CH. 11

Nathan stood in shock. There infront of him was the woman he was risking everything for in the arms of her ex-boyfriend.

"Nathan...I can explain." Haley pleaded.

"Save it." His voice was cold. Haley tried to look into his eyes but they seemed to look right past her. He slowly walked towards her, "Grab you're coat."

"Nath-"

"Now!" His voice boomed throughout the apartment. Haley didn't argue she looked back at Lucas who was even more confused at this point. She made her way over to where she had left her coat. Peyton gave her a sympathetic look and Haley turned away.

She walked towards the door where Nathan had already opened it, waiting for her. No other words were said as they walked out the door slammed.

Lucas stood there not knowing what to do. Should he go after her? Should he stay here? Millions of questions trampled through his mind. Peyton moved to him, "Lucas..."

Lucas shook his head to get her to stop talking, "I have to get out of here..." Lucas picked up his coat and left in the same manner as Nathan and Haley. Leaving Peyton there...alone.

Haley got into the passenger side of the car and waited for Nathan to enter. She took a deep breath, she had no idea what she was doing. Her thoughts were interrupted by the car door and she watched as Nathan sat down beside her. He said nothing to her, just put the keys in the ignition.

Haley tried to explain herself again, "Nathan would you just let me..."

His eyes never met hers, they stayed on the road, "No Haley. I don't have to let you do anything. I have put my neck on the line for you and all I'm asking for is a little loyalty..."

Haley's eyes saw red, "You know what, I'm tired of you throwing that in my face! I never asked for this! I never asked for you to do anything!"

A smirk came across his lips, "You know what...you're right. You didn't...and its time I fixed this for good."

Haley's blood went cold at the tone of his voice as she felt the car excellerate.

"Peyt...you home?" Jakes voice filled the apartment.

Peyton was crying up again her bed looking at a picture of Lucas. At the sound of Jake's voice she quickly hid the picture and wiped the tears from her eyes.

Before she could stand her bedroom door opened and Jake filled the gap, "Hey...what are you doing in here?"

Thankfully the room was dark and he couldn't tell that she had been crying, "Oh nothing...just was-"

Before she could finish Jake pulled out a dozen roses, "Here."

Peyton took them surprised, "What are these for?"

"I know I've been weired out with you spending so much time with Lucas lately...and this is just my way of apologizing." He quickly kissed her cheak, "I mean...I know I can trust you and thats all that matters."

Peyton couldn't look at him. Frankly she wouldn't be able to look at herself right now.

"Nathan where are we?" Haley's voice was shaken.

"Don't ask questions just get out." Nathan stepped out of the car and walked over to the dimly lit basketball court. Haley soon followed. "Do you know what this is Haley?"

Haley spoke confused, "Its a basketball court Nathan...I don't-"

Nathan spoke with such passion, "No this isn't just a basketball court. This is where I lost my chance to ever have the future that I wanted."

He moved closer to her and in the light she could see the tears in his eyes, "When I was a kid...I was always out here...it was a way for me to just be by myself...to get out of my brothers shadow. And I loved it...I mean I really loved it."

"Nathan you're not making any sense..."

"See Cooper was always my father's favorite...I mean he let Cooper do what ever he wanted. Hell he even let my sister do whatever she wanted..."

"Wait you have a sister?"

Nathan laughed, "Ya...Brooke. My parents sent her away to school when things started getting bad around here..." He kicked a rock that lay on the court, tears falling from his eyes, "What I wouldn't give to go away to school..."

Haley moved towards him, "Nathan you can..."

He laughed again, "No. I can't. You don't get it...When I was fourteen years old I came down here like any other day...when my dad came down." He pointed to the bleachers across the court, "And he sat me down right over there...and told me that my future was with this family. That I would have to take over the reigns..." More tears, "I remember telling him I didn't want it...I didn't want it..., but he didn't care...and that was it. You don't go up against my father...if you do you end up with cement shoes at the bottom of the river over there..."

Haley gasped finally realizing where he was going with this.

"But I did Haley. I didn't do it for me when I had the chance back then...but I did it the night I saw you..."

Haley's eyes began to fill with tears, "Why Nathan? Just tell me why..."

Nathan sighed, "Its not important anymore...I realized something tonight...by making you a part of this family I'm making you feel the way I did...when my future was taken away from me...and I won't do that to you."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm setting you free."