Thank you everyone for all of the nice reviews! You guys are the best.

Thank you Ashley(JLlover0055)once again for being so cool and helping me out with correcting my errors. I appreciate it so much girl.

Chapter 9

I Want To Date Haley James

After Haley left Nathan', she had spent the remainder of her day worrying about him. She felt terrible that she wasn't able to help him, but the bottom line was that it was his decision at the end of the day. It was his relationship and his future on the line, he was the only one who knew what was absolutely right for him. She was just happy to have school to keep her mind occupied and off of Nathan for a while.

"Hey you," Peyton said, "Why so quiet this morning?" she asked her sister as they drove to school.

"Just a little worried." Haley said.

"About?" Peyton pushed.

"Nathan, Brooke, Nathan and Brooke." She said.

"Yeah me too, but Jake reminded me of something after Brooke had left our house yesterday."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" Haley asked.

"It's Nathan and Brooke, the Golden couple. If they can't make this work, who can?"

"I don't think it will be as easy as that Peyt." Haley said.

"Oh sure it is. They love each other. There is nothing more worth fighting for. You'll see someday baby sis. When you are in love, you fight with everything in you to hold onto it and the person in your heart."

I am in love, Haley thought. Just no one knows.

"Yeah I guess." Haley said as they pulled into the school's parking area.

"Don't worry so much. Everything will be fine."

"Ok." she said.

"Oh look, there's Jake." Peyton excitedly pointed.

Peyton and Haley began walking in the direction where Jake was standing talking to a couple of guys on the team, including Riley. Haley was extremely nervous to be in his presence knowing about his crush on her, but she figured as long as she had Peyton and Jake there, she would be fine.

"Jake!" Peyton yelled to gain his attention. Jake immediately turned and spotted her with the goofiest smile on his face. Haley just rolled her eyes, they were sickening. They spent most of their time together and even when they were apart they always had their cell phones glued to their ears talking to one another. It was actually kind of sweet that they loved each other so much. Haley hoped one day a guy as sweet as Jake would love her just as much as he loved her sister.

"Hey babe," he said pecking Peyton's lips. "You look hot this fine morning."

"Thank you." She laughed.

"Hey, no love for your best friend?" Haley interrupted their usual morning grope fest.

"Of course, you know I love you." Jake said pulling Haley into a hug.

"Yeah I feel it." She said rolling her eyes while smacking him on the arm.

"Enough with the abuse," Jake joked. "We wouldn't want to damage this fine body."

"Oh god," Peyton said. "You definitely have been friends with Nathan for too long."

"I resent that. I work very hard to keep in shape." He said as Haley and Peyton just laughed.

"Yeah, you work hard." Peyton said.

"Thank you." Jake said completely engrossed in his daily banter with his two favorite girls. He had totally forgotten he was talking with the guys from the team just seconds ago until Riley cleared his throat.

"Thanks for the introduction, Jake." Riley laughed.

"Sorry, dude. Peyton, Haley, these are the guys from the team."

"No names?" Haley shyly asked.

"Damn Jake, make a guy feel loved." Riley said.

"I don't want to love you," Jake laughed. "You have mouths, use them."

"I'm Riley," he said extending his hand to Haley which she shook. "That's Jeff, Bryan, CJ, and Monk."

"Nice to meet you all." Peyton said.

"Hello, Jeff, Bryan, CJ, and Monk," Haley laughed. "If you don't mind me asking, why do they call you Monk?" she asked quirking her eyebrows in curiosity.

"I'll answer that," Jeff said. "Since I kind of started it. You see Haley, our dear friend Thomas also known as Monk, is a born party animal, all the while retaining his precious virginity." He laughed.

"I may be a little slow," Peyton said. "But I don't get it."

"Monkeys are wild and monks don't have sex," Jake explained. "Monk is a perfect combo of both." He told the girls who burst into laughter.

"Oh my god," Haley laughed. "I'm sorry Monk, but that's funny as hell."

"No problem," He said. "I actually like the name."

"Good thing." Peyton said as everyone began laughing at the nickname.

They all groaned seconds later as the first warning bell for class rang indicating that they had five minutes to get there or be late.

"Oh well, it was fun while it lasted," Jake said. "I'll see you guys at practice." He said grabbing Peyton's hand as they began walking off with Haley trailing them.

Riley knew that this was his chance, before Haley got too far away, he yelled out her name before he started to walk in her direction.

All three of them stopped before Haley told Peyton and Jake that she would catch up with them at lunch.

"Oh hey, Riley," she said. "What's up?"

"I wanted to ask you something, but I didn't want to do it in front of everyone. That would be kind of weird and awkward." He laughed.

"Ok, what is it?"

"I was wondering if you had a date to the dance this weekend?"

"No date," she said looking to the ground. "I don't even think that I'm going, no one has asked me."

"Would you want to go if you had a date?" he nervously asked.

"Umm, I guess, depends on who would be asking."

"Would you like to go with me?"

"You do know it's a sophomore dance, and that I'm a sophomore?"

"Your point being? I like you, I don't care if you're a sophomore." He

smiled.

Haley couldn't help but blush at his words, he was being so sweet to her.

"I would love to go with you to the dance, Riley."

"Cool," he said. "I'll pick you up around seven. Is that okay with you?"

"It's perfect," she said. "Do you need my address?"

"Naah, I can it get it from a Jake," he said. "You can give me your number though, just in case."

Haley smiled before reciting her number as he plugged it into his cell phone.

"Well Haley, thank you for accepting my offer," he laughed. "I'll give you a call later."

"Ok, later."She smiled all the way to her first period calculus class.

Riley seemed so sweet asking her out, Haley was actually excited now about her date. This date with Riley had potential, he could definitely earn a place in her life, and in her heart. It was just what she needed to get over her feelings for Nathan.

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UP NEXT- chapter 10-Movie night with the gang.

Chapter 11-Nathan views Haley differently for the first time as she's preparing to go out with Riley