chapter five — all that you can't leave behind
[ season one, episode five ]
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Josie was working behind the counter at 'Karen's' while Lucas and Richie sat in front of her as they cut open the newspapers for the customers. Lucas opened one and saw another one of Peyton's drawings, and Josie looked over and saw it had four drawings of a traffic light but with each drawing, the colour changed, and Josie knew it was about her mom.

The door behind Lucas and Richie opens but once Haley sees Lucas, she leaves. Josie sighed, Lucas and Haley had been awkward with each other and avoiding each other for a few days, and she was getting sick of it. Lucas looked back as Haley left, quickly getting up and following her. "Think they'll finally make up?" Richie asked, looking at his girlfriend, who shrugged, frowning. "Hopefully." she said, resting her body on the table, to which Richie leaned over and kissed her forehead, making her smile

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"Have you two seen the paper?" Richie asked, walking into the carmen house, making both look over at him. "Hello, boyfriend." Josie said, smiling, making him smile back and kiss the crown of her head. "What's in the paper?" Jennifer asked. "Someone wrote, and this is, like, word for word. 'Who would have known that Dan Scott's basketball pedigree would be inherited by his two sons, Nathan Scott and Lucas.'" Richie read and Jennifer's face fell into shock as Josie closed her eyes and shook her head.

"God! Lucas really can't get away from Dan Scott can he? And don't forget Karen." Jennifer sneered as she stirred her coffee. "No. They really can't." Josie scoffed before she picked up her bag. "We should get to school. Love you mom." Josie said, kissing her mom on her cheek. "Love you too, sweetie." she said before Josie and Richie left the house

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Richie was at basketball practice while Josie was at cheer practice, both in the gym. "Hey, Lucas, that father versus son game's coming up. You consider who you wanna play with?" Richie heard Coach Whitey ask and he sighed. Richie wasn't participating in the game, since his father wasn't around anymore. Lucas shook his head and shot a basket. "I figured I'd skip it." he said, and Coach Whitey shook his head. "Oh, come on, son, I know it's hard, but It'll be worse if you don't play." he said.

"Besides, I thought you said you were through hiding from Dan." he said, and Richie glanced at Lucas. "I am." Lucas responded. "Well, wouldn't it be fun to dunk on him?" Coach Withey asked before walking away, and Richie snickered before shooting a basket. "I'd pay to see that." Richie told Lucas, who laughed. "You not playing?" he asked his friends, who shook his head. "No father to play against." Richie responded, and Lucas sighed sadly, but nodded.

Across the gym, the girls were practicing cheers, with Brooke leading, since she was captain. "Here we go! Ravens, let's score!" the girls said in sync as they danced in sync as well but Brooke stopped Peyton. "Wait, hold on. Peyton, you got the arms wrong." Broke pointed out. "It's not brain surgery, Brooke." Peyton responded."Okay, what's with the attitude?" Brooke asked, confused. "What's with your life?" Peyton shot back, and Josie raised her brows. "Seriously, aren't you embarrassed that the most important thing in your world is some stupid cheer?" Peyton asked. Josie, sighed. She knew it was the anniversary of her mom's death, she was even surprised Peyton had showed today

"Look, I'm really sorry things didn't work out for you and Nathan, but don't go all Mariah on me, okay?" Brooke pleaded as Josie looked between them, waiting for a moment to cut in. "You think this is about Nathan?" Peyton snapped and Brooke gave her a look and Peyton scoffed. "You're not even close! You're not even in the neighborhood of close!" Peyton retorted. "Okay, then what's wrong?" Brooke asked as Josie stepped up beside her.

"What's wrong is how pointless all of this is!" Peyton responded. "Stop saying that!" Brooke begged. "No, because it's true!" Peyton exploded and the basketball team looked over and Josie shared a look with Richie. "What difference does it make if you sleep with a popular guy, or if you go to the right party, or you know the moves to some moronic cheer to do at some lame-ass game I could care less about!" she continued, throwing her pom-poms in Brooke's face before storming off.

"I'll check on her." Josie said to Brooke softly, who nodded before Josie jogged after Peyton. "Pey!" she shouted and her friends turned around, and shouted but Josie hugged her tightly, and Peyton rested her head on Josie's shoulder. "I know todays' hard, but I know you, you'll get through it, because you're not alone." she said, pulling back and Peyton gave her a weak smile. "Thanks. For remembering." she said, and Josie smiled before heading back into the gym.

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The next day, Josie was sitting outside in the courtyard when Nathan sat in front of her. "What do you want?" she asked. "Have you heard from Peyton?" he asked, and she narrowed her eyes. "Now you care?" she asked, and he sighed. "Josie." he said, "I haven't no. last i saw her was when she stormed out of the gym." she responded. "Why do you wanna know?" she asked. "'Cause she's not at school." he said, and she nodded.

"I know. You know what this week is right?" she asked, and he shook his head. "Her mom's death anniversary is this week." she explained he sighed. "She'll be back. Just let her grieve." she said before packing up her stuff before stopping, looking at him. "Also. I heard Hales is tutoring you." she said and he nodded. "If you hurt her, I'll hurt you." she said before walking off.

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"Hi." Josie said, standing in Richie's bedroom doorway. He looked up from his book to see his girlfriend. "Hey, what's up?" he asked, closing the book. "I thought we could skip the father vs. son basketball game, and watch some movies and eat junk food instead." she responded, holding up the bag of food she had gotten from Karen's Cafe.

He smiled, and nodded his head and Josie walked and joined him on his bed, cuddling into her side. "What movie first?" he asked, and she shrugged. "Up to you. I don't mind." she responded, and he smirked. "My pick? Wow." he joked and she laughed as he got up and put on the first friday the 13th before sitting back beside Josie. "Thank you for this." he said, kissing the crown of her head. "Don't thank me. I know you always hate watching the fathers vs. son game, so I thought we'd do something else." she said, smiling at him, and a thought hit him so suddenly.

She was it. She was the love of his life, and he didn't care they were only sixteen. He kissed her suddenly, making her gasp and they kissed before they pulled away, and she tilted her head, "What was that for?" she asked, and he shrugged. "Nothing. Just that I love you." he said, and she smiled wide. "I love you more." she said before she rested her head on his chest, and they watched the movie, and ate some junk food.

⎯ AUTHORS NOTE
new chapter <3 | short chapter, because it was mostly focused on Peyton, and plus Richie didn't play the fathers vs. sons basketball game but i loveeeee Richie & Josie