"Mom?" October shouted, "Are you home?"
"In the kitchen," Brooke shouted back.
"Hey," October said, plunking herself down at the kitchen table.
"How was school?" Brooke asked, joining her.
"Alright, I talked to Lucas, oh and I think I may have met a friend, his name is Jacob, but this snag from the squad, Kenzie, said I couldn't be friend with him," October said quickly, "Lucas said Jacob is his friend Mouth's kid, do you know him?"
"Mouth McFadden?" Brooke asked, "'Mouth has a kid?"
"Yeah, he is in grade 8, he seems pretty shy, but I am too most of the time," October smiled.
"So you talked to Lucas huh? How did that go?" Brooke questioned.
"I didn't say too much, basically just told him about Kenzie, because I was kinda pissed off. I want to open up to him, but something keeps holding me back," October said.
"What's that something?" Brooke asked.
"I want him to know I am mad at him, really mad actually, but I don't know how. I'm not good at yelling at people, and I'm not good at hurting people's feelings," October said quietly, "But I want him to know."
"Just talk to him, tell him what you just told me," Brooke smiled, "You don't need to yell, just put it out there."
"I don't want to make him mad," October whispered.
"I know, that's who you are. You never want to hurt anyone's feeling, but you also let people walk all over you. Let your opinions come you and don't hold back," Brooke spoke, "And if Lucas gets mad, so be it. He will get over it and everything will be fine. But I don't want you hurting okay? So maybe you should talk to him, or something and let everything out. I know it's harder than it sounds, but it would be good for you."
"I'll try to talk to him, but I don't promise anything," October said.
"As long as you try," Brooke smiled, "So, do you want to go do something?"
"Like what?" October asked.
"We could go see my new store!" Brooke said excitedly.
"Wow, it's huge!" October exclaimed.
"Do you like it?" Brooke said, fixing a few shirts that were hanging on a rack.
"It's amazing mom, I'm really proud of you!" October said flipping through some dresses.
"Thanks," Brooke replied before suddenly shouting, "HALEY!"
"BROOKE!" Haley shouted in return, "How ARE you?"
"I'm doing awesome, I'm really happy to be back here in Tree Hill, how are you and who is this?" Brooke said excitedly.
"I'm great, and this is Isabella. She's four," Haley smiled.
"Wow, she's adorable! She looks just like...Deb oddly but with your hair," Brooke laughed.
"It's really great to see you!" Haley smiled, "So, what are you doing here?"
"Well, Ii just came here to show October my new store," Brooke smiled widely, "Do you like it?"
"This is your store? Seriously? It's amazing Brooke, that's great." Haley laughed, "So where's October?"
"Hi," October said walking over from the back of the store.
Haley stood there silent, "You're not a little baby anymore," she managed to whisper.
"Nope, and it's really to bad because she looked so much better when she was a baby," Brooke joked.
"Shut up mom," October said before smiling at Isabella, "Hello."
"Hi," Isabella said shyly.
"Do you guys want to go grab some dinner?" Haley asked.
"Yeah, that sounds great, we can catch up!" Brooke smiled, grabbing her bag.
"October, Boo!" Lilly said running into the store, "What's up?"
"Um, nothing, my mom just brought me here to see her new store," October smiled.
"Where is it?" Lilly asked.
"Um, here," October said.
"W ow, sweet, do you want to go look around with me?" Lilly asked.
"Go ahead," Brooke, who was listening in, said.
"I come with the big girls mommy?" Isabella asked eagerly.
"If they says it's alright Bella girl," Haley replied.
Isabella flashed an adorable smiled at Lilly and October who agreed to watch Isabella while Brooke and Haley spent some time together.
"Do you want to go to the toy store?" October asked Isabella, who nodded excitedly.
"Good idea, that's where all they awesome kids hang out," Lilly said to Isabella.
"Well I am awesome, so we better get over there right now," Isabella said seriously.
October and Lilly laughed.
"Hey there's Kenzie," Lilly said pointing at a random store.
"Oh, cool," October said, wanting to avoid her.
"Here's the plan, I dart ahead, and Isabella start whining alright? October you carry her down the hall, act like your trying to calm Isabella down and we can avoid her although okay?" Lilly said, going into stealth mode.
"You don't like Kenzie?" October said, as Isabella started to act up, like Lilly had told her too.
"She's like something sticky that won't blow off," Lilly said in a dead serious voice, "Okay, action GO!"
Lilly dashed down the hall, squeezing past people and narrowly missed a rack full of t-shirts as she sprinted out of sight.
"Bella, start to act really bratty okay?" October smiled.
"Mkay! NO I WANNA GO HOMEEEEE," Isabella shrieked.
"Okay, okay honey it's alright," October said.
"NO IT'S NOT!" Isabella yelled.
"You're doing awesome," October whispered, as she picked up Bella and whisked past Kenzie who was about to open her mouth.
"Mah plan worked, mwa hahaha," Lilly laughed as October and Isabella joined her at the toy store's entrance.
"It did," October laughed.
"I can't believe how grown up she is," Haley said for what seemed like the thousandth time.
"She's the same age as James, what did you expect?" Brooke laughed.
"I didn't expect her to be so tall, and Brooke-like though, the last time I saw her she was a teeny little 5 pound crying thing!" Haley exclaimed.
"True," Brooke laughed, "That seems like so long ago, but when you think about it seems like just yesterday."
"I know what you mean. James has his learners license, is playing for the Raven's and is already thinking about college. I want him to stay little forever," Haley whined.
"I know what you mean," Brooke said, "When I think about what I was doing at that age, I really wish she was still 3 years old and I knew what she was doing every second of every day."
"It was a lot easier back then," Haley laughed, "So, who do you think she is most like. You or Luke? James is completely Nathan all over again, and Isabella is just very much her own person."
"I see myself in the way she looks, but she's a Lucas. Sometimes it's hard to watch her because she reminds me so much of him," Brooke smiled sadly.
"You still love him don't you?" Haley asked.
"I don't think I'll ever stop," Brooke replied.