So this is a LONG chapter! But I won't be able to UD until probably next week.
Chapter 9: Hometown Hoe-Down
Brooke just stood there, staring at him. She should leave. Now. Before things got complicated and she gets her heart broken, again. But she couldn't. Lucas Scott was her first true love, her high school sweetheart. The truth was, she loved him too, after all this time, she figured if she could ignore him, it would go away, but it didn't. I mean, she lived with his brother for god sakes! There wasn't much reprieve for memories when you heard his last name ever other minute of your life. But the fear was there, it had always been. Ever since Peyton and him had cheated on her, it was always in the back of her mind, he did it once, who's to say he won't do it again? Even if it's not with her best friend.
She looked up into his eyes. They were pleading with her to say something, anything, she couldn't. Her tears started falling harder and her sobs were making her shoulders shake.
Lucas reached up and wiped the tears off her face. And pulled her shaking form into him.
"Brooke... please don't cry.." He begged.
"Lucas, I just... I don't think I can again." She told him quietly.
"Brooke. I never stopped loving you. I always have. And I think we can do it. We are older now, more mature, I'm not a stupid jackass anymore." He added, omitting a snort of laughter from Brooke.
"I, um..." She paused. "I love you too." She declared before she could stop herself.
Lucas picked her up and spun her around, kissing passionately.
--
Haley awoke Wednesday morning to Kenny and Chris rolling her out of bed. She muttered her angry good morning, before getting in the shower. She walked into the kitchen where everyone was eating breakfast.
"This concert is going to be huge. So many people bought tickets, we had to open another section to accommodate everyone. Is your whole town coming?" Kenny said, taking a big bite of his waffle, before his cell phone rang and he left the room to answer it.
"Anything left for me?" Haley asks, looking over the food on the table.
"Barely." Lucas says, mouth full.
"Gross Lucas. Mouth closed next time."
"Sorry." He mumbled.
"Haley, you ready for the concert?" Kenny asks, reentering.
"I'm nervous. I haven't preformed in Tree Hill in a long time."
"...And your voice is off-key, and you are playing sloppy, and..." Chris started, earning a slap on the back of the head. "It's true." He mumbled.
"Hales. You'll be fine." Lucas reassured.
"Yeah, mom. You'll do great!" Hannah encouraged.
"We have to go now, Haley." Kenny says.
"It's only nine!" Haley objects.
"We have a lot of work to do."
"Alright..." She agreed, kissing Hannah and Nicole and telling everyone else goodbye, before following Kenny to the car.
She was used to this by now. Before, she wouldn't sleep for days they had her working so much. She'd go from an interview to a concert to another interview. But when she ended up in a hospital a few years back due to exhaustion, she demanded to have more down time. It still gets a little crazy when she's releasing an album, but nothing life-threatening anymore.
Nathan and Kristin came into Peyton's kitchen about twenty minutes after Haley and Kenny left. They exchanged hello's and Nathan took a bagel off the table.
"Natey, you just ate. Too many carbs can make you fat." Kristin told him.
"Natey?" Lucas inquired. Nathan blushed as the table suppressed their laughs.
"Excuse me, Kristin. We don't use the word 'fat' in our house, it creates negative body images." Peyton lied.
"Yes, we do-" Jenny started, but Peyton nudged her. "Yes, um, we don't use it here."
"My apologies." She said sweetly, before rolling her eyes.
"When is mom gonna be back?" Nicole whined.
"Never. She left FOREVER Nicole! She's never coming back either!" Hannah exclaimed sarcastically.
"That wasn't funny Hannah. Seriously?"
"She isn't. We'll see her at the concert." She stated more seriously, taking a huge bite of her breakfast.
"Yeah. She needs all the practice she can get." Chris sniggered, earning his second slap.
"Pass the milk!" Jenny shouted.
"There are way too many people in here!" Brooke commented, trying to squeeze out behind Lucas's chair, but he stopped her, pulled her onto his lap and kissed her. "Good Morning Gorgeous." He whispered in her ear. Hannah threw a roll at them.
"Get a room!" Nicole said.
"No throwing food, Nicole." Nathan scolded.
"I didn't throw it! That was Hannah!"
"DID NOT!" She countered.
"DID TOO!"
"ALRIGHT! Neither of you throw food!" He shouted.
"Woah!" Hannah whispered, and silence fell over the table.
"So, you girls want to go shopping this afternoon?" Kristin asked.
"Not with you..." Nicole muttered.
"No." Hannah answered more clearly. "Mom's show, remember?"
"Oh, how could I forget." She smiled.
"How about we go to that new store that just opened down by the docks."' Jenny suggested.
"Good idea! Dad money." Nicole demanded, holding out her hand.
"Here." He said, giving them two one hundred dollar bills, absent-mindedly.
The three left and Jake let out a sigh.
"Ahh... Peace at last."
Nathan sat down at Hannah's vacant spot, and poured himself some orange juice.
"Nate. You do realize you just gave three teenagers two hundred dollars, right?" Luke asked, once he knew the girls were gone.
"What, that can buy them like a dress right?"
"Maybe in LA, but not in Tree Hill."
"So what. Nothing good is in Tree Hill anyway. Maybe like Lingerie." Brooke says.
Nathan and Jake looked panicked at Brooke's last words.
"Calm down. I didn't go into those stores until I was thirteen."
"Brooke. Jenny is thirteen." Jake worried.
"Well, then just be glad I wasn't a influence on your child." She shrugged, Nathan groaned.
"Oh, please. Nicole knows not to be like me, she does have SOME Haley in her. Poor kid."
"What's wrong with Haley?" Luke asked.
"Tutormommy? Nothing. Just a little, tutormommy-sish. That's all." She calmed.
"Yeah. If I knew what that meant at all." He grumbled.
"Tutormommy?" Kristin questioned.
"It's a nickname." Brooke glared. She really despised that woman.
"Why..."
"She was Nathan's tutor. And we- I didn't know her real name, so I called her tutorgirl. Then they got married, tutorwife. Then Nathan knocked her up, tutormommy. Got it?" She explained coldly.
She looked over at Nathan. "You needed a tutor?" She asked, almost disgusted.
"Uh. Sorta."
Lucas cleared his throat. "No. I used her. Sorta." He mumbled.
"How do you 'sorta' use someone?"
"Uh. I wanted to get back at Lucas. Because I was hated him."
"Why...?"
"LOOK! CAN WE JUST NOT TALK ABOUT IT! It was a long time ago!" He roared, before storming out of the house. The rest of the table stared blankly at Kristin.
"What?" She asked defensively.
"You just made him upset, don't you think that you should go after him?" Lucas asked.
"No. He's mad at me. Why would I?"
"Because you should talk it over!" Peyton exclaimed, this bit0ch was starting to piss her off.
She shrugged and left. But didn't go after Nathan.
"You know. I'm trying really hard to find the good in her, for Nathan's sake, but I can't find anything. I wonder what Nathan sees in her?" Peyton says.
"Not sure. But I know exactly what she sees in him. 6.5 million a year contract." Brooke replies.
--
At the concert that night, Haley had gotten them all front row seats and backstage passes. It was set up outside in a park, and was raising money for cancer.
"15 'till show, Ms. James." One of the interns shouted nervously at her.
"Okay!" She shouted back, over her hair, makeup, and wardrobe who were in full-blown show mode, rushing and yelling at people.
"MOM! Where are you!" Hannah screamed into the dressing room.
"Over there, babe." Marc, Haley's hair stylist, pointed, as he walked past, carrying a box of hair products.
"Thanks, Marc. Come on, guys." She ordered.
"Babe?" Nicole asked.
"Don't tell me you haven't met a gay guy before. Look around. Any man wearing shiny shoes and hair gelled to perfection in this room is gay."
"Thanks for the info..." She muttered, looking around in awe. Everything was moving so quickly. And no one seemed to care that everyone was being rude to everyone else."
"HALEY! GET YOUR FAT A/SS INTO THESE JEANS NOW!" A shiny-shoed, hair gelled man screamed. Haley looked at him. He softened. "Please?"
Haley walked over, clad in only her lacy black thong, and slipped them on.
"AHHH! MY EYES!" Lucas wailed at the sight.
"Hey, guys." She greeted warmly, exhaustion evident in her eyes.
"Hey, mom-"
"Sorry, babe. You're momma can't talk now!" A pretty blonde said, yanking Haley into a chair, and started applying her makeup.
"Marc...!" Hannah started, sweetness oozing out of her voice.
"What do you want Hann?" He asked, knowing her tone.
"Will you do our hair?" She asked, putting on her irresistible face.
"Of course!" He exclaimed.
After they all had their hair done, they took their seats and waited for the show to begin. The guest announcer talked about the foundation, and then introduced the opening act. It was a young girl, maybe 19, by the name of Ashley Hunter. She sang Jessica Simpson's song, Angels. She had an amazing voice. After her song, the announcer came back out, and surprisingly announced Marvin McFadden. "MOUTH! WE LOVE YOU!" Lucas shouted, he must of heard him, because he waved, blinking into the lights.
"Good evening." He started. "I am one of the few lucky people to have known Haley James since we were kids. When I was younger I used to tape everything. I was the coolest AV geek at Tree Hill High. And as most of you who know Tree Hill is Haley's hometown. (Cheers erupted from the crowd.) So in honor of her homecoming, with a little help from her coolest family and friends, we put together a video, capturing Haley, being, well, Haley. So without further ado..." He turned on a video that played behind him on a huge screen. It was set to the song "Mayberry" by Rascal Flatts.
Sometimes it feels like this world is spinning faster (Shot of Haley Spinning around in a chair at a party in High School)
Than it did in the old days (Stops spinning, she is maybe 12)
So naturally we have more natural disasters (Shot of Taylor)
From the strain of a fast pace (Taping of dressing room before a show.)
Sunday was the day of rest (Shot of Haley sleeping on a couch.)
Now its one more day for progress (Haleybeing given a To- Do list from Kenny)
But we can't slow down (Haley running after Lucas on Rivercourt.)
Cause more is best (Shot of Haley in the middle of everyone at a high school party)
All in the process
But I miss Mayberry Shot of 'Welcome to Tree Hill sign)
Sittin on the porch drinking ice cold Cherry --- Coke (Shot of Haley and Lucas when they were 9, drinking frozen cokes in their bathing suits)
Where everything was black & white
Pickin on a Six String (Haley singing at Tric)
People pass by and you call them by their first name (Haley waving Hello to Karen)
Watching the clouds roll by (Lucas and Haley laying on their backs on the Rivercourt)
bye bye
Sometimes I can hear this whole world stopping (Haley and Hannah hugging)
Through the trees as the wind blows
Thats when I climb up here on this mountain Haley and the rivercourt guys sitting on the bleachers)
And look through God's window
No I can't fly (Haley on a swing set when she was little.)
I've got to be
To get me high up here
Far from the noise and city streets (Shot of New York)
My world receives the peace
But I miss Mayberry (Tree Hill High School sign)
Sittin on the porch drinking ice cold Cherry --- Coke (Nathan and Haley sitting on couch at a party, drinking.)
Where everything was black & white (Haley singing and dancing with a broom in Karen's Cafe)
Pickin on a Six String (Haley and Jake playing guitar)
People pass by and you call them by their first name (Haley, Brooke, and Peyton wave to people as they walked down a street.)
bye bye
Sometimes I dream I'm driving down an old dark road (Haley driving)
Not even listed on the map
I pass a dad and his son carrying a fishing poll (Lucas trying to teach Haley to fish off the bridge)
But I always wake up everytime I try to turn back
But I miss Mayberry (Nathan kissing Haley's neck, Haley giggling)
Sittin on the porch drinking ice cold Cherry --- Coke
Where everything was black & white (Nathan, Haley, and Hannah and Nicole as babies)
Pickin on a Six String (Haley singing to the twins as babies)
People pass by and you call them by their first name
Watching the clouds roll by (Haley driving away from Tree Hill)
bye bye (Haley sitting in between Nathan and Lucas on a couch. She is laughing and blowing kisses to the camera, Lucas is waving, as Nathan kisses Haley's cheek)
(A black screen rolls up, saying "To Haley's Hometown", then "The End")
The audience roars with applause, and Haley walks out, crying, and hugs Mouth. "Thank You." She whispers in his ear.
"No problem, Haley." He laughs, and walks off stage.
"You are SO doing my next music video Mouth!" She says into the microphone. Then turns to the crowd.
"HOW ARE YOU TREE HILL!" She screams, the crowd roars again. "Okay. So it's good to be back in my hometown. Of course. But remember, there is a reason we are doing this concert, NO! It's not just for fun. We are raising money for breast cancer! So make sure you buy a wristband, or donate." She says, sitting in the piano chair, then flashing the pink wristband she was sporting.
"So this song, is one of my favorites! I sang it at our senior prom, and It's.. just.. an awesome song. I haven't sang it since, but I figure, what better place to sing it then your hometown!" The crowd cheers more.
Hmm
There's a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid
Of what you are
There's an answer
If you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away
And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears asideAnd you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you
It's a long road
When you face the world alone
No one reaches out a hand
For you to hold
You can find love
If you search within yourself
And the emptiness you felt
Will disappear
And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you
Oh oooh
Lord knows
Dreams are hard to follow
But don't let anyone
Tear them away, hey yeah
Hold on
There will be tomorrow
In time
You'll find the way
And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you
That a hero lies in you
Mhhh
That a hero lies in
You...
She finished the song and sang a few others, before walking off stage, and Chris came on after her. Then Jake came on and sang "Butterfly Kisses." By Bob Carlisle
When the concert was over, they all went home in Nathan's Escalade, but it was silent. All thinking different things.
"She sounded so amazing. And that video, we looked so happy. No, you aren't supposed to be thinking these things. You are getting married. And not to her." Nathan thought.
"So this Haley girl is my competition now? Well, I'm not letting her get in the way of MY money." Kristin thought.
That was it. I know a lot! I hope you got the video thing...
I have like 0 time to do the whole review answer thing so..