Chapter one

Karen Roe turned off the stove and looked over the pots full of food. Tonight she wasn't just cooking dinner for her self and her only child, Lucas, tonight was different.

Her closest friend since high school, Miranda, passed away last week. Leaving her only child alone with no one to look after her. That's where Karen came in, why tonight was different. She agreed to take in Miranda's only child, her daughter Haley.

Haley's father wasn't in the picture, much like Lucas' father. That was one of the reasons Karen and Miranda's friendship remained so strong, they understood what the other felt and was going through with their child.

Now Miranda passed away because of a sudden brain cancer, the was nothing the doctors could do. It was simply too late. Haley could've gone with her aunt in New York but then that meant she would be pulled away from everything she knew, Karen didn't want that to happen. So she agreed to have Haley move in with her and Lucas.

There was just one simple problem that was being over looked at the moment. Haley and Lucas hated each other. Always have even though they grew up together, seeing each other almost everyday.

Karen had no idea why they never got along but now that didn't matter. Other things were just more important then a silly feud.

" Hey mom." Lucas said as he entered the kitchen from the back door.

"Hey." Karen said with a weak smile. " Just in time. Haley should be here soon." she explained from her seat at the kitchen table.

Lucas just sighed. He didn't want to express how much he hated this arrangement because his mother just lost her best friend, more like a sister. So he had to suck it up and deal with Haley.

" I'm going to serve." Karen said as she stood from her seat. " You go get the door when she knocks."

Lucas nodded and headed to the front door. Not a second later after he entered the living room, there was a soft knock on the door. One more sigh and he opened the door.

" Seeing you just makes this day even better." Haley sarcastically said as she entered the Scott residence with a bag on each shoulder.

" Nice to see you Hales." Lucas said, shutting the door, with just as much sarcasm in his voice.

" Don't call me that." Haley said as she placed her bags down. Since she could remember, Lucas was the only one who called her that and she felt about the nickname the way she felt about him.

" Ok Hales." Lucas said as he walked passed her and back into the kitchen.

Haley just groaned and gave him a nasty look. The last thing she wanted to do was deal with him. She lost her mother and only friend and there was no one to lean on. No one to talk to so Haley James did what she did best, she kept it all inside.

She left her bags near the sofa and headed to the kitchen. " Hi Karen." she said with the best smile she could muster up.

" Haley." Karen softly said as she embraced the younger woman. She had no idea what Haley felt and she was glad in away because she couldn't lose her mother, her rock even though she was miles away.

" Thanks for letting me stay with you." Haley said. Her words were true and honest. The last thing she wanted to do was leave her home town, even though she didn't like too many people who lived there.

" No thanks needed. Let's eat." Karen said.

The three of them sat and ate dinner without much talking. Karen tried to make it a nice warm dinner but Haley and Lucas, no matter what, could stand to be around each other for to long. Once dinner was once, Karen shoed Haley to the extra bedroom that she would be staying in.

" I'm going to hit the sack. If you need anything, just come and let me know." Karen said before she headed to her own room.

Haley sat on the edge of the twin sized bed as she took a better look at the room. The walls were a glossy white with a simple blue trim. Besides the twin size bed, there was a dresser and small desk.

It was nice, really nice. But Haley couldn't feel happy because she was there because she had no where else to go. She was alone and people took pity on the fact her mother just died.

She looked at her wrist, the bracelet her mother had given her for her thirteenth birthday was right in place. Haley vowed to never take it off on that day, and she never has.

Her eyes began to tear as she thought of her mother. There was this emptiness in her chest that hurt so bad and nothing could make it better. Her eyes glossed but she never cried. She couldn't seem to.

" You alright?"

Haley looked up and saw Lucas standing at the door frame. She let out a small laugh. " Since when you do care?" she asked.

" I'm not that cold. Just wondering but forget it." Lucas said as he turned to leave.

Haley actually felt a little bad. " I'm fine, thanks for asking." she forced her self to say.

Lucas smiled and walked away.

Haley sighed. There was a time he was the most important person in her life, though he never knew it. She couldn't remember when she crossed the line of joking and dislike him but still considering him a friend. To, she hated to be in the same room as him. Whatever it was, it didn't matter now because they were different people.

Now they were living together, how would that work out? She wondered. One thing she was sure of, they needed to work it out enough because she didn't want to leave Tree Hill. It was the only place she and her mother ever lived. Leaving felt like leaving her mother in a strange way. Haley had no great love for the town but it had some good memories.

Haley shrugged it off as she stood and shut the door. She needed to get rest because tomorrow was the first day of her new life.

Isabelle