and I promise you- the dimmer the lighting, the more expensive the food. None of the tables and chairs in this place match, it's packed with people and it's loud and noisy- you can hear loud laughter and the clanking of plates coming from the kitchen…everything is ridiculously haphazard- the paintings on the walls range from Monet knock offs to canvas's by unknown artists from Tree Hill. I find myself in love with it immediately. Ever since I can remember, everything in my life has been so freakin orderly. My mom always insists on matching towels and everything in the bathroom has to have the same scent on whatever. That's why I liked Haley's house and that's why I like this place.
Haley walks up to the young guy behind the counter.
"Hey Haley" he greets her with a shy smile.
"Hey Jeff, you wouldn't have any spare tables would you?"
It just so happens they have one spare table right near the window. Haley's favourite table, weirdly enough.
It takes about 10 minutes to even get to the table as Haley seems to be stopping to greet one of the waiters or the chefs every 5 seconds.
"So you know these people pretty well?" I ask once we finally get seated.
"Yeah, I guess…we've been coming here since I was like 5."
"Well if it isn't one of the James clan!" A loud voice comes from across the room.
Haley stands up with a huge beam on her face and throws her arms around the owner of the voice…a tall, lean, grey haired man with a heavily lined face, full of character.
After being introduced I figure out the following. The man is called Roberto and owns the restauraunt…an old family friend apparently. He points out a picture on the wall- it's a framed photograph of Haley's family. Once Roberto leaves, Haley points herself out on the picture.
"I was such a runt," she says laughing at the picture, "I wanted to be just like my older sisters…"
Not only do I find myself liking Haley more and more, I also find myself envying her more and more. She has this incredible family. A family who care for and support each other. A family who everybody knows and loves…they have their picture on the wall of a restauraunt for Gods sake….
They have less people in their house then we do in our house but where our house seems empty, their's is over flowing.
I watch Haley eat her pizza (and she's right by the way- best pizza in the history of the world) and I find myself wondering again about her. Why is she so different to all the other girls at school? Well, when I say all the other girls, I really mean Brooke…. I picture Brooke in my head and compare her straight, polished dark brown hair to the tangled, auburn mess falling over Haley's shoulders. I compare Brookes sharp, sultry features to Haley's soft, pretty face. Brooke's fashionable, pale green cashmere coat to Haley's plain black wollen coat. I try to imagine Brooke playing with or carrying a 3 year old girl…letting her tug on that glossy hair. I can't see it.
Suddenly a pizza crust hits me on the side of the head.
"What was that for?" I splutter
"Don't watch me eat." she says grinning.