A/N:Thank you for all of the feedback, I really appreciate it !And with that said,here's number two.

Also, I just want to talk about my updating schedule, or the lack thereof. I don't have certain days that I will be able to update and such. I am really interested in writing this, but it is not practical for me to say that I can write and have chapters finished by certain days because of school and other commitments, but I do hope to update at least once a week, most likely on weekends because I do not always have that much work.

Disclaimer:I don't speak any other language besides English and(a little bit of)French, so I don't own anything.

Chapter Title: Casting Lines

And who are we to argue fate?

And who is time to make us wait?

I'm standing here with nothing left to prove.

Casting Lines—Jack's Mannequin

Flashback

"That guy looks like a jerk. He reminds me of my big brother." A Four year old Haley informed the young, sad boy who sat on the bench in front of her. She just watched the older man scold the boy and walk away, muttering under his breath, "Who is he?"

"My dad." The boy answers uncertainly. He's never been one for making friends.

"Well, is he a jerk?"

"Sometimes." The boy replied sadly.

"What's your name? I'm Haley. I don't think it's good that your dad's a jerk. My dad is really nice to me, all the time. Well, he yells at me when I do bad things, but I don't really do bad things. He usually just yells at Brandon because he's really mean to me. Like I said, my big brother's a jerk. Do you have any brothers or sisters? What's your name, again?" Haley asked, finally taking a moment to let the boy respond.

"Nathan." He answered, timidly, still unsure about the girl rambling to him.

"Nice name," She stated happily, "You want to come play on the swings with me? Vivian just taught me how to pump my legs last Saturday. Do you know how to pump your legs? I'll teach you if you don't. Come on." She demanded, grabbing Nathan's hand and pulling him towards the swings, just like she did again at school each day after that.

End Flashback

Haley was thankful that she had already found out about the school tutoring center. She only saw Nathan during lunch and even though it meant she wouldn't be able to sit with her new friends, it meant that she would be able to avoid any potential run-ins with Nathan. Although, she ultimately knew it was inevitable. Again, the only reason she was here was because she needed Nathan; she needed to be happy again and avoiding him like the plague was not going to benefit her.

She just didn't know what to say or how to approach him. Every time she was in her empty apartment, alone, she would think about all the ways that this could play out;

"Oh, hey Nate. Yeah, it's me, Haley James, you know, the girl who used to be your best friend? Yeah, it's totally cool that you don't even seem to remember the first years of your life and me included but I just have some really big issues that I need to work out and I know that you're the only one that can help me so…"

The rest of her thoughts ran off when a knock at the door startled her. Nathan Scott. Of course.

"Can I help you?" Haley asked after taking a moment to collect herself. She refused to let herself appear helpless and desperate like yesterday and decided to go along it. Maybe if she acted like everything was cool he would leave her alone.

"Uh, I was just hoping I could talk to you."

He seemed nervous and rather fidgety. One hand was rubbing the back of his neck as he stood in the doorway of the empty tutoring center, awaiting a response.

"Okay…" Haley hesitated, but gestured to the chair next to her anyway.

Her heart was beating loud in her chest and she was nervous being around him. She didn't know how to act or what to do. Of course she wanted him to remember her, but she didn't know what she would do if he did.

Nathan slowly walked over to the chair the Haley gestured to and sat down cautiously. He could tell that this was awkward for her and he honestly didn't feel that much more comfortable himself.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. And Rachel, she can be a real bitch sometimes."

"So I've heard."

"Yeah." He paused, looking about the tutoring center and taking in his surroundings. He's never been in here before and he was also very intent on avoiding eye contact with the girl in front of him. He found a weird sense of comfort and familiarity in the girl's eyes and it scared him shitless. "But I really am sorry about what happened. And, you know, me not remem-"

"It's fine," Haley cut in, smiling weakly, trying to get away from where this conversation was going. She did not want to be reminded about what had happened at their last encounter, "Just forget about it." She nodded her head as she spoke, hoping to give reassurance to Nathan that she forgave him.

"Okay."

An awkward silence fell upon the two and as much as Haley wanted to say something to him, wanted to ask him a question that would prompt him to think about his past and maybe get something to click in his head, she couldn't. She didn't want to push him to remember.

"Is, uh, is that it? Because, I have some work to do…" Haley trailed off, avoiding his eyes because that's what she did when she was lying.

"On the second day of school?" He asked suspiciously, with an eyebrow raised.

Haley only shrugged in response; she didn't feel that she owed him an explanation.

Feeling that he was no longer wanted he stood up and pushed in his chair, walking to the door. Before he exited, he turned back around and walked to the table he was just seated at and extended a hand to the girl who still resided there.

"I'm Nathan Scott." She smiled weakly and shook the hand that was offered to her.

"And you are?" Nathan prompted when she didn't introduce herself.

Haley was sure her face dropped for a moment, but if it visibly did, Nathan didn't seem to notice. She couldn't tell him her name; of course he'd know her by name. She was afraid that even 'Haley' would make his head begin to spin.

"Don't worry about it." She smiled, coyly, because being flirty was the only technique she knew would get her out of answering his question.

He seemed taken aback momentarily before smirking at her in response and laughing slightly.

"Alright," He began walking back to the door, "See you around, no name."

He sent her a smirk again before leaving.

++++++++++++++ShePaintsMeBlue++++++++++

"Where have you been?" Rachel spit out when Nathan reached the lunch table he has the routine of sitting at every day. And you don't break that routine. It's like the code of high school.

"I went to talk to that girl from yesterday." Nathan informed the table, smiling as he sat down.

"You did what?"

"I talked to the girl from yesterday." He repeated, more slowly, rolling his eyes at Rachel. The girl seriously annoyed him.

"Good for you, Nate." Peyton stated whole-heartedly. She appreciated the fact that the arrogant boy was making an effort to make the girl he embarrassed yesterday feel better. It was showing her the good side of Nathan that she was there.

"No, not good for him. She's going to think she can start talking to us now. Dammit, Nathan." Rachel scolded. She hated this girl with a passion.

"Would you get over yourself?" Brooke finally spoke up. She was never one to help out other people, but she knew Rachel was way out of line.

"What is up with all of you? Why are you totally cool with a low-life, loser trying to hang out with us?"

Rachel didn't even wait for a response from the clueless people at her table before standing up and storming into the school. This girl needed to know her place.

It wasn't long before Rachel found Haley in the tutoring center. It was lunch and if she wasn't outside, the tutoring center was one of the few places she could be.

She didn't even bother knocking before storming in and sitting down across from Haley who was so into the book that she was reading, that she wouldn't have even knew the red head was there if it weren't for her loud stilettos clanking against the hard, tile floor.

"Can I help you?" Haley repeated the same question she asked Nathan not the long before. Only, this time, her voice wasn't full of alarm and nervousness, only agitation.

"Yes. Stay the hell away from Nathan."

Haley laughed loudly while taking her time to put the bookmark in her book and set it down before looking up at Rachel.

"Why?"

Rachel was taken aback slightly, "What?"

"Why? Do you have a rational reason or are you just being a bitch?"

"He's too cool for you."

Haley laughed again. High school was ridiculous. This girl was seriously the definition of "cool"?

"So it's the latter then." Haley established, then continued to look like she was pondering her choices before coming to a conclusion, "I don't think so, but thanks for the suggestion. It's appreciated." She smiled, before reaching down to pick her book back up. She already wasted enough of her time with this girl.

"Why do you even care? I'm pretty sure everyone knows that Nathan doesn't date, it doesn't matter if you guys had a drunken one night stand, it's done. Move on."

"Is that why you're so desperate for him to date you then? Because you're over your one night stand with him?" Haley asked, accusingly.

Rachel looked nervous for a moment before mumbling out a, "I'm not desperate". Then it clicked.

"Oh, he won't even touch you." Haley smiled, happy that she was able to have something over this girl, even if she really technically didn't.

"Shut up, bitch." Rachel said out of clenched teeth, before running out the room. She was done being pissed off by people today.

+++++++++++ ShePaintsMeBlue +++++++++

"I thought it was Lucas that I could find here whenever I wanted." Haley said to Jake as she approached the River Court where Lucas was playing basketball and Jake was sitting at a table with a baby.

"Yeah, well, that's because I didn't want you to come looking for me." He joked back and smiled at her.

"Aww, who is she?" Haley asked reaching out the baby she just now noticed in the boy's arms. She took a hold of the baby when Jake let go and started playing with her. "She is so cute, I love babies!"

Jake laughed at his new friend's enthusiasm before answering, "She's my daughter, Jenny."

"Aww, she's adorable, Jake." Haley smiled and continued to play with the baby.

The boys at the River Court shared a look. Lucas already knew how much Jake appreciated her response. He didn't think that Haley would judge him, she didn't seem like that kind of person, but he figured she would at least be hesitant at first. But she wasn't.

Jake looked down at his smiling daughter and back at Haley. "She likes you."

Haley smiled but didn't say anything. She was too interested in the baby.

"Go, play basketball with Luke. I got her." Haley said after a moment.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. I'm sure she enjoys my company more, anyway."

A/N: And there's chapter two!

I just need to take a minute to express my love for everyone. I seriously had low expectations, but your feedback seriously blew me away. I would get giddy and text my increasingly agitated sister every time I got a review. I super appreciate it!

Also, Iknow, still not one of the best chapters and it's shorter, but the next one is going to be better; I'm really excited for it. And, I will caps this because I know more than half of the readers are going to have given up on this author's note by now, IF YOU REVIEW THIS CHAPTER I WILL PM YOU A PREVIEW OF CHAPTER 3! I don't know if this will be a recurring thing, but for this chapter definitely, so click that review button!

Thank you all very much!

-Megan AKA ToBecomeAClown