Hi, I kind of forgot to post the chapter before this one..

It should explain the reason of Natalie McCormack and the goings on with Hayley's flat..

Please go back and read it, it should help..

Thanks..

Hayley's P.O.V

Rain pounded down on the streets of Tree Hill on an unusually chilly September morning, my feet slapping loudly against the asphalt below me. People were walking quickly all around me, umbrellas protecting them from the unfriendly onslaught of rain, their movements quick and hurried as they made their way to the buildings that towered over the streets. A low rumble of thunder echoed in the distance, the sound seemingly increasing the speed of the early morning commuters considerably, some of them shooting annoyed glares at the dark, threatening clouds above them.

I silently cursed myself for not remembering to grab a jacket or sweater as I left my flat earlier that morning. Admittedly, I had been in such a rush to make myself look somewhat presentable for my first day of work in the mere thirty minutes I had allowed myself that the thought of rain hadn't even crossed my mind. I sent a death glare down at my feet, which were strapped uncomfortably in a pair of heels that were rapidly beginning to fill with water. The blouse I had spent so much time picking out the previous night was now soaked through, revealing the bra I wore underneath, and my skirt (a piece of clothing I usually avoided like the plague) was sticking to my skin, making walking a rather awkward experience.

I could feel my hair matted against my forehead, bits of it clumped in front of my eyes. I brushed it back in annoyance, huffing loudly under my breath. According to the directions my father had given me, his building was another five blocks away, and I knew that by the time I finally arrived I'd look no better than a drowned rat. Apparently, it did not seem as though it was going to be a good day. It didn't seem like it could get much worse, but as was customary in such situations, I severely underestimated exactly how much could (and most likely would) go wrong.

I suddenly felt myself lose my balance as I stepped up onto a curb, but I managed to steady myself before I made a complete ass of myself in front of the same people that were walking quickly past me. I looked down and found the culprit behind my near-fall: the heel on my left shoe had broken cleanly in half, although I could not seem to find the piece that had broken off.

"Well, isn't that just the icing on the cake," I said to myself, sighing heavily. "Son of a -"

"Hayley?" a faintly recognizable voice said from behind me.

I turned around, finding myself staring into a pair of shining blue eyes. Natalie McCormack, my neighbor, stood before me underneath an umbrella, looking entirely dry.

"Oh, hello Natalie," I said, brushing away more hair that had fallen into my face. "Er...how are you?"

"I think I should be asking you that question," she said with a faint smile. "Looks as though you're having a rather bad morning."

"That would be a slight understatement," I replied, scoffing. "It's been more like disastrous."

"Here," she said, grabbing hold of my arm and pulling me underneath her umbrella. "Where are you headed?"

"Thanks," I said, pointing up at the umbrella. "I'm actually on my way to my first day of work. I can imagine the kind of impression I'm going to make looking like this."

"I wouldn't worry too much, I think it'll be perfectly understandable considering the weather. Where are you working, by the way?" she asked as we continued to walk (or in my case, limp) down the street, huddled underneath the umbrella.

I hesitated. Although I was grateful for the job I had been offered, I was a bit reluctant to admit who I was working for to other people. I was usually unaffected by others' opinions of me, but I honestly didn't want people to believe that I'd only gotten the job because the owner of the Law firm was my father. Still, as I turned to look at Natalie, I decided to tell her; if she got the wrong idea, that was her problem, not mine.

"James's Law firm," I said quickly, averting my gaze.

"Wait...isn't your last name -?"

"Yes," I said, nodding. "My father owns the firm."

"So...Jim James, the prestigious Lawyer, is your father?" she asked, open-mouthed.

"It would seem so, yes," I said a bit irritably.

"Oh...well, that's exciting!" she said brightly, and she grinned widely at me. "I actually met him once at a -"

She stopped short, however, as we reached the building. Much to my surprise, the exterior of the building was extremely simplistic and was even a bit classy, very unlike my father himself. The last time I had been inside of the house he shared with his horrible wife Olivia, it had been painted in loud, crude colors and decorated with ultra-modern furniture that didn't seem to fit the man I had once known so well. But even though the outside of the building appeared normal, I reminded myself that I had yet to see the inside and I was almost sure it would be oddly reminiscent of his flat.

"Well," I said as I turned to look at Natalie, "this is my stop. Thanks again for the shield." I smiled as I pointed to the umbrella.

"Oh, it was nothing. I'm just glad you got here in one piece. Well, mostly," she said as she looked at my broken shoe.

I laughed lightly, shaking my head. "Why don't you stop by later for some tea or something? I think it's the least I can do after you saved me from nearly drowning in this mess."

She smiled. "That sounds great. See you later, then."

"Yeah. Thanks again!" I called as she walked away, the rain still slapping hard against her umbrella.

I looked up at the building and felt apprehension growing steadily within me, but instead of turning away and going back to my flat, I pressed my hand against the gold-plated door and pushed, feeling my feet carrying me into the lobby. My eyes immediately began to wander over the room, taking in the high ceiling, the oak desks, and the marble floors. Everything seemed incredibly professional and sophisticated, and I almost couldn't believe that this was my father's building.

As people walked in and out of the building, I felt their eyes stray over to me; I knew I looked completely out of place with my broken shoe, soaked-through clothes and wet, matted hair. Instead of looking away in embarrassment, I stared back fiercely, watching with satisfaction as the dirty looks slid quickly off of their faces. I smiled slightly to myself as I shakily made my way to the elevators, watching as the silver doors opened a few moments later.

The elevator emptied quickly, expelling a number of tired, sour-faced people into the lobby. They brushed past me without acknowledging my presence; I shrugged and stepped into the elevator, hastily pressing the number 12 button which instantly glowed a dim orange. Several people stepped inside of the elevator before the doors lazily closed, all of them punching different numbers that would take them to their destinations.

As we neared the eighth floor, a strange feeling began to make its way into my stomach; it felt as though a million butterflies were swarming around inside of it, though their wings weren't flapping in nervous anticipation - on the contrary, they were beating their wings violently, making their way quickly from my stomach to my chest to my throat. I inhaled sharply, watching as the elevator stopped and opened on the tenth floor, suit-clad men entering and skirt-wearing women exiting. I suddenly felt like the elevator was entirely too small for so many people to be standing, practically squashed together, inside of it; I felt the heat in my cheeks begin to rise, and I knew without looking that they were turning a bright shade of pink. I had never been claustrophobic or so anxious in my entire life, but in the back of my mind I knew why I was feeling so nervous - I hadn't seen (or even spoken properly to) my father in four years, and there were still so many unresolved issues that lingered in our relationship. I knew that the second I laid eyes on him, all of those bad feelings would resurface and I'd find myself wishing that I was anywhere but in his presence with his bright brown eyes penetrating my own.

My arrival on the twelfth floor was announced by a small ding as the doors slid smoothly open, revealing a long hallway with shining hardwood floors and several pieces of rather bad artwork hung on the walls. I stepped out of the elevator hesitantly, placing a hand to my hair in a desperate attempt to tame it even though I knew it was a losing battle. As I walked towards a large white desk in the middle of a spacious waiting area, I managed to settle my nerves considerably; I slowly felt myself become more comfortable in my surroundings, despite the fact that I had never been in a building quite like the one I was in before.

A small woman with short blonde hair sat behind the desk, her white blouse blending into the desk in front of her. She sat typing words into a computer, her red polished nails clicking furiously against the keyboard. I stepped forward quickly, clearing my throat slightly to catch her attention. She looked up from the computer screen with a bright smile on her face, though it quickly faded as she took in my appearance. Her eyebrows raised, "Can I help you?"

I smiled slightly, nodding. "Yes. I'm here to see Jim James."

"I'll need to take your name, please." Her eyes were still fixed upon my wild hair and see-through blouse, not bothering to hide her surprise.

I narrowed my eyes slightly, not at all appreciating the look on her face or the tone of her voice. "My name is Hayley James and I'm here to see my father. If you would kindly direct your attention back to your computer screen and away from inspecting me, I think you'll find that I'm a new employee here."

Her eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she didn't utter another word in my direction; instead, she picked up the phone on her desk, punched in a number and said into the receiver, "Mr. James, your daughter is here to see you." She nodded towards a door several feet behind her, indicating for me to step inside. I brushed past her without a second glance and made my way towards my father's office, my heartbeat rapidly increasing with each step I took.

I lifted my hand to knock on the wooden door before me, and soon the words, "Come in," spoken by a very familiar voice floated into my ears. I suddenly felt as though my legs were made of jelly, unwilling to let me walk inside of the office where my father undoubtedly sat. I wondered if his hair was still that horrible shade of bleach blonde or whether it was brown and streaked with strands of grey. I wondered if his eyes still crinkled in the corners when he smiled and if they did, I wondered if they would when he saw me.

Hesitantly, I placed my hand on the doorknob and turned it slightly, taking a deep breath as the door swung open, revealing my father's ridiculously large office. My eyes traveled along the room curiously, seeing several photos of the family hanging on the walls, along with pictures of him and various people I didn't recognize. The large window in the back of the room had a impressive view of Tree Hill, and I was almost sure that if I looked hard enough, I'd be able to see my apartment building from where I stood. Finally, when I could not look at his framed photos any longer, my eyes fell upon him. He was seated behind a wide desk that was littered with papers and more framed photographs, but I wasn't interested in those details; instead I focused on his face, which was alight with happiness as a smile crept onto his lips, his eyes still crinkling in the corners as they fell upon me.

And suddenly, so many things that had gnawed away at my mind night after night as I lay sleepless in bed didn't seem to matter as much as they once had; seeing him then, his eyes sparkling, his smile wide, reminded me of the father I had once known as a little girl. His hair was no longer the bright blonde it had been four years previously; it was now the dark brown I always remembered, and I could see the beginnings of grey starting to form at his temples. He looked the way I always pictured when I thought of him on those sleepless nights, only with a few more wrinkles.

His eyes never once left my face as he stood from his chair, quietly making his way across the room. I knew what was coming, but I didn't try to stop it; instead when he reached out for me, I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him like I hadn't done in years. I closed my eyes and breathed in that ever-familiar scent of the cologne that clung to his shirt, bringing with it a million childhood memories that raced across my mind. I realized then just how much I'd missed him despite how much I told myself I didn't - it was amazing, really, how much could change with a simple look, a smile, an embrace.

"Hayley," he said a few moments later as he held me at arm's length, his eyebrows rising slightly as he took in my appearance. "You look beautiful."

I laughed slightly, rolling my eyes. "Not exactly. I got caught in the storm."

"That explains a lot," he said with a small smile. "I just can't believe I'm really looking at you, Hayley. I'm so glad that you're here."

I hesitated for a moment; I knew what he wanted me to say, but I also knew that he didn't dare hope to hear it. But when I said, "So am I," I meant it. And when he smiled, I felt that somehow, everything would eventually be okay between us.

"Hayley!"

I turned around just as I inserted my key into the lock of the door to my flat, instantly catching sight of my neighbor Natalie. She was smiling brightly and was carrying two steaming mugs of tea. I smiled in return, pushing open my door slightly.

"Hey Natalie," I said.

"Hi," she replied, offering me a cup of tea. I took it gratefully, nodding my thanks. "I was wondering if you were busy."

"Not really," I said, motioning for her to follow me into the flat. "I just got back from work. I have to work on a few things but they can wait, I don't have to worry about that for a few more days."

"A few things?" she repeated, taking a sip of her tea.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm helping my father on a case, it's not a big one, so he said not to worry to much about it, he has to straighten a few things out before we can get straight into it."

"That's incredible, Hayley must be exciting" she said with a smile.

"Thanks, yeah my first real case, it's kind of exciting isn't it?" I took a long sip of tea, feeling the soothing liquid slowly trickle down my throat.

We sat in silence for a few moments before Natalie spoke again. "You know, I'm really glad you moved in here. Most of the neighbors are a bit older and are too preoccupied with their own lives to bother with anyone else. It's nice having someone around to have tea with."

I grinned. "Yeah, it is."

We chatted about various things for the next several minutes, and I found myself having a good time with Natalie. She was beginning to remind me a little bit of myself.

"Are you busy tomorrow evening?" Natalie asked some time later, our tea long since gone.

I thought for a moment, then shook my head no. "Not that I'm aware of. Why?"

"Well...my boyfriend proposed a few weeks ago" (her cheeks tinged pink) "and his parents are throwing us an engagement party tomorrow night. I was wondering if you'd like to come. You can bring someone along, of course." She smiled hopefully.

"Well, congratulations on the engagement," I said cheerfully. "Maybe I'll stop by for a bit."

"Great," she replied as she checked her watch. "I've actually got to go, he's supposed to pick me up in a bit."

I nodded, calling out a goodbye as she left the flat. I sat back on my couch, thinking over Natalie's invitation. I wasn't sure if I should go to a party where I would know absolutely no one but the bride-to-be, who would be on the arm of her fiancé for the entire evening. On the other hand, it would be a great opportunity to meet new people; currently, the only friends I had in Tree Hill were Peyton and Rachel and while I loved them dearly, I knew that I couldn't spend all of my free time with them. So as I walked across the small kitchen and deposited the used mugs into the sink, I decided that I would take my chances and go to the party. After all, what did I have to lose?