Chapter Three

Chris remembered the day like it was yesterday. The day he managed to get out of this town. He never once looked back, he got on that bus without even a second thought of what he was leaving behind, he just knew that he was destined for something else, that there was something out there waiting for him. There had to be more to life than this.

He never felt like he had fitted in. Even at school, he had he's friends, but he always felt disconnected from them, they just didn't understand why he wanted out of Tree Hill so badly, and he couldn't understand why any of them clung onto it so tightly. So when the day came of finishing High School, Chris was gone, he barely even said goodbye. He woke up the day after (barely) graduating and he left, onto bigger and better things. At least that was he's plan.

From playing a few bars he had managed to get some interest about touring, it wasn't anything big but it was a start, he had agreed to meet up with the tour a few towns over, and that was when it all began 4 years of he's life that he wouldn't take back for anything, possibly the best four years of he's life, he especially thought that now, as he looked around the small record store that he was back working in, this wasn't how he had expected things to be at all. Back in the same small town, the same place of work, but with fewer dreams.

He knew it was always a risk, that nothing is ever sealed in stone, but he really believed he had made something, that for once in he's life he was gonna get something right. But its crazy how life can just pull those ideas right from underneath you, without you even realising it being done.

He remembered the night before he was about to sign he's contract, suddenly getting a call saying the deal had been pulled out, this happened all the time, it was one of those things, at that time he still believed something else would come up, he just had to keep on touring, keep on doing what he loved more than anything, play music. But that same night was the night he was told that he was no longer needed on the tour, that they had a new singer with interest they wanted to have, and he wasn't needed anymore. He figured there would be something else, something new would happen. But after a month of being left behind in a dingy town with about 20 to he's name, he realised that he didn't have much else of a choice but to return to the one place that he had promised himself he would never go back, that so called place that was home.

He moved behind the counter, opening the CD player and changing the CD. He didn't rarely feel sorry for himself, but he was having one of those days. And having to deal with serving teenagers out for buying whatever music was "hot" this month really wasn't he's idea of the perfect job. He turned up the music, stood up and leaned against the counter, the words humming through he's ears.

So here I go still scratching around in the same old hole my body feels young but my mind if very old

He sighed heavily and turned, and jumped out if he's skin when face to face, with blonde curly and a pissed off expression that he knew from earlier that day. He smiled to himself, looked down at the stereo about to turn it down, but instead he moved round the front picked up a stack of CD's and started filling up, he watch the blonde girls eyes follow him around the store, he heard her voice slightly under the loud music, but he carried on, he knew he was getting to her. Suddenly the music went quiet and her voice was very clear.

"Are you always this much of an ass?"

He turned quickly over to the counter and saw her standing behind it near the stereo "Hey, get out from there"

"Fine. I will. When you actually hear me out about this club"

Chris shook his head "Look Curly, there's nothing I'd love more than to help you promote your little under ages club, but some of actually wanna do something worthwhile with our time"

"Oh right cos working in small town record store is everyone's dream job right?"

He looked up at her slightly taken aback by her responding that way, usually after a few of he's comments people got the hint and they gave up and left just like she had done before, but this girl was different she wasn't going anyway, she stood with her hands on her hips glaring him down.

And the thing was she actually had a point.

"Look, all I want to do is post these flyers in your damn store, maybe see if you can loan some records for the night, its not like I'm asking you to chaperone. Here look I'll make it really easy for you, I bought pins"

She moved around from the counter with a determination and confidence, Chris couldn't help but smile as she started to pin a few of the flyers on the wall.

"There" She held her hands up and turned to look at him, her face was expecting a comment back from him he could tell "Great, now you finally shut up"

Chris turned and looked at the flyer, the artwork was amazing, a microphone standing out with a stage and a crowd full of people in the background, everything done so perfectly.

He wondered if this girl in front of him had done that, and if she realised how intriguing to him she was.

"Did you draw this?"

"Yeah" Her voice sounded defensive "What you want to have a go at me for that too?"

Chris looked at her briefly before turning back to look at the flyer "No. Its amazing. Why are you holding auditions?"

"Because usually having live acts brings in a crowd. And god knows were are going to need one"

He looked back towards her again, she was looking down at the pile of flyers in her hand. Her voice had sounded nervous, sad even. She seemed to be putting a lot of effort into this for some reason and he couldn't help but feel slightly bad for brushing her aside so quickly. People rarely surprised Chris. He found most people fairly predictable. So the fact that someone stood in front of him now, going against that, he was taken aback.

"Look, I gotta go, so will you help me or not?"

Chris nodded "Sure"

"Really? You're going to help?"

"I said sure didn't I?"

He watched her as she looked at him carefully "Right. Well be at the address on there, tomorrow at noon. Bring some music"

"Yes boss"

She frowned before she turned away from him and headed to the door "Hey. What's your name?"

"Peyton Sawyer"

"Nice to meet you Peyton Sawyer"

He smiled and moved behind the counter, returning the volume of the song up high again. Since he had arrived here, he felt like everything had been going further and further down hill, so he didn't know why now, how one girl could have such an effect on him, could cause such a reaction. But he took it, because it had been a long time since he had felt anything, a long time since he had anything he believed in.

You can't give me the dreams that are mine anyway - you're half the world away