- Lisa
What You Say
Prologue
It was dark as Haley James drove down the familiar roadway. She was on her way back to Tree Hill. It was New Years Eve and Brooke had called begging her to come back. It wasn't a long drive, but she'd been at work all day and the prospect of beginning yet another year in Tree Hill wasn't great.
Four years had passed since high school graduation and Haley had hoped it was the end of her Tree Hill drama, but things never really turned out the way she wanted. That's one thing Haley had figured out a long time ago.
A large part of her had seriously considered staying back at their apartment, watching a Felicity marathon, and eating Coffee ice cream. But Brooke was persistent and if she didn't go, she'd have to listen to her to her bitch when she returned from the holidays. The two girls, both attending university in Charleston, had been living together for the past six months. Plus, Brooke had promised to have a bottle of Haley's favorite whiskey waiting for her when she arrived. Though, that wasn't the real reason she was returning.
It was because of him. Every time she came back, it was because of him. At least a small part of it was. She told herself it wasn't, but deep now, she knew it was. Fortunately, no one else did, not even Brooke. She had her suspicions, but Haley made sure to never confirm them. It didn't matter that she hadn't talked to him in two years. It didn't matter that he was currently dating his high school girlfriend and her former roommate and at one time best friend. It didn't even matter that he probably wasn't going to be there. Just the prospect of encountering him was enough to bring her back. It was pathetic when you really got down to it, but she couldn't help herself. He had this hold over her that she couldn't explain and that wouldn't go away. Time, distance, other relationships, rumors, broken hearts, friendship, school - none of it had erased what he did to her. It was still as strong as the first time she had realized it was there.
Freshman year. That's when she met him. That's when her life changed. She became friends with Peyton to get to him. They weren't dating at the time, but they ran in the same crowd. She'd known Peyton since they were little kids in dance class, but because Haley's parents had placed her in private school, they hadn't really hung out. But times changed and Haley changed. It had been easy to become a part of their crowd, which was surprising. But she was smart and she was kind and they appreciated that. She was their virgin. She was their good girl. She had become a part of their group and she became his friend.
He was the tough guy. The one everyone went to and followed and looked up to. The center of their little world. He was known for his ability on the court and lack there of in the class room. She had helped him. He had been appreciative. He was an ass to some, but to her, he was always kind. He always made her feel comfortable. He always listened when she spoke. He always defended her when someone attacked. He had proven to be everything and more than she had ever imagined.
Unfortunately, none of that had turned into what she had wanted. It was simple really and she should have expected it. He was experienced and she wasn't. It wouldn't have mattered if she had been just another girl, but she wasn't. She was his friend. She had thought that would lead to something more, but it hadn't. He knew how she felt. They all did, but nothing came of it. She would have done anything for him had he asked, but he didn't. She had thought developing a friendship with him would make him want her. It had made him respect her instead.
He got back with Peyton at the end of junior year and they had been together ever since. But here she was, driving back to Tree Hill with the hope of seeing him and hoping that finally he would see her the way she longed for him to. The way she needed him to.