Jill walked around from place to place. It didn't matter where she was headed, just as long as she was nowhere near Avenue Lane. By now she had been walking for half an hour. She however didn't take notice because she was too involved within her own mumble. She looked like some crazed girl talking to herself at a rapid rate walking down the quiet streets of Tree Hill.

Nathan on the River Court pavement was still in his daze until he heard a distant mumbling. Not leaving his spot on the ground he lifted his head to see where the voice was coming from.

"I can't believe he did that to me, I'm such a fool. I could just..." she was suddenly distracted by the figure that had appeared from the pavement and was now staring in her direction, " oh um sorry I never knew someone was here."

Nathan was now face to face with her.

"It's cool. I just heard something so I got up to see what the source was."

It was pitch dark except for the reflection the river gave off but he could see her. She was beautiful. A petite girl but exceptionally tall almost resembling a model's figure but not quite. She was about 5'7'. She was clad in a micro mini jean skirt, a greenish khaki jacket that was now zipped up above her breasts and beige knee high boots. Her apparel hugged her curves exceptionally well but as much as her body was fit he couldn't take his eyes away from hers. In the night sky she had dark eyes. Everyone's eyes looked dark in the night sky, even his baby blues looked pitch black but they mesmerized him. Something about them, he just couldn't pry himself from looking into them.

"Yeah sorry I was just so deep in thought I never noticed you on the ground. Want are you doing down there anyways?"

She was about to slouch down to be on the same level as him but remembered she was in a skirt so she nixed the idea. Besides she didn't even know who he was. She should keep her distance just in case.

"Huh" broken from his moment,"Yeah I was just doing some thinking."

"On the ground?"

She stared at him puzzled.

"Haha yeah it's better that way, I guess," noticing he hadn't seen her before he interjected. It was a small town everyone knew everyone."Hey I don't think I've seen you before. You new here?"

"Yeah umm no I was just here to visit someone."

Looking at her, " I take it didn't go so well from the look on your face."

"Yeah no it didn't go anywhere near as I planned it would but oh well that's life huh."

"Yeah. So what brings you to the River Court?"

"I figured there would be no one here seeing as everyone would be partying on a night like this..." under her breath she mumbled," or getting laid or whatever."

He laughed. He heard her even though she whispered what she said. Nathan had real good hearing," yeah I'm supposed to be heading off to a party myself. I felt like shooting some hoops first, hence my presence here."

"Hmm ok, you're here but the shooting hoops thing...?"

"Yeah when I got here I changed my mind."

"Yeah that happens," she shrugged moving towards the picnic table and finally resting on the tabletop.

Nathan got up and followed sitting adjacent to her on the table.

"You seem like you got slapped in the face by something hard?"

"Hmmm..something like that yeah. I just noticed I spent a perfectly good night in a place I don't belong."

Nathan was confused," What do you mean?"

She let out a sigh and looked at him. He seemed oblivious to her statement.

"I'm not from here, like you said. I'm from Charlotte."

"Oh a city girl," Nathan said abruptly.

She let out a small laugh, "yeah. I came here tonight to visit my boyfriend because it seemed like we hadn't seen each other in awhile. To my surprise it seems like he was pretty fine with not seeing me. Uggh I knew it. "

"Don't beat yourself up about it."

"I hate looking vulnerable. I just, I just still can't believe what had happened tonight. Uggh! Me and my bright ideas. Now it's too late for me to go back to the city and I have to stay here for the night."

"You going to stay at a hotel?"

"Oh umm no I was just planning on staying here till sunrise."

"By yourself? You're going to sleep here?"

He was perplexed.

"Yes for your first question and no I'm not planning on sleeping tonight for your second one. My mind is too stuffed."

He let out a small laugh. This girl had a smart mouth, but it wasn't the usual smart-ass attitude you so often get annoyed of. It was cuter. Well it was to him.

"Was he seeing another girl?"

Those very words made her hot with rage but all she could get out was a simple, "yeah."

"That sucks."

"You're telling me. Why do guys have to be such, such ughh such jerks?"

Nathan thought for a minute. He used to be like that himself but it had been awhile since he acted that way. He had changed into a better person but he knew what she was talking about.

"To tell you the truth..I used to be like that." She shot him a look," but I'm not like that anymore. I didn't like how I was as a person."

"Wow"

"Yeah I know," he laughed.

She giggled a little with his response. He stared at her. Her giggle was cute and her face from the side was, well there were no words to describe. She didn't know he was staring at her because she kept her eyes straight ahead. He was glad though because he would've been so embarrassed if she caught him oggling her. He just watched her dark black hair sway with the light breeze but was taken back by her change in tone.

"Hey! Don't you have a party to go to? It's getting late you know?"

"Uhhh yeah I did but I uhh I'm not going anymore."

She turned to him with a puzzled look. A guy turning down a party. That was just unheard of.

"Why? How come?"

"Because I found something better to do tonight."

"Really? I mean from my short time in this town, it just seems like there's really nothing else to do. What's better than partying with all your jock friends, drinking, and sleeping around with girls?"

"Hanging out here with you."

Jill was speechless. All she could do was look at him dumb founded. Wow! She never expected a response like that, not in her whole life. Why did he say it, he didn't even know her? Was he playing a game on her? Was this a dream because if so it seemed real. All these ran through her mind and Nathan could see that she was at a loss for words. Come on she'd been giving him that look for a good minute now.

So he interjected, "Well umm if it's ok with you, you know."

She nodded still in a daze. She realized she had to knock it off because she probably made a fool of herself by now and he was looking right at her.

"Umm thanks."

He smiled.

"No problem but I think I should thank you."

"Huh?" Why was he saying thank you to her she thought," why?"

"I don't know, for making me laugh I guess."

She made him laugh. She never would have thought such.

"Oh um ok..It's cool." She gave him a sweet smile in return.

"So what's the deal with you and your boy now?"

"It's over that's for sure. You can't forgive someone who cheated on you. That's just wrong."

Nathan laughed, "Funny you said that," and so began his story about Haley and Chris.

She listened contently, offering her own comments and stories into the mix and that's how their night proceeded.