A/N: Sorry it's been a while! I've been so busy and I wasn't 100% sure where I was going with this chapter. I hope you like what I've done with it.

Enjoy!

10. Revelations to the Worst Person.

August 2006.
_

Haley went back to spraying down the counters until she heard the bell above ring out again, signalling a new customer. Haley grabbed notepad and pen before she turned and froze, blue eyes meeting Brown.
"hey" Nathan said "can I get a coffee?"

...

"Sorry?" Haley stuttered as she tried to grasp the situation. Nathan Scott was in the diner, talking to her, asking her something.

"Coffee" Nathan smiled

"Right! Sorry" Haley said grabbing the pot as Nathan sat down on a stool at the bench, picking up a menu while Haley poured the coffee into a cup, watching him with fascination.

"Ew. Salmon pancakes? Who does that?" Nathan looked up at her with a disgusted look on his face.

Haley shrugged in answer "Your guess is as good as mine"

"I'll just stick with the coffee then" he chuckled taking a sip of the beverage "Thank you"

Haley smiled and went back to wiping the counter where Nathan sat. She looked at his face, his eyes were glistened over in contemplation. Something was on his mind, she could tell.

"Hey" Haley stood in front of him again "I know it's none of my business, but are you okay?"

Nathan smiled sadly "you know what I hate?" he asked her

Haley shook her head. "Taking people's orders"

She raised an eyebrow "What do you know about taking orders from anyone?"

"You don't know my dad" he chuckled bitterly "He has this whole plan for my life, you know? He doesn't care about what I want"

"So why don't you make him listen?" she asked

"You ever feel like if you show someone who you really are, they just won't accept you?" He said after a moment

"Yeah, like you're wearing a mask" Haley hinted

Nathan's eyes lit up "Yeah"

"You just want to be honest with this person and tell them, 'it's me. I'm the one you've been looking for' and just hope that they're okay with it"

"That's exactly how I feel"

Haley took a deep breath. This was it. This was her chance. "Nathan, I'm -"

DING!

"HALEY!" Victoria screeched as she walked into the diner. Haley cringed, and turned to look at her holding up her index finger

"One second" she pleaded

"No. NOW" Victoria stated sternly

Haley sighed and looked at Nathan who shook his head and stood up "It's cool, I've gotta run anyways"
He placed a few notes under the saucer holding his cup and walked to the door. He walked back quickly and placed his hand over Haley's on the counter. Haley felt her skin tingle at his touch.

"Thank you, Haley"

"You're welcome" she smiled as Nathan nodded his head and walked out the door.

Haley was sitting in her room, doing her homework. She had her stereo on full volume, Jimmy Eat World blaring through the speakers. Victoria hated Haley's music, so she took every opportunity she had to play the music as loud as possible.
She looked at her computer and saw the 5 notifications on her IM icon. She stared at the number, contemplating whether or not she should open them.

She did.

BBallBoy: Will you please tell me who you are?

BBallBoy: I really want to get to know you Cinderella.

BBallBoy: I can't stop thinking about you. Please.

BBallBoy: I'm not giving up.

BBallBoy: So please don't give up either.

She didn't want to give up. Her conversation with Nathan in the diner kept replaying in her head. She finally talked to him, not as Cinderella. But as plain old Haley James. Maybe he wouldn't mind who she was.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, before she slowly whispered the words she typed

"My name is-"

"HALEY!" Gabriella Morgan barged into the room and flopped down onto Haley's bed. Rachel, Gabriella and Brianna had been invited over to spend the day in Victoria's lavish pool since Rachel's parents were in the middle of an expansion for their house. Which meant that Haley was hiding out in her room until they left. She didn't need to deal with those girls today.

Haley turned in her chair and looked at her, fighting the urge to fling the girl out of her room by her hair.
"Can I help you with something?"

"Victoria wants you" she said sitting up "Oh my god what the hell is this crap you're listening to?"

"If you don't like it then get out" she snapped

Gabriella smiled tightly "You'd better hurry. Vicky's not in the best mood today"

Haley groaned and got up to leave the room. "Don't touch my stuff!" she yelled out.

Gabriella waved her hand in a nonchalant manner. She waited for a minute before standing up and looking around the room. She walked over to the desk when she heard the computer ding, signalling a new IM.

BBallBoy: Come on Cinderella. You know I'm not letting this go. ~ Nathan

"Nathan?" Gabriella whispered "Haley is Cinderella!?"

"So what was so important that we had to leave!?" Rachel snapped exasperated.

"I figured out who Cinderella is" Gabriella said as she handed her the printouts of Haley and Nathan's messages.

"Who the hell is Haley!?" Rachel shrieked

"Diner girl. Victoria's step-daughter" Brianna said "She's super sweet and pretty- OW!" she said when Gabriella nudged her in the side with her elbow.

"Well, little Diner girl thinks she can swoop in and steal my man huh?" Rachel whispered to herself "She's about to see just how cruel I can be"

Rachel turned around and looked at Gabriella and Brianna "We've got work to do"

A/N: Ok, so this is a little shorter than normal but I hope you like it. Things will be getting more interesting now. I'll try to add in some more Brulian and Leyton in the next chapters.

As always, Please Review and let me know what you think

- Maddie :)