Chapter 25

"This is so exciting. I wonder what I'm going to wear…"

Haley shook her head and laughed. "Brooke, it's not like a red carpet event."

"It's the grand re-opening. It can't get much bigger than that," Brooke declared.

"Let's just find something already so that we can leave," Haley replied. The pair was shopping at the mall. Well, Brooke was shopping. Haley was mostly just following her around.

"Oh, I've already got what I need. I'm looking for something for you."

"What?!"

"Tutor Girl, the café is finally finished. Karen and your dad are holding a big celebration on Saturday for when it re-opens. You have to wear something nice," Brooke told her.

"I have plenty of nice dresses at home. I don't need anything else."

"But they're so two years ago. We need to update your wardrobe. Now let's go."

Haley sighed as Brooke grabbed her arm and hauled her into another store. Clothes were the last thing on Haley's mind at the moment. She was excited for her dad and Karen that the café was finally finished and looking better than ever. But there was one thing still on her mind that was plaguing her.

Haley wasn't exactly sure what was going to happen with Nathan. Even though Keith had offered to let Nathan stay with him, Haley knew that he was reluctant to take his uncle up on it. It wasn't hard to see that Nathan was at a crossroads yet again in his life. In a way, Haley was, too.

Based on their big talk a few days ago—in which they finally brought everything out into the open—it seemed as if she and Nathan would be headed for a reconciliation. They'd both admitted their feelings and decided not to live without the other. How that was going to happen was the factor yet to be determined. Haley knew that Nathan felt like he'd be left behind in Tree Hill when they all went back to college. But she didn't want Nathan to go back to Oak Lake at all. To her, that was the worst choice. Oak Lake wasn't a good environment for him. It's where all of their problems had started in the first place. At least in Tree Hill, Nathan could feel like he was home again. That's why Haley had gone to Lucas for help. She had to make sure that all of the options were on the table for Nathan before he made a final decision.

"So, Nathan and Lucas must be at their meeting with the judge right now," Brooke commented while looking through a rack.

Haley checked her watch. "Yeah."

"What do you think they're doing?"

"I don't know. Maybe reviewing all of the work they did in the café," Haley answered.

"Well, whatever it is, I hope that they're in the clear. An orange jumpsuit would definitely not look good on my Broody."

Haley smiled. "Seeing as though they did everything they were told, I'm sure that they're not going to jail…I mean, there was that one fight, but the judge knew about that."

"Well, Nathan and Lucas didn't get along for awhile, but they're fine now," Brooke added.

"And Nathan did have an attitude problem, but that's gone."

"Lucas kind of messed up with a few technical things."

"Nathan helped him," Haley said. "But that's not enough to send them to the slammer…right?"

The two shared uncertain looks.

"Maybe we should hurry up here and then go find them," Brooke suggested.

Haley nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea."

"So, this is what freedom feels like," Nathan stated.

Lucas chuckled. "Not quite what you imagined, right?"

"No, not really," he replied with a smile.

"Well, we're almost done. Just hand me those lights."

Nathan grabbed the string of lights and handed them over to Lucas. After their final meeting with the judge, which they were both thankful for, they'd returned to the café. Everything was finished except for one minor detail. Nathan and Lucas had been working on a surprise for Haley for the last few weeks without anyone, besides Jimmy and Karen, knowing about it.

"Do you think that Haley is going to like this?" Nathan questioned.

"Please, she'll probably cry," Lucas joked.

"True." Knowing Haley, she would most likely get emotional.

"So, things seem to be good between the two of you," Lucas commented.

"Yeah. We, um, we finally talked about everything."

Lucas nodded. "I know. She told me."

"Oh."

"Does this mean that you're going to accept Keith's offer and stay in Tree Hill?" he questioned.

"She told you that, too, huh?"

"Yup. So, are you?"

"I don't know. I really want to, but I'm still kind of unsure about it."

"It's better than Oak Lake, though."

"I know. It's just…complicated," Nathan stated with a sigh. "I've got a lot to think about."

"You still love Haley, right? You want to be with her…what else is there to think about?"

"That I'm sure about. It's everything else that's the problem. I keep wondering about how I'm going to feel when Haley and the rest of you go away. In Oak Lake I'm used to that feeling of separation. Here in Tree Hill…it'll be different."

Lucas watched him curiously. "Different how?"

Nathan shrugged. "To be honest, I won't know what to do with myself. I don't have a job. I'm not in school…"

"So it's like one of those what-the-hell-am-I-going-to-do-with-my-life type of questions," Lucas replied.

"That about sums it up," Nathan answered with a nod.

"Maybe Keith could get you a job at his garage."

"I suck with cars. Not to mention I don't get along with that Joe guy," he added. The mere thought of that perverted mechanic made Nathan want to hit something.

Lucas rolled his eyes. "I don't blame you there. The guy's an ass."

"Tell me about it. I caught him trying to hit on Haley once."

"He does that a lot. Brooke came to visit me one weekend while I was working, and Joe would not stop looking at her."

"What did you do?" Nathan asked curiously.

"I accidentally dropped a wrench while I was working on this one car's engine…Joe was underneath," Lucas explained with a smug smirk.

Nathan laughed out loud.

"The guy had such a big bump on his head that he had to go home early."

"Nice," he complimented.

"But if anyone asks you, it slipped," Lucas warned jokingly.

"Your secret is safe with me. I would've knocked the guy on his ass if I'd have been able to get away with it."

"So I guess we can completely exclude Keith's garage as a future job for you."

"Definitely."

"Well, that's good. Because I actually have a better idea," Lucas declared.

"And what is that?"

Lucas fastened the last of the lights before stepping down off of the ladder he was on to face Nathan. "You come to Gilmore with Haley and me."

"I thought Haley would've already told you…I can't."

"Oh, she did tell me. It's actually the reason why she came to talk to me."

Nathan frowned. "I don't get it."

"She talked to me, and I talked to Whitey."

"Whitey? What does he have to do with anything?" Now Nathan was really confused.

"Well, as you know, he's the basketball coach over at Gilmore. He's been looking for a new point guard for our team. We're okay, but we're in desperate need of stronger players. I'm pretty much carrying the team right now."

"And?"

"And when I told him about you, he said he'd be more than willing to give you a shot."

"Lucas, I haven't played in over a year."

"But you've been practicing with me," Lucas pointed out. "You've still got talent, Nathan. All you need is more practice and some conditioning to be great again. If you joined the team, I know we'd light it up this season."

"What about my grades? They sucked in high school."

"Whitey said he could talk to someone. They'll monitor your work in your classes and see how you do," Lucas explained. "If you can keep your GPA up, then you can stay."

"How am I going to do that?"

"I happen to know an excellent tutor," Lucas replied with a smile.

Nathan stared at Lucas completely shocked. He hadn't been expecting anything like this at all.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but why would you do something like this for me?" Nathan questioned after a moment of silence. "I mean, I haven't been the nicest guy over the years. I was a total dick to you."

Nathan was lying on his bed staring up at the ceiling. His room was completely dark. He didn't want to get out of bed. He didn't feel the need to open up his shades and let the sun shine in. What was the point? He'd already lost the only light he'd ever needed in his life.

Nathan's insides twisted as the images replayed over and over in his mind. The devastated expression on Haley's face yesterday was haunting him. He was sure he'd never forget it. Haley had looked so hurt and betrayed. But nothing overshadowed the obvious pain in her eyes as the lies flowed out of his mouth.

Nathan didn't know where he got the actual strength to say those horrible things to her. The moment he saw her standing in his doorway, he'd been flooded with an overwhelming feeling of relief. He'd been in his own personal hell since he moved. His father was always on his back. It had been bad in Tree Hill, but it was much worse now that he was in Oak Lake. There didn't seem to be any escape from Dan's wrath. Nothing Nathan did seemed to be good enough.

School was another problem. Oak Lake Academy had a much more rigorous curriculum than Tree Hill High. Nathan tried to keep up with his classes and homework, but that proved to be impossible with the types of demands that basketball put on him. Coach Sharpe was obsessed with perfection and winning. He was like a second version of Dan. Nothing was as important as basketball and being the best. Not to mention his so-called "friends." Nathan knew that none of the people who were always around him actually cared. They didn't know him. They didn't like him. They only liked the idea of him. That kind of pressure was suffocating.

Nathan was suffocating. There were so many different things pulling at him at once. When he finally got a chance to get away from Dan and school last month, he couldn't get to Tree Hill fast enough. He needed to see Haley and Lucas. He'd had it. Nathan couldn't take one more minute of all the things that were bearing down on him. If anyone would understand that and offer him some type of comfort, it would be his friends.

Nathan had first driven to Haley's house. Nobody was home. Next he tried Luke's. No one was there either. Nathan thought about checking the café but decided to go to the River Court first. That's where he found them—Haley, Lucas, Jake, Taylor, and the River Court guys. They were all there, laughing and seemingly happy. The complete opposite of what Nathan was feeling.

He parked in the shadows and watched them for he didn't know how long. There were a few times where he made a move to get out. Nathan was going to talk to them. He wanted to apologize for not being able to keep in touch as often. He wanted to tell Haley that Oak Lake was far from the perfection he described. Tree Hill was perfect. It was home.

But as he watched everyone, he started to doubt that—if it really was his home anymore…if he actually belonged. Dan had been telling him for months now that all of his friends had already forgotten him. Nathan refused to believe it. The sight before him, however, seemed to prove just that. It was a shock at first. And even more surprising, Nathan wasn't angry about it.

He wanted his friends and Haley to be happy. Someone should be. So, as much as he wanted to get out of the car and join them, he didn't. He couldn't. Tree Hill was their perfect world. He didn't want to tarnish that.

That's why he'd pushed Haley away. That's why he told her he didn't want to have contact with her or any of their friends. That's why he'd made the night they spent together seem trivial. That's why he'd looked her in the eyes and said that he didn't love her. Nathan could feel himself going down this dark and dangerous path, and he'd be damned if he took them all down with him.

"Nathan, open this door right now."

Nathan flinched when he heard his father's harsh voice on the other side. "Go away," he shouted.

"Don't get smart with me," Dan snapped. "We've got training to do today. You've got one hour to get your lazy ass ready and out of this room before I come in there and get you."

Nathan ran his hands over his face as he tried to take deep breaths. He could feel another panic attack coming on. He wasn't sure when they quite started, but now they wouldn't go away. Nathan tried to keep calm as he waited for the pain in his chest and shortness of breath to pass.

Just as he felt himself start to relax again, he heard another knock on the door. But this time it was coming from downstairs. Nathan didn't move from his bed. Dan could get it.

"Where's Nathan?" he heard someone shout.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Dan questioned loudly. "You're not welcome in this house."

Nathan sat up in his bed and listened intently.

"I don't care. Where the hell is he?"

"Oh my God," Nathan mumbled when he realized it was Lucas. He quickly got out of bed and opened his door. He walked down the hallway and looked over the railing to the foyer below. Sure enough, there was Lucas getting into an argument with Dan.

"Get out before I throw you out," Dan ordered.

"I'd like to see you try, Danny Boy," Lucas goaded.

Nathan saw the enraged look on his father's face and quickly made his way downstairs. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Nothing. Lucas was just leaving," Dan answered edgily.

"Like hell I am," Lucas declared. He then turned to Nathan. "You and I have to talk. Now."

"My son doesn't have to listen to anything you say. He—"

"Dad, I can handle this," Nathan interrupted.

"Nathan—"

"It's fine, Dad." Nathan looked over at Lucas. "Let's go outside."

Dan looked really close to losing his temper. Plus, Nathan had a pretty good idea of what Lucas was here to talk to him about. He didn't want his dad eavesdropping in on that.

Nathan led Lucas out the backdoor to the patio. He then turned around with his game face on. It was so great to see Lucas again, but it's not like he could let his friend know that. Not for what he had in store. "What are you doing here, Lucas? And make it quick, because I've got a lot to do today."

"Okay, fine," Lucas answered curtly. The next thing Nathan knew, he was getting punched in the face.

Nathan clutched his cheek as the burning hot pain radiated through his face. "What the fuck, Lucas?!"

"What the hell is the matter with you?"

"You show up at my house all worked up, punch me, and now there's something wrong with me?" Nathan challenged.

"I know what you said to Haley. She cried for hours last night before Taylor and I could get anything out of her. How could you do that to her?"

Nathan suppressed the bile he could feel rising in his throat at the mention of Haley crying. It was bad enough imagining how much he'd hurt her. He couldn't bear to actually hear about it.

"It's none of your business," Nathan bit back.

"See, that's where you're wrong. Because as long as she's my best friend, then it is my business. And when you actually have the nerve to sleep with her—something she probably would've never done under normal circumstances—and then throw it back in her face, then we have a problem."

"What do you want from me? It didn't work out, Lucas. That's all there is to it."

"Since when?!" Lucas exclaimed. "You've known Haley most of your life. You've known me just as long. What the hell is going on, Nathan?! You don't call, you don't come to see us, you're a fucking jackass to Haley when she actually comes to visit you…since when do you turn your back on all of us?!"

"Like I told Haley, I don't belong in Tree Hill anymore. I've got it good here in Oak Lake. I don't have time to worry about all of you back in Hicksville."

Lucas scoffed. "Gee, I'm so sorry we don't live in mansions and drive cars fancy enough for you. We don't all have a rich daddy."

"Don't try to act like you understand."

"Oh, but I do. You're selling out on us. And for what? To gain your ass of a father's approval? To impress him?"

"At least I have a father who actually wants me around. Where the fuck has yours been for the last sixteen years?" Nathan retorted. He knew he'd hit Lucas below the belt on that one. There was nothing that upset Lucas more than the knowledge that his biological father had never wanted him.

Nathan watched as Lucas' face contorted with a mixture of shock and pain. Nathan felt like an absolute scumbag for saying it. But just like with Haley, it was the only way.

It was another moment before Lucas spoke. "I don't even know why I bothered coming here," he mumbled, defeated. "Whoever you are now, you're not even worth it. Stay away from me, and stay the hell away from Haley…you're no friend of ours anymore."

Nathan felt sick as he watched his former best friend glare at him one last time before leaving. Nathan then quickly walked back into the house.

"Is he gone?" Dan questioned.

Nathan jumped a little in surprise. He hadn't known Dan was standing there.

"Yes," he answered.

"Will he be coming back?"

"No."

Dan smiled smugly. "Good."

"You would be happy about that," Nathan murmured with a roll of his eyes.

"I just want what's best for you, Nathan. You don't need Lucas or that other girl. They're beneath you, son. They were only holding you back."

"And what exactly are you doing?"

"I'm giving you a future you can be proud of."

Nathan looked away from his father. He was feeling a lot of things. But pride was definitely not one of them.

"You were," Lucas replied. "But I know now why you were like that. And I know that you're not that same person."

"I'm not," Nathan confirmed.

"Then this is your shot. It's your second chance to erase all of that and start over."

"It sounds great. It really does."

"I'm sensing a but," Lucas stated.

"But I quit basketball for a reason, Luke."

"Nathan, playing basketball will not make you like Dan. He's gone. Any type of competition you may still feel with him is all in your head," Lucas explained. "Like I said before, all that matters is that you still love the game and want to play. The rest will fall into place after that."

Nathan thought it over for a couple of minutes. Lucas' offer was truly a dream come true. He'd get move to Tree Hill, be with Haley and all of his old friends, go to school at Gilmore, and play ball with a great coach like Whitey. It was the complete opposite of the future that Dan had intended for him. But that was the beauty of it. It was all that Nathan had ever wanted. And even better, it was something he could make happen all by himself. Dan had absolutely nothing to do with it.

"So, what do you say?" Lucas inquired.

Nathan smirked. "You do realize that if I accept, you'll be stuck with me for awhile, right?"

"That won't be a problem—as long as you don't turn into a jackass again," Lucas joked.

Nathan shook his head. "I've learned my lesson."

"And it only took a lost drag race and a burned down café to realize it."

"Yeah," Nathan laughed. He then paused. "Wait, what do you mean by a lost drag race? I didn't lose."

"How many times do we have to go over this? You spun out of control and crashed. Therefore, you lost."

"I did not," Nathan argued. "I was definitely in the lead before those cop cars showed up."

"Not uh," Lucas objected.

"Yeah huh."

"Well, I—"

"No, you didn't. I—"

"They've got to be here," Brooke stated as she parked her car in front of Karen's Café.

"I hope so," Haley mumbled. They'd already tried calling Lucas, stopping by his house, stopping by Keith's house, and then the River Court. They were quickly running out of options.

Brooke pointed to a few spots over. "Well, Lucas' truck is here. That's a good sign."

The girls then quickly got out of the car and entered the café. Haley felt the smile form on her face as she, once again, took in its fully restored state. It was almost as if nothing had even happened to it in the first place.

"Lucas," Brooke called. "Lucas!"

"Yeah?" someone shouted back. Lucas, followed by Nathan, walked from the kitchen to the front of the café. Judging by the sodas in their hand, Haley figured they'd been in the back raiding the refrigerator. "What's up?"

"What do you mean 'what's up?' I want to hear how everything went with the judge," Brooke stated. "Are you free or is there still an ugly orange jumpsuit in your future?"

Lucas and Nathan exchanged amused looks.

"Well?" Haley prodded when they didn't say anything right away.

"We're free," Nathan declared. "And might I add that the judge was very impressed with everything we've done."

"Oh, Nathan, that's so great," Haley exclaimed. She walked over and hugged him as Brooke did the same to Lucas.

"I told you there was nothing to worry about," Brooke whispered to Haley.

Haley rolled her eyes. "You're the one who thought they might still go to jail."

"But you believed it, too."

"I did not."

"Did to, Tutor Girl."

"I did not!"

"Yes, you did!"

"No, I didn't!"

"Okay, why don't we all calm down. The important thing is that we're fine. So there's no need to worry anymore," Lucas interjected.

"Yeah, we have more important things to attend to."

"Like what?" Haley questioned curiously.

"Nathan and I have put together a little surprise."

Brooke clapped her hands in excitement. "Ooh, I love surprises!"

"Well, actually it's for Haley," Nathan informed her.

"What?" Brooke questioned. The disappointment was obvious in her voice.

"For me?" Haley asked in astonishment. She tried to wrack her brain about what it could be but came up with nothing.

"Yup," Lucas confirmed.

"We were actually going to come find you right now," Nathan said.

"Well, where is this surprise?"

"Right here," Lucas answered.

Haley stared at them confused. "I don't get it."

"Well, it's here in the café," Nathan elaborated. He then pulled something out of his pocket.

Haley looked at the black blindfold in his hand skeptically.

"Kinky," Brooke muttered with an amused smile.

"Why do I need that?" Haley inquired.

Lucas put his arm around her shoulders. "To make sure you don't peek."

"But—"

"Tutor Girl, just do it. Because if you don't want the surprise, then I'll gladly take it," Brooke declared.

Haley sighed. "Okay, fine. Put the damn thing on me."

"Can I come, too?" Brooke questioned Lucas.

"Um, just let us show it to Haley first. I'll come and get you afterward."

Brooke pouted. "I always miss out on all of the fun."

"Now, can you see anything?" Nathan asked after he was done tying it.

Haley shook her head. There was only darkness. "No."

Nathan waved his hand in front of her and made a funny face to make sure. He didn't want anything to ruin this moment for her.

"Good."

"Just please don't let me hurt myself," Haley pled. She was already a klutz when she did have her sight. She could only imagine what kind of trouble she could get herself into without being able to see.

"You'll be fine," Lucas promised.

"I'll make this really easy," Nathan declared. There were a lot of stairs leading up to the roof. There was no doubt in his mind that she would most likely stumble up most of them—even with he and Lucas guiding her.

The next thing Haley knew, she was being swept off of her feet. She let out a squeal of astonishment. "Nathan, you better not drop me…wait, it is Nathan, right?"

Nathan chuckled. "Yeah, it's me. Don't worry, I've got you."

Haley felt a shiver run up her spine at his words.

"Let's go, Luke."

Lucas nodded before leading the way.

"Make sure you remember to come and get me," Brooke called after him.

"I will," Lucas reassured her.

Haley wound her arms around Nathan's neck as he carried her. It sounded like they were climbing stairs. Not to mention the fact that she was being jostled in Nathan's arms. Afterward, Haley heard the sound of a door open.

"I'm going to put you down," Nathan warned her. "So don't fall."

"I think I can stand up by myself just fine," she replied jokingly.

Nathan then set her down, but his hands remained firmly on her waist.

"Can I look yet?" Haley asked. She was starting to get anxious.

"Hold on a sec," Lucas said.

After what seemed like a couple of minutes, Haley felt someone untying the blindfold. It took a moment for her eyes to readjust to the light. When they finally did, she gasped at the scene before her. It was their old rooftop miniature golf course that they'd built and played with as kids. It was completely redone. There were also numerous lights hanging from above in decoration.

"Oh my God," she whispered with a mixture of shock and admiration. "I can't believe you guys did this."

"We thought the café wouldn't have been the same without it," Lucas proclaimed.

"So, what do you think?" Nathan questioned when she remained silent. "Do you like it?"

Haley wiped away a few stray tears that had escaped. "I love it. It's just…it's perfect," she told them. "When did you do this?"

"We've been working on it for the past few weeks," Nathan answered.

"We knew how much you loved it up here. Well, actually, we all loved it up here," Lucas said with a shrug. "The original café may have burned down, but that doesn't mean our traditions and memories had to go with it."

"This really is so amazing. Thank you," she said sincerely. She was seriously in awe that they'd gone through the trouble of rebuilding the entire miniature golf course for her. It was no doubt a difficult task to complete.

"You're welcome," Lucas replied while giving her a hug. Before pulling away, Lucas shot an encouraging look to Nathan. "Well, I'm going to go get Brooke. She's probably all worked up that she's not part of the action."

"Okay," Haley said as she turned back to look at their hard work.

When Lucas left, Nathan ran a hand through her hair. "What are you thinking?"

"My mom used to come up here with me a lot before she passed away. I don't know…I guess I feel like I've gotten a piece of her back with me," Haley explained. "Not to mention with the cafe finally being rebuilt."

"I'm glad to hear that," Nathan said softly.

Haley turned to face him. She caressed his cheek before guiding his mouth to hers. The kiss was tender yet intense.

Nathan wiped away the rest of her tears once they broke apart. He then kissed her forehead. "Do you think you could handle one more surprise?"

"Sure. But I don't think it'll be able to top this," she told him.

Nathan smirked. "I'm willing to bet the opposite."

"Someone sounds a little cocky," she teased.

Nathan gave her another smile before wrapping an arm around her waist to bring her close. His other hand, meanwhile, stayed on her face. "Not cocky. I just know I'm right."

Haley rolled her eyes playfully. "And what, pray tell, could be better than this?"

Nathan pretended to think about it before answering, "I don't know…how does me moving back to Tree Hill and going to school at Gilmore with you and Lucas sound?"

Haley stopped mid-laugh and stared at him stunned. "W-what?"

"Lucas told me that he talked to Whitey and that they're willing to give me a shot on the team," Nathan explained. "He also told me about this petite brunette who came up with the idea."

Haley looked away from him briefly as the rosy blush colored her cheeks. "It sounds kind of familiar," she murmured. "Although Lucas failed to mention that an offer was actually made."

"Well, it was, and I'm taking it," Nathan told her.

"Really?" Haley questioned—the excitement and relief already evident in her tone.

Nathan nodded in confirmation. "Yes, I am."

A huge smile formed on Haley's face as she threw her arms completely around him. Haley hugged him tightly before standing on her tiptoes to meet him. Nathan's mouth moved over hers fervently, eliciting a few breathy moans from Haley.

"God, I love you," he groaned against her lips. Nathan truly felt like this was where he was supposed to be. Like everything was going to be okay. After being in such darkness for so long, this new light was blinding.

Haley's hand made its way into his hair to keep him close. "I love you, too."

Neither knew how much time had passed nor felt the urge to pull away. They were all too content with enjoying the moment. It had been a long time coming.

"Whoa, check out Naley going at it!" a voice laughed.

Nathan and Haley stopped kissing but didn't completely let go of the other.

"Here we go again," Lucas muttered. Brooke then elbowed him in the ribs. "Ow!"

"Don't ruin the moment, Broody. They're so cute. I bet they were like this in high school, too."

"I think it was actually worse back then," Lucas commented with a teasing smile.

Haley blushed as Nathan shook his head.

"Whatever. Leave them alone," Brooke warned.

"Hey, I don't care if they kiss. I just don't want to see it."

"Well, you better get used to it. It's not going to stop once we get to Gilmore," Nathan stated.

"Wait, what?!" Brooke exclaimed.

"Nathan's moving back to Tree Hill," Haley informed her. "And he'll be attending Gilmore in the fall with us."

"I'll be on the basketball team with Luke," Nathan added.

"No way!" Brooke shouted. "Are you serious?! That's so great."

Haley smiled up at Nathan before looking back at her friends. "Yes, it is."

"Does this mean that Tutor Girl and Hero Boy are officially back together?"

Haley looked to Nathan who nodded. He gave her a quick peck on the lips before answering, "Yes, we are."

"Aw, it's like that story where that prodigy returns or something," Brooke stated.

Haley laughed before correcting, "I think you mean the parable where the prodigal son returns."

"Yeah, that's it. We totally need to celebrate. Luke, does your mom keep any liquor around?"

"I was actually thinking we could do something else," Haley suggested.

"Like what?" Lucas questioned.

"Miniature golf anyone?"

"Damn, that boy is on fire tonight," Taylor commented.

Haley smiled proudly when she saw Nathan do a slam dunk. "I know."

The whole group was at the River Court hanging out later that night. The girls were sitting on the picnic table while the guys played a game.

"You seem awfully chipper tonight," Peyton observed. "What's up?"

Haley shrugged. "No reason."

"And why are you smiling?" Taylor questioned Brooke.

"No reason," Brooke repeated.

Taylor looked between them suspiciously. "Okay, we're definitely missing something."

"Actually, Skills just scored. That's what you missed," Bevin spoke up. She then shouted, "Good one, honey!"

Skills winked at her from his spot on the court.

Peyton shook her head. "Seriously, you two. What's going on?"

"You first," Brooke demanded.

"What?"

"Before Haley tells you her news, I think we deserve a little Jake update."

Haley nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Have there been anymore skinny dipping incidents?"

Peyton rolled her eyes. "No. But…"

"But what?" Haley prodded her cousin.

"Well, we talked and we're…kinda…sorta…we're dating," Peyton revealed. "Happy now?"

"Oh my God, did I call it or what!" Brooke proclaimed. "I told you he wanted more."

"It was a lucky guess."

"Nope. I'm just a dating genius."

"That's awesome, Peyton," Haley complimented. "You and Jake are so cute together."

"What about the distance?" Taylor questioned.

"We're going to continue to e-mail and talk. Who knows, maybe I'll even visit Tree Hill more often."

"I love how you finally decide to visit more now that a boy is in the picture," Haley teased.

"Whatever," Peyton said, smiling despite herself. "Now what's up with you, Haley Bop?"

"Yeah, let's get to the good stuff," Taylor added.

"Ooh, I want to hear it," Bevin exclaimed as she moved closer to the girls.

Haley watched them for a minute, trying to gauge how they would react to her news. "Okay, um, I'm just going to say it. Nathan's moving back to Tree Hill."

Both Peyton and Taylor's mouths dropped open as their eyes bulged in shock.

"Not uh," Taylor replied.

"He is," Haley confirmed. "Keith said that he could move in with him permanently."

"Oh my God," Peyton muttered.

"But there's more," Brooke cut in eagerly.

Taylor frowned. "More?"

"Yeah," Haley said with a nod. "In addition to moving, Nathan's going to go to Gilmore with Lucas, Brooke, and me this fall. Well, more like in a few weeks, actually. Lucas talked to Whitey, and they offered Nathan a position on the team."

Peyton and Taylor's eyes widened further. They then shared another look before shouting, "WHAT?!"

"What's going on over there?" Fergie questioned, nodding over to the girls.

All of the guys glanced over at them. Nathan saw Haley and Brooke talking hectically to Peyton and Taylor. He and Lucas exchanged looks. Haley must have told them the news. He hoped that they'd accept it. Nathan knew that Taylor and especially Peyton were still skeptical of him, but he wasn't really worried about himself. He just wanted to make sure Haley stayed happy without them filling her head with stupid scenarios. It was an amazing thing for her and him. Everything was finally starting to fall back into place.

"Whatever, man. Let's get back to the game," Skills ordered. "We're close to beating your asses."

"Like hell you are," Junk argued. "We've still got a few things up our sleeves."

Nathan smiled as he watched his friends continue to talk trash to one another. He was glad some things never changed.

"Skills, just give me the—" Lucas started to say when he was interrupted.

"Well, well, well…look at what we have here," a voice said from behind them.

Nathan turned around and immediately felt his whole body tense up. It took a moment before he actually believed what he was seeing. He'd hoped it was just some nightmare or hallucination, but he wasn't that lucky.

Damien, Tim, and Vegas were actually standing there before him with their signature haughty smiles on their faces. Nathan inhaled a shaky breath. The ease and hope he'd felt minutes prior quickly drained from his body as he stared at his Oak Lake friends stunned. Suddenly, the future didn't seem so bright anymore.