Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters; Mark Schwahn and other OTH writers created them. The title is from an OTH quote “This is all turning into a big love rectangle, plus one.” – Brooke Davis, season 1, Every night is another story.

This chapter is dedicated to Serena, as she inspired me to write my own fanfiction. It is based on my University, in Australia, as I have no idea what ones in the US are like. I decided to change Haley’s name to Hayley just because I can.

Hayley James was excited. She was about to start her first semester at Uni and was looking forward to making new friends, experiencing new surroundings and having more freedom and responsibility.

She wasn’t happy that her summer holidays hadn’t been as exciting as they usually were. Especially since she had to wait so much longer for uni to start, and she missed seeing her school friends everyday. But it was time for a change, a new adventure which she was really looking forward to.

--

Brooke Davies was a typical party girl. She has spent most of her summer holidays out clubbing where she met numerous university boys. Brooke was definitely looking forward to the uni lifestyle, especially since she found out there was a bar on campus!

Today, she had made a deal with her friend Hayley. She would attend O-Week and spend the day learning their way around the uni, joining various clubs and societies and spending money on the market stalls, but only if Hayley accompanied her to O-Party that night. Hayley, not being much of a drinker agreed to the deal, if they left before 2 am.

--

Lucas Scott was not looking forward to seeing his little brother at uni. They were only 10 months apart, and Lucas as the older brother wished his parents had waited another 5 months before having a second child. That way the two boys could at least have been in different years at school. But instead Lucas would tease his younger brother calling him an unwanted pregnancy, a mistake.

Karen and Dan had no idea why the two boys couldn’t just get along, it would have made all of their lives so much easier. Yet when they divorced 3 years ago, the bad relationship between the boys made it easier on the family. Karen took Lucas, Dan took Nathan and the two haven’t seen each other for years… until now.

--

Nathan was just as excited as Lucas at the idea of attending the same uni… almost to the point of not going. Dan, however was not thrilled with this idea and threatened to disown his son if Nathan didn’t go to uni and get an education. “Besides,” His father had said, “It’s a big enough campus that the odds of ever seeing him are very slim.”

Nathan spent a bit of time thinking about this and decided he wasn’t going to let his brother ruin his university experience. He was going to enjoy the uni life of drinking, girls and procrastination.

--

Hayley heard the ‘beep beep’ of Brooke’s car. She grabbed her bag, ran out the door and hopped in Brooke’s bright red Yaris. The girl’s sang along to old spice girls songs, with the car windows down, enjoying the wind in their hair and sun on their faces as they made their way to the University campus.

Brooke quickly found a parking spot, narrowly missing the car that was about to reverse in. The two girls headed down the path ignoring the shouting obscenities from the angry driver. (as the girls were far to mature to respond with ‘you snooze you lose,’ or ‘finders, keepers, buddy.’)

“So where to first?” Brooke asked.

Hayley opened her campus map and navigated their way down to the market stalls near the Unibar.

“Excellent, the Unibar! It’s already open. Come on Hayls…”

“Brooke, it’s barely even lunch time. You promised we would check out everything else first!”

“Ahh ok fine. But we’re having lunch here later.” She replied, waving at a boy she vaguely recognised from hooking up with last week.

Hayley quickly agreed and dragged Brooke off to the clubs and societies stand to decide what she should join.

--

Lucas Scott pulled into the parking lot with his girlfriend Peyton Sawyer.

“So how about we go our separate ways and just meet up for lunch?” Lucas suggested.

“Sounds good.” Peyton replied. She pecked her boyfriend on the lips and he watched her head down the path in front of him while he locked the car.

“Damn, she has great legs.” He thought to himself, and smiling, Lucas headed off to his faculty building.

--

Nathan arrived at the entrance to the university campus. He had taken the bus in as his car was still at the mechanic shops getting repaired. Nathan had had the unpleasant experience of a collision with a driver not following stop sign rules.

He met up with his friends Tim and Antwon aka Skills at the Unibar.

“So what should we check out first?” Skills asked.

“Do they have a good basketball program here?” Nathan asked semi-rhetorically. The boys all equally interested in shooting hoops headed over to the ‘URAC’ stall to find out about sporting teams.

“What’s URAC?” Tim asked.

“University recreation and aquatic centre.” Nathan replied rolling his eyes as this was printed on a sign right in front of them.

--

“Hayley, seriously, how are you going to find the time to actually have a social life with all these clubs you’ve joined?” Brooke asked with raised eyebrows at the sight of all the ‘showbags’ Hayley was holding.

“Brooke, they are social clubs. You meet new people with similar interests to you and you don’t have to get drunk just to have fun.” Hayley replied.

“I have no idea why we’re friends.” Brooke replied.

“It’s because you love me.” Hayley replied, giving her friend a cheesy grin.

Brooke laughed, putting her arms around Hayley’s shoulder they walked on. “So, I’ve always been wondering… do you think they have cheerleading teams here like they do in all American TV shows?” Brooke asked.

“I don’t know, but I know where we can find out.” Hayley replied, indicating the URAC sign.

--

Lucas sat through the most boring lecture of his life. It was supposed to inspire him to work hard and get good marks in his work, but all he could think about was Peyton and the great night they spent together the night before. Lucas’ mind wandered far too much during that hour, which resulted with a few crazy looks from the guys sitting next to him.

Finally the old guy finished speaking and they were allowed out. Lucas immediately ran into his mates Jake and Mouth, this would have been ok if it wasn’t that he had just wanted to find Peyton and spend some private time with her… but that fantasy was now squashed.

“Heading to the Unibar for lunch?” Jake asked.

“Yeah, I’m meeting Peyton there too.” Lucas replied.

--

“Uni girls are so much hotter than high school girls.” Tim commented looking over at two girls who had just walked up to the URAC stall.

“They always have been.” Nathan said not looking up, “So are you guys putting your name down for the basketball tryouts?”

“Tryouts? Yo dude I don’t do tryouts.” Skills said.

“What, scared you won’t make it in?” Nathan teased.

“What? Hell no! Give me that damn pen.” Skills replied, scribbling his name down beneath Nathan’s.

--

“Uni guys are so much hotter during daylight hours.” Brooke commented gazing over at a group of guys near the basketball section. She gave a wink to the one guy who was looking in her direction.

Hayley rolled her eyes, “Glad you finally realised that, something I have known for quite a while.”

“Have you even seen a guy who is sloshed just as much as you are, between the hours of 12 and 2?” Brooke asked rhetorically, “Well judging by the look on your face, and the fact that I know you so well says that you haven’t. But tonight my friend that will all change, we will be finding you a real man. Even if it’s just to get that dopey Prince Charming idea out of your head.”

“Hm, we’ll see.” Hayley replied.