Haley stood awkwardly in the Scott's living room. How she ended up
there was a big blur to her; never in a million years would she have ever
thought this day would come. It was one of the unknown wonders of the
earth. If this situation wasn't making history, she didn't know another
that would. 'Most girls would love to be here,' she thought. But she wasn't
happy to be there- it was almost depressing.
Haley's mind wandered off to the first time she had ever met Nathan Scott. This was usually a miserable thought for most people she knew, but her first experience with him wasn't like everyone else's. She knew another side to the attitude and persona that engulfed him. To everyone else, Nathan Scott had always been the exceedingly rich, incredibly talented, sickeningly lucky and cocky spoiled brat with the biggest attitude from here to Buffalo. But a long time ago, nobody thought of him that way. As she looked back at it, life seemed so much more different. They had been like different people; it had been like another world. This was the only thing they had in common- the story that only they knew.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
He had seen her fail at everything. Almost everything she failed at, he witnessed it. He had witnessed everything- the pain, the humiliation, the shame, and the overwhelming sense of defeat.
It had started a while back- when they were about 6 years old. They had gone to the same summer camp together, and he was always around. He was a seemingly pleasant little boy; very nice, compassionate, innocent, and cute as anything. They never really talked the whole 5 weeks that they were there, but he had made scared young Haley feel better to be away from her parents for the first time. It was a great feeling- enough to make her want to go back year after year until they were 12.
Camp was always fun for her. She spent every birthday there for six years, and always had a great party. The counselors and camp-mates always made her birthday special. Camp memories were always the best. But her 12th birthday would be the last birthday she would spend there.
It had been around the 2nd week of camp that year, and what should have been a joyous time for Haley was the start of a string of bad experiences that would shape the worst phase of her entire life.
As an 11 year old, there was only one thing that she was interested in; one thing that she had her sights set on. It didn't seem like much now, but back then, it meant everything to her. The one thing she wanted was the Tree Hill Summer Camp Annual Performance Competition Trophy. Every year, there was a small performance put on by the kids at the camp for parents, friends and relatives. It was an ensemble of acting, dancing, comedy, and singing. After the performance, the five most talented kids from ages 11 to 14 would be selected to compete in a contest. First prize was the trophy, along with their picture in the newspaper, $50 cash prize, and a chance to sing the National Anthem at a local minor-league stadium on opening night. Second prize was similar- name in the paper instead of a picture, $25 dollars cash prize, and gift certificate for 2 free CD's from FYE. Young Haley lusted after the trophy and the chance to show her talent to the world (or at least all of Tree Hill). She had been singing almost since birth; her life long dream was to be a famous singer one day. She was almost 12 at the time, so it wasn't a very long life-long dream, but she invested everything she had in it, and it was the one thing she knew she could do. This was her chance. Never once did she think about what would happen if she lost.
Camp that year had mostly consisted of training for the big event. Every minute Haley fantasized about what it would be like when the judges handed her that beautiful trophy, and how great it would feel to be the center of attention. Being the middle child, she always thirsted for the attention her siblings got, and savored every moment that she could get it. The training was vigorous, but Haley loved every minute of it. Her small eyes were on the prize- nothing could stop her.
As the days until the competition grew closer, Haley could hardly wait. She had looked forward to this since the first time she watched the older kids compete during the first year of camp. She was ahead of every other child there, and the counselors noticed. They encouraged her every chance they got. They were sure she would win. As they trained, to Haley it seemed like no one else was there. When the day before the competition came, Haley went to sleep that night with not an ounce of nervousness, but with the sweet dreams of success filling her thoughts.
The sun rose that day, awakening the youngsters from their sound slumber. Haley was ecstatic, but she didn't talk to anyone else. Even though she didn't say a word, everyone knew what she was thinking by the smile on her face. At 9:00 the counselors ushered the little kids out to the large out-door stage where parents, relatives, and friends waited anxiously to see their children. To most, the competition wasn't a competition at all. It was merely a fun performance and another chance to get out of the house. But to Haley, this was a dream come true.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sorry it's kind of short. Chapter 4 is already in progress. I have a good idea where I'm going w/ the next couple chapters but if anyone had any ideas for later in the story, email them to me or post them w/ your review. They are much appreciated. Check my profile page cuz I put author's notes and stuff up there a lot. Thanks for everyone who's reviewing ( ~~~Abby Jeanne
Haley's mind wandered off to the first time she had ever met Nathan Scott. This was usually a miserable thought for most people she knew, but her first experience with him wasn't like everyone else's. She knew another side to the attitude and persona that engulfed him. To everyone else, Nathan Scott had always been the exceedingly rich, incredibly talented, sickeningly lucky and cocky spoiled brat with the biggest attitude from here to Buffalo. But a long time ago, nobody thought of him that way. As she looked back at it, life seemed so much more different. They had been like different people; it had been like another world. This was the only thing they had in common- the story that only they knew.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
He had seen her fail at everything. Almost everything she failed at, he witnessed it. He had witnessed everything- the pain, the humiliation, the shame, and the overwhelming sense of defeat.
It had started a while back- when they were about 6 years old. They had gone to the same summer camp together, and he was always around. He was a seemingly pleasant little boy; very nice, compassionate, innocent, and cute as anything. They never really talked the whole 5 weeks that they were there, but he had made scared young Haley feel better to be away from her parents for the first time. It was a great feeling- enough to make her want to go back year after year until they were 12.
Camp was always fun for her. She spent every birthday there for six years, and always had a great party. The counselors and camp-mates always made her birthday special. Camp memories were always the best. But her 12th birthday would be the last birthday she would spend there.
It had been around the 2nd week of camp that year, and what should have been a joyous time for Haley was the start of a string of bad experiences that would shape the worst phase of her entire life.
As an 11 year old, there was only one thing that she was interested in; one thing that she had her sights set on. It didn't seem like much now, but back then, it meant everything to her. The one thing she wanted was the Tree Hill Summer Camp Annual Performance Competition Trophy. Every year, there was a small performance put on by the kids at the camp for parents, friends and relatives. It was an ensemble of acting, dancing, comedy, and singing. After the performance, the five most talented kids from ages 11 to 14 would be selected to compete in a contest. First prize was the trophy, along with their picture in the newspaper, $50 cash prize, and a chance to sing the National Anthem at a local minor-league stadium on opening night. Second prize was similar- name in the paper instead of a picture, $25 dollars cash prize, and gift certificate for 2 free CD's from FYE. Young Haley lusted after the trophy and the chance to show her talent to the world (or at least all of Tree Hill). She had been singing almost since birth; her life long dream was to be a famous singer one day. She was almost 12 at the time, so it wasn't a very long life-long dream, but she invested everything she had in it, and it was the one thing she knew she could do. This was her chance. Never once did she think about what would happen if she lost.
Camp that year had mostly consisted of training for the big event. Every minute Haley fantasized about what it would be like when the judges handed her that beautiful trophy, and how great it would feel to be the center of attention. Being the middle child, she always thirsted for the attention her siblings got, and savored every moment that she could get it. The training was vigorous, but Haley loved every minute of it. Her small eyes were on the prize- nothing could stop her.
As the days until the competition grew closer, Haley could hardly wait. She had looked forward to this since the first time she watched the older kids compete during the first year of camp. She was ahead of every other child there, and the counselors noticed. They encouraged her every chance they got. They were sure she would win. As they trained, to Haley it seemed like no one else was there. When the day before the competition came, Haley went to sleep that night with not an ounce of nervousness, but with the sweet dreams of success filling her thoughts.
The sun rose that day, awakening the youngsters from their sound slumber. Haley was ecstatic, but she didn't talk to anyone else. Even though she didn't say a word, everyone knew what she was thinking by the smile on her face. At 9:00 the counselors ushered the little kids out to the large out-door stage where parents, relatives, and friends waited anxiously to see their children. To most, the competition wasn't a competition at all. It was merely a fun performance and another chance to get out of the house. But to Haley, this was a dream come true.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sorry it's kind of short. Chapter 4 is already in progress. I have a good idea where I'm going w/ the next couple chapters but if anyone had any ideas for later in the story, email them to me or post them w/ your review. They are much appreciated. Check my profile page cuz I put author's notes and stuff up there a lot. Thanks for everyone who's reviewing ( ~~~Abby Jeanne