Chapter 9And The Winner Is...

It was a week after Jes had finally told the group her entire life story and she was at Karen's Cafe working. Actually, she was covering for Haley. Haley and Nathan had been so good to her and both of them had been so stressed out with school and sports that Jes decided they needed a night to themselves. As she told them it was to remember how to be young again. Truth was she was just as stressed out as everyone else, but they needed the break more than anyone else, plus she liked being around the cafe.
"Wow, it's kind of slow tonight. I don't think I have ever seen it like this," Jes said taking a seat at the counter across from Karen.
"Yeah, it gets like this every once and a while, when the kids get stressed out with school and don't wander too far from campus."
"Who are you kidding? This girl scared them all off. I mean look at her," Keith said jokingly as he kissed the top of Karen's head and sat down beside Jes.
"Very funny Uncle Keith," Jes said pretending to be hurt. The three of them looked at each other and started laughing.
"What's so funny, plotting to kill me again?" They heard coming from the door to the cafe.
"What do you want Dan?" Keith said harshly.
"I want to talk to my daughter, boozie." Dan said with a sinister smile.
"I should..." Keith started
"No, it's ok. What do you want?" Jes said looking at her father. They had barely spoken for the past two months because of everything he had done to everyone.
"I would like to speak to you, alone." Karen and Keith looked at Jes, who shook her head signaling that it would be ok if they went to the back room or upstairs. Once they were gone Jes asked again "What do you want?"
"Well, that's not a very nice tone to take young lady."
"My patience is running just a little thin tonight, so will you please tell me what it is you want?"
"Well, since you said please. I want to know where you are planning on going to college."
"I haven't decided yet." Jes said a little shaken by his question. This was something that had been weighing on her mind for a while now.
"You haven't decided or you haven't been accepted?"
"Excuse me, what makes you think I wouldn't be accepted?"
"Well, I just didn't know seeing as how you never talk to me."
"That whole not talking thing you brought on yourself. And the problem isn't that I haven't been accepted the problem is I've been accepted everywhere."
"Oh really? Give me your top 5 schools right now."
"As of this morning, they were Harvard, Yale, Duke, UNC, and Oregon."
"Oregon?"
"Yeah, they have all the programs I want and Nathan just got a scholarship offer from them yesterday."
"I know he did, but my son playing for the likes of Oregon?"
"Obviously you don't follow their basketball that well. I would have figured you would have read up on ALL of the schools offering your son scholarships. Truth of the matter is that Oregon has had 3 high first round draft picks, including one lottery pick, and they are going to have a few more soon. They are a running team that features their wing players, they would be a perfect fit for Nathan. But I'm sure you already knew all of this considering how you are wonder dad. Now if you don't have anything else, I need to get back to work."
Dan stared at her a little taken aback. She had really done her homework on the program. "Actually there is something else I want. I want you are your brothers to come to dinner next week. My parents will be in town and they will want to know what schools you are all going to."
"I make no guarantees that we will be there, but I will let them know."
"You will all be there or I will make your life a living hell, you understand."
"I understand, but I urge you not to make idle threats." With that Jes turned her back to Dan and he walked out of the cafe.

The next morning...

The entire group was gathered around a large table at the cafe. Each of them had their acceptance letters and Nathan had his scholarship offers.
"So, we are looking for a school that has offered Nathan a scholarship, has a good music department, a good art department, a good political science department, a good business school, a good journalism school, and it has to be a place we all want to go. Wow we are going to be really easy to please aren't we." Jes said frustrated.
"Ok, one thing at a time. Where does Nathan have scholarship offers from?" Jake said trying to calm everyone down. He really didn't care where they went to school as long as they all went together.
Haley glanced down at the list in front of her. "Duke, UNC, NC State, Oregon, Arizona, Kentucky, Kansas, UCLA, USC, Illinois, and Washington." They all looked at each other and laughed. "Anywhere you really don't want to go Nate?" Lucas asked him.
Nathan thought for a minute "Well, I'm not a big fan of purple so lets rule out Washington."
"Nathan! You can't make a decision like this based on a color." Jes exclaimed.
"I'm not, I promise. Hmmm...I really like Duke, UNC and Oregon."
"Well, each of those schools has what we are looking for." Peyton said looking at the list in front of her.
"And we have all been accepted to each of those schools." Brooke said.
The group sat in silence. Each of the thinking. Close to home or far away.
"This is impossible, how are we ever going to decide?" Brooke whined.
"I have an idea. Lucas go get a bowl from the kitchen." Haley said. Lucas did as she said giving her an odd look.
"Alright, each of us has a slip of paper. I want you to write the name of the school you most want to go to on it. Fold it up and put in the bowl. We will then tally them up and have a winner."
"Haley that's a great idea and all, but I kind of think that Nathan needs to have a little more pull in this." Jes said looking at her brother.
"No, this is what Haley and I discussed last night. It has to be right for all of us, and if it is, then it's right for me too."
"Ok, what ever you say big brother."
They each wrote where they wanted to go on the slip of paper. Karen, Keith and Deb overhearing their plan came over to watch them tally the votes.
"Everyone pull out one slip. I'll start." Haley said.
"One vote for Duke." She passed the bowl to Nathan
"Two votes for Duke." He passed the bowl to Jes
"Three votes for Duke." She passed the bowl to Lucas"Four votes for Duke." He passed the bowl to Brooke
"Five votes for Duke." She passed the bowl to Peyton
"Six votes for Duke." She passed the bowl to Jake, shaking her head slightly
"Seven votes for Duke!" Jake said reading the final slip of paper.
The group immediately got up celebrating with one another. Karen and Deb wiped tears from their eyes, while the seven embraced in a group hug. Jes looked around at her brothers and her friends and thought we're going to Duke and I know exactly how to repay them for everything they have done for me!

Spoiler for the next couple chapters
The Scott Family Dinner
Dan's reaction to the choice
Jes' repayment
The return of a familiar face to mess with the heart a character