Chapter 3

Haley sat on the bench next to the rivercourt…letting her thoughts try to figure out what was going on. During the school day she had, many times, tried techniques to wake up. She pinched herself, went back to sleep and woke up again, splashed her face with water. But none of it had worked. She was still there.

Her eyes teared up as she thought about everything she had heard about herself. She was the proverbial bitch in Tree Hill High. She passed her classes barely and never did her own homework. She cared more about being popular than anything else. Heck…someone had even told her she and Chris were a match made in hell. No wonder Nathan and Lucas hated her so much…she would have too. Haley rubbed her eyes vigorously trying to rid it of tears. Suddenly she heard footsteps behind her and for a moment she wished it was Lucas – coming to tell her that everything would be okay.

When she turned around Mouth stood behind her – smiling at her.

She did a mental check of how he looked. He still looked the same. Still smiled at her. Still dressed the same.

"Hey Haley..." he said with a smile as he sat down next to her and Haley couldn't help but let out a sigh or relief.

"Hey Mouth…" her voice was soft.

"Tim says you've been acting really weird lately…so I was wondering what's going on." Mouth stated and Haley wondered if he was also her best friend in this universe. If maybe…he was the only normal one.

"Do you sometimes wonder if you fit in Mouth?" she asked as she placed her head in her hands and Mouth gave a soft sigh.

"I've never fit in here Hales…you know that. This place wasn't made to hold me. But this isn't about me…this is about you." He said and Haley sighed.

"Why am I such the school's queen bitch?" her question hung in the air for a few minutes as they both contemplated the answer. Finally, as he stood up and started walking away, Mouth answered.

"For the same reason that I'm the school's biggest player." Haley stared up at him as she finally realized what was different of him…he was a player.

"Why?" she felt the question slip through her lips and Mouth smiled.

"Because it just is who we are."

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Haley walked around the town – Mouth's answer in her mind. She didn't agree with him at first. She was a good person who didn't fit into this profile that they had placed her. But as she walked around she realized that maybe deep down she really was like that. That maybe that was what this nightmare was about…to show her how she really was deep inside her soul. It would fit…Brooke was really deep and lonely, Peyton was happy inside, Tim…well she guessed he really was gay inside. Still she didn't accept it as an answer. She didn't love Chris…in this world or the next. Confusion swept over her as she tried her best to put her mind at ease.

She walked until she reached the docks and a smile slid over her face.

"Don't say I never gave you anything."

It had been Nathan's words at their first tutoring session – right there – the start of their love. She still had that bracelet even after they got married. It was with her everyday. She never let it out of her sight.

The smile slid off her face as she noticed Nathan was sitting on the docks – staring out towards the vast ocean. He seemed deep in thought – his brow lined and his eyes so distant that it looked that nobody would be able to get his attention. Haley walked closer towards his but stopped a few meters further. She didn't know if that was such a good idea. She had to keep telling herself that in this world they hated each other. Suddenly she wished she knew why they hated each other, other than the Lucas incident.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Nathan stared out – his thoughts roaming around to places and things that he couldn't remember. The fact that this place made him feel safe wasn't lost on him and for a few seconds he let himself wonder why. He let his eyes glide over the horizon and made out a boat that was going past. Slowly his eyes followed the boat as it moved past – not thinking of anything in particular – until he turned and his eyes fell on her.

Haley Keller. He didn't smile or frown when he saw her. But he wasn't happy.

She walked closer to him with a sudden determination that failed her when she stopped a few feet away from me.

"Why do we hate each other?" the words flew out her mouth before she even registered it and they both stared at each other.