Part 2: Chapter 7

Chuck sat on the couch at his apartment talking to Jamie on the phone.

"Well Jamie," Chuck said. "Tonight is the last night I have this apartment. Everything is moved out and/or sold. I hope the new residents like this couch."

"Are you sad to see the apartment go?" Jamie asked.

"Considering I haven't set foot in it for nearly 7 months," Chuck said. "No."

"So how is everything?" Jamie asked.

"Everything's great," Chuck said. "Beth and I are getting married in July when you and Sophia come home."

"Chuck," Jamie said. "We need to talk."

"What is it?" Chuck asked.

"Sophia and I aren't coming back in July," Jamie said.

"Why?" Chuck asked. "Why not?"

"I got offered a job as a basketball coach here in Maine," Jamie said. "The pay is really good. Sophia also is working on starting her own fashion line."

"In other words, you're pulling a Lucas and Peyton," Chuck said. "You see, I knew you'd do this to me! You promised you'd never leave Tree Hill!"

"On my defense, I was like 7 when I said that," Jamie said.

"We took a blood oath!" Chuck shouted.

"No we didn't," Jamie said.

"If you move to Maine, then who's going to live in the house by the creek?" Chuck asked.

"Lily and Aaron," Jamie replied. "They bought the house from us."

"I can't talk right know," Chuck said.

Chuck hung up his phone and screamed.

"Hey!" the upstairs neighbor shouted. "Shut up!"

"No you shut up!" Chuck shouted.

The next night, Chuck was bussing tables at Karen's Café. As he bussed the tables, Chris sat a booth eating hash browns listening to him complain.

"He promised me he'd never leave!" Chuck shouted. "Who abandons their best friend?"

"It sucks doesn't it," Chris said.

"It's all Lucas's fault!" Chuck shouted. "If Jamie didn't idolize him so much, then he wouldn't have accepted that stupid job in Maine! I hope Stephen King's stories end up being true and Pennywise the clown gets Jamie!"

"Okay," Chris said. "Let's calm down just a little bit."

"I'm acting like a child again," Chuck said. "I have a child. I need to act like an adult. But man this sucks!"

"Yeah," Chris said. "But on the plus side, these hash browns are good."

Chuck gave Chris a hug.

"If you ever leave me, I will track you down," Chuck said.

"Deal," Chris said.

"I love you Dad," Chuck said.

"I love you too," Chris said.