Balloons

This story is dedicated to my eccentric, amazing friend Chelsea, who is the inspiration for the story.

It was a great Christmas. Brooke had Lucas. Haley had Nathan. They were happy. Scattered on the floor of the apartment were some gifts: a funky belt, a graphic organizer, a set of lipsticks, a scene it? board game. Haley sat on the couch, falling asleep, while Brooke sat at the table, eating a caramel apple and sorting through cards.

"I can't believe Christmas is over Hales."

"Mmm," replied a snoozing Haley.

Brooke said, louder, "I mean, its like we wait the whole year for Christmas, it seems like forever."

"Uh- huh," Haley said, still half asleep.

"Then, Christmas day goes by faster than anything."

Haley said nothing. Brooke sighed, but she was bored, and she wasn't giving up.

She walked over toward where Haley was laying. "I don't want the celebrations to end." Brooke made a sad face and then she plopped down on the couch with a loud, "So…" It woke Haley up, startled. Haley, defeated, sat upright and yawned. "What should we do?"

"Brooke, I have no idea." Brooke sat in silence for a minute. Then she jumped up, "Oh, but I do!" Brooke ran into one of the bedrooms, and then got something out of the kitchen, and then a few minutes later walked into the living room. She had on a silver sparkly hat and a champagne glass, "We are having a New Year's Bash!"

And at that Haley burst out laughing.

Brooke walked into Peyton's room early that Monday morning. "Wake up sleepy head, We have no time."

Peyton woke up screaming, "What the heck? Oh, its you."

"Of course its me. Who did you expect, the ghost of Christmas past?"

"I wouldn't doubt it," Peyton mumbled. Brooke walked over to her bed and sat down. "Huh?"

"I mean, my dad said I should've been happier the past day, but I don't know. Christmas seemed to remind me of the things I didn't have." Brooke leaned over and gave her best friend a hug.

"It's ok. I get it."

"No you don't," Peyton said a little bit more harshly than she meant to. "Sorry. Have you ever heard, All I want for Christmas is you? I know it's a cliché, but it's the way I feel. All the things I want, I can't have. My mom is dead, Jake is gone, and I haven't been feeling the best lately."

Brooke thought for a second, "You're right, I don't understand. I came here to tell you that me and Haley are throwing a New Years eve party. I was going to ask you to design the invitation and be DJ. But I've changed my mind. I'll handle it. You need to rest, and get a little bit happier. So, P. Sawyer. Toodles!" Brooke walked out, and Peyton slammed her head back onto he pillow and went back to sleep.

"Hey," Lucas said as he walked into Brooke's apartment. "Brooke?" Haley walked into the kitchen. "Hey, Luke. Brooke will just be a minute. She is a little tied up right now. She wants to get the invitations out today."

Lucas gave her a quizzical look.

"Oh, right, you don't know about it yet. We're throwing a New Years…." She was interrupted by an excited Brooke. "Luke!" Brooke squealed. She threw her arms around him. "I have so much to tell you."

Brooke and Lucas sat at a table at Sollena's Pizzeria. They had just ordered, and had been talking about the party, when Brooke said, "You know, I'm worried about Peyton. She needs someone. She needs to smile." Lucas agreed. Peyton had seemed so down the past months. Brooke continues, "I think she's been expecting Jake to come home, but she hasn't heard from him, she doesn't know if he or Jenny is alright." Lucas looked away. "Luke?"

"Brooke, I wasn't supposed to say anything, but I've talked to Jake. I know how to contact him. He's been staying at this hotel nearby registered as Carter something. He's got Jenny, but he is leaving on New Year's Eve."

"Luke, you have to tell him to come. Peyton would be so incredibly happy. Please," Brooke begged. "I don't kn….."

Brooke got down on her knees, "Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease."

"I wasn't supposed to tell anyone. He could get in so much trouble." He looked at Brooke's face. Her lip was trembling. He kissed her forehead. "Maybe."

Brooke and Haley entered Party City. "I can't believe I'm spending my clothes allowance on this!" Brooke said. "It was your idea. Plus, I'm paying the rent this month, so no big deal. Right?" Brooke raised her eyebrows as if to say What?. But she looked away and saw shiny blue bubble ornaments. "Oooooooooooooooo. Look Hales." Brooke pointed at the cellophane bubbles. "Lets get those." Haley nodded, but she walked over to the balloon counter. "Hi, can I order fifty balloons to pick up New Year's Eve?" The counter assistant said, "Sure. What kind would you like?"

"Oh. Um. An assortment I guess." She handed over a twenty dollar bill. Haley wandered over toward the noise- maker section. From behind her she heard a ear cringing honk, "Surprise!" Brooke squeaked. Haley started laughing. They went over to the cashier and paid for all the stuff Brooke picked out. From the look of it, they were having a blue and silver- theme party.

On the morning of New Year's Eve, Brooke and Haley got up, and started decorating. They put up streamers and 2006 signs. "Knock, Knock," Lucas said as he walked in their front door. "It looks nice." He went over to the table picked up some of the cellophane bubbles, let out a laugh, and started taping them up. "He's gone, Brooke." Brooke dropped the roll of tape, and stared at Lucas. "Jake…is…..gone? Already?"

"I left him a message last night to call me, but this morning they said he wasn't there. He left. He has no idea I called. I'm sorry Brooke. I really am." He opened his arms and she walked over and melted into them.

"I really wanted to make Peyton happy. I was so excited."

At seven o' clock, guests started to arrive. Lucas had stayed, and Nathan had come early with the balloons Haley ordered. Bevin came, then Tim. The guys from the rivercourt came together, and so did some cheerleaders. Then Mouth came in with Peyton. Brooke went over to her best friend, "I'm glad you came." People were crowded around the TV playing Scene It? or at the table eating and drinking. "Umm, everyone.." Haley said in a small voice. Not one person turned their head. Haley whispered something in Nathan's ear. He said, in a strong voice, "Shutup, and listen to my wife." Everyone looked up, apalled. Haley took a chair from the kitchen and stood on it. "Well, this is the end of this year. It's been good, and bad. I'm sure it is different for everyone. But there is something I want us all to do. First write down a mistake you made this year on one of these index cards, don't laugh, then write a hope or a dream for this year. And then tie it onto a balloon. And then we'll let them loose. And, umm, that's all." Haley looked down at Nathan, and beamed. He pulled her gently from the chair, and kissed her gently. "I love you." Haley took her card and wrote, I left. I hope I can do what I love with the person I love. She took a balloon and but the string through as hole in the card. She walked over to Peyton and looked at her card. I let myself down. I hope Jake and Jenny will always be safe. Haley smiled, "They will."

Ten minutes before midnight, everyone went outside. One by one they let their balloons float away. It really looked amazing. Everyone stood there in silence looking at the dots of different colors float over the horizon. It was like they were throwing their mistakes away and starting fresh. Like a huge weight was lifted from their chest. Like all their mistakes and dreams blended together to form one moving, floating object. It was a symbol representing life. It represented them, with the good and the bad. It represented the next year. The ending year, and the beginning year. The year that some would leave Tree Hill forever, while others stayed behind. But this simple image would stay with them the whole next year, symbolizing that. Just that.

As they walked through the door again, the noise started up. They turned on the news, where it had the countdown, and the giant ball. It was 3:27 to the New Year. Peyton looked around. Everyone was so happy. She saw Brooke snuggling with Lucas, and Haley's head on Nathan's shoulder. Peyton couldn't take this alone feeling. She walked outside onto the little porch. Inside she heard, "20, 19, 18, 17,16." She couldn't hold back. "12, 11, 10, 9." A little tear fell from her eye. And then another. She heard excitement in the room. "5, 4, 3, 2,"

"Happy New Year Peyton," He put his arm around her waist and kissed her tenderly as everyone said "1!" She slid her arms around his neck. And they stood there for a minute, holding each other tight. And all Peyton could do was smile. She hadn't smiled like this in months. She felt a foreign feeling pass over her, a feeling of true happiness. "Jake, how, why, oh, I love you so much!" Peyton said in a trance. "Is Jenny ok? Are you? Oh my gosh, I can't believe this."

Jake replied quietly, "Yes we are ok. We are still on the run, but we are ok. I was escaping again tonight, when I looked up and saw these dots over the sky, and I was drawn to them, by some magical force. I just drove right here, where they seemed to be coming from. It was as if I've had a guardian angel all this time, and now she just pushed me in the right direction. And Peyton, I want to tell you a million times, I love you so much. But I have to go. Jenny is in the car, and I have to go. I love you." Jake pulled her into a big hug and gave her one last kiss. "Bye Jake, tell Jenny I love her. And I really do love you." And Jake left. The Peyton that walked back through the door to the apartment was a whole new person. She was smiling and happy. The first thing she did was go to Brooke and give her a big hug, "I love you Brooke. You are the greatest friend. The sister to my soul. And Happy New Year." Brooke smiled and gave Peyton another hug, "Glad to have the old Peyton back."

The next day Peyton went over to help clean up. Lucas was there too. "Peyt, Jake gave me this to give to you." He handed her a book and a letter. Peyton tore open the letter.

Dear Peyton,

I don't know when you are getting this, or even if you are. I first want you to know I love you. And so does Jenny. All she says these days is, 'Peyton.' I wish you were here to hear her. One day, I was sitting on this bench, when this lady came up to me. Her name was Chelsea, and she told me this, "Sometimes to make yourself feel better, you need to hear about others' lives whose are much worse. It makes you realize how much you have." She gave me this book, The Diary of Anne Frank. She said someone gave it to her, and now it is my turn. I want you to read it and pass it on to someone else.

I hope I'll be home soon, and we can be together again.

I love you, and I always will.

Love, Jake and Jenny.

Peyton opened the book, and a tear fell onto the index card that was inside it. It was like the ones they used on the balloons. She suddenly had a vision of that clump if balloons, that figure that brought them together. And on the index card read, 'Peace in 2006'.