Chapter 1 – Accidents aren't always a bad thing

"Jamie," Haley yelled towards her son, "Grab your lunch and get in the car." Haley Scott couldn't help but smile as she saw her son running towards the car, a bagel stuffed in his mouth. It seemed as if though it was only yesterday she was in high school. Now her son was in his junior year.

"Sorry," Jamie mumbled out, "forgot my stuff." Jamie's dirty blonde hair framed his face giving him the appearance of having just woken up. Haley nodded as she started to back out of the driveway.

"Don't worry about it. We just have to pick up your cousin," Haley replied as she started to drive towards her brother-in-law's home. As she drove, Haley couldn't help but steal a glance at her son. Only 10 years ago he was running around the house wearing a flaming red cape. That cape now lay discarded, along with his other "childish" toys, and replaced with a brand new Ipod.

"So," Haley tried to stimulate conversation, "First day of junior year. Excited?" Jamie shrugged. That seemed to be the only thing he did, that and basketball. Unlike her mother-in-law, Haley never doubted her son's love of basketball. She knew that Jamie was playing for himself, not for his father.

They drove the rest of the way in silence. These were the moments when Haley missed her little boy the most. When Jamie was young she never thought the house would become filled with his silence. She barely heard him talk to her, while she often heard him taking with Nathan. She knew it was their shared love of basketball that brought them together. Sadly, the only thing that drew her and Jamie together was school.

Haley honked as she pulled into Lucas Scott's driveway. She saw the red door swing open, and her nephew bound out. Although Michael was not her biological nephew, she loved him all the same. Michael's dark black hair mirrored that of his adoptive mother, but his chocolaty eyes separated him from his family. Before Brooke had married Lucas, she had adopted a little boy the same age as James. Everyone had adored him, and Lucas soon became Michael's fatherly figure. Soon Lucas was his father.

"Hey Aunt Haley," Michael said politely. James tried to hide the family smirk. Michael was only polite whenever adults were around. Just like the rest of their friends, Michael was a partier at heart.

"Hey to you too," Haley replied, "Please tell me your excited. Jamie refuses to tell me anything." Jamie rolled his eyes as Michael continued to casually chat with his mother. Staring out the window, he could see the outline of his school forming in the distance. In less than five minutes, Haley had parked in her usual spot. James and Michael pilled out quickly, grabbing their stuff and hastily sayng good-bye. Haley stayed behind to pull her things out of the trunk, and watched her son run off.

"So," Michael started slowly, "Finally going to get her." They both knew who her was. Her was Jamie's best friend. Alicia Bennet had met Jamie in kindergarten. By fifth grade they were inseperable. By high schools, the rumors spread about the two of them seemed to fill the hallways.

"I wasn't going to get her at all," Jamie rolled his eyes, "For the last time. We're not in love, we're just friends." Michael laughed as Alicia came up behind them. Alicia's shining black hair seemed to catch the attention of every boy they walked past, causing Jamie to tense up. He didn't know what had happened, but the summer before sophomore year Alicia had changed. She had discarded her soccer ball for lip gloss, which had caused temporary discomfort between the three of them.

"Oh god," Alicia laughed, "Please don't bring that up. I would like to forget the horrors of freshman year. Try walking down the hall being called Mrs. James Scott. I don't even know who came up with that." Michael shrugged. Secretly, he had carved that into one of the bathroom stalls. Within a week the name had taken over.

"Ah," Michael speculated, "That would be no fun."

"Just wait," Alicia threatened, "I'm going to give you hell when you find a girlfriend."

"I do have a girlfriend," Michael said quieter than before. Taylor Clawton had been his girlfriend for two years. After pining for her for over 4 years, he finally gathered the courage to ask her out. At first it was exhilirating, but after a couple of months it became dull. Taylor was nothing like he expected, and an on again – off again relationship soon formed.

"I said girl," Alicia spat out, "Not whorefriend." James looked at her feinging anger. It wasn't a secret that Alicia and Jamie despised Taylor. No matter how hard they tried, Taylor would do or say something insulting.

"Come on," Michael stated, "She's really not that bad." Before Alicia could reply, Taylor had arrived. Wrapping her arms around Michael, she snuggled in, not noticing the hesitancy by Michael.

"Hey you," Taylor whispered into his ear. Alicia grabbed Jamie's arm and took this as her cue to leave. "Finally, I never tought they'd leave." She wrapped her arm around his and started to prattle on about how her summer had been. He only tuned back in when Taylor started kissing him.

"Taylor not now," Michael said he pushed her away from him. Taylor looked at him surprised. She shrugged her shoulders and walked off. "Taylor." She continued walking and slipped into one of the classrooms.

"Damn it," he mumbled as the bell rang. He started to run towards his class room. As he turned the corner, he collided with another moving object.

"That hurt," she rubbed her head, "Sorry about that by the way."

"Same," Michael replied as he mirrored her actions. Mentally kicking himself as he started picking up his things, which had scattered themselves along the hallway. Coming across a couple of items which weren't his, he finally started at the girl across from him. There was no doubt that he was stunned. Unlike Taylor's usual blonde hair, her black curls bounched up and down as she picked up her things.

"Michael," he stammered out as they exchanged things.

"Anisha," she said with disgust, "I really hate that name. I go by Minnie. It fits." In fact it did fit. She was unusually short and only reached Michael's shoulder. He nodded.

"I haven't seen you around here," Michael started as they walked away. Minnie giggled. "What?"

"I've gone to school with you since the third grade," she laughed. Michael stared sheepishly at the ground. "Where are you going?"

Checking his schedule briefly, "Biology AP."

"Same," she said as they started to walk towards their class, "Who would have known the infamous basketball star was a science geek?"

"Funny," Michael replied sarcastically, "and I'm not a science geek. I just need an AP class. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm going to fail."

"Not if you give up the life of partying and beer for a life of studying,"

"That's never going to happen," he laughed, "It's way to hard." They paused outside their classroom door, and continued to chat casually. Suddenly the door burst open, and they faced their teacher.

"Were you two planning on joining us," their teacher asked menacingly. They glanced at each other and rushed in. Acquiring two seats in the back, they tried miserably to avoid the glances people were giving them. Michael and Minnie were from two completely different social circles. Michael's jock lifestyle clashed horribly with Minnie's geek lifestyle. Once the glances finally died down, they were able to pass notes back and forth.

Great, you got me in trouble

Not my fault you knocked into me.

That was sarcasm you dimwit.

Michael tried to supress a laugh. Unlike most girls, Minnie wasn't one for bottling up her opinions.

I knew that. Actually, I'm more worried about getting an A in this class.

Well, maybe if you stopped passing notes…

You started it.

That was mature.

Yes, yes it was.

Anyway, insert me laughing and rolling my eyes, if you really need help I could tutor you. Science is like my passion.

I thought that was rude comments.

Once again, real mature.

Actualy, I'll take you up on that offer.

I'm free anyday but Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Aren't you busy? insert smirk here

Hey, I have debate and Science Olympiad. Some of us have to get into college based on grades.

That hurt.

It was supposed too.

Michael paused as his teacher suddenly started teaching. Folding the note and placing it in his pocket, he started to take notes. He hoped that Minnie hadn't noticed, but she was to busy taking notes as well. Smiling, he continued listening, or pretending to as he secretly listened to his Ipod. Maybe their accident hadn't been as bad as he thought.

A/N: Yay, I finished a chapter. Ten reviews another chapter. Plus, I always have a poll at the end. So…

Who should everyone be with?? Opinions on this question would be nice. : )