CHAPTER 9

'So the reason we are here is to invite you to our very own slumber party courtesy of Haley James-Scott.' Brooke said happily. Peyton, Brooke and Haley were at the mall for the day.

'She means that I am being forced into hosting this, courtesy of Brooke Davis.' Haley said rolling her eyes. Peyton laughed and Brooke stuck her tongue out.

'So how about it?' She asked.

'Sure, I'll have to check with Karen but I think it'll be all right.' Peyton nodded.

'Good! So Haley, I kind of forgot to tell you…' Brooke said in the air of getting something over quickly. 'I invited Rachel.'

'Well I guess the more the merrier…wait WHAT?'

'I'm sorry! It just slipped out.' Brooke said as Haley turned to look at her.

'Hey, what's wrong with Rachel? I kinda liked her.' Peyton shrugged.

'No Peyton!' Haley shrieked. 'When Nathan and I were at a rocky stage in our marriage…'

'Ok wait a second, the lovebirds had a rocky stage?' Peyton asked smirking.

Haley hit her on the arm, 'She tried hitting on Nathan! I really don't like her.'

'Oh that's bad. I can't believe she hit on him.' Peyton nodded. 'This slumber party could be interesting!' She added grinning, and high fived Brooke while Haley groaned, defeated.

Peyton went back to Lucas' house to pack some things and ran into him in the hallway, literally. His hands found her waist and they steadied themselves.

'Sorry.' Peyton said meekly and Lucas reluctantly lowered his hands.

'No harm done, so I haven't seen you today.' He said.

'Yeah, and you won't see me tonight either cuz I'm going to a slumber party.' Peyton said in the sort of sing song voice that made Lucas smile.

'I didn't know you had friends around here, I thought I was your only buddy.' He said smirking, cocking an eyebrow to her and crossing his arms.

'Jackass.' Peyton said hitting him on the arm, smiling all the same.

'So, all right, what am I going to do without anyone to talk to?' Lucas asked pouting slightly.

'I'm sure you'll be fine.' Peyton smiled. 'Anyway I'm pretty sure all I do is listen to you whine on about something or nothing.'

'I do not whine! Anyway I don't think you should go.' Lucas said seriously and Peyton raised her eyebrow.

'I'm afraid my head hasn't healed yet and as my nurse your duty is to stay with the patient.' Lucas smirked.

Peyton laughed slapping his arm again as he chuckled.

'Again, you'll be fine.'

'Oh, yeah of course I will. I'm just wondering how you'll cope without me for a night.' Lucas grinned.

'Oh there'll be no problem of that. In fact I can't wait to get away from your sorry ass!'

'Ohhh ok, now that hurt.' Lucas said watching as she packed a few clothes and things into an over night bag. She smirked at him as she straightened up; looking around then swinging the bag over her shoulder.

'Ok, I'm off. Don't miss me too much.' She smirked walking out into the kitchen, him following closely behind. Before he could say anything else she was out of the door and it was closed behind her, leaving him to an empty house. He sighed; if he was honest he was already missing her.

He wondered about the house and plopped himself down on the couch, wondering what he was going to do for the night. Something was digging into him so he reached down and pulled a black drawing pad out from underneath him. Peyton's pad. To say he was curious was an understatement. He wondered if she'd mind… he remembered her saying that her drawings were private. But surely one look, she wouldn't care. Would she? He dismissed any doubts and opened the pad thumbing through the pages in awe. He wanted to have a closer look at the drawings but then he heard someone open the front door, he stood up and took the pad into his room closing the door behind him so he could carry on looking at the pictures Peyton had so skilfully drawn.

'Hello?' Peyton called as she opened Haley's front door.

'P.Sawyer!'

Peyton looked around and Brooke was standing in front of her.

'B.Davis.' Peyton smiled shutting the door of the apartment behind her.

'Ok so, I've got to warn you, Haley might just want to kill me right now because I left her with Rachel.'

'Right.' Peyton laughed.

'Look who it is, LA girl.' Rachel said walking into view. Peyton gave her a sarcastic smirk but smiled all the same, raising a hand in greeting.

'Did you bring the other broody blonde? Things could get interesting if you have.' She asked smirking slightly.

'Who?' Peyton asked completely confused.

'You're make out companion?' Rachel asked, but as Peyton continued to look confused she added, rolling her eyes, 'Lucas? God, how many guys are you with right now.'

'Oh right. Wait, we're not together.'

'I know that. Your just friends with benefits, right?'

'That's right.' Peyton nodded, not really knowing what the hell Rachel was on about.

Brooke started laughing and although Haley looked stonily at Rachel, she couldn't help but snigger a bit too.

'Peyton, you do know what friends with benefits is right?' Haley asked.

'No, in LA we don't use these weird ass terms, we just say what we mean.' Peyton smirked taking a sip of the beer that was passed to her by Brooke.

'It's kind of a like, non exclusive thing. So your friends with Lucas- But your also enjoying the benefits of him being a pretty good looking guy.' Haley broke off.

'Basically you're sleeping with him.' Brooke cut in.

The beer flew out of Peyton's mouth before she had chance to stop it, she spluttered slightly.

'We are definitely NOT friends with benefits!' She said indignantly.

'Hey, I only asked, you're the one that said you were.' Rachel smirked putting up her hands in defence.

'That was before I knew what it meant!'

'All right. Although, being that defensive has gotta mean something's going on.' Rachel said raising an eyebrow. Peyton shook her head.

'Hey fat ass, are you trying to force her into some sort of confession?' Brooke asked.

'Yes.' Rachel said quickly.

'When they've finally done it, don't worry it'll be obvious. Especially to me.' Brooke winked, Rachel and Haley laughed.

'Oh thanks. Great friend you are.' Peyton said sticking her tongue out.

'Don't worry, she does this with everyone. She knew when Nathan and I were back together after our rocky patch, straight away…' Haley said suddenly throwing Rachel a glare.

'Yeah, she has some sort of sex radar. Like, when me and Nathan did it, she knew like that.' Rachel smirked clicking her fingers.

Haley stood up quickly but Brooke pushed her back into her seat saying warningly, 'Rachel.'

'You slept with Nathan? Dude, that's low.' Peyton told Rachel.

'No I didn't have sex with him. Although not from lack of trying.' Rachel winked.

'Slut.' Haley muttered as Brooke and Peyton carefully avoided each other's eyes to stop them laughing.

'Haley as far as I'm concerned, you should be thanking me.'

Haley looked up at Rachel, disbelievingly.

'And how the hell do you work that one out?'

'Well, you and Nathan were going through a rocky patch and I admit I did kind of fling myself at him. But me doing that made him realise how much he loved you, and how he didn't want to be with anyone else but you.' Rachel said honestly. 'I practically pushed you back together.'

Haley couldn't seem to think of a comeback for that, so looked at the floor instead. The silence that followed was pretty intense and Peyton had to look anywhere but at Brooke else she knew she would have burst out laughing.

'Sooo, Lucas and Peyton are having sex right?!' Brooke said quickly breaking the tense moment.

Peyton picked up a cushion and flung it at Brooke's head. She moved out of the way and it hit Rachel instead.

'Bitch, I did not get a face like this by having pillows thrown at it.' Rachel said pointing to her face then chucking the pillow back at Peyton, it missed and hit Haley instead.

Haley flung it back hitting her on the head again. Peyton laughed but was then hit in the face with a cushion thrown by Brooke.

Soon pillows were flying all over the place, feathers suddenly bursting out of them and the apartment was full of laughter as a pillow burst as it was thrown at Haley's head.

A little while later and they all collapsed on the floor, exhausted. Brooke was the first to sit up and went over to the counter grabbing two tubs of ice cream and four spoons. She passed one and two spoons to Peyton and Haley who were sprawled next to each other and handed a spoon to Rachel, opening their tub.

'So what's with the ice cream? Are you mending a broken heart or something?' Peyton asked Brooke.

'Firstly, ice cream is like top on the list of a slumber party and secondly Chase won't succumb to my charm!'

The other three laughed.

'I mean, I flick my hair I rub up against him…'

'You kiss him playing spin the bottle.' Haley nodded smirking.

'Exactly, and I get zilch. Zero. Nothing.' Brooke said putting a large scoop of ice cream into her mouth.

'Maybe you're going about it the wrong way.' Peyton answered as she also put ice cream into her mouth.

'What do you mean?'

'Well maybe instead of kissing him and trying, and failing I might add, to seduce him…'

Brooke's eyes narrowed as she flicked a piece of ice cream off the end of her spoon at Peyton, who laughed wiping it off her.

'I have not failed. Just because you can waltz here and take over Lucas' heart without so much as an input of effort, doesn't mean it's as easy for the rest of us.' Brooke snapped but a smirk was curling her mouth as Peyton flicked a piece of ice cream back.

'I have not taken over Lucas'… Ok I am so not getting into this again.'

'Wise move.' Rachel said shrugging. 'Cuz we'll always win that argument.'

Peyton rolled her eyes. 'Anyway what I was trying to say before I was so rudely interrupted is, maybe you just have to speak to him.'

'What, you mean like have a conversation?' Brooke asked.

'Yes!' Peyton said lightly punching her arm. 'Let him know the real Brooke Davis.'

'Aw Peyton your so sweet!' Brooke said hugging Peyton tightly.

'I'm not saying he'll like the real you but-' Peyton muttered smiling as Brooke smacked her lightly around the head.

'Brooke, it's true. Just talk to the guy.' Haley agreed.

'Ok Tutor wife, P.Sawyer. I guess I'll try that.' Brooke said smiling slightly.

'So is this like in the rule book or something-' Rachel asked looking at Peyton and Haley. 'Don't try to seduce the guy, talk to him.' She shook her head smirking.

'Well it's worked for me.' Peyton shrugged.

'And for me.' Haley agreed.

'Yeah but Peyton, frankly you seem to have a certain gift. Look at the Scott boys, they love you! And Haley you got lucky, you found someone who would love you back unconditionally-'

'Rachel that must be the nicest thing you've said to me.' Haley said wryly.

'- even if he's hot and your…not.' Rachel added smirking.

'And then you go and ruin it.' Haley said rolling her eyes.

'I'm joking.' Rachel said and for once she wasn't smirking.

'Okay I get the Nathan and Haley thing, but what's this about me having a gift?' Peyton snorted.

'It's kind of true P; you're here for nearly a month and boom! Nathan thinks you're awesome and Lucas, well… do I really need to go any further.'

'That is so not true.' Peyton said modestly.

'Actually Nathan does really like you, he says your like the sister he never had.' Haley smiled.

'Aw that's sweet.' Peyton smiled.

'Hey! Wait a second. Peyton's been promoted to 'sister' figure and I've known you guys years but am I there… no!' Brooke said indignantly.

'This isn't some sort of job Brooke.' Peyton laughed.

'And anyway you know Nathan loves you Brooke.' Haley smiled.

'He is my buddy.' Brooke smiled nodding.

'God, you know. I really wish I had a bond like this with my friends back in LA.' Peyton sighed and the other three looked at her.

'What do you mean?' Haley asked.

'It's just… you are all so close and I'm just not like that with any of my friends.'

'Nah, I bet you've got loads of great friends.' Brooke said.

'Well, I've been here three weeks and a bit, haven't I? So guess how many phone calls or texts I've had off my, so called 'friends'… None.'

Rachel Brooke and Haley looked sympathetically over at her.

'That sucks.' Rachel said and the other two nodded.

'It's just shown me who my real friends are to be honest.' Peyton shrugged.

They all sat in silence for a few minutes, for the three that came from Tree Hill they were trying to imagine how Peyton felt and how glad they were that although they had their tough times, throughout it all they would always be there for one another.

'Right, I think I just seriously bummed everyone out so…' Peyton said after five minutes of silence and quickly pressed a remote that turned on the music. She got up, pulling Haley up with her, then Brooke and finally Rachel. In turn they laughed and started to dance. It was lazy and not at all dance of the century but they enjoyed it and more importantly were having fun.

--

Peyton woke in the morning with a feather stuck to her lip; she snorted softly and blew it off. They had all fallen asleep, exhausted at four in the morning after a night full of dancing, pillow fights, girly talks and way too much ice cream. Haley stirred beside her and groaned.

'Is it possible to have a sugar hangover?' She asked groggily.

'I don't know. But it sure feels like I have one.' Peyton agreed rubbing her head.

Haley nodded, and then stopped because it hurt.

'Me too.' Rachel agreed.

'Me too.' Brooke said from the counter ice cream sitting in front of her.

'You don't seem hung over.' Peyton said.

'Lucky bitch.' Rachel muttered. Haley laughed, and then stopped. Her head really did hurt.

'That is because, my friends, you've gotta eat some of the stuff that bit you in the first place.'

And with that Brooke shoved a spoon full of ice cream into Peyton's mouth while she was halfway through a yawn. She coughed and spluttered.

'Ooops. Sorry!' Brooke said half laughing. Peyton scowled at Brooke as Haley and Rachel sniggered before Peyton threw yet another pillow at Brooke.

Okay so... i was going to update on Thursday...but i had too much work to do so i couldn't, then i couldn't update on Friday because it was my birthday and i went out then Saturday i got a surprise little party and then here we are... I am the worst updater, I know! But now i've worked something out, i am going to be updating twice every week and depending on feedback i'm going to make myself stick to it! :D

So as a Sorry i've combined two chapters so that LP will be together quite soon ;)! And even though i admit i've been a bad updater (slaps hand) i really do love feedback and the more i get the more i have the inspiration to write. Okay that sounds like a bribe lol it's not. But all the same please review and tell me what you think. And now i'm rambling so i'll shut up... Hope you enjoyed! :)