Sorry for such the long wait, life as it does takes hold and doesn't allow the time to write! :D But here is the update, I've written a head a couple chapters, but I wanted to see if anyone was still interested in the story, so if you like it, REVIEW and I'll post more :)

As always, THANKS FOR READING!

Reviews are Love!

- Bethie

"Do you ever stop to look at the people surrounding you? On average we pass three hundred and thirty two faces a day, but of these faces would you be able to distinguish the one that had the remaining tears left from an afternoon cry? Or the one whose mouth curls into an unstoppable smile at the thought of a new love? I frequent Westlake Park often, it's location much more appealing then the gym, to fulfill my morning jog, on the mornings I can pry my head from my pillow that is and I often find myself looking into the faces of the passer by's and wondering what thoughts fill their heads. Are they jogging to relieve stress from an underpaid job? Are they running away from something? Or are they simply out in the park at the crack of dawn, with no worries and just doing it out of fitness obligation? Most of the time I'll make up a story for their lives to make my life feel a little less of a train-wreck, perhaps they have to run because of a rare brain condition where their heart stops unless the keep a certain mph, almost a bionic version of the movie "Speed.". Yes, these are the questions that seem to run through my mind. I challenge any reader to start jogging at Westlake Park, I may not notice your smiles or your tears, but as I pass you, find comfort in the fact that I have invented a mini Soap Opera in your honor. – H. James.

Haley closed the morning paper and sighed, Sunday's had always been her favorite. For most, it was a reminder of the work week looming its head around the corner, but Haley always found it relaxing. She lazily walked into her bedroom and threw on a pair of loose shorts and a hoodie reading "Red Hawks" in honor of her alma mater. With her hair in a ponytail and I-Pod in hand, she headed down the road to Westlake Park, the topic of her article this morning.

The clouds were unusually thin for this time of year, with rays of sunlight creeping through; the golden light made the park greener than Haley had last seen it. She put her earpieces in, stretched her legs a few times and began her journey across the park. In truth to her article, her eyes immediately went to the strangers passing her. Old man. Old woman. Old woman with dog. Middle-Aged woman with dog. She sighed; it didn't look like it was going to be a very imaginative day.

The air was moist, making her hair damp as she ran. The sound of James Morrison played in her ear. She found many people preferred up-tempo music while exercising, not surprisingly though, Haley was different. She found his voice relaxing and his lyrics truthful, everything Haley looked for in an artist. She ran for about a mile and decided to head back to her apartment. She stopped at the first floor to grab the mail from her box, "Hello." A voice called from behind.

"Hey…" she answered kindly, but didn't turn to see who the voice was coming from.

"Red hawks huh?"

At that moment Haley regretted her choice of wardrobe, "Yes, I graduated from there…" her words trailed off. She was not expecting the man in front of her. He was tall. He was muscular. He was very attractive.

"You play?" He asked pointing at the basketball on her shirt.

She looked down and shrugged, "Nope. Just saw the shirt in the school gift shop one year."

"Nice. I played a little in college, tore my knee though." He reached out his hand, "I'm Nathan, just moved in."

"Haley…didn't just move in?" Her voice went up in an awkward tone not exactly knowing how to respond, "Well, welcome to Seattle."

He chuckled, "Thanks. I think you may be the first person to say that to me."

"Don't take it personally, people hate change. New people scare us." She winked and childishly looked at her feet, her eyes on the way down caught glimpse of a very vintage, very green lamp.

Nathan noticed her expression and laughed, "I know. Hideous right? I moved from a studio apartment, which my girlfriend, well ex-girlfriend kept most of the furnishings." He held it up to his face, "I don't know…get some orange shag carpet and I could have a very stylish apartment…in 1973."

Haley couldn't help but laugh and for some reason the idea of an ex-girlfriend gave her butterflies that she wasn't able to rationalize, "Well I'm sure it will look spectacular."

There was an awkward silence before Nathan spoke again, "Can I walk you to your apartment or-"

"It's not that far but sure…" She tucked a loose hair from her ponytail behind her ear.

Nathan gestured for her to walk in front of him and she made her way up the stairs, slowly.

"So where you moving from?"

"Colorado."

"And what made you decide to come all the way up here?"

"Friends. Most of my friends are from here, my family had a summer house here growing up and the friendships kind of stuck. After the break-up I needed a change and there was a job opening so I said…what the hell."

"When'd you get in?"

"Moved in about four days ago."

"Must be a pretty popular building, someone else just moved in too…though I'm not exactly his biggest fan." Haley chuckled.

"Oh ya? Why's that? You seem pretty harmless."

Haley turned around to view the smirk she somehow knew he would have, she playfully rolled her eyes, "Oh we'll just say that we don't exactly see eye to eye."

"It happens. Not a fan of the woman that lives across from me either" They turned the corner of the stairs, leading up to the third floor, "How much farther up are you? This is me but I did say I'd walk you so…" He smiled again.

Haley's brow furrowed, "Er-You did walk me. This is me."

"No it isn't" Nathan laughed figuring she was joking, "The woman that lives across from me is some pretentious bitch."

Haley's face turned red, "And the man that lives across from me is a short, little pervert that parades the halls in his underwear!"

Silence.

Nathan shook his head, "Tim."

"What?"

"That wasn't me. That's a friend of mine. Tim. The man you saw was Tim." There was humor in his voice now, "But you're the bitch that kept yelling at him! Hilarious."

"Bitch!"

"Oh come on, I was there you yelled at him at least twice to my knowledge."

"He was blaring music! I'd had a long day!"

Nathan but a finger to his ear, "Ok, now you've gone ultra-sonic…"

"You know what just-"She huffed while pulling her key from her tennis shoe.

"You keep your key in yo-"

She cut him off, "Look, I'm not a bitch. I just happened to like a little quiet after a long ass day at work…and I don't appreciate-"

His turn, "I'm not calling you a bitch."

"No. You're telling me your friend did, but" She put her hands in the air, "You know what it doesn't matter. Welcome to Seattle. Welcome to the building. Yada yada yada, I'll be sure to alert the landlord to change my mailbox to "Pretentious Bitch." She found her key and made her way over to her door, "It was nice meeting you. Goodnight."

The corner of Nathan's lips curved into a smile, "Tim was right…scary. But hot." He amusingly shook his head and opened his apartment door.