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Chapter Five

Haley couldn't concentrate for the first time in, well, she was sure that it had to be a first. She sat twirling a small strand of her brown, past shoulder length hair around her index finger, letting it unravel, then repeating the process all over again. Now normally Haley was the kind of student who paid attention in all of her classes, and wouldn't dream of wasting her time, spacing out like the majority of the student population, but her missing journal had her worried. It could be anywhere, it wasn't in the library as she had been hoping, she even asked the librarian if it had been handed in, but it hadn't. It was just her luck, someone had probably found it and was laughing about her excuse for a life as we speak. Her mind began that awful process that, given enough time and too much thinking led to irrational scenarios where her entire life story and her personal thoughts were plastered all over the internet. She then shook that thought off, that was certainly giving too much credit to the type of person who may have picked it up, especially if it was a student at this school. She glanced at the clock for what she had guessed had to have been at least the twelfth time in as many minutes. There were still twenty minutes left of her history lesson, and as she attempted to put on a studious front, she was mentally creating a list of possible places her journal could turn up. So far she had the cafeteria, English class, her regular table out front, the lost and found, the janitors closet - that one sent shivers through her spine. She shuddered, causing Mrs Edwards to stop mid sentence, turning towards the class, chalk still in hand, leaving her notes on the board up in the air. Haley grabbed her pen looking completely engrossed in the lesson. Attributing it to a figment of her imagination, Mrs Edwards shrugged it off and returned to her sentence. Haley sighed, she had escaped a second day of being reprimanded by a member of staff, and that was exactly as she planned to keep it.

Finally the bell rang and Haley made her way out to her locker, needing books for her next class. She slung her bag to the floor in a defeatist manner.

"Whoa there. Now whatever the bag did, I'm sure he's sorry, and it'll never happen again." A familiar voice behind her spoke, causing her to turn.

"Lex, what are you doing here?" Haley asked surprised.

"Now is that anyway to greet your friend of five years? I would have opted for a 'welcome back buddy' or 'it's so good to see you, how was the vacation?' see where I'm going with this."

"Of course its great to see you, I just meant, I didn't think you were getting back until the weekend." She said giving her friend a welcoming hug. She stepped back taking in her appearance, trademark long dark blue jeans that piled slightly on her Converse shoes, paired with a white t-shirt and light brown cord jacket, and her bag over her shoulder.

"Yeah well so did I, but apparently Isabelle is allergic to shell fish, go figure. So here I am, back in sunny Tree Hill."

"Wow your new stepmother sure does know how to put the fun into a family vacation." Haley smirked.

"Tell me about it, she complained the whole time, I think my dad was just glad to get home. But enough about that, what's up? I see that something besides my previous absence has caused a certain air of despair."

"It's nothing, I, I lost my journal." Haley replied with a small shrug. Lex's eyes suddenly went wide, she knew how much Haley treasured her journal.

"Okay Hales, stay calm, it's around here somewhere. Did you check your bag." She said pointing to the backpack slung over her shoulder. She had opted for the simple baby blue T-shirt and jeans today, not feeling much like attempting anything else.

"Yes I've checked in my bag, I've checked in my locker, I've even checked in the library. I'm telling you it has disappeared off the face of the planet."

"Let me through." Lex replied, pushing her way in front of Haley towards her locker. She stood there waiting for Haley.

"Combination?" was all she said.

Haley sighed. "We shared this locker for like a month, don't you remember the combination?" she said opening it.

"I have this thing with numbers, and remembering them. Don't worry I'm having it seen to." She replied looking into the locker.

Immediately after doing so, her eyes landed on a book and envelope.

"Your journal is A4 right?"

"Yes."

"Black leather effect?"

"Yes."

"Right here in your locker." She said picking it up.

"Yes." Haley did a double take. "What? Where did you find it?" she asked hugging it to her.

"Right here in your locker, like I said." She pointed for emphasis. She noticed something fall from the journal.

"Oh hey, you dropped this." She said handing the envelope to Haley. She stared at it with a puzzled expression, and began opening it. Unfolding the paper she began to read it to herself.

This is probably one of the craziest things I have ever done in my life, but I know that I'll be better for it. I found your book on the floor on Friday, and I don't know what it was, but something compelled me to pick it up, and keep it safe. I waited around this morning to make sure I returned it to the rightful owner, I just didn't trust anyone else to hand it back safely. I knew how upset the owner would be without it, which only goes to show how important it was that I took care of it. I just hope that you can forgive me for not finding you on Friday and returning it then, I knew that handing it back anonymously would be for the best. I hope that I haven't caused you any harm, as that is the last thing I ever indented to do.

"Well what did it say?" Lex asked curiously.

Haley only stared at the letter.

A few lockers down Lucas smiled and pulled his books from his bag.