I could never remember a day when I actually felt that my life was worth living for. Everyday, since what seems like forever, I have put a wall between me and every person I have come in contact with. But it's not like anyone cares. Nobody does. Not my parents who are too involved in their selves to worry about their only daughter. Not my friends who are only concerned about the ridiculous status quo in the prison most people refer to as high school.

Every day, every minute, and every second I live out is a lie. I pretend to be someone I'm not. I pretend that I love every minute of my life but the truth is I long for the day to end because it brings me closer to the only thing I look forward to and that is my death. It's depressing but it's the truth. How I long to be someone who smiles at the sight of a sunny day, who lives everyday to the fullest. But I'm not. I'm an actor in a play and when the stage lights go out, I'm like a bird just trying to break free from this black hole that was my life.

And one day, I got tired of pretending, tired of acting. I decided to end the pain, the misery, the grief. Tree Hill was a small town and it only had one river but it would do. I stood on top of the bridge looking down at the water. I couldn't swim and I hated the water so drowning was an ideal way to kill myself. It was night when I knew that no one would be out. The moonlight illuminated my movements as I climbed up onto the rail. I balanced myself on the rail, not ready to jump yet. I wanted to say a prayer first, maybe make a wish.

Please save me God. Save me from myself.

But God never listened to my prayers before, why should he now?

"Well, here goes", I said to myself quietly as I prepared to make my final jump.

"Don't do it" I heard someone say behind me. I was so shock, I nearly fell of the rail. But a strong arm encircled my waist, preventing me from falling. I wanted to turn around but the only way I could do that was by getting of the rail and I couldn't do that. The rail was my safety net.

"Leave me alone!" I shouted.

Surprisingly the arm left my waist. The tiny ray of hope, my belief that I could be saved instantly evaporated. Then, I heard a noise to my right. I turned around to see this boy about seventeen years old climb up the railing beside me.

"What are you doing?!" I screamed at him.

He turned to look at me with deep blue eyes that filled me up with hope and said "I'm involved now. You jump, I jump".

"That's ridiculous. Get of the railing!" I shouted.

"Not until you come down".

The silence between us grew as I struggled for a way to make him leave me alone. I didn't want anyone to get hurt because of me. I just wanted to be left alone so I could continue what I had started.

"You know, there's this basketball court on the other side of the river" he said, breaking the silence. "I play there whenever I can. It's my life".

"Your life is a stupid sport?" I scoffed. "That's shallow".

"Says the girl who's standing on top of a bridge, planning to jump", he said, his deep voice sending shivers down my spine.

"You don't know anything about me".

"Why don't you come down and let me find out?"

I sighed, the deep sense of sadness in my heart that I would never be free off. The tears were pouring down like a waterfall I couldn't control.

"Why would you want to know? Look at me, I'm a mess".

"Everybody has their moments. They just need someone to save them from it. So, come on, would you let me help you down".

I nodded slowly. He reached out his hand and grabbed mine gently. He lowered himself onto the ground, not releasing his hold off me, physically and emotionally. Then, he tightened his hold as I struggled to get off the rail. When I did, I faced my rescuer. I hadn't gotten a proper look at him before. My breath got caught in my throat. He was undoubtedly the most handsome guy I had ever seen. Black hair, deep blue eyes that made me weak at me knees. He was taller that I expected and was slim yet muscular.

He smiled at me. "I'm Nathan Scott".

I smiled through my tears. "Haley James".

It was at that time that the skies opened up and rain came pouring down.

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Nathan Scott was the one who saved me from myself and from the world. He taught me how to laugh, I mean really laugh. He taught me how to play basketball, but most of all he taught me how to enjoy life.

We spent every waking moment together. Every Sundays we could be seen sitting on the bench in the park, him holding me in his arms and every Friday night he would save up his money and take me out for a night in the town. I hated the fact that he spent his savings on me but nothing I would say would stop him.

I remember every first kiss very clearly. We were dancing in the basketball court he had told me about courtesy of the radio he brought with my favorite sing playing. It was late at night and we were slow dancing, his arms wrapped around me and my head resting on his chest as I could never reach his shoulder.

"Haley", he had said quietly. I had looked up and he had kissed me there and then, taking me by surprise. It was at that point that I thanked God for making me go up on that railing because it was where I met him.

I remember when I told him that I loved him. It was a rainy day and we were both stuck in the park. We tried running home but we were laughing too hard, we just ended up falling in a puddle, soaking us even more. I was still laughing even as he grew silent. When I realized that he had stopped laughing, I stopped too and looked at him with concern.

"When we first met, I told you that basketball was my life but it's not anymore", I remember him saying. "You are, Haley James", he said, and at that moment I knew that I didn't care where I went or what I did later on in my life, what mattered was that I spent my life with him.

"I love you, Nathan".

"I love you too, Haley".

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It's funny how life can change so drastically. It's funny how one minute you can be riding high and the next, life knocks you down again. It's funny because there is absolutely nothing funny about it.

That day would forever be in my mind. I will carry it around like a bullet in my heart.

We were in his car, laughing, talking, and enjoying our time together. I had just decided that I would go to Duke with him because I loved him more than life itself. I hadn't told him yet. I figured that there would time to tell him later. My future was already planned out and it was with him.

We didn't notice the van coming at high speed right at us. We didn't notice because we were too attentive to one another, too in love. But we noticed it as it crashed into my side of the car and because of the collision a fire started. And that's all I remember of the accident because after that, I lost consciousness.

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Nathan POV

I saw Haley lying at my side, bleeding from a wound in her head. The fire was at her side and soon it would consume the both of us. But I couldn't let it take Haley. I could tell that my left leg was broken and that my rib cage was smashed up badly but all I could see was Haley hurting.

I tried to open the door with my right hand but my right hand was stuck to the dashboard where a piece of glass pierced it through. So, I yanked the glass out with my left hand and then opened the door. I tried to ignore the blinding pain that invaded every part of my body as I fell out of the car. Because my leg was broken, I could only crawl to the other side of the car. With every step I took, the pain caused me to falter. But I didn't stop.

After what seemed like an eternity I reached the other side of the car. The fire was eating away that side of the car but the door was still intact. Ignoring the flames that soon spread to my body, I pulled open the door to see my Haley passed out in the car seat. With my last ounce of strength, I pulled her out gently. It hurt even worse now, the flames were burning into my skin! Somehow, I managed to carry her out to a safe distance. I tried to stop the fire from spreading all over my body but it was too late. All I could do was wait while the fire ate me alive.

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Haley's POV

I awoke in the hospital room. A nurse was at my side, checking my heart rate in the monitor. It was dark and cold and my body hurt everywhere. But I was alive. Was Nathan?

I croaked, trying to get the attention of the nurse. After awhile, she finally noticed that I was awake. She immediately ran to get a doctor. The doctor came and asked me some meaningless questions while telling me some meaningless things. I wanted to shout I don't care how long it takes me to recover. Where's Nathan?!. After ten minutes of listening to him, I finally found my voice.

"Scott….Nathan Scott", I managed to gasp out.

The doctor looked at me with sad eyes. Then he bowed his head. He didn't need to tell me. I already knew. The nurse was still checking my heart rate on the monitor. There was no point because my heart had left me already.

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It's been one week since the accident and the death of my hero. One week. I was still in the hospital, the nurses attending to my every need. I needed to get out of there. So, I escaped through the window of my hospital room one night. I ran and ran through the rain until I couldn't run anymore. The pain! It would never go away! I finally stopped running and collapsed onto the floor. Nathan! Save me from it! I cried in the middle of a sidewalk screaming to myself. Why'd he have to go?! Why?!. I sobbed until I felt that my heart could break.

When I finally stopped crying, I looked up at my surroundings. I was in the bridge where I first met Nathan. I smiled. I suddenly knew why I had come here. I walked slowly, in a hospital gown to the railing where he had saved me so many months ago. I slowly climbed up it. Just before I jumped I looked up at the heavens and smiled at God.

Thank You for sending him to me.

Then I jumped off the bridge.