Chapter 1: Waiting For The World To Change

"You don't understand, Lucas! My cousin is evil!" Haley argued with her best friend as she was in the passenger seat of Lucas' car.

"She can't be that bad, Hales," Lucas tried to speak to her calmly.

"You don't know her," Haley reprimanded her best friend.

"I'm in hell!" Brooke Davis said marching into the parking lot with her three best friends.

"I mean look at this uniform!" Brooke continued, trying to prove it by moving her hands up and down. Brooke was speaking of the new uniform which she had to make "Brookish" The red skirt turned into a mini-skirt and the white button-down blouse was not tucked in and the first few buttons were unbuttoned. Her red tie was loosely done, with her red knee-highs and black boots to finish her outfit. Her straight brown hair was loose and she kept a head band in it.

Peyton came behind her friend, "It's fine Brooke."

"No it's not," she huffed.

Nathan groaned, "All you've done is complain ever since we found out we were moving. You're lucky we didn't get emancipated and stay in Miami. Stop bitching and deal."

"I understand that I'm lucky that you four are here, but it doesn't make this whole ordeal any easier," Brooke spoke to her best friends.

Haley nervously sipped her bottle of water as her other two friends Rachel Gattina and Jake Jagielski entered the backseat of the car. Haley wore, unknowingly her school uniform the same way as her cousin. The difference was that Haley's dirty blonde hair was naturally in her loose curls, while Brooke's was pin straight.

"Hales, please calm down," Rachel said from the back seat.

"Where do you go telling me to calm down?! You calm down!" Haley yelled.

"Dramatic," Lucas sung out.

"It's kind of weird being here," Marvin "Mouth" McFadden told his friends.

"Thank you!" Brooke spoke out.

"Not for the reasons you're complaining about, Brooke. Sorry," Mouth said sheepishly.

"Why's it weird?" Peyton asked.

"If we were in Miami, everyone would be looking at us right now. Now, we're just four new kids at Tree Hill High," Mouth said.

Peyton sighed, wrapping her arm around him, "We have a fresh start."

"That's something I can definitely deal with," Nathan honestly grinned.

"How can you above all of us be okay with this? What about basketball? You were captain this year," Brooke reminded him.

"Brooke, back in Miami we were the champs. You cheerleaders were too. My dad spoke to the principal already. He's co-captaining the original captains with us," Nathan told his friend.

Brooke smiled, "I guess this can be a fresh start for me, too."

The four friends shared a moment smiling at each other, knowing that even though this "new" start was occurring, the four would be there for each other.

Haley sighed as they pulled into the parking lot. Rachel and Jake excitedly jumped out of the car, while Lucas held Haley back.

"Hales," Lucas called.

Haley turned back to her friend and smiled, "Yeah."

"No matter what, I'm here," Lucas reminded.

"I know," she nodded.

"Who's that?" Mouth said pointing at the red truck pulling in the parking lot.

"Kings and Queens of Tree Hill are my guess," Peyton replied as she noticed the majority of the student body stop to look at the car.

All of a sudden, Peyton's eyes were drawn to a brunette guy, obviously a sports player jump out of the back of the truck, holding the door open for a red-headed thin girl. She looked almost the equivalent of Brooke.

Brooke's eyes rolled as she noticed who exactly was getting out of the car following the two teens. Her cousin walked to the other two with a smile on her face, and Brooke smiled a sad smile when she noticed the smile was filled with sadness. Brooke's smile then widened when she noticed a blonde, tall, muscular guy join the three and put his arm around Haley. The four began to walk smiling and the student body was whispering and staring at the object of their affection.

Haley noticed her cousin and felt bad at how Brooke and her friends were obviously new to the school, and couldn't help but walk over to her.

"Haley."

She regretted it the moment her cousin opened her mouth.

"Hey Brooke," Haley tried to be nice.

Brooke shook her head, "Come on guys. Let's go get our schedules."

Haley sighed deeply, shrugged her shoulders towards her friends and rolled her eyes, "I tried, didn't I?"

By the time 4th period came around, which was practice for The Ravens Basketball and Cheerleaders, Haley was completely pissed.

"Do you know she's in all of my classes?" Haley asked Rachel.

"Every single one?" Rachel laughed.

"Yes," Haley spoke annoyed, "And so is her little posse."

"CAPTAINS!" the principal called walking into the gym, three students following him. Haley and Lucas looked at each other and shrugged, walking over to him.

"Lucas," he started, "How are try-outs coming along?"

"Okay. The players are more Junior-Varsity material, though," Lucas admitted.

"Perfect. This is Nathan Scott, he'll be co-captain with you this year."

"No offense, sir. But how is he immediately co-captain if he's not even part of the Ravens yet….Wait a second, Nathan Scott? Of the Miami Tornadoes?" Lucas asked.

"The one and only," Nathan Scott replied.

Lucas smiled, "Lucas Roe."

Nathan shook his hand, "Nathan Scott."

"Glad we got that already," the principal continued, "Now Haley, I learned you needed two new cheerleaders."

"Correct," Haley sighed.

"Peyton Sawyer and Brooke Davis. Brooke was captain at her old school and since she was champion in Miami the mind of you two will bring us to victory. Brooke, Peyton, this is Haley James."

"I know," Brooke spoke, "Haley's my cousin."

"Good, then it will be easier to have you guys work this out."

After the annual meeting of the cheerleaders, Haley sat on the benches watching her friends playing basketball. Lucas' new co-captain was definitely a piece of eye candy, she thought.

"Hey," Brooke whispered approaching her cousin.

"Hi," Haley said surprised, but resumed watching the basketball team.

Brooke's vision followed Haley's, "They're pretty good, huh?"

Haley smiled, "They really are."

"Look," Brooke said, "I know this has got to be hard for you, but imagine me. I mean I left my senior year and came here."

Haley nodded, "I know. It must suck."

Brooke nodded, "So I'd appreciate it if you really weren't a bitch to me."

Haley immediately stood up of the bench, "What?!" she screeched.

Brooke stood up along side her cousin, "Don't go acting innocent. You've always been a bitch to me!"

Haley laughed spitefully, "I've never been ANYTHING but nice to you Brooke Davis!"

It was Brooke's turn to laugh, "You're pathetic."

Haley began pacing, and the cousins had the attention of the whole gym "Brooke, you are the one who always was a nasty bitch to me. Do NOT go calling me pathetic. I'm sorry if I didn't welcome you with open arms or throw a "Oh Yay! Brooke's here" party but imagine if the shoe was on the other foot. You would fight with the frigging principal to get the position of co-captain back to captain and back to you! And you would make my life miserable. Just like you always have!"

"When did you get to be such a bitch?!" Brooke yelled.

Haley laughed, "Takes one to know one."

"Yes, you're right I am the bitch!" Brooke yelled.

"Thank you for finally admitting it! I'll be sure to tell your dad, he'll be proud!" Haley yelled.

"Good, and I'll do the same thing. I'm sure your dad would be happy to hear that you're a lying and manipulative bitch!" she screamed, and immediately regretted what she said when she realized it.

Haley threw her water bottle down on the floor, "You really are a bitch."

Haley stormed out of the gym.

Nathan followed Lucas into the boys locker room, "What was that all about?"

Lucas shrugged, "Haley's going through a tough time right now."

Nathan nodded and sat down, "How long have you two been together?"

Lucas choked on the water he was drinking, "Excuse me?"

"You two are going out, right?" Nathan asked confused.

Lucas laughed, "She's my best friend."

Nathan smiled, "Oh."

Lucas looked at Nathan wearily, "I know that grin."

Nathan looked at him, "What?"

"The grin? The "Thank God" grin. You're into Haley," Lucas stated knowingly.

"I've never spoken to the girl," Nathan said.

"You think she's hot," Lucas then compromised.

"Well, that's obvious, I mean…have you seen her?" Nathan said.

"You better not let Brooke hear you talk about her like that," Lucas laughed.

"What does me thinking Haley hot have anything to do with Brooke?" Nathan asked.

"She is your girlfriend, right?" Lucas asked.

"We grew up together. We're really good friends, but we just irritate each other easily," Nathan told Lucas.

Lucas laughed, "Now I'm gonna give the grin. Brooke's hot."

Nathan laughed, "I think this is the beginning of a good friendship."

"Cheers to that," Lucas said holding up his water bottle.

Peyton and Brooke were sitting at one of the outside benches eating lunch when two cheerleading bags were put on the table. They looked up to see Haley and Rachel standing over them.

"Uniforms, pom-poms, warm up shorts and tank, the sweat outfit are in here. You guys just need to get the shoes, we can take you guys after school if you want," Haley told her cousin.

Brooke smiled, "Haley…"

"Can I talk to you?" Haley cut her off.

Brooke nodded and got up and followed Haley to a separate bench, "I know you didn't mean it," Haley started.

"I swear," Brooke started, "I didn't realize what I said til I said it."

Haley smiled, "You're not that mean. I mean to deliberately bring up my dead father to hurt me."

Brooke's smile faded immediately, "How are you guys dealing with it?"

Haley shrugged, "Badly. He was my dad. No one was expecting it."

Brooke swallowed back the tears that were threatening to fall, "I'm so sorry I couldn't come to the funeral and everything. I felt so bad, I wanted to come."

Haley shook her head, trying to get out of the subject, "It's fine."

Brooke shook her head, "I can't believe Uncle Jimmy is gone."

Haley stopped her, "Please, Brooke. No one knows about this except Lucas, Rachel, Jake and you."

Brooke stopped, wiping her tears, "Okay."

"Please don't tell anyone," Haley whispered.

Brooke nodded, "So…truce?"

Haley smiled, "For the first time in our lives, let's try to be friends on top of being cousins."

Brooke smiled and held out her hand, but Haley hugged her.

Brooke hugged her cousin back, and when she pulled away she noticed two guys walking over, "What's the deal with him?"

Haley followed Brooke's eyes to Lucas, "Lucas Roe. Single."

Brooke squealed and clapped her hands, "Nathan Scott. Single."

Haley looked at her cousin, clapping her hands, "You really are a cheerleader, aren't you?"

Up Next:

A class project brings everyone together.

Nathan and Haley have their first conversation.

How long do Brooke and Haley last being "Friends"?