Chapter Three: Idealistic Future

Haley stared up at her bedroom ceiling. She'd promised Brooke she'd sleep in to take advantage of her holidays, but she'd felt too guilty to get up when she'd awoken at eight, as she always did.

Her hand shot out for her phone as it rang, and she eagerly answered it.

"Your voice doesn't sound groggy. What am I going to do with you?" asked Brooke in irritation, after Haley had answered and she realized that her best friend had already awoken.

"You know, you could give up. Where are you?" asked Haley curiously.

"Hell," said Brooke bitterly. Haley paused for a second.

"Oh, Country Club blues?" she asked sympathetically.

"Yep. I was dragged here for some function. Then I managed to sneak out but no one's here except for Chris," said Brooke bitterly.

"You're hanging out at the most boring place on Earth with my boyfriend?" asked Haley. Brooke laughed.

"Yep. I'll be seeing you soon?" she guessed.

XxxxxxX

Haley quickly rounded up Peyton and Jake before heading out to join Brooke and Chris. This was their way. None of the five ever went anywhere apart if they didn't have to, unless it was a "Girl's Night" or a "Guy's Night", in which case they usually ended up melding together anyway. They were a set. They always had been.

It had started off as just Brooke and Haley, best friends since birth. They'd reached elementary school and been introduced to Peyton, who was lost and lonely and in need of friends. In need of them. The three formed a trio that would become one of the most elite in their school.

In grade five, there had only been one addition to their small class. Jake Jagielski, a recent transfer, small, scared and alone. Peyton, having grown out of her youthful shyness, immediately took him under her wing. In time he grew tall and handsome, but Peyton never seemed to see anything other than the boy that had once needed her so desperately.

Chris Keller had come in later. After they were in eighth grade, and old enough for attractions, Chris had come along. Tall, mysterious, Chris. All three girls had immediately fallen for him, but it only took six months for him to fall in turn for Haley, and begin a relationship that lasted all the way through high school.

Haley and Chris were a dream couple. He was a bit too tall and skinny, and she was a bit too inverted, but being such a perfect fit, and being so close to the social elitists of the school made them the picture perfect couple in the town. Everyone knew their future. They'd get married, leave Tree Hill, go off to become a famous duet in LA and then come back to Tree Hill to live in a nice house and have babies. It was the plan. And so far, they were sticking to it.

Peyton glanced down at the ring on her best friend's finger. Technically, she had nothing to worry about. It wasn't a wedding ring. It wasn't even an engagement ring. It was a promise ring. Making them "practically engaged" in the eyes of anyone who really cared. Peyton was among the few to see the strains in their relationship. They had changed. It had been a while. They deserved a break.

She pushed these thoughts out of her head as they pulled up to the country club and got out of the car. It was summertime, and summer deserved to be fun.

Brooke threw her arms around Peyton in relief when the two groups met up. Both girls rolled their eyes when Haley and Chris met up. He kissed her briefly, and she blushed. It had been five years, but Haley still refused to be "coupley" in public.

"So, want to play a round of golf?" asked Jake sarcastically.

"We could swim. I have my suit," suggested Haley.

"Please, the idea of Chris in a bathing suit is rather disturbing. Let's go eat, I'm starving," said Brooke, taking Haley by the arm and leading the group to the dining room.

"So why're you up before noon?" asked Haley suspiciously, as the five of them sat down.

"Maybe because I knew you would be," said Chris. She smiled flirtatiously at him while Brooke mimed throwing up into her napkin.

"We have to do something about this summer. So far it's seriously sucking," whined Brooke.

"Summer holidays started two days ago. How about we chill before we start getting arrested?" suggested Peyton.

"You're no fun. Hey, what's that?" wondered Brooke aloud, as they noticed a small commotion in the entryway. Her eyes grew wide as realization struck her. She shrieked and took to her heels as the waitress arrived at the table.

"BROOKE!" screamed Davis, as her cousin came running. The two girls met and threw their arms around each other. Brooke's friends had seen Davis in magazines and knew the similarities between the two, but the Scott brothers reacted with shock when they saw Davis' slightly younger carbon copy.

Haley grabbed Peyton's arm and walked over to join them, feeling self conscious.

"Hey," said Peyton.

"Oh, these are my friends Haley and Peyton," said Brooke. Nathan glanced over, glanced away, and glanced back again.

"Hey," he said to Haley. Peyton and Brooke both expected to look but she surprised all three of them by looking coyly at him.

"Hey," she said back.

"Damn, maybe the sticks aren't so bad," said Nathan to the assembled group. Haley's smile dropped.

"Nathan, be nice," said Davis, moving into him and abandoning her cousin.

"Uh, this is Haley," said Brooke, glancing between the two, noticing their obvious affect on each other.

"How're you doing, Haley?" asked Nathan.

"Good. And very involved," she said, hoping Chris would chose that moment to amble over. When she didn't feel the familiar presence of his arm around her shoulders, she settled for twirling a lock of hair around her left index finger and hoping his eyes would fall on the ring that marked her as taken. But in the ring, Nathan Scott saw nothing but a challenge.