A/N: Thank you to all those who reviewed the last chapter. So as we said last time, this is where the story really starts to build up. The song titled for this chapter is by Demi Lovato…we're not the biggest fans of her…but her songs seem to fit our story so you should listen to it if you're bored lol. This chapter gives you a little insight to Haley's life before Nathan showed up and tempers flare and emotions develop. So we hope you enjoy and please review!! Also, fanfiction was being really annoying and we had to edit this fifty times so if you get several update emails we're sorry.

Chapter 3- Stop the World

The next morning Nathan woke up to what he assumed would be earlier than Haley. He figured he would just leave her a note because he didn't want to have to deal with her dramatics again. Mostly because he had grown to care for her but he knew he couldn't let her into his life. It was just easier this way. He quietly walked outside and closed the front door but when he got to his motor cycle his mouth hung open in shock. There was Haley leaning against his motor cycle with her own smirk on her face.

"I'm coming with you."

"No you're not Haley. Go back to bed."

"Wow you sound like my father. I didn't know you were so old."

"Haley I'm serious. You're not coming with me."

"Why?!"

"Because…You don't have a helmet!"

"Actually I do! I went and bought one yesterday. I was going to used my Barbie bicycle helmet but I didn't think it was as safe so I went and got one. I even had my name put on it. See?" she said as she lifted up her helmet.

"Your entire life is here. You can't just drop it all for me. Besides you wouldn't even get on my motor cycle to go to the bowling alley."

"My whole life?! Nathan my parents are dead! I work at the café almost everyday because okay yea its pathetic but Karen is my only friend. I don't have anyone else. Oh and the boyfriend, yea he doesn't exist. So there is nothing holding me back. But you, you're the first person that's shown me that there's more to life than working and being alone. Don't you get lonely Nathan?"

"That's not the point Haley. Look I'm sorry you've had such a crappy life but mine hasn't been all rainbows and sunshine either. You may think its fun and exciting now. But moving from place to place every week gets pretty old. Not having a home? Trust me it's not the kind of life you want. Look you were right I do care about you which is why I can't let you do this."

"I don't care what you say. I'm coming with you. I care about you and trust me at some point you are going to need my valedictorian brains to help you out of some mess. Besides I have money."

"I don't want your money. I'm not a charity case Haley!"

"I didn't say that you were. God stop worrying about your stupid pride. Just accept the fact that someone wants to be with you…okay well I mean someone cares for you…as a friend."

"Why would I want you as a friend when no one else seems to want you?"

"Excuse me! All my friends are off at college. Considering what happened to me I didn't really feel up to that so you'll have to excuse me for not being like Bevin, Nathan. You have no right to judge me. At least I have A friend. Unlike you who just charms any girl he meets but you don't have anyone."

"Yea this coming from the girl who allowed a total stranger to stay in her house! Are you really that desperate for company? You're just like Bevin and those other girls. You only want me because you think I'm dangerous and sexy."

"I am nothing like those other girls! Like I said before the whole 'I'm dangerous, I'm a loner, no body can hurt me' is just an act! You're no where near as cool as you think you are. Underneath your cool exterior you are a scared little boy who is running from something."

"You know nothing about me!"

"Well now you know how it feels! You know considering you told Bevin your name was Mark I bet I'm the first person you told your real name too. Don't try to deny it because I looked at your license when you were sleeping. That has to mean you trust me. There is no reason for me not go with you."

"Would you just listen to me for once Haley. I am trying to protect you."

"I don't need you to protect me I'm a big girl Nathan. I've been protecting myself for the past year. You need me, as much as I need you. Don't try to deny it because it's not going to-"

"Fine! You can come."

"What?"

"I said you can come. But don't say I didn't warn you. Get on the bike before I change my mind."

Nathan got in the front, put on his helmet, and revved up the bike. Haley hesitantly climbed on behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist trying to ignore the shock she felt when her hands came in contact with his abs. Nathan must have felt it too because he turned to look at her. Then he faced the road and drove off with Haley squealing with excitement and fear.

Three hours later, Nathan and Haley arrived in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Haley spotted a hot dog vendor along the street and bought one for herself and two for Nathan. She ran ahead to the public entrance of the beach before Nathan could stop her. She took off her shoes as she walked along the water's edge taking in her surroundings. She saw Nathan hesitantly approaching the water, looking as though he was scared of it.

"What? Is the big bad Nathan Scott afraid of the ocean?" Haley taunted.

"No, of course not. I just don't want to get any seaweed on me. It's disgusting."

"This coming from the guy who wears the same clothes everyday."

"Yeah but then it gets in my hair and I just don't wake up in the morning looking this awesome…and also there's the jellyfish. Have you seen Finding Nemo?"

"Yes I have seen Finding Nemo. When did you have the time to see it and why?"

"Back in Lima, Ohio there was this really hot chick with a kid who was obsessed with that movie. Can't say I blame him, Dory is pretty funny."

Haley just stared at him blankly and continued to walk along the beach. There were a few guys throwing a football back and forth to one another. One of the guys had terrible aim and the ball was flying straight into Haley. Before she could even notice what was happening Nathan wrapped his arms around her and fell into the water. When they surfaced for air Haley was completely fine while Nathan was desperately gasping for air.

"Oh c'mon you big baby the water doesn't even go passed our knees." She grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him out of the water before sitting down on the sand closing her eyes and basking under the hot sun. Because his shirt was drenched Nathan took it off so it could dry in the sun.

"So I was thinkin' about where we're going to sleep tonight because normally some woman would let me into her home but now that you're here they're not going to be so keen on doing that because ya know you're a girl."

"Well you can go find a woman, I'll just ask one of those football guys over there if they know of a place to stay."

"Absolutely not! They almost killed you before! You're not going near them."Haley's eyes flew open after hearing the edgy tone of his voice. She was stunned momentarily because she had never seen his bare chest before and god, was it beautiful. His stomach glistened with drops of water enhancing his glorious abs.

"Uhh…well..what if we just slept on the beach? I've always wanted to do that after seeing it in so many movies."

Nathan looked at her with a "are you serious?" expression on his face.

"Hey, I'm a badass. I don't do sleeping on the beach."

"No you're a pseudo-badass. Therefore, we are sleeping on the beach."

"What does that even mean?"

"Nevermind. Let's build a sandcastle!"

"That's lame. I have a better idea. Let's play 'bury Haley in the sand'. That's much more fun."

"I have an even better idea. Let's play 'push Nathan into the ocean'."

"Haha not funny. Let's play 'when Haley goes to sleep tonight I'm leaving without her'."Haley's expression turned from playful to serious in a matter of seconds.

"Don't do that, ever," she said putting an emphasis on every word.

Nathan noticed the change and said, "Haley, I'm only kidding, it was a joke."

"Whatever I'm just going to find a place for us to sleep tonight." With that, she got up and walked along the later Haley walked back to Nathan to bring him to the spot she found. They walked there in silence, each immersed in their own thoughts. Haley took out a blanket from the backpack she brought with her and wrapped it around her.

"Can I have some of that blanket?"

"No," she said as she turned away from him, hoping the peaceful noise of the ocean would help her fall asleep.

"Look, I'm not going to make promises that I may not be able to keep."

"Whatever, Nathan. Go to sleep."

Haley and Nathan were both finding it hard to sleep because of the winds that kept blowing the sand. Haley turned over to face Nathan in hopes that he would block some of the sand, but it didn't work. Almost as if Nathan was conscious and was worrying about how Haley was so upset earlier he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her not only to protect her from the sand but from everything and Haley buried her face in Nathan's chest and then they slept soundly until next morning Haley awoke to find her head resting on a very hard pillow. She jumped up disoriented after realizing she had been sleeping on Nathan. Nathan had been awake for a only a few minutes and he found himself watching her sleep. He realized he was going to have to put an end to this. He could not develop feelings for Haley James. It just wasn't allowed. He almost laughed when he realized Haley jumped up though. After all she had practically hated him last night. He finally opened his eyes when she kicked him.

"Nathan let's go its time to get up otherwise I'm driving your bike and we're going to die…and I won't be at your funeral." Guess she's still mad. He got up and followed her to the bike.

"Haley-"

"Just drive."

They drove for the next two hours to Georgia. Nathan hadn't figured out where they'd be stopping in Georgia but it seemed like Haley had a plan of her own. "Stop!" Nathan released the handle, bring the bike to a stop.

"The Swinging Donkey? Haley you do know this is a bar right?"

"Thanks Einstein. Yes I know it's a bar and we're going in."

"What are you going to do at a bar?"

"Seriously? I'm going to get drunk and have meaningless sex with a stranger, feel free to do the same."

"Haley c'mon look I'm sorry for upsetting you. You're not like this."

"Like what Nathan? Like every other girl you've been with? You said it yourself."

"Well then I was being an ass, let's go somewhere else."

"No way this is most famous bar in Georgia. We're going in."

Haley pushed past him and into the bar as Nathan followed shaking his head not having a good feeling about this. Hours passed and Nathan was started to get really annoyed. He'd lost count of how many drinks Haley had had and now she was dancing and flirting with a number of guys. He laughed at the irony of the situation. This should have been him and Haley should be watching him get jealous. Wait jealous? Whatever. If I have to be jealous than so does she.

It was 9:00 and the girls started playing their 'theme song' if you could call it that and they got on top of the bar in their skimpy outfits and started dancing. Nathan smirked as a hot blonde grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the bar. He took her cow boy hat and put it on his own head as he was sandwiched between her and a brunette. He smirked and winked at Haley when he noticed she was finally paying attention to him.

Her eyes were in narrow slits and he was glad that she was jealous but then she did something he was not expecting since Haley had been teasing the guys all night. She took the one closest to her and kissed him hard but slowly, making Nathan's blood boil. The guys started getting more into it, moving his hands all over Haley when Nathan couldn't take it anymore. He hopped off the bar and threw Haley over his shoulders.

"Hey! Nathan! Put me down!" He ignored her pleas, not putting her down till they were outside.

"Are you done proving your point? Are you happy now?! Are you crazy, you don't even know that guy, he could have wanted to take advantage of you?!" Nathan explained irate and the alcohol was starting to wear off on Haley.

"I'm sorry," she whispered and then she started to cry, the memories that Nathan didn't know he brought up finally coming to the surface and her feelings for him. He stared at her shocked but then gave her a hug to comfort her, glad the old Haley was coming back.