Hope everyones enjoying the new story, updated two of my others aswell! x
Again, not a eventful chapter, just wanted to develop the characters more, establish the relations around tree hill. Brought back one of everybodys old favourites too!
Quinn sat and ate breakfast, happily looking at the Taylor-free environment around her. She could so get used to this.
She heard the door go, and saw Clay come in, looking a little shaken
"Where have you been?" she asked, laughing as if she was talking to a naughty child
"Out for a run" Clay said, with a smile
"In jeans?" Quinn responded, with raised eyebrows
"I like to push myself" Clay said, with what could be percieved as a wink
"Taylor realised your missing yet?" Clay asked, trying to take the subject off of him as quickly as possible, he didn't want to explain that he woke up next to a bush near the cafe. This was getting more and more risky, when he walked home, he saw Brooke opening up with Haley..what if they had seen him?
"She won't realize im missing until at least 6, when she comes home from her pole dancing class and finds no dinner" Quinn smiled "unless shes brought her instructor home again" she laughed, with a mock shudder
"You know Quinn ive got plenty of space here, you can always come stay here" Clay said, while pouring himself a strong black coffee
"Really?" Quinn asked, looking at his back
"Yeah sure..it would be nice to have some company from an actual friend. Its nice living round the beach and everything, but when you wanna see someone at night or something and you have no neighbours, its kinda a bummer"
"That is so awesome!" Quinn grinned, bouncing out her chair and giving Clay a hug
"So your in?"
"Im so in, this is so great, thank you so much Clay!" Quinn grinned, still hugging him "you've saved me from having to get a shrink to sort out my trauma after the ongoing taylor sex noises!"
"Glad to be of service" Clay laughed "theres a spare key in the cupboard, take it"
"Im so telling Haley about how you saved me!" Quinn said, while taking the key and attaching it to her key chain, "see you later roomie!" Quinn laughed, running out the house.
Clay smiled. He had lived on his own ever since Sara, and for him, that was boring. Sitting there night after night, pretending he was a womanizer, sitting watching the sea with a bottle of beer on his own. The novelty had worn off a long time ago. It would be nice to have Quinn there, she was one of his best friends. She saw him for who he was, even though she didn't know
"Guess what Hales!" Quinn bounded through the door, not commenting on the fact that it wasn't locked
"Hey crazy sister, fancy knocking?" Haley asked, smirking a little and leaning agaisnt the counter
"I don't have to live with Taylor!" Quinn said at a high speed
"What? How?" Haley asked, excited for her sister..even living with Taylor and her..male conquests as a child freaked Haley out
"Im moving in with Clay!" Quinn smiled, shutting her eyes like it was a dream
"What, you two-" Haley started
"Are best friends" finished Quinn
"So how did this all come about?" Haley asked, looking at Quinn oddly
"Well, I stayed there last night because Taylor had her pole dance instructor back.." she started, and she paused as her and Haley both quivered "and then, he said this morning if I wanted I could stay with him" she beamed
"Nice work..but isnt Clay sort of like a male Taylor?" Haley questioned, putting some sandwiches into Jamie's lunchbox and making a circle around the room
"Thats the thing, I think he's going to surprise me" Quinn mused
"Whys that?"
"Well, last night, I thought he would have a girl round, but he was sleeping!"
"Oh fancy that..sleeping!" entered another voice, and it was revealed to be a chuckling Nathan
"For Clay, it is a shock!" laughed Haley, playfully giving Nathan a punch
"Oh, your moving in with Clay? Hes quite excited to have a "roomie"" Nathan laughed, holding up his phone
"Im excited to have a roomie that doesn't use more condoms then the brothel in the back street" Quinn quipped, and the three of them laughed
Brooke was in the cafe, reading over a magazine that seemed to be analysing her figure
"I have not gained weight the-"
"One skinny latte to go" sounded a familar voice
"Were closed.." a distracted Brooke said
"Don't worry B-Davis, the camera adds pounds" cackled the person, and Brooke looked up and squealed
"P- Sawyer what are you and your skinny ass doing here?" Brooke screamed, running from behind the till unit and to give her a hug "p-sawyer you need some feeding, fancy a cake?"
"How could I say no to my very best friend?" Peyton grinned, holding onto Brooke "ive missed you B-Davis!"
"Ive missed you too..how long have I got you for?" Brooke asked, with a smile
"A month, im here on a work project"
"Without Luke, im impressed!"
"Well, I usually turn them down but the money for this one was amazing, and so was the location!" Peyton laughed, "fill me in on things around here, hows Julian?" she asked, and she was met with Brooke's grimace
"What happened honey?" Peyton asked "and wheres my latte"
"Peyton, whats my name?" Brooke asked, raising an eyebrow
"Brooke Davis" Peyton answered
"Do I look like I can work that scary latte machine?" Brooke continued
"Honestly...no..but I can!" she grinned, slipping behind the counter and starting to make herself one, aswell as Brooke "fill me in on Julian, I wanna hear everything!" Peyton said, watching Brooke intently
"Have you heard of Alex Dupree" Brooke practically spat
"Nope, but I can tell your not a fan" Peyton smartly replied
"Shes a washed up drugged up actress who is in love with Julian and he cant even see it!" Brooke said, all very fast
"Oh.." Peyton replied
"We are on a break right now because of that little whore and I am one bit of maturity away from getting her leaflets and shoving them up her-"
"Saved by the knock!" Peyton remarked, hearing a small knock on the door
"Seriously, we aren't open so people knock on the door, god!" Brooke started, feeling disrupted after her rant had been disturbed
"You should let him in, hes a hot blonde" Peyton laughed, and Brooke turned around and saw Clay in a begging gesture, and she laughed
"Oh thats Clay, Nates agent slash best friend slash new best friend of ours" Brooke replied, going over to the door and unlocking it
"Whats up Evans?" Brooke asked, poking her head through the door
"I know your closed, but I need a coffee and I had a feeling you would murder me if I went near Tara's cafe" Clay started
"Say no more..nice loyalty" she laughed, opening the door and letting him in
"Clay- this is my skinny ass best friend Peyton, Peyton this is Clay" Brooke said quickly, busying herself with the coffee machine
"Who knew Haley had so many hot friends and relatives?" Clay laughed, shaking Peytons hand "ah, the famous Peyton Sawyer, your like a Tree Hill legend" Clay smiled
"And I recognise your face now, Clay Evans, the one always in the tabloids with Nate and accompanied by alot of booze" she nodded
"Nice and classy I am" he responded, and Peyton laughed, and Brooke gave him his coffee, and he gave her the money "your a life saver Brooke! you can get back on planning Alex's untimely demise" he laughed, "bye Peyton" he added, and went out the door quickly
"He seems nice" Peyton nodded "ive missed alot round here.."
"Yeah, he is nice" Brooke nodded "but even he's slept with the whore" Brooke raised an eyebrow, and flicked a magazine to a page of her
"Ok, shes pretty, but- well, ok, shes pretty...but.-"
"Brooke, your torturing yourself, just talk to him" Peyton smiled "I need to find a hotel, you can come meet me there for lots of room service and girlie films if it goes badly!"
"Or you can be my best friend and come stay with me" Brooke beamed "yes, P-Sawyer, I need you!"
"Maybe i'll bring Luke, it'll be like a swingers party" Peyton teased
"Very funny Peyton, you've really grown in the humour thing in your absense" Brooke teased back, giving her a fake punch
"Yeah yeah" Peyton laughed, and rolled her eyes "i'll be glad to come and stay with you"
Julian sat with Nathan at the bar of TRIC
"I don't know what to do man, Ive done nothing wrong.." Julian was sounding off to Nathan, who was looking at Julian and nodding
"Girls are paranoid" he agreed
"You have nothing to worry about Haleys fine!"
"You didn't have a sextape revealed when Haley was pregnant" Nathan closed his eyes and tried to forget the memory..then he realised the awkward part of it
"Yup, the sextape with my girlfriend" Julian responded
"Damn, sorry man" Nathan looked at him, and Julian continued talking, brushing it off
"I just don't see why she doesn't trust me" Julian whined
"Shes still messed up from the whole Lucas thing,she takes it out on people. Just ride it out, it'll be good in the end" Nathan said, wisely
"Really? You think" Julian asked, pressing Nathan incase Brooke had said anything to Haley
"Yeah..you know she loves you, theres no way she'll give you up without a fight. Maybe Alex will get a black eye, but you've gotta sacrifice things sometimes" Nathan said, with a small laugh
"Yeah, Haleys quite violent isnt she" Julian snickered
"Well she gave Rachel and Renee one hell of a bitch slap" Nathan agreed, a look of amusement on his face
"They had it coming" Julian screwed up his features and nodded "maybe I'll tell Alex to lay low"
And they both laughed, finishing their drinks together
Clay felt ill, it was like he was walking around with a prolonged cold. Thats as much as was to be expected as he did spend most of his sleeping time, outside it seemed.
He had dark circles under his eyes, blotchy skin, puffy eyes, he was pale, and there was only so many times he could pass it off as a hangover. He had come home from work to find out he had to go to Nathans for a meeting, but he wasn't feeling upto it. Did he ring Nate?
He decided to ring him. A cold, thats all he needed to say. That wouldn't worry anyone
He pressed the dial button and heard the phone ring, then Nate picked up
"Hey man"
"Hey, look you know that meeting later.." Clay started, and coughed. Great. That sounded attention seeking
"Yeah yeah" Nathan replied, sounding cool and relaxed, like he always did these days. Why shouldn't he? He had a contract, a happy wife, happy kids, so the new cool headed Nathan, was a happy man.
"Look, I know this is a cop out man but im feeling really rough can we reschedule"
"Oh Haleys going to have a field day with the "I told you so" but yes, you can" Nathan laughed a little
"What do you mean?" Clay asked
"Haley said she was a bit worried about you the other day, said you looked ill. I said it was a hangover" Nathan laughed again, and Clay laughed with him
"I wish man. Its only a cold" he repeated, more to himself then Nathan
"Thats cool man, call if you need anything, get better" Nathan smiled, putting the phone down and facing Julian again
"Im offically free all afternoon, Clay cancelled the meeting, he's ill" Nathan announced, and Julian looked into his drink, as if he was pondering something
"I wonder what made Clay move to Tree Hill..I was thinking we don't know alot about his background" Julian mused
"Hmm..he hasn't said alot to me..well I haven't really asked" Nathan responded "want another round?" he asked, and the two men were distracted into the world of beer again
Clay stretched out on the sofa, pulling a cover towards him as he decided to have a nap. His thought was, maybe if he was downstairs, he wouldn't be walking off from downstairs? Different surroundings...he could only try..surely he couldn't walk out the front door in daylight, could he?