Chapter 1: Chances Are...

Background: Nathan and Hale broke-up during their senior year at Tree Hill High. Meanwhile, Lucas and Peyton gave up on each other. Although they agreed to remain good friends, uneasiness would settle between the two of them when they're together, forcing them to just avoid each other altogether. Brooke seems to be the one most excited about college since it would mean being able to spend more time with her boyfriend who is already a college junior. Meanwhile, Jake remains a single father to sweet little Jenny who is already 4 yrs. old.

"Hey Nate, wake up man! You only have 30 minutes before your first class starts!" exclaimed Lucas as he stood by the foot of his brother's bed. The two Scott brothers decided to share an apartment near Anne Dale University where they have been granted a basketball scholarship. At this point though, Nathan Scott could care less about going to class. He hasn't slept all night because every time he would close his eyes, a young woman he used to know so well would keep appearing in his mind.

"Can you give me 10 more minutes Luke? I swear I can't get up!" Nathan begged his older brother as he hugged his pillow tightly and kept his eyes shut.

Before Lucas could answer back, his cel. phone rings from the pocket of his jeans. "Hello?" he answered, wondering who could be calling him so early in the morning.

"Lucas Scott?" a hoarse voice answered back from the other line.

"Yeah, who's this?" asked Lucas who was intrigued by the man on the other line.

"It's your coach. I want to see you and your brother in my office in 15 minutes. I 'wanna tell you boys a couple of things before your first practice this afternoon. My office in 15 minutes...don't be late!" said the Ann Dale U basketball team coach as he hung up, not even giving Lucas time to say anything.

Lucas scratches his head as he stares at his phone. "This is one demanding coach, another Whitey to deal with," he thought. Without wanting to waste any more time, Lucas pulls Nathan's blanket off him. "C'mon Nate, I'm serious we need to go now!" he said with as much urgency as he can. He knows if Nate senses this, there's a greater chance that he'd get out of bed sooner.

Nathan decides not to get up, unfortunately. Instead he just turns his head to his brother and opened his eyes. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Coach just called and he wants to see both of us in his office in 15 minutes...actually make that 12 minutes left." explained Lucas as he looked at his watch.

Nathan let out a sigh as he dragged himself out of bed, "Damn, how many Whitey's are there in this world anyway?"

Lucas just laughs, "Right now, there's two. There's probably more of them outside Anne Dale though!"

Nathan grins for awhile, only to form a sad smile in the end, "Yeah, wish I could say the same thing about a certain girl. I really miss her, Luke."

Lucas understood immediately who his brother was referring too. He, too, had stopped laughing as he remembered someone he imagined he wouldn't be seeing for a very long time. "Trust me man, I feel the same way for a certain girl too. Sometimes, I wish I could go back in time and just change some things. You know, the things that would've made this time a little better for us. I mean I couldn't be happier with the way things turned out for basketball, but there's something missing...probably, something that means a lot more than basketball," Lucas just sighed as he stood still while looking down.

Nathan gave him yet another sad smile, " I know she believes I think otherwise and I can't blame her for that. Truth is, I'm still confused. There's one thing I know for sure, though. There would only be one Haley James."

Lucas suddenly stops fixing his stuff and looks sadly at him. "And there would only be one Peyton Sawyer," he added sadly.

Nathan shook his head and looked at Lucas intently, "And we lost them."

Lucas nodded sadly. Trying to keep their schedule in mind, Lucas starts to get moving again, "Well, let's not lose this one! We might pay big time."

Nathan just nodded as he goes to take a shower.

Meanwhile, Haley is busy cooking a breakfast meal for three. She, Brooke and Peyton are sharing a comfy 2-storey apartment together. Peyton was up early that day. She sat by the breakfast table doing some sketches, which she will present to the school newspaper later that day.

"Hey Peyt, where's Brooke? Is she out of the bathroom yet?" Haley asked as she flipped the pancake from the pan.

Peyton just laughs as she kept her eyes on her drawing, "Yep, she's still there. Last time I check, she can't decide which shade of lipstick to use."

Haley laughs herself, "Oh right, the great lipstick debate. Which shade won?"

Suddenly, Brooke popped into the kitchen. "Actually Hales, it remains to be choice between Champagne and Rose Red," Brooke explained as she held one shade in each hand.

Brooke arrived just in time for the pancakes, which Haley placed on her plate. "Well Brooke, Champagne means sophisticated and Rose Red means seductive. Which one are you?"

Brooke just sighs. "How about starving? Those shades can wait, I need some food!" Brooke exclaims as she takes a seat and dives into the pancakes. "Hey Hales, do we still have some chocolate frosting?" asked Brooke after her first bite of the fluffy stack of pancakes on her plate.

Peyton glanced at her friend for awhile, "Hey, isn't that suppose to be fattening? I thought you 'wanna stay a sexy chick for Ethan."

Brooke shot a playfully hurt look at her best friend, "I do. Chocolate means sexy, right?"

Haley laughed as she enjoyed her own stack of pancakes. Ever since the three girls left Tree Hill High, they have become closer than ever. It was only natural that they decided to spend their college days together. They all go to Anne Dale University, the same school where Brooke's boyfriend, Ethan, is.

After breaking up with their respective high school sweethearts, Peyton and Haley swore that they would start a new life in college. They would stop clinging on to the past and embrace new opportunities abound. In fact, they're even anxious to meet Ethan's college buddies with the hope that some of them would be a dating prospect.

Haley really could not tell how she feels about Nathan up to this day. One thing's for sure, she's determined to bury him into her past and move on. Peyton feels pretty much the same way about Luke. She's given up on him for good and she feels the need to start a whole new chapter in her life.

While her friends are eager to forget the past, Brooke is just excited about the future. She is so thrilled to be going to the same school as Ethan. She's been waiting for this since they got together while she was a senior at Tree Hill High. Ethan was a guy Brooke took her relationship with seriously. Ethan respected her and that meant a lot to Brooke. With Ethan, Peyton and Haley by her side, she couldn't think of a better way to go through college.

"Hey, what time is it?" Peyton suddenly asked as she put down the work she was doing.

Haley glanced at her watch, "Let's see, it's 8:20. We still got some time." She poured herself another glass of orange juice and started flipping through the newspaper.

Soon as she was done with her pancakes, Brooke stood up and started to make her way back to her room. Before she could leave the kitchen though, she suddenly stopped and turned around. Holding up the two lipsticks yet again, she asked, "So what's it 'gonna be? Sophisticated or seductive?"

Haley and Peyton looked at each other smilingly as if mentally coming to an agreement. Turning to look at Brooke, they answered in unison, "Sophisticated!"

Brooke nodded and went back on her way when she stopped on her tracks again and turned around, "Don't you like me to be seductive?"

Peyton just laughs as she looks up at her best friend, "We would still want you to go home after school, you know?"

Brooke plays along and gives a little hurt face, "I happen to be a well-behaved girl, FYI!"

Haley just answers in a motherly voice, "Actually Brooke, we trust you. It's the guys that we don't trust." She winks at Peyton who just laughs.

Brooke jokingly points a finger at both of them, "Very funny, you two!" Suddenly, her cel. phone rang. Brooke was surprised as she tried to guess who would call her so early in the morning. Her face broke into a wide grin when she saw the name "Ethan" blinking on her cel. phone's screen. She cleared her throat and answers the call, "Hi babe, thinking of me so early in the morning?"

Ethan just laughs on the other end of the line, "Actually, I found myself longing for you so early in the morning. Are you ready to go?"

Brooke just laughs, "Yeah, I just need to do my thing in the bathroom then I'm all set. Don't worry. Peyton drives pretty fast. I'll be in school in no time!"

Ethan just chuckles, "Well, you can just do that girl thing of yours and catch up with your girlfriends when they get to school."

A curious expression suddenly appeared on Brooke's face, "What do you mean? They're the only ones going to school?"

Ethan just laughed before he replied, "Well, let's just say you have another ride for the day. Why don't you look out your window?"

Brooke's face was suddenly full of excitement as she looked out the window and saw her boyfriend waving at her from below beside his red Lexus. "I can't believe you're here!" she exclaimed. At the same time, Haley and Peyton rushed to the living room to look outside the windows. They both giggled as they watch an overjoyed Brooke hurrying to get ready for school. "I love you hon, see you in a bit!" With that, she hung up.

Haley and Peyton just watched a widely grinning Brooke hastily put on her lipstick, grab her bag and dash for the door. Upon opening the door, she turned around to her friends, "I'll see you two later. We're still going on a shopping trip later, right?"

Peyton smiled and nodded, "Yeah...well, Hales and I can go shopping on our own if you and Ethan have plans together for later."

Haley nodded in agreement, "Yeah Brooke, it's fine."

Brooke smiled gratefully, "You guys, I can never abandon my two favorite girlfriends for any guy...especially during shopping trips. Besides, Ethan can tag along, right?"

Haley just looks quizzically at her, "Yeah, but what's he 'gonna do in a girls' shopping trip?"

Brooke just laughed, "Well, they say guys are the authority on what looks good on women! I'll see you both in school!" With that, she left.

Haley and Peyton both watched Brooke meet Ethan from the window. Brooke ran towards Ethan as soon as she closed the door. She put her arms around him and they kissed briefly before Ethan opened the passenger side for her. Haley and Peyton both sighed at the sight of a blissfully happy Brooke. After a moment of silence, Peyton finally spoke up, "You know, there was a time when we both had that."

Haley just smiled sadly and nodded, "Yeah and then, it just faded away."

Peyton nodded in agreement. After another moment of silence, Peyton turned to Haley, "Hales?"

Haley looked as if she was engaged in a little daydream, but she turned to look at Peyton anyways. "Yeah?" she replied.

"Are you still mad at him?" Peyton asked with a serious face.

Haley sighed before she replied, "I honestly don't know, Peyt...I really don't know. How about you? How do you feel about him?"

Peyton looks out and sighs. She shook her head and looked back at Haley with a sly smile, "I guess...I don't know too!"

They both laughed and looked back out into the window. It was quite a sunny morning. The streets were bustling with people. Some were grabbing a bite to eat at the adorable little café in the corner while others appeared to be in a rush to get somewhere. Keeping her eyes outside, Peyton spoke again, "Hales?"

Not tearing her eyes from the view either, Haley responded softly, "Yeah?"

Peyton turned towards her, "Did you..." She was quite hesitant to continue but decided to go ahead anyway, "Did you ever regret being with him?"

Haley shook her head as she smiled sadly. Looking at Peyton straight in the eye, "I spent some of the best days of my high school life with him, Peyt. I'll never regret being happy, even if it was just for a short time."

Peyton gave her a sly smile as she nodded, "I guess so." Glancing at the clock on the wall, she turned her back on the window, "Well, looks like we 'gotta get going. We might get late."

Haley nodded, "Yeah, you're right." They both walked back to their rooms when suddenly, Haley stopped on her tracks and turned towards her friend, "Peyt?"

Peyton herself stopped and turned, "Yeah?"

Hesitantly frowning at first, Haley eventually found herself blurting out something that's been bugging her mind the moment she woke up, "Do you they're 'gonna be there?"

Peyton let out a soft laugh, "Well if they are, we better stay together!"

Haley laughed herself, "Strength in numbers...got it!" With that, the girls both headed to their rooms and got ready to begin their first day in college.