AN: SO SORRY that it took so long to update! I've had major writers block on anything for a while and I just recently got back into writing. I had to reread this story to try to get into the groove of this story, but I still don't feel that well connected with this story yet. It's getting there though. No excuses though, I'm just sorry. Hope you didn't give up! Sorry if there's mistakes; I didn't reread it. Enjoy! :)
THE AGE OF PRETENDING:
Haley woke up to the blaring of some crap rap music. She shot up into a sitting position. When she looked around she had no clue where she was. This definitely wasn't her room. She swung her legs to the side of the bed and when she stood up and took a step she tripped over a body on the floor falling completely on top of it.
"OW! What the hell?" Nathan yelled from the floor. He opened his eyes and came face to face with the person he always wanted to see first in the morning. "Oh, hey."
"Hey, sorry." Haley started to get up.
"I knew you couldn't resist me." Nathan smirked causing Haley to roll her eyes.
Haley was pulling her shoe on, "You wish."
Nathan only smirked, but under his breath whispered, "Yea, I do."
Haley was having trouble locating her second shoe, "I've got to go. I shouldn't have stayed. Talking to you last night was a mistake. Damnit! Where is my shoe?"
Nathan stood up and walked over to Haley and handed her the shoe. "I'm sorry. I was just kidding."
Haley was tying her laces, trying to not look up at Nathan. When she didn't respond Nathan pulled her face up, by her chin, to look at him. "Talking to me was not a mistake. You need to let it out before you even think about trying to move beyond it. And I'm happy that I was the one that you could talk to."
Haley softened a little bit when she saw the sincerity in his eyes. A part of her felt bad. She knew Nathan is just trying to help her and talking to him last night was the first night that she was able to just let it all out.
"Okay, how about we work on our project over some breakfast?" Haley suggested.
"That sounds good." Nathan's lips curled up into a real smile.
"Oh crap. I don't have my papers." Haley realized a second later.
"That's okay I have it and you can just look at mine. I don't think this one is another question one, so you probably don't have to write much." Nathan told her.
Nathan pulled on a shirt and they went down to the kitchen. Nathan pulled open the pantry door, while Haley opened the fridge and got out the milk. Nathan pulled out the Fruity Pebbles and Honey Bunches of Oats.
Haley grabbed the box of fruity cereal. "You remembered." Haley smiled as she poured the milk on the cereal.
"Of course." Nathan returned the smile.
After they were eating for a minute, Haley spoke up. "So what do we have to do for this part?" Haley grabbed the sheet of paper sitting in front of Nathan.
"Sure, go ahead and take it. I wasn't reading it or anything!" Nathan joked.
"Oh I wasn't aware you could read." Haley spat back. "When did that happen?"
"I just learned yesterday actually. I'm a quick learner." Nathan smiled as he continued their joke, causing Haley to release a smile too, before darting her eyes back to the paper to read their project.
"Not a lot of writing my ass!!" Haley exclaimed as she finished reading their next assignment.
"What is it?" Nathan grabbed the paper out of her hands and started to read it.
Now that you've answered basic questions about your partner you are going to write a two page, double spaced paper about what you believe your partner is all about. This will be something that you'll be able to compare your final paper to so don't half-ass it. I will be collecting it and grading it. Just right about what, at this moment, you think makes up your person: his or her goals, likes, dislikes, personality, driving passions, etc.
"You've got to be kidding me. This is ridiculous." Nathan pouted.
"Totally." Haley mumbled as she chewed her cereal.
After she swallowed her last bite of fruity cereal, she took it to the sink to rinse out. "And it looks like it's not really partner based today, so I'm going to go. Thanks for the cereal."
Haley reached into her pocket to find her keys, only to come up empty. Then she remembered that they decided to walk yesterday. Great. Now I have to walk all the way home by myself.
"You don't have to go. You know we can hangout or something." Nathan asked with so much hope.
Haley hesitated for a second. A part of her did want to stay and talk with Nathan, but an even bigger part told her that it wasn't a good idea. She had to go with her gut. "I don't think so, sorry. I'm just going to go."
"Yea, sure. Maybe another time." Nathan dismissed the rejection.
"Yea, maybe." Haley said as she walked to the front door. "See you later."
She reached the door and opened it, but before she walked out she turned around. "Thanks, Nathan. For last night I mean. It did help."
"No problem. Anytime you need to talk, about anything, I'm always here."
Haley just nodded as she turned and walked out of the house.
Haley walked into the house and smelled something burning coming from the kitchen. She instantly ran further into the house to see Rachel, Kate, Vanessa, Chase and Chris huddled around the stove.
"Well take it out!" Vanessa yelled at Chris, pushing him forward.
"Dude! It's on FIRE!! No way in hell the Keller burning his hands! My future career depends on it." Chris backed away from the burning food in the oven.
"Why don't you get it out, Chase?" Chris asked as he pushed Chase forward.
"Yea and damage my State-Champion-winning-football-hands? I think not." Chase said as he followed Chris' previous actions and backed away.
"Just throw some water on it!" Rachel suggested.
"That would just ruin the whole oven." Kate pointed out.
"Okay, well I have no clue what to do." Rachel conceded.
Oh my god. Honestly? These are my friends? Haley thought to herself as she got the tiny fire-extinguisher from a cabinet and walked up to her friends. "Move."
They all did as they were told and made room for Haley. She pointed the nozzle toward the burning food and pushed down the handle until white foam shot into the oven, putting out the fire.
Once it was completely out, Haley turned around and stared at her friends. "Did you guys honestly just stand there wondering what to do with a fire?"
"Uhhh…" They all looked around at each other. They definitely felt like idiots.
"I didn't think we had a fire-extinguisher." Rachel lamely attempted to cover for their lapse in judgment.
"Sure." Haley laughed as she put the fire-extinguisher back in the cabinet.
Later that day they the girls were lounging around on the beach as the Chris, Chase and Jake attempted to surf.
"This is nice." Haley commented as she lay on her beach towel, letting her skin soak in the rays.
"Definitely, we don't get in New York." Kate added.
"That's one perks of moving here!" Rachel agreed.
They all sat there, letting the sun tan their already golden skin, for a few more minutes.
"So Hales, how are you?" Rachel asked hesitantly.
"Great. Why?"
Rachel sat up and pushed her sunglasses on her head. "Haley, don't lie to me. You know I can see right through it. I'm talking about last night."
"I said I'm fine and I mean it. Okay?" Haley spat out angrily.
"Fine, then what happened last night?" Kate asked.
"Nothing happened." Haley answered quickly.
"Nothing? Really? You and Nathan alone in his bedroom. You never coming out. You never coming home until this morning. That doesn't scream nothing to me." Vanessa pointed out.
"Look guys, it was nothing. Nathan just helped me with some stuff and then I fell asleep. He slept on the floor. It's not like I slept with him or anything so just cool it." Haley bit back slightly miffed.
"Fine, I'll drop it, for now." Rachel conceded as she put the glasses back on and continued to tan.
After about twenty minutes, Vanessa spoke up. "I'm starving! Let's go get some food."
"Yea, me too. Let's go to the café." Haley suggested.
They all agreed and started packing up their stuff. "Guys! We're going to get some grub! Let's go!" Rachel yelled out into the water towards the boys.
They came running up, dripping wet, and shaking their heads to get the girls wet. When they all let out girlish squeals, they laughed in delight.
Driving to the café, they blasted music as they drove in Haley's convertible and Chase's Range Rover.
A few minutes later they pulled into adjacent parking spots and hopped out. When they entered the café they looked around for an open seat. They found an open booth right behind an occupied on. When they walked closer they noticed who it was.
"Hey, Brooke!" Rachel yelled out as she walked across the room to the table.
"Hey! What are you guys doing here?" Brooke asked.
"We were at the beach, but we were starving so we came here." Rachel told her.
"Yea since we can't really cook anything at our house." Haley laughed, while the rest scowled at her.
"Did we miss something?" Peyton asked confused.
"Yea you missed all of them almost burning down my house." Haley said trying to bite back another laugh that was bubbling in her throat.
"Seriously?" Peyton and Brooke laughed. "What happened?"
"Rachel can't cook worth a damn." Jake answered.
"Hey, watch it mister." Rachel lightly slapped his chest with the back of her hand.
"Just stating a fact." Jake raised his hands in defense.
"Whatever, like you can cook either."
"True, but I've never set the oven on fire." Jake tossed out.
"You set the oven on fire?!" Brooke almost spat out the water she was drinking. Soon everyone was laughing at Rachel's pouty face.
Karen came over to give the new customers their menus, breaking up the laughter.
"Hey Haley. It's nice to see you." Karen gave her a warm hug.
"You too." Haley responded as they pulled away.
After they ordered and ate their food, they sat talking for a while. "Hey do you guys want to go back home and watch some movies or something?" Haley suggested.
"Sure, sounds good." They all agreed and started to get up. They started walking to the door when Haley noticed Brooke and Peyton just sitting at the table.
"You guys aren't coming?"
Brooke and Peyton looked at each other, "We didn't want to assume…"
Haley interrupted Peyton, "Come on you goofs. Of course you're coming."
They broke into smiles and jumped up to catch up with them. "Good, cause we really wanted to come."
A couple of movies later, they were all sprawled out in the living room. They decided against watching another moving, choosing to talk instead.
Boys speak in rhythm and girls in code.
Brooke's phone started to ring. She flipped it open, "Hello?"
"Hey."
"Hey, Luke. What's up?"
"Well we're all going to play a game up pick up at the rivercourt. We were wondering if the guys wanted to come?" Lucas asked.
"Just the guys? How sexist." Brook joked.
"Oh, since when do you like to run around getting all sweaty?" Lucas questioned.
"Since never. Hold on I'll ask them." Brooke put the phone against her chest as she asked the guys. "It's Lucas. He says they're going to play some basketball game at the rivercourt and was wondering if you guys wanted to join them?"
"Well I'm not much of a basketball player but it sounds fun. Sure, we'll go." Chase told her.
"Okay they're in." Brooke told Lucas over the phone.
"Sweet. So are you going to come to cheer me on?" Lucas smirked.
"Maybe." Brooke smiled.
"Okay, see you soon." Lucas knew that she couldn't pass up an opportunity to cheer for something.
Brooke closed her phone. "Okay let's go. We can cheer the guys on." She told the girls.
"You guys go ahead. I have some stuff to do." Haley told them as she stood up and walked towards the kitchen.
"What?" Brooke asked confused, she was about to follow her into the kitchen when Rachel stopped her.
"I've got this. You guys should just start going. We'll follow you guys."
"Are you sure?" Peyton asked as she looked towards the kitchen.
"Yea, it'll be fine. We'll be there in a few minutes."
"Okay, I guess, if you're sure." Brooke wryly agreed. They all went out to Peyton's car and started driving to the rivercourt.
Rachel walked into the kitchen. She walked up behind Haley and put a hand on her shoulder, "Hales? Are you okay?"
"No." Haley turned around, with tears in her eyes.
"What happened?" Rachel instantly asked as she pulled Haley into a comforting hug.
"Nothing, really." Haley responded between sobs.
"This doesn't seem like nothing." Rachel pointed out.
"I just don't think I can do this." Haley blubbered into Rachel's shoulder.
"Do what honey?" Rachel ran a soothing hand over Haley's hair.
"This." Haley gestured around her. "Being here, in Tree Hill. It's just bringing up so many issues, all of them painful. I left here because I couldn't handle it and I still can't handle it."
Rachel pulled back to look Haley in her eyes. "Is this about Nathan or something even bigger, like maybe the fact that you never dealt with your mom's death?"
"I can't deal with it!" Haley shouted. "I can't go through that pain, not then and not now."
"Haley, I hate to tell you this but you have to deal with it or else it's going to eat you up. I'm serious here, Hales. You need to work through this. I don't know how but I do know that I'll be here for you, the whole way, okay?" Rachel pulled Haley into another hug. "Okay? You don't have to go this pain alone. I promise you."
Haley just broke down into her arms, sobbing; letting it all out. Right there, right then, she's going to start dealing with her past.
AN: so there it is! Again sorry it took so long. No excuses. Leave me some feedback…even if it is a quick FINALLY! LOL Thanks for reading, it means a bunch! :)
