They were driving in silence. She would speak every now and then to offer directions, but besides that, they wouldn't talk. It's not like he didn't try to start a conversation. She was just so adamant, not to mention persistent, about keeping their interaction as limited as possible.

It's not his fault that she lost Lucas and needed a ride home. Hell, Nathan didn't even expect for her to show up at his party tonight.

Haley's voice broke their silence one last time to state they've reached their destination. Before she could unbuckle her seatbelt Nathan stopped her and began to explain why he needed tutoring and more specifically we he was seeking her services. He was surprised how sincere he sounded. Probably because for once he was being honest. He took her nod as consideration. After all, without her, basketball would become out of reach.

He watched her enter her house before driving away. Unfortunately, his thoughts about the situation caused a distraction because what happened next, happened fast: Nathan crashed into a streetlight. He heard the car horn honk for a brief moment before blacking out.

Nathan woke up groggily. His eyelids felt heavy despite his body feeling rested. He forced himself to open his eyes but shut them immediately after. Because of his drowsy state his eyes weren't adjusted to the light that was currently seeping through the window.

God, why was it so bright? There's a reason why he had specifically asked his mom to buy him dark curtains and thick blinds.

Still unaccustomed to the light, Nathan kept his eyes half closed as he sat up in his bed. The sudden movement resulted in a pounding headache that Nathan could only imagine resembled a severe migraine, or the more probable alternative—a hangover. He thought back to what he did the previous night: the party, picking on Pucas, Peyton getting pissed at him, Haley getting pissed at him, then driving Haley home in Peyton's car where he managed to convince Haley to not be so pissed at him.

Oh, no, Nathan groaned, Peyton's car!

He had crashed it. She's going to kill him.

He fully opened his eyes again, this time letting them adjust to the daylight. He rubbed his temple as he took in his surroundings. That's weird, he thought. None of it looked familiar to him. In fact, it looked like he was in some parents' bedroom. "What the hell happened last night?" Nathan asked out loud.

"You drank a little more than usual," a woman's mumbled voice answered.

Nathan froze. He didn't expect anyone to answer. He slowly turned his head to his right, the direction the voice came from. He saw a woman laying down on her stomach with her bare back exposed while the sheets covered her bottom half. He realized he was shirtless himself. He then noticed her brown hair—a problem he concluded considering Peyton, his girlfriend, is blonde.

He gulped. This wasn't good.

But Peyton's wrath would have to wait because there were still two questions plaguing Nathan: first, where was he; and second, who was she?

"Did we have sex last night?" he asked bluntly. Normally he would've left without even bothering to ask, but considering he didn't know where he was, he figured he should stay for some form of explanation.

He watched as the girl's body shook as she chuckled. He couldn't help but smirk at the sight. "No. You passed out before we could," she responded. Nathan nodded but silently cursed at his missed opportunity. She surprised him when she stirred and turned her head to say, "But since you're up we can now."

Nathan felt his eyes widen in shock at seeing whose body and voice that belonged to: Haley James. He couldn't believe he was in bed with his potential tutor. With Pucas's best friend.

"What?" Nathan asked with an unexpected high voice. He coughed to clarify, "I mean, really?" he asked, hinting his hope at the proposition. Screw Peyton's wrath. If Haley, who he might add looked different in the best way possible, was offering, there was no way in hell he'd turn her down.

He heard her laugh freely. "I'm kidding." Nathan sighed. He's not going to lie, he's a bit disappointed. "Obviously we can't do that."

Nathan nodded. "Right." Though he wanted to respond, Why not?

"At least not now, anyways. Jamie will be home any minute. Rain-check though?" she asked followed by a smile and a peck on his cheek.

Now Nathan was really confused. Who was Jamie? While his mind was slowly processing whatever was going on he saw the bedsheet fall from her body when she sat up to move out of bed. Out of respect, he turned his head away. Why? He couldn't tell you, because normally he'd look.

Again, he heard her contagious laugh. "Nathan, what are you doing?"

"Um, I'm just, you know, giving you some privacy to change," he answered while still facing away from her.

"'Privacy to change'? What's going on with you? And will it kill you to look at me?"

Nathan slowly turned and saw Haley standing breathtakingly beautiful. She was at the other side of the bed, arms crossed at her chest, a concerned yet amused look on her face, and all while wearing just a white dress shirt which he assumes belongs to him. "Wow. You look... Wow," he said softly. He saw a faint smile appear on her face which in turn made him smile.

"I look like a hot mess, Nathan."

"Yeah, hot sounds about right."

Haley playfully scoffed to hide the blush she knew was creeping up. "I'm going to take a quick shower." She began to walk in the direction of the master bathroom when she stopped and faced him before entering. "You can join me if you want."

Nathan noticed the playful gleam in her eye and the suggestive manner she spoke. But as much as he wanted to race her to the bathroom he couldn't quite place her true intentions: was this really happening? He regretfully answered, "No thanks. I … don't want Jamie to catch us." He quickly added that last line when he saw her face change from flirty to disappointment.

She cocked her head to the side. "You sure, babe?"

Babe? God, why did he have to black out last night? What the hell happened that he missed? "Yeah, I'm sure. Maybe another time?"

She nodded cautiously. "Okay. And you're sure you're alright?"

He wanted to scream no, that he doesn't remember a thing that happened the night before but something inside him stopped him from doing so. Maybe it was the piercing headache or the alcohol settling in his stomach, or maybe he just didn't want to ruin what was obviously a special night to Haley. "I'm fine, I think it's just my hangover kicking in."

Haley nodded. "Okay well why don't you grab an aspirin, they're in my bedside table." Nathan nodded in response and thanked her before reaching over to her drawer. He felt a hand stop his. He looked up to find Haley with a look he's never seen directed at him nor one he's ever given. It absolutely mesmerized him. He sat frozen as her face neared his resulting in a tender kiss. It was short and sweet but passionate enough to exclude innocence, and Nathan felt himself craving more of her lips. "I love you," she whispered in his ear before stepping back and heading to the bathroom. Now he truly was paralyzed.

Had she really just said the L-word to him? After only a couple of hours that didn't even end in sex? Now Nathan really was baffled. What the hell happened and why couldn't he remember any of it?

He immediately jumped from the bed and began to pace. She couldn't possibly mean it. Right? Love just didn't seem attainable to him, possible sure, but improbable hell yeah. And anyways he always figured love was something only married people felt. And though it seemed unlikely that he, a 17 year old boy still in high school, could be married he had the inclination to check his left hand.

There, on his ring finger, was a gold band staring back at him. Oh my God. He began to look around the room to find some sense of proof to disregard whatever his mind was suggesting. He found a wedding picture of him and Haley standing at the beach on the Haley's bedside table. He also saw what appeared to be a family portrait of him, Haley, and a blond little boy above the armoire.

Nathan took a seat at the edge of the bed to process what he just witnessed. He ran his hand down his face in a stressful manner. He looked straight ahead and was startled to find an older version of himself as the reflection. He slowly walked towards the mirror. He began doing movements in front of it, as if to test whether it really was his reflection. It was.

All these revelations left him with one question: what the hell was going on?

Part I.

Hi everyone! So yes, I know I haven't finished my other story but this has been in my notes for months and I finally finished this story. It's a 3-parter. And they're all written out. I figured finishing this one will motivate me to finish my other one. Anyways, let me know what you think in a review. And thanks for dealing with this very procrastinating writer.

- R. xx