Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to OTH. If you do not recognize something in the story, then I probably made it up!
A/N – This is my first fan fiction, so please bear with me! Criticism and ideas on where to take this story is very welcome! All mistakes are mine.
Background information:
Everyone is a senior, as opposed to whatever age they are on the show.
Nathan and Lucas have a strong relationship; better than what it is on the show.
Haley sat back, pressing herself into the plush seat. She left him. She actually had the audacity to leave him. Half of Haley wanted to jump up and tell the bus driver to turn the bus back to Tree Hill so she could go home to her wonderful husband. The other half of her kept saying that this was the chance she need, and she would succeed with her music.
She looked over to the passenger sleeping in the seat next to her. What prompted her to just get up, and leave with him? Ever since she had first met Chris Keller, Haley knew that he liked her. She knew that he could be dangerous to her and Nathan's relationship. But she was also attracted to his mysterious and bad boy nature. Nathan had that, but love had changed him. She loved Nathan with all of her heart and she truly believed that they were soul mates. But the whole marriage deal was a little too much for her.
Haley wasn't as strong as people though her to be. She snapped just like anyone else. Her snapping point came when she realized that she wanted to pursue her music career and the only thing really holding her back was Nathan. Haley knew that Nathan supported her 100 but she knew that he really didn't like it when she would work with Chris. But she really did need Chris. She needed connections and he was the only one that she had.
She picked up her cell phone and scrolled through the numbers until she hit Nathan's cell. Her finger was poised above the send button but she couldn't push herself to press it. Nathan deserved an explanation, but she couldn't do it now. She slipped her phone back into her purse and leaned back in the seat, trying to get some sleep. She would think about everything else in the morning.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Nathan groggily sat up. He had fallen asleep sitting in his chair, unbelievable. He wiped the sleep out of his eyes and looked at the clock. 3:05 a.m. He stood up and walked around the apartment, holding onto a tiny shred of hope that Haley had come back home. He knew she didn't. If she had, she would have woken him up.
As the realization hit him, he sank down onto the sofa, not trusting his legs anymore. She was gone. He could feel it. Nathan knew that Haley had gone to find Chris to tell him that she wasn't going to work with him, but obviously Chris had been a better persuader.
Nathan felt torn between despair and anger. How could she leave him? He had given up so much for her. He had practically given up basketball so that she could pursue her singing career. He had changed, for the better, for her and this is how she repaid him? Nathan was so lost. He loved Haley more than anything in the world and that scared him. He would remember some mornings, when he woke up before Haley; he would just sit and stare at her sleep.
Did he do something wrong? Did he stifle her so that she felt suffocated and the need to get out? Haley never gave any indication that he was overpowering her. He just really felt that with her talent, she didn't need Chris. Unfortunately, she didn't feel that way.
He had to get out the apartment. Suddenly, it seemed to be too large and too empty. He grabbed his car keys, some clothes and bolted out the door.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Beep
"Um…Nathan, it's me. I'm so sorry. I'm not thinking, I don't know what I was thinking. Right now, I'm on the bus on the way to New York. I needed to get out Tree Hill. Chris has found an agent who can help me. I don't want you to think that I am leaving you for Chris. That is not the case. I am leaving because the opportunity struck and now I need to take it with both hands. I need time to think about my life and where it is going. I love you so much; please remember that, I'm begging you. Um…you can get in contact with my through my cell phone. I don't know when I will be back. Please, I just need some time to myself. Please understand. I hate knowing the fact that I hurt you, but please, maybe it is for the better. I can do my singing and you can go into your basketball. I know you love basketball, no matter what you say. I don't want to take that away from you. Um…just please, give me a call. I love you."
Haley hung up the phone, feeling the tears sting her eyes. It was 3:20 in the morning; she briefly wondered where he was. Her thoughts were barely coherent. What could she say to the man who loved her so much and all she did was stomp on his heart. She felt like the lowest worm on the earth. She needed to go back to Tree Hill. She was going to tell Chris it was a mistake. She couldn't stay on the bus any longer.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Ring, ring
Lucas moaned, groping his bed stand for his cell phone. He stared at the clock with sleep filled eyes. 3:32 in the morning. Who the hell in the right mind called this early in the morning?
"'Lo?" Lucas groggily whispered into the phone.
All he heard was quiet sniffling. He sat up in his bed, a little more alert. He looked down on his phone and checked the caller ID.
"Haley, what's wrong?" Lucas' protective side popped up immediately.
"Lucas…"Haley quietly sobbed, trying not to wake up any of the passengers, namely Chris, "I just made the biggest mistake in my life, and I don't think I can fix it."
"Baby, what's wrong?" Lucas was increasingly getting worried. He had never heard her sound so broken.
"I left Nathan." Haley barely managed to get out, through her tears.
Lucas nearly dropped his phone. The hell. He couldn't tell if his brain was still sleeping. He most definitely had not heard what he though he heard.
"Explain." Lucas said, his voice hardening.
Haley could sense the confusion and also the determination in Lucas' voice. She had called him because it was instinct to call Lucas when in trouble. But then she realized that he was in a sticky position. Trapped between his brother and his best friend, Haley wasn't sure whom he would support. Right now, the odds were looking pretty bad. She didn't deserve support. But she had to tell Lucas what was going on.
"I made a mistake. I want to come back. But I don't know if he will take me back. I have hurt him so much. This is the worst thing I could have ever done." Haley whispered brokenly, gripping her phone.
Lucas could barely breathe. His breath was coming out in short puffs. She left. With Chris. To go to New York. Singing. Thoughts were swirling in his head.
"Yes. It is the worst think you could have done." Lucas coldly said. He was shocked; this is not the type of behavior that he expected from his best friend. Part of him wanted to shake her till she shattered. He had always thought that Nathan would end up hurting Haley in that relationship. How wrong he was.
"I'm going to try to catch the first bus back to Tree Hill." Haley whispered, hoping to get some support from her friend.
"Don't." Lucas said, harshly. He heard Haley sigh softly. He felt very bad for hurting his best friend, but it was for the best. "Trust me, this little thing is going to get out very fast. You come back and it will make it worse. It's going to take a lot to repair your relationship with Nathan. You already left. Don't come back. Go be famous. Go sing. Isn't that what you wanted?"
"No, I just wanted to be myself. Be happy." Haley whispered, trying to stop the sobs that were trying to rip out of her.
Lucas sighed. "Haley, I love you. Please, for the best, don't come back. Nothing is going to be the same. Take care in New York and …." He cut off, hearing a loud rapping noise on his door. He sat up a little more and through the curtains, he could see Nathan's figure.
Haley heard the noise and knew who it was. "Go, please, take care of him. He isn't as strong as people think he is. Tell him I love him. Tell him I left a message for him at home." With that, she hung the phone up.
Lucas shut his phone, squeezing his eyes. He slowly got up from the bed and opened the door. His younger brother was standing there, with his eyes dulled with pain. Silently, Lucas opened his arms to give Nathan a hug. Nathan gripped Lucas and sobbed out all the pain he was feeling.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
AN: So here it is! This is the prologue, so it is going to be a bit shorter than the rest of the chapters, but I promise, I have long chapters in store for you! I have the first few chapters written, but I'm really not sure on where I want to take the story. Ideas are welcome! The updates will be quick and easy because I do want to finish this story before the next episode comes out.
- Tina