1First of all, thank everybody so much for reading and reviewing! And I am so looking into that anonymous reviews thing. I had no clue about it before since I'm new and all, I have no clue how to change that. If somebody could tell me, that would be really awesome because having comments–no matter who they're from–are so great and just a really big boost. Anyways, I'm just so glad everybody's liking it.

"Somewhere I Belong" is my first fic ever for so I guess I really didn't know what to do. Anyways, I posted the first two chapters–in the same post, which I didn't mean to do–and I hope you guys like. Thank you all for the awesome comments you've left me and I really hope to get more from you all! I just hope you guys like this, mainly. It's a little different from the regular OTH, but, hey, different is good... most of the time. Anyways! Thank you all again for being so supportive, and comments–good AND bad–are always appreciated.

Chapter 3

"Broken Promises"

The next couple of days passed by in a bustle of hugs, kisses, and apologies for my loss. There were also different stories of how she died. One lady even had the audacity to come up to me, saying, "I'm so sorry honey child. You had every right to defend yourself. We should have seen this earlier: all the scars and bruises you have," she said it as if I had killed her. I was too shocked to reply, too numb to care. Though the statement was total bullshit and stupid, I couldn't defend myself. The only bruises I had were emotional ones, and the only person doing the beating was myself to myself.

And then there were all my friends, who didn't know what to say. Trent, my boyfriend, came up to me, kissed me on the cheek, and just held me in his arms. I appreciated him for that, but it just wasn't enough. Even my best friend since I was a kid–Dexter–didn't know how to react. The night afterwards, I had gone over to his house and took hit after hit. Finally, I didn't think about her anymore. I didn't feel pain. All I felt was emptiness, which was so much better than the pain. I stayed over at Aimee's house the whole time–I couldn't go back there–and she was pretty cool about not asking too many questions, but just listening. Not that I had anything to tell her. No, I didn't open up to anybody. I just sat there. The rest of my friends–the ones who wanted to be there and help me out–just said a few reassuring things–that didn't help–and hugged me. Kerry was doing the best he could. With my help, he had planned practically the whole funeral and I respected and admired him greatly for that.

And finally... my father, though I didn't realize he was my father at the moment. I didn't see him at first. He was just another guy in the crowd. Until I saw his yellow tie and then looked into his eyes–which I knew looked oddly familiar, but I just couldn't seem to place it. This man, who had a full-grown brown beard and soft, hazel eyes, was different from the rest of mourners. And not just because of his bold tie. No, the tie just made it easier to spot him. No, the reason was because of his eyes–which were like mine–and his hair, which was kind of similar to my hair color. And the tie. But it was those eyes... they were my eyes.

The grave-side service was nice. Though the preacher didn't know her at all. He didn't know how she had finally perfected the art of rolling joints and took us out to eat as celebration, or how she smoked a pack a day, or how she had sex with Kerry every night–and I mean every night. At 12:00. Once I realized the pattern, I made sure not to come home until after 2:00. I was so wiped out that I'd take a bath, and then fall out on my bed, dog tired. That is, if I even got home. I usually stayed with Dexter if I could help it. Or Aimee, but sometimes Aimee stayed over at Dexter's, then I would go to Trent's and sleep over.

I spotted the bearded man with soft eyes again, standing quietly over to the side. There was just something about him. "Hey, do you know that guy?" Trent asked, following my gaze.

Trent looked toward him, his forehead furrowing, and then back at me. "Um.. I don't... why?" and then it clicked.

I really couldn't believe it hadn't clicked before now. Maybe it had, maybe I just didn't want to accept it. I inhaled sharply, "No!"

I was crossing the room before anybody could stop me. "How dare you.." I spat, hate in my eyes. The same eyes this stranger had. I couldn't believe he was actually here. "How can you show up now? Of all the times, why now!" the whole room got quiet as I stared into the man's eyes.

He looked back at me. There was hurt mixed in with fear in his eyes. He was actually scared of me. A petite 17-year-old girl, and he was scared of me. "Haley?"

"Oh, you mean it's been so long that you have forgotten what your own daughter looks like," I shot at him. My words like venom. It sounded stupid, I know, but I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Haley. Haley, that's enough. Let it go," Trent tugged at my shoulder. "Come on, it's your mom's funeral. You can do this somewhere else. Just let it go."

I whirled around, shaking my head. "Back off, Trent. This is between me and..." I turned around, "him," I snarled.

"I... baby, I'm–"

"Don't 'baby, I'm' me, you bastard!"

"Haley." he scolded, looking around the room. "Let's finish this somewhere else. I can understand why your mad, but your mother wouldn't have wanted you doing this here." he hissed.

"Like hell! You don't–you didn't–you have no clue who my mom was after you left. Before you abandoned us, remember. She changed. She wasn't the same PTO mom she used to be. Because if you claim you know my mother, then you would know that she smoked a pack a day, tried killing herself twice before, took anti-depressants, and when she got bored, she would roll joints. I bet you didn't know that Sarah James."

"Please..." he pleaded, "just give me a chance to talk to you and explain to you the–"

"You tore our family apart!" I screamed, tears falling out of my eyes. Which only pissed me off more. I hated crying. Why was I crying now? "You made her do this to herself," I cried, my legs buckling out from under me. "You..." I couldn't finish the sentence, I fell forward, tears blurring my vision.

But instead of falling on my face–like I knew was about to happen–I was caught. I was pulled out of the air, and into the hard chest of the stranger. The stranger. My father. "Oh baby, I'm so sorry. I never meant for this to happen. I'm so sorry. I didn't realize how bad it was. I'm sorry."

"Don't call me your baby and stop saying your sorry!" I screamed, my scream shattering the silent atmosphere. Then there were just more sobs. "Everybody says that..." I said in a softer voice, my voice almost in a whisper now. "Everybody says it but nobody means it."

"I do mean it," he whispered, smoothing my hair, and wiping away my tears. "I mean it more than anything."

"Mom said that she was sorry for everything, too, and that she meant it, but is this what sorry is?" I motioned around the room. "I'm sorry for making your life hell on earth, now let me kill myself? Oh, but it's going to be ok because I'll carve the words 'I'm sorry' into my arm just to let you know that I really am sorry. Is that what saying 'sorry' is all about? Sorry I'm not good enough. Sorry I can't ever be good enough. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Stop fucking saying sorry!"

"Do you think that's what it means?" his question threw me off-guard. I didn't know what he meant. "If you do, then don't accept mine. Throw it out the window. Like more than half the promises I promised you: thrown out the window. But not this, Haley. I promise you, that things will get better, and I know I've promised you everything from happiness to the sun, but this... this, Haley... this promise I can truly keep."

so, what did you guys think? Good, bad, mediocre, it sucked:D. Please comment. Thanks!

:SPOILERS:

Haley moves to Tree Hill

she meets Nathan and Lucas