Summary:
Nathan and Haley haven't seen each other in seven years. Nathan is a star basketball player of a North Carolina team and living a loveless life. To the outside world, he's as happy as he's ever been, but inside lies a lost and broken man who is trapped in a life he never wanted. Haley, on the other hand, has a kick-ass music career, is working on her third album (and as a waitress at a club) and is very happy and secure in her new life. She has convinced herself that she has put everything behind her but is faced with a rude awakening when circumstances force her to return to the home she ran away from.
(Introducing)
Haley James' Story:
Haley signed the annulment papers and sent them to Nathan via mail. She stripped herself of his name and stayed on the tour with Chris Keller, Michelle Branch, Jessica Harp and Gavin DeGraw until it finished a year later. After that, she went to college and the recording studio (She graduated high school a year before her class did). While in college, (during her second year) she met a guy, Trey Carter. They dated for four years and have recently parted ways on good terms. They remain good friends, though and Haley has realized that she wants to concentrate on herself. She has not kept in contact with anyone else from Tree Hill. After she left Nathan, no one in Tree Hill was willing to give her the time of day and she's moved on since then. She's also released two albums and has a steady job performing at nightclubs in Olympia as well as being a waitress at a small restaurant.
Nathan Scott's Story:Nathan recovered from his accident and slowly got his life back on track. He went to High Flyers Basketball Camp and became an even better player than before. He never went to college, because he didn't have very good grades in high school after his tutor left. He lives the high life as a professional basketball player and had many relationships with other women over the years, but never committed to any of them.
You can never really tell what goes on behind closed doors…
Appearances Can Be Deceiving
Looking Inward
"Nathan!" Melanie O'Connell exclaimed to an empty bedroom. Nathan popped his head in the room from the bathroom. He was wet and there was a towel around his waist.
"What?" he asked.
"Come back to bed. It's early," she said. He shook his head.
"I can't. I have practice in an hour," he said coolly. Melanie shook her head.
"Fine. So, we're going to a movie tonight, right?" she asked. He looked at her and smiled.
"No, I don't think so," he said.
"Then what are we doing?" she asked sounding disappointed.
"'We' aren't doing anything. I'm going out tonight," he said.
"Where are you going?" she asked suspiciously.
"To a new club that a friend of mine is opening," he lied.
"Why, so you can meet some chick and hook up?" she asked. Nathan considered this.
"Might happen," he replied. Melanie looked at him in shock.
"Nathan, I can't believe you just admitted that you are planning to cheat on me," she said. Nathan looked at her pitifully.
"I'm not cheating on you because we're not dating, Melanie," he said.
"But after last night, I thought," she started.
"You thought what? That we would start dating and fall madly in love with each other? Get a grip," he said, laughing. She looked at him, hurt. His face softened. "Look, I thought you understood. Last night was a one-time thing. We had fun, well, a lot of fun, but it won't be happening again," he said, smiling. Melanie's face went rigid in anger.
"You're such an ass," she said, getting up from the bed, throwing her clothes on and leaving. She slammed the door angrily. Nathan sighed heavily as he sat down on his bed. It was never his intention to hurt anyone, but what most girls didn't realize was that he didn't want a relationship, that they were just a way for him to convince himself that he was still alive. He didn't blame them for being mad at all, but it pissed him off when they pretended to know who he was. How could they possibly know who he was when he wasn't even sure anymore? He tried to stop himself from going into some self-analyzing stupor, but he failed. It'd been a long time since he'd felt truly alive. Even driving that car wasn't as exhilarating as she had made him feel. Now, he shook his head. He would not allow himself to think of her. He wasn't ready for that kind of trip down memory lane. Instead he started to focus on his career. He had a good one. He played basketball almost every morning and he was one of the best players in the country. He was known around the state and in a few others. To the public he was known as some sort of ladies' man and professional player. He remembered reading a sports review about him and his career. The journalist had written: "Nathan Scott: With a basketball pedigree that most people would kill for and an endless line of women that constantly throw themselves at his feet, he is probably the happiest and luckiest man in sports alive." He laughed at the memory.
"Happiest and luckiest man in sports alive," he said to himself. "What a joke," he added silently. He was no happier than his father was when his mother had left him. He certainly didn't consider himself lucky either.
TWO HOURS LATER
Nathan walked into his brother, Lucas' house. He knew Luke never bothered to lock the door. He was having more and more in common with his girlfriend every day. He walked into the kitchen and found Lucas sitting at the table eating cereal of all things. "Nathan, how did you get in here?" Lucas asked. Nathan looked at him and gave him a "duh" look. "Oops. Guess I forgot to lock it again," he said, putting his bowl in the sink. Then a bedroom door opened and a voice came down the hall.
"Luke, where is my watch?" she asked. She came down the hall and smiled at Nathan. "Oh, hey, Nate. I didn't know you were here," she said. Nathan smirked.
"I figured as much. How are you, Peyton?" he said.
"Oh, I'm tired. I've got a million things to do before the club opens and one of those things is finding a singer," Peyton said.
"Well, good luck with that," he said, walking around her and grabbing some cereal out of the cupboard. "Do you mind?" he asked them. They shook their heads.
"Oh, I got a call from Brooke today," Peyton announced as she pulled her curly blonde hair into a ponytail.
"Oh? How are she and Craig doing?" Lucas asked.
"They've finally set a date!" Peyton exclaimed. Nathan rolled his eyes. Brooke Davis and Craig James had gotten engaged at least seven months earlier and it was taking them a long time to set a date that they both agreed on. This would be around the fourth time that they set the date, so Nathan wasn't exactly going to clear his schedule just yet, if he was even invited.
"When is the big day this time?" Lucas asked sarcastically while he and Nathan exchanged smiles. Peyton rolled her eyes.
"In a week," Peyton replied and then started laughing at their expressions.
"A week?" Lucas exploded. "Isn't that kind of jumping the gun?" he asked. Peyton looked at him.
"Allow me. I think what he means is don't they need time to plan the wedding?" Nathan said. Peyton smiled.
"Hello, this is Brooke Davis. She's been planning her wedding since she was seven. And besides, I helped her get all the dresses, rings, etc. a long time ago. All they needed was a date," Peyton said.
"But a week? That seems kind of sudden to me," Lucas said. Peyton looked at him.
"We're not going to be engaged for as long as they have been, Lucas," Peyton said. Lucas smiled at her.
"I know. You want a quick and simple wedding. I heard you the first few hundred times," he said. Peyton laughed sarcastically at him.
"Keep the attitude up, you won't be invited," Peyton said.
"To my own wedding?" Lucas asked.
"Well, the tradition is that when the groom can't make it, the best man is supposed to marry the bride," Nathan said, smiling. Peyton smiled at him mischievously.
"See, there you go. I already found a replacement Scott," Peyton said.
"I hope that they finally do have their wedding," Lucas said, leaving the room. Peyton and Nathan followed him into the living room.
"They're just going to have to get all of their family together. Brooke's parents are in California still and it's very hard to drag them away. Not to mention that Craig's parents are in town so they'll be easy to find, but his siblings are scattered all over," Peyton said.
"Taylor's in Atlanta, last I heard from her," Lucas said.
"I think Olivia and Diana are in Canada," Peyton said.
"No, they're not," Lucas said, laughing.
"They live so far away, they might as well be," she said smirking.
"What about his brothers?" Nathan asked.
"Uh, Zack is in Charlotte and Joe is in, uh, Charlestown," Lucas said. Nathan nodded.
"I'll be right back," he said, getting up and heading towards the bathroom.
"What about her?" Peyton asked. Lucas looked at her in confusion. "Do you think she'll show?" Peyton asked. Lucas shrugged.
"I have no idea. If Craig knows where she is, he hasn't told me. I doubt she'll come around, though," he said. Peyton looked at him in confusion.
"She hasn't even bothered to show up in seven years to come back and see her family. Why would she show her face now?" Lucas said.
"Because her brother is marrying one of her old friends," Peyton pointed out.
"I doubt she even knows," Lucas said. "I doubt Brooke would let her come," he added.
"Haley is Craig's sister, Lucas. Now, most of the people in this town might not be too fond of her for leaving the way she did, but none of the James have expressed that opinion. Haley is family and I doubt Brooke has much of a choice whether or not members of his family come to their wedding," Peyton said.
"Even if that is true, Craig's still got one obstacle in his path if he wants Haley to come to his wedding," Lucas said.
"What's that?" Peyton asked.
"He has to find her first," Lucas said.
"What are you guys talking about?" Nathan asked, coming back into the room. Peyton didn't answer.
"How hard it's been for Peyton to get her club up and running. It's a major pain," Lucas said.
"Why don't you go to a talent agency if you're having trouble finding a singer/band? They usually form deals with club managers. You let their singers perform at your club and in return, you get free publicity for your club," Nathan said. Peyton thought to herself.
"That's not a bad idea," Peyton said, leaving the room.
"What're you doing?" he asked.
"I'm going to go look up talent agencies in Boston," Peyton replied from the kitchen.
"Why Boston?" Nathan asked.
"Well, it is a big city and I'm sure it probably has a lot of talent agencies," Peyton explained.
"Why not look in Raleigh first?" Nathan asked.
"I know what I'm doing, boys. Allow me to handle it," Peyton called back.