A/N- If you haven't realized my love of author's notes yet, you are crazy. But I don't actually have anything to write about so I'm going write about not having anything to write about. Noah, Natasha, and the Eric inspired guy over here, his name is Kyle. It's kind of weird. We never hang out anymore, me and Kyle. He pretty tried to ruin things between us last year again, but we're friends again, finally. Oh yeah, I know awhile back someone said something about Nathan and his friendship with the girls, that's going to be in this chapter. Tash, Noah, and Kyle are helping me. It going to be an easy chapter to write and I don't really care how they felt that day, so it's kind of pointless. Noah wasn't around that day though I think he was going out with the Kady inspired character, Piper. They weren't around- confirmed. So here we go. Look it's a long author's note. Hah!

Chasing Dreams

Chapter Eleven

Fun and Games

After the week in after school detention almost a month ago, everyone grew even closer. It was now April, and Mr. Ward was yet again pressuring them about leaving. "So who is leaving for sure?" asked Mr. Ward. He looked around the classroom, since the first incident Brooke kept to herself in his class and rarely spoke up about the matter.

"I am," Brooke said weakly from the center of the room. She had sent in her application two weeks ago and received her acceptance letter three days ago.

"Okay Brooke, that's one person," Mrs. Ward said calmly.

"I got accepted," Haley said. Haley fought her parents to let she leave early, they kept comparing her to her sister, they all had gone to the catholic school and they thought she should go to St. Joseph's too.

"And me," Lucas said. His mom had demanded he leave DJMS, she wanted him to get away from Nathan, even though the pair were friends now.

"Same here," Peyton said. She was following Brooke and Nathan, they weren't ditching her, and she wasn't going to be left alone with Serena the bitch.

"All of us too," piped up Kylie Harper, she spoke for her group of friends, Tara, Kaitlyn, and Megan.

"And me too," Nathan said casually. He had filed out applications with Brooke a few weeks ago and they both received their acceptance letters, that past weekend.

Mr. Ward quickly added up the people that had said they were leaving, nine of them in total. That was the risk group in January and he unsuccessfully convinced now of them to stay. They were losing there best students, best people from the class. Mrs. Kentwood may have had it out for Brooke for the last few months, but everyone knew she was still a good girl at heart. "Okay, so we are having small class next year."

On the second weekend in April every year was the annual Tree Hill Festival. The festival was held as a birthday party for the town, this year, Tree Hill was finally one hundred years old. The annual day was one of the best days of the year for everyone; they had water fights, mud pits, dunk tanks, food, games, and lots of fun. Peyton and Brooke had gone together every year since they were in the third grade and there moms let them go alone. This was the first time since the fifth grade they were going without Serena and the first time they were going with Nathan. Nathan, Brooke, and Peyton arrived at the carnival in the early morning to watch the parade. Brooke's house was on one of the main streets that the parade passed so they sat in her front year watching. After that they headed over to the carnival grounds. As the got closer they could see the Ferris wheel the town had rented high in the sky.

"Oh, I love the Ferris wheel," exclaimed Peyton as they got closer.

"I hate it," Brooke whined, "I hate heights."

"I like it, Peyt," Nathan said, "we can go together."

"Awesome," Peyton hugged her friend. They hadn't hung out in awhile, ever since Haley and Lucas had come into the picture, Peyton felt left out, and when she was around she was a total third or fifth wheel.

"Look who is on the dunk tank table," Brooke squealed pointing at the large pool of water on the other side of the grounds.

"Hah, it's Eric!" Nathan laughed. Nathan grabbed both Peyton and Brooke's hands and led them towards the dunk tank. Once they reached it, Eric had fallen in, but no one had throwing a ball.

"It's broken," yelled Eric, remerging from the water.

"Are you cold," teased Peyton.

"Peyton," he yelled getting out from the tank, "I think you look a little warm." Eric chased Peyton until he caught her and gave her a huge hug.

"Eric!" exclaimed Peyton, pushing him to the group where he then got covered in dirt.

"Water fight," yelled Carter who had come with Alexis, Kady, Shawn, and Kendra. All five held three large water guns. They passed them around, and began to fun.

Lucas and Haley, best friends forever, they never went to the Tree Hill Festival, they were loners with hardly any friends and it was boring. This year was different, not only did they have friends; they were the popular group in the class. Haley and Lucas decided not to come early but they found their friends at around twelve, they all were sitting around a table, soaked through and through and a pile of water guns sat on the ground near by.

"Hey you guys," Haley said as they approached the group, "what the hell happened?"

"We had a water fight," Nathan said shrugging his shoulders, "want a hug?"

"I'm definitely fine," Haley laughed. Kendra sat at the end of the table near the water guns; she picked one up, and squirted both Haley and Lucas, soaking their shirt through too.

"Thanks Kenny," Lucas said sitting down. That was fun. The group sat around for a bit then went to Brooke's house where they watch the never leaving Brooke's DVD player, Lion King. After that they went to Karen's Café where they got some delicious food, Karen loved all of Lucas' friends. They all were polite and nice to be around. Most teenagers that came into the café were rude and inconsiderate. At midnight there were fireworks, the town had some of the most amazing fireworks, and they went high in the sky and different colors and all that great stuff. The whole group sat together, Alexis was in her all time favorite position sitting in Carter's lap. Brooke and Lucas sat close to each other but not on top one another. Nathan and Haley were laying down holding hands. Kendra, Eric, Shawn, and Peyton sat there looking at the couples with somewhat disgust. They were in grade eight, and they were acting like they were in love, Peyton was yet again sick of being the third wheel.

A/N 2- I know that was short but I had to end it there, two more chapters. I downloaded the preview for Wednesday's preview, and I can't stop watching it. Tash introduced me to One Tree Hill and she thinks I'm crazy for loving it so much. The characters that inspire Carter and Alexis are coming over right away and same with Piper. Carter and Alexis translate into Landon and Daytona, for your information. Ever since beginning this story I have been obsessed with those friends I had and we have been talking again and now they are coming over. YAY!

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-Lauren