Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill or OTH characters.

AN: Thanks so much for all of the wonderful reviews you guys left me! And I'm sorry it's taken me a while to update, but I've been working so much that I haven't had time for anything else. So to make up for it, this chapter's a bit longer than the others. Enjoy! And without further ado…….

Chapter 6

Haley stayed near her phone almost every minute of the next day, waiting for Lucas to call or come by her house. She had decided to give him some space, and let him cool off and come to her when he was ready. Now, as the sun was beginning its descent over the horizon, Haley was starting to think that that time would be never.

Mindlessly flipping through channels on the TV, Haley sighed deeply, feeling very crummy. Her parents were out of town again, so she was completely alone in the house with no one to talk to. And it didn't look like her best, and really only, friend, was going to be talking to her anytime soon, if ever again.

Switching the TV off, she leaned her head against the back of the couch and sunk down low into it, closing her eyes and replaying for the thousandth time the conversation with Luke from last night.

She almost didn't hear the knock on her door.

Jumping up, she ran to the front door and flung it open, praying to anyone who would listen that her best friend would be on the other side of it, ready to work things out.

"Oh, it's you," she hung her head in disappointment and held the door open for her guest to come inside.

"Don't look so happy to see me," Nathan was a little put off by her unhappy greeting.

Closing the door behind him, she turned to face Nathan and leaned her back against the door.

"I'm sorry Nathan. I was just really hoping you were Lucas."

"So I take it you haven't heard from him yet?"

"Nope. Not a word." Haley replied shortly.

"Well, it may take longer than just a day for him to realize how overblown his reaction was." Nathan said as he moved into the living room and plopped down on the couch.

Pushing herself off the door, she followed him, sitting beside him. "I don't think you understand how much I hurt him. Nate, I betrayed my best friend in the worst way possible. I practically stabbed a knife in his back, then plunged it in a few more times for good measure. He didn't overreact in any way."

"Aww Hales," Nathan draped him arm across her shoulders and drew her close. "I'm sorry about getting you into this whole mess. I shouldn't have ask you to tutor-"

"What the hell is going on!"

Nathan instantly dropped his arm from around Haley, and they both jumped up and whirled around.

Only to face a furious Lucas.

"Luke," Haley moved towards him, but stopped when she saw him backing away.

"I came over here to talk things out, then find you here with him! I can't believe this. I was giving you the benefit of the doubt Hales, but as I have now witnessed firsthand, you don't even deserve that!"

"Hey man, it's not what you think, I only-"

"No, I don't want to hear any excuses from you Nathan. I can see pretty clearly what is going on between the two of you." Turning to Haley, his gaze softened a bit. "And Hales," he broke out in a whisper, shaking his head, "I thought you were better than this."

Lucas spun around and stormed for the front door. Haley ran after him, and Nathan stood there for a moment, finding the irony in the scene, it being almost identical to the one that happened last night.

Only this time she caught up with him.

"Luke!" Haley ran out the front door and onto the sidewalk, surprised that he had actually stopped when she called him.

"Lucas, please listen to me," Haley begged, tears forming in her eyes.

Lucas slowly turned around to face her.

"Please hear me out. There is nothing going on between us. Please believe me, your best friend. I was at his house that night helping him study for his history test, and that is all we did."

"But what about tonight Hales. Why was he holding you so close on the couch? And don't even try to tell me you were studying."

"He came over 5 minutes before you, wanting to know if I had heard from you yet. And when he found out I hadn't, he comforted me when he saw how upset I was. He was being a friend. Nothing more."

Nathan was watching the scene from the doorway, and felt his heart drop when he heard her so adamantly denying whatever they were at the moment. He knew there was something special between them, whether he wanted it or not, it was there. But the question now would be which he wanted more. Did he want to be with Haley more than the satisfaction he would have by causing pain and hurt to his brother? He thought that the answer was pretty clear, but lately, he'd been reconsidering the whole thing. This whole get-back-at-half-brother-through-best-friend thing was starting to blow up in his face. And all because of one petite brunette. Snapping out of his thoughts, he brought his focus back on the couple standing on the sidewalk in front of him.

"Hales, I really have missed you, even if it's only been a day. But I've felt like a piece of me has been missing ever since our fight." 'Because you're the other half of my soul,' he thought to himself sadly.

"Me too Luke, I can't stand being away from my best friend." 'And I can't stand being away from the one I love," Haley thought to herself. "So, are we okay?" She looked up at Luke shyly, hoping he could forgive her.

"Yeah, of course we are," Luke grinned as he held his arms open to Haley, who gladly stepped into his waiting embrace.

They both had completely forgotten about Nathan, but when Lucas looked up from the embrace, he saw the cause of their fight standing on the porch, staring straight back at them. He sent a glare Nathan's way, before pulling away from Haley and turning her around.

"Oh," she faintly blushed, embarrassed at the intimate scene Nathan had just witnessed. Looking up at Lucas, she prayed for one more miracle tonight. "So Luke, is it ok with you if I still tutor Nathan?"

Letting out an irritated sigh, he managed to keep his voice from displaying his anger. "I'm not going to lie Hales, I'm not really okay with it. But I know that you can make your own decisions, and that I can't protect you from everything," he sent a pointed look at Nathan, who pretended not to notice the resentment in that look. "So I won't be angry with you if you do."

"Thanks Luke," she smiled sweetly at him, before turning to kiss him on the cheek. "Wanna go watch a movie?"

"Sounds perfect buddy."

Arms around each other's waist, they made their way up the porch. Not wanting to directly exclude Nathan, but knowing what his answer would be, she opened her mouth to politely invite him to stay when he spoke before she could say a word.

"I'm just going to go." He looked down as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"You really don't have to Nathan."

"No, it's fine. I've uh, got a lot of stuff to do this weekend anyways. I should probably go start some of my homework or something. I'm glad you guys worked things out."

"Thanks. And thanks for coming to check up on me. That was really sweet."

"Sure, no problem. Later Hales. Lucas." Nodding to them, he stepped off the porch and moved towards his car, feeling slighted that Lucas had stolen his night with Haley.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Staring out the window in English, Haley found her thoughts drifting away from the teacher rambling on about Othello and towards the Scott brothers. The past two weeks had been relatively uneventful for her. Lucas and Haley's relationship was back to where it was before Nathan came into the picture. It was as if nothing had ever happened between them, and they both continued to ignore their feelings for one another.

But things had changed slightly with Nathan. Haley was still tutoring him, but it wasn't just studying anymore. They had become friends, and pretty good ones at that. Neither of them mentioned what had almost developed between them before; it was as if they had both silently agreed to try being friends first.

The more Haley got to know Nathan, the more she found herself comparing the two brothers. They were so different from one another; not only being opposites in looks, but in personalities as well. Lucas was usually silent, broody, and unsure of himself, and it was as though Nathan made up for these characteristics by always having something to say (intelligent or not), making jokes, and being overly confident in himself.

Nathan had really opened up to Haley recently, talking about everything from his father, to his friends, and even to the drama in his relationships with his ex's, especially with Peyton. Haley felt as though she had gotten to know the real Nathan, not the Nathan he acted like in front of others. And she liked the man she saw.

Her growing feelings for Nathan were still far from the love she felt for Lucas, but she knew that Lucas was a dead end for her – nothing would ever come of it. And she knew it was wrong on so many levels to like Nathan, but she couldn't help herself. He was so charming and thoughtful and sweet to her that she couldn't help but fall for him. And what's that saying about how you can't help who you like…….

Haley was pretty sure that Nathan liked her too. That was one quality she really liked in him but didn't find in Lucas: Nathan always let her know what he was thinking, whether by telling her with words or through his actions. Lucas tended to be guarded with his feelings, so Haley rarely knew what was going on inside his head unless he told her. But Nathan was so open about his emotions.

That's how she knew that he liked her, at least a little bit, too. Nathan seemed to compliment her every chance he got, he held doors open for her and carried things that were heavy for her. She also caught him staring at her during tutoring often. Plus there was that grand speech he gave her at his house that night, and he had almost kissed her there.

But Haley wasn't sure if giving her and Nathan a chance would be worth hurting her relationship with Lucas. She knew he would be angry and upset by it, but she wasn't sure to what extent. She wouldn't even be thinking twice about it if Lucas hadn't been hanging out with Peyton more. They apparently had History together, and the Monday after the party at the beach house she had apologized about Brooke's behavior before class, and they had talked some more afterwards.

Haley was hurt and jealous by this growing friendship, but she didn't know if they were just friends or if Luke liked her or what. Every time she brought it up with him, he skirted around the topic, changing the conversation or not really answering her questions. And Haley had never pushed it; she wasn't even sure if she wanted to know. It might just break her heart even further.

So as Lucas got closer to Peyton, Haley got closer with Nathan. She knew she had to talk to Luke if she wanted to take her and Nathan's relationship beyond friendship, but she was afraid of how he might react. So for now, she and Lucas pretended that nothing was changing, that things were still the same between them. That's how so much got left unsaid.

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Well that's it for this chapter - sorry if it got a little boring at the end, but I needed to show Haley's dilemma and confusion and everything. Poor Haley, torn between two gorgeous boys. What's a girl to do? Anyways, thanks for reading, and have a great day!

Until next time,

Western