Chapter 7. We All Chase What We Desire of Possessing.

"Hi, Haley" Alex called as I made my way to quad. "Hey, Alex What's Up?" it surprised me, I ran away from him, what three years ago. Like a scared little girl when he asked me out. "I Wondered , if you were willing to chaperone the prom with me. Next week?" he asked.

The prom... right Why was he now suddenly interested again. "I've been sort of debating on asking you out, since ...." he trailed off. "But since you ran out on me the last time I tried to ask to out, I figure prom might be less scary?" He had a little amused smile on his face, probably because of my warily expression.

"You're asking me to Prom?"I asked incredulously. He chuckled. "I suppose I am..." I could say yes. I had a boyfriend.. well, yeah, even though we were fighting, he was still my boyfriend, it was wrong to go on a date with another guy, just because Nathan would never know because he was never here. This thought made me angry. He was never here, and still I was so loyal to him.

"As a date?" I asked, carefully, not to make the word 'date' sound too... dirty. "Whatever you what it to be." I chuckled. "It doesn't work like that. What do you what it to be?" He flashed a million dollar smile, and said: "Well, I guess prom is the perfect date.."

You can't do it you can't you have boyfriend, you can't date him! I was yelled in my head. Plus prom was tonight! What would I wear!

"You're telling him no, you apologise and she you have a boyfriend."I told myself.

"I'd love to. Okay I'll pick you up at eight?" He said standing up.

As he walked away I called after him : "What did you mean with since,..." I asked. He turned around and walked back. "What do you mean?"

"you said: 'I've been debating on asking you out, since...' than you trailed off." I asked him. He seemed as shamed of the answer to my question. "Since... Lucas and Susan, are together..." it took me a while to understand what he meant. I sighed and chuckled. "you waited three years with asking me out, because you thought I was with Lucas, even though I told you, he's my friend." I started laughing. "How is that funny?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes, and flashed a smile. "Because Lucas is my friend." Now had the urge to tell him that, if he'd asked me a month after the wedding instead of waiting three years, I wouldn't be with Nathan now. Well urge, I found that ironic. "and he's been having, trouble with his high girlfriend, Before he met Susan...." he chuckled a little embarrassed. "we're still on?" He asked to be sure.

"Yeah" Smiled, and shook my head in disbelieve. "You seriously haven't dated anyone since, well the last time I asked you out?" Oops. Time to lie? Or just spin the truth. Pretend for myself that I broke up with Nathan this morning... "No, I actually Broke up with my boyfriend this morning.." he seemed surprised. "oh, I never noticed to had a boyfriend" he was fishing for details, he didn't want.

He'd be scared away if i told him my last boyfriend was Nathan Scott.

Still I was wondering, why I was telling him I broke up with Nathan, while I didn't and why I was going on a date with him, while I had a boyfriend. "He doesn't live here... He lives in New York." I sighed.

"That's why I broke, up with him. He was too busy with work, to have time to come and see me, while I've been flying to new York every two weeks. I'm done flying up and down, if he doesn't do the same for me." He was clearly taking it all in. "Right. Well, I suppose I'm lucky then..." he said and took off.

"Lila, I cannot thank you enough for you hospitality, I really appreciate it." I told her when Liv and I were about to come with Brooke to New York. "I'm very thankful." Lila chuckled. "you made yourself clear Peyton, visit soon please." She said, as she and her husband waved after us.

"And Lila, you know you're the only one and completely trust, at my position." I had promoted her in the spot of my job as I stepped down myself. "I know you do, I'll honour you trust." She said.

Brooke loaded her car, with our luggage, and then we took off.

"So, you know what's next, now Mark gave up on finding you?" Brooke asked as we were on our way to the airport. I sighed, I did know what was next, but it was a tough decision to make. "Yah, I'm getting my divorce." I sighed. That would be hard, but I could handle it, after that I was free to go wherever I wanted. Free to find a new job and place to live with Olivia.

"Good. Because I don't really want to you around for too long. Julian and I are trying to have a baby." She announced. It didn't really surprise me, Brooke had always been fond of Olivia. Now she had her own husband, it was logical, she wanted a little baby of her own. "That's great Brooke, I'm Happy for you, even though the mental pictures you're putting in my head are gross." I grinned.

I knew Brooke better anyone. And her track record spoke for itself.

"Hey, Suz How are you feeling?" I walked into the apartment. "Okay, for now." Susan was troubled by morning sickness. She called sick this morning, I now it was lunch and came home to check on her. "I'm okay.. troubled but okay.." She replied. I stroked her forehead then leaned forward to kiss her head.

"How was practice?" she asked. "The usual" I replied casually. She sighed, I always said the usual, so she still didn't know what the usual was. "Right..." She said, thinking what I just thought.

"You know I've taken the day off." I told her. I had something special planned. A surprise. After everything that happened the last few months, I thought it was time for this.
"Why? I'm fine you don't need to take care of me" She said.

"That's not it. Just put some clothes on that aren't pyjamas and then we'll go." I told her. She went to the bedroom and I walked to the kitchen. I opened at drawer looking for matches and a corkscrew. I found some pictures from Me and Peyton and Brooke and Nathan, also from Bevin and Skills, Mouth and Jake. I hold on to one of the picture of me and Peyton. I remember the last time I'd heard of her, not so long ago. She was running from her abusive husband Mark, who I by the way not liked, in the first place. Brooke told me she was going to take care of it.

I had wanted to meddle, but Brooke and pointed out that that for the sake of Susan and the baby, might not have been a good idea. I wonder how she was doing. "I would call her anyway, when I came back...

"Susan are you ready?" I asked, raising my voice to reach the bedroom. "Nope" she called back. I looked back on the photo one more time and then, putted it back and closed the drawer.

I putted the matches and the corkscrew in a basket, and waited for Susan to be ready.

After practice I ran from the locker room and headed for a cab. "Nathan! Hey where you going so fast?" The same guy yelled after me. I came to a stop and turned around.

"Nick? What up man?"I asked. I knew he meant my sudden departure, but I tried to play along. "Where are you going so quick?" I sighed and wondered whether to tell him. "I'm going to Haley." I announced. "but man we have a game the day after tomorrow, if you're not there he'll bench you for the rest of the season!" Nick said. "I'll try to be back by then. No promises though." I aid and then tok off.

I went by my apartment to pack a bag, and then took a cab to the airport. I was going to see Haley soon.

It was 6 O' clock when I boarded my plane. I was eager to see Haley again. I felt terrible after our conversation this morning so I wanted to make up for her. Haley had made clear she was not flying back to New York, before I made time to fly to Tree Hill. I hoped to be back before the game, but if not it was worth it. Worth not losing Haley. When I finally landed an hour later, I hurried to Tree Hill.

On my way to Haley's apartment, I passed the flyers of Senior prom at Tree Hill High. I remembered my prom with Brooke who refused to make it date like. She had not wanted to dance and the only reason they went together was because they Prom King and Queen.

I drove up the parking lot by Haley's Building. My eyes searched for her apartment, while a walked to the building. When I located her place, the lights were off. I went to her front door, and knocked on it. Once ... Twice... Then a little harder, but she wasn't home.. I wondered where Haley could possibly be on a Friday night, she wasn't really the party type. She was A teacher.

That's when I remembered the flyers. Prom! Of course she was chaperoning the prom. That was a Haley thing to do. I walked down, back to the rental car, I had rented at the Airport. I got in the car, and as I watched the road. I practised what i was going to say to Haley, when I found her.

I would, tell her I was sorry, and that I had come, because she meant too much to me, to let her go. To break up over something so stupid as physical separation. I would tell her that I missed her and I would tell her in person that I loved her .

I followed the familiar road the tree Hill High School, till I turned up the parking lot. As I parked the car, My eyes searched for Haley. I got out of the car as my eyes located Haley, she was at the entrance. Checking weather people didn´t bring alcohol in with them.

I accelerated me pace, So looked absolutely stunning.

...............................

"Have I told you how Beautiful you look?" Alex, asked me as we walked up to the school. I chuckled. "Yes, like ten times already" He grinned. "Good, ten you said… yeah I kind of lost count, but it's good to know I'm at ten already" I smiled shyly.

He placed a hand on the small of my back and escorted me inside. A few suspicious looks were thrown my way, and some disapproving looks as well. I also caught some glimpse of the looks thrown Alex' way. These varied from, "Nice" looks to "naughty!" looks.

We announced our presence, and got an assignment. I was assigned to check the door. Alex was, clearly not happy, when he was assigned to keep an eyes on the kids inside. After an hour standing in the now what cold air.. I got a little on comfortable in my gown.

Alex slipped past me, leaving his hand on my back. "Hey there." He said standing still beside me. "You cold?" I smiled. "Yes, I'm freezing" He moved his hand from my back to my arm, and chuckled "Come on. I'll smuggle you inside." He said, and slowly moved me with him, back inside. By the door, he gently kissed me on my cheek. I blushed and he watched the smile as he crept into the corners of my mouth. Why was I smiling, I might be pretending that Nathan and I had broken up, but.. we hadn't, this was just an innocent date….

.......

What! No. Haley wouldn't, the guy was just flirting with her, not knowing that she was way out of his league. Haley hadn't meant it when she said that maybe we should break up. It wasn't a break up, it was just an expression of frustration.

I found myself pacing quicker and quicker. Till I froze, just twenty yards away from her. I saw the guy, kiss her cheek. She blushed, and then smiled. I never felt so infuriated in my life.

I picked up my pace, as I started to walk again.

.....

We headed inside, and while he walked with me farther inside, I heard some murmurs behind me and threw a quick glance after me, and while I looked back in front of me, my mind caught up with what my eyes caught sight of. I froze in the hall like someone, super-glued my feet to the floor.

…….

Haley looked back, and then away again, just a quarter of a second later she froze. She slowly turned, the guy next the her shifted around her as she turned around. He murmured something in her ear. Haley didn't seem to hear it. She was staring at me now. Our eyes locked. Her beautiful eyes on me. Hurt. Surprised. Shame.

……

Nathan. It was Nathan, I turned around, Alex hovered at my sudden turn. "What's wrong Haley" He murmured in my ear. My eyes locked on Nathans. He'd come. Despite his work, despite the warnings, I meant enough to him to risk his job. His eyes reflected my bedrail, disbelief. The shame was probably reflected on my face. "Is that Nathan Scott?" Alex guessed. "Yes" I mumbled.

Alex probably finally noticed the pain in my face rather than surprise, because he murmured "He was your boyfriend" in disbelief. I shook my head and swallowed the lump in my throat. "He is my boyfriend….." I was sure I would have seen his jaw drop to the ground, if I had been able to rip my eyes away from Nathan.

TadA! Poor Naley! frothose who read all my stories, you probably noticed that thing's are never easy for mNaley in my stories, well beside girlcode,(but that one was my first) One worse than the other but never easy. well let's see how this ends Chapter 8 almost finished. I'll finish it tonight, and them I'll have it up somewhere this week.

Love and Laughter philine