A/N: I'm so sorry for the wait, but things got hectic over the long weekend. I was so out of place, thinking Tuesday was Monday, but that's what happens when I get days off from school. Ok so I would like to thank everyone who reviewed. I'm glad you liked the last chapter and I hope I don't disappoint. I'm dedicating this chapter to my cousin Annie. She is going through a really tough time and I hope this cheers her up. I hope you feel better cuz, this is for you. Now without any more delays I give you Chapter 11…
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It was early Saturday morning and Haley lay sprawled out on her bed. She stirred when the sunlight peaked through her curtains and beamed on to her face. Turning over she banged into something hard…Nathan? At first she wasn't sure what the hell was going on until she remembered last night's events.
Flashback
"Lucas you need to calm down!" Brooke yelled at her boyfriend.
"Calm down? Calm down?! You want me to calm down… My asshole father just punched the shit out of my little brother and you want me to calm down. NO! What I need to do is go home and givedaddy a little piece of his own medicine!" Lucas shouted making his way for the door once again.
"Luke please don't go." Nathan whispered. Lucas stopped dead in his tracks and turned towards his brother.
"Nathan how…how could you ask me that? Do you want Dan to get away with this? We can't let him." Lucas whispered the last part.
"Luke you're my big brother and I know you want to protect me…that's just who you are. You're always protecting me making sure that I'm ok. You're a great big brother but right now I need to protect you. And by doing that I need you to stay here because you and I both know that if you leave right now you're gonna do something stupid. And your 18 already…he'll press charges on you and you'll go to jail. My way of making sure you're ok…is by keeping you here and away from him. So please Luke just stay here. Listen to Brooke and just…stay here." Nathan pleaded with his brother.
Taking in everything Nathan just told him Lucas sighed and ran his hand over his face. "Alright…I'll stay here, but the next time something like this happens don't expect me to just stay back and watch."Lucas spoke looking directly at Nathan. Nathan knew there was no way to change his brother's mind about next time, so he just nodded.
"Ok now that that is taken care of…I think you should stay here just in case you don't keep your promise." Brooke suggested.
"Wait how is that possible? Your dad would never go for that." Lucas asked.
"Well then it's a good thing he's not here. Come on let's go you can stay with me." Brooke said getting up and dragging Lucas toward her room. "Night tutor girl…and tutor girl's boy toy." Brooke smirked.
"Boy toy?" Nathan asked looking back at Haley.
"Uhhh…look Nathan about the kiss I know it was probably really weird cuz I mean I'm your best friend and it was probably wrong on so many levels…"Haley was stopped by Nathan's lips on hers.
"What was that?"She asked feeling a little hazy.
"That was me kissing you…like now," Nathan said before capturing her lips once more. The kiss started off slow, but soon turned into a full blown out make out session.
When they broke apart Haley couldn't help but to ask, "So what does this mean? What are we now?"She breathed.
"Well I was thinking dating."Nathan grinned towards her and in returned received a bright smile from Haley.
"Really?"
"Yea." Nathan answered about to lean in for another kiss, but was cut short when Haley moved away.
"So if we're dating then when are you going to take me on our first date?" Haley teased.
"Ok…how about tomorrow. Just you and me on our first date."
"Well I'm gonna have to check my schedule…"
"What?!"
"Relax I was just kidding I'm free…I would love to go out on a date with you." Haley whispered in his ear before kissing him once more and laying her head down on his chest. They laid there silently for what seemed like forever.
"Haley, can I stay with you tonight?" Nathan asked. Haley didn't answer him all she did was turn out the lights and cuddled by his side once again falling into the best sleep she ever had.
Flashback End
"Hey you it's time to wake up." Haley whispered into Nathan's ear. He began to stir and opened his eyes. I swear those are the bluest eyes I've ever seen.
"Hey" he whispered back and went to stretch but quickly stopped and winced a bit.
"What's wrong?"Haley asked beginning to worry.
"Nothing it's just my stomach." Nathan answered lifting his shirt to see the bruise still there.
"My god Nathan I can't believe he hit you that hard." Haley said running her fingers over his bruised stomach. God he's so sexy…stop it Haley.
"It doesn't hurt that much I just forgot it was there." He brushed off. Haley looked up and focused on his black eye.
"Well your eye is still pretty bad but not like yesterday. It's starting to get a little yellow now." She said brushing her fingers over the purplish-yellowish skin below his eye.
"Great," he said sarcastically. "Well I think I should head out. My mom is probably freaking out right now. She kind of seemed in a state of shock when I left yesterday so I better go see her." Nathan said putting his sneakers back on.
"Nathan, what about your dad?"
"I promise I won't do anything stupid if he's there."
"You better not." Haley laughed.
"I won't…now I will see you later at around 7 for our date."Nathan said getting up and kissed Haley lightly before heading out the door. Best night ever.
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On his way out of the house Nathan ran into Lucas.
"Hey where are you going?"Lucas asked suspiciously. Eyeing Nathan, watching his every move to see if he was gonna try to lie or worse…run.
"I'm going home."Nathan said determined trying to make his way around Lucas. He was going to succeed, but just 2 seconds too late. Lucas's arm stopped him from leaving the house.
"I must be hearing things…cuz I know you did not just say you were going home."
"Yes I did…and know your gonna move out of the way, so that I can do just that." Nathan looked back at Lucas's hard stare.
"Are you fucking kidding me…Nathan you were punched in the face and stomach by that man were supposed to call dad…the one we're supposed to be able to trust and go to for help. And now you're just going to go running back to him!" Lucas shouted out his frustration.
"No, I'm not going back home for Dan I'm going back home to see mom."
"Mom? Wow Nate I didn't think you would stoop so low; using mom as an excuse."
"I'm not using her as an excuse. Lucas I didn't tell you everything that happened last night." Nathan looked down not able to meet his brother's gaze.
"What do you mean…everything?"
"Lucas… mom was there last night. She saw everything." Nathan whispered.
"W-what?" Lucas choked.
"She came in when Dan and I were arguing, when he hit me… and when I punched him."
"You hit Dan?" Lucas couldn't help but to tear at hearing what his mom must have went through the night before.
"Yea I hit him first, but Lucas I swear I wasn't thinking clearly I was just pissed off and Dan wouldn't stop pushing me. And when he called Haley a…" Nathan stopped starting to get upset just thinking about it.
"What Nathan? What did Dan say about Haley?" Lucas knew that it must have been something very disrespectful for Nathan to have such a hasty reaction. The James' girls were always a touchy subject for the brothers. Anytime they were talked about or treated badly the guys always thought it was their job to make sure it stopped.
"He called her a-a whore."Nathan bit out; hating every moment of it resurfacing again.
"He what? How could he even say that? He doesn't know Haley; he has no right to make her sound cheap and like a waste of time. If you would've never hit I would have done it for you." Lucas said going from pissed to calm at the joke he made.
"Yea, I would have done more but mom kind of stopped me when she yelled my name after Dan punched me." Nathan laughed.
"Mom? We should go see her."Lucas looked towards Nathan and saw the guilty look on his face. "Nathan none of this is your fault." Lucas tried to reassure his little brother.
"It doesn't feel that way."Nathan whispered.
Lucas looked at his brother, patted him on the back and took his arm away from the door. "Let's go."
"What about Brooke?"
"I'll call her later and explain…right now we have to go see mom."
Nathan nodded and followed Lucas out of the house and got inside his brother's car looking back as they drove away. What the brothers didn't know however was that both Haley and Brooke had heard the whole conversation. Both had heard the commotion that was coming from the front door and they went to see what it was. Now they stared at each other as they sat quietly at the top of the stairs.
"I…I can't believe this is happening to them."Haley spoke softly.
"Yea…who knew…I thought we had the dysfunctional family."Brooke tried to joke.
Despite the situation Haley couldn't help but to laugh at her sister. "Yea I mean tell me about it. Our parents' divorced, we move away, come back, and now we're both dating our best friends who are now going through the same thing."
"YOU'RE DATING!"Brooke squealed.
"Yea, we're gonna go out tonight."Haley beamed.
"Oh my god I have to get you ready…do your hair, your make up, pick out your clothes, give you techniques." Brooke listed off using her fingers.
"Techniques?" Haley asked nervously.
"Yes…what to do, when to do it..."
"Brooke I appreciate it but why don't you leave that to me… you just help me get ready."
"Ugh fine, man this would have been so much easier if Taylor was here."Brooke complained.
"Taylor? Really Brooke? When did you speak to her?"Haley smiled remembering Brooke's old friend.
"I spoke to her last week. She said to tell you hi but that she doesn't want to speak to you until she sees you with her very own eyes. She has to make sure she's not hallucinating when she sees you."
"What? Why would she say that?"Haley narrowed her eyes towards Brooke.
Brooke got up ready to run but quickly said, "Cuz I kinda told her you were getting freaky with one of the Scotts." And like a jet she ran out of there.
"WHAT?! YOU'RE DEAD BROOKE!" Haley yelled at her door banging on it to make her open it.
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The drive back to the house was silent; as soon as Lucas stopped the car Nathan was out in a flash. Running into the house he looked for his mother. "Mom!" Nathan stopped when he saw her small frame in a ball on the couch her eyes bloodshot.
"Nathan?" Karen got up running to him making sure he was actually there. She had been waiting for him to come home all night. She still couldn't believe what had been going on behind her back for all these years. "Oh my god…Nathan don't scare me like that ever again. I thought you were hurt somewhere. Why did you leave and where were you? You had me worried sick…I couldn't find you or Lucas…"At the mention of his name Lucas appeared at the frame of the door. "My god where were you two?" Karen cried hugging both of her boys.
"Mom we're fine…we were with Brooke and Haley."Lucas answered.
"Well you could have at least called." Karen informed.
"Yea sorry about that."Nathan added.
"Yea well next time you're out all night you let me know you're safe…you got that?"
"Yes mom." The brothers said at the same time.
"Good now let me see that eye." Karen said tilting Nathan's eye towards the light. "Well it's definitely healing fast, its already turning yellow. Did he hurt you anywhere else?" Nathan didn't even answer he just lifted his shirt to show her the blue-black skin of his stomach.
"Oh my god, does it hurt? Something could be broken; we should take you to the hospital."
"Mom I'm fine, nothings broken I promise it doesn't even hurt anymore."Nathan reassured her.
Karen nodded her head. She looked up at her boys and couldn't understand why anyone would pressure and belittle their children. She hugged them once again before making them sit down and turning towards them.
"How long has this been going on?"
"Almost 5 years."Nathan answered.
"What?"
"Mom we're sorry but we couldn't tell you." Lucas added.
"Why? Why couldn't you tell me? Why didn't you come to me? I could have stopped it all and have prevented all of this."
"Mom we know how much you love dad. We thought if we came to you, you wouldn't believe us."Lucas explained.
"You'd take his side."Nathan whispered.
Karen looked at him. Although her boys were matured and good at hiding their feelings she couldn't help but to see her 18 and 15, soon to be 16 years old, sons looking like her little babies again. Scared and unsure of what was going to happen.
"Nathan…Lucas…you boys mean so much to me. I would do anything for you. You're more important to me than some disrespectful man." She said disgusted with the thought of Dan.
Lucas and Nathan looked up to their mother. Unsure of what they heard.
"My boys…you're always going to come first with me, no matter what. No man on this earth, not even your own father, is going to change that. That's why it's over…we're getting a divorce."
The boys couldn't even stop the big smiles that took over their face. Although it changes things they couldn't help but to feel relieved.
"And now I'm going to keep you safe…first things first…your both grounded." Karen smiled.
"What?!" They yelled.
"Well you were both out all night and last time I checked curfew is at 1 a.m."
"Mom…"Lucas whined.
"Mom I can't be grounded tonight I have my first date with Haley."Nathan whined.
"Wait what? Date? With Haley? Haley James?" Karen asked hopefully. She always knew that the two kids like each other and would eventually be together. She was just waiting for that day; she always did see Haley and Brooke as her little daughter-in-laws.
"Yea, I was going to take Haley out tonight."
"Fine you can go."Karen smiled towards her son.
"Really? Thanks mom." Nathan hugged his mom before getting up and going to get ready.
"Hey! What about me? I was going to go out with Brooke tonight." Lucas said.
"You're still grounded."
"What? Mom that's not fair."
"Yes but Nathan's going to be grounded for as long as you. I've just be waiting for this day to come."Karen squealed happily.
"But I'm dating Brooke you know Haley's sister."
"Yes but you've been dating Brooke since you were 12. I've been waiting years and now they're finally together. Plus it's your brother first real date, not one of those stupid group things."
"Yea true…well I guess I will be upstairs in my room."
"Yupp get to it buddy."Karen laughed as her son groaned in disappointment.
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It was 7 and Haley was waiting for Nathan. She didn't exactly know where they were going so she opted for dark skinny jeans, a white tank top with a jacket over it and classic white and black converse. It was November and it was colder in the nights. Haley was checking her appearance once more when she heard the doorbell.
When she opened the door she was met with Nathan's deep blue eyes. Nathan stood there in his black button up shirt and dark faded jeans holding up flowers for Haley; her favorite…little purple wild flowers.
"Nathan these are gorgeous, thank you." Haley said and took the flowers from his hand. "I'm gonna go put these in water, I'll be right back." Nathan couldn't look away as he watched her walk away.
"Alright, where to?" Haley asked as she locked the front door.
"You'll just see when we get there."Nathan said taking her hand and walking towards their destination.
"Uh I don't like surprises."She whined.
"Yea I know but I like when I torture you, it makes you mad…and you're hot when you're mad."Nathan smirked at her while he intertwined their fingers. Haley gasped and hit him in the back of the head.
"Ow…ok I get it, no calling you hot."Nathan laughed.
"No it's not that…you said you like torturing me and for that you get hit."She pointed out.
"Oh well I'm sorry."Nathan said kissing her hand gently. Haley could feel the blush rise in her cheeks. She loved that everything felt so natural between them and not weird like she expected. They walked in silence until Haley had a small hunch of where they were going. Nathan led her through familiar path but what shocked Haley the most was all how everything was all set up. They were in the old park and right there where they had met under the monkey bars was a blank spread out and small flower petals lay out with candles around.
"Oh my…Nathan this is beautiful, thank you." She said tearing.
"Haley don't cry."Nathan said worried he did something wrong.
"I'm not crying it's just…it's just like I imagined it would be."She smiled.
Nathan smiled back and met her lips in a chaste kiss. "Come here." Nathan said leading her towards the blanket. They sat down and he opened up a container with her favorite food, macaroni and cheese.
"Ooo yay I love it!" Haley squealed.
"I thought you would." Nathan grinned. They began eating in silence until Haley spoke up.
"You know, I never thought this would happen…you and me."
"I did."Nathan confessed.
"What?"
"Haley you were my best friend and I couldn't help it but over the years I started developing more than friendly feelings toward you. I just couldn't tell you because I thought I would scare you away… and that was the last thing I wanted. I would rather have you in my life as a friend than to lose you because of my feelings."Nathan confessed looking at the blanket. He felt Haley's soft hand on his cheek, raising it so he could look at her.
"Nathan I liked you too in more than a friendly way when we were younger. I felt the same so I just kept it buried…kinda like you."
"Really?"
"Always…never had a doubt on my mind." She smiled. Nathan didn't know what was going on first he was looking into her eyes…mesmerized. And the next thing he knows he's kissing her with all the love he has for her. He didn't want to tell her just yet so he just kept on with their activities at the moment. What started out slow soon began to pick up pace. They laid there making out for what felt like the whole night. But they had to come up for air sometime.
"Haley I can't date you."Nathan said.
"What?"Haley said feeling the tears behind her eyes. She had to be mistaken, didn't they just tell each other that they like one another since they were kids. Didn't they just share a special moment…something had to be wrong.
"I can't date you Haley…because dating is for people who are trying to get to know one another. And I know more about you then any other person in this world. I know it's kind of soon but in my heart it feels right. I guess what I'm trying to ask you is…will you be my girlfriend Haley James?" Nathan asked nervous wondering if he was rushing things.
Haley was truly at lost for words. She was so happy that she couldn't believe she thought Nathan was going to hurt her. So she nodded furiously and kissed him passionately.
"Yes I will be your girlfriend."
Nathan couldn't stop the smile that broke out on to his face. He couldn't be happier the girl he loves is actually is girlfriend.
It was starting to get late and colder by the minute, but the two didn't seem to notice or care for that matter. They were too busy making out to even notice the wind blow out the candles leaving them in the dark under the night's bright stars.
A/N: I know it was kind of short but I tried to write this so I could update today. I hope you liked it, if not let me know. I love to read what you guys think, so Please Review.