She looked up and saw the lonely, wet figure walking down the hallway. He mind wandered back, but she was pulled from her thoughts as a rough and calloused hand covered her own. Inside, she winced. But outside, she merely smiled and continued with pretending she was listening to the conversation she was supposed to be involved in.
Part of her wanted to run after her, but Haley knew that she had to stay. At least, she thought she had to stay.
"Hales..." She winced inwardly when Nathan called her that. It was different when Brooke sad it. Brooke, walking down the hall Brooke. She's walking away from you. Catch her you idiot. Move feet, move... She was drawn again from her thoughts, this time by Peyton. She looked back at the group and realized that Peyton had dragged her away from the group.
"Are you alright Haley?" Peyton's vce was filled with concern, and her eyes. Haley couldn't even muster up a fake smile, and when she said nothing, Peyton's expression was filled with saddness. Peyton knew. She knew all about Brooke and Haley. She hd walked in on them kissing one day. Haley still rememebered the expression on her face - the intial shock, and then the lazy grin that spread across her face. So when the blond girl had looked up and saw Brooke standing in the hallway, dripping wet, she knew that she had been there for Haley.
Finally, Haley spoke. "Did you see her?" Peyton nodded slowly, aware that Haley wasn't really looking for an answer. "She was soaked and the look on her...she was missing a shoe!" Peyton glanced back nervously at the boys, but they were obilvious to the outburst.
Haley's eyes ere glistening with unshed tears. Brooke's retreating form was getting smaller and smaller. Peyton and Haley both watched as Brooke bent down to pick up her lost shoe and walk walk out the glass doors. Haley quickly looked at Peyton.
"What do I do?" Haley asked. Peyton looked at Nathan, then at the glass doors Brooke had just let through.
"What do you want to do." Peyton asked her in response. Haley looked at Nathan.
"Hey Haley, it's Nathan. I was just calling to say..." Haley reached over and picked up the phone as the brunette "hunk" was in the middle of his message. she had just woken up, and she didn't want the other brunette next to her to wake up and hear Nathan's voice. Brooke already suspected that something was going on between the tutor and star basketball player. If Brooke ever found out that Nathan had kissed her after the last game...it would be chaos. When she had split with Nathan, she vowed to never see him again, but now, he wouldn't leave her alone.
"Nathan, I said not to call me." Haley's voice was low, but harsh.
"I know." Nathan admitted. "But I was wondering if we could go to the movies or something, dinner, I don't know, this weekened, or soon?"
Haley rolled her eyes. He just didn't get the hint. She walked out of her room after disentangling herself from Brooke. She headed down the stairs and almost ran smack into her older sister. "Hold on Nathan." She covered the phone with her hand and looked at Talyor. Her sister was looking at her funny.
"Is that Nathan Scott on the phone?" Talyor squealed. Haley made a shushing noise but nodded.
"What's he want?" Haley didn't know anyone noiser than her sister, and she was reluctant to answer.
"To go on a date." She whispered, knowing that as soon as she uttered those words, her life would be hell from her sister if she said no. Talyor squealed even louder, and Haley hoped she didn't wake Brooke.
"And you said..." Talyor prompted.
"Nothing yet."
"Well, you are going to say yes, right?" Talyor's face dropped when she saw the look on Haley's face. "You have to say yes. Otherwise..." Haley cut in.
"Otherwise what?" Haley demanded. Talyor laughed.
"Otherwise, people might think you're...lesbain or something." Taloyr continued down the hallway, laughing to herself. Haley's stomach hurtled down in her body. Slowly, she pressed the phone to her ear and heard Nathan still talking. She cut him off.
"Yes. I'll go. Friday, pick me up. We'll go to the movies, nothing else." She didn't wait for an answer. She hung up the phone and walked back to her room. She climbed back under the covers and shivered inwardly when Brooke's arms wrapped themselves around her waist and pull her closer to the warmth that she only found cold now.
"Where'd you go?" Brooke asked, her eyes still closed.
"Bathroom." Haley said softly.
Brooke smiled an leaned over. Her lips connected with Haley's and Brooke sighed contently. Haley just laid there, wondering what was going to happen now.
Peyton was still looking at Haley, waiting for the blond to give her an answer.
"I...don't know." Haley admitted softly. She looked in the direction Brooke had just gone.
"Haley?" Brooke was lying across the couch in her parent's house, watching the blond who was looking into space. Haley didn't come out of her trance. Brooke moved closer, but Haley didn't notice. So Brooke took a chnce, one she had been trying to take since Haley had gotten back from her tour.
She kissed her.
Haley was immedietly brought back to present day life and she looked at Brooke, shock evident on her face. Brooke back up, spitting apolgies out left and right.
"I'm sorry...I just...you, and I was..." She was cut off when Haley held up her hand. Haley smiled. And then kissed Brooke.
"Shut up." She said as she broke the kiss.
Finally, Haley moved. Nathan looked up just in time to see her hair whipping out the doorway. He looked at Peyton for an explaination.
"Brooke." Was all Peyton said. He shrugged, having no idea what was going on.
Haley was running through the rain, puddles splashing up all around her. She could barely see Brooke, who was 100 yards in front of her. She tried calling out her name, but her cries were drowned out by the sound of the rain crashing down everywhere. Finally, she was standing behind the brunette.
"Brooke." Haley gasped out, her breath catching up with her.
Brooke turned around in suprised. "Haley?" She managed to mutter. Then she turned around and started to walk again. Haley was confused.
"Brooke! Stop!" Brooke turned around angrily.
"What? What do you want?" Haley was silent, completely suprised by Brooke's tone. "Are you going to tell me that I should be happy, because you're happy? Well, I'm not. You can go be happy with," Brooke visibly grimaced. "Nathan Scott. But I have the right to be perfectly miserable!"
Haley smiled, but Brooke continued. "And you can't even..." She stopped when she saw Haley grinning. "What!"
Haley didn't respond, instead she took a step foward. Brooke stepped back. But Haley jumped forward again. "Stop it!" Brooke yelled. Haley still smiled.
Brooke kicked the ground and fell down as she tried to drag her foot across the pavement. She misjusdged the depth of water and went splashing into the puddle. Her arms went flailing widly and managed to grab Haley, so the two went down together.
Haley burst into laughter, and soon, Brooke began to smile. Brooke tried to get up, but Haley held her down.
"I love you." Brooke tensed up, but Haley didn't notice. The rain was still pounding down around them.
"I love you." Haley repeated. Brooke tried to get up agian, but only succeed in fallng down more on top of Haley. Thier eyes connected and Brooke couldn't keep herself from leaning in closer.
And in the moment that thier lips touched, nothing mattered.