Summary: They were best friend. They did everything together, until the day he joined the basketball team. From that day onward, slowly their friendship started to fade, as his popularity and status took over, until a betrayal the day before she moves ends everything they once had, and cutting all ties in between them. But what happens when fate makes their paths cross once again? Naley.

A/N: Hey everyone, this is my very first story! and as you can all tell, it's a Naley, so please feel free to correct me if i make any mistakes. Anyways thanks, and I hope you guys like it! Please tell me what you think and Review!

Disclaimer: I do not own one tree hill or any of the characters, except for the storyline.

(2 1/2 years ago) December 2005 (Freshman year of highschool)

She walked home all alone.

She shivered slightly as she felt the cool breeze hit her left shoulder, as her mind wandered about. It was dark already, and with the exception of a stray cat that had just ran across the street, there was not a single soul on the road. She passed a black escalade as she approached her house, and she saw the lights on, meaning that her family must be home. Funny how despite her loneliness, she didn't feel like seeing them right now, so instead, she continued walking down the quiet neighbourhood road where she lived in.

She strolled down a few more blocks, until she heard the faint sound of what must have been music. 'Must be another party ' she thought to herself. As she turned round the corner, the music got louder, and soon enough she realised she was nearing to the house were the party was being held. She could definitely tell it was a high school party by the blaring rap music being played, and also by the fact that this house belonged to one of the wealthiest families in town, and coincidentally to the schools "queen bitch", Rachel Gattina.

She felt a little hurt by the fact that she wasn't exactly number one on people's lists for parties, but then again, she didn't exactly run with this crowd. In fact, with the exception of a few kids she tutored which she had acquainted herself with, and her best friend, she didn't really have anyone else.

However, as she neared the house, she saw as a familiar convertible speed past her and hastily park in front of the house entrance. As she squinted her eyes, she couldn't believe what her eyes saw. Her jaw dropped and she suddenly felt dizzy. Her best friend had just climbed out of the car, with Brooke Davis, also known as the captain cheer sluts, as they held hands and kissed, before entering the party. She just stood there, as she hid behind a near by tree, with tears welling up in her eyes, threatening to spill out. She was hurt, deeply hurt. Her best friend had just lied to her. She had asked him earlier today during their tutoring session if they could hang out, like in the old days, and watch a movie, but he said he couldn't, telling her that he had promised his dad he would have a father-son dinner with him. Despite that funny little feeling she felt deep in her stomach, and her intuition screaming to her that it was all lie, that they were drifting a part, or actually that he was distancing himself from her since he now had new friends and was considered the new 'hot man on campus', she had believed him. Or did she really? Maybe she just wanted to believe something that wasn't real anymore, just for the sake of hanging on to something which meant the world to her. Something which was slowly disappearing as each day passed. Something which she had been naive enough to think was unbreakable. That something was their friendship.

But boy was she wrong. He didn't exactly seem to look guilty about lying to her. In fact, he seemed pretty damn happy as he held that sluts hand and walked into the party. She felt a deep ache in her heart, as slowly her back slowly slid down against the tree, and the tears which had been welling up were now freely flowing. She fell to her knees and sobbed.

No. Wait. What was she doing? No. She wasn't going to cry about this. She wasn't going to waste her tears over some jerk that didn't deserve her as a friend.

But today she was going to tell him something. Something that would probably change their lives forever, which she had just found out a few days ago, and which was going to happen by tomorrow. Something which she deemed a lot more important than going to a party with some slut and getting wasted.

But it was too late now. He had just chosen a new life over her, and she was about to do the same thing to him now.

But maybe he didn't deserve this. What about the previous 7 years of friendship? That must have meant something. No she couldn't do this. She decided she would just go to this house tomorrow before and tell him. After all, she owed him that after 7 years of being best friends. She owed him that…right?

Well he didn't seem to feel he owed anything to her after lying straight to her face. She knew this wasn't the first time he had lied to her when she asked if they could hangout. Lately in school, he avoided her, in the last few weeks however it had gotten worse, to the point where when they passed each other in the corridor and he'd either pretend he didn't see her, or give a brief wave and quickly walk away. And at lunch, he wouldn't go anywhere near their table anymore, leaving her to sit alone, and instead choosing to sit with his new friends. The only time he would talk to her was during their tutoring sessions, and even then, he wasn't as talkative as before. They hadn't hung out in ages, and he never seemed to want to catch a movie, or just hang by the park like they used to. It was almost as if he was ashamed of her, and their friendship.

As she sat at the bottom of the tree, all this thoughts racing through her mind, it suddenly hit her. They were no longer friends. They hadn't been friends in a long time, much less best friends. The day he joined the varsity basketball team, he dropped her like a stick and moved on.

Tonight had finally given her clarity of mind, despite how she was feeling. Tonight had not only made their situation clear, but it had finally confirmed the feelings she had ignored for a very long time. A feeling which would make her heart race and her stomach flutter every time she saw him. Tonight she finally listened to what her heart had been trying to tell her, in more than one way.

Tonight, after seeing him hold hands with Brooke, and walk into the party, she had realised what she had tried to ignore over the past 3 months. And what hurt the most, is that despite the way he had treated her...she still was good to him. In fact, she had still considered him her best friend.

Screw him and everything. She lifted herself up from the floor, wiped the tears off her cheeks. She was stronger that this. She was better than this. After all, she was Haley James, the smartest girl in her grade. She took one long glance at the house, where the music seemed to have quietened down a little, as a few passed out people were being carried out. She looked at her watch, it was 2am. She had just wasted four hours of her life under that tree, crying over something which would soon become something of the past.

As she turned back round, she decided to run home.

She was running away from him. Running away from this house. Running away from all this people. Running away from her feelings. Running away from the betrayal and the hurt.

But most importantly, tomorrow morning, she would be on a plane with her parents and her sister, on her way to the other side of the country, towards a new life, where she swore that she would change everything, and be what the opposite of what she had been here. She was going to find new friends, she was going to find herself, and most importantly, she was never going to let anyone hurt her this way again.

And today, Haley James was running away from her old life. Running away from this town. And running away from Nathan Scott. For good.