Chapter 1
About 15 Years Later
"You know, you kind of look like her", stated Jessica Seddyn to her best friend.
"Like who?" asked Olivia Scott.
"Haley James"
The two 15 year old girls were in Olivia's room. Blaring from the stereo was the voice of the bestselling singer Haley James, their favourite artist. Jessica was glancing between her friend and the album cover with the picture of Haley on the front.
"What?" Laughed Olivia, "We look nothing like each other!"
"Ollie, she could pretty much be you mother".
"Yeah right, Like Dad would've ever gone for her. He like idolises D12, They wouldn't have had very much in common", Ollie said sarcastically, "Besides she doesn't sound very much like the type of person that abandons their kid."
"Well, you still look like her"
"OK Jess, whatever you say", Ollie said rolling her eyes at her friend. "Turn it up a bit".
Nathan Scott was in his kitchen cooking. Yes cooking, one of the many things he'd had to learn to do as a single father. He heard the music from his daughters bedroom go up in volume until he could make out what was being sung.
One thing is clear
I wear a halo, I wear a halo when you look at me
but standing from here
you wouldn't say so,
you wouldn't say so if you were me
Hearing the sweet voice that he heard nearly everyday but had longed to hear, really hear, for the past 15 years he sank down to the ground a broken sigh escaping his lips. Memories of her still surrounded him. Her honey coloured hair, playful smile, the way only she could make him feel, dancing among the purple flowers at their first wedding, but most of all her eyes. The big, deep, brown eyes, which he could never say no to. The eyes that she shared with their daughter.
Suddenly a loud piercing beeping penetrated his far off thoughts.
"Shit" he muttered as he realised his food was burning. Grabbing for a tea towel he swung it at the smoke alarm abruptly bringing it to a stop. Turning round to the stove he saw a black charcoal mess of what had once been intended for his dinner. He then noticed that he could no longer hear his not-so ex-wife's voice. He turned to see his daughter padding down the hall with a worried look on her face.
"You alright dad?" Ollie asked her father as she entered the kitchen, "I heard the smoke alarm".
"Yeah bud, just got distracted and burnt dinner," he said throwing a smile to his daughter hoping that she couldn't see through his facade.
"OK", she said looking at him sceptically, but figuring it was best not to push it, she walked hesitantly back to her room.
"I'm worried about dad," Ollie blurted to Jessica as she closed her door as she flopped down onto the bed.
"He'll be ok Ollie" she said softly, used to her friend worrying, standing up and giving her friend hug, "I've got to go, I'll see you tomorrow though kay?
"Yep".
As the two girls walked past the kitchen to the door Jessica noticed Nathan staring absently at the microwave and the worried glance that his daughter sent toward him.
"Bye Mr. Scott", Jess called out to him.
"Bye Jess," Nathan turned, smiled and waved to his daughter's best friend.
Approaching the door Jess turned to Ollie,
"Don't worry too much Oll." Jess whispered.
Ollie smiled slightly giving Jess a small wave as the door closed.
As she headed back to her room she noticed that her father was no longer in the kitchen and instead saw his closed bedroom door. Abandoning the idea of trying to get him to talk she sighed and closed her own door before turning her stereo back on.
I always said that I would make mistakes
I'm only human and that's my saving grace
I'll fall as hard as I try
so don't be blinded
see me as I really am
I have flaws and sometimes I'm even sad
so pull me from that pedestal
I don't belong there
Nathan knew his daughter worried about him but he hated that she had that extra weight on her shoulders. No matter how hard he tried to pretend he was fine she always saw him as he really was. The truth was though; every time he looked at her he saw Haley and that hurt like hell. But seeing Ollie happy made him happy. And when he had found out Haley had left, he had vowed to himself to give his daughter a happy life, to give her that, he never told her about her mother. He wasn't going to let Haley James screw up his own or his daughter's happiness ever.
And I, I just wanna love you
whoa whoa I, I just wanna love you.
He grabbed his jacket and a basketball, the one thing that his daughter had inherited from him was a passion for basketball.
"Ollie?"He called knocking on her door, "Wanna go to the river court and get dinner at Karen's after?"
The door opened and there she stood with a competitive grin spread across her face.
"Sure your up for it Pops?" She joked raising her eyebrows cheekily.
"Let's go kid." Nathan laughed throwing his arm around her shoulder and heading out toward the river court with a grin on his face.
"Hello New York! Thank you all for coming out tonight and to all of you who have bought my albums, thanks for making my dream become reality. My name is Haley James and this is my new song Ophelia."
Woe is me, something dramatic like I could be
Ophelia
Love's labour lost, before it began
I'm not trying to be clever
I'm just saying what I am
Ophelia
Oh, I'm turning over will
And I'm cleaning up this holy mess I made
Everything's fine
Everything's okay
Everybody loves a fool
Everybody walks away
Everybody walks away
Oh, my love
Oh alas, this has been such a sad affair
Such a sad affair
Well here I go again
I'm sinking in my faithlessness and fear
Everything's fine
Everything's okay
Everybody loves a fool
Everybody walks away
Everybody walks away
Oh, I'm turning over will
and I'm cleaning up this holy mess I made
I want to feel your arms around me
I want to know your love is real
I want to give you all you've given to me
But I'm still afraid to leave, to you
Woe is me, something dramatic like I could be
Ophelia
As Haley James sang, only one thought ran through her head, 'This was never my dream'.
A/N: Songs used were Halo –Bethany Joy Lenz and Ophelia-Bethany Joy Lenz