*A/N-Ooh…super long chapter, sorry but there was a lot of stuff that I had to cover. Hope you all enjoy and pls keep reading/reviewing! Thanks!*

Chapter 9(Haley)

Beat down in the Key of Happy

I woke up the next morning, feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. I was stuck in a morning fog, not really sure what was happening, where I was, or who was sleeping next to me. I turned over to see Nathan laying there curled up next to me. Ooookay….what the heck had happened last night?

I retraced all the steps I had taken last night. I'd walked into the Peyton and Lucas heartbreak. I'd run out. I'd gone to the café. I'd met Nathan there. We'd kissed. He'd told me I needed some fun. He'd taken me back to Tim's party. I'd drunk a lot. Nathan had driven me home. We'd kissed some more. After that, everything was a bit of a blur. Holy shit! Had I slept with him? Had I lost my virginity while I was drunk?

I grabbed a magazine from my nightstand and whacked Nathan hard in the face with it. He woke up immediately, sputtering, "What the hell?" He sat up but I jumped off the bed.

"I don't believe you!" I screamed.

He held out his hands, "Hales, calm down, ok?"

"No it's not ok! You knew how vulnerable I was last night! I was DRUNK, Nathan! You took advantage.

He got off the bed and reached for me but I slapped his hands away, "Haley, be quiet, ok? Your parents are going to hear you."

"I don't care!"

He held up his tanned fingers, counting off his points, "One, if you'll look, you and I are both still wearing the clothes we were last night. Two, I came to take you home. I made sure you got up here ok but you asked me to stay. I laid down on the floor but you told me that I could sleep in the bed too. Three, I never touched you, other than when you kissed me as I was bringing you in here but I stopped you. Four, I would never, ever take advantage of you. And five, you threw up on me…twice."

I looked down at his shorts and saw a discolored spot that looked like someone had scrubbed at it really hard with water, but it hadn't come out. I grimaced, "Really? Twice? Was it totally gross?"

Nathan started laughing and pulled me into a hug, "Completely and utterly gross." As my anger faded away it hit me how much my head was hurting and how much I felt like throwing up again. I must have made a gagging noise because Nathan darted away quicker than I've ever seen anyone move.

He held my wastebasket in front of my face, "Use the trashcan this time!"

I breathed deep, calming my stomach and pushed the trashcan away. "Chill out, I think I'm going to be fine."

I sat down on the bed and he sat next to me, brushing my hair behind my ear. "You'll be fine, Haley. Just drink a lot of water. It's only like seven, so you have time to get ready for school. I'd better go, though. I gotta get a shower and change before school. I don't want to be wearing your dinner all day."

I grimaced, "Sorry about that."

He got up and kissed me on the forehead, "No problem, holding your hair while you throw up was on my list of things that I had to do before I died."

He blew me a kiss goodbye and walked over to my bedroom window. He slid it open and looked down. "Uh, Haley. The tree is gone."

"What?"

"Well I noticed when you were tutoring me, that there was a tree next to your room but its gone."

"Oh, yeah. My dad cut that down a week ago."

He poked his head farther out the window, "Damn. That's a long way down. If I don't make it, tell my mother I loved her."

I laughed, "Nathan, stop. If it's only seven, you can just leave out the front door. My parents don't usually get up until noon at least."

He pulled himself back in the window, "Really? I don't have to take the plunge of death?"

I shook my head and immediately regretted doing it as the room spun.

"Okay. I'll go home and change and be back to pick you up for school."

"Pick me up?"

"Yeah, it would be hell to have to walk to school with a hangover."

He kissed me again on the forehead and slid out my door, closing it softly behind him. I heard one of the stairs creak loudly as he stepped on it and a muffled, "Damn it!" from Nathan.

I laid back on my bed and stared up at my ceiling. My heart still ached but maybe being with Nathan would put a scab over the cut. He was nice, funny, and not bad on the eyes. Sure, I didn't think I'd ever love him but like would be good enough, right? Like…was all I was ever going to get.

I went to take a shower and put on my happy face for school and for facing Lucas. Nathan picked me up as promised. He held the door of his black mustang open and did a short bow, "Your carriage awaits my lady."

I laughed and slid into the leather seats. I felt warmth on my butt and after a moment of shock, I realized that Nathan's car must have seat warmers. Nathan slid in and started the engine. We got to school in record time but I couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic. I'd rather walk in the freezing cold with Lucas, than ride in any fancy car.

Nathan got out and ran around to my side, yelling, "Don't! I'll get it!" I shook my head, laughing. He was silly. He pulled open my door and let me out. He took my book bag from me and put it over his shoulder with his. Then, he put his arm around my shoulders as we walked to class. His warmth felt nice but not right. It felt wrong. Like an annoying weight on my shoulders instead of the comfort he meant it to be. I swallowed the feeling and forced myself to lean into his embrace. I had to make this work. I needed this to work. Nathan was nice and he cared about me. I needed him to make me forget about Lucas.

We walked across the parking lot and into the courtyard. That's when I saw them. Lucas and Peyton. They were sitting at one of the stone tables, deep in conversation. She was sitting next to him. She had her hand on his shoulder. He was looking into her eyes and smiling. I felt intense rage boil up within me. I'd prepared myself for this moment but it hadn't done any good.

As if he felt my angry eyes upon him, Lucas turned to look at me. I saw something in his eyes. (or did I just imagine it?) He jumped up and started towards me but then I think he really looked at me. He looked at Nathan's arm around me. He looked at me leaning into it. He looked at the anger in my eyes. I saw something inside him die (or did I just imagine it?)I forced a smile on my face. I forced myself to look happy. I saw him smile back at my smile but his looked shattered.

He finished walking up to me and I felt Nathan's arm tighten around my shoulders. My heart and head struggled inwardly with the impulse to shake him off and run to Lucas. My head won, just barely. I stayed in his arms.

Lucas looked at me, the way that only Lucas could look at me. The way that made my knees turn to jelly.

"Hey, Hales. Can I talk to you?"

I forced myself to be calm, cool, confident, not torn apart inside. "Sure."

He waited for a second and then looked at Nathan. "Alone?"

I looked up at Nathan, "Could you give me a minute" I choked on the next word, "sweetie?"

Nathan lit up and Lucas wilted (or did I just imagine it?). Nathan leaned down and kissed my cheek, "Sure thing, baby." I looked at Lucas and saw his fists clenched and his jaw working. It seemed like he was fighting something.(or did I just imagine it?)

Nathan slid away from me and I sighed to have his weight off my shoulders. "I'll be inside when you're done talking to Lucas."

I nodded, my attention already focused on the boy in front of me. My Lucas. Just seeing him made everything better. My headache dimmed, my stomach calmed, my heart however was fluttering all over the place.

He smiled at me hesitantly and scuffed his shoe on the pavement, a nervous habit he's had since we were 10 and I fell in love with him all over again.

"So…ummm. I know what that you saw us last night." He jerked his head back towards where Peyton was still sitting, watching us. "Peyton and me, I mean."

Why did he have to bring that up? I felt my heart start cracking again. He was going to tell me that I was a great friend. He was going to explain how much he loved Peyton. He was going to tell me that I'd just been a sort of substitute until he could have her again. Like hell he was!

Lucas continued, "Haley, the truth is…"

I held up my hand, "Whatever you need to say, Luke, just forget it. This is how it should be. We were stupid for playing that dating-game with each other. We shouldn't have pretended to be anything but friends. That's what we are and that's how it will always be, right?"

Lucas looked upset,(or did I just imagine it?) "Yeah, of course, Haley. But…"

I cut him off again, "No, but. We both got what we wanted. I've got Nathan and now you've got Peyton. I'm really happy." I forced a smile. "Nathan is a great boyfriend."

Lucas looked shocked, (or did I just imagine it?) "He's your boyfriend? Since when?"

"Since, we went out last night." I had to force this into him. I had to hurt him how he'd hurt me. "Since, we kissed last night. And since, he spent the night with me last night."

I saw pain etched across Lucas' face(or did I just imagine it?), even though he tried to hide it. He probably would have been successful too, but it was me and I knew every emotion he had. I wanted him to know that I'd moved on. That I wasn't going to waste my time, pining over him. Sure, I made it seem like Nathan and I had sex when really I'd just puked on him a couple of times and passed out. But, that's what I needed Lucas to believe. He had to believe I liked someone else so that he could go on with Peyton. So he wouldn't feel awkward being my friend again. If he thought, what he probably assumed was a little crush I had on him, was over, then he'd be able to be my friend again. I could handle seeing him with Peyton, as long as I could see him. Not having him was more than I could bear though.

I saw Lucas tremble, (or did I just imagine it?) "Well, congratulations, Hales. You always did like Nathan."

I forced a smile, "You're right I always have." I always liked Nathan, I always loved you, is what I really wanted to say. But I didn't. I didn't reach out and touch Lucas like I wanted to. I didn't press my lips against his like I wanted to. I didn't whisper words of love to him like I wanted to.

Instead, I looked back and Peyton. "Peyton is waiting on you. Nathan is waiting on me, too. I'll see you during lunch, ok?"

Lucas swallowed hard (or did I just imagine it?)

He watched me walk away. He stared after me with love reflected all over him. He ran after me, grabbed me, spun me around and kissed me hard. (I imagined it)

In real life, he looked at me, then turned and walked back to Peyton. I turned and walked away to Nathan, alone.