Title: Ten Year Reunion: Class of 2006
Author: Cayster
Rating: PG to PG-13
Couples: Lucas/Peyton, Nathan/Haley, and the rest, well, you'll just have to read it to believe it.
Genres: General, two spoonfuls of Romance, and a dash of Drama.
Summary: When it's 2016 and the Class of 2006 comes back to Tree Hill for a reunion there's bound to be drama, old lovers rekindling their affection, and many walks down memory lane. Find out what happens in only a night's time.
Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill and if I did, you'd better bet that I would be writing a script rather than fanfiction!
Author's Notes: Well, I have to say that this is my first generalized piece of fanfiction ever, so go easy on me. I'm usually writing specifically for two characters rather than ten, but I promise that each and every character that is brought into the story will be in character because I'm a firm believer in authenticity. I'm sure many of you out there have your own preferences of
Chapter One: Old Rooms and Childhood Homes
The smell of homemade cookies and coffee filled his nostrils as he entered the café. It had changed since he had last seen it about two years ago, but then again, his mom could never keep things the same for too long; she was a smart business woman.
The bell above the door rang in response when he had opened the door, which caused his mom to look over at the door expecting to see a customer, but once she saw her son a huge smile was plastered across her face. She walked around from behind the counter and embraced him.
"Hey Luke," she greeted happily once she hugged him. "It's been too long!" She finally let go and took a step back looking him over from head to toe.
Lucas slowly took his shades off and pocketed them in his black blazer's chest pocket. A small, content smile cascaded onto his face, "Hey mom," he said digging his hands deep into his black slacks, "it has been too long." He looked around the bright and exuberant café at people reading, eating, or even talking animatedly with their companions. "My book's been my life for awhile and since it has hit bookstores nationwide, I've had to do book signings, talk show interviews, meet God knows who—you know, the works."
His mother smiled up at her son proudly and patted his back in an understanding manner. "Here, sit down and have something on the house!"
Lucas followed his mother's orders and wheeled his suitcase over to the counter and took a seat near the cash register so he'd be able to talk to his mom while she worked. After a few minutes of small talk, Karen seemed to have remembered something exciting.
"Oh, guess who's going to be stopping by in, oh say, twenty minutes?" She asked with a sparkle in her eye that only appeared when she was either talking about Keith or Haley.
"Hmm," Lucas started as he took a sip of his hot coffee his mom had given him a few minutes earlier. "I'd have to say either Keith or Hales."
His mom laughed, "How did you know?"
"Let's just say that I'm psychic," Lucas joked as he played with his cup of java.
At that moment, the café's bell rang again announcing that someone had entered. Lucas turned around his chair to see who it was and it was his longtime best friend, Haley James Scott. She seemed elated and excited, but her usual goofy air about her seemed desolate—many tough years had caused it to grow dim.
"Where can a girl go to get a great cup of coffee in this town?" Haley asked playfully as she walked over to Lucas smiling at him.
Lucas stood up and hugged his friend, "Nice to see you Hales."
"Nice to see you too Luke," she said hugging him back. Once they separated, she walked around the counter and hugged his mom. It seemed like old times already with just Haley and himself in the café they had endured many years in as children and teenagers.
Her flight from New York to Raleigh had been pretty ordinary just like all of her flights from all over the world. Being an artist was no easy job, especially when everyone wanted to meet you in person or buy your latest work with you there. To tell you the truth, it was petty and a superficial act of 'patronizing' the arts in front of their friends to show off. Rich bastards.
She walked quickly through the terminal obviously used to them, but at the same time rather sick of them as well. Peyton had seen many terminals in just a few years; they were all the same even if they had different fixtures or paintings on them. They all were impersonal and claustrophobic—welcoming wouldn't be one of the thousand words that would describe them.
Once she emerged into the bright sun and humid atmosphere, Peyton reached into her small black purse and grabbed her cell phone. She began to dial her agent's number as she waved for an empty cab.
"Hello?" A grotesque voice asked on the other end.
A cab finally pulled over to Peyton and she opened the door up and jumped in as she pulled in her suitcase after her. "Dave, I want to make sure that the 'Now We Can Have It' sketch isn't up for sale tomorrow," she said straightforwardly, very professionally.
"Peyton, you and I both know that the Simpsons are offering you a very, very generous price for it," Dave replied playing the same ball while watching his tone at the same time.
"No, it's off-limits and how many times are we going to have this conversation?" She responded as she leaned forward and covered the phone and told the cab driver, "Tree Hill, please."
Dave started to laugh, "You know I'm going to have to sneak the piece out of the gallery then because they'll try to steal it."
"Whatever's necessary Dave, just keep it out of their snobby hands!" Peyton again snapped back as she turned her phone off.
She leaned back against the seat as if she were worn out and laid her head against the window. Nervousness, excitement, and second thoughts started to fill her mind during the thirty minute journey to her home.
Peyton was just about to fall asleep when the cab seemed to come to a stop. She opened her eyes and saw her childhood home. A smile evaded her lips causing her eyes to smile themselves.
"$59.30," the cab driver said right away as if Peyton was going to get out of the cab and skip the payment.
"Yeah, whatever," she said blandly and grabbed three twenty dollar bills out of her purse and handed them to driver. "Keep the change, Earl."
She got out of the yellow cab and stood there looking up at the house as memories poured over her quickly. Peyton then remembered her dad and sadness seemed to come over her. He wasn't going to be able to come in this week and see her, which meant that she was going to have to stay home alone like her teenage years.
Determinedly, Peyton started to wheel her suitcase up towards the house and entered the quiet home. It was just like she had remembered it, empty and silent. As she walked up the stairs to her old bedroom, Peyton remembered how she would loudly play her favorite angry punk bands when she was pissed or when her friends would unexpectedly stop by for a little chat. Thinking of those times, she smiled again.
Finally, she was at her bedroom door. It was still covered in her artwork with various knick-knacks taped on it as well. Slowly, she pushed open the door with her one free hand and saw a single white envelope on her bed. As she neared it she saw that it was to her in her father's handwriting. Not really wanting to know its contents since she was slightly pissed at her father for not being able to see her, Peyton opened it anyway.
Dear Peyton,
I'm sure you're mad at me right now since I'm not able to see you since who knows when, but I'm sure you'll soon forget that once you head over to the school's gym and see your old friends. To tell you the truth, I couldn't bring myself to see you—my little girl's not a little girl anymore. It saddens me to think of you that way because it makes me feel old as well as knowing that I missed out watching you grow up into the successful woman that you are today. I was selfish, Peyt, and I'm sorry for that.
On a light note though, Brooke came in a week early for the reunion and hoped to find you here since she heard that you were planning on coming back early, but she only found me. She told me to tell you that when you got in to call her right away so you two could talk.
"Fat chance," Peyton whispered dully to herself and then continued to read the letter.
She also knew that you were probably still mad at her for last year's ordeal so that's why she was willing to wave the olive branch first. So please Peyton, call her; she was your best friend all the way up to last year!
Well, I'm off. I love you and I hope you have a great time at your reunion. Don't let anyone ruin your night, which I highly doubt you'll have to endure.
Love,
Your Old Man
Peyton huffed loudly as she finished reading the letter and set it down on her bed. "Yeah, love you too."
She walked leisurely over to her open closet where she saw her old computer, which probably didn't work any longer, and all of her old band posters. The shrine brought back memories of various rock concerts with Lucas, who was the only person who seemed to share her musical taste. Thinking of Lucas she seemed to feel a whole lot better about this reunion thing. He was one of the only people, except for Haley and Nathan, that she was looking forward to seeing.
Then out of no where, the house phone rang. Peyton didn't know if she wanted to answer it or not, but in the end her curiosity got the better of her. "Hello?"
"Hey P. Sawyer!" Brooke's voice squealed excitedly on the other side.
Frustration and anger coursed through Peyton's veins quickly. She gritted her teeth and balled her fist tightly, "Hi Brooke."
The long drive from Atlanta to Tree Hill was all too familiar to Nathan. He had once driven there in hopes of getting his wife back or at least to show her that he was willing to accept her dreams and that he loved her all the same. But he didn't hear what he wanted and it resulted in a long drive home to Tree Hill in misery and heartache.
He and Haley were able to reconcile their differences on their senior year and be happily married with a few bumps in the road here and there, but it wasn't until this year where all Hell seemed to have broken loose. They had separated and on the verge of divorce so to say that this reunion was going to be hard for him to endure was an understatement. He hadn't really spoken to Haley since she had gotten her own place and he knew for certain that they were going to see a lot of each other there.
Nathan with great irritation turned off the radio which had been playing since he had begun driving early that morning. Memories of his marriage always made him angry. He hadn't wanted it to turn out like his parents' but yet here he was going up to the reunion without his wife. The fury seemed to make his foot like lead so he began to speed on a street that was only supposed to be thirty miles per hour. Tree Hill's residential streets always took the precaution of driving safely when it was a family oriented community.
Before he knew it, he was at his mom's house. It was the biggest house in Tree Hill with the nicest lawn, nicest cars—well basically nicest everything. He quickly sped into the driveway and parked all in one swift motion. All during this little adrenaline rush, he seemed to have been holding his breath so as to a result of this, Nathan's breathing was ragged and shallow.
"Damn it," he yelled as he hit the steering wheel over and over again as if hoping to have gone faster.
Then someone knocked on his window. It was his mother who was smiling like the sun hadn't shined in so long and then finally decided to reappear just at that moment. When she had knocked on his window, Nathan practically jumped out of his skin in fright.
"For crying out loud!" Nathan whispered lowly as he grabbed at his heart unconsciously. He grimaced and then forced a smile on his face as he looked up at his mom. He opened his car door and got out.
Immediately, his mom hugged him warmly. "Oh Nathan! I've missed you, honey."
Nathan too hugged his mom back dearly. "Hey mom," he said kindly finally able to catch his breath. When his mom finally let go, Nathan walked towards the trunk and opened it to get his bags out.
"Here let me help you with one of those," his mom offered as she walked over that way, but Nathan shook his head and waved her off.
"It's alright mom, if I can handle Bryant, then I can handle two bags," he said with a smile on his face as if trying to reassure his mom.
She smiled in return, "Okay, if you say so." Deb nudged her head in the direction of the house, "C'mon, let's get you settled in."
Nathan followed his mom into the house and back towards his room. It was as if he still lived there or as if he never lived a decade and was still in high school. He saw a picture of himself and Haley laughing over on his computer desk, which caused his heart sink a little as he dropped one of his bags next to the desk.
His mom must've caught on to his sudden sullen attitude because she quickly brushed by him and grabbed the picture that he was staring at. "I forgot to this out of here," she said holding it to where it wouldn't face him.
"It's okay," Nathan said quietly, "she's still my wife," he said reaching his hand out to reclaim the picture.
Deb seemed to not fully trust if Nathan was really okay with it, but she slowly gave the picture back to him. When he had the picture in his hands, he put it back on the desk and then left it alone. He turned and went over to the bag that he had put on his bed and opened it.
"I was wondering if you knew of who was coming back for the reunion," Nathan asked as if the ordeal that had just happened didn't occur.
"Ah, well, Karen said that Lucas was coming back so that ought to bring a lot of memories to surface." Deb said as she walked towards to the door to leave her son in peace. "And Brooke has been back for about a week, I believe."
"Great," Nathan said unenthusiastically as he took out a white dress shirt, a black tie, some black dress pants, and a black blazer.
Out of the corner of his eye, Nathan saw his mom shake her head and then leave. Once she did, Nathan walked back over to his old desk and picked up the ten year old picture. They both looked so happy and content not knowing of what troubles lay ahead of them.
He began to lightly rub the picture with his thumb as if Haley were really in front of him. "I miss you Hales."
"And so he said 'I'd like to speak with Jim Pansey.' Then I said, 'Sir, are you sure someone isn't playing a trick on you?' But he said, 'No, because my receptionist said this was Jim Pansey's number.' Finally, I just couldn't hold back the laughter any longer so I finally revealed to him that if he would just put Jim and Pansey together he would get chimpanzee." Karen said laughing at the story she had experienced only a few weeks early. Both Lucas and Haley were cracking up laughing once they heard the end of the story.
"I bet that guy felt like an idiot!" Haley said in between laughs as she slapped the counter.
Wiping her eyes, "Yeah, he even apologized. Poor man."
Unconsciously, Lucas looked at his Rolex and saw that it was seven and the reunion started at eight. He over at Haley still smiling from the joke, "I think we ought to get ready for the party, Hales."
Her smile seemed to falter a little, but she recovered it quickly. "Ah, yeah we better get dressed and what not."
"Well, I don't want to keep you kids from your reunion," Karen said from behind the counter as she picked up a towel and started to wipe down the counter aimlessly. "So get out of here."
"Alright, alright," Lucas said getting up out of his seat and grabbing his suitcase. "Well, I guess I'll go get pretty. See you there Hales?"
Haley nodded her head, "Yeah I'll see you there Luke."
Once Lucas had gotten out of there, Karen turned to Haley in a more serious way and looked over her. "Haley, I know exactly what's going through your head right now."
"Oh yeah?" Haley asked in a tired way. Thoughts of confronting Nathan seemed to have finally dawned on her.
Karen nodded in response, "Yes, I do. I had to walk into the same gym you do tonight and see Dan, hear people whispering, and feeling alone. But at least Nathan is not Dan and people won't be whispering about you in an adulterous sort of way. They'll know that you two are experiencing a rough patch in your marriage just like many of them have already had to deal with." Karen leaned against the counter, "And from what I hear, he still loves you and he's never stopped loving you."
At this moment, Haley looked up into her confidante's eyes. She couldn't believe how much Karen understood and knew about what Haley was feeling.
"So," Karen continued, "you go to that reunion with your chin up and talk to your husband."
With more determination and heart, Haley nodded her head. "Thanks Karen," she said a little hoarsely as she leaned over the counter and hugged her old friend. "Thanks for everything."
Once Haley was out of the café, she drove hastily over to her hotel room and got dressed in a certain dress she knew Nathan especially loved since he enjoyed taking it off on their ninth anniversary.
Author's Notes: Well, I hope you all are enjoying it so far. I know it's a lot to read about and that's probably how it's going to be each chapter since this is a generalized story. So all in all, I'm going to try my darnedest not to show too much love for one couple. Thanks to everyone who read it and I hope to hear from you soon. You all rock!