Hey, I'm back! I'm so sorry for the long wait for this chapter but I had a little bit of a writer's block this week. Eventually I sat down and started writing but when I finally got in the zone, I was interrupted by my parents and ah, I lost it after that. So that's why it took me a while to get this chapter up. I hope you guys like it and as usual please review :)

Chapter 4: The James Family

It had been a few days since the incident between Haley and Nathan at the River Court and it seemed that both of them had already forgotten about it. Haley was back to skipping school and running with the wild crowd while Nathan returned to basketball practice and fighting with Rachel.

"Hey stranger," Haley beamed when she saw Lucas slide into the seat in front of her. It was lunch and the cafeteria was absolutely packed full with Seniors. It was a tradition here at Tree Hill High for the seniors to have their own private lunch time. Supposedly it was to held lessen the load of students flooding in all at once but everyone knew that it was simply another perk the seniors got.

Lucas didn't smile back and Haley started to get worried. Lucas was the smiley one out of them two. Did something happen?

"Did you say something to Brooke?" Lucas asked sharply, his expression a mixture of anger and hurt. Haley furrowed her brow. No? She hadn't even talked to Brooke the past few days. Of course she didn't like Brooke. She was a cheerleader for God's sake. But she didn't hate Brooke. And as much as Haley hated to admit it, Brooke seemed like one of the most real people she's ever met.

"No," Haley replied simply, putting down her apple and meeting Lucas's intense gaze.

"Well you must have," Lucas said, "She was really upset Hales."

Haley felt irritated start to gnaw at her. How could Lucas believe Brooke over her? They'd been best friends since elementary school and Lucas had just started dating Brooke.

"I didn't Luke," Haley said through gritted teeth. She willed herself to calm down, knowing that nothing good would happen if she lost her temper here.

Lucas narrowed his eyes, trying to decided whether Haley was telling the truth or not. He knew that his best friend wouldn't lie to him but it also wasn't a secret that Haley didn't care much for Brooke. And Brooke was a sensitive person. Though she didn't show it much, Brooke had a really soft heart. It was one of the reasons why Lucas fell for her in the first place. Strength radiated from her yet her insides still remained untouched by the evils of the world. Brooke still believed in the goodness of people.

Lucas loved that about her.

The fact that she was willing to give anyone a chance.

He couldn't say that for Haley. She rarely ever let anyone in. Lucas knew that it wasn't her fault. She had had a tough life and it was understandable. Still, it wouldn't hurt if she was a little nicer to Brooke…

"Alright Hales. Whatever you say," Lucas shrugged, "I've got to go anyways. Whitey called us in for "additional training" after the stunt Nathan pulled the other day at the Oakland City game. I'll see you later."

Haley gave him an icy smile before returning back to picking her food.

As Lucas walked out of the lunch room, he couldn't help but worry a little for Haley. She'd been a little quiet lately. Perhaps he could stop by for a while, see what was going on. He did feel a little guilty for spending so much time with Brooke but she was his girlfriend and Haley understood that. Right?

Lucas shook his head, trying to clear the muddled thoughts that clogged his brain. Now was no time to think about it. By now he was already on the court, changed and ready. Whitey had already started talking and he needed to focus. Nathan sure as hell weren't letting personal issues affect his game. And he needed to be better than Nathan in order to secure that basketball scholarship. He needed not to be one of the best. He needed to be the best.

Brooke giggled and pushed Lucas away. "Luke come on, stop," she laughed. Lucas and Brooke had spent the past few hours in his bedroom making out. They were supposed to be working on their English Lit project but they had both gotten distracted. She couldn't help it. Lucas was just so sexy… Especially when he was all serious and focused. It drove her crazy!

"Brooke, just another minute please," Lucas murmured into her ear, sending shivers down her spine and goosebumps on her arm. She moaned quietly. Lucas had reached her sensitive spot. He knew just how to turn her on.

"Luke please, I need a good grade on this project," Brooke begged half heartedly. In truth, she really didn't want Lucas to stop. It felt way too good. Unfortunately Lucas was way too much of a good boy and pulled away. He turned Brooke around and planted a light kiss on her lips.

"I like you a lot Brooke Davis," he whispered.

Brooke smiled. "I like you a lot too Lucas Scott."

Haley was back in her room, desperately trying to focus on her math homework. It was near impossible with all the ruckus in the background. She had 8 siblings and though she was the youngest, they had all come back for Lydia James's birthday and it was as if they never left.

The noise level multiplied by nearly a hundred and Haley simply couldn't get anything done.

It also didn't help that Nathan Scott's blue eyes sometimes flitted into her mind, causing her to become slightly distracted. But she always pushed them away firmly. A scolding always followed. Haley couldn't let herself think about him. Not even once. Not ever again.

"Haley Bob James!" Quinn's shrill voice floated from down the banister.

"What?" Haley yelled back, annoyance oozing out of her every word. Haley hated it when people called her by her full name. She didn't know why. There wasn't any specific reason. She just didn't like it.

"Mom says come down for dinner," her brother, Kyle, shouted up.

"Im not hungry!"

Her stomach grumbled in protest and Haley sighed. Trust her body to betray her. This wasn't the first time it happened.

"I'm coming!"

Haley shut her math book with a loud bang. She understood most of it anyways and the homework wasn't too hard. She could do it tomorrow morning just before first bell. It would be a piece of cake.

Haley thundered down the stairs and entered the dinning room. The James brothers were busy setting the table though they looked more as if they were wrestling with each other than actually putting cutlery on the large wooden table that dominated the center of the room.

Quinn and Lola were in the corner talking animatedly but about what, Haley had no idea. Quinn and Lola had always been extremely close. Maybe it was the fact that they were only a year apart.

Taylor was sat on a chair and was absorbed in checking her nails. Haley wasn't close to Taylor, in fact it was the exact opposite. Taylor and her couldn't stand each other. Though Haley was an exact carbon copy of Taylor, they couldn't be left alone in a room for more than 5 minutes.

Lydia James entered and exited the dinning room periodically, carrying with her platefuls after platefuls of food. Haley's oldest sister, Polly, helped. It seemed as if she was the only one actually doing work.

"Oh Haley darling, can you go get Alivia please?" Lydia asked, darting back into the kitchen to bring more food out.

"Sure thing ma," Haley replied. She squeezed past all of her brothers and sisters and exited the room once again. She walked down the hall to the room at the very end and opened the door.

The room was painted a beautiful pale pink and flowers and vines and butterflies were drawn on every corner of the wall. It had been Haley's old room when she was a baby. But now it was baby Alivia's.

She walked over quietly, not wanting to wake her up. Alivia hated being woken up. Most James girls were like that, Haley thought, chuckling to herself. She leaned over the crib and slowly peeped in.

There she was. Alivia Marie James.

End of chapter 4 guys :) Review pleaseeee, I would love to read your comments and any suggestions you have for the story :) PS: I tried to add more Brucas scenes in this chapter as I felt that I had been totally neglecting them.