Sorry for not updating in a really long time, but I had updated at the One Tree Hill Central board. However I had forgotten about updating, so sorry about that.

Hopefully this is not cliché because I had written this a long time ago, just hadn't updated at Oh, the story will get better. I promise. As always, thanks for reading! -marg.

CH. 9

"Why don't we try cheers? Cheer loudly and smile beautifully." Coached Naomi. Gina, Naomi, Gretchen, Sheri, Grace, and Haley were all lounging in Naomi's grassy front lawn.

"Follow me, 'Go Ravens! Go, Go Ravens!'" said Naomi, jumping up and down, shaking imaginary pompoms with a large grin.

Rolling her eyes, Haley said, "That's it? Ok. Piece of cake!"

Haley got up, dusted off her pants, and did it perfectly.

"Wow. You have cheer blood running through your veins." Praised Grace.

"Yea. Did you cheer before?" asked Sheri.

"Nah. This seems easy though. Is that all we're going to do? 'Go Ravens!'?"

"No. Just wanted to see how fast you'd learn. Since you can cheer, we'll teach you more cheers later. Now, time for jumps and routines." Said Gina, getting up.

For the next 2 hours, Haley learned and perfected every routine.

"Wow, Haley! You'll make such a GREAT cheerleader!!! A little more practice and you'll be better than the rest of us in no time!" congratulated Naomi. "I wish I was a great learner as you are."

"So now we're done?" asked Haley walking to the concrete to sit down.

"Yea. We'll do more after school tomorrow." Said Gretchen.

"Well, Sheri and I have to go. We promised Jared and Fare that we'd go out tonight, so see ya." With that, they walked off towards Gretchen's house.

"SO I guess it's just us." Said Gina, looking around. "Want to do something else? Watch a movie maybe? Stalk the guys?"

Hearing the last option, Haley turned around shocked. "Stalk the guys? Which guys? And why?"

Laughing, Grace said, "Well, it's just for fun. Well, all the basketball players. It's actually pretty funny. Besides, it's more for Naomi's benefit. She has a crush on Josh."

Smiling slyly, Naomi said, "Yea. It's fun. He was surprised that one time that we ended up in the same places that whole night. We had a great laugh."

Haley answered, "That sounds fun, but I have to go finish up on my calculus homework. Mr. Snork decided to give us a load of homework. Just remember to tell me about it tomorrow."

"Okay. Do you need a ride home though?" asked Gina.

"No it's okay. My house is probably a few blocks down, so no, but thanks," answered Haley, who waved and walked off towards the direction of her house. By the time Haley had crossed the street, the other girls had gotten into Gina's and Naomi's cars and headed off, after seeing that Haley had gotten safely across the street.

Haley had walked a few blocks before realizing that she had gone the wrong way. "Oh great Haley. You didn't even bother to look at the street signs. The sun's going down fast. Yea, real smart Haley."

Meandering around, Haley finally got to a cross street and sighed. "Yup. Real great. My house is on the other side of town." Then she turned around and put her headphones on. By the time she had gotten halfway, she saw a shadow in the distance, but she ignored it and quickened her pace.

When she reached the spot that the shadow had been in, she felt a hand quickly jerk her arm and clamp a hand over her mouth. "Don't scream. Do as I say and it won't hurt." Said a slithery voice next to her ear.

Freaked out, Haley screamed once the hand was off her mouth.

The intruder clamped his hand firmly over her mouth. "Don't even try it again." Then he started to push her towards his car. Oh, please. SOMEONE SAVE ME!!! O my god! I'm going to die or…NOOOO!!! I don't want either!! AH! Someone please help me!! Like an answer to her prayers she heard a few voices in the distance heading their way.

Managing to free her hand, she freed her mouth from the man's grip and she SCREAMED. And SCREAMED, and SCREAMED before she was hit in the back of her head with the butt of a gun.

Meanwhile

"Hey, did you guys hear that?"

"Hear what Nathan? You mean Lucas here bragging? Yea I heard that." Answered Peyton, getting a jab from Lucas.

"No, didn't you guys hear a scream?"

"Nope. You must be delirious. Peyton you sure Nathan doesn't do drugs?" Asked Brooke, earning a glare from both Peyton and Nathan.

SCREAM!

"Hear that?" asked Nathan exasperately.

"Yea. Let's go check it out," answered Luke, running off with Nathan towards the scream.

"It's okay! We'll be right here, until you guys get back!" called Brooke after them, heading towards a bench.

Seeing the man half-carrying Haley towards his car, Luke and Nathan started running faster.

"Hey! Put her down!…Hey!" yelled Nathan, feeling the lactic acid in his body.

"Hey! Hey!" yelled Lucas/Luke. The man dropped Haley and sped off in his beat up car.

"Check on Haley. I'm going after this guy," yelled Luke after him.

Not having to hear that twice, Nathan dropped down beside Haley.

Gathering her in his arms, he sat down and tried to get her to wake, after checking that she had a strong pulse. Worried, Nathan unconsciously started to run his fingers through her hair and patted her cheeks.

"Wake up. Come on, please wake up. … Tough day, huh?" Nathan started, seeing that she wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. "So, Haley James, why'd you move here? What are your secrets?"

Haley wasn't going to wake up anytime soon, so Nathan holding her, started to get up. "Wow. DO you eat anything? You're as light as a feather."

Chuckling, Nathan headed back towards the girls.

Haley shifted in his arms, so he looked down to Haley's open, glaring eyes. "Why are you carrying me?" "Well, princess. We, Lucas and I, chased the guy, who had almost gotten you into his car, away. And you were out of it, so while Lucas chased down the guy, I tried to get you to wake. Since you stubbornly didn't wake, I was going to carry you to my car."

"Oh." Paused Haley. "Wait, how could I stubbornly not wake? I was unconscious. Of course I can't wake up expectedly."

Rolling his eyes, Nathan retorted, "SO you want me to put you down? Want to walk towards my car? Think you can?"

Sheepishly, Haley, who was tired, answered, "No. Sorry. Carry me to your car."

"What am I, your servant?" asked Nathan smiling.

"Yup. But I like you carrying me. I don't have to walk and I'm tired, so thanks a lot." With that Haley, nestled a little closer into Nathan's chest and dozed off.

Unconsciously clutching her a little closer, Nathan changed his direction from Peyton to his car.

Meanwhile, Brooke spotted them and exclaimed, "Why is Nathan holding Haley? He's carrying her and her backpack in on his shoulders."

Peyton, little shaken up, stared at her boyfriend, shocked. "Yea. Why is he carrying her? And where is Lucas?"

Brooke got up first heading towards Nathan, with Peyton sauntering behind. "Peyton, you should get a firmer grip on your boy, cause I think that girl's gonna steal him away, if things go on like this."

Peyton answered, "I'm sure it's nothing. Let's just go home. No more fighting 'til tomorrow."

Brooke frowned and answered, "Okay. So we'll just ask him why and then we'll go home? But I wanted to fight her."

Peyton rolled her eyes and gazed away. "Why don't we head back to where we were sitting and wait for Lucas? That way we can ask Nathan when he comes back for us."

Brooke frowned dejectedly, "Peyton, sometimes you are so not fun. Okay fine. Geez, don't have to glare at me all the time." Then, they both headed towards the bench and sat down.