A soft knock at the door surprisingly woke Peyton up the next morning. She was shocked to see her aunt standing there, with a warm welcoming smile on her face. Peyton had to get used to the fact an adult might be waking her up now, it was going to always be a hard idea to handle. She hadn't lived with another girl since her mom had died. And not with another person since a few months ago now. She did miss it.
"Good morning, I really didn't mean to wake you, just came to see if you were awake," Kirsten started, waiting at the door.
"Oh no, it's alright, I usually don't sleep too late anyway," Peyton replied, a morning smile on her face.
"Well, okay then. Today, I'm taking Seth and Ryan shopping for clothes and other school like things. Just an open invitation if you want to come," Kirsten stated simply.
School. That thought never even occurred to Peyton. Well, she was going to be in California for a few months. And she wasn't that strong academically to skip that much of school.
"Uhm, sure, I guess I will. I don't really have anything else to do anyway," Peyton laughed a bit, "I'll just get changed then," She looked down at herself, still resting in her pajamas.
"Alright, we'll just be down in the kitchen waiting then," Kirsten smiled then walked out, shutting the door behind her. Peyton dragged herself out of bed and stretched her arms. She suddenly had horrible thoughts of the people at the mall, in their designer clothes. Short skirts, revealing tops, oversized sunglasses. Over-rated flip-flops. She had just the outfit to wear.
"So, is she coming?" Ryan asked as Kirsten walked back into the kitchen, just moments after leaving Peyton's room.
"Yes, she is. She seemed sort of shocked with the school idea, but she is. Where did Seth go?" she looked around the kitchen, her son no where in sight. Ryan sighed.
"He's on the phone, with Summer,"
Kirsten nodded with raised eyebrows, "Oh right, as usual." She paused, "Seth! Get off the phone, we're leaving soon,"
Seth reappeared in the kitchen about two minutes later, noticing the smirk on Ryan's face.
"I clearly asked you to tell her that I was.. looking for my wallet, not that I was on the phone,"
"Your wallet is on the counter anyway honey," Kirsten gave him a false sympathetic smile.
"Yes," Seth started, thinking of a back-story to his wallet story, "but I meant my other wallet... . Anyway.., where is my dearest cousin? She gonna come with?"
"She is coming with us, if that's what you mean," Ryan answered, as he put his dishes into the sink. He quickly peered out the window, gazing into the distant California views.
"Alright, I'm ready, should we go?" asked Peyton as she walked into the kitchen. No one answered her too quickly. She was dressed in yet another band t-shirt, it was black and white, with some older band on it. On her legs were dark denim jeans, and her hair was down, brushed and falling on her shoulders. Ryan looked pleasantly surprised, Seth looked almost shocked, Kristen looked quite pleased. She was glad Peyton wasn't going to be molding into the usual visual image all the other teenage girls held around here.
"Ryan, if you could, walk Peyton to the other side of the store when I think the clothes would be more to her liking," Kirsten directed, pointing to the women's clothes, 'I'll stay here and shop with Seth,"
"Oh the joy of shopping with your mother," Peyton heard Seth mutter as she walked with Ryan.
"Just to take a stab, I'm guessing you don't shop here to often now do you Atwood?" she expressed as they walked past the jewelry section.
"Doesn't look like your type of clothes either," Ryan replied, a soft smile on his face. It was a high-class department store, located within a pricy shopping mall. One of many. As Peyton thought back to Tree Hill, she didn't think she knew any stores like this.
"Brooke might though." she finished her thought out loud, as she wandered with Ryan.
"Brooke might what?" he questioned her, his hands resting in his pockets.
"Oh sorry about that, just thinking out loud. Brooke, my best friend, is a shopping.. whore really, she knows where the best stores are in Tree Hill, the best discounts if need be and she has the money to support her extravagant lifestyle,"
"A shopping whore?" Ryan laughed, "That's a new one to me," Peyton shot him a genuine smile, and almost had an undying urge to kiss him. But she didn't. She didn't even get the chance to say anything back to him without being interrupted by someone.
"Ryan, who are you calling a shopping whore?" asked a shocked Marissa from behind them. She looked almost hurt by the comment.
"Not to worry, it was me, calling my friend Brooke a shopping whore," Peyton filled in, realizing now they had reached the women's clothing department. She noticed Summer trailing behind her friend, piles of clothing in her arms.
"I doubt it, she wouldn't be a match for me." Summer said, somewhat like a challenge. There was a thick lace of attitude in her voice.
"Whatever, though I wouldn't bet on it," Peyton said simply, shrugging.
"Sum, cool it, before you start," Marissa pleaded, holding her arm across her friend.
"Sure Coop, then let's just go alright? We have at least three other stores to hit today, let's go," Summer started to walk away, eventually waiting for Marissa to follow her.
"Sorry about her, she's being really edgy tonight." Marissa explained. She noticed Peyton and Ryan exchanging somewhat personal glances but shrugged it off, not wanting to say anything or start anything, "Uhm, hey, there is a party tonight, if you two and Seth obviously wanted to come, at Holly's as usual, just an open offer you know,"
Ryan nodded, "Yeah, thanks Marissa," Marissa gave Peyton one last smile then followed after Summer.
"Ugh," Peyton complained, as she just looked at the clothes ahead of her. Brightly colour tank tops, low cut tops and short skirts. There was a few clothes she would wear, but they were hidden among the others. And it wasn't worth the effort right now.
"This really, really, isn't my kind of store," she stated, sighing.
"Really isn't mine either, didn't stop me from getting almost an entire new wardrobe last week with Kirsten," Ryan said loosly. He suddenly perked up, having an idea.
"Well, seeing as you aren't really shopping and I'm kind of hungry, you want to go get some ice cream in the mall? There's a good place I know,"
"Sounds like a plan Atwood," she extended her arm out as if waiting for him to take it and lead the way. She was joking completely of course, but that didn't matter to either of them. They were enjoying each other's company. She felt safe around him. Sort of like the feeling she had gotten with Lucas. And he felt good with her, open and honest. More than he did with Marissa.
"Onward and upward then," he chuckled, taking her arm. They laughed and joked as they got to the food court.
Peyton stared into his eyes as they sat across from each other, eating their ice cream at a table, "What's the deal with you and.. that Marissa girl?"
"Just an ex really," Ryan replied, hoping that would answer the question. She was glad to hear it, he was open on the market.
"Oh, alright, gotcha," she said, licking her ice cream cone.
"Now one for you, did you really expect Lucas to call?"
"No, not at all. I have no idea how he tracked me down," she shrugged, then sighed, "To tell you the truth, I really wanted to leave Tree Hill behind while I was here, sort of a seperate escape for me,"
"So you weren't going to talk to him at all? For the whole like.. three or four months you might be down here?"
"No, just not this soon, you know? Next thing I know, he'll be flying down here with .. like Brooke or something, just to see me,"
Haley walked into Karen's Cafe on one of the none busy afternoons. Nathan was trailing behind her, even though she insisted he stay at home, for she had her shift to start in moments. She expected to see Lucas or Karen working behind the counted, but there stood Jake, on one of his non usual shifts.
"Hey Jake, isn't Lucas supposed to be working tonight?" she asked him, as she took a seat at the counted.
"Way to hurt a guy Haley, I mean, don't you wanna work with me?" Jake answered her, smiling.
"Seriously man, I needed to him though, he's not working?" Nathan questioned, leaning his arms on the table.
"No, not that he would be, for two reasons,"
"Which are?" Haley continued on. It didn't really mattered how long they talked, the cafe was empty. It was slowly growing dark outside, so there might be some new business as well.
"Well, for one, his arm. And the other would be.." Jake stopped, "Ah, Karen, why don't you field this one?"
Nathan and Haley both cast their glances over to the cafe owner, who was walking over with some papers in her hand.
"Which one? Where my son is?" she seemed kind of touchy with the subject.
"Don't tell me, Brooke took him somewhere," Nathan laughed, trying to make a joke out of the whole situation.
"Acutally yes..."
"What?" Haley exclaimed, not understanding what Karen was getting at.
"Well, all I know is that, for some reason, Peyton is down in California-"
"She has family out there," Nathan filled in, thinking back to seeing pictures on the wall at Peyton's house. Why he remembered that one piece of information? He would never know. Haley and Jake both gave him an odd look.
"-with Brooke, to find her and see if she is okay," Karen finished, sighing.
"Couldn't they just call like normal people?" Nathan asked, not really understanding Lucas' motives.
Haley answered this one, "Cause he cares about her that much, idiot,"
(blah, that would be an update, sorta, its mainly OC esque, but i wanted to get NH in there too. and jake i guess. its not my best writing, but it wil suffice. :D please read and review and love me. cause i love you! thanks for reading!)