Hello, my darlings! I decided it was about time I update, so here you have it...the second chapter. Not beta-d, in my haste to post it, so I apologise in advance for any errors.

EVERY SECOND COUNTS

"I was right there beside him all summer long
And then the time we woke up to find that summer gone,"

--Taylor Swift
Tim McGraw

CHAPTER 2;
Friends

Turning over restlessly, I sunk my head deeper into the pillows, trying my hardest to fall back into a light slumber. At least that way I could go back to dreaming; escape this place and let myself believe I was actually back home - if only for awhile.

A shrill sound rung through my disoriented thoughts.

Apparently, that wasn't happening today.

I stuck an arm out from under the duvet, searching for the insanely irritating alarm clock and its piercing wake-up call. The sharp noise remained as I continued to slam my hand at it. Annoyed, I quickly picked it up from the table, peering at it closely, and fiddling with the back. I threw it onto the edge of the bed, when the shrill sound finally disappeared.

Pleased with myself, I buried my head under the slightly weird-smelling blankets.

"Haley!"

I was definitely not sleeping in today.
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"So, Nana, I was thinking I would go out, you know, explore this ever so fascinating town a little," I spoke over my bowl of soggy cereal.

She turned her head to face me, still standing over the sink. "All right," she agreed whilst she continued to wash a plate. "Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself?"

I didn't hesitate to answer. "Yes."

She only nodded, and I figured that was kind of a cue for me to leave.

First, I went to place my bowl in the sink, and wash it though, but she stopped me. "Don't be silly, I've got that," she said, and I nodded. Racing out of the room, and up the stairs.
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Tree Hill was just like I had expected. Pretty houses and small boutiques lined the streets. The weather was warm and thankfully, I had noticed there was a beach; I could never spend my summer somewhere without a sunny beach. The entire town was completely picturesque, and I was already taking a liking to it. That wasn't to say I was completely thrilled about being there though.

I was hesitant to enter the café I had spotted; it seemed like the kind of place everybody knew each other; not good for new-comers. But still, I did.

As to not attract any unwanted attention to myself, I pushed the door open slowly and it dinged above me. So much for not wanting to draw attention to me. Quickly I made my way to an empty booth; I hated any type of confrontation; talking to strangers made me all kinds of uncomfortable.

I did a quick scan of the café; it fit perfectly with the town.

Tree Hill and its surroundings truly seemed like something straight out of a storybook.

Picking up a saltshaker off of the tabletop, I tipped it upside down onto the tips of my index and fore finger, contemplating whether or not to walk over to the counter and order something for the sake of it. Deciding to, since I'd probably seem like a complete idiot just sitting there, waiting for a waitress...or waiter. I started to slide myself out of the very inside of the seats.

Before I could even stand up, two girls were next to me, both looking exquisite; the first ones shoulder-length, shiny, dark hair framed her pale face, a pair of sunglasses sat perched atop her head, and I could spot the unmistakeable sign of a dimple on her right cheek, even though she was wearing a straight face. The girl standing beside her stood the other way, talking to somebody else. She had blonde ringlets covering her head, when she turned around, I would find she was just as pale, her green eyes lighter than the brunettes too green eyes. The unmistakable sight of scruffy sneakers covered her feet.

I recognised her almost immediately.

Peyton Sawyer.

"Do you mind if we sit here?" The glamorous looking brunette interrupted my thoughts with a husky voice.

I glanced up. "Oh, of course not. I was just about to leave anyway." I offered a smile as I went to stand up.

"Haley James?"

I smiled meekly, as Peyton spoke.

My first year of high school had been spent in Tree Hill. That was when my Mom had passed away, and my grandparents and father had decided it would be best if they cared for me instead of him. When I had first started, I wasn't too thrilled about it, as anybody would have guessed but Peyton had been the first person of my age that I was introduced to. So it was only natural, I took a hold of the opportunity of a new friend.

Once I was back in Florida, we did try to keep in touch, but after the first four months, the contact started lessening, and by the end of the year, everything had stopped.

Standing in front of her now though, the guilt was flooding my stomach, the familiar, unpleasant feeling overwhelming. Peyton had always been the initiator of our staying in touch.

To my astonishment, she grinned. "It is you! Wow. I didn't even know you were in town," she exclaimed.

The brunette cleared her throat animatedly.

"Oh. Sorry." Peyton grinned again. "This is Brooke Davis. Brooke Davis, this is Haley James," she introduced, pointing first to the glamorous brunette, Brooke Davis, and then me.

Brooke smiled at me widely. "Hi Haley James!" she chirped.

I tried to smile as brightly as Brooke had just done, but I knew I failed miserably. I opted for a weak "hi".

"You're welcome to sit with us," Brooke offered, and I thought about it.

Deciding it would be perfectly harmless, I answered "Yeah sure," and slid myself back to where I was previously sitting, giving them both room to sit.

"So, what are you doing back here in good ol' Tree Hill?" Peyton asked.

"Just visiting for the summer," I answered. Sweet and short, I never liked getting into details.

She nodded, and before I could either nod or reply, Brooke started to speak.

"Well, my name is Brooklyn Penelope Davis. And I have no idea why I don't know you! Why don't I?"

I laughed.

"Haley was here freshman year."

"Oh." Brooke nodded, as though that answered everything.

I looked on, clueless.

Peyton snickered. "I'm sure Brooke will be happy to fill you in," she simply said.

Brooke wasn't hesitant to launch into a detailed explanation. "I was born and raised here, and I attended school here in boring Tree Hill all my life too, until near to the end of middle school. I kind of started hanging out with the bad crowd." She shrugged it off, and even though I probably should have laughed or smiled or something at the girls incredibly unique and slightly eccentric enthusiasm, I continued to listen with eager, wide eyes, my interest piqued.

"Well, anyway," she repeated, then sighed, and I couldn't help but take a liking to her already; she reminded me of a friend back home; she had energy in her, and sort of an edge, if you will. "My parents thought it best to send me to this boring $$ boarding school in like, New Hampshire. I was of course heart broken! I mean, boarding school? Ew."

Peyton, sitting beside Brooke, rolled her eyes, but somehow it was affectionate, not sarcastic or some such.

Brooke sighed again, and I decided I should maybe say something.

Cautiously, I did. "That must have sucked for you," I offered my sympathies.

She waved a hand elegantly. "Oh thanks honey, but no… in the end it was all good." She grinned, before carrying on, "Turns out the place was a total boarding school cliché after all. Most of the time, half of the students were up in the woods just left of one of the boys' campuses, smoking and feeling each other up, and crap. It was fun!" she concluded, with a little bob of her head.

Peyton snickered, obviously finding her entertaining.

I didn't say anything for a while. I didn't know what to say. Plus the girl spoke a little too fast. After a few silent moments, I spoke, uncertain of what to say. "So, your parents decided to bring you back?"

"Oh, no!" She laughed, "Like they would believe me, and even if they did, they'd rather I do that stuff somewhere I was actually a little supervised."

To say I was shocked would be an understatement.

"I made sure I got caught with something on me. Drugs equal immediate expulsion. It worked, I got kicked out of boarding school," she informed me, with a dainty nod.

I tried not to act too surprised, but as usual, I wasn't very discreet with my obvious interest. "Really?" I asked, a hint of surprise lacing my voice.

Peyton made a 'tut' sound, leaning over towards me, she whispered loud enough for Brooke to hear, "Brooke likes to pretend she's all badass." She winked at me as she leaned away, then turned to Brooke and grinned toothily.

Brooke seemed to fake mock outrage. "I most certainly do not!" Her short pause was followed by a giggle. "Okay, maybe I do," she confessed.

I laughed then and, Peyton chuckled heartily.

"Hey, the boys likey it." Brooke wiggled an eyebrow, quite unsuccessfully, then giggled again.

"Brooke Davis," Peyton said, looking at me with her infectious grin, and cocking her head towards Brooke.

I smiled, I hadn't felt this at ease in a long time.

"So, did you get expelled?" I questioned.

They both laughed. "Yeah, I did, and the hour-and-a-half long lecture was worth it."

"So anyway, enough about me! But if you want to know more, I'm totally willing to tell. How old are you? Why are you here? Where are you from?" Before I could respond to anything, she continued, "Do you have a brother?" Her voice had lowered, and she leaned closer to me.

Just as I was about to open my mouth, Brooke got there first, "Wait! I want to…"

Brooke talked a mile a minute, but thankfully Peyton stopped her, before I was completely lost.

"Enough dude! Let the girl talk."

Brooke shrugged sheepishly.

"Um. I'm honestly not that interesting," I said.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

She made a face. "Not fair," she whined.

"You'll get there soon, sweetheart." Peyton nudged her with a laugh.

"Who's that?" I asked, when a boy walked in. He sent a smile our way, as he walked past.

"I was going to ask the boyfriend question next, but I guess no point now, eh?" Brooke said.

I tried to smile.

"That's Nathan Scott," she informed me, sounding so professional-like it had me suppressing the urge to giggle. "He's gorgeous, as you can obviously tell. His family is loaded, but he actually spends most of his time working! He helps his uncle with cars. The grease monkey thing is very yummy with him," she grinned mischievously. "And he's surprisingly sweet, like seriously charming and helpful and stuff. In plain English, he is perfect, but he doesn't really date, about twenty girls have been turned down by him," Brooke exaggerated, or at least it sounded like she was. "And they didn't even hate him afterwards!" she told me, sounding positively shocked by the news, as though she had just been told it. "He's that much of a gentleman. Of course some of us would know," she giggled.

I looked at her suspiciously, and I saw her making a silly face at Peyton, who was now practically hiding in her seat, her face had taken a reddish hue.

For some unknown reason, I found myself hoping that Peyton hadn't dated this Nathan Scott boy. Thankfully I didn't have to ask anything, as usual Brooke was on hand to fill me in.

"Peyton asked him out once," she said quietly, probably as to not upset Peyton.

I wondered why Peyton had never told me about him, before realising, 'why in the world would she have?' He was just a boy, like so many other boys she'd crushed on. It wasn't something I needed to know.

"I was ten." Peyton rolled her eyes. "Everybody liked him, and yes, so did I," she admitted. "About three months later, I had moved on though, so you be quiet missy," she stuck her tongue out at Brooke immaturely.

"Thirteen actually," Brooke chirped, ignoring the rest of her words.

"Okay, thirteen. But… whatever!" She sputtered weakly, and Brooke simply smiled.

"I really don't understand why you just can't admit you loved him and wanted to have his hot, hot babies."

Brooke spoke so casually I had to laugh.

"I don't think I'd go that far." Peyton rolled her eyes.

I smiled distractedly at the girls words, instead focusing fully on Nathan Scott's back. His hair was dark; almost black, and mussed in a sexy sort of way. I continued to stare, as discreetly as humanly possible, until he turned around, his eyes landing straight on me. Startled, and more than a little embarrassed, I snapped my head away. I had never been smooth like that, so much for my desperate and foolish attempts at subtlety. Yet, I looked up again.

He smiled at me quizzically then, and I prayed for the ground to swallow me, then and there. He obviously thought I was a complete moron.

Thankfully, as he walked past with two coffees in his hands, he didn't utter a word to Brooke and Peyton, like I'd feared he would. Instead, he nodded our way, then walked out the door.

"Cute, ain't he?" Brooke asked. She tilted her head to the side, staring after him, her voice had taken a dreamy tone.

I wasn't about to admit to anything, so instead I shrugged half-heartedly.

Both of them giggled, and I picked up a menu, ignoring their stares.
----

Later in the afternoon, I walked home alone. The sun blending into the tangerine horizon behind me.

A random titter escaped my lips and I resisted the desire to skip. He was awfully cute.
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