1I hope that I can clarify this Nate/Haley location thing up for you, treehillgirl323. I think I explain it in this chappy, but I'll go ahead and explain further. ;). Ok. Haley lives–lived–in Charlotte, but then her mother died and so her and her dad move to Tree Hill (moving into the house comes this chap or later) and that is, coincidence? In Haley's case, yeah, in mine: definitely not! And so, well, yeah. It all happens. Which I'll get into within the next few chaps. Thank you guys so very much. You are all totally awesome. Thanks for reading!
Chapter 4 - "A New Beginning"
I put the finishing touches on my make up: a little gloss. My touch of olive eye shadow accentuated my hazel eyes, the mascara brought out my lashes, the green eye liner lined my eyes perfectly, there were no splotches in my light powder, and my light pink blush gave a little color to my cheeks. "Hales, you ready?" Drew called from the kitchen.
I adjusted the olive green Abercrombie shirt and smoothed out my khaki skirt. I tousled my straight hair, giving it a little volume, and bent down to tie the shoe laces on my olive green new balances. When I straightened back up, I gave myself another lingering glance in the small bedroom mirror, and then turned towards the door.
"I'm ready," I told Drew as I picked up my ordinary, black back pack.
Drew smiled, "you look nice."
"Thank you," I smiled politely.
"So... I guess I'm going house shopping while you go to school, then, like we planned," he said, grabbing up his black messenger bag and slinging it over his shoulders.
"Just like we planned," I nodded.
"Ok, so let's go," he stepped forward and slid his arm around my shoulders, leading me out the door and into the truck.
I walked into the empty halls of Tree Hill High School as I made my way to the office. Once there, I took a deep breath–not knowing what to expect from this new school. I mean, I had never transferred anymore before–and then finally knocked on the door twice.
"Come in," a womanly voice called from the inside. With an unsteady hand, I opened the door and tried to walk in casually. Like my insides didn't feel like noodles or my brain didn't feel like goo or my legs didn't feel like jelly. Which I totally was feeling. All of those things. "Well, hello," she smiled. "You must be Haley James. We've been expecting you, Miss James. Principal Crowder will be with you shortly."
"Thank you," I said in a shaky voice as I took the seat the woman motioned to. There was a loud rap on the door, thinking it was the principal I went ahead and stood up. But instead of it being the principal, it was a brown headed boy about my age. He had a sloppy grin, but a comely appearance. He just looked like the kind of guy who would be your best friend. The funny guy who made you laugh, but not the class clown.
"Well, if it isn't Jake Jagelski. How are you, Mr. Jagelski?"
"I'm fine, Brenda. How are you?" he asked, smiling.
"Jake," the woman shook her head, "how many times have I told you to call me Miss McClure?"
"Too many to count, Brenda, too many to count. Anyways, I'm just here because... well, you know why I'm here," he smiled, putting up his hands.
She rolled her eyes, "next semester you will have a class first period instead of a study hall!"
"Yeah, right. You say that each and every day, but you never do anything about it. You know you like having me around."
Brenda let out a loud snort, and then picked up her Cosmo magazine again, burying her face into it. The guy laughed and turned towards me. "Hi," he smiled, coming over and taking a seat. I smiled and nodded, "I'm Jake. I guess you figured that, huh."
I laughed and nodded, "Haley."
"It's nice to meet you, Haley. So, you new around here?"
I nodded, "just got into Tree Hill last night."
Jake nodded his head, "so, what grade are you in?"
"Oh, I'm a junior."
"Yeah? So am I," he smiled.
"Oh really?"
"Yeah," he nodded.
"You wouldn't happen to know a Lucas Scott, would you?" I asked.
His eyebrows raised, "yeah, I know Luke. Hell, Luke's a good friend of mine, actually," he smiled, but then he stopped abruptly, "why?" he asked.
"Oh! No reason, I just... well, I met him last night at his mom's café and I was just wondering, you know, if you knew him, that's all. Is it... is it... should I not know him for some reason?"
"Oh, no," he shook his head, laughing, "I'm just going psycho-paranoid. His girlfriend, Brooke, was actually right behind me, but then she started talking to some cheerleaders, so I left her."
"oh," I nodded.
"So do you feel the need to say that every sentence?" he asked.
I whirled to face him, oblivious to what he was talking about, "what?"
"The word 'oh.'"
"Oh?"
"Yeah. 'Oh.'"
"Oh, no. I mean no," I laughed. "I just... well, I don't know. I've never really been an oh-y person. I don't know why I'm saying it so often."
"Don't worry about it," Jake winked.
"Tha–"
"Haley James?" I looked up to see the principal–a tall man of about 6'2 with gray hair, and a strict look–who I hadn't heard even come in the room.
"Yes, sir," I nodded my head, standing up. "I'm so very sorry, I didn't hear you enter. I was just talking to Jake, here, who was telling me a little about the school."
"No harm. No foul," he chuckled. "There is no need in being afraid. I've perfected this look to use on kids like Mr. Jagelski, not innocent ones like yourself, Miss James." I laughed, mentally kicking myself for being so obvious. "Now, your father and I have already done the necessary paperwork and you are ready to start your classes. I only need you to come with me briefly where as I can tell you a little about Tree Hill High School's policy and then you will be able to go one-on-one with the counselor to get your schedule arranged."
I groaned a little too loudly than I meant to, and instantly blushed, "I didn't..."
"No need to apologize," he smiled, "this can be very boring, I agree, but it will be over as soon as it started."
I nodded my head, biting my lip. It was my mom's theory in a nutshell, which sent a pang of sorrow for her not seeing me enter into a new high school, "I hope so."
"Well, that about sums it up," the guidance counselor, Mrs. Dewy, smiled. "Your schedule is printing now," she smiled. I tried hard not to look up and see the two nonexistent front teeth and the only two bottom teeth. She had a messed up grill, I had to admit, but she was a sweet lady.
She brought out the piece of paper and gave it to me, smiling. I looked at the paper as an excuse not to look up and smile back. My schedule seemed hectic, but I was pretty sure I could handle it all.
1st period Accounting
2nd period French 2
3rd period English 3
4th period Trigonometry
B LUNCH
5th period Human Anatomy and Physiology
6th period North Carolina Studies
7th period Art
I smiled and nodded at the woman gratefully, turning towards the door and walking outside into the now-filled hallways. The bell had rung less than half a minute earlier, signaling the end of first period, and teenagers were crowding the halls. Meaningless, ostentatious conversations that were meant to grab the attention of a hot guy. Normal high school things. Arguments, basketball games, parties... you name it, we talked about it.
"Haley?" I turned around to face Lucas with his arm around a pretty brunette.
"Hey Lucas," I smiled, grateful I knew somebody. I was feeling the butterflies in the pit of my stomach. I smiled at the brunette who just gave me a curious look.
"Nice seeing you here," he laughed, "so, what do you have next?"
"Oh... uh... let's see," I looked down at my schedule and found second period, "French 2," I smiled.
Lucas's expression dropped, "French? Your taking French?"
I laughed, nodding, "is something wrong with that?"
"When are you ever going to go to France?"
I shrugged, "I might, but that isn't even the point. I want to widen my knowledge of foreign countries and taking a foreign language helps me greatly appreciate the French customs."
"Like French kissing," the girl asked, her eyebrows nodding.
Lucas and I both laughed, "Haley James, meet Brooke Davis, my girlfriend. Brooke, meet Haley, a girl that has the audacity to even begin to compare the world-known Julius Caesar to the MTV-infamous Napoleon Dynamite."
Brooke just had a blank expression on her face as she yawned, "well, I'm going to see you two later," she said in a bored tone as she gracefully slid out of his grasp and shimmied on down the hall.
"She... uh..."
"–cheerleader?" I laughed, nodding. "I saw the jacket, but even if I hadn't I think it would have been easy to spot."
"Yeah," he laughed, nodding, "captain, actually."
"Impressive," I nodded. Lucas just laughed, "so, this French 2 classroom... do you think you could help a girl out?"
"Sure," Lucas nodded, pointing down the hall, "it's this way."
"Thanks," I smiled and started following him down the hall.
