She wasn't sure why she had come. Maybe it was because after being ignored for two days she hoped Lucas would talk to her. Maybe it was because she wanted to support her friends—both Lucas and Nathan. Or maybe she was secretly a masochist looking for pain. For whatever reason, Haley was at Tree Hill High's gym for the night's game against Coge City. Even as she walked with the flow of people towards the bleachers, she felt weary of the night ahead.

"Haley! Wait up!"

She turned, looking for the familiar face. Nathan was kneeling by the players benches in his jersey, reaching for something in his bag. A bright smile lit his face beautifully and for a moment Haley regarded him with suspicion. She was in too foul a mood to be around someone so joyous—and Nathan was hardly ever so happy. She approached him cautiously. "You're excited. Who'd you kill?"

"Very funny. I ran into Mr. Turner after school today and I wanted to show you something." He pulled a paper from his bag and held it up to her proudly.

Haley's eyes lit up and a smile touched her lips. "An ninety-one? An A? That's amazing, Nathan!" Without thinking, she launched herself into his arms and gave him a tight hug. "I'm so happy for you. I told you that you could do it. See, all the work paid off after all."

He was reluctant to release her, he realized with a twinge of shock. Her petite, soft body fit nicely against his and the happiness from her grin was practically radiating out, rolling over him in warm waves. When she stepped back, he smiled at her again. "It was all you, Haley. Without your threatening me I wouldn't have even bothered…"

He trailed off when he saw her face drop, her gaze resting somewhere behind him. Nathan turned and mentally cursed when he saw Lucas frozen a few feet away, a look of disgusted horror on his face.

"Luke." Haley took a step towards her friend, her heart pounding in her chest. Things seemed to just keep getting worse.

The older Scott brother shook his head and walked by, pushing his way roughly past Nathan and completely ignoring Haley altogether as he headed down to the other benches.

Haley felt as if she were about to fall apart.

"Haley—"

"He knew already," she cut him off quietly, her eyes trained on her friend's retreating back.

Nathan was for a moment speechless. That wasn't something he'd expected. "How?"

"I left my scarf in your truck. Somehow he found it."

"How is that possible? Haley, I didn't—"

"No, it's okay," she insisted before Nathan could go on, forcing a smile to her face. "I'll talk to him later and explain everything. Congratulations on the test. Have a good game, okay?" She gave him another meek smile and numbly walked away, towards the fans' seats. She say down between excited parents and a few giggling girls. Immediately she knew she didn't belong there. Her pain and worry didn't fit in with their anticipation and hope. She felt like a big mar against the clean atmosphere.

Haley forced herself to stay, not because she wanted to but because she felt that leaving would be an act of cowardice. Nathan had asked her to come and cheer for him at their tutoring session the day before and she had promised that she would, and she wouldn't break that promise. Not even a moody Lucas would take that from her.

Watching the game was almost painful. Lucas refused to work with Nathan on the court and soon the act was returned in kind. They seemed to take pleasure in seeing the other do badly. Both players were actively avoiding each other and sacrificing the team to do so. By halftime, Haley felt like she was suffocating in a bad dream.

She had done this. Unintentionally, sure, but she had still done it. In trying to make everyone's life more pleasant, she had managed to make a disaster. Now she had to set it right.

The only problem was, she had no clue how.

~*~

Haley's hands were shaking as she walked up the steps to the polished wooden door. The house was large and as beautiful as she had expected it to be. Obviously nothing less than the best for Dan Scott, she thought with an inelegant snort.

Lucas hadn't spoken to her since the night he'd left her in the café, and she was beginning to worry that maybe after the game the night before he wouldn't ever take that step again. It was the longest they had been mad at each other in their years as friends, and it was making Haley panic. She felt alone and scared, and the person she usually turned to for help was the one causing her helplessness.

So instead, she turned frantically in the other direction.

She turned to Nathan.

Before she could change her mind and go back to her car, Haley raised her fist to knock on the door. She took a step back and waited patiently for an answer, hoping that Dan wouldn't be making an appearance during her trip.

A moment later the door opened to reveal a petite, pretty blonde woman. Deb Scott looked over the girl on her doorstep with a puzzled but polite smile. "Can I help you?"

"Hi, Mrs. Scott. I was wondering if Nathan was home? I'm Haley. I've been—"

"Helping him with English," Deb filled in, a genuine smile touching her lips. "He's mentioned you. I just want to say thank you for what you're doing. It's about time he worked on his grades. Oh, come in. Nathan's just in his room. It's right through there, the second door on the right."

Haley gratefully smiled at her and followed the instructions to Nathan's room. She wasn't exactly sure what she was going to say—she didn't even know what she wanted to get out of this little visit—but she hoped that words would come to her when she saw him.

And she really hoped that she didn't burst into tears if he mentioned Lucas.

As she was approaching the door Mrs. Scott had directed her to, Haley heard voices. She frowned, wondering if he was alone or not, and came to a stop in front of the partially open door.

"So what's up with you and that chick, Nate? You getting some from her or something?" Haley recognized it as Tim's voice and rolled her eyes. Just what she needed.

Nathan laughed. "What chick? You mean Haley?"

"Yeah, the smart chick. Lucas's friend. She's kind of brainy, but when I looked at her the other night at the game… she's doable."

Haley bristled outside the door. She didn't like standing outside eavesdropping on their conversation, but she was curious as to what Nathan would say to his friend.

"I saw you two at the docks the other morning," Tim went on, his voice dropping a pitch suggestively. "You looked pretty cozy."

"Me and Haley?" Nathan's voice was haughty with disbelief. "You've gotta be kidding me. Think about it, man. She's Lucas's friend. What would piss him off more than me getting close with his best friend and then hurting her?"

Haley staggered back as if hit. Piss off Lucas? Was that all she had been to him?

Suddenly she had the intense urge to laugh. There she was, thinking that Nathan was a friend she could count on and go to for advice, and he was using her to get to Luke. She felt like a fool—a stupid, blind, pansy-hearted fool. She had actually fought with Lucas for that pig.

She felt dirty, covered by an invisible slime that she couldn't shake from her skin. Haley was torn between marching into his room to confront the jerk and running away to hide in isolation. After standing in shocked silence for a minute she decided on the latter. She didn't have the emotional control or strength to face him without breaking down. She wasn't looking for more humiliation; she'd had enough of that for the day.

Haley backtracked through the house and once again found herself face-to-face with the kind eyes of Deb Scott. "Did you have trouble finding it?" Nathan's mom asked.

"No. Actually, I just thought of a surprise for him. He's been working so hard lately and I was just hit with a brilliant idea," she lied quickly, her mind whirling to find a plausible excuse to get her out the door. "Would you mind not telling him that I was here?"

Deb looked perplexed, but she nodded her head. "Of course. It was nice to meet you, Haley."

"You, too, Mrs. Scott," Haley replied, already making her way to the door. She hastily returned to her car and started the ignition. A minute later she was driving fast down the street, away from the liar she had considered a friend.

A few minutes later, Haley pulled her car over and turned off the engine. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out her cell phone and searched for the number Peyton had programmed in weeks before. Without a second thought, she hit send and listened to it ring.

"Hello?"

He sounded so innocent, just like any teen living a carefree life. All he needed was basketball and those stupid lackeys of his, Haley thought resentfully. Basketball was so important in his life—so important that he would hurt anyone to secure his game. "Nathan, it's me."

"Haley." He sounded surprised and not exactly pleased. "Um, do you need something?"

"Tell Tim to stop chomping at the bit, I only need a minute," she sighed with irritation, feeling angrier than she had been in a long time. "I know what you're up to, Nathan. Why you really wanted me to tutor you… that's some fucked up game you're playing, don't you think? I mean, do you think that people are your toys to move around at will?"

The other end of the line was silent before Nathan cleared his throat and managed to get out a quiet, "Haley, I—"

"I really don't want to hear your bullshit excuses, Nathan," she cut him off. "I quit. You did it, okay? You wanted to hurt me to hurt Luke and you did. Now leave me the hell alone." She flipped her phone shut, turning it off, and tossed it back into her bag before starting up the engine once more. It didn't matter where she was going, all she knew was that she had to drive.

Haley ignored the tears that rolled slowly down her cheeks as she pulled out onto the street.