Okay so here is Chapter 3, I don't know how much I like it, I like it more than the last, so that's a good thing because I despised the last chapter. This chapter is to dig into the characters heads more. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I'm still trying to set everything up. This is a work in progress. I made a new banner and added all of the major characters, and since people were asking for a picture of Addy. As always the feedback is wonderful and keep it up, it keeps me going. Thanks again! On with the update…

Chapter 3

What lies ahead cannot be foretold…"

Haley

I looked for the key that I had received in the mail to open the door to my new room. I dug it out of my purse and stuck it in the lock, I twisted the key and turned the knob. I slowly opened the door and came face to face with a baseball bat. I stepped backwards.

"Who are you?" the girl questioned me with the baseball bat up to my nose. A strong southern accent.

"I'm Haley."

She dropped the baseball bat on the floor, it crashed on the floor loudly. She ran straight into me, throwing her arms around me. "Haley." She shouted my name right beside my ear. I pulled away slowly, not wanting to offend her.

"Yeah I'm Haley."

"You're from Oregon right?"

I nodded. "Yeah I'm from Oregon." I wasn't about to ask her how she knew that. Was I supposed to know where she was from? I hoped not, because I had no clue. The only thing I knew about this girl was that she had dark brown hair, blue eyes, a southern accent and she was short. Doesn't exactly say much, she could be from anywhere. However at first glance she gives off this whole I'm from a gang and I want to blow your head off because you aren't wearing my colors, but then after she realizes who you are she gives off this I'm a southern girl who loves everyone vibe. A very odd mixture if you ask me.

"What's your name?" Maybe I was supposed to know it, but with everything that went in since I graduated, I didn't do much reading up on what appeared to be my roommate."

"Emily Ann." She said her voice just as country as before. I was definitely going to have to get use to her accent, because at the moment it bothered me a little bit. She was looking at me as if she were trying to figure me out, by just looking at me. First she looked at my hair, which was down and flat as a bored. I was going to have to get use to this weather. Then her eyes moved down to my eyes, she tilted her head to the side like she was trying to decide something about them, then my nose, and then my lips. If she didn't stop with the eyes soon, I was going to think she swung the other way. She stopped on my neck and then quickly let her eyes trail down my body and then back up again to my face.

I smiled, with my mouth shut, "It's nice to meet you. Where are you from?"

"Mississippi, well that's how you northerners say it, but it's really Missippi."

"Oh alright, I will have to try and remember that." I smiled again.

"Do you have any bags that I can help you with?"

"Yeah there outside the door."

"Holy crap, you didn't leave them there did you?"

'They have my name on them."

"Oh dear sweet Jesus, Haley this is Austin TX, not some little town in Oregon, it doesn't matter if you have your name on it or not, it's a five finger discount if you leave it out in the open." She had already opened the door and was dragging a suitcase into the dorm. I grabbed the other one and shut the door, I locked it assuming that was what I was supposed to do.

I brought it towards the open bed and sat it on there, and looked around the room. There was stuff strung out everywhere, this whole mess thing, was going to have to be fixed. Haley James and messes don't mesh well, I'm not so sure this is going to work, and I'm not so sure I like my new roommate.

Lucas

Nathan and I had managed to get ourselves lost looking for our building, worse then I did when I was with Haley, we found it twenty minutes later than what we intended, making it a total half hour of looking for a building. I wouldn't admit to getting lost if he didn't. His room was across the hall from mine, which would probably make Zoë happy. Zoë was gung ho about us being buddies, I knew she wanted me to keep him out of trouble, but that wasn't my job. If he wanted to hang out, we would. But he was going to have to get use to Haley, because I made a vow to a lot of people that I would take care of her. I think if he gives it enough time, she will come to accept him, well part of me wants to believe that, but the other part knows Haley better than everyone but Peyton, and I know she doesn't trust new people easily if at all. All because of her stupid real dad. The thought of him sent something straight to the part of my head that triggered murder. I didn't even know her then, but the thought of anyone trying to hurt Haley just did something to me. But maybe with time she would learn that Nathan is an okay guy, or at least that I know of. From what I can tell he is totally in love with my cousin, which is a good thing, because if he hurts my cousin, he and I will have it out. He might be tall but I'm strong.

I had opened my door and thanked the God above that my roommate was a no show for today, he could come tomorrow just so long as I got here first all was good. Well maybe not everything, I missed Peyton more than anything in the whole entire world. I had a feeling that Nathan and I would be friends, we can relate to each other. He misses Zo, and I miss Pey. We are a lot alike in a lot of ways. I began unpacking my bedding, no way was I going to sleep on just a mattress, no matter how tired I was. I had the bottom sheet almost all the way on when someone knocked on my door. I was hoping it wasn't, well I really didn't want to see anyone right now, so I was hoping it would go away. When it didn't I got my top sheet fixed and opened the door. It was Nathan.

"Hey I can't get into my room." What was I suppose to do about it. I was tired and I wanted sleep.

"Tell you what, why don't you take the other bed in here and in the morning you can go find out why you can't get in." I offered, because I wasn't going to send him to a hotel, that would be wrong and Zoë would eat me alive.

"Thanks man." He brought his luggage in and immediately began making the bed across the room from mine.

I was adjusting my comforter when my cell phone began to ring, "Love will come through." I smiled, it was Peyton.

"I grabbed it off of my bag, "Hey beautiful."

She laughed, which made me smile. She was the only one who could do that to me. "What are you doing right now?" the sound of her voice put me in my Peyton trance, as Haley liked to call it. "Thinking of you of course."

"You know your lame lines get you nowhere."

"But it's not a line."

"Good. Did you make it to your dorm okay?"

"Yeah, Nathan's here."

"Nathan? I have heard of him before."

"Zoë's boyfriend."

"Ohh, how did Haley like him?"

"She didn't."

"Not surprising, and the funny thing is he is probably totally her type."

"He's taken Peyton, Zoë remember? And she goes for the whole surfer boy look, this one has school leader written all over him."

"He have blonde hair?

"Nope, and he's got blue eyes."

"S s o maybe not Haley's type."

"He's taken it wouldn't matter."

"I'm going to try and come with your parents when they bring the rest of your stuff."

"Really?"

"Yeah, if I can get off work I will."

"Well then I will be praying that you get off. I miss you so much Pey."

"Believe me I know, if you miss me half as much as I miss you I feel sorry for you." I laughed.

"How did your art exhibit go?"

"It went good, there were just a lot of people there that I didn't expect, like Brice Westover, he was there and so was his little brother. I didn't think I would ever see them again, but turns out Brice is going to the same college as me."

"I see." What was I suppose to say, I'm glad that your parent's best friend's kid that they wanted you to marry is going to the same college as you. That just puts my mind right at ease.

"Luke…" she warned, "Don't go there, I told you before Brice and I will never be, I'm with you and only you, I love you, you have to know that."

"And I do, but Brice is one of the biggest players in Winfield."

"It's just a front, he's not that bad."

"Your suppose to be comforting me not worrying me more."

"I'm sorry, Brice is a complete loser, who doesn't deserve the time of day. Better?"

"Yeah a little."

"I wish I were there with you, the things I would do to you right now." She was great at changing the subject.

"And what would that be?"

"It's too bad to say over the phone."  I laughed at her.

"No I'm sure it's not anything we haven't done before."

"Well no, but I'm not going to say it over the phone." She let her embarrassment show.

"I love you." I told her for the umpteenth time that day, but when you love someone like I love Peyton, you can't say it enough.

Emily Ann

This Haley girl seems cool, she is just incredibly guarded. She hasn't said much since she got here. I haven't been really making much of an effort though. Maybe if I make and effort, than she will.

I approach her cautiously, trying to think of a subject to strike up a conversation with. My favorite subject should work. "You have a boyfriend?"

I questioned her as she placed everything into her drawers at a snails pace. She shook her head no, but something told me there was more to it. "Did you have a boyfriend?" I tried again, she shrugged. I hit a nerve, so she did have a boyfriend.

She sighed, "Yeah I did."

"What was his name, or is it a sore subject for you to talk about?"

She let out a laugh, "Well, seeing as how the subject will probably come up again, I might as well tell you now. I had a boyfriend, his name is Ethan, we broke up because I came to Texas and he is still in Oregon, before you ask our relationship was one hundred percent dysfunctional. We fought all the time, and we had some serious issues, but we managed to make it work for three years, yes I'm still in love with him, and no I don't plan on getting back together with him, but you didn't ask all that and you probably think I am a complete moron, spouting off information that you could probably care less about."

I laughed, I liked this girl, I didn't think I did, or even that I would, because I'm a fairly difficult person to get a long with but I for the time being I liked her. That summed up a lot about her. "No I don't think you're a moron, I'm glad you told me that, but why did you?"

"In all honesty, I have no idea, I have been trying to get a hold of my best friend Peyton for the past hour and she has been on the phone with her boyfriend, who just so happens to be here with me, and I don't know, I kind of needed to vent is all I guess."

"I'm glad that you did." I was so happy that she let me in enough to tell me that, this couldn't be all bad.

"What about you, you have a boyfriend in Mississippi?" she questioned me from her spot on the bed.

"No, I did but we broke up when he moved. We were together from the seventh grade to my junior year in high school. I was so in love with him. He was the be all and end all of my world you know?" My eyes drifted downward at the thought of Isaac. His clear blue eyes and his sandy blonde hair; I missed him, that much was for sure, but I would find someone else, I had too.

"I'm sorry but if its any consolation I know how the whole be all and end all of the world is, I was there, in fact I'm probably still there."  She sighed, and closed her eyes.

I officially loved my roommate. This would work. I thought for sure that I would hate her, but I love her to death. She is the sweetest person I think I have ever met in my life. I could get down on me knees right now and thank the Lord above. Maybe he did answer my prayer. Daddy would be proud that I prayed, maybe I should. I wonder what kind of family she came from. Her clothes didn't say much about her, she liked Old Navy that much I could tell by the Old Navy T-shirt and flip flops. She didn't have on a lot of make up, from what I could tell she had on maybe blush, and some mascara, and possible lip gloss. She wasn't one of those who thought about herself all the time, which was obvious by her appearance. Her legs were tan, tanner than I would have thought living in Oregon, maybe she fake baked. She was pretty, but not in the beauty queen kind of way, her beauty was simple. Where I had to try, with make up and designer clothes, she didn't. It was also official that I hated her. I loved her to death but she was pretty, and she didn't know it. I never did like those girls, the ones that look in the mirror and see something 'ugly' and go on about their business; because it was these girls that were usually very beautiful, and she was one of them. She was probably really smart and here to get a good education. She was probably always on time, and never had a B in her life. I never would have imagined me liking someone like her, but I did. There was more than met the eye with her; it was just a matter of getting to know her, but in order to get to know her, she would want to know more about me, and I am not exactly sure I want to let her in.

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

Nathan

Lucas has been on the phone with Peyton for the past hour, and I can't bring myself to sleep. I need to say goodnight to Zoë, but every time I call her cell, her voicemail picks up. I hear Lucas laughing and it makes me miss her more.

Today has been quite a day. I close my eyes, to recall the day's events, something my grandpa taught me to do, especially on bad days, because thinking back on your bad, will usually make you think of something good that happened, and then you will smile when you realize that no day is all bad, because there is always something to smile about, or at least that's how he put it when I was six. Ever since I have done that, and it usually helps me when I think my world is going to crash on top of me. So I close my eyes and think about what happened today. Well for one I said goodbye to my family, well my mom, but either way, I said goodbye to Jason, who I think is going to miss me more than I originally thought. I got on a plane and met a little girl, thinking about her made me smile, she was to smart for her own good, but she knew that. So that was one thing to make me smile. Then I got off the plane and reacquainted myself with Lucas, who is probably going to be one of the only friends that I have while I'm down here. I decided after she left that I was going to make safe friends, friends that wouldn't get me in trouble or let me get in trouble. Lucas wasn't the same Lucas I had met in North Carolina; he was a more down to earth Lucas. Then I met Haley. I smiled again. So meeting her wasn't a bad thing, like I originally thought. I know there is a lot to her, and while I originally didn't really want anything to do with any other girls, maybe she could help me stay loyal to Zoë. She didn't like me, which much was obvious. She wasn't one of those girls who put up a front of not liking me either, when they we're secretly infatuated with me, I could spot those girls. I didn't like to brag, because that would be being cocky, and I wasn't cocky, that was my father. I frowned at the thought of that smug smile on his face when we finished saying 'goodbye'. But I could usually spot the ones who were faking hating me. Haley genuinely didn't like me; she didn't want anything to do with me. She wasn't rude, but she was very guarded which made me wonder why. Lucas knew, and he wasn't going to say anything about it. And what was with the whole taco bell issue and her food statement. There was more behind it. So far there were two things to smile about. I thought about getting lost, that didn't make me smile so much, I wasn't one to admit I was wrong. While I said I wasn't cocky, I had pride, which was one of the things I inherited from my father, not something I was proud of, but not something I could change. I frowned again, thinking of him made me do that. I let my mind wander back to when I was seven and I was on my grandpa's lap. That made me smile. Thinking of my grandpa always made me smile. Finishing out the days events I had to smile because Lucas was gracious enough to let me stay in the room with him. I didn't want to have to go to another hotel, and then come back, I would most assuredly get lost. I closed my eyes and started to count my blessings, something my grandpa taught me to do when I couldn't fall asleep.

I was almost asleep when Jay Z's supertonic ring woke me up.

 "Hey you." I breathed exhaustedly into the phone.

"I'm sorry I missed you earlier, I had my phone charging and I was out with some of the girls from the team."

"Oh its okay I just wanted to call you and say goodnight. You know I can't sleep if I don't get to say goodnight."

"Nathan Scott you are such a softy." She giggled, which only made me smile more.

"When it comes to you Zoe Sherwood, I am, but I wont admit that to anyone else."

"I know because you have this big tough guy persona to put on am I right?"

"That you are." I was drifting off to sleep.

"Did you and Lucas find each other?"

"Yeah, I'm in the same dorm as him right now."

She squealed, "Really?"

"Yeah but it's not for good, it's jus until I can get the right key."

"Oh.."

"Did you meet Hallie?"

"Haley." I corrected her.

"Oh oops my bad, I was close." I laughed at her dorkyness.

"So I guess you met her."

"Yeah." I didn't like the tone of her voice.

"Does she like you?"

"Zoe…"

"What I just asked if she liked you."

"You will be happy to know that she is not interested, at all. In fact I think she has a problem with me."

"Oh… well become her friend."

"Zoe…"

"I just don't want you to meet someone else." Her voice was said.

"I know and I don't plan on it."

"You don't ever plan on meeting people Nathan, it just happends."

"I know that. And if you really want me to befriend her I will, but it's going to take some work."

"Maybe she can keep you preoccupied."

"I don't think she wants to keep my preoccupied."

"But your sure she doesn't like you?"

"I promise, she is kind of cold. She doesn't trust very easily, but you know what I don't want to talk about her right now."

"Well I like her already, just do whatever you can to be her friend. Wait is she pretty?"

"Zoe…"

"I'm serious Nathan is she pretty?"

"I don't know, she's not ugly, but she's not pretty. I don't think she wears much make up and she's short, you know my thing against short girls."

"How short?"

"I don't know she is probably 5'2 or close to that."

"Okay, be her friend."

"You realize how wrong that is right?"

"What to be her friend?"

"I don't see anything wrong with it."

"Fine, I'll do whatever to be her friend, just let's not talk about her anymore, what are you wearing?

"Nathan.." she giggled.

"What?"

Okay so that was chapter three, and it's obvious that there wasn't any NH interaction but I'm going to try and get some in the next chapter, I just needed to introduce the characters and their thoughts on each other a little bit more. If you didn't like it, any of it, tell me. I want criticism, it makes me a better writer. Anyways, let me know what you think of it.

Mandie