Chapter 1
"Damn it Haley! Stop!" Lucas shouted just so he can be heard
"What was that Luke? I can't quite hear you" Haley answered as she watched Lucas walk over the café's stereo and turn it off.
"No fair! I liked that song" Haley said as she pouted.
"Since when did you start listening to Usher and Alicia Keys?!?!" Lucas asked.
"Well….since I heard THAT song. Don't you like it?"
"Oh come on Hales, you know it's not my type of music."
"Right…if it's not then why the heck do you know who sang the song, huh?" Haley asked as one of her eyebrows shot up.
"I was just guessing" Lucas answered uncomfortably, looking down at his shoes
"Wow Luke! I didn't know you were psychic. Could it be possible that a certain brunette cheerleader maybe rubbing some of HER interests on you?"
"Okay, you got me. I may have heard it inside Brooke's room"
Haley just nodded and walked behind the counter. She couldn't think of another answer that could cover up her emotions, it was like a dagger suddenly pierced her heart!
"Hales…" Lucas said, unsure of the rapid change of the atmosphere between him and Haley. It was like tension, abruptly covered the whole room.
"Yes?" Haley answered while pretending to count the straws she brought out from the storage room.
"We, I mean Brooke and I…We only" Lucas stammered
"You don't have to explain. You don't have to defend anything you do with her or for her…and even to her" Haley lightly chuckled hoping to make the subject at hand lighter
"No, it's not like that" Unconsciously raking his hair, Lucas continued "We haven't really done IT"
"Again, Luke…I don't care. As long as you're happy, you are right?" Haleycouldn't ask it straight to his face. She was afraid to see the happiness in those blue eyes of her best friend. Not that she didn't want to see him happy; she just wished that she was the one who made those eyes sparkle with joy
"Of course I am! I mean who wouldn't be? I'm dating a great girl who's very, very hot"
'I am happy, I am happy'. Lucas repeated over and over silently as if repeating those words can actually make him happy. "Well, I gotta go Hales. I'm meeting some of the guys to play ball"
"Take care alright?" Haley said still doing something behind the counter
"I will, I know you'll miss me if something happens to me" Lucas said with a wink.
Haley looked at Lucas' retreating back, with a sad smile on her face. Suddenly a piercing ring jolted her back to reality. Fumbling inside her bag she tried to find her cell phone. "Oh god! Where is it?! I knew I shouldn't have accepted this gift" she mumbled still struggling to find her phone inside the bag. "Hello?" She said.
"Where are you? Are you still at the café?" the guy on the other line asked
"Yes Nathan I'm still here" A small smile spreading on her lips "Patience isn't really one of your virtues is it?"
"Not really, but you like me anyway. So I just called to tell you that I'm on my way to the café. The boys wanted to shoot some hoops. You interested?"
"What made you think that I would want to play basketball?" Haley asked in disbelief.
"No, that's not what I meant. I wanted to ask you to watch…Peyton and Brooke are gonna be there"
"Yipee…"sarcasm dripping in Haley's voice. "just what I wanted to hear"
"I thought you and the other girls are okay now." Nathan asked, wondering why Haley's attitude towards the 2 girls suddenly changed.
"Yeah, we are. Look can I take a rain check on this one?" Haley questioned, hoping that Nate would say yes.
"Fine, with me." Nathan answered, although he still wanted to push the topic but then Haley seemed to shut down all of a sudden
"Great. Thanks." Haley mumbled disconnecting the call and turning her phone off. Her mind kept on replaying the conversation she had with Lucas just a few minutes ago. She can still hear Lucas saying how happy he was now that he was with Brooke. Silently walking to the couch, she sat and buried her face in her hands.
"I can't do this anymore" She said out loud in the deserted café. "I need to move on. Now" She took the remote and turned on the stereo. Leaning back she closed her eyes hoping that the flood of tears can be stopped knowing that such action is futile, just like how she's holding back on her feelings for Lucas.
There's always that one person
That will always have your heart
You'll never see it coming
Cause you're blinded from the start
Know that you're that one for me
It's clear for everyone to see
Ooh baby ooh you'll always be my boo