"Josh! Oh my god!" I waited for him to place me back on my feet before punching his shoulder. "What the hell are you doing here? And where was my heads up phone call?" I placed my hands on my hips and smiled as cursed me for hurting him.

"It's not a surprise visit if I call you and tell you I'm coming, smarty. Besides I've missed you. I don't like the way things ended and we haven't spoken. I wanted to make sure you were adjusting alright." He added on quickly as I opened my mouth to object. "I see you've made friends." He waved and I looked over my shoulder and blushed. I totally forgot about Brooke and Peyton.

"I'm doing well. I have friends and I actually like it here. So far." He nodded and pushed some of his brown hair out of his face. I looked at him and could see the different emotions clouding his eyes.

"It's just been weeks, you know? I…I just…I don't know." He ran a hand over his face as I mumbled a 'Sorry'

He stepped closer and wrapped me in another hug. "I'm an idiot. I hope you can forgive me and we can work this out." I heard him whisper. He stepped back when we heard a throat clear behind me.

"Hi." Brooke said extending her arm to Josh. "I thought I'd introduce myself. I'm Brooke Scott. Who are you? Ow."

"I'm Peyton. Excuse her." The blonde said pushing Brooke aside as she also shook Josh's hand.

"Guys this is Josh. My…umm…friend from California." I said searching for the right words. I tried to keep my smile in place as Brooke's eyes narrowed. "These are some of the friends I have made." I said turning my attention back to Josh. When all he did was nod I clapped my hands together. "Well this has been fun. Can I talk to the two of you over there? Thanks. Excuse us." I grabbed their hands and pulled them back to the entrance of the mall. "I have to go with him. We have some things to talk about and well, it'd be rude to not hang with someone who's visiting. So, thanks for understanding." I turned to walk away only to have them both step in my path.

"Friend?"

"He seems nice."

I smiled as they spoke at the same time, both completely different things.

"Nice? He's going to ruin everything. Duh." Brooke said crossing her arms across her chest. When I looked at Peyton she shrugged in response.

"Everything?" I asked not quite sure I was ready to hear what she had to say.

"Yes. You and Nathan. UGH!" She threw her hands up in frustration before crossing them again. "He's not going to be happy with you running off with some friend."

"I don't think he has any say in what I do or who I do it with for starters. And secondly, Josh is a friend. A friend I'm being rude to right now, so if you'll excuse me." I didn't wait for any response before I pushed my way passed them and over to Josh. Without looking back I climbed into the car and rubbed my temples. This was going to be a long day.

What a day. In just a matter of hours Nathan Scott had been pulled in so many directions emotionally. Physically too, he thought as he plopped down on the couch with a loud groan. First he and Haley almost kissed. Of course that was just to mess with Brooke, but still. It was something he wanted. Something he had wanted since the first time he saw her. Then there were his friends constantly on him for saying he liked her. He was allowed to like a girl. It wasn't a crime. But the worst had to be his father. Dan Scott always had to have some sort of say in his son's life. Even if that say was torturing him for the last 3 hours. Dan actually made Nathan want to reconsider ever playing basketball again. But then he knew basketball was his ticket out of Tree Hill and away from his father. Not to mention it's the thing he was best at…besides sex.

With that thought in his head and a smirk on his face Nathan stood up and made his way to the kitchen. His smile only grew when he found his sister pacing and mumbling to herself.

"Having a bad day?" Nathan asked laughing as Brooke jumped in the air.

"Not funny." She put a hand over her heart before glaring at her brother. "What are you doing? I thought you were at the River Court with Lucas." Brooke watched Nathan's eyes glaze over and the smile disappeared from his face. She walked across the room and hugged him before placing a kiss on his cheek. "He's just jealous of you. You're better then he ever was."

"Thanks. I'm not really in the mood to talk about it. But…trash session later?" She smiled up at him before looking down at her hands. "How was the mall? Have you corrupted Haley yet?"

"Of course. That's what I do best." She continued to play with her hands as she made her way to the kitchen table and sat down.

Brooke felt her stomach tighten just thinking of having to tell her brother about the situation that just happened. Seeing as how he was already in a bad mood maybe it would be best to just let this play out. Of course that would just blow up in her face too if it turned out Haley really did have feelings for this other kid, Jason…no Jacob. Oh, it didn't matter. What mattered was Nathan was seriously crushing on her.

She looked back at him and put a hand over her mouth to hide the smile when she saw all the food her brother had pulled out of the refrigerator. She may have been confused about the current situation but there was one thing Brooke was sure of.

"You're a pig."

Nathan looked over his shoulder, mustard in one hand relish in another, and smiled.

"You want one? Sandwiches are my specialty."

"This is enough stuff to feed a village. You seriously can't be putting all this between two pieces of bread." She made her way over to the counter to study everything he had laid out and stared in shock.

"It's been a weird day. I'm allowed to pig out if I want to."

"Don't blame me when you get fat and no one wants you."

"If, and that's a big if, I'll always have you." He cupped her chin before patting her cheek. He then went back to surveying his choices and finally picked threw what he wanted. "You never did tell me what your problem was. The pacing."

Brooke picked up a piece of turkey before putting it back down and sighed.

"Hales ditched us. Someone she grew up with surprised her with a visit. I guess I'm a little sore from being dumped."

Nathan picked up some lettuce before angling his head in her direction. He could tell there was more to it then that. But did he want to know what that more was was the question.

"You sure? You seem more then just sore. Something else happen? You get bad vibes from this chick?"

"What did I tell you about calling girls chicks? God!"

"Sorry. Guess I hit the target. If she's a friend of Haley's she can't be so bad. You're just being territorial. It's cute."

"It's not me who should be territorial." Brooke mumbled before putting her hand over her mouth.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Just you guys are close and I think…I think you should call her. Ask her out or something. Make your move man."

"First, don't 'man' me. Second, I'm not just going to call her out of the blue and ask her out. It's not something you do over the phone. Thi..."

"Why not? Why can't it be? Who says you can't ask someone out over the phone?"

"You for starters. When, if, I ask her out it'll be right. Not spontaneous because you're all twisted over some visitor. God Brooke, chill out. You are losing it."

"No! You are! Can't you see? If you don't do something about it now then you'll surely lose her. Gosh, only you can lose a girl you don't even really have. My god! Make your move MAN. And hurry up before it's too late and some snotty douche with a J name takes your place." She poked him in the shoulder before mumbling something under her breath and stormed out of the kitchen.

"I hope you know you're crazy!" Nathan screamed after her before scratching his head. "This is one seriously twisted day."

"Just think about it. Tell me you'll think about it." Josh looked over from the road to me and I sighed for what had to be the thousandth time that day. "Thinking is all I'm asking right now. I know I can't ask for anything else."

"I can't give you anything more. I just don't know how to give you…"

"Please. Don't. Don't say anything until you at least sleep on it."

I looked over and studied his profile before turning and looked out the window. The beautiful day had turned and it was now pouring but I didn't mind. I actually enjoyed the rain.

I tapped on Josh's arm and pointed to the right and continued to stare out the window as he slowed the car until we were stopped outside my house. I went for my buckle only to be stopped by Josh's hand covering mine. My gaze shifted up and my eyes locked with his. He leaned closer and I breathed in and closed my eyes. I opened them again when I felt his hand touch my cheek. He closed the gap more and I could feel his hot breath on me now. I watched his eyes close as he moved the rest of the way in.

"I need to get inside."

I watched as he blinked several times trying to figure out what just happened. My heart fell when he dropped his hand and sunk back into his seat.

"Yes, of course. Let me get your door." He looked over at me once more and the pain written all over his face was hard to miss. I ran a head threw my hair before unbuckling my belt. When I was out and felt the cold rain I turned to look at him.

"I need time. You, showing up here, it's a lot to process. You have to understand." I said raising my voice to make sure he could hear me over the steady pounding of rain.

"I do. Of course I do. But you can't honestly say you feel nothing for me. After everything we've been threw."

"After everything you still broke my heart when I told you I was leaving. You made me feel like it meant nothing. Like the past year and a half of my life I spent with you was nothing. It was awful Josh. First my parents then you. I needed you!"

"I know! I'm so sorry. I panicked. I don't know how else to describe it, Hales. I felt like everything was changing so fast and I couldn't stop it. I couldn't find a way to just hold on to you and make you stay."

"My parents died! They're dead Josh. Gone. You think you're life changed try putting yourself in my shoes!" I pushed my now soaking wet hair out of my face and realized what it was I loved so much about the rain. No one could tell you were crying.

"That's why I'm here, baby. I made a mistake. I shouldn't have been so selfish. I should have shown you I would stick by you, and I will. No matter what." He walked to me and put his hands on my face. "I love you Haley."

"Don't. Don't say that to me. You have no right to say that to me." I cried out pushing his hands away only to have him grab me and pull me back to him. "I hate you! I really hate you."

I punched him as hard as I could in the chest and then did it again. And again. He kept telling me it was ok and pulled me into him tightly but I knew it was a lie. Things weren't ok. Not between us, not with my family. They never would be again. That was something I was going to have to live with I supposed. But at least I was living.

"I don't hate you."

"I know. You're allowed to though."

"I miss them. God, I miss them so much Josh. I never thought I would. I never thought I could hurt this much."

"I think it'll always hurt. But, over time, it'll ease. You'll learn to live with it. The last thing they would want is for you to hurt or feel guilty."

"How is it that you always know how I'm feeling even when I don't?"

"I'm just a genius I guess. But in all seriousness Hales, you'll be just fine."

I looked up at him and blinked away the mixture of rain and tears. Before I could fully register what was happening Josh closed the distance and his mouth covered mine. Instinctively my eyes closed and I kissed him back. When I felt his tongue trace my bottom lip my senses came back and I pushed him away.

"What the hell was that! I told you space and time, did I not?"

"I'm sorry. I thought…"

"You thought wrong. God damn, Josh. Just go. I'll call you tomorrow or something."

When he stepped foreword I stepped back and pointed towards the car. "Go."

As I watched him drive away I let out a mini scream. Followed by a sob. I wiped under my eyes before I turned to the house. Out of the corner I thought I saw something making me turn to the left and I saw a figure turn the corner. I stepped in the direction of the figure, stopping as something crumpled under my feet. I bent and saw a bouquet of flowers on the ground and looked back down the street. Who the hell would be delivering flowers in the pouring rain?

I picked them up and headed back to the house hoping they would survive. Under the safety of the porch I searched for a card and prayed that I could read it and deliver them in the morning.

"Pretty."

I jumped and looked and saw my grandmother in the doorway. She held out her hand for them and inspected them as I just did.

"No card, shame." I said stepping into the house. I grabbed the blanket off the back of the chair and almost melted at the sudden warmth. When I turned back to her she held a small card in her hands with a smile on her face.

"If you don't catch a cold I might actually let you keep seeing this boy. I'm a sucker for flowers and romance. I'm going to put them in water. Get a warm bath and clean clothes." She placed the card in my hands before walking out of the room. I stared after her confused. The confusion turned to shock when I read what was in my hands.

Haley

I want to take the next step with you. I like you. Sounds cheesy but there it is. Now I'm probably a million different shades of red so go easy on me. You won't regret it, I promise.

Nathan