the other two.

⁽⁰¹⁻⁰¹⁾ ᵖⁱˡᵒᵗ⁻⁵

-tree hill, north carolina.

inside of karen's cafe, stood its owner and keith near the counter, organizing the different books into a bookshelf while engaging in conversation. "so, i wouldve preferred a warning shot on this one. something to let me know what was coming with lucas." karen began and she kept on with her organizing.

keith looked over as she spoke, "yeah, thats uh, thats fair enough." he sighed while leaning on the counter, "but you should see him play, karen. i mean, its like.. its like poetry, you know?" he continued on as they both stopped what they were doing their attention diverting to their now ongoing conversation. "and hes gonna be fine. especially with madeline by his side. its surprising how much they get along, really."

soon enough they both turned their attention back onto the organizing of book, "yeah, i know." karen began as she inspected a book. "do you ever wonder about it, keith? how we got to this?" she finished while laughing slightly.

as their conversation steered into haleys eavesdropping, with said person not bothering to cover it up, karen continued, "when i see the twins in high school, it all seems like a blink of an eye." she said with a quiet sigh following. "but otherwise, it seems like its been forever." she finalized, reminiscing in the past.

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soon enough, haley appeared on the roof of the cafe, revealing to lucas the miniature golf course she had spent the day prior organizing for the twins, to which lucas exclaimed in amusement. "this place looks great." he told haley, mostly in a monotoned voice.

haley smiled, "thanks, i just finished putting up the lights. miniature golf will never be the same." she explained towards lucas while looking around at the course, proud of the work she put into it. "your mom's worried." haley expressed to lucas. "shes downstairs with keith, picking through her past." she detailed as madeline silently walked though the roof's entry.

"do you think im being selfish playing nathan?" lucas asked haley as he gave madeline, who approached the pair with a light smile, a side hug. "do you?" haley reciprocated the question unto him, also giving madeline a proper hug. "a little bit. i mean, if i walked away, then my mom wouldnt be downstairs, worried about it now, now would she?"

madeline let out a breath, sticking her chilly hands into her back pockets, "luke, at the end of the day, you should do what you believe is best for you. if mom is able to understand your perspective, then i feel like shell sympathize more with your decision." madeline directed towards lucas.

an agreement was heard from haleys direction as she narrowed her eyes at lucas, "you know, i dont say things like this very often 'cause it sounds.. weird, but youre a really good guy." she began, slightly chuckling during the last bit. "im glad were friends. but you and your mom worry too damn much." haley finished as madeline silently cheered.

"you too maddie." haley concluded, causing madelines cheering to stop, which earned a chuckle from the other two who stood watching her.

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as the clock neared midnight, near the river court stood several of the scott brother's classmates as even more kept showing up. "just moments before the stroke of twelve and still no nathan scott." mouth spoke into the microphone.

mouth and his partner in crime, jimmy, were both sat on the wooden table, dressed up in suits with slicked back hair, some would say they overdressed, but this faceoff had been long overdue. "and the relatives are getting restless, mouth." jimmy also spoke into the microphone and lucas continued warming up.