Chapter 1: Who Knew?

Who knew I'd end up here. Haley thought looking at the arena in front of her.

But I'm getting ahead of myself I know exactly how I got here. I graduated from Tree Hill and followed my dream and went to Stanford to study music. My first year my RA was actually the head of their cheerleading squad and when I mentioned that I had cheered once or twice in high school she suggested I try out and I did, for fun and to meet people really. I wasn't that good, but some how I made their reserve team, it was fun I met all these girls and I eventually was good enough to make the actual team with was so much fun and good cause all the dancing gave me a work so I didn't put on all this college weight that I should have cause of what I was eating and plus it gave me a break from studying, don't get me wrong I still loved to study but I wanted to have some fun once and a while too. Senior year was suddenly upon me and I for some reason became the captain of the team. So my final year was the best ever, being popular had some disadvantages though, but I didn't mind, I was a straight A student and having fun what more could I have asked for. Well after one game a woman approached me and told me she was from LA and she was asking some cheerleaders from around the country to try out for the Lakers, and she wanted me. Me, Haley James the girl voted to most likely to trip while not moving. I didn't know what to say. I tried to tell her that I wasn't considering cheerleading as a career. She told me that many people start off cheering then move on to what they want to do later, then she reminded me that Paula Abdul had started off as a Laker girl before she stared her singing career, and what better way to meet record producers and label heads than becoming a Laker girl and attending all the exclusive parties. Damn she's good, I thought.

I agreed and 4 months later after passing my finals and graduating here I was, Haley stared at the court in front of her. I wonder if this is what Nathan felt every time he played. Nathan Scott there was a story, she though of him all the time, she always wondered what happened to him and the others. They had all gone their separate ways after graduation. Peyton and Jake had gone to New York, Lucas had gone to Brown, Brooke had gone to Miami and Nathan went to Duke. Nathan and her had broken up after graduation he said that he didn't want to hurt her, but he wanted her to have to full college experience and said she couldn't do that with a long distance relationship, they had been dating for 3 years and they loved each other very much, so they went their separate ways and Haley hadn't been with anyone since. She blamed Nathan for that.

After a sleepless night last night paid for by the Lakers at a nice hotel Haley and some other girls were picked up and taken to try outs.

"Tutor girl?"

Haley turned to find a familiar face in front of her. "Brooke!" Haley squealed as they hugged. "Oh my god, I've missed you tigger."

"Oh me too tutor girl. But what are you doing here?" Brooke asked

"You're looking at the captain of the Stanford cheerleading team." Haley said proudly.

"No way," Brooke said looking at her. "Well you're looking at Miami University's head cheerleader."

"I didn't have a doubt in my mind." Haley giggled. "So you're here to try out?"

"Yeah you?" Brooke asked

"Yeah." Haley said while looking around "but don't think I'll make it I'm here for fun really just to see, you know?"

Brooke looked at her.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, but no one is gonna believe me when I tell them that Haley James was a captain of a cheerleading team."

"I know, but it was fun and kept me in shape and I made some friends so I don't regret it."

"So you checked into the hotel obviously, but I was just thinking before I spotted you, I was gonna maybe find some one to room with if I made it of course, so maybe if you get in and I get in…"

"You wanna move into an apartment together. Us. Brooke we haven't seen each other in like 4 years."

"Oh come on Haley it'll be fun. Just like old times."

"Brooke we never lived together." Haley said

"Well, we should have I am the best room mate in the world, I've never had any one to test out my theory on but, I mean, it's me so…."

"Ok Brooke I get it, you know what I don't even think I'll make it so, fine."

"Really!" Brooke squealed jumping up and down.

"Yeah but don't make me change my mind." Haley grinned.

Brooke was about to reply when they heard someone call for their attention.

"Ladies, My name is Joan Marks. I'm the Laker choreographer and this Heather Kirk, you probably remember her as being the one that asked you to audition today. Now we have 30 girls here and we only have place for 5 girls and even then out of those 5, 2 will join the Laker girls who perform at every game and the other 3 will join our reserve team. The girls who don't make it I wanna say thank you for coming and you wouldn't be out here if you didn't have abilities. Now firstly I want everyone to line up and collect a number, when everyone has a number a few girls will come out and show you a routine, then you will practice the routine. You will only get to practise it once, when the music starts you will perform for us, and if I call out your number could you leave the floor and thank you for your time. You may think we are being harsh, but the main concept of being a dancer here is watching and doing, we don't have time to hold your hands ladies. Thank you and good luck.

The ladies walked off to the side and Haley and Brooke looked at each other.

"We are so not in Tree Hill anymore." Brooke laughed as they jointed the line.

Haley pinned her number and looked at it. 23, this is just weird, Haley thought. She looked at Brooke who was pinning her number on. 25.

Haley was so nervous when she saw cheerleaders walk out, but she calmed herself down to watch them show the routine, it wasn't an easy routine, but Haley watched and picked it up quickly, then it was time for them to practise, Haley moved quickly and practically had the routine down, she looked over at Brooke, she was smiling. She had it down too.

Finally it was the moment of truth, one of the cheerleaders walked out and spoke to them.

"I just wanna say have fun, don't think about it too much, just do it. Good Luck." There were a few murmurs of thanks. Haley and Brooke looked over at each other again, they laughed. Who would have thought Haley and Brooke trying out for cheerleader teams together.

The music started and the girls started dancing and were having so much fun, they laughed and smiled their energy just seemed to shine.

(Beep)

"8, 16, 20. Thank you." The girls walked off.

"5, 30, 26, 14. Off the floor"

"10, 24, 17, 28. Thank you"

"1, 9, 11, 13, 22."

2, 15, 3, 27, 21 Thank you."

6, 7, 12, 19. Thank you."

The song ended and Haley found herself one of the final 5. She looked at Brooke.

"Did they call out my number?" Haley asked anxiously.

"No, did they call out mine?"

"No." They two girls smiled at each other.

"Ok ladies," They heard Joan shout. "Whatever happens from now on, you are guaranteed a place on our team."

Haley and Brooke smiled.

"But we need only 2 of you for our squad. So you're gonna do the routine again. And relax; you've already made the team." The girls smiled and got ready.

"Good Luck." Brooke smiled.

"You too." Haley replied.

The music started up and Brooke and Haley did the routine again aware that everyone was watching them. When the music stopped the girls stood panting watching Joan and Heather looking and talking, before they stepped forward.

"Ok we've made a decision, just remember the girls that make the back up team will replace anyone who leaves or anyone who is sick. Ok so 23 and 25, congratulations and welcome to squad."

Haley and Brooke looked at each other, speechless.

"Oh. My. God." Haley said.

Brooke just jumped up and down and started to squeal. "We did it!"

"Congratulations, you guys were awesome." The other three girls came up and told them. "I'm Jessica by the way." She held out her hand which they shook.

"Tina." The other girl smiled and waved.

"Mandy," the third girl said.

"Hi, I'm Brooke and this is Haley." They all smiled at each other.

"Ok now that's out of the way I think we go out tonight and celebrate." Jessica said.

"Oh you read my mind, let's meet up in the hotel lobby tonight and go from there." Mandy said.

"Yeah sounds good." Brooke said and they said there goodbyes.

"Brooke, why we going into the parking lot?" Haley asked trailing behind her.

"Uh, did you really think I was going to move to LA and not bring my car?" Brooke said pointing at a beautiful gold BMW convertible.

"Brooke, oh my god, where did you get this car?" Haley said in awe.

"My parents got a good tip and invested in this company and their shares sky rocketed they sold and practically made more than we even had before, so I'm back to living the good life."

"No kidding." Haley replied as she climbed in.

"Haley James, open this door." Haley heard 4 hours later.

Haley walked over and opened the door to a very impatient Brooke.

"It's about time, I……," Brooke stopped speaking when she saw what Haley was wearing. Haley fiddled with her dress self consciously; she'd thought she looked ok, but obviously not.

"What do I look funny? I'm gonna change."

"Do you dare, oh my god tutor girl you look so freaking hot!" Brooke said staring at her.

Haley was wearing a short black halter neck dress, it had a low v neck front and a low back, just at the base of her back you could see Haley's tattoo.

"Oh thanks," Haley said sheepishly. "You look great too."

Brooke was wearing a short red strapless dress that hugged her figure perfectly.

"Ok, I am so ready to hit the LA scene, so grab you stuff and let's go." Brooke said impatiently.

Haley grabbed her stuff and headed out the door