Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or anything affiliated with it, no matter how much I wish I did. It belongs to Mark Schwahn and The CW. The title comes from the Feist song of the same name.

Chapter One

Haley James knew a lot of things.

She's not trying to be arrogant or anything, but it's a fact. She knew all of the local gossip, she knew how to recite all fifty states (alphabetically and geographically, thank you very much), and she knew that wearing white pants, even before Labor Day, was just asking for trouble.

But the thing that Haley knew the best, without a doubt, was her best friend. She knew all of her dirty little secrets, like how her first kiss was with Tim Smith in the third grade and how she was the one who spread that nasty rumor about Brooke Davis stuffing in the ninth grade.

Yes, she knew basically everything there was to know about her BFF, like the palm of her hand. So when Rachel called her early Monday morning, Haley knew that something was wrong.

Her cell phone rang, playing Justin Timberlake's SexyBack (Rachel's personal ringtone), waking Haley from the wonderful dream that she had been having about Orlando Bloom doing naughty things to her.

She brought her hands to her eyes, trying to rub the sleep out of them as she flipped open the phone.

3:32.

"Hello," she answered blearily.

Nobody answered right away but she heard sniffles on the line.

"Hello" Haley repeated more forcefully this time. Rachel never cried.

"I need you." Her voice was low and broken but Haley heard it nonetheless. Rachel never admitted that she needed anything, let alone anybody.

Haley was already putting on a sweater and her boots. "I'll be right there."

Haley and Rachel had been best friends since the second grade.

Haley and her obnoxiously huge family, minus Matt who was at college, had just moved to Tree Hill. Haley was basically alone since she only had Taylor with her at Tree Hill Elementary, and she would rather kill herself than associate with her baby sister.

Haley was sitting by the jungle gym when she saw this chubby little girl being teased mercilessly by a bitchy little brunette and her blonde sidekick. Haley, being the kind seven-year-old that she was, stepped in gallantly and scared them away before introducing herself to her damsel in distress.

That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

3:40.

As Haley snuck out of her window, her mind was racing through the possible scenarios that she might find when she got to the Gatina household. She imagined finding Rachel having another spat with an over-excited lover or maybe a drunk and depressed Rachel drowned in self-pity and self-disgust. It wouldn't be the first time for either but Haley couldn't help but worry.

That was what she did. Haley was the worrier of the relationship, the one who over thought everything and envisioned the worst possible thing that could go wrong. Rachel was the one who lived her life however she wanted, never thinking of the consequences.

The crisp fall air nipped at her nose as she cut through the driveways and backyards of various neighbours.

When she finally reached the house, the door was unlocked, as she knew it would be. Rachel always forgot to lock the door despite Haley's many warnings and since her parents were almost never there, the door was usually open.

She climbed the stairs of the mansion and let herself into the bedroom that she was more than familiar with.

3:53.

Haley looked around the room, her eyes falling on the unmade king-sized bed, the clothes thrown haphazardly on the hardwood floor. The light was on in the bathroom and the she could hear Rachel sniffling behind the wood.

Haley could count on one hand the number of times that she'd seen Rachel cry. After 10 years of friendship, she could only remember seeing her best friend cry four times. The first two times were before she turned 9 years old and both bullying related. The other two times Rachel had cried in front of Haley was when her parents forgot her thirteenth birthday and when they watched The Notebook for the first time.

None of those times had been like this though. Rachel's hair was thrown on top of her head, without its usual meticulousness and her nose was red, matching her flaming locks. But the thing that truly captured Haley's attention was her eyes. Her mascara and eyeliner was smudged beyond repair. Her eyes lacked their usual sparkle of mischief and were replaced with terror and sadness.

Rachel wasn't scared of anything.

Haley was at a loss. For the first time, she wasn't sure what to do.

4:05.

She settled for sliding beside Rachel on the cool linoleum floor and letting her best friend cry on her shoulder.

They fell asleep together, lying on the bathroom floor. Haley was leant up against the bathtub, the porcelain edge digging into her back painfully. She woke up with Rachel's head in her lap, her tears long since dry.

She didn't know how long she sat there, staring at the morning light drifting through the window. She dug her phone out of her pocket, checking the time.

6:13.

School was starting in two hours and she really needed to get home before her parents noticed that she was missing. But Rachel was way more important than school or a potential grounding so she stayed put.

This was something big; Haley could feel it in her bones.

Rachel was always the strong one, the one who could handle anything thrown her way. Haley was the one who curled into balls and sobbed in the bathroom. Rachel was always the strong one who could deal with anything and Haley wasn't sure how she was supposed to fill that role.

6:29.

Rachel was waking up now. Her nose was crinkled, her eyes creased as she tried to block out the sunlight. When she opened her eyes, they were still as broken as they were before, maybe even more so. She raised her head from her makeshift pillow and stared at Haley. Haley stared back, not knowing what to stay. Rachel broke the stare first.

She got off of the floor and went towards the mirror, grabbing her brush. She ran it through her hair mechanically, stopping every few seconds to work out the knots.

She wasn't ready to talk and Haley knew it. Haley left the bathroom, stretching as she walked, giving Rachel some privacy. She heard the shower start two minutes later.

6:36

Her cell phone rang. This time it was Daughtry's, Home, playing. Her mom.

"Where are you?" Her mother screeched into her ear. Her tone was angry, but Haley could hear the underlying worry.

"I'm sorry." It sounded pathetic even to her ears.

Haley and her mother's relationship had been strained for a couple of months now. More arguments had been breaking out for apparently no reason. It was most likely because Haley was coming into her own and Lydia James was having trouble dealing with her youngest child changing so drastically. Also, with such two strong personalities, they were bound to clash sometime.

"I'm glad that you're sorry and that you're safe, but I still need to know where you are," Lydia's voice had lost some of its anger and all of its worry, but was just as demanding.

"I'm just at Rachel's house. She called me last night and it sounded kind of important."

"Oh," her mother's voice had softened now. Rachel was like another daughter to Lydia, especially since her own was so absent in her life. "Next time, please come tell me you're leaving or at least leave a note."

"I will, I promise, mom." In the background, she could hear pots and pangs clanging. Breakfast was always an extravagant affair at the James household with so many mouths to feed.

"I've got to go now, Haley-Bub. The beasts are hungry. Love you." Haley could hear her father and sister demanding their food in the background.

"I love you too, mom." Haley responded with a smile as she hung up.

7:01.

Rachel stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a fluffy pink towel. They both dressed in an awkward silence, tension sizzled in the air. Haley used to be really shy about her body, but being Rachel's best friend meant that she was cured of that modesty real fast.

Rachel looked perfect again. Her hair was straight and glossy, her make-up impeccable. She wore a pair of skin-tight jeans along with a pink camisole and a black blazer. Nobody would ever guess that she had been up all night long crying. That just wouldn't fit her image.

Rachel sat against the bed Indian-style and Haley took her cue. Rachel put her head on Haley's shoulder and let out a contented sigh.

7:19.

Haley worked her hand through the redhead's hair, massaging her scalp with her fingers. Rachel always did that whenever Haley was sad, anyway to comfort her and now it was Haley's turn.

Haley didn't prompt Rachel in any way and they stayed like that, arms wrapped around each other, until Rachel finally spoke.

7:26.

"I think I'm pregnant."

For the first time in her young life, Haley James was speechless.

Author's Note: So that was the first chapter, and i'd love it if you could let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is more than welcome :