Author's Note:
Here's my new story, "Only Just A Deal". I know that I have an unfinished story left. However, this idea had been in my head for quite some time now and I couldn't allow the inspiration for this story pause any longer. :) Especially not when the inspiration strikes in so rarely now-a-days.
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to One Tree Hill. Nothing at all.
"Broken Promises"
PROLOGUE
June 2009.
"Get out."
"Haley…"
Haley James had never been this broken. Her hands trembled by her side. Tears flowed without any obstruction down her cheeks. Short hitches in her breath interrupted her speech. Not that her words formed a speech anyway. All she repeated over and over again were two words.
"Get. Out."
She watched as the man in front of her ran his palm over his face and through his hair before finally letting it hang loosely by his side. She could see a tear track on his cheek. Although, a vast part of her screamed to fall into his embrace and forget everything, she couldn't let her self-respect take a seat in the sidelines.
He cautiously took a step forward, extending his hand slowly towards her. She slapped it away before pushing him. She hadn't bothered applying much force because, frankly, she hadn't a tiny ounce of strength left in her.
The past ten minutes had drained her in all ways possible.
He didn't offer any resistance as he let his back hit the door lightly. He wanted to force himself out of that place. He wanted to slap himself into the understanding that everything had been his own fault; that he was the solely responsible for her pain; that he had single-handedly destroyed the only good thing in his life. However, in spite of his mind screaming at him to do otherwise, all he did was extend his arm again and pull her towards him by the hip swiftly.
She protested by clenching her hands into tight fists and swinging them at his chest.
"Let me go. Let me go." She screamed as she punched his chest wildly.
"No." His voice was low and he held her even closer. He looked down at her, ignoring the punches she was throwing at him. He felt slight pain as she continued her outburst. But then again, he sure as hell deserved it. His hold on her never faltered, and he desperately wished that he could change the past few months.
He couldn't bear her pain. He couldn't bear her screaming and crying because of him. He wished for a different punishment. He wished for something other than seeing her broken.
Anything but this. Anything but this. He chanted internally.
Her punches suddenly stopped as she lifted her head up. Her brown orbs that once brought warmth to him now seemed cold and distraught. He could see the glossy eyes look up at him in betrayal.
"I'm so sor –"
"No!" She snapped, forcibly pushing herself away from his embrace. "You don't get to say that. You don't deserve to say that."
Crossing her arms over her chest to control some of her trembling, she took a deep breath. She closed her eyes for a second to gather a vestige of pseudo-composure.
He watched as she opened her eyes again, her firmness gaining more strength now. Despite all the odds that faced him, he silently hoped for a miracle – one which involved her to forgive his follies, to forgive his idiocy. But Haley was correct; he did not deserve an easy way out. He did not deserve her kindness. He did not deserve her.
He looked at her one more time, steadily running his gaze over her, admiring her traits and cringing at his torment on them.
Turning back, he placed his hand on the knob. He heard himself muttering one last apology in a whisper so soft that he was sure it went unheard by Haley. Opening the door, he walked outside shutting it behind him. Without turning back, he continued walking towards his car. His actions were quick as he drove away from the driveway.
The entire ride was quick and devoid of any vocal thoughts or emotions. His hands gripped hard at the gear and the steering wheel. His mind, focused on the destination.
After ten minutes filled with several traffic violations, he finally reached. Without wasting another second, he walked briskly towards the white colored house in front of him. Slamming open the front door, he quickly hurried up the stairs. He stopped when he saw a red-haired girl walking towards him with an amused expression.
He took a step back, calming his erratic breaths before he spoke. He forced himself not to curse out or yell at the person standing in front of him. Placing the blame on someone else wouldn't solve matters. It was solely his decision, his decision that he would have to pay for.
"I did what you asked." He looked at the smile that played on the girl's face, wincing at the audacity of her expression.
"Now, you need to do what I said."
The girl nodded, her smile not wavering the slightest. "A deal's a deal."
"Have we got ourselves a deal?" She extended her hand towards him.
Nathan waited for a second, pondering over his decision one last time. With one weary breath, he shook her outstretched hand, nodding. "A deal's a deal."
He let out a humorless chuckle as he realized that she was quoting him. Irony had never felt this painful. "Yeah," he croaked.
A deal's a deal.
Haley's torn face flashed before his eyes as his thoughts wandered to earlier events of the day.
But sometimes, the price that comes along becomes more than the deal itself.
To be continued or not?
Let me know what you think.
