I should be upstairs sleeping right now, since I need to wake up at 6 in the morning, but because you guys were so awesome with your reviews, I decided to update before I left. I won't be updating on vacation, but I promise one as soon as I get back. I hope you guys like the chapter.

Nathan knew who he was the moment he felt Haley stiffen in his arms, which tightened around her immediately.

"You okay?" he whispered to Haley.

She looked up at him and smiled. "Actually...yeah. I am," she replied softly.

Looking at the guy walking towards them, Nathan had to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing. The scrawny guy looked like he belonged in some lame ass rock band. This was the guy Haley was so torn over?

Lucas, seemingly oblivious to what was happening, wrapped his friend in a manly hug. "Man, where have you been?"

"Sorry, dude. Traffic was a killer."

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say. Let me introduce you..."

Brooke spoke up before Lucas could say anything. "This is him?" she asked in disbelief as she looked at him warily, sneaking a glance at Haley.

Lucas glanced at her, laughing at her expression.

"What, is there something wrong with me, Brooke?" Chris put in.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "I just wasn't expecting you."

Chris chuckled, looking around the group, his eyes stopping to rest on Haley.

"Hales?"

"Hey Chris," she responded nonchalantly, returning his stare coldly.

Lucas looked at Brooke, and then between the two of them, a puzzled expression on his face. "Whoah, hold up, what am I missing here?"

Chris tore his eyes away from Haley as he responded to Lucas. "We go way back."

Lucas raised his eyebrow and nodded, saying nothing in response.

Nathan spoke up, sensing the tension escalating throughout the room. "So Lucas, how about a tour for the guys? I haven't gotten a chance to see the house yet."

Haley let out a sigh of relief, and whispered a quick thank you to Nathan, as he let go of her, and left to follow Lucas, along with Chris.

….

Brooke glanced over at Haley as soon as the boys left, searching her face for any hint of emotion.

"Hales, you okay?" she asked softly.

Haley started to nod, as Brooke gave her a look that told her she wasn't buying it.

Haley sighed and shook her head. "I don't know, Brooke. Seeing him stirs all these emotions up from so long ago. It's kind of hard; the last time I saw him we were in a relationship, and now I'm pre- perfectly happy with Nathan, but it's still weird, you know?"

Brooke nodded thoughtfully. "It's perfectly understandable, Hales. But you know you can do so much better. I mean look at you, you have Nathan; and girl, let me tell you he's much hotter than Chris ever was," she proclaimed, her dimples showing as a playful smile came across her face.

Haley laughed. "Heck yeah, I know."

Brooke propped herself up on a barstool as Haley joined her. "You know he wouldn't be here if I had anything to do with it, right?"

"Of course I do. We always have each others backs right?" Haley brought her fist up as Brooke brought her own up to meet it.

"Of course we do," she replied.

…

"I swear, if one more person asks me if I'm okay, I'll have a mental breakdown," Haley proclaimed as she buried her face in her hands, laying her face down on the table.

It was later during the night, after most of the guests had left, and Haley, Brooke, Nathan, Peyton and Jake were all sitting around a table and talking, as Lucas and Chris had gone to the movies to catch up.

Peyton shook Haley's shoulders, as she looked up and blew a puff out of her hair. "You know you love the attention, Hales. You've been an attention hogger for as long as I've known you."

Haley dropped her mouth open in surprise. "I have not!"

"Hales, I love you and all, but P.Sawyer's right. Right Nathan?" Brooke stated, as she looked at Nathan for confirmation.

He looked over at Haley, who was shooting him a warning death glare, while Brooke's face mirrored hers, only in a more playful way. "Yeah, pretty much." He laughed as Haley pouted, sticking her bottom lip out, and folded her arms.

He chuckled as he put an arm around her. "You know we all love you." He told her, bringing her face up to meet his.

She blinked, surprised at his actions, and as much as she didn't want to admit it to herself, how natural everything seemed.

Brooke cleared her throat and yawned dramatically. "Oh man, I'm wiped. I think I'll head off to bed now. Tell Lucas to come up to my room if he gets here." She winked, and waved goodbye to everyone, kicking Peyton's leg as she walked past her.

Peyton jumped. "Oh, man I'm really tired to. Uh, me and Jake are going to bed. Bye!" She jumped up grabbing Jake by his arm."

Nathan raised his eyebrows as they left, and took his arm out from beneath her, stretching them out above his head. "Man, I'm a pretty good actor, aren't I?"

Haley rolled her eyes. "If that's what you'd like to believe."

"It is." Nathan smirked.

Haley smacked him playfully. "You know this isn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"Just say you like hanging out with me, Haley."

She scoffed.

"So, tell me more about this Ch-"

She put her hand to his mouth. "Don't say his name."

"Haley, he left you at the altar, and it's almost 3 years later. Why are you still so attached?"

"I am not attached!" she retaliated.

"You froze up at the sight of seeing him. I think you still have some kind of feelings for the guy."

"I do not. And I have moved on, to you." She gave him a fake smile.

He rolled his eyes. "No seriously, talk to me, Haley."

"Why should I? I barely even know you. The only reason I bought you is because all my other guy friends would have never agreed to it."

"Because they know you're way too good for him, and you don't need to be making an ass like that jealous."

"How can you call him an ass? You only met him tonight."

"Any guy that leaves a girl at the altar is an ass Haley. I think you know that."

"Whatever."

"Back to my main point here, why are you still attached to him? From the information I gather, you didn't even sleep with him."

She groaned. "I'm going to kill Brooke. And not that you need to know this, but I'm saving myself for marriage, okay?"

"You avoided the question, again."

"Why do you care anyway? You're only in it for the money."

Nathan flinched at the comment, then shrugged. "It's amusing seeing such a classy, beautiful girl like you being attached to some moronic asshole."

She smiled. "Sweet, Nathan, very sweet."

"Haley, are you not going to answer the question?"

"I don't know, okay?" She burst out suddenly. "I don't know why the hell I still care about him. I don't know why looking at him brings back so many memories. I don't know why I would take him back in a heartbeat. Maybe it's because he's the first guy I ever had real feelings for, maybe because I felt like he had everything I wanted. Before him, it was so hard for me to let my heart feel. He came along, and before I knew it I had everything I thought love was supposed to be. He made me so happy when he was there. He gave me everything I asked, and everything I could hope for. It was bliss, and I felt like I was in heaven. Till this day, I still don't know why he left me. What was wrong with me? I gave him everything, Nathan, I really did. I was the perfect girlfriend for him; I never got jealous, or insecure. At the end of the night, I was there, without regret. But he left anyway. Why did he leave? And I still care, I want to make him jealous, and I want him to regret leaving me. I want-" she choked as a sob escaped from her lips, and she frantically wiped the tears from her eyes.

Nathan listened quietly, and faced her chair to his when she was done. Even with her cheeks covered in cheek stains, and mascara spots under her eyes, she was truly beautiful.

He cupped her cheek in his hands, and brought her eyes up to face his as he spoke. "I don't understand it, Haley. But I want you to know I'm here to help you in anyway you want me to." He reassured her, wiping away a tear.

She smiled through her tears as he enveloped her in a hug. "Thanks, Nathan."

He smiled and brushed a piece of hair out of her face. "Don't mention it."

…

I don't know if that seemed to fast, but I hope that gives you guys more insight on why Haley's still hung up over Chris. Yes, he's a jerk and I hate him too, but it's essential.

Be gracious with reviews, I'd love to come back to a lot. :)

x3 Sneha