A/N: So, a new story for a friend's birthday. You know who you are. It's actually tomorrow, but said person couldn't wait so I am posting it now.
Warning: Lucas is seriously out of character in this story, but I had to make him like that because I never have before and I wanted this story to work so there.
Chapter One: Changed
"In life there are moments that lead us to a crossroad. When that happens you have one of two choices, you can either take the road that's straight, a road that's good or you can take that turn to the bad road, a road with many bumps that never seem to end. When you come to that crossroad which will you chose."
When Samantha Walker met Brooke Davis she thought her nightmares of bad parents and horrible foster homes were finally over, that her nightmare was finally over. For awhile, it was.
It took them time to warm up to each other but when they did it was hard to tell that Sam wasn't actually Brooke's child, they were that close.
The adoption papers were started and everything looked great until one day a letter addressed to Sam showed up. That letter changed the rest of their lives.
Rebecca Dennis had given her daughter up at birth. She took Sam from Brooke and got her daughter back.
Brooke and Sam had no idea what a world they were getting into the moment Brooke let Sam step off of her doorstep.
It was another Monday morning and Sam was happy that it had finally come. Most kids would hate for Monday to roll around because that meant their weekend was over. For Sam, her weekends consisted of bruises.
"Samantha, get up!"
"I'm up."
Sam slowly sits up in bed and gets out of it. She walks towards the full length mirror and she slowly but carefully lifts up her shirt. Purple bruises marred her pale skin.
"Samantha!"
Sam changes as fast as she can without adding any more pain to her already pain filled body.
"Tree Hill High, here I come."
"You better hide those bruises you hear?" Rebecca says as soon as Sam walks into the kitchen. When she didn't get an answer she took the closest thing to her and threw it at Sam's head. Lucky for Sam this time it was a spoon. Sam looks up and nods her head.
"Yeah, I will"
"Good, I don't need anybody getting into my business."
Sam snorts internally. No you wouldn't want anyone to charge you with child abuse.
"Go on, get out of here. Eddie's coming over and I don't need the likes of you here when he does."
"Whatever," Sam says before grabbing her bag and walking out of the kitchen and leaving the house. She was happy to get out of there.
-Complications of the Heart-
Haley James Scott was sitting in the chair across from the new Principal, Leslie Winters.
"How does it feel to be back here Haley?"
"Honestly, like when I first started teaching. I guess I just don't understand why you want me back. I was fired you know."
Leslie laughs and nods her head letting her blonde hair fall into her face.
"Principal Rimkus had no right to do that. She didn't follow procedure and ended up firing the most well liked and successful teacher."
Haley blushes.
"I wouldn't say that."
"Haley, your students' test scores beat out all the other students' scores in the English department by a landslide."
"How can that be? It was the same curriculum."
"I don't know, but whatever you did it was working and hopefully you can do it again."
Haley nods her head with a smile.
"I hope so too."
Leslie hands Haley her class roster and Haley silently goes through it, looking at the familiar names when one stood out from the rest.
"Why is Samantha Walker in my freshman class? She's a sophomore," Leslie nods her head.
"She failed. Unfortunately, she didn't have the grade required to move on."
"Is it just in English?"
Leslie shakes her head.
"No it was all of her classes. She missed more school days then she attended as well."
"It's only been a year. What happened to her?" Haley whispers.
"Haley, I don't know your relationship with this student, but maybe you can fill me in here because I'm pretty sure she was the student you stuck up for."
"She was and she's my niece, or she would've been." Leslie raises an eyebrow. Haley continues. "She was my best friend's foster daughter. She was going to be a Davis."
Leslie nods her head in understanding. She understood now.
"Well hopefully now she can get back on track."
"Let's hope."
-Complications of the Heart-
Aria O'Malley was running late for school. The brown haired seventeen year olds alarm hadn't gone off and Aria was mad that she was running late. She had quickly thrown on her Raven's jersey and a pair of jeans and got into her car. Fifteen minutes later and she was running into the school. Only then did she realize that the day was a late start day and classes didn't start for another hour so the halls were pretty empty except for one other student.
Aria walked to her locker and started going through it. She was a few lockers away from the girl who seemed to be staring into space. Aria has worn that face before.
"Did you forget about the late start today?"
Sam turned her head to look at Aria.
"No, I just needed to get away."
"I know the feeling."
Sam shakes her head.
"No, you don't."
Aria writes something on a post-it-note in her locker. She takes the notes, shuts her locker and confronts Sam hoping not to come on to strong.
"I know more than you think," Sam raises an eyebrow, but Aria keeps talking. "I know that you're wearing long sleeves when it's not cold out, probably to hide the bruises on your arm. I also know that you can't hide the bruises for long.
Sam looked horrified.
"Y-you don't know what you're talking about?"
Aria shrugs her shoulders.
"Maybe I do, maybe I don't, but just in case you do believe me," Aria hands the post-it-note to Sam, "Call me Sam."
"How do you know my name?"
"I loved your article last year. You've got talent. I'll see you around Sam."
-Complications of the Heart-
Haley walked into her old classroom with a slight smile on her face. Ever since she was fired last year things had changed for her. She recorded a new album, went on tour, lost her mom to cancer, Nathan was back in school finishing up his last credits for his degree in order to work with Clay and Jamie was getting older each day. But through it all her mind went to Sam from time to time. She worried about that girl.
Sam had become a member of her family really quickly. When Sam had left, Brooke had told her that she had given Sam everyone's number. Haley was still waiting for a phone call.
The bell rang and students filed into her classroom. It was the third month into the year, but it didn't matter for Haley. She was just glad to be back. The last student to arrive was Sam. Sam nodded her head at her in recognition, but otherwise didn't talk. She took a seat in the back of her classroom. Haley sighed. Sam didn't belong in a freshman class.
"I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. Mr. Anders retired and I'm here to take his place. Let's get started, shall we?"
When the bell singled at the end of class Haley was hoping to talk to Sam. But Sam had made it a mission not to talk so she was the first one out of the classroom. Haley would just have to talk to Sam tomorrow.
-Complications of the Heart-
Sam walked into her house and instantly regretted it. Things were being thrown and she knew Rebecca was in one of her fits. Sam was hoping to get to her room without being seen, but all hope went out the window when Sam saw something fly at her head. Sam ducked in time before a plate hit the wall and broke into pieces.
"Pick up this mess," Rebecca slurred as she made her way over to Sam.
"You're drunk Rebecca, sleep it off," Sam regretted those words the moments she felt the slap. Sam brought her hand to her cheek and brought it back down. There was blood. Rebecca's ring caught Sam's skin when she was backhanded.
"I'm your mother now start calling me that."
Sam shakes her head.
"A mother doesn't hit her child."
Rage enveloped Rebecca as she wrapped her hands around Sam's throat. Sam was clawing her nails into Rebecca's skins, but it didn't help. When Rebecca sees Sam's eye start to close she lets go and Sam slides down the wall and onto the broken glass. Sam gasps for air. Her breathing ragged due to the lack of oxygen.
"Don't cross me."
Rebecca leaves the room and Sam's tears start to fall. She couldn't take it anymore. The attacks were getting worse. It had never used to be like that for them. The sixth month mark was the first attack. She was only hit after making a sarcastic remark. Rebecca apologized and Sam never made a sarcastic remark again, until the attacks became more frequent. Then she didn't care.
Sam gets up from the floor and moves to her room slowly. She took the post-it-note from her pocket and placed it on her bedside table. Sam pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
"I need you."