The two girls walked along the street, Lily with a confidence that Jenny admired. The longer they spent together the more Jenny realised how different the two were, there was something darkly casual about Lily's bored bravado, and despite the two-year age gap between them, Lily's eleven to Jenny's thirteen, Lily had a confidence in herself that Jenny lacked, a sense of self in her own body which was displayed in the way the younger girl walked, talked, and even dressed. Jenny had always been a bit of a tomboy too, never putting much care into her looks, she preferred darker colours and simple jeans, her hair was always either simply brushed and left out or in a pony like it was today, matched with her trusty converse shoes. Whereas Jenny had on an old pair of jeans with a baggy black shirt she liked due to the faded vampire print on it, Lily was instead dressed in a pair of shorts that were a bright teal that barely covered her bottom, Jenny didn't think her mom would let her out of the house wearing them. The shorts were teamed with a lilac singlet that Jenny wouldn't have thought would match yet somehow Lily pulled off effortlessly, her long dark fell in two braids down her back.
"We promised my mom we would stay at the park" Jenny eyed the street as they continued to walk.
Lily kept walking forward, "relax, its only two blocks away, we're just getting a drink"
"But like what if she comes back and we aren't there"
"Then I am guessing she will call you on your phone and you can tell her where we are" Lily deadpanned, "come on, Jagielski, we still have an hour, we will be back before she comes back, trust me"
"We don't even have any money" Jenny hissed.
"God, do you always stress so much? Look, don't worry, I got this covered, I know people, this is practically my town" Lily grabbed Jenny's hand, "here we are, welcome to Karen's Café" and they pushed themselves through the door.
Jenny reluctantly followed Lily to the front of the counter but was shocked when the girl kept walking around it and stared in amazement as she watched Lily use tongs to plate up two donuts before walking back around and leading Jenny to a booth, "come on"
As Lily took a bite of the strawberry donut Jenny sat frozen, a waitress came by and stopped at their table, Lily grinned, "hey Fran, can we get a couple of drinks?"
"Sure sweetie, what do you want?"
"Vanilla milkshake. Jenny?" and she eyes her new friend. When Jenny didn't answer Lily gave her a gentle kick under the table.
"Just a water, thanks"
When the waitress left Jenny whispered, "how are we going to pay for this?"
"With our superpower" Lily lifted her brows and chuckled.
"Yeah, like, unless being caught for stealing is a super power?"
Lily rolled her eyes, "no, our orphan super powers"
"That's not a super power, and its not funny and technically I'm not an orphan. My bio mom is probably alive just in jail or rehab or something"
"This is not a competition on who has the most tragic backstory here" Lily joked, taking another bite of her donut, "and if it was, I still win, I get bonus points for being a Scott"
"Lily-"
"Jenny -anyway here's our drinks" Lily straightened up and grinned widely. Jenny watched another server walk towards the table, and gently place the drinks in front of them one by one with a dimpled smile, her eyes on Lily the whole time.
"Lily, what a surprise, seeing you here, alone, where's Luke?"
"Hi Brooke" Lily grinned and Jenny felt uncomfortable already, feeling like she knew Lily well enough already to recognise that the girls over sweet tone had an ulterior motive, "I'm great thanks" she tilted her head and popped her lips, "and I'm not alone" she gestured towards Jenny.
Brooke finally turned her attention to the other girl and froze, her mind scrambled as she tried to find her voice.
Jenny panicked, "I can pay for this" she blurted. Lily splattered a laugh and Brooke shook her head as she returned to the present.
With dimples on show Brooke softened her smile, "sorry, it's just you look so familiar…"
"Because you know her" Lily scoffed, "this is Jenny. Jenny Jagielski. Peyton's kid" Lily pushed the remaining donut closer to her friend and sent her an apologetic look, "Don't mind Brooke, she's not really a kid person"
"Lily-" Brooke began but was cut off by the younger girl again.
"She's Dad's ex-girlfriend and-" her eyes turned to Brooke, "-I'm kinda her boss"
Brooke huffed and closed her lips, mentally counting back from five before looking back to Jenny, "it was nice to see you again, Jenny, hopefully I can catch up with your parents too"
"It's just her and her mom" Lily quickly pointed out, she grabbed her straw and took a long sip of her milkshake before licking her lips and smiling towards Brooke, "the four of us went to the carnival last night, hey-" she clicked her fingers, "-didn't they used to date in high school too?"
Brooke gave a chuckle that ended it with something half a scoff and half a sigh, "not exactly. Anyway boss, I better get back to work"
For a minute Jenny just sat there and watched Lily, she narrowed her eyes "you own this place?"
"The Karen in Karen's Café was my mother, so technically I own this and the all ages club in town, but Brooke mostly runs them"
"You don't like Brooke?"
"I never said that" Lily shrugged her shoulders, "her and Luke have been off and on for as long as I've existed, she's practically half raised me"
"Oh" Jenny was surprised, "so is she kind of like your other mom?"
"No" Lily said it a little too quickly, "like I said, she's not really a kid person. It's complicated, Tree Hill drama stuff"
Jenny took another moment to pause, "is that true, about my mom dating Lucas?"
"Uncle Nate told me about it, she used to date him too I think, but that was before Lucas or your dad. Anyway, Brooke and Lucas were dating but he cheated on her with her best friend at the time, that was your mom"
"What?"
"I'm guessing before she got with your dad too, anyway, Tree Hill drama"
"She keeps looking over here"
"Probably because she knows I was meant to be grounded; she's not going to be happy with Luke" Lily couldn't help but laugh at the thought.
-x-
"Hey pretty girl" Lucas answered immediately, he'd smiled as soon as the name appeared on his screen and smiled further when her irate voice came over the line.
"Lucas Eugene Scott, don't hey pretty girl me. Why is Lily at the café hanging out with a girlfriend instead of being miserable and stuck at work with you"
"Okay, stop and think about you just said" his eyes narrowed even further as Brooke breathed through the line.
There was a moment of pause before Brooke replied again, her voice carried an edge of disapproval, "I stand by it. She's meant to be grounded, Luke"
"She is, I took away her phone and computer, she hasn't gone out since school ended-"
"And then you take her to the carnival!"
"It was the last chance we had to go before it leaves town, we've got the bonfire next weekend remember"
Brooke sighed, "I'm unlikely to forget"
"I know, I'm sorry. How are you? I feel like you're never around anymore"
"I've been busy"
"Busy avoiding me?"
"Luke…" Brooke whispered, "you know I love you"
"You say that but…"
"It's not just me you know; you have a lot on your plate-"
"You mean Lily"
"Yes and no. I love her, you know that too right?"
"I do, of course I do, but sometimes I think you are too hard on her"
"And you're too soft" the familiar argument ran between them. Brooke shook her head, "look I'm at work, and Lily is here with little Jenny" she chuckled, "that was a surprise"
"I was going to tell you about that. How was it seeing Peyton?"
"The girls are alone, Peyton's not with them, I didn't see her"
"Oh" Lucas frowned, "she can't be too far. I hope seeing you cheers her up, there's something different about her. Jake's gone, a car crash. I think she clings onto Jenny a little too tightly, they could use some Brooke Davis in their lives"
"Losing your husband is going to change a person and there's nothing wrong with holding onto your kids" Brooke sighed again, "but it would be nice to see Peyton again, it's been-" she got lost in the memory of a day so many years ago, a memory she'd almost forgotten, "nine years"
"Nine years" Lucas repeated. They fell into a silence, Lucas licked his dry lips, "maybe you could come for dinner tomorrow night?"
"Okay"
"Okay?"
"I said okay"
"Great" Lucas grinned, "I look forward to it, see you around six?"
"Sure. I gotta go, bye Luke"
"Bye, Brooke, love you"
"Love you too" and then she was gone. Lucas stared at his phone, smiling before slipping it back in his pocket.
-x-
Book in hand Jenny lay atop the monkey bars, all too aware of Lily hanging upside down right next to her feet, "look your mom is here, I told you we would be back in time" Lily swung down from the monkey bars, "hi Aunt Peyton"
"Hi Mom" Jenny closed her book, "I like the haircut"
"Thanks, you girls want to go get a drink?" Peyton brushed her dark blonde hair behind her ear.
The two girls looked at each other before both shaking their heads, "no thanks" Lily replied as Jenny climbed down from the monkey bars, "maybe we should just hang at the motel, we could watch a movie?" she suggested.
Peyton eyed them suspiciously, "you sure?"
"Yeah, sounds great" Jenny nodded.
They all started towards here Peyton had left the rental car parked, Lily had a bounce in her step, "hey Aunt Peyton, can Jenny come to the pools with me on Wednesday? She could borrow a bike and we could ride together, or you could drop us off and pick us up? Or Dad could take us, Jenny could sleep over tomorrow night"
Peyton forced a smile as she frowned, "I guess I could take you both, if Lucas says yes"
"He will" Lily promised, "thanks, Peyton".
-x-