Chapter 14

"So how are things going, Quinn?" I asked Quinn as we walked around the empty studio.

"Uh…well…they are going. I'm determined to open a photography studio and turn my dream into a reality. I've always wanted to do that and…certain things…held me back, and I'm taking charge now."

"Well good for you, Quinn! That's awesome. So you are moving here?"

"Trying to. It's showing to be a little difficult considering David isn't handling things very well."

"Right…David. What happened there?"

"He…he cheated on me." I stopped in my tracks. I think she already had accepted the fact but I was personally in shock.

"He what?"

"Yeah."

"But…" I looked around for the words. I was going to say how much they were in love in the beginning but that isn't exactly something that you want to here after you've signed your divorce papers.

"I know. We were in love. But he changed, and not for the better."

"I'm sorry Quinn. You're welcome to come stay with Brooke and me whenever you want."

"That's ok. I need to tell Haley."

"You haven't told Haley?" I was shocked; Haley was normally the first person she talked to.

"No. She thinks that we are just going through a 'rough patch'; one of those things that every couple goes through and we'll get through it in a week or two. I'm going to tell her tonight, so we'll see what happens."

"You know she can't be mad at you, right?"

"I don't know, Haley has a way of doing that."

"Haley also has a way of helping people and making them feel like life is ok again." Quinn just smiled and I knew it was because she knew that it was true.

"So what is with you and Lucas? Haley said that he got dumped at the altar and you're his rebound girl!" I laughed, oh Quinn.

"Absolutely not. I am not a rebound girl at all. I told him that, too."

"Really? So he came onto you."

"Pretty much. I told him when he's got a hold on life and is in a good state of mind, he can come see me." I said as I smiled over at Quinn.

"Well, we can be single buddies!"

"Single buddies?"

"Yes…we're the single girls of the town, and proud of it!" She stood taller and made a cheesy proud pose.

"Ok, well it's kind of obvious to me know why your single."

"Hey! That was not nice."

"Just being honest, buddy." She made a pouty face and we laughed, it seemed like it had been forever since we had done that.

"I should get going, I told Haley I would be home soon."

"I thought that you were the big sister." I teased.

"Yeah, but you know that Haley is the most responsible of all of us."

"True, true. Do you need a ride home?"

"No, I rented a car for now. Thanks, Peyton. I'll call you." She said as she walked out the door and pulled keys out of her purse.

I looked around the room at all of the pictures and the ones that had little green tags on them. I had doubles of them that I would keep for myself. I started to clean things up and close up the store. I took down the photos that had sold and started to prepare them for shipping out. I swept the floor and actually did the dishes from the bar. I wasn't ready to go home so I went up to the roof and sat down on the picnic table. It reminded me of Haley and Lucas, they always spent time up here during high school. I used to see them up here and wished I had a spot like that. It reminded me of the secret box that they kept with predictions behind the hollow brick that wasn't so secret to some of us here. I got up and walked over to the wall. I knew exactly which brick it was but I'd never opened the box. I pulled it out and the box fell into my hand. I put the brick back and walked back to the picnic table where I set it down and stared at it. I wanted desperately to look inside of it, to read what he had written and when he had written it.

I sat and stared at the box for forty-five minutes when I heard voices below me. I stood up and walked over to the edge of the roof. There were two guys that were standing outside of my store and they looked as if they were going to try and get in but they started to walk away. The slight panic drifted away and then came rushing back. They looked into Brooke's store and pulled on the door handle; harder and harder each time. I ran downstairs and looked for my phone; I couldn't find it. There was a broom in the corner; it wouldn't do much but I had to have some sort of defense.

Was Brooke at the store, or did she go home? Were they just some drunk jerks trying to get lucky with an open register? If so, they were pretty stupid. Were they dangerous or harmless? I wondered about these things but the answers seemed pretty simple; I had to do something. I grabbed the broom and took my shoes off so I could be as quiet as possible. I walked out the door of my studio and looked around; there was no one in sight. Did they go home? The door was open to Brooke's store. Answer: no. I walked to the edge of the window and looked in. The light in the back of the store was on. Brooke wasn't here, answer to question; Brooke had gone home. I slowly walked through the broken door, careful not to step on any glass. The first thing I went to: the phone. I pushed the talk button: beep!

"Shinto!" I whispered and I heard footsteps coming. No, I have to hide. I looked around; the coat closet. I took the phone to the closet. The door was a foggy glass, so I had to keep the phone out of the way of the glass.

"Did you hear that?" I heard a male voice say suspiciously.

"Yeah…" They were looking around the store. I dialed 911 quickly, hoping or more like praying, that they wouldn't hear the beeping noise.

"911, what is your emergency?" I heard a calm voice on the other side of the line."

"There are two men robbing…" The door of the closet swung open and two angry, stern faces stared back. It was quiet but then they grabbed me out of the closet and I yelled and screamed but that would not help the operator on the other side of the line.

"I'm at Clothes Over Bros! Send help, please!" I yelled all the information I could before things went a little dark.

I am SO sorry for not posting sooner. I've had some difficult family situations (I guess that is what you could call them :)) and I haven't had any time to write. I just wrote this in about 30 minutes just for something for ya'll to read. So I hope that you enjoy it somewhat and PLEASE leave a comment, it's very much appreciated!