One Tree Hill High – End of Senior Year (April)

Author's note: Haley and Nathan are not together yet. Brooke lives with Haley and they're best friends.

Chapter 1: The Fight and Cuddles

Haley stood in the rain completely lost and cold. She was crying so hard she was surprised that she could even stand up. She couldn't go home, that's where Brooke was and that's why she left in the first time. Just the thought of Brooke's name made her even more upset. The fact that her supposed best friend could be so cruel and say such hurtful things made her question their entire friendship. She didn't know where to go. She didn't know where to go until she saw a familiar tall figure with black hair running quickly past her house. It looked like she wasn't the only one caught in the rain.

"NATHAN! NATHAN!" Haley yelled, questioning why she was calling out to her good friend Nathan who she recently just also got into a fight with because she realized she loved him and her jealousy overtook her when she saw him on a date with some whore named Rachel.

"Haley? Haley is that you? What are you doing out here in the rain?" Nathan asked as he whipped his body around and stopped to face her.

"I got into a fight with Brooke and my mom, and I can't go home." Haley replied, choking back more tears.

"What? What happened Hales?" Nathan approached her slowly. He was nervous because this was the first time that they had talked in three weeks and he found her so beautiful that it was almost intimidating, but she could never know.

"I...I….don't wwww-" Haley choked up and began to cry again when Nathan put his arms around her in a hug.

"You can stay with me if you want. You can stay in the guest room, my mom won't mind and Dan is out of the picture now.."

"Nathan, that's sweet but I c-"

"Stop it Hales. I'm offering. Besides you have nowhere to go and you know that Lucas is going to side with Brooke no matter what happened. Just stay with me, you can leave early if you want before my mom notices." Nathan smiled at her hoping to cheer her up and he was relived when she nodded back.

"Thank you, sorry about everything that's happened the past few weeks…I just…"

"Hales, stop talking. It's okay. That's why we are friends, we fight get over it and move on. Besides, how could I stay mad at someone so pretty as you?" Nathan always liked to slide in some small compliments just to make Haley feel better and to be able to control his feelings. He knew how he felt about her but she was so hot and cold that he just never wanted to take the chance and tell her. After their last fight when feelings came up they ended up not speaking for three weeks. He didn't want that again. He needed her in his life whether it would be romantically or friendly. He needed her. But he also was afraid. He was afraid because he didn't exactly know what love was or how it felt and that scared the shit out of him. His father only cared about living his dream through Nathan.

Haley smiled back and they ran over to his house, which luckily was only down the block from hers. After Dan and Deb separated Nathan and his mom moved to the other side of Tree Hill where Haley, Brooke, Peyton and Lucas lived. It worked out in his favor because all of his friends were here and the river court, which he liked to practice on daily with Lucas. The NBA wasn't going to come out of luck. It took hard work and dedication and that's what Nathan was all about.

They got back to Nathan's and he showed Haley where the guest room was. It was the room next to Nathan's, which gave him a sense of relief. This way if he needed to he could check on her to make sure she was safe. He felt this constant need to protect her, something that he took pride in.

"Thank you again Nathan, I really appreciate it. I'll go home tomorrow once things have cooled off." Haley smiled at Nathan as she headed to her room. Nathan laid out one of his mom's outfits that she never wore so that Haley could put on some dry clothes.

"Don't worry about it Hales. Just remember, I'm always here." Nathan smiled back. "Goodnight." He closed the door and changed into his pajama bottoms. He was anxious just thinking about her sleeping next door to him. She was so beautiful and so kind. She was everything he could want in a girl but he valued their friendship too much to attempt anything.

In the other room Haley laid wide awake. She was still shaken up from her fight with her mother and Brooke. The words replayed in her head, over and over like a bad movie.

"Haley you're nothing but a pathetic, Virgin Mary, little tutor girl. You're so judgemental and ignorant and none of us even like you. We just pretend to because we feel sorry for your PONCHO WEARING ass!" Brooke yelled as she slammed down the silverware onto the counter. "NO ONE LIKES YOU TUTOR GIRL. No one likes a know it all it's no wonder that Nathan doesn't love you back! He never will."

Usually Haley didn't let people's comments get to her but hearing it from her best friend is what made it worse. The fact that she brought Nathan into it is what tore her apart since Brooke knew the struggle that she faced every day when she saw Nathan with another girl. Haley was never popular. She was always considered a "nerd" while Nathan was "Mr. Popular basketball star." She was ordinary. He was extraordinary.

Haley tried to fall asleep. She closed her eyes and counted sheep, then counted backwards from 100. All tricks her mother taught her when she had trouble sleeping as a little girl. She tossed and turned and kept throwing the covers on and off. She flipped over and looked at the clock: 2:14 AM. She didn't want to be alone. Her mind was racing, her heart was racing, she was never going to get to sleep. So she did the unthinkable. She got up, took her blanket and walked next door to Nathan's room. She braved herself as she took a deep breath and knocked. No response. She knocked again. Still no response. "This is stupid.." She said as she turned on her heel to walk away. Just as she turned away she heard the door crack open slowly and saw Nathan standing there squinting, bed head, shirtless and all.

"Was that you knocking? Is everything alright?" Nathan groggily asked as he rubbed one of his eyes. Truth was he had just fallen asleep because his mind was also racing with endless thoughts.

"Yeah, sorry. I just couldn't sleep. Too much on my mind I guess. I needed some company. I didn't mean to wake you." Haley looked so sad as she looked at the ground, avoiding eye contact with Nathan.

"You didn't wake me. I was just getting to sleep, I haven't been able to sleep either. Do you want to lay down with me? Maybe having company will help you sleep?"

"Maybe.. I mean Brooke and I do share a bed so I am use to sleeping with someone else. Although she does take up the whole bed.." They both chuckled. Nathan opened the door wider and gestured for Haley to come in. They laid down; Nathan under the sheets and Haley on top of them just covered in her blanket.

"Hales, don't be silly. You can come under the covers with me, it gets cold in here at night. Besides, I don't bite." Haley laughed as she rolled over to face Nathan. She nodded and squeezed herself under all the sheets. Nathan pulled her in. "I hope this is okay. I know you like to cuddle, especially after a fight with Brooke."

"You remembered that from all those bus rides for your away games? We always cuddled on the bus and shared headphones when Brooke was being the typical cheerleading captain: bitchy and mean."

"Of course I remembered Hales. I loved those moments." Nathan smiled at Haley and felt his heart quicken. She was so beautiful, even when she was sad.

"Goodnight Nathan. Thanks for being the best friend a girl could ask for." She smiled back as she nuzzled in close to him, her head on his bare chest. He kissed her forehead and she felt herself melt in his arms.

"Haley.. wait. There's something I need to tell…" But before he could even finish his sentence he heard Haley breathing heavy next to him. This was the telltale sign that Haley James was dead asleep. He sighed but couldn't help but smile. "I love you.." He whispered as he nuzzled his head on top of hers and pulled her in closer.

Hope you guys like! More chapters to come as long as you review!