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"Wow, I can't believe that you're gonna be a cheerleader. That is just so..."
"What! That is so what?"
"Not you!" Peyton exclaimed and Nathan laughed.
"Well, you haven't seen me in 8 years, goldielocks. You don't know! I might have been a cheerleader in high school!" I defended myself.
She just laughed. "Yeah right! I know you, Haley James. Better than you think I do."
I scoffed. "Okay, Peyton Sawyer. Whatever," I replied. "So, what about you? Where are you going to school?"
"Well, I don't go to school anymore. I got my associates and then I just opened up this club called 'Tric' and even organized an all ages night. I wish someone had come up with it when I was younger, that's for sure," she explained.
I smiled. "That's great, Peyton. I'm really proud of you," I said.
She grinned back at me. "Thank you. I'm proud of me, too," she replied and then laughed.
"Dinner's ready you three. Come on and get it while its hot," Larry called from the kitchen and we all stood up.
I looked at the table and almost started crying. I looked up at Larry who was smiling. "Still your favorite, right?"
I half laughed half sobbed. "Yeah," I started and then we all said, "Food of the gods!"
We all sat and then ate. Conversation was kept light. It was the first time in a very long time that I felt good again; like I was a part of something. A family.
Soon enough, Peyton and I were clearing the table. "Haley, sit! You're a guest in this home!"
I glared at her and replied, "I'm making myself at home, Peyton. We used to do the dishes together when we were kids and we're gonna do them together now!"
She held up her hands in surrender. "Fine, help me with the dishes, but don't start a water war! Mom isn't here to stop us!" she said with a smile. I gave her a sad smile and she walked closer. "What? Did I say something wrong?"
I shook my head. "I just haven't talked about her since..."
She nodded in understanding. "Haley, she wants us to be happy. She wants us to be able to talk about her and smile at the memories. You have to know that," she said, pulling me into a side hug.
I sighed. "I'm just getting used to all of this. I mean, I wouldn't have even come to see you if it wasn't for my therapist," I started to explain and she looked confused. "Yeah, I had to get a therapist because I.. well, I blamed myself for a lot of things that went wrong to the people around me-"
"-Like mom's death?" she interupted and I nodded.
"Yeah, like mama sawyer's death. I mean, it started before that with my parents' deaths, but then Anne, and then a high school boyfriend, who turns out to still be alive, but thats a whole other story. Anyways, I convinced myself I was cursed, but now I'm starting to believe I'm not," I finished.
She was quiet for a while as we just washed dishes. "You thought we wouldn't want you here, right?" I just nodded. "It was so hard for us when they took you away, Haley. We had just lost mom and then they had to take you back and we just went into a depression for a long time. Too long. Dad got back on track and I followed a little bit after him. We kept looking for you, but it was like you just vanished."
I spoke, "I emancipated myself from the state when I was 16. Before that and after leaving here I was just another kid that nobody wanted to adopt. So, I spent all my time reading, gaining knowledge. I tutored in school, hoping to help others that way. That was my only means of communication for a while. I met Chris when I was 15, emancipated myself a short while later. I was capable of taking care of myself so they had no choice but to let me go."
She nodded. "Well, you turned out pretty good for having raised yourself," she joked and I laughed.
"Yeah, I'm not too bad if I say so myself! But I did have some help along the way," I replied. We were finished with the dishes and we went out into the living room.
"Well, as much fun as I'm having, I've got work in the morning. I'll see you all tomorrow," Larry stood up, kissed Peyton and I, then shook Nathan's hand before heading towards the stairs. "Peyton, show them where they can sleep."
Peyton stood up. "Come on, I'll show you to your room and then I'm gonna head off to bed," she said and we followed her down the hall. It wasn't my old room; that was upstairs. It had me wondering if they kept it the way I had it... "Well, this is it. The bathroom is right across the hall. I'll see you guys tomorrow. I'll show you around again. Good night!"
"Good night!" We replied and she closed the door. I gulped. A night alone. With my hot, sexy boyfriend... Oh, boy...
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