Okay so this is Chapter 1. As some of you know, Texas is very near and dear to my heart. I live in Texas, and am a hardcore Longhorns fan, hence why they are going to UT. ANywho, thank you for the awesome replies! Constructive criticism is appreciated! Thanks!

Chapter 1

And so it begins…

On a plane from Portland, Oregon to Austin Texas

"So I didn't get to see you last night, well because I was busy, so what did you do?" Lucas questioned as he clung to his seat for dear life.

"Luke we're in the air, you don't have to spaz, and there is hardly any turbulence and its okay. Release your death grip, it really is okay."

He slowly unclasped his fingers from underneath the armrest.

"I don't like flying." He breathed out annoyed.

"I know, but it's really okay, I promise. If the plane goes down I'm sure Peyton and your parents know that you love them." He glared at me.

"Funny." And then he resumed his death grip.

"Lucas seriously, it's okay." I laughed lightly.

He moved his hands to his lap, where he began playing with his fingers, obviously trying to avoid thinking about the plane that he was currently on. He sighed deeply, held his hands together, and turned towards me.

"So what did you do last night?"

I sighed; I really didn't want to get into an argument with Lucas over Ethan, and if I answered him truthfully I would do just that. "Not a whole lot."

"We're you with Ethan?"

"What are you my dad?"

"No I just, know how you and Ethan work and if you gave him one last night, then…"

"Then what Lucas? I'm in love with him, okay. You don't fall out of love when you break up with someone, it's not that easy. It would be a hell of a lot easier if that's how it worked. But it's not, and I'm still very much in love with Ethan. And I know he loves me, but I need to do this, I have practically made my whole world in Winfield revolve around him, and I need my own world. I need to not have to depend on someone to get by. And by going to Texas, I'm proving that I can do that."

"Did you sleep with him?"

"I don't see how that's your business."

"It's just a question."

I bit my lip and turned towards the window, looking out at the clear sky.

"Did you or not?"

I shot him a glare and continued staring.

"Haley…"

I spun around, "Yes Lucas I did. Okay I slept with Ethan."

"Oh, so are y'all going to get back together?"

"No we're not. It just kind of happened okay. It's really hard to say no to him."

"Right…' he looked at me as if he were disappointed.

"Right what? I know I messed up okay, so before you give me the big brother lecture on how I didn't have to sleep with him, I'm aware okay. But I love him and it wasn't completely planned, so I just." Tears began to form in my eyes.

He put his arm around me, "I'm sorry Haley I didn't mean to push you."

I ran my fingers underneath my eyes, to wipe the tears away. "It's all good." I smiled and began fiddling my thumbs. Man I was turning into Lucas.

"Hey didn't you say you knew someone?" I questioned him.

"Well Haley I know a lot of people." He teased.

"No I mean that's going to UT, your cousin's boyfriend or something."

"Oh yeah I forgot about him, yeah he's from North Carolina, total pretty boy jock."

"You mean like you?"

"I am not a pretty boy jock."

"Right that's why you're going on a scholarship to UT, to play football? But you're not a pretty boy jock at all."

"I resent that."

"The truth hurts little bud." I

He smiled, but it turned into a frown soon after.

"I don't know if I can do this Haley, maybe I shouldn't come."

"Luke you can't live your life with regrets, and you know as well as Peyton that if you don't take this chance you'll regret it and eventually it could turn into resentment toward Pey, and I know that's the last thing you want."

He nodded his head in agreement. "You're probably right, but I miss her a lot"

"I know you do, but you love her and this is going to work." I had to reassure him.

"You have to know that it's going to take work, because there will be tons of girls throwing themselves at you, because your one of four in the country that were recruited for UT football, so your automatically Mr. It, whether you want it or not, so self control will be a big issue."

"I don't know what your talking about you'll be with me every step of the way."

"No I don't think so, you can befriend pretty boy jock from North Carolina, and he can make sure you don't screw up, I have to focus on my studies if I want to get in their medical program."

"Hales you're going to get in and you know maybe you will meet a cute med student to take your mind off Ethan."

"Doubtful."

"You never know."

"Your right I don't know, which is a good thing, because for once I don't know. I don't know what to expect, and I don't know what's in store for me. I know that I'm going to get a good education and the rest will happen when I get there, but seriously if you think that I'm going to be your lap dog, I'm not. Peyton trusts you, and that means without me guiding you and telling you no, which means that you have to do it on your own."

"Is this your way of saying we're not friends anymore?" he asked dramatically.

"Yes Lucas, I'm throwing our friendship away, it means absolutely nothing." I hit him in the back of the head.

"No Lucas, I just don't think I can be your party buddy."

"Well can you be my study buddy?"

"If we were in any of the same classes I could, but from what I can tell you took easy classes, and I took not so easy classes, I'm almost practically a sophomore, all those AP classes helped." I let a smug smile appear on my face.

"You and your damn brain." He chuckled before putting his head phones on and closing his eyes.

On a plane from Charlotte, North Carolina to Austin Texas

How I had managed to get stuck by this little girl was unbeknownst to me.

"Hi I'm Addison Faulkner", she said sticking her hand out, "And you are?"

"Nathan."

"How old are you Nathan?"

"I'm 18, how old are you?"

"I don't know that I should tell you that, you could try and molest me or something. Did you know that every two minutes another kid gets molested? Isn't that like the freakiest thing ever, and every forty five seconds another person is raped? Aren't those stats mind boggling?"

I nodded; this was definitely one twisted girl. I stayed quiet after that, not wanting her to spout off any absurd facts that she obviously knew off the top of her head.

"I'm nine." Did she really just say she was nine? She shouldn't know statistics like that.

"Well Addison, why are you on this plane all by yourself?"

"I don't know that I can trust you, let me see your license, we'll see if your name really is Nathan."

"Okay." I pulled out my wallet and handed her my license. She examined the picture very closely and then studied my face.

"Okay Mr. Nathan Scott, I'm on my way home."

"Where are you coming from?"

She rolled her eyes at me, "North Carolina obviously."

"Well why were you in North Carolina?"

"You're just full of questions, I don't know enough about you to tell you why I was there." She spoke incredibly fast. This girl definitely knew too much for her own good.

"Why are you going to Texas?"

"I'm going to UT."

"Like the college?"

"Yeah the university."

"Oh I'm sorry the university."

"Are you smart?"

"I get by."

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Yeah I do."

"You have a picture of her?"

"Yeah I do."

"I figured you did, may I please see it?"

I pulled my wallet back out and flipped to Zoë's senior picture. I pulled it out of my wallet and handed it to her.

She examined it closely, she liked to do that, examine everything very closely.

"She's pretty, but she's no Shirley Temple." I smiled nothing that this little girl said would surprise me.

"I think she's pretty."

"Well that's a good thing."

"Are you a good boyfriend?"

"I like to think I am."

"Why did you choose UT?"

"Because I didn't get in at UCLA, and UT was my second choice."

"Well see I don't know if I like that."

"And why is that?"

"My daddy is the president of your second choice."

My mouth dropped open, maybe she could surprise me. "You're the president's daughter? Why aren't you in Austin?"

"I'm coming home from boarding school."

"Summer vacation?"

"Yeah."

"You like boarding school?"

"No, I'm deprived of the male species and it's not particularly a good thing."

I chuckled at her. "You like boys?"

"Well duh, what girl doesn't? Wait don't answer that, I know the statistic and I don't believe in the lesbian lifestyle." She shook her finger in my face a few times.

I nodded.

"But you being male, probably enjoy the idea of two women together, because that's how the male brain works, I've read some relationship self help books, and I have a little bit of insight into the male brain."

I rubbed my eyes, this girl was something else.

Silence came over us for a few minutes.

"Do you love your girlfriend?"

I nodded as a smile appeared on my face.

"What's her name?"

"Zoë."

"Sounds exotic."

I laughed again.

"Where is she?"

"Who?"

"Your girlfriend, duh!" she smacked me in the head.

"Oh…" I frowned.

"So she's not going to UT, obviously."

"Uhh no she is umm in Washington."

"Yikes, that sucks, is your middle name Daniel?"

My eyes grew big, how in the hell did she know that.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because my best friend Oksana, yeah I know her name is weird but she was named after that skater chick but anyways, her older sister, Nancy, also named after a figure skater, is going to be a freshman just like you, and she calls you NDS, but your supposedly the hot new freshman and like twelve girls that I personally know want to jump you, and they are like determined to make you girlfriendless, even though that's not really a word."

I nodded. "That's uhh that's good to know."

"Yeah I guess, now I have something to make Nancy jealous with." She smiled.

"I guess you do."

"So what kind of music do you listen to Nathan?"

"Rap mostly, but I think they mostly listen to country in Texas."

"Oh my God! Do you really believe that? I mean do I have on a cowgirl hat and cowgirl boots? No I don't think I do. So get that preconceived notion that we are all ahem kickers, out of your head, because we're not."

I put up my hands in defense, "Sorry Addy."

"Addy? No one calls me Addy, what gives you the right?"

"I like the name Addy, and that's what I'm going to call you."

"Like a nickname?"

"Yeah, like a nickname."

"Even more to make Nancy mad about."

"You don't like this Nancy girl?"

"No, she's a total bitch. I mean pardon my language, she isn't a very nice young lady."

"Right…"

"Who is your favorite music artist?"

"Me? Kanye all the way man."

"You listen to Kanye?"

"And Lloyd Banks too, he is seriously drool worthy."

"You got a thing for black rappers?"

"Yeah fifty has a killer body, but I don't like any of his songs, except 'In Da Club'

"And Em, heh, he is a silly white boy trying to be black."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah, very much right."

"You probably think you're never wrong?"

"No, I know when I'm wrong, it just rarely happens."

"I see."

"That's a good thing, I mean that you can see and all."

"Yes I suppose it is."

"Are you worried?"

"Why would I be worried?"

"About Zoë?"

"You want me to give to the statistic for long distance relationships?"

"No that's okay, I don't need it."

"That's right, because you love her and y'all are going to be together forever, happy and make lots of happy babies, right?"

"We haven't actually thought that far."

"Well I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say it won't work. Something tells me you'll meet someone else, and you'll fight your feelings, but in the end it won't matter, because you will have already given your heart away to someone besides this Zoë chick. But that's just my prediction."

"Are you sure you're only nine?"

"Why? Do my boobs say otherwise?"

I chuckled and shook my head. "No."

"Well then if I must be honest I'm really eight and a half, but I'm almost nine."

"And you read relationship self help books?"

"Dr Suess is so 1970."

"Right."

"What he is? And Danielle Steel, she can write, really hot sex scenes."

"I wouldn't know."

"That's good I might think you were gay, and I don't believe in the gay way either."

Austin, Texas airport 7:35 p.m.

"Lucas wake up your phone is going nuts."

I sighed, waking him up was pointless. I grabbed his phone from his bag and answered it while attempting to hit Lucas over the head with a pillow.

"Hello."

"Lucas? This isn't Lucas. Who is this?"

"Haley, hang on a sec, I'm trying to wake him up, and can I at least tell him who is calling."

"Oh yeah, this is Zoë, and I need him to befriend my boyfriend, like oh in an hour."

"Okay hang on just a second."

After hitting him with the pillow a few dozen times, he started to stir.

"Lucas wake up, A, we are here and B. Your cousin Zoë is on the phone, I think she wants you to befriend pretty boy jock." I said a little too loudly, shoving the phone in his face.

"Hello." Lucas answered still not quite awake.

"Oh hey Zo, whats up?"

"Yeah I think we can do that."

Yeah, love you too little cous, talk to you later, alright, bye."

"So we have to befriend pretty boy jock?"

"Uhh.." he yawned and stood up, "Yeah, his flight gets in like thirty five minutes from now, and she wants me to inform you his name is Nathan."

I laughed as we made our way to the baggage claim. "Right.. Nathan gotcha."

Austin,Texas8:15 p.m.

"I'm really fine Nathan, my dad will be here any second."

"That's all fine and great, but I'm not leaving you to get kidnapped, mind giving me the stats on that."

"Every fifty seconds another kid is kidnapped."

"I knew you'd know Addy."

My cell phone sounded with the ringtone of Jay Z. I reached inside my pocket to answer it.

"Can I answer it?" I handed the phone to her.

"Nathan Scott's pimp service, how can I assist you?"

"Addy!" I warned her. She giggled.

"He is here, who is this? Is this Zoë?

"Well then ya I guess." She scowled and handed me the phone.

"Baby who is that?" It was Zoë, the sweet sound of her voice brought a smile to my face.

"That would be Addy, my friend from the airplane." I winked at her.

"Oh okay sweetie, well I am having Lucas meet you at the airport, I think y'all will be rooming in the same house, and you don't know anyone, so y'all can go there together, and I think he is with his friend, some girl Hallie, I think."

"Okay. Where are they meeting me?"

"At gate D1."

"Okay, I love you."

"I love you too baby, call me when you get things settled okay?"

"Alright, bye Zo love you."

"Bye Nathan I love you too." And then she hung up and I pressed the end key on my cell phone.

"Addy I have to meet someone in like ten minutes, and I think she said they were already here, come with me to go get them and then we can come back and wait for your dad okay?"

"Whatever you say Nathan, I think I trust you."

I smiled at her, "good, come on."

===========================

"Hey is that him?" I asked Lucas pointing to the guy with the little girl coming towards us.

Lucas turned his head to where I was pointing. "Yeah that's as you call him, pretty boy jock."

"Cool, let's go then."

"Nathan long time no see", they did the universal guy hand shake.

I looked at the little girl, she was adorable. Dark hair and blue eyes, "She yours?"

He finally noticed me standing there. "Excuse me?"

"This little girl is she yours or something?"

He looked at me like I had two heads, "no." he shook his head fervently. 

"And you think its going to work pfft." The little girl was looking up at pretty boy jock who was looking at me.

He glanced down at her. "Shut up."

"I know how these things work." She stated with her hands on her hips.

"Okay girly, whatever you say."

"No she isn't mine, God no."

He was obviously disturbed by the idea.

"You're Hallie?"

I laughed. "Close."

"Haley."

"Oh well I'm Nathan, its nice to meet you Haley." He smiled as he put out his hand for me to shake. Pretty boy jock had manners, I had to give him props. He directed his attention back to Luke. "I have a feeling this isn't the last we are going to see of each other if Zoë has anything to do with it."

Lucas laughed, "Probably not."

"Umm, I have to get her back to our gate, I couldn't leave her by herself, and I don't trust airport security here, so if we could head this way it would be great."

He was nice, that was for sure. The little girl kept looking at me. She hung back and walked slower as the four of us went back to the gate they originally came from.

"You're name's Haley huh?" she inquired.

"Yeah that's my name, what's your name?"

"Addison."

"Its nice to meet ya Addy." I said putting my hand on her head.

She smiled devilishly. And didn't say another word as we walked back to her gate.

This was long, I know. I hope you liked it, and I hope you read it all, this chapter was meant to be funny and I hope that I established that. This is a definite work in progress, so just bear with me. I really like my idea for this story and I hope you do as well. Please review,  criticism is wanted, I can handle it.

Mandie