Behind The Scenes

Chapter 3

Like I said last chapter, WOW! I am completely blown away with all the feedback and support. Thank you guys so much!! I was going to write the next chapter of Winners and Losers but I found inspiration with this story so I'm going to go with it. I'm hoping that after I write this I can get the next chapter out in Winners and Losers. As I said before, I had a bunch of one shot type stories bouncing around in my head so this chapter shows one of that. The scene in this chapter came about while I was in NYC during the Halloween but never had the time to write it down. This story will follow a similar storyline as that of Winners and Losers, in that there will be a backstory plot as well as the current plot. The similarities will be evident but in general the stories will be different. Italics are flashbacks, regular text is present. This chapter also ended up a lot longer and had a lot more stuff in it than originally planned, but I'm hoping you all will like it. With that said, here's the next chapter. Enjoy and please review.

BTW, I just rewatched Jamie's "Gossip Girl comment," I had to admit, it was pretty damn funny. LoL

. . . . .

"So tutorgirl, have you picked out an outfit?"

"For the last time Brooke, it's Haley." Haley corrected.

"I know but tutorgirl is so much more fun." Brooke said in her usual upbeat voice.

"Right.." Haley deadpanned.

"Why don't you call her for what she is.." Nathan said as he rounded the group and sat down next to his brother. "An anal bi.."

Lucas quickly turned to his brother. "Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Lucas pointed at him.

Nathan put his hand up in defeat. "Fine.. fine." He muttered.

"Well speaking of asses, look who it is." Haley was quick to quip. She wasn't going to give the satisfaction of having Nathan Scott have the last word.

"And what a fine ass it is." Nathan laughed as he raised his rear from the bench and gave himself a quick slap. Haley rolled her eyes, never wanting to admit that he did have a a nice butt, though she would never admit it to him. Even jerks can still be good looking.

"Yeah, I'm sure your boyfriend Tim would agree since he sticks his nose up there whenever the chance." Haley fired back.

Lucas shook his head, here we go again.

"Cute." Nathan replied, "Though those girls sitting over there didn't mind." Nathan smirked. Haley quickly looked over to see a bunch of mindless Sophomores giggling profusely. "Don't worry Hales, I'm sure one of these days, you'll catch the attention of a nice blind man."

Haley gritted her teeth. She didn't need to be reminded that she was a senior, about to celebrate her 18th birthday, single.

"Play nice!" Peyton interrupted. The two of them going at it was enough to make her lose her lunch.

"Yeah, quit it you two. I swear, you guys should just totally get in all already." Brooke commented.

Nathan, Haley as well as Lucas almost choked on their drinks.

"Eww." Haley spoke up first.

"Yeah, seriously, that's my best friend and my brother you're talking about."

"Yeah, Brooke, what the hell?" Nathan responded.

Brooke rolled her eyes and waved her hands.

"Anywhooo .. like I was saying," Brooke turned to Haley, the two of them obviously oblivious to one another. "Do you have your outfit?"

"No, I don't."

Brooke gasped. "Haley, the birthday girl can not show up to her own party with out a costume."

Haley shook her head, she really did hate being a Scorpia sometimes, since it meant that her birthday was always around Halloween.

"She could just show up in her birthday suit." Nathan said nonchalantly, as he took another bite from his sandwich. Haley might've been a pain, but she certainly did have a rack, Nathan reasoned with himself. Bitches can be hot too, though he'd never admit it to her.

Haley glared at Nathan for a moment before turning her attention to Brooke. "Do I have to have a costume?"

"Hey, if I have to do it, you too." Peyton chimed in. "It's bad enough she wants us to match as Angel and Devil."

"Correction, sexy Angel and Devil." Brooke grinned. "Don't worry, we'll get you a costume after school."

Haley shook her head, there was no use in trying to argue with Brooke, especially if it meant a shopping trip. "Fine.." Haley mumbled much to Brooke's amusement.

"How about you Broody? What're you going as?"

"Umm.. I got some ideas."

"Really? Care to share?"

"Nope." Lucas smiled and turned to Nathan. "Which reminds me, we got to pick it up today."

"Yeah, we'll take my car." Nathan nodded.

As much as Haley hated Nathan, she was glad to see the two brothers a lot closer. Who would've thought that after all the drama that happened last year that they would end up sitting at lunch together, going to pick up costumes. They certainly have come a long way.

Although Lucas and Nathan played it cool on the outside, Haley knew, that at least for Lucas that his relationship with Nathan meant a lot more than others though. Growing up, he had his mom and his Uncle Keith but the hole left behind by an absentee father was bigger than anyone would've guessed but Nathan had seemed to fill in that gap. Sure, Haley was his best friend and he was pretty close to the guys with the River Court but he never had another guy he could turn to, that was until Nathan came along. It might've taken sometime and a lot of yelling from Whitey but after being left out on the road 30 miles from Tree Hill after one of their scuffles, they had no choice but to work together and several months later and spending the summer together during basketball camp, here they were.

"Fine, Lucas doesn't want to share. How about you Nate?"

"Well I'm going as the only the greatest superhero ever."

"Wolverine?" Peyton asked.

"Not that loser, Batman." Nathan said triumphantly.

"Boring." Brooke spoke out.

"You sure you and Tim don't want to go as the Ambiguously Gay-Duo?" Haley smirked.

Nathan sighed. "Haley, if you want to check me out in tights, all you got to do is just ask." Nathan smirked back.

Just then the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.

"Thank God." Lucas spoke as he stood up. "You two babies are giving me a headache." Lucas joked.

. . . . .

"Dude, I thought you said you had something picked out."

"I said, I had ideas." Lucas replied from the dressing room. He came out wearing an Elvis costume.

"Apparently full of bad ones." Nathan replied.

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Then quit complaining and help me out."

Nathan spotted a ridiculously multicolored wig and a red-button nose and threw it over to Lucas. "Here, why don't you try that next?" Nathan laughed.

"Funny, but there's no way I'd be caught wearing this clown get up."

"As opposed to the Elvis clown get up you have on now." Nathan was quick to point out.

"Ha-ha." Lucas mocked. "Very funny, no I can't do that to Haley."

"Do what?"

"Clowns.. she's totally freaked by them."

"Really, she's afraid of clowns." Nathan tried to hold back his laughter.

"Chill, it's not funny. I think her parents took her to the circus when she was younger and she got scarred for life. One year Skills came dressed as Bozo the Clown from In Living Color and she totally flipped, she didn't talk to Skills for a month."

"Haha.. I'll keep that in mind." Nathan's eyes narrowed as he saw a Batman mask on the rack. Lucas went back inside the dressing room to try out another costume. Nathan was about to pick the mask up, when he noticed another costume right next to it. Nathan smirked to himself, that might do.

. . . .

"Haley, get your sweet ass out here." Peyton called out.

"Yeah, tutorgirl, we don't want to be late." Brooke called out.

A moment later, the door opened and Haley stepped out in full costume.

"Aww Hales, you look adorable."

"Yes, very nice." Brooke winked at her, "But I think you would've looked better in that sexy nurses outfit.. or going as Sandy from Grease."

"Shut up Brooke, I think Haley looks great."

"Thanks, Peyton." Haley said as she smoothed out her black and yellow striped top.

"What, I didn't say you didn't look good, just that we could've sexed it up you know." Brooke winked. "It is your birthday and it's time we find a guy so you can blow out his candles."

"BROOKE!" Haley admonished.

"Yeah, sorry, I guess there would only be one candle." Brooke laughed and Peyton joined her.

"You guys are horrible!" Haley shook her head, but Brooke was right about one thing. It would be nice to meet someone. Tree Hill wasn't lacking guys, just the good ones, Haley sighed to herself.

"Now the finishing touches." Peyton said as she grabbed the head band and placed it on top of Haley's head. "Alright, let's get going Birthday girl."

. . . . .

"Dammit, Peyton, did you have to make your wings so big?" Brooke spit out another black feather. "Between your wings and Haley's here, I'm surprised we fit in the back."

"Cheer up Brooke, we're here." Mouth opened the door for them, dressed as John Trovalta from Saturday Night Fever.

"Yeah, let's go." Lucas said as he opened the other door for the them. The five of them arriving at Tric together.

A few minutes later, they gathered themselves by the dancefloor.

"Who you looking for? The sherrif?" Haley teased as she flicked Lucas' cowboy hat.

"Very funny Hales." Lucas smiled back and flicked one of her antennas. "I'm actually looking for Nathan, he said he was running late."

"Well maybe as a birthday gift to me, he just won't show."

"Hales.."

"Oh relax Luke, come on let's dance." Haley smiled as she pulled him to the dance floor to join their other friends.

. . . .

Nathan watched from the distance as he saw Lucas and Haley dancing, with Peyton, Mouth, Brooke and Skills nearby. He had to admit that she looked really hot tonight and the sexiest looking bee he ever saw. She had a tight fitting yellow and black striped tube-top, with a yellow ballerina skirt that made you want to just lift it up and peak inside, black stockings and boots, with a pair of small wings and of course a headband with two protruding antennas. She was smiling and wiggling her sweet ass and Nathan thought for a second that she wasn't so bad when she wore tight outfit. He was a guy after all.

He watched them for a minute before he saw them heading towards the bar, no doubt about to get a drink. Nathan made his move and went inside the bar from the opposite end. He knelt down and made his way over to them so they wouldn't see him. Haley arrived at the bar first and rested her elbows on the counter. She turned around just in time as Nathan popped right up like a Jack in the Box.

"BOO!!" Nathan exclaimed and Haley immediately screamed. The rest of the group startled by her.

"Happy Birthday Haley." Nathan said in a dark, growling voice that only added to the eeriness of his costume. Everyone stopped to see what was going on, even the DJ who stopped the music. All eyes were on her, as if that already didn't add to her already racing heart. Tears started forming in her eyes and Nathan started feeling like the biggest dick in the planet.

"You're such an ass!" Haley choked out as she wiped her eyes, ruining her mascara and running away into the crowd, Brooke and Peyton hot on her heels. Lucas signaled the DJ to play music and get the party going again. He yanked his brother from the bar,

"What the hell man!?"

"What? I thought it'd be funny."

"Didn't I not tell you she was afraid of clowns and you come in here dressed as the fucking scariest Joker I've ever seen!" Lucas said angrily. "What the hell Nate.. it's her birthday."

"Yeah.. I know." Nathan mumbled, realizing that his little joke may have gone too far. He was dressed in a dark purple suit, a wig that made it seem like his hair was thinning, white make up all over his face, with a bright red lipstick across his mouth which spilled over to his cheeks with the edges of his mouth appearing to have stitch marks. He was every bit the clown, a very scary maniacal one at that. (Think Heath Ledger as Joker).

Lucas turned around to see Brooke and Peyton walking back.

"Where is she?" He asked.

"She's outside by the stairs." Peyton said.

"She told us to go back inside, she says she just needs a minute." Brooke added.

Lucas turned around to face his brother. "Look what you did!?"

"I'm sorry." Nathan shrugged, feeling more like crap than ever.

"Maybe you should be telling her instead of me!" Lucas shook his head as he was walking towards the exit. Nathan grabbed his shoulder.

"You're right.. let me apologize."

"You should, but there's no way in hell you're going to see her like that."

"Fine.." Nathan mumbled as he took off the wig and Lucas offered his bandana over to him, which Nathan used to wipe off as much of the make up as possible. There was still traces of it left behind but at least he looked human now.

. . . .

Haley sat at the bottom of the steps, wiping the tears from her eyes. She heard footsteps coming down and immediately knew who it was, at least that's what she thought.

"Luke, I'm fine." She said.

"It's not Luke.."

Haley got up and turned around to see Nathan, sans wig and make up, walking down.

"What're you doing here?" She crossed her arms and took a step back onto the pavement.

"Lucas told me you were here down here.."

"So you came down here cuz Lucas made you.."

"Yes.. wait.. no.. look.. I'm sorry okay."

Haley shook her head, her anger becoming more apparent. "I don't need some half ass apology from you just because Lucas made you come down here." Haley shook her head.

"You obviously found out about my fear of clowns .. so haha … there you go laugh it up.. I hope you're pleased with yourself now."

"Look I said I'm sorry." Nathan huffed out.

"You sorry, that's a joke if I ever heard one. Come on laugh it up.. you know you want to.. haha poor Haley James, scared of clowns .. a complete loser.. nothing more than tutorgirl with her books and good grades.."

"Haley.." Nathan tried to interrupt her.

"Well, it shouldn't be too bad, I mean one day a blind man will notice me, isn't that right Nathan cuz here I am about to graduate high school on my birthday and guess what I'm all alone!! My parents are off on some ungodly road trip, Lucas is too busy trying to figure out which girl he wants between Peyton and Brooke .. and now I'm stuck here with you on my birthday .. I must be really pathetic, isn't that right Nathan!?"

"You're.. you're not pathetic." Nathan mumbled out.

"Yes.. yes I am." Haley choke back her tears. "God I must look like an idiot too." Haley wiped her eyes as she took stock of her outfit. She was sure Nathan was one step away from making fun of her about it too. She threw her antenna head band to the ground and took off.

Nathan stood there as he watched her quickly walk away. He picked up the headband from the ground and then looked back on her retreating form. Everything in his head was telling him to go back inside, tell Lucas he did what he could. But a small part of him, a very loud part of him told him otherwise. He was about to head back up the stairs but gripped the headband harder and took off and ran after her. It would be ironic, months later that he would be desperately trying to get away from her.

. . . .

"You.. you love me?" Haley's voice trembled from the doorway as she looked over to Nathan. Nathan took a big gulp, he certainly wasn't expecting to just blurt all that out and he wasn't expecting Haley to hear it.

Lucas looked at the two of them and couldn't believe what was going on. He was more confused as ever. Nathan looked absolutely scared shit. Was he telling the truth? Did he actually fall in love with Haley, his Haley? Haley, for her part, looked completely shocked but there was a certain gleam in her that Lucas could tell that something more was up. And he had to wonder, did she feel the same?

Lucas couldn't believe this. What kind of Twilight Zone did he wake up to? Just yesterday, Haley was once again complaining about Nathan and vice versa and now Nathan is suddenly in love with her. Nothing in all this was making any sense. When he realized that Nathan wasn't going to talk, Lucas did.

"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?"

Haley turned to Lucas, having completely forgotten that he was in the room. She was too stunned by Nathan's revelation to notice anything else.

"Wait, Luke.." She held her hand up and then faced Nathan. Her eyes were big and brown and were begging him to explain what was going on. "Nathan.."

Nathan took a step back and moved closer to Lucas. "Umm.. sorry Hales.. Lucas here was going to punch me again."

"Huh?" Both Lucas and Haley muttered.

Nathan knew it was a punk move but at the moment he was panicking and didn't know what else to do.

"Nathan.." Lucas turned to his brother.

"Yeah.. now where were we?" Nathan said as he put his fists up.

"Nathan, what're you doing? I'm not going to fight you."

"Oh now you don't want to hit me." Nathan said sarcastically. "Fine, I'll just leave you two." Nathan went for the door but Haley blocked him with that Oh no you don't face.

"Nathan.." She said once more.

"I'm sorry, I know you wanted to talk Lucas first.." Nathan mumbled, figuring feigning amnesia over saying the L word would be the best course of action right now. Haley just gave him a bewildered look, he was obviously avoiding the topic he so happened to bring up.

"I'll.. I'll see you later." Nathan said quickly and just like that he was gone.

Haley shook her head, her world turned around once more. She turned back and saw Lucas staring at her. She knew he deserved some answers, even though she wanted some from Nathan right now.

"Haley, what the hell is going on?" Lucas asked once more.

Haley took a deep breath and sat on Lucas' bed, trying to sort her thoughts. She had every intention of coming here and talking about her past with Nathan but Nathan's admission of love had thrown her for a loop.

Lucas saw the battle that raged across her face and he had to ask.

"Do.. do you love him?" Lucas asked.

Haley looked up, trying to form the words. "I .. umm.. I.." She started to hyperventilate. Lucas sat down next to her and padded her back.

"Jesus Hales, relax." Lucas said trying to soothe her. It was clear that his whole love thing was affecting her so he decided to go back to his earlier question. He put his hand under her chin and forced her to look at him.

"Hales, can you please tell me what's going on and why my brother is suddenly proclaiming his love for you?" Lucas tried to lighten up the mood. He found it ironic that only a few minutes ago he wanted to rip both Nathan and Haley's heads off but now here he was soothing Haley after she had been lying to him all this time.

Haley took a deep breath and with a shaky voice. "Do .. do you remember my birthday.. this past Halloween?"

To Be Continued . . . .

Please review :)