Disclaimer: One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.
Notes: Well, I hope you enjoy this one. We get a little deeper into the mystery. I'm not great at writing it, so I hope I'm doing it justice. I much prefer writing NH getting closer and closer. If you read Your Hand In Mine and were wondering, I think this story may end up being half the length of that one, if that. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
"Be careful what you write. Another story like that and it's your job."
Those were the only words said to him after he'd been roughed up. He could taste the blood on his split lip and his ribs hurt from where he'd been kicked. Mouth knew who was responsible for it. Lucas had warned him and he hadn't listened. Journalism was his dream job. Since he was a boy, he had wanted to write stories for a newspaper. He wanted to dig around, find sources, and report the truth. That was what he had done.
He found out from idle gossip that Dan Scott had been involved in illegally acquiring and selling alcoholic beverages during a time when it was illegal. It was one of the main ways in which Dan had been able to amass not only a fortune, but also a great deal of influence and power in Tree Hill. Mouth thought that everyone in Tree Hill needed to know that they'd elected a criminal as their mayor.
The fact that Dan had sent men to hurt him only fueled his determination to make sure that Tree Hill knew who Dan really was. He just knew that he was going to have to be more careful. His next story would have to be carefully planned. He would wait. As he walked home, his body sore from the beating he'd endured, he decided that he should wait and let Dan think that he was safe. In the meantime, he would work on talking to his sources. He would gather as much information and proof as he needed to write a solid story that couldn't be denied.
Dan Scott kept meticulous records of his business dealings. He suspected it and it had been confirmed by a source. Now all that Mouth had to do was find those records himself. That would be extremely difficult. If he hadn't printed that story, he could have more easily gotten access to Dan. He would be a welcome customer in the club or at City Hall. He made things difficult for himself, but he didn't regret printing that story. He didn't want Dan Scott sitting comfortably.
Brooke and Peyton were quickly approaching the café. Early that morning, Brooke had gone to Peyton and Lucas's house and demanded that Peyton go with her to the café. Peyton had agreed for two reasons. The first reason was that she was very curious about Haley and Nathan. She hadn't seen them since they both returned, but she was sure that Brooke was right and that Nathan had driven Haley to visit her sister. Nathan had left the house before Peyton had woken up. The second reason that Peyton agreed to go with Brooke was that Brooke was never awake and out of bed this earlier unless she'd been forced. She had never been forced. Yet, Brooke was awake and on Peyton's doorstep before Peyton even had the chance to get out of bed and get dressed for the day.
As they walked to the café, Brooke explained that she wanted to get there early to make sure that they really got a chance to talk to Haley. Brooke knew Haley's routine well even though she had never been at the café that early before. What Brooke knew was that Haley was a morning person. Haley had once told Brooke that the early bird catches the worm. Brooke had told Haley that she didn't know what that meant. She did know that Haley woke up early and got straight to work.
Brooke stopped Peyton as they reached the café. Looking inside, they saw Haley was busy. She was working hard preparing the café for opening. Brooke tapped on the door, getting Haley's attention. She noticed that Haley looked confused by her visitors. Yet, Haley opened the door and let them both inside.
"What are you two doing here? I'll get you some coffee. Have a seat," Haley told them.
"We just thought we'd come by to visit and see how your weekend went," Brooke answered. Her tone was a strong indication that she was lying. Haley could hear it.
"It went well. It was nice visiting with Vivian, Charlie, and the baby."
"Really? It was nice visiting with Vivian, Charlie, and the baby. It was nice visiting with those three people?"
Haley poured them each a cup of coffee. "What's going on, Brooke?"
"What do you mean?"
"It means I know you and I can tell you want to say something." Haley stood with one hand on her hip and the pot of coffee in the other hand.
"Okay, fine. So, why didn't you tell me that Nathan was your stalker and that he was walking you home from work every night and that he was driving you all the way to Virginia to see your sister?"
Haley was bewildered. Her hand fell from her hip and she struggled to find an answer. She didn't know how Brooke figured all of that out. She meant what she told Nathan. She wasn't hiding her friendship with Nathan from anyone. She did worry, though, that Nathan would freeze up around other people. She didn't want that. She loved the closeness that they now had.
When he dropped her off the day before, she hugged him and he hugged her back. There was a new closeness ever since her breakdown in the car. It was like they'd reached a new understanding in their relationship. She didn't want that to end. As he walked her home from the club that night, she discovered that there was a new easiness to their friendship. They had even laughed at one point. His laugh was something that she yearned to hear more often. His smile was also something that she wanted to see more often.
"What do you mean?" Haley knew it was a stupid response, but it was the only thing that she could think of.
"Don't play stupid with us," Brooke reprimanded her.
"Well, we were all talking at dinner on Sunday and we got the impression that maybe you and Nathan were a little closer than we thought."
"Closer than we thought? We didn't even think the two of you said more than two words to each other."
"Lucas and I woke up on Sunday morning to find a note from Nathan saying that he needed the car and would be back on Monday," Peyton said.
"Then, Karen told us at dinner that you were in Virginia and wouldn't be back until Monday. Julian may have also mentioned that he thought maybe Nathan was walking you home. Then, I remembered your stalker and I figured that it must have been Nathan."
Haley couldn't really hide anything now and she knew it. "He's my friend," she said.
Brooke nearly jumped out of her chair with excitement. She clapped her hands together and squealed. "I knew it! I want details, Haley James! How did you two become friends?"
Haley disappeared behind the counter and emerged without the coffee pot. She then took a seat at the same table as Brooke and Peyton. She didn't say anything. She knew she would have to speak. They were expecting her to say something.
Brooke was growing impatient. "Well, what's happening, Tutor Girl? He's your stalker, isn't he?"
"He wasn't stalking me, Brooke. He wanted to make sure that I got home safely. So, he started following me home. Then, he started walking me home."
"You know, some nights when I'd be awake and waiting for Lucas, I noticed that Nathan was getting home later than he did when he first started working at the club," Peyton observed. "Now I know what he was up to."
"How did he go from following you home to walking you home?"
"It just happened, Brooke." Haley didn't feel like sharing the conversation they had had with Dr. Durham that night. It seemed so personal. Nathan hadn't spoken much, but she could tell that hearing about Steven Durham had an effect on him. He was just getting comfortable talking to her and she wasn't going to jeopardize that. "He's my friend."
Peyton was always able to maintain her composure better than Brooke and decided to ask a question before Brooke could bombard Haley. "How did you go from being friends to him driving you to see your sister? That's kind of big, Haley."
"I know it was a big deal." Haley did know that and she felt butterflies in her stomach thinking of it. He had offered to do something and he got absolutely nothing out of it. He did it out of kindness and friendship. "We just, we've been talking on our way home from the club. We talk. He's asked about my family and I've told him that I miss them.
"About a week ago, when I spent the night at your house, Peyton, he walked me back here. He was here when I got the phone call that Vivian had her baby. I told him that Charlie and Vivian wanted me to visit. Later on, he offered to drive me. I didn't know that he was going to take the car without asking Lucas. I really didn't, Peyton."
"Oh, that doesn't matter. Lucas doesn't really need it when he's working."
That was the extent of what Haley was going to tell them. They didn't need to know anything else. "We weren't really trying to hide anything," Haley said, knowing it wasn't the complete truth.
Brooke had completely forgotten about her coffee in the excitement. "So, how do you feel about this?"
"What do you mean, Brooke?"
"I mean about being Nathan's friend. I mean, you did not like him in high school. Now you two are friends. Two good looking, unattached friends who could use someone in their lives."
"Brooke," Haley warned.
"What?"
"We're friends. Don't read anything else into it." Haley was telling that to herself as well. After breaking down in front of Nathan she had realized just how easy it was to be open with him. She didn't want to lose that connection and that scared her. What also scared her was that with each day she was becoming more aware of just how handsome Nathan was.
In school, she had noticed it. Every girl noticed how handsome Nathan Scott was. Haley just hadn't liked him then because he was so mean to his brother. She was noticing it now, though. She found him even more handsome now than he had been in school. Something about his features had seemed to mature. She also found herself attracted to how kind he was. He walked her home just because he was concerned and he more than went out of his way so that she could see her family.
She had woken up thinking about him. She had woken up with a smile and a feeling of nervous excitement when she realized that she would be seeing him again later that evening. As much as she enjoyed performing, what she was coming to enjoy the most was her walks home with Nathan. Her feelings for him were exciting, but also scary.
She wouldn't say anymore about Nathan to Brooke and Peyton. She wouldn't do that to Nathan. What they had was between them. Somehow, talking about it seemed like she would be betraying their friendship.
"Brooke, did you wake up early just to ask me about this?" Haley realized that if Brooke was getting curious enough to come to the café at such an early hour that keeping her friend's enthusiasm at bay was going to be difficult. "I love you, Brooke Davis."
"I just want you to be happy, Tutor Girl.
"I just want you to be happy, Tutor Girl. Are you happy, Haley? I mean really happy."
Haley didn't know how to answer. She remembered that Nathan had asked her that same thing not too long ago, but he didn't force her to answer. She knew she couldn't get away with that with Brooke.
"I'm happy, Brooke." As she said the words Haley wasn't sure that she believed them. She had thought about it ever since Nathan asked even though she didn't want to. The answer terrified her and it was something she did not want to face.
"Okay, we'll get out of your way and let you get to work but if you need to talk about anything you know that you can come to me," Brooke said, standing up. "Please come to me. I love talking about other people."
Haley let out a small laugh. "Okay, but I'd much rather talk about Julian. I heard he came to Sunday dinner again."
"He's sweet on Brooke," Peyton said, smiling. "The boy cannot take his eyes off of her. He just needs to gather his courage and ask to take her to dinner or something."
"Maybe I'll have a little talk with Mr. Baker at work this evening," Haley said. She was glad to get the conversation away from her and it was nice talking with her two friends.
"You will do nothing of the sort," Brooke insisted.
"What's the matter, Brooke? Do you not want anyone else getting involved in your love life?" Peyton raised an eyebrow at Brooke, knowing she had the other girl.
"I don't like either of you," Brooke pouted.
"We love you too, Brooke," Haley laughed.
"Well," Peyton stood up, "we'll let you get started with your day, Haley." Brooke walked out of the café and Peyton was right behind her, but stopped. "You know, Haley, Lucas and I got married. We love each other. We've begun a life together. No one would hold it against you if you began living your life."
Lucas hadn't seen his brother since Saturday morning. What he found out at Sunday dinner didn't sit well with him at all. He was able to leave late for work that day, so now he sat in the kitchen waiting for Nathan to wake up. He'd had over twenty-four hours to think about what he wanted to say to Nathan and he still wasn't sure. He trusted Nathan with so much. The two had grown so much in the past two years and Lucas wouldn't trade that for anything.
Lucas had his reasons for being skeptical about this supposed relationship between his brother and his best friend. Still in Lucas's mind was that Nathan, two years earlier, had cheated on Peyton. Peyton had become friends with Lucas and Haley in the aftermath of her breakup with Nathan. Lucas had seen how bitter and unhappy she had been after that. Remembering how Peyton had been after Nathan betrayed her worried Lucas.
Lucas was also worried about what he and Nathan had come home to Tree Hill to do. They had to be very careful. Peyton was the only one who knew every aspect of their plan and he intended to keep it that way. Secrecy was of the utmost importance. They could not risk what they were doing.
What they were doing was dangerous and Lucas didn't want Haley around that. He hadn't told Haley, but he didn't want her working at Dan's just because of the reputation the club had. He wanted her to stay away from Dan. The man was a murderer and Lucas didn't believe that Haley was safe around him. Lucas wasn't sure that anything good could come of this.
He didn't have to wait long for Nathan to come downstairs. Nathan walked into the kitchen, pulling up his suspenders and yawning. He poured a cup of coffee for himself and sat down next to Lucas. "Morning."
"Morning. So, you took the car."
"Yes. Sorry about that. I needed it."
Lucas decided to cut right to the chase. "How was Virginia?"
Nathan was about to take a sip from his coffee and stopped. "How did you find out?"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Nathan shrugged. He knew Lucas wouldn't like it. He knew that immediately. He didn't want to be stopped from helping Haley, though. "She wanted to see her family."
"I know she loves her family. I would have taken her."
"You work," Nathan pointed out. "Besides, she wouldn't have asked you."
"But she asked you?"
"Not really. I just know she misses them. She deserved to have that. She works hard; she should have a day off."
"And what about walking her home at night? Brooke seems to think you've been doing that too."
Earning Lucas's trust was something Nathan was proud of, so he didn't want to lie. He didn't want to talk about Haley, but he also didn't want to lie to his brother. "It's the middle of the night when we get off of work, Luke. The middle of the night. I know you don't want her working there and I don't either. She shouldn't be around Dan. But we can't stop her. She doesn't know the whole story and… well, we can't stop her. She was walking home by herself in the middle of the night for months. She shouldn't be doing that."
Lucas looked Nathan in the eye. "Do you like her, Nathan?"
Nathan sighed and let his hand rest on his knee. He could feel the disfigurement of his kneecap. "She's my friend," he answered honestly. He couldn't help the fact that his lips turned upward when he said it.
"Nathan, do you like her? I know how you are with girls."
Nathan wanted to remain calm. He didn't want to get angry at his brother, but he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Lucas should know him better than that. "What girls, Lucas? It's been two years since I've seen anyone. There hasn't been anyone since Peyton."
"Nathan…"
"Lucas, no. You know me."
"I'm sorry, Nate. I just worry about her."
"Maybe you should have worried about her more while we were in Durham," Nathan spewed, standing up and leaving the house.
Lucas had hoped to talk to Nathan more, but he didn't get a chance. He wished that Nathan hadn't gotten so upset, but he could understand it. If he was honest with himself, when it came to his concerns about Nathan and Haley, Nathan's past was at the bottom of the list. First and foremost was keeping Haley away from Dan and their plans for Dan. Lucas regretted that he let himself get so worked up. He should have brought up the Dan issue first. Frustrated, Lucas stood and left for work. He would have to try to talk to Nathan later.
Nathan walked into the club later that night. Chris and Haley were at the piano. Chris was playing and Haley was singing along. Her back was to him and he wasn't going to interrupt her while she was working. He smiled and went to the bar, intending to get to work. He buttoned his vest and was about to step behind the bar when Julian stopped him.
"The boss wants to see you," Julian told him. "I mean, your old man."
Nathan nodded and went to Dan's office. He made sure that his uniform was in order before walking in. He tried to control his limp as he stepped to the door, knocking on it. He knocked once and walked in when he heard Dan's voice.
Dan was standing by the wall to the left of Nathan, adjusting a picture frame to make sure that it was straight. When it was done to his satisfaction, he took a seat behind his desk. Nathan stood there nervously, keeping his distance from Dan's desk. He wondered if his father was trying to mess with him by letting him stand there without saying a word. Nathan decided that he could play too. If Dan was going to stay silent, he would too.
"Stay away from the girl," Dan finally said. He didn't look up from his desk. He kept writing whatever it was he was writing. He didn't look at Nathan.
"Excuse me?" The only girl that Nathan had been around was Haley. How did Dan know about that?
"I have eyes and ears everywhere, Nathan. Stay away from Haley James. She is off limits. My employees do not fraternize."
"Your employees?"
Dan finally looked up. "I know you've never been very smart, son, but you are an employee. Ms. James is an employee. As her employer, it is my job to make sure that she stays… unharmed. Stay away from Ms. James."
Nathan's first instinct was to say what he had said to Lucas earlier in the day, but he didn't. He didn't want Dan knowing about Haley. He would keep that to himself. Dan had spent nearly two years basically ignoring Nathan. Nathan didn't think Dan had any right to tell him what to do and it made him angry hearing Dan trying to do just that.
"I mean it, Nathan," Dan said, his eyes sharp and focused.
Nathan gave a quick nod and tried to conceal his limp as he walked out of Dan's office, closing the door behind him. He had a scowl on his face as he went to work behind the bar, preparing things for the night.
"Can I talk to you, Nathan?" Julian stood next to Nathan with a sheepish look on his face.
"Sure."
"So, at Sunday dinner, I told everyone that I thought you were walking Haley home from work. Lucas seemed a little uneasy about it, I guess. I just wanted to let you know. I don't want to cause any problems for you all. Everyone has been so nice to me."
Nathan nodded. So, that's how Lucas found out about he and Haley. He couldn't blame Julian. He and Haley had never asked anyone to keep their walks a secret. Julian couldn't be blamed for noticing it. They wouldn't have asked him to keep it secret even if they had realized that he had known.
"It's all right, Julian. You don't have to worry about anything."
"I think it's nice that you're walking her home. It's nice she's got someone looking after her," Julian said before returning to work.
Nathan thought about that. So, Dan was acting like he was watching out for Haley. Nathan didn't know what his father's angle was, but he didn't like it. He wanted to find out more. If anything, Dan's interest in Haley made Nathan feel even more protective over her. He wanted to keep her away from Dan and that would be more difficult if Dan was interested in her. His interest in her also made it more important for Nathan to keep her away from him. He couldn't explain it, but the need he felt to protect Haley was so strong.
Julian understood it. For some reason, Julian got it. Nathan was looking out for Haley. He didn't blame Julian at all for Lucas being upset with him. Julian didn't owe them anything. They didn't owe Julian anything. Yet, knowing that Julian realized that Nathan was looking out for Haley made Nathan feel that much more right about what he was doing.
Of course, the more time he spent with his friend Haley the more he was beginning to understand that this was going on beyond just wanting to protect her. He wanted to spend time with her. He wanted her in his life. His life was better with her in it. That thought scared him. It meant he was dependent on her and was at risk for being vulnerable. As much as that made him uneasy, the need to be near her was too great.
Nathan felt his agitation over what Dan had said and his confrontation with Lucas wash away as he watched her rehearse with Chris. She was so natural in everything she did. She was captivating. She wasn't even fully dressed to go on stage and she would still be the most beautiful woman to ever set foot in that club. He was sure of it. As he watched her perform that night, all of his worries just melted away.
It was Saturday night and Nathan still hadn't had the chance to really speak to Lucas about what was going on with Haley. He didn't plan on going into detail, but he knew they needed to talk and clear the air. They were brothers now and that's what brothers did. They simply hadn't had the chance to speak. They were both so busy.
Nathan was sleeping in mornings. After he dropped Haley off every night, he'd had places to be before he could go back to the house. Lucas and Peyton both knew what he was doing and both understood it. Lucas understood it better than anyone. By the time Nathan got home, he was exhausted. He collapsed onto his bed and slept well into the morning. By the time he woke up, his brother had gone to work.
He and Julian waited at the door of the club for Haley. Now that Julian knew about Haley and Nathan walking home together, he waited behind with them to lock up the club and wish them a good night. The two men stood at the door waiting for Haley as she came from her dressing room, rushing to meet them so that they could go home.
"Sorry," she said.
"It isn't a problem, Haley," Julian smiled. They walked outside and Julian locked the door behind them. He told them goodnight and walked off toward his own home.
As always, Nathan kept his hands in his pockets as they walked. Haley looked at him. His profile was so strong and he looked like he was thinking about something. On instinct, she moved her arm and linked it through his. She didn't say anything about it and she didn't acknowledge it. They both just kept walking. They kept walking even though when the bare skin of her arm brushed against the bare skin of his arm they both felt a spark. Nathan's mouth went dry and he took a deep breath. He cleared his throat.
"Is that the dress you wore tonight?"
"A Brooke Davis original."
"You looked beautiful."
"Brooke designs beautiful gowns."
"I wasn't talking about the gown," he whispered.
She had heard him and she tried to keep her heartbeat calm, but it was futile. Her heart was hammering. He has just told her that she was beautiful.
"What's been bothering you this week, Nathan?"
She could tell? Of course she could tell. He knew that after months of walking her home. She could read his moods so easily. He didn't want to ever lie to her, so he spoke, "Earlier this week, my dad called me into his office. He told me to stay away from you. He said that employees don't fraternize. Whatever that means."
Haley felt worry in the pit of her stomach. "Are you going to listen to him?" He had walked her home every night, just as he always did. But he had been different that week. He had been a little distant. She had worried that he was backing away after she broke down in the car on their way back from visiting Vivian. Maybe he was just walking her home now to be polite and not because he liked being with her. But hadn't he just told her that he thought she was beautiful? Haley didn't know what to think.
"I stopped listening to Dan Scott over two years ago, Haley."
Haley felt the relief all the way down to her toes. She felt happy hearing him say that. Since they returned from Virginia, she knew just how much she looked forward to her time with Nathan. She licked her lips and debated whether or not she should speak.
"Brooke and Peyton asked me about you driving me to Virginia and walking me home."
"You said that."
"Brooke asked me if I was happy," Haley continued.
Nathan kept walking, unsure of what to say. What he was sure of was that he liked walking arm in arm with her. He felt the heat radiating off of his skin. Or maybe it was her skin. He knew it wasn't from the late summer heat. He was sure of that.
"You asked me a while ago if I was happy. You didn't make me answer you."
"I remember," he said, looking at her. It was pitch dark out except for the lights from people's houses they passed and the streetlights. Even in the darkness, he could see that she was having trouble saying whatever it was that she was about to say.
"You don't have to answer, Haley. It's none of my business, really."
"I feel like it is," she told him, her voice barely audible. She stopped them both, their arms still linked. "I'm happy right now. I'm happy in my time with you. My favorite part of my day is this." She took in a deep breath, hardly believing she had actually said that to him. She tugged on his arm and began walking again. She didn't want to let go of him. "You don't have to say anything."
He didn't. He wasn't sure what to say. Her confession had him stunned into silence. No one had ever told him that he made them happy. He'd never been responsible for that before. He felt bad for leaving her hanging and not saying a word. He wished that he could find the right words, but words were never his strong suit. He didn't want to say the wrong thing and end up ruining what they had. He didn't want to drive her away. The thought of driving her away scared him more than saying the wrong thing. Saying the wrong thing could also drive her away. He'd never felt more unsure.
He stayed quiet for the rest of their walk, but he didn't let go of her. He still felt her soft skin against his and it took so much of him not to close his eyes and stop, just so that he could keep that feeling a little bit longer.
They stopped at the door of the café and to the disappointment of both of them, she removed her arm from his so that she could unlock the door. They stood in the doorway and she looked up when she felt drops of water hitting her face. It had begun to rain. She quickly got on her tip toes and wrapped her arms around his neck. They hugged more often since returning from Virginia. The act wasn't foreign, it wasn't uncomfortable, and it certainly wasn't unwelcome.
"Goodnight, Nathan," she said, her lips near his ear and her voice sending shivers throughout his body. "I'll see you tomorrow." They didn't work on Sundays, but she knew she would see him at the cemetery. They now saw each other there every week. That meant that they were seeing each other every day of the week.
Haley tried to pull herself away from him, but his arms stayed around her waist, holding her to him. He wasn't ready to let go. He did finally pull back after a few moments, but he kept his hands around her midsection. He looked at her. She took his breath away. He made her happy, she had said. She made him happy. She made him forget all about thoughts of revenge and hatred. Those thoughts had consumed him for two years, but she came into his life and changed that. She made him want more than that.
Haley wasn't sure what Nathan was doing, but she liked it. He wasn't letting go of her and she didn't want him to. Rain water was running down both of their faces. It was getting in her eyes as she looked up at him. A bit was falling from the brim of his soaked hat. She licked her lips as she looked into his blue eyes. Her heart was hammering in her chest and butterflies were fluttering in her stomach like never before.
"This is my favorite time of day too," he said. Before he could lose what little courage he had, he ducked and brought his lips to hers. Her lips were soft, just like her skin. He kept them still over hers, just feeling her. The kiss was brief and it was chaste, but when he pulled away, he noticed that her eyes were closed and she was breathing heavily.
It took Haley a few moments to notice that he'd pulled away, but once she did notice, she knew that she missed the warmth of his lips on hers.
"You kissed me," she said, knowing how stupid it sounded. She noticed how nervous he looked when he nodded his head, confirming what had just happened. She brought her hand to his face, letting her thumb trace over his lower lip. He closed his eyes and she knew what she wanted to do next. She removed her finger, keeping her hand on his face, and she kissed him.
The shock of Haley kissing him wore off quickly. Instead of keeping his lips still like last time, Nathan moved his lips over hers softly. He felt her react. Her lips moved against his. They kissed for several moments. Neither wanted to be the first one to break away. He kept his hands on her waist, but held onto her tighter. She had one arm around his neck with her other hand still on his face. They were getting soaked.
Finally, they did pull away. They each noticed that they were both smiling. They also both noticed that they'd never seen the other with a smile so big before. Knowing that they were responsible for it brought a flurry of emotions and, most of all, it brought happiness. He leaned in to kiss her again, knowing that she wouldn't mind. She didn't and they both were still smiling when he pulled away.
"So, I guess you aren't staying away from me," she said, not able to erase the smile from her face. He laughed and shook his head.
"No. I'm not. Not unless you want me to."
"No, definitely not."
Note: So, they kiss now. I hope I did it justice. I enjoyed writing it. Also, I know Lucas is a jerk, but some stuff will be revealed later that will help explain it.