Chapter Two - The Boys are back in Town

The bell rang signaling the end of first period, and I quickly wrote down the last of the notes on the board for the class, and then gathered my books and headed to my locker to meet Brooke. On the way there I said a few hey's and picked my way through the crowd. By the time I made my way out of the rush Brooke was already waiting by my locker.

"How was first period," She asked juggling books in her hands.

"Same old, same old, same shit different day, I replied rolling my eyes, "What about you"

"I got into trouble with Ms. West, for not turning in my history paper. I still don't see why she had to make such a big deal about it," Brooke said as if she had done nothing wrong.

"Umm...Brooke was that the history paper you had to write that was due like a week ago." I asked almost skeptically.

"Yea, but it's totally not my fault, I couldn't pass up a day of shopping. Did you see all those cute clothes I bought?" Her eyes took upon a look of a four year old opening a present.

"You're kidding right?" I asked her.

"Come on Hales, where is history going to help me in life? Where as that black mini skirt I bought will do wonders for my figure for the party tomorrow night. You're still coming right," she said more the asked me.

"Yea what else is there to do, it's not like I have anyone at home who worries about me anyway,"

Brooke looked at me sympathetically as I went on, "So I got a phone call yesterday from my so called parents, and guess what, once again they can't seem to make it home. They're just having so much fun touring the Midwest, but they gave their love, and made sure to put more money in my bank account."

Brooke nodded understandingly, "Bottom line, parents suck. Well ours do at least, but hey, at least they're good for their money,"

And that is why Brooke Davis is my best friend, we both went to the same kindergarten as kids, and one day both our parents forgot us there. I remembered it like it was yesterday.

A five year old me, watching all the other mommy's and daddy's, except mine, come and get their kids from school. That's when I spotted a five year old Brooke Davis sitting on a bench in the schoolyard. I walked over to her thinking I might as well sit with her, than be by myself.

The first words she every said to me were "So your parents forget you too huh." And from that day on we became the best of friends. Both knowing that our parents may me related to us biologically, but they came nowhere near being my mom and dad. Brooke was my real family; she was everything I had, her and Lucas.

Brooke and her parents are pretty much the same deal as me and my parents. Just like mine they are never around…either they're at some party or event or at the Bahamas on some luxurious vacation in the middle of September. I guess I was lucky, I always had Lucas, Brooke had no one. Well now she did, she had me. And I had her.

"So when was the last time you even heard from your parents, "I asked her opening my locker to put my books away.

"I don't know, like a couple of months back, last I heard they were going to Europe or something, but don't worry, they've been sending money to my account every month But I don't think I'm gonna be seeing them anytime soon." Brooke said casually.

"So I guess that means lucky us," I replied just as casually before I got the books I needed for math, and closed my locker, "Come one, let's go before we're late…"

The warning bell rang and kids pushed and shoved trying to get to class before they got a detention. But thank god, out math class was right across the hall from out lockers, and we made it into out seats just as the bell rang, disregarding the stern gaze the teacher gave us.

I sighed as the teacher began to talk, math had got be the most boring subject, and just because of that the period seemed to take twice as long to end. Maybe that's just because I'm always glancing over at the clock, like right now, I thought it had been like an hour, when with the clock showed 15 minutes. I diverted my gaze to Brooke, who looked just as bad, or even worse, that I did. "I hate math," I mouthed to her. She rolled her eyes and nodded, "same here,"

Fifteen dreadful minutes later the bell rang, ending the torture, and I quickly grabbed my books and was the first to bolt out the door, Brooke following closely.

"Thank god, I thought that class would never end," she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Never mind math, could this day go any slower. It's only the end of second period; we still have four more to go, five with lunch, plus cheerleading." I said sighing at the thought of the long day ahead.

"Please don't remind me, I could be home sleeping right now. Who's idea was it to make school so early anyway." Brooke whined.

"It could be worse, look on the bright side we have two classes down, four more to go until we can go home for the weekend." I said with fake optimism .

"Easy for you to say you have art, a free period, history, and last period gym." she explained

"Hey, it's not my fault I work my butt off to get ahead, so I wouldn't have a heavy work load this year. Second I would totally like to pass on gym. You know what a total klutz I am. I have absolutely no athletic abilities what so ever."

"So you have to put up with one class you hate, big deal. I have English, gym, a free, and finally science. I would so take your schedule over mine. Wanna trade?" She asked with all seriousness.

"No way," I laughed, "That was the whole point of taking all my classes early. So now I'm free my senior year. See you should have done what I did."

"No thank you, if I would have done that I wouldn't have had a social life and that can't happen, because social is the definition of Brooke Davis."

I burst out laughing, "More like, Brooke Davis is the definition of social, " Brooke rolled her eyes at me, "but anyways, your social life is why you have the schedule you do,"

"Hey I might as well look at it on the bright side; we just have this year to go until 'goodbye high school' and 'hello college' I can wait it out…it's all worth it…" She said smiling at the thought of leaving high school.

"Boys, drinking, and partying, you'll fit right in. Any ways, we'd better get to class," I said stopping where she went down the stairs and I went left.

"A whole hour of English, let the fun begin. See you at lunch." Brooke complained walking to the stairway to get to her next class.

Considering how slow the first two hours of school went by, my next to classes went by in a blink. For my free period I headed to the library and browsed the web to keep myself busy until my next class, but the break didn't seem long enough, and before I new it, it was time for art. Art was alright, my pictures didn't come out half bad. Four periods later I was breathing a sigh of relief, it was lunch now, and then one more class, then cheerleading practice, and then the weekend!

I headed to my locker to put my books away, and then walked to the lunch room where I saw Brooke sitting with the cheerleading squad and a couple of guys from the basketball team. I'm on the cheerleading squad, despite being the klutz I am, but it definitely wasn't my idea to join. Brooke roped me in to, just like she ropes me into everything else. So for the past four years I've been a tree hill Raven, and really it's wasn't that bad, I just had to watch out for Cheerleading Brooke, don't want to mess with her.
For the next half hour everyone at the table hung out and talked. While we were eating there was an announcement that cheerleading and basketball practices where cancelled due to teacher meetings.

I didn't care, just gym left, and then I could go home. I said bye to Brooke telling her to meat me at my locker, and headed to gym.

I found myself hopping from foot to foot waiting for the period to be over, as I tried to shoot the ball through the basket and score a touchdown. I sighed as I watched the ball bounce of the rim and roll away. I have absolutely no athletic ability, which is kind of funny because my brother was on the school basketball team, and was now on Duke's.

The class finally ended and I headed into the shower thinking gym hadn't been that bad. I got the ball in five times, beats my other score of two. Watching Lucas play was paying off. I dressed quickly and hurried to meet Brooke. "Let's get outta hear, " She exclaimed.
"I'm almost done." I replied while getting stuff from my locker. "Kay, come on, " I said to her, and we headed out the doors to a mob of kids in the parking lot, "what's going on over there," Brooke asked me.

"Don't know, and honestly don't care," Brooke stood awhile watching the people, "Come on, "I called pulling her after me.

"Yea I guess if it was anything important we would have known about it. Probably some stupid losers fighting anyway."

As we head to Brooke's car I heard a voice calling "Yo, James," I kept walking, not giving it much thought, but I heard the voice again, and this time I turned around, but couldn't make out a face in the crowd. But suddenly the mob parted and I saw a familiar face walk out, one I hadn't seen in a year "Yeah, James, I'm talking to you, get your butt over here," Next thing I knew I was in his arms, hugging the life out of him. He picked me up a little and held me tight.

"I missed to so much Luke. What are you doing here," I asked him once he let go.

"What, a guy can't come home to see his little sis?" He asked.

"Yea he can, but don't think I'm still not mad at you. I haven't seen you in a year, and you so better make it up to me while you're here."

"You know I will."

"So how long are you in Tree hill for anyway." I asked him.

"Until my break is over, which is for about a month,"

"You mean you're here for a whole month and you didn't tell me?"

"Hey I would have, but I wanted to surprise you."

"Well, I'm surprised. Are you sure there aren't any more surprises left. You know how I hate them."

"Um, there may be just one." He replied.

"What is it?" I asked suspiciously

"Well, I kinda brought someone home with me."

"Let me guess new girlfriend." I asked

"No, you actually know this person."

"I do."

If I wasn't so excited over seeing Luke, after not see him for so long. I probably would have noticed the other person also standing in the center of the crowd. Unfortunately for me I didn't, but he definitely saw me. By the time I saw who it was I could do nothing but stare.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Haley James." he said.

I spun around to my left, and looked into the blue eyes of Nathan Scott. After two years of not seeing him, he only got better looking. He still had his spiky black hair, blue eyes, a build even better then the last time I saw him, and I couldn't forget his smirk, which was firmly in place on his face as of now.

"What I'm gone two years, and your not even going to greet me hello. When a minute ago you were jumping in Luke's arms. Really Hales you greet your brother who you talk to everyday on the phone, but you haven't seen in a year like that, but I can't get a simple hello. How have you been?"

"Hello Nathan" I reply and step forward to give him a hug.

As soon as our bodies touch I felt the jolt of electricity shoot throughout my body I felt Nathan lean down, and his hot breath touched my ear when he whispered "You look really good Hales." And I realized I haven't felt this way in two years, and I finally felt like I was home again. That's what scared me to know I can still find comfort in the one person that hurt me the most.
I step back breaking off the hug and any physical contact with him. Knowing I can't let him back into my life, or my heart, because in the end I would be destroyed, and I promised myself the first time he hurt me I would never let him do it again.

"The names Haley only certain people call me Hales, and you lost that right or don't you remember."

"I used to be able to." he replies

"Yea will things change and so do people." I replied directing that people change towards him.
Seeing him again after two year, still felt the as the years before. I had convinced myself for over two years now that I was over him. But now that I was face to face with him again was that really the case or me pretending once again. I do know one thing for the next month Nathan Scott was in town I new it was my job to stay clear of him. Unfortunately that would be easier said then done.

AN- thanks for the great reviews. My going 2 try 2 write chapter 3 this weekend and hopefully have it up by next week, but no promises caz i do have some schoolwork to finish.