Hey everyone! This is my first time posting an NH story so please go easy on me. This story is completely AU.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Mark Schwann and the CW. I take no credit for any of the characters or the basic storyline.
The title of my story belongs to the song "Everything" by Lifehouse, and the song used in the following chapter is called "You and me" and is by the same artist.

Chapter 1

She was the picture of perfection, standing on stage in front of all her classmates who gazed up at her with mixed expressions of awe and envy. She knew she looked beautiful, in her strapless short white dress, her long blonde locks cascading past her shoulders. The glittering crown that had just been placed on her delicate head matched her dazzling wide smile.

To nameless bystanders, Haley James looked happy. After all, she had just won the title of Prom Queen – confirming her status as Tree Hill's most popular student. She also happened to have one of the highest GPA's in the entire school, also scoring her the position of head tutor. She was also a part of the cheerleading squad and still managed to help the school out with various charity events.

To everyone in school, Haley James wasn't just the picture of perfection – she was perfection. Her unwavering kindness, unique style and bright smile led everyone to believe that she had nothing to complain about. That she was a hundred and ten percent completely happy.

He had reason to believe otherwise. Because when he gazed up at her, he looked past her impeccable dress, her shiny crown and her glittering smile. Because for some reason, her honey brown eyes did not sparkle like her smile did. Instead her eyes were dull, despite the makeup her best friend had probably spent hours applying. It was as if the spark that had once been there had suddenly been extinguished.

So it was not her smile that made Nathan Scott think of Haley James day in and day out. Nor was it her fantastic tutor skills or her ability to look great in a cheerleading uniform.

It was her eyes that intrigued Nathan the most. And even though he had never uttered more then two or three words to her, he couldn't help always staring at her in class or during lunch. More then anything, Nathan yearned to make her eyes shine again.

Although he had no idea why.

So now here he was - donned in his tux at prom, amidst the rest of his classmates as he watched her accept the title of Prom Queen. Only he had been so caught up in staring at her that he hadn't realized that everyone around him had been staring at him.

"Nate, man, you're Prom King!" his best friend, Tim Smith, yelled from beside him.

"Oh right" Nathan replied, dodging Tim who had opened his arms in hope of a hug. He jogged between the crowd and finally up on stage where the principal placed his own crown on top of his head while the crowd yelled their appreciation.

Nathan grabbed the microphone off the stand and smirked as he listened to the catcalls from a bunch of girls.

"Thanks. Give me a call" he called out to a group of girls who were jumping up and down for him.

"Alright, thank you Mr. Scott" the principal, Mr. Turner, said as he snatched the microphone back with a look of disapproval. "Now, it's time for our mandatory Prom Queen and King dance. Ms. James, Mr. Scott…if you'll please…"

Nathan held out his hand to Haley who hesitated for a second before she put her hand in his. He couldn't help noticing that despite how large his hand was and how small her hand was they just seemed to fit.

He led her down the steps and to the dance floor just as You and me by Lifehouse began playing. Slowly, they began dancing to the soft, sweet music and Nathan couldn't help looking down at Haley whose gaze seemed to be focused on her feet.

"I'm not going to step on your feet, you know"

"Huh?" she looked up, distracted and shook her head slightly as if to get rid of the daze. "Right, sorry".

"For what?" Nathan asked, his cocky smile firmly in place.

"Nothing" Haley replied, gazing out into the crowd. "I hate how everyone's just staring at us".

"We're Prom Queen and King. They're meant to. You know, envy us and everything".

"What's there to envy?" she asked, letting out a small sigh.

"Whoa, where's miss perky I-love-the-world Haley James?" Nathan asked, shocked to see a different side to her. The Haley James he had always observed was always so optimistic and positive.

"She's taking a break, she'll be back at ten" she quipped sarcastically, a wry smile on her face.

He let out a short laugh before recovering and replanting his cocky smile back on his face.

"And will you stop looking at me like?" she went on.

"Like what?"

"Like I'm some kind of meat you want to devour" she answered, her eyes darting around at the crowd still watching them. "I know tons of girls gush about your smirk but I think it's a cheap excuse".

"A cheap excuse for what?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"To hide your non-existent smile" she replied simply, "I've noticed you know…you never seem to really smile. You're either always frowning, or you're disguising your non existent smiles with smirks".

"So you've been looking?" he asked and he watched her cheeks redden slightly in embarrassment.

"Don't flatter yourself" she said, recovering quickly. When he simply gazed down at her in response, she dropped his hands and moved away from him. "I think our dance is over".

He watched as she walked away from him. Other couples began to dispense on the dance floor but he paid them no heed. He was too caught up in staring at the blonde with the sparkling crown, wide smile and brown eyes.

And he still wanted to know more.

And it's you and me and all other people

And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you