Julian sighed as him mom's car pulled up outside Tree Hill High. He cannot wait for his car from his dad to arrive, he doesn't care about popularity, but it's kind of embarrassing when you're mom drops you off at your first day at a new school, which happens to be the first day of senior year.
He spent his summer thinking about Brooke Davis, and how much of an idiot he is for not getting her number. Or not planning to see her again. She's preoccupied his thoughts all summer. When he got home that night, he thought of her. When he slept, he thought of her. When he packed all his stuff away for his move to a new town, he thought of her. After the divorce and he changed his last name, he thought of her. When he said goodbye to his father, he thought of her. And when he passed the Welcome To Tree Hill sign, he thought of her.
''Sweetie, I'll wait for you at the parking lot.'' he mother said, smoothing down his hair.
He smacked her hand away, ''I'll get the bus.'' he muttered and sighed. ''Bye mom, love you.''
He shut the car door and headed through the door, he got alot of stares from the guys, obviously wondering who the new guy is. He got checked out by the girls, obviously wondering who the new hot guy is. He looked back, but it was no use, they didn't catch his eye like Brooke did.
He walked into the reception and headed to the desk. ''Hi, I'm Julian Baker. I'm new here.''
The receptionist smiled brightly. ''Welcome to Tree Hill High, Principal Turner is expecting you, just go through that door.'' she said cheerily and pointed to the door which had a plaque that said Principal Turner on it.
He closed the door behind him after he walked in. A dark skinned man sat across the desk, in a big spinny chair. Opposite him was a boy, who was clearly a student, with spiky brown hair and a big smile on his face.
''Ah, Julian Baker take a seat.'' Principal turner said, pointing to the seat next to the smiley boy.
Julian nodded and took a seat, not saying anything else.
''First, I want to welcome you to Tree Hill High. I thought I'd give you your time table personally, instead of you getting it from your homeroom like everyone else. I wanted to know if you had any questions?''
''Nope.'' he said impatiently, he just wants to get this day over with, it will go alot quicker if he doesn't talk to the principal.
''Okay.'' Principal Turner said awkwardly. ''This is Marvin, he'll be showing you around and helping you out this week while you get settled. I'm placing you in his homeroom for the week so it gives you chance to make some friends. I'll put you in a homeroom next week. It starts any minute, so you two should go.''
Julian sighed, I don't need a keeper. He wanted to say, but he also didn't want to be rude. This Marvin guy seems permanently happy, he doesn't want to be the one to break that happiness. So he stood up and followed Marvin out of the office.
''Listen.. you don't have to show me around. I'm fine on my own, I don't need any help.''
''You do. Or you're senior year isn't gonna be a good one.'' Marvin said, walking out of the office.
Julian followed. ''What are you talking about?''
''Well. The lunch tables outside, don't ever sit on the middle one, that's the Scott table, they'll kick your ass if you sit there. Them and there friends have had that table since freshman year. See, I'm helping you already.'' he said with a smirk.
''Okay, so I don't sit on the middle table. I'll just eat somewhere else, that doesn't prove anything.'' Julian denied.
''You're gonna sit on your own? Bad call. Everyone will be staring at you because you're new, but when you're on your own too, that just makes you a target.'' he said, taking Julian's time table and locker number out of his hand. ''Oh, your lockers next to mine.''
''Target? I can look after myself.''
Marvin laughed, ''Not in high school. Were you popular in your old school?''
''Not really, I just hung out with my friends, stayed with them, avoided trouble.'' he shrugged.
''Well just do that here, but with my friends.'' he suggested.
Julian chuckled. ''Why are you being nice to me?''
''Because it's not nice to be alone. I moved here last year, I was on my own. No one offered to help me, and I was a target. But then I met Skills, Junk and Fergie at the river court, and started hanging out with them. Skills' is dating one of the cheerleaders, so no one messes with us.'' he explained, opening Julian's locker for him. ''I also know alot of the gossip about people, you could use that before you start flirting with some of the girls.'' he said on a cheerier note.
Brooke's face flashed in his mind, but he quickly shook it away. ''Okay, who's she?'' he asked, pointing to a small girl with honey blond wavey hair. She was wearing blue summer dress, with pumps. Looking incredibly happy to be back at school, unlike everyone else. ''Let me guess, nerd.''
''Nope. That's Haley James. One of the five most popular people in the school.'' Julian thought he'd recognised the name before, but he couldn't put his finger on it. ''She's a cheerleader, and tutor. And dating some musician who works in the music store. The Scott brothers are really protective of her, especially Nathan.''
''Why? What do they do?'' he asked. These Scott brothers sounded very interesting, he wanted to know what happened if you messed with them, or others around them.
''This one time..''
Flashback-
Marvin McFadden stood at his locker, searching through it to try and find his history book. School was about to begin, and he had history first. He couldn't complete his work with out it.
He sighed and looked to his left, where Haley James was stood opening her locker. She turned and smiled at him, ''Hi, you're Marvin right? You moved here a couple of weeks ago.''
Marvin nodded, ''Yeah, call me Mouth.''
''Mouth.'' she noted. ''You're in my history class right?''
''Yeah, but I can't find my book.''
''Oh, w-''
''Hey Haley.'' a jock said as he stood in between Haley and Mouth. ''Looking sexy today.''
She gave him a irritated look, ''Hi Dustin, I'm kind of having a conversation here.'' she said, hinting for him to leave.
''So? Why would you want to talk to a geek and not me?'' he responded smirking at his insult.
''Well, I'm a geek to. I guess you don't want to talk to me either.''
He chuckled, ''But you're hot. So anyway Haley, I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date tonight?''
She sighed, ''No, sorry.''
''Why?'' he asked, completely stunned. Why the hell would Haley James say no to him?
''Because I don't like people who are rude.'' she said simply.
He coughed loudly, gaining a few people in the corridors attention. ''Whatever, like I'd want to go out with a virgin Mary anyways.'' he almost shouted.
Haley had tears in her eyes. Sure, she's not ashamed for being a virgin. She just doesn't like that people would use it against her to make themselves feel better. And shout it out to everyone listening.
Unfortunately for Dustin, Nathan Scott was one of the people who heard.
''What did you just say?'' Nathan demanded, stepping towards Dustin.
''She heard me.''
''Yeah and unfortunately for you, I did to.'' Nathan replied, stepping closer once again. His fists were clenched and his jaw was set, no way was this asshole going to talk to Haley like that and get away with it.
''Nathan don't.'' Haley said softly, she doesn't want Nathan to get into trouble because of her, she wasn't the only one that was mean.
Nathan took one look at the hurt on her face, and snapped. He punched Dustin straight in the jaw, causing him to fall to the ground.
''Stay away from her.'' he warned before taking Haley's hand and taking her away from Dustin.
Flashback over-
''...He got suspended for two weeks too.''
''It looks like Tree Hill's got some drama.'' he commented as he and Mouth made their way to homeroom.
He still couldn't put his finger on it though..
''And she's a tutor, so I call her Tutor Girl, get it?''
''I've only done this once. I've tried loads of times. One time my best friend Haley dropped the bottle and we got caught.''
''Nathan gets distracted and tries to sleep with them.''
Haley.. Tutor.. Nathan.. Brooke.
Coincidence?
''How long have you been in Tree Hill for?'' Junk asked him in homeroom. Junk and Mouth's last names begin with 'M', so they're in the same homeroom. So because Julian is with Mouth all week, he's in there too. He just hopes he'll meet someone who's last name begins with 'B', so he wont be alone in his own homeroom next week. Junk and Julian get on really well, they're in the same chemistry class, so atleast Julian will know one person there.
''Two days. My mom sent our stuff here over the summer, so I spent this weekend unpacking.'' he said with a sigh, remembering the past two boring days, which just made him think of Brooke even more. But Julian didn't want to get into the subject of his parents so he decided to change the subject. ''So Mouth, any girls you like?''
''Rachel Gatina.'' he said with a dreamy smile on his face.
''Who's that, like, your girlfriend?'' Julian asked, he would really liked to meet the girl who put a smile on his friends face.
Junk laughed, ''He wishes.'' he said jokingly, and playfully nudged Mouth.
''Why, is she a cheerleader?''
''Thanks for saying I couldn't get a cheerleader.'' Mouth said dryly. ''No, she's in some of my classes. She has red hair, and she's gorgeous. It's crazy how she's not in the top 5.''
''Top 5?''
''It's the five hottest girls in the school, it's in one of the boys toilets. There's not on a order, it's just the five hottest ones. There's Haley James, Alex Dupre, Bevin Mirskey who's dating Skills, Peyton Sawyer and B-'' Junk was cut off by the bell ringing. ''Shit, I've gotta go. See you at lunch guys.'' he said and ran out of the room.
''You're not in my next lesson are you?'' Mouth asked Julian, checking his timetable. ''Um, you're in English 3.'' he said. ''Ben!'' he called to one of the boys about to head out.
''Yeah?'' Ben asked.
''Are you in English 3 next?'' Ben nodded, ''Can you take Julian with you? He doesn't know where he's going.''
''Sure.'' Ben said.
Julian sighed, he didn't want to be babysat, he wanted to find the classes by himself. Atleast he'd have a good excuse to be late then. Thanks Mouth. He said sarcastically in his head as he followed Ben out of the classroom.
Then he remembered something.
Peyton Sawyer.
''My other best friend Peyton can't act and but she's not exactly 'discreet'.''
Peyton isn't even a common name, how the hell did that happen? Why does everything have to remind him of Brooke fricken Davis?
''So Julian? Are you any good at maths?'' Mouth asked as he met him at Julian's locker for lunch.
Julian shrugged, ''I'm okay at it, I guess. Why?''
''You've been put it on of the advanced Maths classes you know?'' (AN: I DON'T LIVE IN AMERICA SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE ADVANCED CLASSES, I'M NOT SURE HOW IT WORKS)
He raised his eyebrows in surprise, ''Really?''
''Yeah. I'm kind of on the mathlete team, and Jimmy moved last year, and we need a replacement. We really want to win the competition this year, so how would you feel about joining?''
''I don't know Mouth...'' Julian said hesitantly.
''C'mon. It'll be fun. We just practice after school Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. If we win, then we get this really big trophy for the school, and Tree Hill High's never won before. And we get medals, and Rachel Gatina's on the team.'' he rambled. He really wants Julian to join, since Jimmy left he's not had a friend to talk to at the practices', and he's to nervous to say more than two words to Rachel. Seen as none of his other friends are on the team, as it would be nice to have one there. He already considers Julian a friend.
Julian sighed, ''Fine, I'll join the mathletes.''
AN: Hope you liked it. I know I said Peyton and Lucas would be in this chapter, but I decided to add them next chapter, when it will be the beginning of Brooke's day. Also, will she see Julian?
I also forgot to mention, there will be LOTS of Naley in this story. And I know there story's a little similar to the Brucas in WHTM but it wont be, it will be more complicated than that. Also friendship will be a big part of this story. Brooke's best friendship with Peyton, Haley, Nathan and Lucas. Julian's friendship with Mouth and soon with Skills, Junk and Fergie. Will be important. Oh, also. I know I've made Julian abit grumpy, but he's just upset about his parents divorce and moving from a big town to a small one. He'll soon be nerdy happy Julian we all know and love. I know he's not enthusiastic about joining mathletes, but he will be. I know I made Rachel completely OOC (even though she isn't actually in the story yet), but I wanted to write a nerdy nice Rachel, it's different. Miguel51 - I added some Routh for you:)
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, to everyone who reviewed the first chapter. Please review this one too, it makes me want to write even more. I woke up this morning and checked the reviews on my phone, and soon as I saw them it made me want to write, that's why this chapter's out quicker than usual.