Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own One Tree Hill.

Chapter 3: Why?

Dan sat in his office drinking whiskey and looking through his high school yearbook searching for her. He turned to the cheerleaders' section and he found her, Karen Roe. He looked at her dark hair and her magnetic smile. She was always playing hard to get and that made Dan all the more attracted to her. He always wanted what he couldn't have and Karen was one of those things. Dan closed his eyes and thought back to the day he had asked her out.

Dan Scott strolled over to where the cheerleaders were practicing and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around and her green eyes took in his cocky smile and his assy frat boy hair cut (remember this episode guys?).

"Take five girls." Karen told her cheerleaders. Dan and Karen walked a few feet away from them so they could talk privately.

"So Karen, I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me tonight." Dan grinned cockily. Karen gave him one of her trademark smirks and put her hands on her hips.

"Danny, how many times have we gone through this? You always ask me this and my answer is always the same. Go home and make nice with yourself, but don't you dare think of me because even your fantasy of me isn't interested in you." (Lol) Karen smiled at him and turned around to join the other cheerleaders. All of a sudden Dan grabbed her gently by the arm and spun her around to face him. He brushed a few stray strands of hair away from her face and kissed her. She happily responded and encircled her arms around his neck. She pulled away and said,

"Pick me up at eight." She smiled and walked off.

Dan smiled at the memory. For their date they went to the beach and lay on the sand and talked about their lives. When they got home the sun was barely rising. From that day on they became Tree Hill High's most envied couple. Dan's smile disappeared when he thought about the day that she broke his heart.

" Dan" He learned by dating her that this tone wasn't a good one "High school is over. We're going to college and starting new lives and meeting new people. Don't you think its time to end this?" she asked him. He cupped her face and kissed her lightly on the lips. Instead of returning his kiss she pulled away frustrated.

"What's the matter? Plenty of couples stay together even after they've gone to college." Dan countered. Karen looked and him and bit her lip.

"Look Dan it's been fun but I think we should just break up. You're going to college and you're going to become a big star. We need to go our separate ways. It's over Dan. Goodbye." And with that she walked off leaving Dan Scott with a broken heart.

Dan looked down at her yearbook picture again. She was so beautiful. Why didn't she tell him? He loved her more than anything, even basketball. Back then he thought it was because she had found out about him torturing the underclassmen daily or that he got piss drunk with the team and left new team members in the middle of nowhere. Now he knows why, and that reason was a handsome, blonde, blue eyed young man named Lucas.

If he closed his eyes and remembered hard enough he could hear her laugh and smell the sweet smelling jasmine shampoo she always used. They had been the perfect couple.

"I love you Karen." Dan said to the picture.

"I was coming up here to talk to you about Lucas but I see that you're busy." Deb said from the doorway. He looked up to see his wife storming away from him. He got up abruptly and followed her into their bedroom.

"Deb, look I was just reminiscing. You know I love you. I know how you feel about this whole Lucas thing but we'll get through this." Dan said gently. Deb looked at him with her tear stained face.

"I know you love me but…do you love her more?" she asked quietly. Dan looked at her and remained silent. After a few moments of quiet Deb looked at him and realized he wasn't going to say anything. She ran out of the room and Dan simply stared after her.

Haley sat in her room staring up at her ceiling. Her mother was passed out on the couch. The TV was on and the volume was so loud that the people outside could probably hear it.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1…" she counted down. Just then she heard a loud bang. 'Daddy's home.' She thought.

"Get up Lisa! This isn't how you keep a home! There should be dinner on the table and this place is supposed to be spotless! I swear if wasn't such a good man I'd kick your ass into next week!" he bellowed. Haley heard glasses moving around 'Round 2.' she said to herself.

"Good man? You call yourself a good man? A good man doesn't go off to the bar to go drink with his buddies! He doesn't keep his wife in the house all the time! He brings home money instead of wasting it at some lousy bar! A good man doesn't cheat on his wife! You're a bastard Jimmy! You're a no good husband!" she shrieked. Haley got up and opened the door to her room to find her father choking her mother and using his free hand to punch her in the face.

"Jimmy stop it!" Haley yelled. She ran over to push her dad off her mother and succeeded. But instead of thanks she received a sharp slap on the cheek.

"You get your hand off of me. You're just as bad as your father. You stay out late, you reek of pot, you smoke, and you steal my liquor!" Haley's mother got up and started kicking her, slapping her, and scratching her all the while calling her names.

"Lisa get the hell off of me you stupid bitch! I was trying to help you! But now I know you deserve it!" Haley yelled back.

"I don't need this after a hard day at work!" Jimmy said. He left the apartment slamming the door. Haley went back to her room and grabbed her leather jacket making sure that her stash was there.

"Where in the hell do you think you're going?" Lisa roared. Haley just walked out of her crappy apartment and made her way down the stairs where she could still hear her mother screaming about one thing or another.

Haley stepped out onto the streets of Tree Hill and sucked in the night air. It was a crisp night. Haley slipped her jacket on and rubbed her ribs where her mother hit her the hardest. She made her way past all of the little shops and towards Deb's Café. She wasn't there. 'Okay,' Haley thought to herself 'Don't panic, she's probably at her house. You don't have to resort to that yet.'

Haley walked a long distance towards the rich side of Tree Hill, where the neighbors were nice and the paychecks were even nicer. Haley made her way down the street and then she saw it, The Red Door. Haley walked towards it quickly. She was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn't notice the extra car.

Haley rang the doorbell and waited for Brooke to answer the door. Brooke opened it and saw all of her bruises and cuts.

"Haley, what happened?" Brooke asked reaching out to gingerly touch Haley's face. Haley winced and walked into Brooke's house.

"Mommy dearest decided that I wasn't a good enough daughter." Haley said. She walked through the foyer and made her way towards the living room. It wasn't until she had heard gasps that she noticed who was in the room. Nathan Scott, brain and former jock. Jake Jagelski, jock with the boy next door image. Peyton Sawyer, angsty artist and one of the beauties of Tree Hill High, and some hot squinty (lol you guys get it don't you) brooding guy.

"Haley I'd like you to meet some of my friends." Brooke said from behind.

'Holy crap.' Thought Haley.

A/N: Like it? Hate it? Review and let me find out! Next Chapter: Aftermath