Chapter 23

Haley POV

"I don't understand. You're opening a club?"

Peyton and been trying to explain it to Haley for the past 10 minutes but she wasn't following. Her mind was in a million different places as she walked with her friend inside the record store.

It'd been an up and down weekend for Haley. Her party had been the highlight, especially when her sister had surprised her. She didn't think it could get any better. Turned out that was true, as her parents dropped the news that they were ditching Tree Hill to live out their dreams in an RV.

Haley wasn't sure which was sadder, her state after learning the news, or her parents weird dream. But she supported them, if driving around the country in a mobile home made them happy, then Haley would support that.

Her parents took a chance on her when she got married, she'd gladly return the favor if it meant them being happy as well.

She'd spent the rest of the weekend with Quinn, taking every moment to hangout before her sister left again. They'd shopped, laughed, hung out, traded stories, everything she missed doing with her sister.

Like all things, it was quickly coming to an end. Quinn was leaving on Wednesday, and it was Monday now, giving Haley two whole days left before her sister was once again gone.

She almost contemplated skipping a few classes to spend the day with Quinn but she'd insisted that they'd have plenty of time after school.

"You keep zoning out," Peyton waved her hand in front of Haley's face.

Snapping out of her trance, Haley blushed a little. "Sorry, my head was somewhere else. So again, you're opening a club?"

To two friends walked casually into the record store Peyton got her music from during their lunch break.

"I'm not opening a club," Peyton explained, for the 5th time. "I pitched the idea to Karen about an all ages club. I mean think about it, how much fun did we have throwing your party? The place was packed."

"That is true," Haley remembered.

"So just imagine a place like that open every weekend," Peyton continued. "Tree Hill's never had a place like that. Either we gotta drive far into the city or hang out at bars. And the best thing is that it would be all ages. We'd have the luxury of accommodating to every person."

Hale scanned through some old records with a smile. "You'd also have the luxury of dealing with high school kids trying to sneak booze in."

"I don't know all the specifics," Peyton admitted. Her and Karen had only talked briefly on the matter. There'd be more to talk about soon. "I just think it'd be a great idea."

"It is," Haley agreed, turning to her friend. She could see just how passionate Peyton was about the idea. "I say go for it. Although I'm not sure what 'it' is. What exactly would you be doing?"

Peyton smiled. "Karen knows how to manage a business, but I know how to handle a party. I'd kind of run the day-to-day stuff. Music being played, trying to find bands to play live, stuff like that."

The whole idea made Haley's head spin. "Sounds like a lot of work."

"Not when I have some help," Peyton smirked. She leaned against the wall staring closely at Haley. "I want you to open."

Haley almost dropped a record as she heard her friend's remark. It'd been over a week since she'd gotten up on that stage and sung in front of a dozen or so people. It was a moment of many emotions, but none more so then fear.

It was over now, but Haley knew one day that Peyton would ask her to sing again. Her friend loved music and Haley loved to sing, the two just meshed well. She just didn't think that day would come so soon.

"No."

"What, no!" Peyton repeated, chasing after her friend as she ventured deeper into the store. There was a guy who'd heard her loud remark but they ignored him. "Haley please. You'd be doing me a huge favor. Even for yourself. You want to be up there as much as I want you to be."

"Peyton you don't understand…."

"I don't," Peyton continued. "But I just think you have a hell of a voice, and it'd be a shame the rest of are friends didn't hear it. You have a gift Haley, something I wish I had. I just wanna be able to say my friend just played a kickass set and point to you on stage."

Haley smiled sadly.

It wasn't easy to admit you were never going to be the one thing you always wanted. A day came when everybody had to face the cold hard facts that they couldn't do something. It didn't mean they couldn't try, it just meant they wouldn't go as far as they hoped.

Every boy on Nathan's team wanted to make the NBA, sadly Haley knew that the likelihood was impossible. That didn't stop them however, because each night they hit the court hoping to get that much closer and that much better.

Haley wasn't sure if her dream of singing would ever amount to anything. She could end up signing one time at a karaoke joint, or in front of thousands on a tour. It wasn't too late for her to still chase that; all she had to do was seize it.

"I…I'll think about it," Haley offered quietly, seeing her friend smile.

"That's all I ask," Peyton answered happily. It was more then she thought she'd get.

"I'll do it," A voice said, breaking up the two. They turned to see a blue-eyed guy staring at them knowingly. "When and where?"

"Excuse me?" Peyton asked.

"Your gig, I'll sing," He repeated. He eyed Peyton again. "You're that emo chick who comes in here right?"

Peyton recognized him as she looked closely. "And you're the rude guy who runs this place. How could I possibly forget you?"

The guy smirked. "Whatever, so this gig. Time and place?"

"Can you even sing?" Haley wondered.

"Better then you could," He challenged, looking down at the girl. "I could actually get up on stage."

"Okay we're out of here," Peyton glared, grabbing Haley's hand and steering her towards the exit. "Later ass."

"You know where to find me!" He shouted, a smile dancing on his face.

Boys POV

Lucas and Nathan walked together at the end of the day towards their lockers as they talked. It'd been a long day for both, and they knew it wasn't close to being done.

"What times the truck get there?" Nathan asked.

Opening his locker, Lucas remembered what Jack told him. "Should be there now. Jack signed out before last class to go meet them."

"Wish I'd done that," Nathan mumbled, shutting his locker closed. Him and Lucas continued down the hall towards the exit. "You see Felix today?"

"No, thankfully," Lucas answered. Subconsciously he looked around to see if he was nearby.

They hadn't seen the guy in question since last Saturday, hoping whatever happened stayed in the past. No one was nervous about retaliation, but they didn't know Felix very well.

Even Anna hadn't made an appearance, after Lucas had spent some time looking for her during his breaks. He'd wanted to apologize for his role but couldn't find the time. The idea of going to her house had crossed his mind, but he thought against it just as quick. Last thing he needed was Felix answering the door.

"So how many things you think got sent?" Nathan asked, as the two made their way outside. He was curious to know, Jack's apartment was the same as his, and it took quite a bit before it started to feel like a home. "Can't be much."

"Well I'm sure once Jack finds a job it'll get better."

Nathan knew better. "Hard to say, I'm barely keeping it together. No one tells you how expensive life is once you cut the cord with your parents."

Lucas shook his head with a smile. "Not many people get married at 17 and then move out."

"That is true."

The two stopped as they reached the cars.

Leaning against his, Lucas tried to find the right words. "You'll find your way. So will Jack. Like Keith said, we aren't alone anymore."

"Great, so you'll pay for next months rent?" Nathan asked with a smirk.

"I'll buy dinner," Lucas countered.

"Rain check," Nathan laughed, getting into his car. "Haley's making dinner tonight. Now come on, lets get on with it."

Lucas laughed and followed closely behind as Nathan drove off towards home.

An hour later, couple of bumps and bruises, and a loud rant by Nathan, the three brothers found themselves sitting comfortably in Jack's living room looking at the job they've done.

Ed and Jen had sent more then any expected. Jack grew up knowing how many things they had in bulk, considering the fact that they had many mouths to care for. He just didn't think they'd furnish his house once he left home.

Yet here they sat, two in a couch, the other in a lazy boy sitting around a table. There was a bed in the main bedroom, with a dresser now full of clothes. In the kitchen a beat up refrigerator sat placed in its proper spot with an oven nearby.

Everything else that was missing from a usual home wasn't essential to Jack. He didn't need a table to eat on, or a dishwasher to clean his plates. He didn't plan on having people over and he didn't have any plates to begin with.

What he did have was a place to put food, a way to cook it, and a bed to sleep on. Anything else would be asking for too much.

"Well," Lucas started, looking around. "Beats the backseat of your car."

"Can't argue with that."

Nathan eyed the walls. "You have anything to put up? Feels like I'm in a motel."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Didn't realize you had an eye for the decorative stuff."

The two laughed as Nathan rolled his eyes. "I'd throw a pillow at you but you don't have on of those either."

"Here," Jack got up and headed towards his bedroom. The two wondered what he was doing before he came back with something in his hand. "First picture hung. Happy?"

The two watched as he grabbed a piece of tape and smacked it against the wall holding the paper in place. Looking closely, they recognized it as the picture Peyton had taken the night of the party of the three of them.

"We made the wall," Nathan smiled, holding his hand to his heart. "I'm touched."

Jack eyed it. "I see it as more of a reminder."

"Reminder of what?" Lucas wondered.

"How much a pain in my ass you two could be," Jack answered, a smile on his face.

The two brothers laughed it off, trying to come back with a witty response. Truth was they didn't mind. If being a pain to each other showed that they were always there to help, they'd gladly suffer the consequences.

"Anyways," Jack started towards his fridge but stopped short. "I'd offer you guys something to drink or eat but I don't actually own anything. Besides one warm beer from the other night."

"Thanks for that by the way," Nathan remembered that'd he'd come home to a missing six-pack. "You owe me."

"Blame your new sister in law. She's the one who took 'em."

The mention of Quinn raised a few questions that had almost been forgotten by Lucas and Nathan.

"I almost forgot," Nathan said, getting up to join Jack in the kitchen. He'd caught Quinn sneaking back inside that night after him and Haley had gotten home. "What were you two up too? Last I heard Quinn was heading home to sleep, but ended up over here. Heard you met up the next day too."

Lucas smiled from his seat on the couch. "What of it Jack? You making a play on the other James girl?"

Jack looked between both brothers with a frown on his face. "God you guys are worse then the women in your life. Are we going to braid each others hair too?"

"Don't be stupid," Nathan said seriously. He pointed over to Lucas with a smile. "Luke doesn't have any hair."

"That is true."

"Nothing happened," Jack sighed, seeing the eager smiles from the two. "Besides if anyone has anything to worry about it's you."

"Me?" Lucas mumbled. "Why me?"

"Peyton, Brooke, Anna," Jack listed. He saw Lucas's face whiten. "Girls keep flocking towards you. Best be careful, you might start a rumble."

"I'd pay for that," Nathan laughed, thinking about it.

Lucas swore silently as the two others laughed at his expense. It seemed highly unlikely, but every time a girl rolled into their lives, Lucas managed to find his way in the middle of it.

"I liked it better when we questioning you," Lucas grumbled. He thought back to an earlier statement, trying to swing the conversation away from his love life. "And by the way, you didn't deny you were making a play on Quinn."

"Are we still on about that?"

Nathan eyed the clock. "Going to have to take Jack's side on this. As much as I'd love to torture the both of you, we've got a dinner to catch."

Jack saw Nathan looking towards him and remembered. "Damn that's today?"

"Afraid so," Nathan answered.

Lucas watched as Jack helplessly agreed before heading to his room to get ready. "Well that's convenient timing. Guess I should head out then."

"You want to come?" Nathan asked, remembering his manners.

"No can do," Lucas answered, stretching up from the couch. Moving that fridge had killed his back. "Still grounded. Already stretching it agreeing to help you guys move."

"True," Nathan remembered. He gave Lucas a quick fist bump before opening the door. "I'll catch you tomorrow."

"Bye Jack," Lucas shouted, hearing a shouted goodbye in return. "Have fun."

Nathan closed the door as his brother left. He didn't think he'd have much fun thinking about this dinner. They were usually pretty ordinary. It'd be him and Haley, like usual, with Jack coming and….

Quinn.

"Hmm," Nathan smiled, waiting for Jack to come out. "Maybe this will be fun."

Girls POV

Haley and Quinn sat comfortably as they waited. It'd be another half hour until dinner was ready and they were still waiting on the boys to come home. They didn't have to go very far, they could walk the few steps across to next door and see how they were doing.

They'd offered to go help but were quickly turned away. Jack didn't have many things to move so they didn't want them wasting their time for nothing.

Haley turned away from the TV Quinn had put on to look over at her dining room table. It'd be nice to spend a dinner with her husband and sister. It was strange, but it'd be the first time for all three of them.

As much as she tried not to think about, Haley realized Nathan didn't know very much about her family like she did with his. It wasn't fair to ask him to be best friends with either of her siblings like she was with Lucas. She just hoped they got along.

"Are they almost done?" Quinn asked from the sofa. She was getting hungry. "I'm starving."

Haley glanced at the clock. "Should be. Jack said he didn't have many things to move anyways."

"That sucks. Moving into a house and knowing you don't have much you own," Quinn said. She felt terrible after learning the hardship Jack had gone through. "Can't be easy."

"No I can't imagine it is," Haley agreed.

Remembering something, Quinn smiled. "Oh but I do have good news." Haley watched amused as her sister raced off the couch and into her bedroom. She came just as fast with her camera in hand. "I took this great photo of Manny Pacquiao last year. He's a boxer. I'm sure he'll love it."

"Can't say I've ever seen the emotion love come from Jack," Haley joked.

She watched her sister ignore her comment, as she was busy shuffling through her camera. Something was off about her, Haley had noticed. She hadn't seen Quinn in awhile, but she knew her long enough to pick of the signs.

"You seem happy," Haley said casually.

Quinn nodded. "Yeah I was looking for this picture all last night and just found it about an hour ago. It's amazing."

"Uh huh," Haley mumbled.

Quinn felt the look she was getting and looked up. "What is it?"

"What?"

"That look," Quinn answered. She dropped her camera and joined Haley in the kitchen. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Haley answered off handedly. "I just find it strange how happy you are to find a picture."

"It's a great picture," Quinn defended, not seeing the big deal. "And I think Jack would…"

"Would what," Haley cut. Her sister froze knowing she'd been caught. "I heard you spent some time over there painting yesterday, after spending almost two hours the night before as well."

"I offered to help paint," Quinn lamely said.

"Bull."

"Bull?"

Haley nodded. "I can't believe you of all people have a crush on Jack. You're like 3 years older then him."

Quinn's face fell. "What! I'm an old lady now?"

Laughing, Haley knew she caught her. "No, but you just proved my suspicion."

Her sister had always been the quick one, Quinn thought dejected. Sighing in defeat, she retreated to the couch. Her face felt warm as she felt the close presence of her baby sister soon after.

"You do don't you?" Haley pressured. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Quinn slowly opened her eyes to see Haley standing above her. Her sister wouldn't let it go. Sighing in frustration, she relented. "Fine, yes okay. Happy now?"

"I don't understand," Haley said seriously. She noticed her sisters hesitant look and felt bad for teasing. Joining her on the couch, she spoke softly. "You've known him for like two days."

"So did Nathan and Lucas when they brought him to Tree Hill," Quinn rebuffed. She knew that was a stupid comparison. "Look, it's nothing okay. I don't love the guy. End of story."

"But you do like him," Haley repeated.

Quinn bit her lip, remembering the past two days. They must've spent 4 hours at most in each other's company but she felt like she knew him more then most guys she dated in the past.

He was timid at times, but honest. Whenever he asked a question about her she felt like he really wanted to know. Not to feel nice, or have an ulterior motive, just to generally want to know more about her.

It was nice to have a conversation with someone knowing that neither wanted anything in return.

"He's real," Quinn answered softly, a smile on her face. She saw the look Haley gave her and elaborated. "I know that sounds stupid but it's true. He genuinely wants to know more about me and it's the same for me."

"That's because he's nice," Haley explained. She hoped her sister wasn't confusing Jacks personality with someone who might be interested in her. "Jen and Ed raised him well."

"It's not that," Quinn argued. "I mean yes he's nice. But he's honest. I don't know how to explain it but he's different."

She couldn't see anywhere this turned out well for her older sister but Haley nodded. "So what do you want?"

It was a simple question that came across as easy but was anything but.

"I don't want anything," Quinn said hurriedly. It's not like she wanted a relationship. She was just admitting that she found Jack appealing. "I'm a big girl Hales, not some love struck girly girl in freshman year. I leave in a day, when I do this'll be over."

The two flinched at the sound of the door opening as Nathan and Jack walked in slowly. They both said hellos as they walked in and Nathan quickly went over to his wife. Haley returned his hello with a brief kiss; all the while she kept her eyes on her two guests.

Jack waved towards Quinn and she did the same. It was natural when Jack looked away; Haley had noticed he never really stared at anyone for too long. It was her sister's look that surprised her.

Quinn was right, it wasn't a love struck look she gave to Jack, Haley noticed. But she didn't believe for one second that when her sister left in a day this was going to be over.

No, seeing Quinn's smile as she followed around the boy responsible for that look proved what she already knew.

This was going to be interesting.