wiltedsour: I'm honored you would put my story on your naley community. Hope your subscribers like it. monkeygirl2157: This will be a naley. Hope that doesn't change your opinion. lol. So, thanks for your reviews guys. I read them and had to update. Here's the second chapter. Enjoy.

She had changed. Though at first, she had denied this fact, unwilling and unable to admit it, the revelation was now inescapable. It was more true than she had ever imagined possible. The changes were far from subtle. They were drastic and happened in such rapid succession, the old Haley seemed to have never truly existed. And with the disappearance of everything she had once been, her innocence had also vanished.

In start contrast to her happy go lucky attitude in what she now considered her "younger years," in which she had been nothing but naive, her kind disposition had been morphed into one of a cold and heartless bitch.

Forced into a world completely new to her had taken its toll. New York was much more fast paced than her childhood home of Tree Hill, North Carolina where peace reigned in glorious supremacy and there was only the occasional minor disruption. New York had an entirely different atmosphere. One which had exposed Haley to danger, injustice, and intolerable cruelty in its entirety.

Though when she had first arrived in New York City, her favor for doing the right thing had remained intact, after several weeks, she had learned that should she choose to stay the same, unchanging as she had promised Nathan, she would only become one of many trampled over by those who occupied this empty hearted city. For according to those who called New York home, no one had enough sense to care for anyone else. And perhaps those living outside of this realm would consider this a great fault, but to one such as Haley who, against her will, was surrounded by this appalling quality on a daily basis, it only became increasingly harder to resist its alluring appeal as each day passed.

Soon after her family's abrupt move, Haley began to feel inevitably homesick. A group of young teens which exuded an aura of the type of maturity which could only equal trouble, who called themselves The Skulls, came crashing into her life. Sensing her vulnerability and seizing their opportunity, they took advantage of her newfound weakness, drawing her into their group as they discovered her desperate wish to be accepted by her peers.

She could remember every detail of her first day at New York Academy.

FLASHBACK

Haley had participated in a total of five classes thus far and none had captivated her interest as most subjects at Tree Hill Middle School had. Nevertheless, she was as fastidiously studious as in her former years and her attention had not faltered for even a solitary moment so far.

Weary as to what the second half of her day would bring, as the bell signaling lunch reverberated throughout the entire school, she found herself in the middle of what could only be called a stampede of students. As she rushed to keep up with the crowd, which only seemed to increase in size rather than diminish, she found herself pushed into the cafeteria and stood in awe of its immense size.

But she wasn't hungry. Lately, she was never hungry, always too depressed to eat. Though she knew that as a result of her rapid appetite loss, her health was slowly fading away, the thought of food disgusted her to the point where she was appalled should anyone mention it. From time to time, she would force herself to eat only to throw back up the tiny portions.

Her figure was slowly deteriorating yet she felt no remorse, no inclinations to take action against it. So, as she selected an empty table and sat alone, she thought no one would notice her tiny frame, since it barely took up any space at all, much less approach her.
But as "The Skulls" entered the cafeteria, they spotted her and with a simple gesture from their leader Jack, she became their newest conquest. The entire group which consisted of 7 rebellious teenagers forever looking for new ways to disrupt walked in a pack to her table and each one took a seat save two muscular boys who stood forebodingly behind her, blocking any possible escape on this curious new girl's part.

Her eyes shot to each member of the group as she observed them nervously.

Jack cleared his throat loudly and Haley flinched at the sound, then turned to him, the fear in her eyes only too evident. But before he could utter even a word, she spoke quickly in a hushed voice. "What do you want?"

Laughter erupted within the group as Jack grinned, amused that this tiny girl who had previously seemed incredibly afraid now spoke so boldly to them, a quite intimidating group. He replied easily, "Relax, we just wanted to introduce ourselves."

When she simply blinked a few times, no longer showing any signs of distress, he continued smoothly, "I'm Jack."

She nodded and said with no hesitation, "I'm Haley."

The two boys behind her introduced themselves as Jeff and Ryan. The girl to her left was Sam. Haley took notice her immediately, her attention caught as she took in her various piercings, the tattoos on her arms of skulls, and her hair, which was cut in choppy layers and dyed black at the tips. As she was introduced to Joe, a guy with a buzz cut, Talia, a girl with stunning sapphire eyes, and Danny, a girl who dressed in nothing but black, she noticed that each person had a tattoo of a skull on their right arm.

Once they had all met, Jack announced a meeting of The Skulls after school behind the gym and invited Haley. In her next few classes, her attention wandered for the first time as she pondered the possible consequences of attending the meeting. But apparently, she had no choice in the matter because Jack was in her last class and dragged her to the meeting.

When everyone had arrived, Same pulled a joint out of her pocket. As everyone else took a turn, Haley wondered why she had been invited and what she should do if they chose to offer her a turn. Then, quite suddenly, Jack was waving it in her face and, as he saw her reluctance, voiced his opinion. "Come on, Haley. We won't get expelled. Even if we get caught, the wackos who run this school are bent on improving us, not giving up on us. Trust me, it's the same speech we get every time."

"But isn't this illegal?" she had questioned, glancing warily at the joint.

He simply shrugged.

She debated her next move, weighing her options, for she knew, should she choose to give in to their demands, nothing would ever be the same.

As she made her decision, her mind filled instantly with regret when the small object rolled from Jack's hand to hers and she brought it slowly to her lips and inhaled deeply.

END FLASHBACK

From that moment, she never again questioned their pastimes as she slowly became a part of their exclusive group. Within months of her initiation, a keg party, she had shared many firsts she had often before deemed impossible with her new friends. She drank her first beer, vodka, shot of tequila, and so much more with the 7 people who succeeded in completely changing her.

She had lost her virginity to Jack three months after moving to New York, just before her 14th birthday.

Now, as she thought back on the prior three years of her life she regretted that her parents had been too distant to stop her. Always away, whether vacationing or on business, they had not noticed the person their daughter had become. Which she had recently decided was for the best anyway, considering how angry these developments would make them.

But to her credit, she was no longer involved with The Skulls. Though, even this, wasn't of her own will. They had been arrested for possession of illegal substances one night when a police man had come upon them getting high in the school gym, which they had broken into late at night.

Fortunately, Haley had been extremely sick and unable to go with them.

For about a month after losing the only acquaintances she had made since her arrival a little over a year before, she had been completely lost. But, a girl named Donna befriended her and once again, she had been swept into a world completely foreign to her.

This time, the world was the one of the rich and glamorous. Haley was introduced to the fine art of shopping with Daddy's credit card. With makeup and a new wardrobe, she was made to look years older than her actual age of 15.

The highlight of her life became slipping into clubs and using her new fake ID to get wasted. Each night, she was taken home by an older man who usually slept over, then left in the morning. Now, in addition to her state of depression and self destruction, she was a bitchy slut, a whore who had experienced and caused more troubles in her young life than most people in their elderly years could boast of. 'Wouldn't Mommy and Daddy dearest be proud?' she thought bitterly as the last article of clothing was thrown haphazardly into one of an enormous group of giant cardboard boxes.

After finally becoming accustomed to life in New York and settling into her new self, they were going back. After three years of doing anything necessary to be accepted, they were moving again. But this time, they were going back home. In two days.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, in Tree Hill, Nathan and Lucas had hardly changed at all. Both were now on the Tree Hill basketball team and were constantly competing. Though time had only proven that their relationship was not approved of by many, the strain wasn't enough to severe the bond the two shared.

When Haley left, they had made a pact to remain friends for her sake. Now, though they kept their pact, neither had mentioned Haley in two years. It was too painful for them to discuss her while being separated from her.

Nathan could still remember the last time they had spoken her name.

FLASHBACK

As Nathan dribbled the ball on the concrete, Lucas standing in front of him, he suddenly asked, "Do you think she's happy?"
"Who?" questioned Lucas, looking thoroughly confused.

"Haley," Nathan whispered.

Lucas paused, then spoke slowly, "I think Haley is strong and that she'll find happiness wherever she goes."

Nathan nodded, but then blurted, "Do you think she misses us?"

"I hope she does," Lucas said, eyes filled with pain.

Both boys stood in silence for several minutes, thinking of their former friend.

"Then why doesn't she call?" Nathan yelled, his voice betraying his anguish.

The words hung between the two as they stood, wondering if she had simply forgotten them.

"Let's just not talks about it anymore," Lucas suggested quietly yet firmly.

Nathan nodded, knowing the subject would only cause them more pain. They returned to their game of basketball, Nathan secretly thinking of Haley.

END FLASHBACK

Since that day, neither had dared to mention her name for fear of hurting the other.

But Nathan still thought of her constantly. Visions of her beautiful smiling face, her innocent eyes, her almost musical laugh filled him with joy each day. He thought of how forgiving she had been to him and countless others. He thought of her willingness to help people and the selfless quality which was portrayed in everything she did. And each time he did, a sad smile touched his lips.

He often reminisced about all of the things they did together as children. He remembered when he would have to walk her home if it was beginning to get dark because she was afraid of things lurking behind bushes and trees. He would point frantically to one of the bushes and say he had seen it move. She would shriek and hide behind him, causing him to become immersed in fits of hysterical laughter. She would chase him all the way to her house, yelling that she would kill him.

He remembered climbing trees. He would always be forced to climb beneath Haley so that if she fell, he would serve as her cushioning.

But mostly, he just remembered her.

He yearned to see her again, to have her back with him where she belonged. When they were young and something important happened in his life, whether good or bad, she'd be the first to know because she was always there for him. She would be his source of comfort when something went wrong, doing her best to help him through it. And she shared his excitement when something went right.

God, how he missed her. 'I wonder what she's doing now,' he thought as the sun began to sink below the horizon and another day of missing Haley James ended.

Little did he know that in just two short days, she would enter his life again. But the Haley he longed for now had been left behind, collecting dust, buried beneath the new Haley, whom even Nathan wasn't prepared for.