iris | one tree hill

8. truth, bitter truth

Brooke told Haley that she was going to the girl's apartment early to get things ready. Haley couldn't imagine what Brooke Davis had planned.

Chris Keller returned and handed the address to Haley, then looked at Emma.

"How's the new demo going?" Chris Keller asked, causing Brooke and Haley to look at Emma.

Emma sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"Complicated." Emma said. "The instrumental is all messed up." Emma confessed.

"I can help you." Chris Keller offered.

Emma laughed and looked at him.

"Of course. With all the goodness in your heart." Emma scoffed.

"Emma, it's a good song. I managed to help reduce the price of studio time for you, didn't I?" Chris Keller said.

Emma had gone to see Chris Keller with Ethan after Tric's opening night. The boy had helped her reduce the price of the time she spent in the studio, since she had called her father, Larry, to ask for financial help. Larry said it would be one of the best investments he'd ever made, and he was happy to see his daughter pursuing her dream.

"Okay." Emma agreed.

"At the studio in an hour. Deal?" Chris said to the girl.

Emma agreed, and as soon as she left the CD store with Haley and Brooke. She explained what was going on.

The three girls went to Haley and Nathan's apartment and found the boys ready to leave.

Ethan came up to Emma and hugged her.

"I'm going to miss you, Pompons." Ethan murmured to the girl, then took advantage of their closeness and kissed her.

"Hey, I'm going to the studio soon. Chris offered to help me with the instrumental of the song." Emma told the boy.

Ethan sighed and stroked his girlfriend's cheek with his thumb.

"Okay. And what else are your plans for while I'm away, Pompons?" Ethan asked, trying not to think about his girlfriend alone with a guy he didn't trust.

"Brooke got Haley to agree to a slumber party." Emma said, smiling.

"A girls' night?" Ethan asked, Emma nodded.

Ethan finished saying goodbye to Emma, said his goodbyes to Brooke and Haley and sat in the back seat of the car, since Nathan was going to drive, leaving Luke to sit in the passenger seat.

Emma heard Brooke scold Haley for not telling her that she was going to spend some time alone in the studio with Chris Keller. Emma looked at Haley and asked.

"Why didn't you tell him, Hales?"

"I don't know." Haley said. "Did you tell Ethan?" Haley asked.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" Emma asked. "I know Ethan doesn't like the guy, and he doesn't trust him. Lying to him would break the trust he has in me." Emma explained.