I dedicate this chapter, as withall chapters, to the lovely Marit! ) )

"It doesn't take too much to say, to feel alive, I'd give it all away."

The next three weeks were a blur. They'd been performing at a few different clubs across New York trying to build up a small fan base before they started recording an album. They spent most of their days writing songs. The label had them recording in three months, that was why they were looking for a fan base to buy the record after they'd be recording. On the off days however they worked on EP's to be sold at shows, just to give people a taste.

Julianna and Chris had gotten really close over those three weeks, every minute he wasn't doing something music related, he was with her. Julianna was however also busy, as she was trying to complete her senior year curriculum during her junior year to graduate a year early, or at least a semester early.

Haley was starting to feel alone, she missed Nathan, and sometimes phone calls didn't seem like enough. They'd talk for hours on end every night, but there's something about not actually having someone there that can break your heart. She'd spend her free time finishing up her junior year, it didn't take long as she was so ahead already.

"Haley, you ok?" Chris called from the kitchen as he threw in some toast so maybe Haley would actually eat something. John had taken the apartment in Julianna's building just a week after Chris had rented it, because the record company had given them an apartment to both stay in close to both the Maverick offices and the recording studio they were using.

"I can't believe you talked me into having sushi two nights ago, I think I'm going to be sick forever." She walked into the kitchen looking terrible. Her hair was a mess and she wasn't dressed yet, even though they had to leave in less than an hour.

"Haley, you sure you ok? You want to go to the doctor or something?" He looked her kind of concerned.

"No, I'll be fine. Just remind me to never eat sushi again. EVER again." She walked away to go get dressed in her bedroom.

They spent another day at the Maverick office. Haley couldn't believe how much scheduling stuff there was to do, and how much image consultation she'd have to go through. It was crazy, they'd ask her to do weird things, telling her how to dress and such. Her stomachache went away by the afternoon, and she started looking forward to the show that night. They were starting to get a real following, so people actually were starting to recognize her songs at that point, and everybody loved the duet. Her cell phone started to ring as she dazed off in another logistics meeting. She quickly excused herself and ducked into the hallway.

"Hello?"

"Guess where I am." It was Nathan, she knew is voice better than anyone's.

She laughed, "Where?" She just loved hearing his voice sometimes.

"A half hour outside of New York, babe." Her lips curled into a smile.

"Seriously?" She was starting to sound like a giddy teenager. "How are you going to find me?"

"I'm a guy, we don't get lost," he joked.

"Uh-oh," she sarcastically replied.

He laughed, "Calm down Hales, I'm a guy WITH a map."

"You're still gonna get lost, but alright."

"8th avenue, 1450, 4D, right?" He glanced over at the piece of paper he had her apartment number written down on while still trying to drive.

"Yeah, I'll meet you there." She said goodbye and ducked back into the room to quickly whisper to Chris that she'd have to ditch him for the rest of the days meetings. He looked kind of pissed, but she'd covered for him before.

She jumped in the shower after literally running home. She started to get dressed and glanced over at the clock. She knew he'd get lost or stuck in traffic, it'd been an hour since he'd called. She pulled her favorite jeans out of the drawer and started to put them on when she realized they wouldn't button. "Damn it," she muttered. She made a mental note to pay closer attention to the diet she'd been on. Those jeans had fit the week before, even though they were tight then, at least they buttoned. She grabbed her second favorite pair of jeans, at least those still fit. She heard a knock just as she was throwing on a t-shirt. "Coming!" she shouted, she was practically shaking she was so excited.

She could barely wait the half second to open the door to hug Nathan. She'd missed him so much. She hugged him for what felt like forever. She grabbed a sweatshirt and her purse before she started to lead Nathan down to the park. She loved it there, she always enjoyed people watching. They sat on a bench, Nathan pulled her close and put his arm around her.

"So how's life in the spotlight Haley?" Nathan joked.

"I'm actually having a blast thank you very much," she replied in a matter of fact tone.

"When are you coming home Hales? You can't play rockstar forever…" She sat up, his arm still on her shoulder.

"Nathan, I'm not 'playing rockstar,' I'm actually performing, and yeah I actually work. I sit in meetings all day." She didn't want to ruin their time together, but if he was going to treat her like that she wasn't going to stand for it.

"Oh, look who's all grown up. Nothing is ever really gonna come of this, you don't actually believe something is, do you Haley?" Why did he have to sound so much like Dan?

She stood up letting his arm fall off her shoulder. "Wow, I'm gone for like three weeks and this is what happens? When I was in Tree Hill you supported anything I wanted to do with music, but I actually get a chance and you turn on me!"

"Hales, I just want you to be home with me." He looked up at her, his eyes squinting in the sun.

"Nathan, we're both 17, we'll be together for the rest of our lives!" He looked into her eyes, hurt. She just couldn't understand why he wanted to throw out the dreams that they had both worked so hard for.

"But what about now?"

"For now…" she bit her lip. "For now we make up for the time everyone else spends falling in love."

"No, we figure out how we let it fall apart so fast." He stood up and started walking away. Haley followed him, putting her hand on his arm.

"What are you talking about?"

"I was willing to give it all up for you, but the more I try to tell you that, the further you run away!"

"Nathan, I don't want you to give it up for me!" Tears were starting to form in her eyes, and people were staring at them, but she didn't care.

"Too bad music won't love you back." He looked her in the eyes, watching her try to hold back tears. He walked away and there was no point of her chasing after him at that point.