Chapter Three.

Sprawled on the sofa several hours later Nathan tried in vain to concentrate on the television. Although his eyes were fixed firmly on the screen he was not seeing any of the action on court and had barely heard a word the commentators had said. Instead he kept hearing Haley's tearful voice over and over as she apologised to some unknown person on the phone. Hearing her so upset had definitely made him stop and think. He was actually starting to doubt whether he could go through with his plan. For five long years he had been biding his time waiting for his opportunity and now here it was and he was having doubts. What the hell is wrong with me? It should not still affect me to hear her upset. Sitting up abruptly he gave up on any pretence of watching the game and instead let his mind wander back through time. He needed to strengthen his resolve about what he was planning to do and the best way to do that was to allow himself to remember. Remember the events of five years ago and everything that had led up to that one defining moment of his life.

Nathan and Haley were the couple that everyone wished they could be in High School. Their relationship seemed to be the very definition of the term childhood sweethearts and very few people could ever imagine the two of them not being together or worse yet involved with other people. Although the way that they had initially started their relationship was hardly a fairy tale, their relationship borne of the fact that Haley had a crush and Nathan had a reputation to live up to. They had both been barely into their teens when they had first declared themselves to be a couple. Nathan was at that age where all the boys were starting to concentrate less on basketball and more on the opposite sex. Almost all of his friends had girlfriends and therefore that meant that he too should have one. He was after all Nathan Scott and he could not afford to be behind on the growing trend. He had considered offering several girls the coveted role of Nathan Scott's girlfriend but in the end had chosen a girl that he was fairly sure would not say no.

For some time now he hadn't been able to help but notice the way Haley James looked at him when she thought he wasn't looking and the way she would giggle with her friends when he passed her in the hall. She was quite obviously in the throes of her first teenage crush and the timing was perfect for Nathan. So one day Nathan had taken the plunge and pulled her aside after school to ask her to be his girlfriend. She had of course agreed and the rest as they say is history, except when it comes to this particular couple. For this couple had not been your typical teenage couple. Long after the relationships of Nathan's friends had fizzled out theirs had continued to flourish.

There were of course the inevitable ups and downs that go with any relationship especially one that is taking place in a time of skyrocketing hormones and typical teenage rebellion. But somehow they had survived it all and by the time they were juniors in high school everyone including their parents were convinced that they were going to be together forever. With a lot of encouragement from both their families Nathan had proposed to Haley towards the end of their junior year of High School and she had accepted. It seemed their life was all laid out before them and they simply had to go forward with it.

They had decided to wait for marriage until after they had completed college. They made plans to apply to the same colleges and only go if the other one was accepted also or the two schools were close enough to each other that they would not need to live apart. Nathan's life in his mind had been perfect and nothing could compare to the sight of that simple gold band complete with perfect solitaire diamond gracing Haley's left hand and proclaiming to the world that she was his and he was hers. He loved that they were engaged and looked forward eagerly to the day they would take the vows that would bind them together for life. Unfortunately things that are perfect can rarely remain that way and things were set to irrevocably change in the space of a mere twenty-four hours. Twenty-four hours that he had actually been looking forward to until they happened and he found his life changed forever.

Flashback

The graduation ceremony at Tree Hill High was in full swing. Parents, grandparents and siblings anxiously watched as someone special to them went up to receive their diploma.

Nathan sat with his brother Lucas watching the back of Haley's head where she sat a few rows in front of him. He was a little worried about her. Lately she hadn't been her usual bubbly self and he had been at a loss to figure out what was wrong. He had finally put it down to her being nervous about graduating but although he had tried to speak to her about it prior to the ceremony starting she had brushed aside his concern and assured him that she was fine. Hearing the principal call her name he was immediately on his feet applauding her and watching with pride as she accepted her diploma. Looking at him she had allowed a small smile to grace her lips before leaving the stage and heading back to her seat. The ceremony continued until finally it was his turn. He strode confidently up onto the stage and shook the principals hand before turning to the crowd and raising a triumphant fist in the air. He turned his attention to Haley and felt his heart swell as he saw the obvious love and pride beaming in her eyes. When the ceremony had finished he had rushed to her lifting her off the ground into his arms exuberantly.

"Its finally over Hales. We're free. Before we know it we'll be at college and then we can get married."

"I know," Haley had responded quietly with her arms wrapped around him and her face buried in his neck.

"Our lives are just beginning."

The two had gone to greet their parents hand in hand accepting the congratulations and well wishes from each person before leaving for the party that promised to be better than any they had ever attended before. The party had been the typical drunken, debaucherous affair that one would expect of such an occasion and Nathan had joined in with relish. Haley on the other hand had been quiet and he had caught her a few times staring thoughtfully off into space and had resolved that tomorrow he would get to the bottom of whatever was bothering her. When the party had ended they had left and gone back to Nathan's parents house where Haley had seemed to finally shake off whatever it was that was bothering her and had eagerly made love to him.

End Flashback

Looking back on it now he could see that there had been a sense of urgency to her love making that had not been there in the past. But at that time he had been too caught up in the moment to question why his girlfriend seemed to never want their night to end. He had no way of knowing that she was saying goodbye to him and their future together wordlessly, expressing it only through actions.

He had woken the next morning to an empty bed and though he had searched high and low for a note and tried to call her what seemed like a million times that was the last he had ever seen or heard of the future Mrs Nathan Scott.

The last he had heard that is, until just a few weeks ago when Frank had mentioned to him that he had received an application from a young woman who had probably been at school with Nathan. It was at that moment when Frank told Nathan the name of his long ago classmate and possible future colleague that Nathan knew his time had come. He was finally going to get the chance to destroy Haley James' life the way that she had destroyed his.

A.N Well that was chapter three hopefully it helped explain some of the questions that you've all had from the first couple of chapters. I realise it doesn't explain everything but hopefully that will be enough to tide you over until the rest of their story comes out in later chapters. Hope you enjoyed it and let me know what you thought of it.

Thanx to LivingintheOCsucks, Cap'n Keira Sparrow and doodlebah for your reviews.

TinyDancer7 its good to hear from you again you were such a regular reviewer for Giving In To Desires and I always enjoyed getting your reviews. I hope you continue reading this story and enjoy it.

Don't forget to review if you want an update.