"Nathan! Please, wait!"

Door slam.

Standing there, staring at the door, I couldn't help but wonder 'Why does this keep happening?' Nathan Scott has been my best friend for as long as I can remember, well specifically Kindergarten. We actually met at the sandbox, near the high swings; I was building a sandcastle and…

"Ow!" I yelled as I turned around to pick up the small yellow truck that had just hit the back of my head. Next thing I knew, a short, black haired kid came running up to me.

"I'm so sorry!' he cried, 'I was aiming at this kid Damien, cause he was a pulling this little girls braids, and…and… I was, uh..." he went on rambling, very obviously on the verge of tears.

"Stop! It's okay!' I giggled 'I'm not even hurt see…" I stated, showing him the back of my head. I took his hands in mine, to settle them from shaking. He was definitely really upset that he might of hurt me and I was fine, so why should he be worrying? I stood up and stuck out my hand "Hi! I'm Haley James."

He smiled and took my hand, obviously relieved, he said, "Hi, I'm Nathan Scott, and I'm really really really happy that you are okay!" I giggled at his goofy grin and he dropped my hand stating, "you have a cute laugh."

I giggled again at his compliment, "TAG! Your it!" I yelled as I poked him in the back of the head.

"You better hope you can run fast, Haley James!" He screamed with a smirk, as he set out after me…

I sat down on the couch sighing. Why? Why are we always fighting now? I frowned, picking up the picture on the side table next to me. It was a picture of Nathan and me when we were 15; we were at Nathan's older brother, Tyler's, graduation. He was going to Stanford, to play football on a full scholarship. I remembered that day…

"Nathan? Are you in here?" I yelled as I entered the gym, my forehead creased with anxiety. Where could he be? Tyler's graduation started in 10 minutes. "NATHAN?" it was then that I heard someone exhale loudly. I whipped around and scanned the darkness until I spotted my best friend sitting up on the top bleachers; his eyes fixed on something in the distance. "Where the hell have you been, dumb ass!" I exclaimed, until I saw his face. He looked tired, actually exhausted. And his eyes… they were glazed over with despair, but not just despair, there was something else there, something that I couldn't quiet put my finger on… maybe disappointment? I immediately took a seat next to him and placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "Nate?" I asked tentatively. He closed his eyes and inhaled shakily. He always did that when he had his guard up. But I would be damned if I let him block me out. "Come on Nate, please. You can tell me anything, you're my best friend." I could tell that I had gotten to him then, because he turned to face me, and his eyes locked with mine. 'He definitely looks tired, I am making him take nap later…' I thought to myself.

"Dan." He said simply. It was then that I noticed what he was looking at before, because he turned back around to stare at it. It was Dan Scott's winning jersey, hanging up on the wall of the gym, in a big blue and white frame.

Dan Scott was Nathan's overbearing, rude, cruel, taunting, asshole of a father. He often was the cause of Nathan's stress and exhaustion. And I didn't blame him; Dan had been working Nathan especially hard lately, with his early morning and late night work out routines. Not to mention that Nathan also had rigorous basketball practice everyday. But that sure as hell wasn't enough for Dan Scott, his son didn't need a team, his son could do it all on his own, his son would be the best there was… or else.

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "What did he say?" I stated.

"The usual… how I'm never going to measure up, I'm weak inside, I have no real skill or determination-"

"Well he is wrong." I interrupted abruptly; I couldn't let him feel that way about himself.

"Maybe he isn't… maybe I will never measure up…maybe I am weak on the inside…" As fury sparked in my eyes, Nathan sighed heavily. "Never mind, just forget it, Hales"

"NO!' before I knew it I was standing up and screaming, 'he cannot talk to you that way, you sure as hell don't deserve it, Nathan!"

"SHH, Hales! Please don't say anything to him, just let it go."

"I cannot agree to that Nathan. No one talks to my best friend that way and gets away with it. ESPECIALLY, not you own dad!" He took my hands in his, like he had done many times before when we had this conversation.

He looked into my eyes, broken. "Hales. Please." He begged so quietly that I could barely hear him. The desperation in his eyes caught me off guard and I exhaled bitterly, pulled him up with me.

"Okay, Nate. But next time I'm going to kick your dad's ass, alright?" I stated looking him directly in the eyes.

"Okay" he said as a hint of a smile played on his lips. "Come on I don't want to miss Tyler, loser."

I chuckled, as he threw his arm around my shoulders, he always had a great way of diffusing a serious situation. "And… Nathan?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll always be here for you, always and forever."

I felt tears trickling down my face, but I didn't make a move to wipe them away. I felt like a bug. And all I wished was that someone would come along and squish me out of existence. Just than the doorbell rang, and I jumped up and threw the door open, hoping with all my heart that it was Nathan. My face fell however, when I saw my boyfriend of 11 months standing in front of me, with his arms crossed, and a harsh scowl on his face. Shit, be careful what you wish for.

"Oh… hi, Damien."