Chapter Four
Thanks again to everyone who reviewed! You guys are awesome and totally make me smile :)
I hope you like this chapter, we now see some real Naley interaction. So please review!
Once again Haley's thoughts are in non-bold italics and Nathan's in bold italics.
Nathan had to stop himself from sprinting to the parking lot the second the last bell sounded. Instead, he quickly made his way to his locker and got his things. He then attempted to look as normal as always and began to walk out of the school with his usual cocky, attention demanding strut. Nathan was not at all expecting Haley to be waiting for him as he thought he had left so quickly. However, there she was standing beside his car, beautiful and punctual as always. She had a shoulder bag that looked way too full to have stuff that was meant for just one night in it. He smiled.
She's such a girl.
Haley heard him walking up and turned to give him a smile.
"Hey Nathan" she said, still smiling.
"Hey Haley" he returned in the same manner.
"Thankyou so much for this again."
"It's no problem. Here, pass me your bag and I'll put it in the boot."
"Thanks."
The first few minutes of the car ride were spent in awkward silence. Both of them were trying to figure out what to say to the other one.
So, he likes basketball yeah? Just talk to him about that. Yeah, that's good. Not that I have any idea where to start with that..
Cheerleading. Ask her how that's going. But wait, that probably sounds like I'm stereotyping her and I've only noticed her from that, right? Tutoring, I could ask her about that. Then again, she'll probably wonder how I even know she tutors and then realise I'm a stalker and I'm not so sure I'm cool with her knowing that just yet...
Using the Lucas card is totally out of the question. That could lead us down a really awkward road. Oh Haley you suck at this just talk to him straight up like you would if he wasn't doing you a favor.
Music! There we go, something we both like...
"So what radio station...How come you decided.." they both began.
Nathan looked over to her and laughed.
"Sorry, you go first."
"Oh, no it's fine. What were you saying about the radio?" Haley replied, extra politely.
"Oh, just wondering what station you want it on or if maybe you want to put a CD on."
"Hmm well, what kind of music do you like?"
"Mostly rap, bit of metal and stuff thrown in." Nathan replied with ease. She may have been Haley but it didn't mean his cocky confidence was completely gone because she was in the car.
"Of course it is, typical teenage boy crap." Haley laughed. "Well, that's so not going on."
"Ohh, just like that you've decided?" Nathan mocked that he was hurt by her words.
"Yeah, pretty much." She gave him a sarcastic smile back.
Nathan laughed. He loved her bluntness.
"Okay so let's see what you've got," Haley started going through Nathan's CD's, "you really weren't joking about the whole rap thing were you? Kanye West, Eminem, Tupac, Kanye West again, Metallica? Really?"
"Like you can talk, Miss I'm-going-to-a-Sheryl-Crowe-concert-tonight."
"Excuse me, she's awesome. Just because she doesn't sing about sluts and abusive relationships.."
" Ohhh! I'll have you know that rap goes a lot deeper than that."
"Mmhmm, yeah sure. Well, we're still not listening to it anyway!"
Haley then promptly turned the radio to her favourite station.
"Yeah I'm already starting to regret saying yes to this." Nathan said.
Haley laughed.
"So, why did you say yes?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well like, you're Nathan Scott. Star player of the basketball team, most popular guy at school, a really cocky, massive jerk.."
"Hey! Remember whose car this is!"
"Basically, everyone knows you don't do anything unless there is something in it for you," Haley continued, ignoring Nathan's comment. "so why did you say yes? I totally wasn't expecting you to when I asked."
Nathan frowned. Okay, ouch.
"Well maybe you shouldn't believe everything you hear Ms James."
"But this isn't just what I've heard, I've seen it too."
Nathan frowned again. I'm never a jerk when Haley's around; I'm always too nervous and trying to impress her. What the hell does she mean?
"When?" Nathan questioned, suddenly very curious.
"You remember Scarlett Johnson's party a few months ago? I saw you, all over every girl at that party but you never once offered to get any of them a drink. And at Spencer Mane's, I heard you talking to that girl Alicia from my algebra class and I couldn't believe how rude and disrespectful you were towards her!"
Crap, I didn't know she was at either of those parties! Well done, Nathan.
"But mostly I have gotten this impression of you from the countless number of girls on the squad who have come to practise crying their eyes out because they slept with Nathan Scott and he couldn't even remember their name the next day. Or he would just walk by them in the hallway at school and not even notice they were there. You know Missy Freeman? You couldn't even remember that you slept with her and at the next party you tried it on with her again!"
Okay, this probably isn't a great start to our relationship..
"Ohh, I always wondered why she sprinted away crying from me that night." Nathan said.
Haley shot him a look.
"Sorry."
"Sorry? Seriously? Oh yeah, that makes everything better Nathan. Besides, I'm not the one you should be apologising to. You've never done anything to me."
"Then why are you so mad at me?"
"Because, you might have never done anything to me but you've hurt lots of my friends and lots of good people in our school who didn't deserve it. And anyway, I don't like people who think they can just do whatever they want and don't care what or who gets damaged along the way. It's not who I am."
Nathan nodded. Yeah, I knew that.
"Well, for what it's worth, I don't mean to hurt anyone. It kind of just happens that way, but I know that's not an excuse."
Haley looked over at Nathan and could see he was being sincere.
She softened her demeanour.
"Yeah well, I mean it's partly their fault too. The girls should know by now not to get involved with you. Yet for some unknown reason, they still do anyway."
Nathan smirked.
"I'm pretty sure you know the reason, Haley."
He flexed his arm to show off his biceps.
"Ohh, and you wonder why I think you're cocky!"
"Just admit it Haley, you think I'm sexy." He said playfully, naively hoping she would.
"No, I think Chase is sexy." She replied in a matter-of-fact tone with a smile on her face.
With that, Nathan's mood suddenly changed.
"Right, the boyfriend. So, he was okay with you riding up to Charlotte with me?"
Haley stiffened. Shit, I forgot to tell Chase how I was getting there.
"Yeah, he was fine with it. Why wouldn't he be?"
Nathan raised his eyebrow. "Well apparently I have a bit of a reputation with girls or something." He said sarcastically with a grin on his face.
Haley laughed. "Oh, shut up! Chase trusts me, and I thought you would've figured out by now I'm not the kind of person that would cheat."
Trust me, I figured that out a long time ago.
"Besides if I was going to cheat on Chase, as if it would be with you!"
"Oh please, Haley. You wish it could be with me!" Nathan laughed.
"More like the other way around isn't it Scott? I believe Brooke and I are the only two cheerleaders who haven't visited your bed." Not that Brooke wouldn't be more than willing given the opportunity...
"Ever thought that maybe that was because you aren't hot enough for me?"
Haley raised her eyebrows at him. "And is that the reason?"
Nathan smiled. "Well obviously not."
Haley laughed.
"But still, you could've thought about that! It appears I'm not the only one who's cocky in this car."
Haley scoffed and then changed the subject. "Well you never answered my question!"
"And what question might that be?" Nathan said, still smiling and admiring her ability to avoid his question.
"Why did you agree to drive me?"
Nathan paused. Uhh, 'cause I love you.
"Well you know, I thought I might be able to add another cheerleader to my list but something tells me that's not going to happen." He replied in typical Nathan Scott fashion.
Haley laughed. "You got that right."
Nathan smiled as he looked over at her. "Maybe one day I'll be wrong."
She looked straight back at him and with a playful smile said "Maybe,"
Nathan's heart skipped a beat.
"but I wouldn't hold your breath".
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