I'm so sorry guys for the lack in an update. It's just I was in a horseback riding accident and then was working for me, so. I've had this chapter written for a while now but like I said, just couldnt get it up. I hope you like this chapter, because I really like it. Please continue to R&R because they mean everything. So, without further ado...
Chapter 10
"You're really something special you know that" Brooke smiled as they walked into the apartment.
"Yeah I know" Nathan shrugged his shoulders
"I'm sorry I classified you as every other guy"
"It's ok. It gave me the chance to actually fight for you" he smiled as he bent down and passionately kissed her soft lips.
"so do you want to go out tonight?" she asked him eagerly
"I don't think so" he said plainly as he sat down on the couch
"and why not?"
"because it's Thursday and Grey's Anatomy is on" he smiled
"Why Mr. Scott, are you getting obsessed with the show"
"No" he tried to reassure her "I just know how much you love the show"
"yeah ok" she laughed as she played with his ear with her mouth.
"That's not fair." he smiled
"I never play fair" she whispered. He pulled her over the back of the couch and laid her down beneath him. He smiled at her as he pushed a stray hair from her eyes.
"I love you Brooke"
"I love you too" she smiled as he leaned down and began kissing her.
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Lucas came home to find Haley packing her clothes.
"What are you doing?" he asked her
"I'm leaving Lucas" she said sadly as she continued to pack
"What? Why?"
"Because Nathan's moved on" she said as she wiped an escaped tear away from her cheek.
"Haley" Lucas said sympathetically
"It's fine Luke. I'm not upset"
"Clearly" he said, laughing a little
"That wasn't suppose to be funny" she said setting down her bag. She slowly walked over to the bed and sat next to Lucas. He immediately wrapped his arm around her and pulled her in close.
"You know, Nathan isn't the only reason to have come back. I miss you Hales" he said as she rested his head upon hers.
"I know Luke. I miss you so much"
"So then stay" he begged her
"I cant. As much as I love Tree Hill. It would just be too hard to stay." she said softly
"You can do it Hales. I understand it would be hard but you have to stay. Where else are you going to go?" he asked her. She had just come back, and he wasn't near ready to let her go again.
She sniffed as she tried to catch herself from crying. "My plane leaves tomorrow afternoon. I'm gonna meet my parents in Atlanta and we're gonna go from there"
"Haley. It's our senior year. We were suppose to do this together."
"You have Peyton now" she smiled
"Haley"
"I didn't mean it like that." she said as she wiped a stray tear. "what I meant was that you're not gonna be alone if I leave."
"It's not the same. I love Peyton, but she's not you. She's not the person I grew up with."
"I know Lucas" she pulled out of his grasp and walked to the other side of the room. "can we talk about something else. I don't really feel like crying my last night in Tree Hill"
"ok" he agreed. He stood up and walked to his closet as he pulled out two sweatshirts. "let's go get ice cream and sit at the river court, like old times" he smiled handing her the sweatshirt.
"Thanks" she smiled as she took it from his hands.
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"I can not believe they did that" Brooke screamed at the TV. "how could George cheat on his wife like that."
"and with Izzie none the less. They're suppose to be best friends" Nathan added. Brooke looked over at him shocked. "What?" he questioned
"I do believe you like this show" she smiled at him
"I do not. I just watch it because you like it"
"Liar" she smiled as she curled up in his arms. They lied there for a minute, her in his arms, him playing with her hair. "Nathan" she asked after a while
"yeah"
"do you regret being with me?"
"what? Of course not"
"now just listen a minute. What if Haley wouldn't have left on tour. Would you ever have developed feelings for me?"
"probably not" he said truthfully
"than how cant you regret being with me? When Haley came back you two could have been together." He turned her around so that they were now facing each other.
"Brooke. I've said it many of times. I love you. Haley left on tour, and I developed feelings for you. And I can honestly say if she wouldn't have, I don't think we would be lying here today. So in a way, that's why I'm thankful she did leave. I don't regret the decisions I've made. Is that enough reassurance." he smiled at her.
"I never doubted you loved me. I think you proved that earlier today." she smiled at him "I was just curious if you had regrets with how things worked out with Haley
"I mean I would love for us to be friends but"
"it's hard"
"yeah"
"Yeah I know what you mean" she half-smiled
"you and Lucas"
"and Peyton. I mean I love her to death, but things are definitely not the same."
"I understand"
"We are pretty messed up" she laughed
"Yeah well, at least we can be messed up together" he smiled as he wrapped her in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. Brooke giggling the whole way.
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"Thanks Luke" Haley smiled as they lied together on the court. They hadn't done this in years. Just the two of them, lying in the middle of the court, eating ice cream, the wind blowing through their hair. It was perfect.
"anytime" he smiled. They watched the stars fade in and out about them through the clouds.
"so you're happy with Peyton?" she asked him
"yeah" he smiled "I really love her"
"I'm glad you two finally gave it a shot"
"yeah"
"so tell me" he began "how was the tour. I mean we really never talked about it"
"It was great. I mean there's nothing like standing on stage with hundreds of eyes upon you. I mean its scary as hell, but so exciting at the same time. After the first note is out, there's no turning back, and I basically just got to sing my soul out every night."
"do you regret leaving?"
She turned her head to face him. "just between you and I" she stated "yeah"
"Hales"
"don't get me wrong, following me dream was amazing. But losing the love of my life was a far worse fate." she said as she turned her head back toward the stars. Lucas looked at her for a minute longer and then back toward the stars as well.
"I'm really gonna miss you Hales. You're my best friend. And you always will be."
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"Where's Haley?" Brooke asked in the middle of class the following day
"didn't you hear" Peyton whispered. Brooke shook her head "she's leaving this afternoon"
"What?"
"yup" Brooke turned around in her seat. She couldn't let Haley leave without even talking to her. Brooke raised her hand.
"Yes Ms. Davis"
"can I please go to the bathroom?"
"Fine" the teacher answered as Brooke quickly left the room. She walked past the bathroom and out the school doors to the parking lot.
Brooke knocked on Lucas' all-too-familiar door. Haley opened it and stared at her stunned.
"I couldn't let you leave like this"
"Brooke I'm not angry."
"It's just me Haley. You don't have to lie anymore"
"Brooke. I'm not lying. I'm not angry."
"I should have called you or something" Brooke began to stammer
"Yeah cause that would have been a lot easier to find out that way. I think I'll take the embarrassing moment of finding out along with the whole school" Haley said sarcastically
"I get it. No way is easy" Haley nodded her head in a 'duh' like fashion. "Haley, I know what it feels like on the other side and I never wanted to do it to you. I thought it was over between you guys. I never would have done it if it wasn't"
"I understand Brooke. And that's why I'm not mad ok?" Haley said trying to reassure her.
"ok" Brooke nodded her head. She opened her arms inviting Haley to give her one last hug. Haley reluctantly followed suite, smiling as she did so. "I'm gonna miss you Haley"
"Just take care of him" Haley whispered. Brooke shook her head in silence.
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"has anyone seen Brooke?" Nathan asked after the bell rang.
"I think she went to see Haley" Peyton answered
"Why?"
"Because she's leaving and I guess she wanted to say goodbye."
"wait what?"
"Haley's leaving" Lucas answered
"why?"
Both Lucas and Peyton just looked at him.
"Was she going to tell me?"
"probably not"
"what time?" he frantically asked
"in about an hour" Lucas responded. Nathan quickly ran past them. He passed Brooke in the parking lot and she just let him go. She knew he needed to do this.
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He quickly pulled up to the airport and hurried inside, frantically looking for Haley. He spotted her standing in line to security.
"Haley" he shouted
She turned around to see him running toward her.
"Nathan what are you doing here?"
"Why are you leaving?" he asked, panting heavily
"Nathan I have to go"
"why?" he asked. She looked at him and back at the line. She stepped out to talk to him.
"Because I have to Nathan. You've clearly moved on. There's nothing left for me in Tree Hill"
"Haley please don't leave because of me"
"Nathan, it's fine. You love her, I understand. I couldn't expect you to wait for me forever."
"yeah, but that doesn't mean you have to leave. You could stay and we could"
"be friends" she finished his sentence
"yeah" he nodded his head
"that would be too hard and too weird. I just think this is the best thing"
"but I don't want you to go"
"Nathan please stop" she was now getting teary-eyed. "you have Brooke now, and she's wonderful for you."
"But I want you too"
She began to cry a little. Nathan pulled her into a big hug. She cried into him.
"Haley I've missed you. I don't want to see you go again"
"I know. I've missed you so much Nathan."
"Then please stay" he begged her, tears forming in his eyes as well.
"I would love to Nathan. I would love to."
"then do it"
She pulled out of his embrace and wiped some tears from her eyes. "Nathan if I say, it would be like our marriage ending would be a joke. If I stayed, then I shouldn't have left in the first place." she said softly as she turned to go through security. "I love you Nathan. And I always will. Just remember that." she half-smiled.
Nathan watched as she walked away for the last time. It all just seemed so surreal. This couldn't be happening to him again. He loved Brooke, but he loved Haley too. And he wished more than anything she would just stay.
"I love you Haley" he shouted. She turned around tears streaming down her face. She half-smiled again before she turned around and continued on. Nathan watched until he could no longer see her. He slowly turned around and walked out of the airport, tear stains visibly on his cheeks.
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He walked into the apartment and sat down next to Brooke. He fell upon her and began crying. He laid there as she began rubbing his head, consoling him. She held him as he cried through the night.