OMG HERE IT IS FINALLY!!
i have a small confession... im doiing an internship right now, and ive been writing when im supposed
to be doing work... SO there u go... thats how much i love my readers.. :)
hope u guys like... xxx
Haley swallowed the last bite of her burger and turned to look at her friend.
The one guy who has been plaguing her mind for over a day.
The guy who she felt she could always depend on.
The guy she no longer wanted to know.
He was standing a couple of meter's away from her, looking dishevelled but as hot as ever.
Cigarette in one hand, one of his leg folded behind him, resting on a tree.
Dean took one last drag and dropped his cigarette, looked up, and smiled.
Smiled that Dean Winchester smile.
GOD, Haley hated that smile.
So smug. So cocky. So… gentle.
Haley shook the last thought away, and looked up at him with fiery eyes.
"One lousy burger doesn't make up for screwing my sister".
"I know", he replied.
His voice muffled by the wind that gently breezed its way past the two of them.
Haley pulled her legs closer to her body, hoping that it would somehow give her some much needed warmth.
"And you're so smug. Wipe that grin from your face"
Dean was trying so hard not to look smug, but the fact of the matter is that it was hard not to smile around Haley.
Even after driving for hours, not eating, spending your only money on buying food for Haley, feeling guilty as hell for sleeping with her nemesis and none other than her sister, he still found it very very difficult to not be smiling right now.
Fact was one.
He had found her.
Here she was, sitting not far from him.
Her silky wavy blonde hair blowing softly, tucked neatly behind her ears.
Her lips forming a sexy pout.
Dean had realized something not too long ago.
He had realized that he wasn't as independent as he always thought.
He realized that he was actually very dependant on his friends.
That without them he'd be lost, maybe more messed up then he already is.
He'd probably be sitting in jail somewhere, waking up in the middle of the night,
All sweaty and alone.
He shuttered at the thought.
He took a deep breath, words dancing around his head.
When he finally knew what he was going to say, he stepped closer to Haley and finally opened his mouth.
"Hales…",
"Don't", she cut him off.
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, shifting uncomfortably, her cheeks flushed.
"Don't say sorry. Don't expect me to laugh and say 'Oh its fine!' because its not.
Don't be cocky. Don't just stand there looking at me"
Dean looked away.
"Don't pretend to be my friend when you never were! You never were!!"
Haley knew that she was going to have a fit, but she didn't care.
She could already feel her body's temperature rising, her muscles tensing.
The oxygen she breathed seem to get stuck between her nostrils and wouldn't go any further.
Oh how she wanted to go back to Tree Hill.
Take a long bath, hug her mom and sleep her pain away.
Dean took a step closer towards her and tried to calm her down by touching her shoulders.
Haley spontaneously threw them away.
He looked hurt for a few seconds.
"Hales that's what I've been trying to say" he says, sounding exhausted and defeated.
Haley could see that Dean was actually flushed.
His cheeks were red hot and his brows were curved in the way that it does when he's upset.
His eyes darted up and down, from Haley to his shoes, as if making a decision in which direction he would look.
"What..?", Haley's voice sounded harsh. Cruel almost.
She didn't like it.
Didn't like it at all.
"Us Haley." He stopped for a few seconds, then finally said, "We were never friends."
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"So Joey likes Dawson, but he likes Jen who likes that Gacey?".
Brooke's eyes widen in disbelief.
"First of all Lucas Scott… it is Pacey."
Lucas waved his arms around, as if saying whatever.
"And second," she continued, "You've got it all wrong!"
Lucas sat back and started to regret asking in the first place.
They were all sitting in the living room.
Dean and Haley were finally on their way back, and the atmosphere was beginning to calm.
Brooke had insisted on putting Dawson's Creek, and in an attempt to actually enjoy it, Lucas had been trying to understand the sick and twisted plot.
She was still sitting there, arms in the air, animatedly explaining the plot, characters, who's done what with who, and all the drama.
"I give up!!", she yelled when she realized she had totally lost him.
She then stood up and dramatically walked up to Jake who was lying on the carpet.
She pretended to weep and hid her hands inside her long jumper, like a little kid, and jumped on top of him.
"Lucas is a bullyyy….",
Jake pulled her into a hug and gave her a sympathetic frown.
"Don't be a baby pretty girl", Lucas screams from the couch, "although right now, I must say you're not looking the part".
Brooke lets out a loud shriek and throws him a pillow.
She looks down at the oversized jumper and her old worn out leggings and cringed.
"So much for being home coming queen three years In a row".
"Hmm", Lucas puts one finger on his cheek, pretending to think. "I think I might have seen a movie like that somewhere… I think it was called The world revolves around Brooke Davis".
As usual, instead of seeing it as an offensive remark, Brooke gloats.
"I believe so. I might have seen that movie with you Roe, rings a bell, right P.S?"
Peyton laughed and gave her a nod.
"I'm sure you have B".
"Whats wrong Peyt?", Nathan asks from across the room.
He had been quiet the whole night, and this was the first time Peyton noticed him talking.
He was sitting on a brown leather lazy chair, the colour a contrast to his soft blue sweater. He looked quite amazing, Peyton felt an urge to paint him.
She made a mental note to remind her self when they get back to Tree Hill.
"What do you mean what's wrong with me?",
Nathan shrugs.
"Never mind".
She saw a flicker in his eyes, and realized what this was all about.
He wanted to talk to her.
She quickly scanned the room, Brooke was still throwing pillows at Luke who now looked like he was about to explode, Jake was gently pulling Brooke and telling her to stop, and Clark was busy talking on the phone in the kitchen… Peyton swore she heard the word "Rach", escape his lips a couple of times.
She rolled her eyes and turned back to Nathan.
"Yeah, I guess something is wrong… can I talk to you for a sec Nate?"
He followed her faithfully up the stairs and into the first room.
When Nathan walked in Peyton had already pulled up her sleeves, and faced him, looking like she was getting ready to work.
"O..kay…", he said.
"What's up Nate?", she asked, her green eyes piercing.
Nathan shifted his weight from side to side for what seemed like forever.
Peyton had never realized how much her friend had grown through the years.
He looked like a man, he was tall and his muscles were peeking from underneath his sweater, he looked wise also, but most of all, Peyton couldn't deny that he looked extremely beautiful.
Handsome goes without saying, but Peyton felt the word beautiful made much more sense.
Nathan finally made his way to a chair near the door and sat down.
"I don't know who to talk to",
"Well I'm glad you thought of me",
He looked up.
"I didn't,"
"Wow… I feel special already"
Nathan gave her a look.
Peyton knew exactly when to shut up, and she knew the time was now.
She waited and waited for what seemed like forever, she waited for Nathan to say something, and after awhile his lips finally moved.
"Girls".
"What?", Peyton asked in disbelief.
After minutes of waiting, was that all Nathan could come up with?
A lousy word?
"What… about girls?", Peyton chose her questions carefully.
Nathan frowned and thought for awhile, as if giving Peyton's question a serious thought.
"Well… I'm sick of them".
"So are u gay now?"
"Obviously not!"
"Then?"
Nathan bit his lips.
He got up and moved to the bed, his weight causing the bed (and Peyton) to jolt.
"This trip", he started, "Has been pretty weird don't you think?",
Peyton nods.
It's true.
It had been one of the weirdest trips she's had in a long time.
First of all, there had been so much tension, and even now, knowing that Dean and Hales were on their way home, the tension was still there.
Like a huge blue elephant was in the room, but no one was supposed to say anything.
As if everyone was biting their tongues, pretending.
Pretending to be the same, but there was something in the air.
Something Peyton could feel.
Change.
Change was happening, and she could feel her self holding on to their friendships and the used to be's for dear life, but she couldn't deny it.
Change was going to happen no matter what Peyton Sawyer wanted.
"Weird to say the least", she finally added.
Nathan rubbed his hands on the surface of his pants.
"I'm going to go to L.A for a bit Peyt…"
"What?!"
"Yeah..", he continued, "I'm gonna go see my dad",
Peyton's eyes widen in disbelief.
"Am I hearing this right? Your dad? Nate, there's a game in one week… not to mention you've completely lost your mind!"
"Well…"
"You've never wanted to go see your dad Nathan! Never!"
"Yea…"
"What's happening?? For once I really don't know what's going on up there!"
"Well maybe you never did Peyton!"
Peyton stopped.
She had crossed the line, she thought as she shook her head.
Her friend had chosen her, to confide in her, tell her something, and instead she questioned him.
What a friend.
Nathan read the complete change in Peyton's expression.
"I'm sorry"
"It's okay", she said.
They sat quietly for what seemed like an eternity, every little sound making a huge echo in their heads.
"I've always thought I knew what I wanted."
Peyton nods.
"But ever since we got here Peyton, I feel like I've changed. Like I can finally see things clearly,"
"What are you talking about?", she demanded.
"Everything Peyton. Not just me, but everyone. I see things clearly now"
"Look Nate…"
"I'm gonna leave tomorrow morning… before everyone wakes up,"
"Why…?" "It feels easier to explain my self to you".
Peyton felt light headed.
"What is happening Nathan?"
Nathan shook his head.
"Time to clear my head Peyton,"
He pulled her in and hugged her gently, before getting up and slowly walking to the door.
He stopped midway and turned to face her.
"Ignorance is bliss. I should have reminded my self that".
And he disappeared behind the door.
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Thirty-five minutes.
The longest thirty-five minutes of Haley's life.
The only thirty five minutes of her life where she'd spent with Dean but wished she was somewhere else.
She was starting to wander why she had had to travel so far from their cabin, she seriously thought she might just jump off the car if they were still in this state for another ten minutes.
The soft tune of the notwists were playing in the background.
She didn't usually like songs like these, but she didn't mind this one.
She tried to casually sneak a look at Deans ipod, sitting neatly near the hand brakes, trying to see the name of the song.
"It's called Solitaire".
Haley jolted.
She looked out of the window and pretended not to hear him.
It was weird to hear him talk, after thirty-five minutes of utter and complete silence.
The roads were empty outside, and the sky were shades of blue with a tint of amber.
It was twilight.
She gazed at the fields, and tried to lose her thoughts.
Tried to maybe let her heavy eyes do their jobs and fall asleep, because frankly,
Haley was exhausted.
This day had felt like the longest day of her life.
Her heart was throbbing and she had to keep her self from holding on to her chest for dear life.
She tried to think of home, Tree Hill, her bed, but she still couldn't keep her mind of what happened.
She took a deep breath.
"What do you mean…?" She asked.
She didn't realize how shaky her voice sounded.
Dean shook his head. He looked angry. His hands were clenched into a fist and he looked like he was about to hit someone.
"I… I'm a failure Hales."
Haley felt her throat tighten.
"All I've ever been good at, … am good at, is mess up"
"…That's not true Dean… you're…"
"Haley Please."
She stopped.
He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a low grunt, she almost missed it.
"I'm a drunk, I fight, I'm stupid, even my parents don't want me…"
Haley was going to say something before she stopped.
Let him speak, she told her self.
"I have always failed, at everything I do. At times I think the world would be better off without me."
Haley felt a surge of emotion flowing through her veins.
Her heart was pounding hard, and not of anger, that was for sure.
For all she knows she had completely forgiven Dean, and now all she wanted to be was Haley, Dean's friend. Hug him and tell him that everything is alright.
Everything will be alright.
"The only good thing I have going for me… the closest thing I have to a family, well.. its you guys… and…", he took a step forward.
Haley held her breath.
"…and..", he stopped.
Dean took a few steps back, as if changing his mind about saying anything at all.
" Say!", she heard her self scream. It was almost like a plea.
Dean turned away and walked further down, back to his car.
"What is wrong with you??" She yelled.
"What is wrong with you??" she started hitting his back, throwing punches and pushing him further away from her.
"You are useless!! You're right!! Maybe the world would be better without you around!! I'm sure I wouldn't miss you for a second!!"
Dean turned around unexpectedly and held Haley's hands up, stopping her from hitting him any further.
"That's good. You've realized now."
He opened the door and slid inside the passenger seat, leaving Haley standing outside.
Minutes seemed to pass before Dean finally rolled the window down, looking much more calm, and said, "Are you coming?"
And just like that.
Just like that, she had gotten in.
She took another deep breath.
She wasn't angry anymore, that was for sure.
She was tired of being angry. All she wanted was for things to just go back to normal.
Yes.
But Normal seemed so far away.
Thirty-six minutes.
Thirty-six minutes now, the longest thirty-six minutes of her life.
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guys u might be confused... but this chapter is really important... it serves as a bridge for the next chapter... i hope u guys will like it...
xx
