Peyton brushed her soft blonde curls and tied it up in a high ponytail. It has been exactly two weeks since she has gotten suspended from Tree Hill. It wasn't her fault she wanted to stand up for what she believed in. The last two weeks went by fast considering the fact that she was missing a lot of school.

FLASHBACK:

Peyton stood standing there and saw Jake walking slowly towards her. He hadn't seen the cocaine and so he didn't understand why she was talking with an older guy so secretly. Peyton was so relieved to see Jake again. She had been thinking about him a lot lately.

"Jake." Peyton voice was a lot quieter than she had intended it to be. "How have you been?"

"Good, confused…lonely." Jake looked down nervously. Peyton decided to walk with him and so they talked and walked all night long. He told her all about Jenny and how she is being taken care of by his mother and Peyton told him about being suspended. Jake dropped Peyton back home around twelve at night and that was the last she saw of him but he promised he would be in touch.

The next week went by even faster because her dad came home and was throwing many business parties, none of which Peyton had enjoyed. Peyton was running around helping him set up the parties and so it took a lot of time and energy. The school had phoned and told her that she could come back and Peyton was relieved. She didn't mean to get in that much trouble. She saw Anna a couple of times but tried to ignore her. Anna was so fake towards Peyton, she would only be her friend in private and when it came to school she would completely ignore her. Not a real friend to Peyton and she had Haley and Brooke and so she certainly didn't need a fake friend to ruin her reputation.

END FLASHBACK

Peyton walked into the school she hardly knew anymore and when she first looked at it, it looked the same. She casually looked down when she passed by the principal. Walking into the cafeteria, things had changed a lot. Brooke and Felix were flirting by her locker and Lukas was watching looking depressed. Nathan was talking to Tim and Haley was nowhere to be seen. Peyton walked up to Lukas.

"Lukas, I'm back. I just wanted to apologize for that day, when you came over to my place and I was a total jerk to you. I'm really sorry and I do want us to be friends." Peyton mumbled and looked at Lukas who was half paying attention to her.

"Yeah. Sure. Whatever. We're friends." Lukas was still staring at Brooke and Felix. Nathan walked up to her and gave her a big bear hug.

"Peyton. I really need to talk to you." Nathan looked hurt and as if he hadn't slept in days. His eyes were still a beautiful blue but there were dark circles under them and his hair was tossed and he was frowning which Nathan hardly ever did.

"Sure Nathan. What is it?"

"It's Haley. She left me." Peyton's jaw dropped about five inches. She hadn't seen Haley around but she had never expected this.

"What?" Peyton tried to think of what to say but that was all that came out of her mouth. Nathan looked down and his eyes filled with tears and he pretended that something was in his eye. She could see right through him. The bell rang and everyone around her got their books and headed off to class, Nathan stood there trying to compose himself. "When's the last you heard from her?"

"Um… about two weeks ago." Nathan said and coughed as if to clear his throat. "Look, Peyton I just want to know she's okay. I don't care if she leaves me and that she hates me… the most important thing is that she's safe and happy." Peyton took a deep breath and nodded her head.

"What do you want me to do? Call her?" Nathan looked at her with those beautiful blue eyes and then looked down.

"Um… do whatever you think you should do. I don't know anymore. She wouldn't answer her phone but maybe she just didn't want to talk to me. Peyt, you have to believe me… I would never hurt her and if anyone tried to hurt her, I just…" Nathan trailed off and Peyton didn't know what he was getting at.

"Nathan, go home. Get some rest. I'll find Haley and bring her home."