*One Month Later*
"Have you finished that Steinbeck book I gave you yet?" Lucas asked, leaning over the counter. In one swift motion, he'd managed to grab the last sticky bun off the pastry tray and take a bite before Haley had even managed to turn around.
"Working on it," she mentioned, glancing up at him, "You know, those pastries are for paying customers."
"What do you mean working on it?" Lucas asked, "I'm bored to tears over here. I need your notes… I need a new book recommendation," he listed off, taking another bite of his snack. "By the way, as the son of the owner, I'd like to remind you, this is a damn good sticky bun."
Haley rolled her eyes. "Let me remind you," she emphasized playing off his words, "that you passed off a 600-some book, my multimedia project is due in a few weeks, tutoring, and I've been taking on more hours at the café."
"I'm sensing a little bit of hostility with a side of you'll give me something by the end of the week?"
Haley lifted her cup of coffee to her lips and took a sip, holding eye contact with him.
"I'm going to stop talking now, aren't I?"
Haley nodded slowly, setting the cup back down on the table. Turning away from him she swiftly filled other patron's cups seeing as they were running low. With the more hours, she'd been picking up at the café, she'd been spending a lot more time getting to know the regulars. There was an old man named Neil who would come in at 3:45pm on the dot and read the newspaper. Haley had quickly picked up his distaste towards a few of the papers they'd carried and she'd specifically began to order the one he'd ask for. She'd set it down at his specific spot with a cup of hot coffee waiting for him. He'd fill her in on the news, his day-to-day life, and stories of his past. He continued to wear his wedding band after his wife had passed and he often would tell her stories of his great love.
Haley often teased that he was her wingman. Any time a young man walked through the door he'd go, "that looks like a nice gentleman" and she knew he was eavesdropping on her conversation with Luke.
"How's Brooke, by the way?" she asked in Luke's direction, turning to flash a quick look at the old man.
"Brooke is Brooke," he explained lamely.
"That doesn't sound too promising," she commented, grabbing the empty pastry dish and setting out the last batch of the day.
"No, things are good," he reassured her, "But she's sort of on my case about going to winter formal."
"Winter formal?" she asked, raising her brow, "And did you explain to her that every formal we skip and have our own anti-formal?"
Luke pointed to her and grimaced, "Word for word and then she asked 'Could you be more brooding'? My fate is sealed—I have to go," he sighed.
Haley pouted, "But we don't do dances. We've never done dances. I can handle a movie marathon alone, for sure, but when you add in multiple pizzas from all the pizza places in town that's just when it gets sad."
"Almost as sad as how we keep giving Capozzi's pizza a shot, thinking it'll get better, but it never does."
"Exactly. I can't go on this journey alone! Come on, Luke."
"Or you could come with me and Brooke?" he offered.
"Tempting," she stated, "But, you know, I think I might be busy that day."
"Oh yea?"
"Yea, busy not breaking pacts made by best friends," she informed him, "Also, third-wheeling at a dance is just sad."
"I'm sure we could find you a date. Or Brooke could," he shrugged.
"Because that worked out so well last time."
"You've got to admit, you and Jake were a decent fit. You just have poor taste," he joked, hinting at her feelings for Nathan. While it'd been a month since Nathan and Haley had patched things up, she couldn't say the same for Jake. She'd seen him in class, in the halls, and occasionally with Luke but things were still so-so. He'd make small talk and was nice but things would fade and either he or she would excuse themselves from the encounter.
"I'm going to choose to ignore that," Haley warned, crossing her arms.
"I hate to suggest it," Luke sighed, "but what about Nathan?"
"Nathan's a nice gentleman," Neil piped up, nodding in approval.
Luke turned to the old man confused and then looked towards Haley.
Haley laughed, shaking her head at Neil. "You're not the only Scott who drops by to see me often," she informed Luke, "And Neil here is around more than the both of you. Maybe Neil would like to come dance with me?"
"If I could dance with a pretty lady like you I would, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to sit this one out," he laughed quietly to himself, shakily picking up his drink.
"Besides," Haley said, turning back to Luke, "Nathan wouldn't ask me to go to winter formal with him anyways."
"I figured I'd go with Hales," Nathan shared, as he performed a lay-up. He was just reaching the end of his workout when Brooke had stopped by his home.
"Well you're making my job a lot easier," Brooke cheerily smiled. Digging her hands in her pockets she looked on as Nathan dribbled the ball and took another shot. "Now, does she know you're planning on going with her?"
Nathan turned to her, wiping the sweat from his face with his shirt, "Who put you up to this?" He'd become all too familiar with her meddling after dating Peyton. Whenever the two were in an argument Brooke would come around trying to set him straight, or tell him where she was, or how to make things up to her. While he eventually would act on Brooke's suggestions, he still felt hesitation any time she started acting too chummy.
"Me," she shrugged simply. "I want to go to formal with my bf and he won't go without Haley," she shared with dissatisfaction. "They have this weird anti-formal pact thing-,"
"Killjoys," Nathan cut in.
"That's what I'm trying to say!" Brooke exclaimed.
"I'm kidding. Formals are stupid anyways," Nathan stated, taking another shot, "But, as captain of the basketball team, it's sort of my responsibility show up at these things."
"Okay, well, whatever reason you're there, you still go. Which means please for the love of god take Haley."
"I said I would!" he assured her, resting the basketball at his side.
"Okay, but Haley's not like Peyton," she said, "You may have just been able to say 'We're going' and it was a done deal, but that's not going to cut it with Haley!"
Nathan feigned offense," Brooke, who do you think I am? I wouldn't do that to her."
"Okay, hot shot, what's your plan?"
"I'd say "We're going or Brooke is gonna beat us up. Done deal," Nathan kept a blank stare for a few seconds before the sides of his mouth curled and a laugh escaped him. "Brooke, I don't know what I'm going to say, but I'll figure it out."
Brooke crossed her arms, standing firm in not only her words but her stature.
"Well, enjoy this," he motioned, referencing to their surrounds, "I'm gonna get a shower before Haley comes over."
"Ooooh a date?" Brooke asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
"Hanging out. We're just friends, Brooke."
"Everyone likes to joke that I'm the clueless one but I think that's you if you really believe you're both just friends!" She called out, watching Nathan disappear inside.
"You wouldn't believe the day I had," Haley announced as she brushed past Nathan in the doorway.
Amused, Nathan shut the door behind him and followed her down the hall into the kitchen. He watched as she quickly set out food for the two of them, placing a container of leftovers into the microwave. Her moves were frantic, dancing across the room, as he leaned forward on his elbows, calm, waiting for her to continue.
"So Paul quit," she sighed, "which would be great if I could be at the café at all hours of the day but, you know, I'm not," she complained, swinging the door of the microwave open to check on the temperature of the dish. "And I know what you're thinking, you're thinking 'Hales, this doesn't fall on you, don't give yourself another thing to worry about', and that's where you're wrong, Nathan," she stated as a matter-of-factly, pointing at him.
Nathan bit his tongue, trying to keep himself from chuckling. He couldn't help but notice the way her forehead would wrinkle as she raised her eyebrows, exhaling her frustrations out; it was cute but he knew if he ever said such a thing to her she'd slap him upside the head. "So where's Karen in all this?" he asked, keeping his questions short and few.
Nathan had learned a lot about the way Haley operated in terms of being frustrated. She was the type of girl who liked to air out what was bothering her, but would never ask for help. She was from a large family and he knew she often felt as if her voice wasn't heard. So, he'd sit. He'd sit down and give her his full undivided attention and watch as she talked herself in circles until she fell quiet and calm. She just needed someone to listen… and Nathan? He'd listen to her talk for hours. He found that the two operated differently in that sense. More recently Nathan had become more open with her about his parents and his relationship with his father but he still didn't say too much. Instead, he'd find calmness in listening to her weigh-in on his situation. Her voice was warm and comforting and as soft-spoken as it could be, he knew he'd be able to pick it out in a roomful of people.
"I feel like I haven't seen her since TRIC opened," Haley replied, "I'm so happy and proud of her but I feel like I can't say no and I'm biting off more than I can chew. I've already taken on a ton of hours but we need extra help," she stated simply, setting the other dish in the microwave. "But people are always looking to pick up something part-time, right?"
Nathan nodded, walking behind her. Wrapping his arms around her, he felt her hands squeeze his forearms lightly and lean into him. Resting his chin above her head he held her for a few moments, maybe even a bit longer than intended, but the two stood comfortably. And that's how it'd been lately. Comfortable. Easy.
"What do you say about some roof-top dining?" he asked, "and before you shoot me down, I've already laid out a blanket and you can steal another one of my sweatshirts," he playfully suggested, tugging lightly on his sweatshirt she was wearing already that she'd stolen from him that night they'd slept at the beach house.
"Finders keepers, okay?" she said in a playful, defensive tone.
Haley followed Nathan upstairs, passing by empty bedrooms, until what she presumed was his bedroom. Despite all the time they'd spent together lately, she'd still yet to see it. The walls were gray, adorned with various posters and old jerseys, and in the corner, a desk. Above the desk was a 'Tree Hill Ravens' pennant, his practice schedule, and to her surprise, a picture of the two from a photobooth at one of TRIC's live-music nights.
"I made it on your wall?" she asked sweetly, briefly touching the picture strip before looking up at him.
"Don't act so surprised. Only the most important stuff goes up on my wall," he informed her, tugging on her hand lightly towards the windows.
Lifting the window up, Nathan swung his one leg over the window sill and stepped out onto the short, flat roof that hung above the front doors. Turning back to her, he reached his hand out, helping her climb through the window. Just as he'd said, there was a light blue blanket spread out with a few throw pillows for them to rest on.
"Do you do this often?" she asked, sitting cross-legged, taking everything in with a mesmerized smile.
"Sometimes," he confessed. "If I can't sleep and I'm up late I'll come out here or if I have some big blow out fight with my dad."
"This would be my escape too if I was you."
"It's sort of funny how it all started," he chuckled, tucking his legs close to his chest, "I was trying to sneak out and head to some party Tim was throwing and I got distracted," he shared, pointing up at the stars. "I got so caught up in it that I didn't want to leave—it had some sort of pull on me."
"I could stare at them for hours," she confessed, wrapping her arms around herself. "I'd look at them with you any day—although I think it's already starting to become our thing."
Nathan smiled, keeping his eyes set ahead. "Our thing?"
"You know, an ongoing tradition that you do with someone and only them," she explained, bumping her shoulder against his.
"Okay, it's our thing then," he nodded, turning to her. His eyes fell on her warm, brown ones and then slowly trailed to her lips. They looked soft and inviting but he knew better than to cross that line right now. His gaze flickered back to her eyes and then he turned to face the sky again and laid back on the flat surface.
Haley let out a breath she'd been holding and swallowed what felt like a knot in her throat. It'd been the second time they'd had what felt like a moment under the mask of the starry sky. Haley laid back next to him and the two remained in silence for a comfortable period of time.
"Sing for me?" he asked.
"What?"
"Sing for me," he repeated, turning to her, and leaned up on his elbow. "You promised you would."
"Oh no," she whined, covering her face with her hands, "you don't want to ruin this with the memory of my singing, do you?"
"It'd make it," he insisted.
"You're not gonna film this are you?" she asked, spreading her fingers to peak at him.
"Is it selfish to say that I want the first time I hear you sing be just for me?"
Haley bit her lip, trying to hold back a smile. "Okay. But one condition," she warned, pointing at him.
"Anything," he laughed, holding out his pinky.
"You can't look at me!" she laughed. "I get nervous and I've never done this for anyone before."
"It is pretty dark out so it's difficult to see you enough," he replied, "but I'll keep my eyes shut."
"Okay," she sighed, waiting for him to turn away from her and close his eyes. Once he did so, she turned her head too, and looked above at the stars twinkling over them. With a deep inhale and exhale, trying to calm her nerves, she began to sing.
So what you been doing?
I've been loving my life waking up on my own
Are you doing the same thing?
You can say if you like but I don't need to know
And I, I've been wondering why we've been wasting all this time
So what you been doing?
I thought that I saw you, I guess I was wrong
Are you doing the same thing?
Convincing yourself you're better alone
And I could tell you how you never left my mind
Nathan turned to face her, smiling as she closed her eyes, lost in song. He could feel her passion as she sang and as unconfident as she said she was, he'd never seen her more sure of herself. She radiated beauty and her voice was as warm and inviting as her regular speech.
Then you tell me that you miss me and I'm like
Oh God, I miss you too… It's all I ever do
I'm coming back to you and I won't let go
Oh God, I miss you too.. we got making up to do
I'm coming back to you And I won't let go again
Silence filled the air between them again and Haley bit her lip, waiting for Nathan to say anything. As the silence increased, the twisting feeling of her stomach grew. "That bad?" she asked, trying to gauge his reaction.
"Haley-," he began, falling short.
"See! This is why I didn't want to sing, I'm so embarrassed," she huffed, covering her face.
"Haley," he stated again, more softly. "You know how you could stare at the stars for hours?" he asked, brushing her hands away from her face.
"Yea…"
"I could listen to you sing for hours."
A sweet smile emerged from Haley's lips, "You mean it?"
Nathan nodded, looking up at the stars. "This is my favorite place in the world—here with you," he stated, "Seriously. I can have the worst day ever or you could be having the worst day ever," he pointed out, "and you've got this lightness about you. I always have a smile on my face and I'm happy when you're around."
It was in that moment that Haley was thankful for the darkness that enveloped them. She could feel heat radiating from her face at his words. Her thoughts were whirling around her head and she couldn't help but feel drawn to him. She spent countless times daydreaming him saying such words to her and it still didn't feel quite real—she needed contact. Without thinking, Haley turned on her side, curling into his side and resting her hand on his chest. It was innocent yet so intimate.
Nathan felt content. He tilted his head down to get a peak of Haley resting on his chest. Slowly, his traced his fingers along her back and eventually, softly, through her hair. "I've been meaning to ask you something…"
"Okay," she replied nervously, but hopeful.
"Got a date for winter formal?"
Haley let out a loud, booming laugh.
"What?!" he asked, drawing her closer into his arms.
"I don't know, I thought it was going to be something more serious, I was nervous."
"What's more serious than winter formal?" he jokingly asked.
"Oh, I don't know, watching paint dry?" she teased, "So… I don't have a date but I also wasn't planning on going."
"Why is that?"
"It's not really my thing!" she confessed. "Luke and I like to order pizzas and watch movies and wear sweats and I don't know, I don't have a dress and my dancing is subpar at best," she listed, running through a list of reasons.
"You and Luke can do that any night and if he disagrees I'd be more than happy to volunteer to fill his spot," he countered, "you can go shopping with Brooke for a dress," he suggested, "Or maybe not because her taste can get a little out of control," he laughed, "and I have two left feet so we'll both make awful dancing partners."
Haley shifted her head up, getting a better look at him, "Are you serious about this?"
"Come with me. Everything is better when you're there."
"Okay," she quietly agreed, smiling to herself.
"Yea?" he asked, surprised and relieved all at once.
"My favorite place is with you too. I can get all dressed up and pretend like I know how to blend in."
"You couldn't blend in if you tried," he replied, "you stand out among the rest."
"Is that supposed to be a good thing?" she asked, confused.
And then he made the move that she didn't have the nerves to do. He slowly interlocked their fingers, lifting their clasped hands in the air to admire the way they fit perfectly together.
"It's a good thing."
I'm so happy a few of you are still reading! This may be my favorite chapter yet (Lucas x Haley friendship, Brooke x Nathan interaction, and Haley x Nathan). I haven't planned out the numbers of chapters that will be left, but I am going to work on a timeline just to get a better idea. There's a couple things I want to touch on still, but I think I'm going to stick to finishing the story when their semester ends. At the same time I totaaaaaaaaaally want to delve into family dynamics and develop Nathan x Lucas friendship because they still are very distant in this but who knows (this is my first story and I'm just ambitious and excited). As always, please let me know what you think!
ps. the song Haley sings for Nathan is "Miss You" piano version by Gabrielle Aplin