Chapter 1: Fitting In…Kind of

Haley James crossed the quad of Tree Hill High School deep in thought, heading to her car, glad the school day was over. She tried to spend the least amount of time possible at school lately. Avoiding Nathan Scott was a main part of it, but not the sole reason. She was sick of everyone, really, even her friends. All the backstabbing, selfishness, and just the amount of drama in general that petty high school students consume their lives with has no appeal to Haley. She's tired of fake people, and tired of being fake herself. She doesn't like the person these people have turned her into. She doesn't talk to her best friend, Lucas Scott, like she used to, she was hanging out with people who just last year she couldn't stand, like Brooke Davis, Peyton Sawyer, and Rachel Gatina. They actually weren't too bad, she thought, but she misses Lucas and what her life used to be like.

Her parents had split up last year when she was a sophomore. It didn't bother her too much that they weren't together anymore, especially because she can see that her mom is a lot happier now, but it was part of why she decided to start hanging out with a different crowd; she needed a change. She was now popular, a cheerleader, and Nathan Scott was showing interest in her, but this made her uncomfortable as she is not interested in guys. She had known this for a while but had not told anyone yet, not even Luke. But now she had the opportunity to accept Nathan's advances and start dating the school's best basketball player, to pretend to be straight so she could stay popular, but she couldn't bring herself to do it, so she withdrew. From her popular friends, her parents, Luke, and her classes, she drifted away.

"Haley! Hey, where are you going?" Peyton yelled as she jogged up next to her as Haley was unlocking her car.

"Home, got to get going on that English paper," she said, trying to sound convincing.
"We've got two whole weeks before that's due, come with me to the record store. Please? We barely hang out anymore."

"I don't know, I just kind of feel like going home," Haley said, but as she saw Peyton's face drop she reconsidered. "Alright, just for a little while though."

"Cool, you're driving, let's go," Peyton said as she headed to the passenger side of the car.

After changing the radio to the classic rock station, Peyton noticed that Haley was in her own little world. She could tell that she was deep in though about something.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Peyton inquired.

"Huh? Oh, nothing really, just life," Haley said.

"Oh, that's all? Yeah, life's no big deal, it's just all we have," Peyton pointed out.

"Deep, did Bevan tell you that one?" Haley joked.

"Funny," Peyton said, "come on, what were you thinking about? It seems serious."

"Alright. I was just thinking about how people lie, and hide who they are to be liked. It's so juvenile, yet I find myself doing it sometimes."

"It's not juvenile, it's just human nature, everyone wants to be liked."

"I guess so," said Haley. "I just wish certain things weren't such a big deal. People need to grow up and realize that everyone should be treated nicely, especially when it's something they have no control over," she paused, "like how much money they have, or don't have."

"Is that what you're worried about? That people won't like you because you don't have as much money as they do?" Peyton asked.

Haley had decided she needed to come up with something to avoid having to tell Peyton what this was really about, as usual. She's really good at telling lies, and hiding things, which she half wishes she wasn't so she would be forced to tell people the truth, especially Lucas. She really wants to come out to Luke, but she feels that she's known him too long, that he'll be mad that they've been friends forever and she didn't tell him something big like that. And the longer she puts it off the harder it is to tell him. She kind of half hopes that he'll bring up the topic one day, just ask her. Even though the idea of him asking her if she's gay freaks her out, she is much more freaked out about bringing it up herself.

"Kind of, I know it's childish, but I can't help it. Brooke is constantly buying new clothes and expensive things, and I can't keep up," Haley said.

Peyton replied with a sympathetic tone, "me neither. I only buy something maybe once every fifth shopping trip, Brooke doesn't care. She shops because she likes it, don't worry about trying to keep up," she finished as they pulled into the parking lot of the record store. "Come on, let's go browse, I don't have enough money on me to buy anything," Peyton said with a smile.

"Ha, ok, I guess you proved your point," Haley said as she climbed out of the car and headed to the store. She was feeling a little better, seeing that Peyton was trying to help her with her problems, which showed that she cared, and wasn't as shallow as Haley once thought.

After wandering around the record store for half an hour, looking at the album art and joking around with each other, the girls decided to go get something to eat. They agreed on Karen's Café, both in the mood for a burger and fries.

"Hey, what are you two up to?" Luke asked as he saw Haley and Peyton walk into his mom's café.

"We were just hanging out and thought some good food and crappy service sounded good," Haley answered with a smirk.

"Very funny," Luke said as he was wiping down a table, "the food's not that good." They all laughed as Haley and Peyton took their seats.

Throughout the meal Lucas kept coming over and joining in on the conversation, while staring at Peyton pretty much the whole time. She kept stealing glances at him as well when he wasn't at the table. Haley of course noticed the little game they were playing; she thought it was cute and that they'd make a good couple.

After dropping Peyton back at school where her car was, Haley drove home. She was glad that she let Peyton talk her into hanging out with her. She sometimes kept to herself more than is recommended, but she liked being alone, working stuff out in her head. She had gotten to know herself pretty well throughout her self imposed solitary sessions, and she now wanted to share who she really was with everyone. What was stopping her though, was that she wasn't ready to put herself out there like that and possibly lose her friends or family, so she kept quiet, for now.

Brooke walked through the halls of Tree Hill High School, saying hi to people, smiling at everyone, she enjoyed popularity. As she approached her locker she saw Peyton waiting beside it. "Hey best friend!" she greeted Peyton.

"Hey, how was your shopping date with Victoria yesterday?"

"It was fine. We're cordial to each other now. She tries to buy my love, which I'm ok with," Brooke answered. "What did you do yesterday?"

"Haley and I hung out. We went to the record store then got food at Karen's. It was fun," Peyton said.

"Cool. Tutor Girl surprised me, she's actually pretty cool. To be honest I only gave her a chance because Lucas is hot, and her best friend."

"Yeah," Peyton said while rolling her eyes, "I remember. She's a really good person, but I feel like she's off in her own world a lot. It seems like she's got something important on her mind, but she never wants to talk about it."

"What do you think it is?" Brooke asked.

"No idea, but I guess she'll tell us when she feels like it," Peyton said.

"Yeah," Brooke paused, "or we can try to get it out of her," she suggested.

"No, she's a very private person," Peyton pointed out, "I doubt that would work. So don't pester her Brooke."

"Me? I would never." Peyton gave her a look, "alright, fine, I won't," Brooke mumbled.

Nathan walked into the tutoring room, excited to spend some time with Haley, even if there was homework involved. He was starting to like her a lot and was thinking about asking her out. He felt that they had been getting along well, and now that he and Lucas aren't sworn enemies anymore he figures he has a shot. "Hey," Haley said with a smile as she walked into the room, "what do we have today?"

"Just some algebra, shouldn't take too long," Nathan replied.

"Good, let's get started then, I have to go grocery shopping and make dinner for the family tonight," she said, "my mom, sisters and I take turns."

"Alright, so if tonight's your night to cook, are you free tomorrow night? I was thinking we could go to dinner, maybe Italian? Or Chinese? What do you think?" he said as he looked hopefully at her.

"Umm, like a date?" she asked.

"Yeah, like a date," Nathan smirked.

"Uh, well… no, I'm not free," she said uncomfortably, "sorry."

"Oh, ok, then maybe Friday night?"

"No, I can't then either, I have a family thing. I think we should get started on this though," she suggested while motioning to the math book.

"Oh… alright," Nathan replied, trying not to show his disappointment.

After the tutoring session Haley went to the grocery store. While she was shopping she was thinking about how she was going to deal with Nathan. She knows he's not going to give up that easily. She really hates when guys hit on her or ask her out, it makes her really uncomfortable, but it's not really their fault. She doesn't want to be rude, but because she's not ready to tell them the real reason, (not that that stops all guys anyway,) she tries to let them down easily, which sometimes just makes them try harder. With Nathan it's going to be more difficult than usual though, because she's starting to become good friends with him, and she's his tutor, so she's going to be seeing him at least twice a week no matter what. For now she decided to just keep saying she's busy, but she knows that won't work for too long.

That night while Haley was doing homework after dinner she got a call from Brooke. She invited her to a party she was throwing Saturday night. Brooke said it was going to be awesome and that Nathan would be there. Haley said, "oh yeah? Sounds cool, but I'm not sure if I can make it."

"Oh come on Haley, I barely see you anymore, you're always busy or doing homework. I miss you. Please come?" Brooke pleaded.

Haley paused, then answered "ok, fine, I'll come, if I can bring Lucas with me."

"Of course, you can always bring whoever you want," Brooke said, glad that she was able to convince her. "And don't forget that Nathan will be there, I see what's going on between you two. Maybe he'll finally get the guts to ask you out."

"Oh, yeah, about that, he asked me to dinner today," Haley said.

"Finally!" Brooke exclaimed, "You guys are going to be such a cute couple!"

"No, Brooke," Haley interjected, "I said no, I'm not interested. I just want to be friends, he's not my type."

"What? Not your type?" Brooke said, "How is that possible? Nathan Scott is gorgeous!"

"I guess, but I'm just not into him that way, and I was kind of trying to avoid him because I know he's just going to keep asking me out, and I don't know how to make him stop without hurting his feelings," Haley said.

"Huh, ok, well don't worry then, Peyton and I will run interference at the party. We'll keep him busy so you won't have to be alone with him," she paused, "if that's what you really want." Brooke was a little stunned and still trying to understand how someone could not be into Nathan Scott.

"Thanks Brooke, that would be awesome," Haley said.

"Yeah, no problem. Well I gotta go, I'll see you at school tomorrow."

"Ok, see you then."

Brooke approached Peyton at her car in the school parking lot the next morning, eager to tell her about her conversation with Haley the night before. "Hey best friend, so I've got some gossip for you. Nathan asked Haley out yesterday, and she turned him down, now she wants us to help her avoid him, especially at my party tomorrow night, don't you think that's weird?" Brooke said without taking a breath.

"Woah Brooke, easy, it's not even 8:00," Peyton said.

"But she's not interested in Nathan Scott, how is that possible? Everyone is in to him."

"Well, I guess that's not true then. Everyone has different taste in men or women, and there's no explaining why, and no changing it."

"I guess so," Brooke said, "I wonder what her type is then, I didn't ask last night because I was caught off guard. It's still hard to believe that not everyone thinks Nathan Scott is attractive," she stated as they walked to class.