Behind Closed Doors

The Façade (Chapter One)

Haley James walked into the kitchen of her house and wasn't surprised to find it empty. Her parents were rarely in the house. They'd always be off on one of their vacations that they loved to take so much. Growing up as the youngest of six children, Haley had gotten used to having a lot of people in the house. There was always someone in the bathroom in the morning before her, there was always someone using the television in the living room before her, and there was almost always someone in the kitchen whenever she woke up. Her brother, Anthony and sister, Olivia, were both out of the house when Haley was four. Every few years, another brother or sister would leave the house and by the time Haley went to grade nine, it was only her and her older sister Taylor left. Then, Taylor graduated that year and they both went their separate ways. She grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder and headed out the door. She smiled when as she got into the pick-up that Lucas usually drove. "Hey, loser," she said as she put her seatbelt on.

"Nice to see you too, Hales." Lucas said as he put the car in gear and started to drive. They walked into the school and headed to her locker. "So, what'd you do this weekend?" Lucas asked. Haley put some books away and as she was closing her locker, she smiled mischievously.

"Oh, I had a big date on Saturday. I got totally wasted and when I woke up the next morning, I had a tattoo on my shoulder with a random symbol," Haley joked. Lucas rolled his eyes and laughed.

"Now, that you've teased me. How about telling me what you really did?" he asked.

"I tutored someone on Saturday and finished up my essay for English on Sunday," Haley replied. Lucas slowed down for a minute.

"Oh, shoot!" he exclaimed. Haley grimaced.

"Let me guess: you didn't finish your essay," she said, smirking sympathetically. They stopped at his locker and he bit his lip.

"I totally spaced. I didn't even start it," Lucas said.

"Oh!" Haley exclaimed and started laughing.

"It's not funny, Haley. This is the second time in a row that I haven't handed an assignment in on time for that class. Ms. Reid is going to kill me," he said. Haley stopped to think for a minute.

"Well, the class isn't until fifth period and you've got lunch and then a spare. You could try to write it then," she suggested. Lucas stopped for a second. He nodded.

"Hey, you also have a lunch and a spare," he reminded her. Haley nodded as if that was hardly news. He smiled at her suggestively. Haley looked at him in confusion. And then he widened his eyes and smile. Now, Haley knew what he was thinking. She started shaking her head.

"Oh, no. Forget it, Luke," she said.

"Oh, come on, Hales. Will you please help me out just this once?" he asked. Haley stopped and thought it over. "I'd owe you big time," he reminded her.

"Good to know," she commented. Then, she smiled and said, "I'll help you." Lucas smirked and hugged her and lifted her up.

"Thanks, you're the best!" he exclaimed.

"Hey, tutor girl, keep your hands off my boyfriend," Brooke Davis said as she and Peyton Sawyer came towards them. Haley and Lucas looked at each other. They both burst out laughing.

"As if we would ever start dating," Lucas said. Haley's face shrivelled in disgust at the idea.

"What's wrong with him?" Brooke asked. Haley smiled.

"Well, I knew him when he was picking his nose and eating bugs, so…" Haley said and let her sentence trail off. Peyton wrinkled her nose and nodded.

"I see what you mean," she said.

"Well, I'm off to math class," Haley said, leaving.

"Doesn't that girl think of anything besides school?" Brooke commented when she thought Haley was out of ear shot.

"Sure I do. It's just that I actually happen to like to be on time for class and not get a detention for something as stupid as being late," Haley called back. Brooke's entire face went red with embarrassment.

Nathan Scott walked into school on Monday morning and went immediately to his locker. He grabbed his math books and put his jacket in the locker and then closed the locker. He yawned as he closed his locker and his friends, Tim Smith and Randy Turner came up to him.

"Hey, Nate," Tim said coolly. Nathan nodded at both of them.

"What were you up to all weekend? We never saw you at the parties," Randy asked. Nathan smirked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he asked. Tim and Randy laughed at his joke.

"Did you have a date?" Tim asked. Nathan shook his head.

"No, I was doing homework," Nathan said. Tim and Randy looked at him in confusion. "Tutoring," he reminded them.

"Oh, right. Lucas' best friend is tutoring you, right?" Tim asked. Nathan nodded.

"How's that going?" Randy asked.

"Fine," he replied sharply. He led the way to class and sat down. He noticed Haley in her seat beside Jake Jagielski.

SEVENTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER (SECOND PERIOD)

Haley went to the tutoring centre and started putting files away. She was the only one there. Then, the door opened and closed. She looked up from what she was doing and nodded at Nathan. "Nathan," she said in a casual voice.

"Haley," he said mimicking her voice. He looked around and smiled. Then, he closed the door and put the blinds down. He came over to her and pulled her to him. She smiled as he bent his head down and started kissing her. When the kiss ended, he smiled. "I've been waiting to do that all day," he said. Haley laughed.

"You saw me all weekend," she reminded him.

"Yeah, well, I miss you while we're in school and we have the same class in the morning," he said. She leaned up on her toes and kissed him again.

"Well, we both agreed that for now, we'd keep things between us. The entire school doesn't need to know our business," Haley said. He nodded.

"Yeah, I know and I agree," Nathan said. Then, they smiled and looked at each other knowingly. "This has been the best two months of my life," he said. Haley laughed.

"Same here," she said.