Peyton looked at Jake, standing beside the crib. "Morning." She said through a yawn. "What time is it?" She asked sitting up.
Jake looked down at his watch. "It's almost 6:15." He said then looked back up at Peyton. "I know you need to go, but can you watch her while I take a shower?"
Peyton stood up and walked over to the crib. Looking in at Jenny, she smiled as she watched her eyes flutter open and look up at the two standing over her. "As long as I get the shower next."
Jake laughed. "Umm, I don't think I have any clothes that would fit you."
Peyton looked at Jake and laughed also. "It's okay. I always keep extra stuff in my car." She explained.
"Okay, then I'm gonna take a shower now." Jake turned to go upstairs.
"Hey Jake…" He turned and looked back at Peyton. "Don't take all the hot water." She said with a smile as she sat back down on the couch.
Jake grinned, "I won't," then proceeded upstairs to the bathroom.
When Peyton got out of the shower, she quickly got dressed and ready for school. She walked slowly downstairs to find Jake feeling Jenny. "Are you hungry?" She asked as she walked into the kitchen. Jake looked up at Peyton as she walked in and could barely hide the deep intake of breath at the sight of her. She looked amazing. She was great with Jenny, and she could cook. He smiled and nodded. "Okay…" She started making omelets and toast. She made each a plate and took Jake's over and sat it in front of him on the table. She took Jenny from Jake, who was asleep once again, and put her in her crib. When she walked back into the kitchen she noticed that Jake was watching her, smiling. "What?" She asked laughing. "Do you want coffee, orange juice, or milk?" She asked as she walked over to the cabinet.
"Juice. And I was just watching you with Jenny. You are really good with her…And you really good for me." He finished, trying not to look at her. Peyton smiled, poured them each a glass of juice then walked over and sat down next to Jake at the table, setting both glasses down.
"What can I say…I love her…" She smiled and started eating. Jake did the same. When they were both done eating, Jake started to clean up. After he finished, he sat down at the table again.
"Peyton, I loved having you here last night. Your great with Jenny. And I especially loved waking up this morning to you holding her. Making me breakfast. I want that more…"
Peyton just sat there and listened to what Jake was saying to her. She looked down at her watch, "Oh…we need to go if we want to get there on time." She quickly stood up and was walking into the living room when Jake took her hand, spun her around, and kissed her passionately. She was slightly taken aback, but even she couldn't deny how the kiss took her breath away. As they broke apart, still in each other's arms, she smiled and simply said, "Okay," which they both understood.
Jake and Peyton pulled up together in Peyton's car and parked, just as Brooke was getting out of her own car to a waiting Lucas. Brooke smiled at Lucas as she locked her car and walked over to him. "Hey…" She started then turned to see what he was looking at. Brooke screamed in excitement at the sight of Jake and Peyton, walking together, hand in hand. Brooke quickly grabbed Lucas' hand and rushed over to the new couple.
"Hey P. Sawyer…"
Peyton turned quickly to see Brooke and Lucas practically running towards her. Well, more like Brooke running and Lucas being dragged. "Brace yourself" She whispered to Jake, who laughed and looked at Brooke as she stopped in front of the two. "Hi, Brooke." Peyton and Jake said together.
"Very cute…Can I borrow her Jake… I promise you'll get her back." Brooke said looking from one to the other.
Jake nodded then turned to Peyton. "I'll see you later." When she said 'ok', he leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips.
As Lucas and Jake walked off together, the two girls watched them before Brooke turned and hit Peyton.
"Ow! What was that for?" Peyton asked as she started walking up towards the school.
"Why didn't you call and tell me?" Brooke asked as she linked arms with her best friend.
"Maybe because it just happened this morning…" Peyton told Brooke everything that happened earlier that morning and about the kiss that left her breathless. Brooke listened intently, reacting in all the right places, but not saying anything.
"Wow!" She had said when Peyton had finished. "Good for you, P. Sawyer." She said finally then looked up to see Haley walking towards them. "Oh look, her comes Tutor Girl…I wonder what her answer is?" Peyton looked across the courtyard and smiled as she saw Haley walking nervously towards them.
Haley smiled sheepishly, took a deep breath, then sat down in front of Brooke and Peyton. "Hey guys." She said looking up into their faces. "Alright, I've thought a lot about this…and…I'll do it…but ONLY if you promise to help me so I don't go out there , fall on my face, and embarrass myself in front of the whole school." She said rambling, then sighing. She put her face in her hands and when she looked up she saw both girls smiling at her. They looked at each other then back at Haley. "We promise." They said in unison.
"Why don't you two come over my house tonight and we can start working on getting you ready." Peyton said with a smile.
Brooke looked over at her best friend. "But what about Jake?"
"I don't think Jake wants to be a cheerleader." Peyton responded.
Brooke laughed sarcastically. "You know what I mean, P. Sawyer."
Haley looked at both in turn. "Okay…what did I miss?" she asked completely confused.
Brooke looked at Haley. "Jake is Peyton's new beau." She said matter-of-factly.
Haley turned sharply and grinned at Peyton. "Really? Oh my god. Where was I when that happened?"
"Probably getting ready for school." Brooke said laughing.
Peyton told the story once again as the three headed to their lockers. As they got to Peyton's locker, both Haley and Brooke went to find Nathan and Lucas.
At lunch, Jake saw Peyton and Lucas in the courtyard and quickly walked over to join the two. "Well, it's official. No one can hide anything in this town…much less this school." He said as he sat down beside Peyton.
Lucas laughed at Jake's comment but Peyton looked over at Jake and said, "I didn't realize we were trying to hide anything."
"We're not." Jake said smiling. He leaned over and kissed Peyton.
"Good, because it was me who told everyone." She said with a laugh, joking.
Nathan, Haley, and Brooke walked over and sat down with the other three. "What's so funny?" Haley asked as she sat between Lucas and Nathan.
"we're just talking about how the whole school, and probably half the town, already know about Peyton and I…and it's only noon." Jake explained. As everyone started laughing, Haley looked around the table and couldn't hold back the smile that spread across her face. She was dating her best friend's brother and star of the basketball team. Two of her other best friends were cheerleaders…hell, she was a cheerleader herself. And they were also dating basketball stars. Could her life get anymore cliché?
Her question got answered after school that day as they were at Peyton's house showing Haley cheers, dances, and talking about the upcoming game and their guys. Somehow, in this thing called high school, she had went from being a tutor, barely a spot on their radars, to being one of the popular girls that everyone wanted to be. Soon after joining the squad, it seemed that everyone in school knew her name and wanted to be her friend. Not much had changed in her life though. The only difference was that she really didn't have very much free time. Between tutoring, cheer practice, games, school, work, and spending time with Nathan, she barely had time to sleep. As much fun as she was having, she couldn't say that she wasn't glad the basketball season was almost over. The team had made it through playoffs and were only one win away from being state champs.
On the morning of the championship game, the six friends went out for breakfast, something that had become somewhat of a tradition for them on game days, and stayed at the restaurant, usually Karen's Café, talking until around noon. Today, since Haley had to work, she stayed there. Nathan and Lucas went to the river court. Jake went home to Jenny. And Brooke and Peyton…went shopping.
At 4:30, Peyton and Jake were leaving his house, leaving Jenny with his parents for the night and Nathan was back at Karen's Café to pick up Haley. As Nathan walked up to the front door, Brooke walked up beside him.
"Hey, Nathan." She said as the two walked into the café together. They walked up to the counter and sat beside Lucas, who was currently talking to his mom. "Hi, Ms. Roe." Brooke said as she sat down on Lucas' right.
"Hi, Brooke…Nathan."
Nathan smiled at her. "Is Haley ready?" He asked, but Haley soon appeared.
"Yeah, almost. Let me take this to Keith real quick." She said as she walked out from the back.
"You haven't even changed…" Brooke said as soon as Haley walked out.
Karen took the plate from Haley. "I got it. You go get ready." Karen smiled, then walked to the end of the bar to where Keith was sitting.
Haley took off her apron and leaned over the counter to give Nathan a kiss. "Hi" She said quietly when they broke apart.
"Okay, let's go Tutor Girl." Brooke said as she got up and walked around the counter, pulling Haley back so she could get ready.
"Oh, Tigger…" She said, then looked back at Lucas. "Your girlfriends crazy."
Lucas laughed. "I know, that's why I like her." He yelled as Haley disappeared into the back.
One hour later, Brooke and Haley were ready. They both came out in their uniforms, hair and make up done. "Took you long enough." Lucas said as Nathan laughed.
"Oh, you two take just as long as we go getting ready. Come on, we're meeting Peyton and Jake at the field house." Brooke said.
"Bye mom…Uncle Keith." Lucas said before he was pulled out of his chair.
"Bye. We'll see you at the game." Karen said as her and Keith laughed at the foursome.
The four of them waved as they walked out. Ten minutes later, they were pulling up to the field house. Peyton and Jake were standing outside talking and laughing when the others walked up. The six of them walked inside together. Once inside, the guys left to go to the locker room and the girls headed into the gym.