Auhor's Note: Thank you so much for the review. I loved reading each and every one of them. I was debating between making this one long chapter or putting it into two but I figured that you guys shouldn't have to wait that long so here it is.

"So…" Nathan and Lucas were at the Rivercourt. It was now Wednesday and Nathan hadn't been able to talk to Haley since the club last Friday. It was becoming a routine, her avoiding him, him chasing after her. He had tried calling her house and stopping by but she never answered. He didn't know what he had done wrong but he was determined to make it up to her. He needed her in his life.

"So…" Lucas responded.

Ever since Sunday Lucas had been acting weird. He had been nervous and edgy whenever Nathan was around. Something was definitely up. "Okay, so Nathan, there's something I have to tell you." Lucas said nervously.

Here it comes...Nathan thought to himself.

"Since you and Haley have to do a scene together tomorrow I guess it's better you find out now than finding out on the set because knowing you you would probably-"

"Lucas," Nathan cut him off. "Whatever it is, it can't be that bad, just tell me."

Lucas looked down nervously before looked up at Nathan. "Haley and Trevor kind of have a date tonight."

"THEY WHAT?!" Nathan exclaimed enraged as he slammed the ball down on the pavement. "How could she see something in that jackass! This is bullshit!"

"Don't kill the messenger!" Lucas exclaimed with his hands up in the air. When he saw Nathan's face his expression softened. When Lucas had first heard that Haley had a date with Trevor he had been so surprised, he knew that she liked Nathan, it just didn't make any sense. "Look Nate," Lucas said softly "I know this sucks, even I don't think she should be with him, but she is and there's nothing we can do about it. She seems to see something in the guy and we just have to respect that."

"Whatever." Nathan said irritably. "I just- I just wish-"

"You just wish it was you." Lucas finished for him.

"Yeah." Nathan sighed. "I do."

~*23*~

Haley was sitting on her couch reading a book when she heard a knock at the door. She put her book down on the coffee table before making her way towards the door. She looked out through the peep hole to see Brooke and Peyton standing there with loads and loads of bags.

"Whoa! What's going on you guys!" Haley said as she opened the door.

"We're having another girls night!" Brooke announced.

"Yeah," Peyton added. "We couldn't get anything out of you last time so we decided we'd have to try again."

Haley groaned inwardly. This was the last thing she wanted. Peyton and Brooke coming over here to talk about her and Nathan.

"Come on Tutorgirl!" Brooke exclaimed loudly, snapping Haley back to reality. "Let's get these movies into the DVD player!"

The three girls spent the next five hours watching movies, eating junk food and joking around. When the last movie had finally finished Haley quickly went to retrieve it and put it back in it's case before heading for her sleeping bag in the middle of the living room.

"Alright guys, well I'm wiped, time for bed, see you tomorrow." Haley rushed out as she hurried to climb into her sleeping back.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on missy! Not so fast!" Peyton exclaimed. "It's only eight o'clock and you are not getting away from us that easy!"

"I have no clue what you're talking about." Haley said feigning innocence.

"Come on, Tutorgirl, spill!" Brooke whined. "I've been waiting too long, what is going on with you and Hotshot!"

"Nothing." Haley said sullenly, and unfortunately it was true. Sure, she always knew nothing was ever going to happen between her and Nathan because he didn't have feelings for her, but at least before she could hope. Now she didn't even have that.

"That's bullshit!" Brooke protested. "Come on Haley! Both me and Peyton-"

"Peyton and I" Haley corrected.

"Whatever." Brooke brushed off. "The point is, we both know you have feelings for Nathan so just stop denying it and tell us. Trust me you'll feel so much better after you do."

"There really is nothing going on between us Brooke," Haley started. Brooke looked like she was about to protest but Haley quickly put her hand up to stop her. "The truth is, yes I do like Nathan-"

"Yes! I knew it! I knew it!" Brooke jumped up and started doing a little happy dance.

"Great!" Peyton said, sounding quite enthused as well, "now all you have to do is tell him."

"Yeah about that…" Hale started. Brooke stopped her little dance and looked down at Haley curiously before sitting back down and leaning in so she could hear the rest of the story. "I kind of already told him." Haley said as she bit her lip and fiddled with her pinky ring nervously while she waited for her friend's reactions. Both of them went wide-eyed and completely silent for a moment before yelling out simultaneously.

"YOU WHAT?!"

Haley cringed before she started to explain. "Well, I didn't exactly tell him, but I asked him how he felt about me at the club on Friday so I guess it's kind of the same thing if you think abo-"

"Really you asked him that?" One of them interrupted her ramble.

"What did he say?"

"Did you guys kiss?"

"Are you like dating now?"

"Oh my gosh you totally kissed didn't you?"

"I bet it was awesome."

Both of them fired question after question before asking in unison. "How come you didn't tell us!"

It was then that they noticed the sullen expression upon their friend's face.

"What's wrong Haley?" Brooke asked.

"He- he said that he just thought of me as a friend." Haley replied as she looked down, her eyes watering slightly.

"But- that doesn't make any sense." Peyton mumbled to herself. She knew that Nathan had feelings for Haley. She had never seen someone so infatuated in her life. It was the most obvious thing in the world. But why on earth would Nathan lie about his feelings for Haley? It just didn't add up. She was about to ponder the subject further when the sound of Brooke's infuriated voice brought her back to reality.

"He did what?!" Brooke exclaimed. "That's it I'm gonna go over to his house and kick his ass so hard-"

"Brooke." Haley interrupted calmly. "It's not his fault he doesn't think of me that way. It's just the way he feels, just like I can't help the way I feel. He didn't do anything wrong. He was just being honest with me."

Honest my ass! Peyton thought to herself.

"Besides," Haley continued. "I have a date on Friday."

"Wait, back up a minute here." Brooke said before pausing to look at Haley. "What?"

"Well two days after umm…everything with Nathan, I was walking up to Karen's Café when Trevor asked me out. At first I was going to say no but, I mean, Nathan doesn't like me so I figured I may as well try and move on, you know?" Haley explained.

"Yeah, I know what you mean Tutorgirl." Brooke said softly as she gave Haley a sympathetic smile and leaned in to give her a hug. As she was hugging Haley she gave Peyton a look which Peyton returned with a nod of her head.

They were going to get to the bottom of this.

~*23*~

Nathan walked into his house and headed for the shower. After playing basket-ball the day before he had spent the night at Lucas'. He was pretty sure Lucas had made him stay just so that he didn't go and kick Trevor's ass, which was a pretty tempting idea.

He stripped off his clothes and climbed into the shower letting the hot water wash over him. The whole time he was in the shower he imagined what it would be like if he were the one going on the date with Haley. He let himself get lost in an alternate universe where Haley actually had feelings for him, the more he thought about it, the more he didn't want to step out of the shower and come back to reality. He wanted to stay in his own personal heaven forever. Unfortunately just as the hot water was starting to go cold he heard banging at his front door.

He quickly climbed out of the shower and threw on a pair of boxers and basketball shorts before going to answer the door.

"Peyton? Brooke?" He asked when he saw them on the other side. "What are you guys doing here?"

Without answering his question Brooke stepped forward and slapped him across the face. "You ass!"

"What?" Nathan asked, slightly stunned from the slap. "Look I'm sorry I couldn't get to the door in time but I was in the shower and-"

"Not that you idiot!" Brooke exclaimed.

"Then what?" Nathan asked confused. None of this made any sense, he couldn't think of anything he had done that could've earned him a slap in the face.

"Nathan did you tell Haley you thought of her as a friend?" Peyton asked as she stood before him with her arms crossed.

"Ummm…yeah." Nathan responded hesitantly.

"Why?" Peyton's voice seemed to soften as she noticed his confusion.

"Why what?" Nathan asked.

"Don't play innocent with me." Brooke snarled. "We all know you have feelings for Haley. Why the hell did you lie about them?!"

Nathan looked between the two girls before shaking his head and covering his face with his hands. "You all know? I knew I was being too obvious!" He berated himself as he headed headed towards the living room, the girls following closely behind. "I knew she suspected something!" He then turned and faced the two girls. "Look I'm really sorry but I can't help that I feel this way. I knew she suspected something and I knew that if I told her the truth I would lose her. I know it's wrong but I had to lie, I need her in my life."

He turned to look at Brooke and Peyton and noticed that they were both standing completely still, looking shocked. Then, all of a sudden, both of them started laughing hysterically.

"Guys, I really don't see what's so funny." Nathan commented irritably.

"What's so funny is that-" Brooke started before Peyton swiftly cut her off.

"What's so funny is that umm…" Peyton paused to think of something. "Is that although Haley had had her doubts on whether or not you had feelings for her, she is now absolutely sure that you don't. Don't worry, your lie worked." Technically Peyton was telling the truth, but this way she wasn't betraying Haley's confidence either. She knew the last statement wasn't necessary but she found herself a little angry with Nathan and could help the spiteful tone that she had used as she said it. She knew it wasn't his fault that he was so clueless but it still infuriated her that two people who were so obviously attracted to each other were so oblivious.

"Yeah," Brooke added, catching on quickly. "In fact, Haley has a date on Friday." She boasted.

Peyton turned to glare at Brooke. Yeah she was angry with him, but there was no need to torture the guy.

"I know." Nathan groaned as he plopped down on the couch, his head in his hands. "What am I gonna do?" He muttered to himself.

"What do you mean?" Peyton asked as she went over to him, starting to feel her anger dissipate as she saw how broken up Nathan was.

"I don't think I can do this much anymore." Nathan muttered, still talking to himself. He then turned to Peyton. "How am I supposed to watch them together? Just knowing she's with someone else is hard enough, but now I'm going to have to watch it. I just don't know if I can do it Peyton."

"Nate, maybe you should tell her how you feel." Brooke said as she went to sit on the other side of him. He sounded so desperate as he talked about Haley, and although she was one of Haley's best friends, she couldn't help but feel for Nathan as well.

"I can't Brooke." Nathan said dejectedly. "I know she doesn't feel the same way, the only thing I can do is be her friend."

"But Nate," Peyton said, rubbing his shoulder. "How long can you do that for? Just be her friend. You can't hide your feelings forever. If you feel this strongly for her after just a month how are you going to continue like this for the rest of your life?"

"I don't know, but I know I'm going to try as long as I can." Nathan said determinedly. "I have to, it's all I can do. If the only way I can have her is as a friend then I'll take it. It's all I've got."

Brooke and Peyton looked at each other for a moment. Contemplating whether or not to try and convince him to tell Haley about his feelings. Peyton looked at Nathan one more time and was tempted to tell him what she knew, Nathan was one of her best friends and she hated to see him hurting like this, but she knew she had to let him figure it out on his own, it was the only way.

Peyton stood and started to make her way to the door. "Sorry we bothered you Nathan, but I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow. Call if you need anything."

"Yeah Nate," Brooke added she followed Peyton to the door.

"Thanks guys," Nathan managed a small smile. "I'll see you around." He said as they walked out the door.

"So, how long do you think he'll last?" Brooke asked once they were outside.

"Not long." Peyton responded. "I've never seen Nathan so hung up in my life, he's never even showed he cared about a girl before. Whatever he feels for Haley must be pretty deep for him to be this broken up."

"I just hope he tells her soon." Brooke frowned. "This is hurting them both."

"Yeah I hope so too." Peyton sighed.

Well, now both of their feelings have been confirmed and are out in the open...well somewhat. Reviews are greatly apprieciated!

Next Chapter:

How will Nathan cope having to see Haley and Trevor together?