Author's Note: I know I'm in the middle of writing In The End, but I really wanted to write this. And besides, I currently have a pole up, and I can't write the next chapter without people voting. So please, check the pole out. I really hope you all like this. A few things to know: Haley is an only child with no family other than her parents.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill, Foo Fighters (story title), or Apple.

She was falling.

Or, at least, it felt like it.

The wind blew violently, whipping her hair across her face. She didn't bother to close her jacket as she fell to her knees in front of the two pearly white stones. A few minutes ago, the sun had been shining brightly. Now, the sky had darkened, the wind was blowing, and storm clouds had rolled in. Thunder sounded, and lightning flashed in the distance.

Haley James ran her fingertips over one of the stones. A tear rolled down her face just as a rain drop hit the ground. Both began to fall faster. The tears that coursed down her face mixed with the rain.

Suddenly, she felt someone touch her shoulder. Haley looked up to see her next door neighbor standing above her.

"We have to get you to the airport," the older woman said. Haley wiped at her face and stood up. She followed her neighbor to a black car and slid into the seat, never bothering to dry herself off.

As the car pulled away, the woman turned in her seat. "Do you want to stop by the house?"

Haley shook her head.

An hour later, they pulled up to the airport. Haley silently got out of the car and walked into the airport. Her neighbor followed her and handed the seventeen year-old her boarding pass. She awkwardly hugged the young woman and waved goodbye as she boarded the plane.

"Good luck," the woman said.

Haley pressed her forehead to the airplane window. She was on a six-hour flight from San Francisco, California to Tree Hill, North Carolina. Five and half hours had already passed, and the plane was already lowering to the ground… and her new life.

A flight attendant pushed a cart up next to her and offered her a soda. Haley shook her head and leaned back against the seat. She closed her eyes and stuck the ear pieces of her iPod in. The captain's voice came over the loudspeaker, most likely announcing how many miles they were above the ground.

She wished that they would never land.

They did land.

Half an hour later, Haley was walking into the airport. Her brown eyes scanned the crowd for the blonde woman that was supposed to be waiting for her. However, no one fit the description she was given.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a suited man wearing holding a white sign. Haley turned around and saw that the sign had Haley Lynn James written across it. Haley rolled her eyes. She was told they would be like this.

Haley walked up to the man. "Are you Haley James?" he asked. Haley nodded her head. "Follow me."

Haley rolled her eyes again. It wasn't as if she had a choice. She wordlessly followed the man to a sleek black limo that was waiting outside the airport. She closed her eyes tightly. Tree Hill wasn't exactly a city, but it wasn't a small town either. The black limo was sure to be noticed, however. Her luggage was put into the limo and they pulled away from the curb.

An hour later, the limo pulled up in front of a large house. Haley reached for her luggage and slung her carry-on bag over her shoulder. She slid out of the car and stared at the house in dread.

Just then, the door to the house opened. "Haley!" a woman's voice called.

Haley's head snapped up. Standing in front of the house was a blonde woman wearing a salmon colored cocktail dress. This woman, with her short, curly blonde hair and her petite figure matched the description she had been given over the phone. Haley raised a hand and moved her hand slightly, letting her know that she had the right person.

Deb Scott made her way down the driveway and grabbed one of Haley's suitcases. "I'm sorry I couldn't pick you up at the airport," she said. "We had a last-minute benefit to throw."

"Oh…" Haley said, speaking for the first time in three days. "It's okay." She looked down at herself. She was wearing jeans, a pair of flat, scuffed, faded, brown leather boots that ended just under her knee, and a blue and green tie-dye tank top that had crocheted detail across the neckline.

Deb noticed Haley's gaze and waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about how you're dressed," she said. "We can put your things up in your room and then you can come down and have something to eat."

Haley gave a small, tight smile in thanks. Deb sighed quietly to herself. The smile didn't reach the young girl's eyes. Deb smiled warmly in return and led Haley up to the house. She opened the door, and Haley was immediately met with the sight of cocktail dresses and suits. People stared as she and Deb weaved in and out of the crowd.

There was a large, winding staircase, but Deb didn't take Haley up those stairs. Instead, she took her back by the kitchen, to another, smaller set of stairs. They went up and then down a long hall filled with family photos. Haley didn't look at any of them; she kept her eyes trained on the floor.

A few moments later, Deb opened a door at the end of the hall. She gestured for Haley to go in. Haley walked in and looked around. To the left, against the center of the wall was a beautiful four-poster bed. It was white with a large cream-colored comforter. The walls were painted a soft, barely noticeable blue. The hardwood floor was bare, save for the cream carpet under the bed. On the opposite side was a large white bureau; when Haley opened the doors, she found it held a flat screen TV, and the drawers held her favorite DVDs. There was a white desk with a white, old-fashioned lamp next to the door. Next to the desk were closet doors. When Haley opened it, she was shocked to find a large walk-in closet. With wide eyes, she shut the closet doors and turned around. Her breath caught in her throat when she looked across the room.

There was a large bay window that looked out to a large, man-made lake. Trees surrounded the lake, giving it a private, fenced-in look. There was a window seat with an inviting cream-colored pad and white and cream throw pillows.

"Wow," Haley murmured. She blinked a few times. "I can't accept this."

Deb waved her hand once more. "Haley, we want to make your stay here as comfortable as possible."

Haley arched an eyebrow. She sounded like an attendant at a hotel. But, nonetheless, she set her suitcases down in the closet, intent on unpacking them later. She followed Deb back down the stairs as she talked to Haley.

"Your things should come either tomorrow or Sunday. We registered you at Tree Hill High School, and you start on Monday. Elsie, our maid, already went out and got your books. I know it will be hard to start with only two months until graduation, but I think you'll do fine." Deb smiled at Haley. "Where are you going to college?"

Haley opened her mouth to tell Deb, but she was interrupted by a tall, broad-shouldered, dark-haired man in a suit. He strode right up to Deb and Haley, but only seemed to see Deb.

"Deb, I've been looking everywhere for you," Dan Scott hissed. "Nathan is about to see if he got accepted!"

Deb bit her lip. "I'm sorry, Dan," she finally said. "I was just showing Haley around."

Dan's brow furrowed. "Haley?" he asked. His eyes landed on the seventeen year-old girl next to Deb.

"Yes," Deb said, her voice now sounding annoyed. "The girl that is going to be staying with us since James and Lydia—"

Dan cut her off. "Oh, yes," he said. "Welcome to the Scott household," he said in a cold voice.

Haley resisted the urge to roll her eyes. After all, these people would be housing her until she went off to college. Then, maybe, she would be able to get out of Tree Hill and never have to see them again.

"Why don't you come with us?" Dan said. "Our son is about to see if he got accepted to college."

This time, Haley did roll her eyes, but she followed Dan and Deb to the front of the crowd. She stood off to the side as Dan held up a letter and waved a hand to someone in the crowd, gesturing for them to come up.

Once again, Haley's breath caught in her throat, but this time for a completely different reason. Standing in the center of the room with his parents was the most gorgeous guy she had ever seen. He was tall, had dark hair, was well-built without being too buff, and had the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. Dan handed him the letter.

Nathan Scott smirked out at the crowd as his fingers pried open the envelope. He pulled out a sheet of paper and unfolded it, his blue eyes scanning the words.

His smirk turned into a genuine smile as he held up the paper. "I got in!" he exclaimed.

Dan and Deb quickly hugged their son. "My son is going to Duke!" Dan shouted over the yells of congratulations.

Deb made her way over to Haley, who was still standing off to the side. "I'm sorry about that," Deb said. "Where are you going? You never had a chance to answer."

Haley, who had been staring at Nathan with her mouth wide open, snapped out of her reverie. "I'm going to Duke University," she said.

Author's Note: I really hope you all liked this chapter. In the next chapter, Nathan and Haley will actually meet, and you'll find out exactly why Haley is staying with the Scotts. Please remember to look at the poll on my profile page. And, please review!