I'm SO SO SO SO SO SO sorry! You guys seriously have no idea. I feel like such a horrible person saying Wednesday and then only updating the Friday the week after. I feel horrible. That's why I tried to make this chapter extra-long. I'll seriously try to have the next chapter up ASAP since you guys really deserve a quick update. My parents like got me out of the house every single day and then stupid homework took over and then the millions of little writer's block but I should stop venting since you guys don't deserve excuses.

Also, my friend pointed out to me a mistake I had made in the chapter prior. I will confess, since some of you have noticed it, that I get mixed up, for some odd reason, with the names 'Kyle' and 'Zach' so sometimes I mean to write Zach but I write Kyle (like I did several times in the last chapter). So I'm really sorry if that caused any confusion and I'll try to be even more careful when writing that. I think it's because they were/are both pretty close to Nathan at one point.

Third thing… from the grand total of two people who tried to guess my sister's obsession (lol) the people that got it right were (drum roll please) no one. Lol… no, my sister is not obsessed with Harry Potter… in fact, she doesn't even read the books. And no, my sister was never a hard-core Leyton fan. Her obsession is Father of the Bride. Like Jayme, she can actually recite the beginning monologues and I have no doubt she could recite the entire movie and its sequel… haha.

Fourth thing, I got some comments about the game that Jayme had planned for the double dates… the game is not an actual game. I made it up when thinking about what I should write for the chapters… lol. I'm glad you guys liked it though!

Anyway, enjoy…


For All You're Worth

Chapter 49

Nathan crept up behind Haley and hugged her.

She jumped a little in his arms but then turned around to kiss him. "You just had to do that. Don't freak me out!"

He smiled, "Sorry, couldn't help myself."

Haley laughed.

"So in what class do you have that test?"

"Chemistry," she replied.

"Is that next?" Nathan questioned. He saw Aundrea in the distance smirking at him; he tightened his grip on Haley.

"Umm hmm," she nodded.

"Good luck," he said not tearing his eyes from Aundrea although she had already turned around to have an animated conversation with Brooke.

"So," Haley turned around to face him and he immediately looked at her instead of at his ex-girlfriend, "Friday was fun."

"You've already said that about ten times," Nathan smirked.

"I know, but it was."

"Even the part where Zach and I provided the voices for the movie even though you and Jayme yelled at us to stop?"

Haley giggled, "Annoyingly, yes."

"Does this mean all our dates have to be with those two losers?"

"What losers?" Haley raised a brow playfully, "You're only one loser, who's the second?"

"Ha-ha, funny Hales."

"No, it doesn't. This Friday can be only us," Haley smiled.

"Sounds good," Nathan leaned in to kiss her.


"Nathan and Haley sitting on a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g, first comes love, then Aundrea shows up, and that results in a very nasty break-up," Aundrea sang. "It's not the best rhyming, but I think you get it," she smirked.

"Aundrea…"

"Though I did forget that minor detail of the broken heart but I think that's pretty obvious so I won't add it in," she continued.

Nathan felt that kick in his heart. He couldn't have her heart-broken. Not again.

"Tootles, have to go ace a test. Hope your hoe fails," she started walking away.

"I don't have a hoe."

"Right, just Haley. Well, at least for now," Aundrea giggled leaving.


Nathan starred at the clock. The fact that he knew Aundrea and Haley had a test made him a little relieved. It meant that Aundrea couldn't speak with Haley about the plan.

Why was it always on his mind?! Well, of course it was obvious why it was but he just wanted to relax and not be constantly thinking about it. Hell, even when Haley was with him he couldn't completely relax, because he knew that Aundrea was the one deciding if it would be one of the last times he would have with Haley.

"Nathan," he heard a whisper from his left.

He turned around to face Zach, "What?"

"You feel like telling me what's really wrong?" He waited enough time to talk to him about it as a few days passed since the date.

"What are you talking about?"

"Why you've been spaced out and always looking at Haley. What's going on?"

"Nothing," Nathan shrugged. Bringing more people into it would just make everything a lot messier. He could handle it alone. Or at least he could try.

Zach looked at him for a few seconds. "Fine, but when you're ready to stop bullshitting, come talk to me."

Nathan looked at Zach and then turned away. What the hell could he say? Zach was a great friend, but he couldn't drag him into this mess. He didn't want to either.


"And then there was one question where I was like 'oh my god! I think I forgot' but then I didn't," Aundrea explained during Digital Art. "So I'd be really surprised if I got less than a ninety-five."

"I'd be surprised if I'd get more than a seventy on anything," Brooke said.

"Nice," Aundrea giggled.

"I have a question Drea," Brooke finally looked away from the computer screen.

"Okay, shoot," Aundrea looked at Brooke.

"So apparently something is going on between you and Nathan because he asked me about it a few days ago. And well, the times you talk to him after lunch-"

"Davis! Jones!" the teacher barked.

Aundrea and Brooke turned to their computer screens and resumed their work.

"All I want to know is if my dearest best friend will tell me what's going on," Brooke continued.

Aundrea giggled, "He's so pathetic."

"Nathan?"

"Yeah."

"Why? What's going on?"

"I told him that I'd tell Haley about the plan."

Brooke's jaw dropped as she turned to Aundrea. "You told Haley?"

"No," Aundrea shook her head laughing at Brooke's reaction.

"You going to tell her?"

"I have no reason not to. But," she signaled for Brooke to come towards her. She whispered something in Brooke's ear.

"Oh, you're evil!"

"I know," Aundrea giggled.

"Is Nathan freaking out?"

"Yep."

Brooke laughed, "I bet you're loving having this power."

"You have no idea," Aundrea smirked.


"Did she talk to you?" Nathan asked Brooke during their Algebra class.

"Who?"

"Aundrea."

This was it. Where she chose on which side she was on; Aundrea's or Nathan's. She shook her head, "No. If this is about the whole why she's talking to you, I have no idea. I asked her about it and she asked me whether I'd talk to my ex-boyfriend. Then we went into this whole conversation about why I don't have a boyfriend. I swear, that girl is stubborn as hell…"

He didn't hear the rest. She didn't tell Brooke. Did she not want to make a big deal out of it? But Brooke was her best friend.

What did they have now? 7th period… AP Calc. Could Aundrea tell her then?

"Haley," Aundrea called before they went into their Calculus class. "I need to talk to you about something."

"If it's some dig, I don't want to hear it," Haley rolled her eyes as she turned to go into her class.

"It's not. I swear," she promised. "It's about Nathan."

"Nathan?" Haley turned around. "Is this about why you tried to make it seem like there was something going on?"

"No," the blonde shook her head. "It's about something he didn't tell you and should have."

Nathan looked up at the clock. Damn, they had a half an hour. There was no way he could just sit there not knowing whether Aundrea told Haley or not.

"Could I go to the bathroom?" Nathan called out.

"It would be nice if next time you would raise your hand Mr. Scott."

"Whatever… I mean sorry," he needed the teacher to let him leave.

"You may go."

Nathan got out of his seat and out of the class. What was the room number again?

He was in the math wing already so it was one of the classes next to his.

Didn't he wait for Aundrea when they were going out?

Nathan spotted Haley through the window at the door.

She was copying down something from the board. When she looked at the door for a second she smiled at Nathan.

He let out a sigh of relief, smiling back at her as he waved. Aundrea hadn't told her yet.

His smile faded when he saw, a few seats from Haley, Aundrea giggling silently at him. Probably thinking it was funny how he was so worried he had to check up on Haley.

His ex-girlfriend and his current girlfriend, sitting almost side by side. On one side a brunette beauty he would lose sometime in the near future, and on the other a blonde bitch who would be the cause of it.

Though if he would sit down and really think about it, he'd realize it was his fault. He already knew it. Aundrea was just a tool, someone who brought it back to haunt him. But he was the cause of what was going to happen. He was the reason he was now close to paranoid. If it weren't for him, Haley would have never gotten her heart-broken and he wouldn't be in this situation.

"Taking your time, I see," Nathan looked away from Haley to see the teacher who had just spoken. He didn't recognize him but he knew he was going to get into some sort of trouble. "Why aren't you in class?"

"Because I couldn't stand sitting there for another minute it was so boring. You know how math classes are." Nathan knew that if this teacher was in this hall, he was a math teacher and he loved getting under teachers' skins.

"Interesting. Where are you supposed to be now?"

"Math," Nathan said simply.

"Which?" the teacher looked at the classroom Nathan had just looked at. "I presume it's not AP Calculus, now is it?"

"Do I look like a prodigy to you?"

"Tell me what class you are supposed to be at young man or I'll send you to the principal's office," the teacher was sick of Nathan's mind games.

"I'm not really scared if you send me over there, you know," Nathan mocked.

"Fine then, you're coming with me."

Nathan took one last glance at Haley's class and then he turned to leave. It was worth it just seeing that she still didn't know.


"Principal's?" Haley asked disbelievingly over the phone a day later. "Why the hell did you have to be a smart-ass to that teacher?"

"Because it's fun," Nathan explained laughing.

"Detention isn't. And you had to sit there for that hour yesterday just for being stubborn."

"I don't mind it anymore."

"Well even if I were this trouble-making girl I could never get used to detention."

"You, a trouble-making girl?"

"I did get two detentions, didn't I?" Haley giggled. "Wait one second, someone's at the door." She went down the stairs when she heard the knock.

"Haley, don't open it," Nathan felt like he couldn't breathe.

"What?" Haley asked confused. "What do you mean not open it? It's my mom."

"Oh," Nathan said embarrassed.

"Hey mom," he heard Haley say. "Yeah, it was good. I'll talk to you at dinner, okay? The spaghetti is heating up on the stove." She started up the stairs. "Nathan Scott, tell me why you didn't want me to open the door."

"Just how it could have been someone trying to kill you and all," Nathan made-up.

Haley giggled, "Nathan, I know when it's okay to open the door and when it's not. I'm a big girl."

"Nice to know," Nathan said.

Half an hour later they ended the conversation since Haley had to go eat dinner with her parents.

Nathan put the phone in place. Sometimes that was what he wanted; to have dinner with a family. Not his of course, since it was a bit messed up. But eating dinner alone got old.

He thought again of Haley finding out. He couldn't live without those phone talks, those make-out sessions, the double dates and basically just being with her. It was starting to really haunt his thoughts, Haley finding out.

The phone rang.

"Hello?" Nathan answered.

"Hey."

"GOD DAMN IT, AUNDREA!"

She giggled, "No need to be so hostile. God forbid, I'll feel unwelcome and won't call."

"Yeah, God forbid," Nathan rolled his eyes. "What do you want?"

"What do you mean, what do I want?" she asked innocently.

"Don't you haunt me enough at school?"

"Now I haunt you? Interesting. Do you dream about me too?" she said seductively.

"Aundrea," Nathan closed his eyes in frustration.

"I take it it's not the same dreams as you had when we went out. You'd describe those to me, remember? Well to Brooke when she asked. Do you describe the dreams you have about Haley to Lucas?"

"Drea-"

"I think you should. You know, that would make him angry and all. Maybe it would result in a Lucas and Haley fight and you'll get what you want! Then that would so be a perfect opportunity for me to come in and tell her."

"I already told you it's not about making Lucas mad anymore."

"Aha," Aundrea said. "I've seen you holding her as if to protect her from anything or anyone who will hurt her. The ironic thing is, you've hurt her the most."

Nathan fell silent.

"It's a good thing she doesn't know."

"Please don't tell her, Drea. Please."

"It sucks to know that I can tell her whenever I want, right?" she smirked.

"Why are you doing this Aundrea?"

"Because I'm heartless and pathetic, remember?"

"I didn't mean it when I said that."

Aundrea laughed, "I'm not stupid too."

"I'm sorry if I said that but-"

"So now you're apologizing for being an ass? It's too late. You just can't deal with the fact that the cards are in my hands now."

Nathan wanted to just hang up, but he couldn't as to not set her off; not to give her a reason to talk to Haley. The cards were indeed in her hands.


"How was French?" Nathan asked seeing Haley in the hallway.

Haley shrugged, "Fine. The teacher still doesn't like me very much from those two weeks one million years ago."

Good, she's talking to me meaning Aundrea hadn't told her.

"I'll walk you to class," Nathan offered.

"Okay," she smiled when he put his arm around her shoulders.

"And I'm sure the French teacher will come to her senses sooner or later."

"Nah," Haley shook her head, "she won't. I don't care anymore though. It was my fault."

"What?"

"That I didn't sleep and failed like every single quiz during that time period. You didn't know?"

"I uh… Kyle told me." This was in fact true, but he didn't know if it was a good idea to bring him back into the conversation.

"Yeah, so you know," Haley said simply.

Okay, so she doesn't mind…

"How about we forget your troubles," they stopped in front of her class. "And I'll help you relax."

"How will you do that?" she smirked.

"Well," he leaned in to kiss her tenderly. "Better?"

"Much," Haley smiled putting her hands around his neck. "Oh Mr. Thompson," she dropped her hands when she saw her teacher. "I'll see you later," she looked at Nathan, waving, and walked into the class.

"Thanks man," Nathan told Haley's teacher and then walked away.

Haley sat down pulling on her shirt.

Aundrea came in the class laughing, "Post-Nathan touch-up?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't act stupid, James. Pulling your bra down since Nathan was filling you up like two seconds ago. I went out with him at one point too."

"He wasn't filling me up," Haley said annoyed. "Wait, what do you mean you know since you went out with him too?"

"You know, the whole sex thing. It starts out fine but a few months in… well… he starts bothering you about it," Aundrea sat down in her seat.

"He doesn't."

"But he will," Aundrea said. "He did with me anyway. But it shouldn't be a problem for you as you've already went pretty far with Kyle."

"For someone that apparently is close to Kyle you really don't know anything about his relationships," she looked at Aundrea angrily.

"I'm sorry you regret it but that doesn't mean it didn't happen," Aundrea said 'understandingly'.

"I don't regret it! I mean I didn't sleep with him. I don't regret being with him."

"Sure," Aundrea laughed. "You know you kind of blurted out that you did."

"You know what? Think whatever you want. But I know I didn't and he knows it too so that's all that matters."

Haley turned away from Aundrea. She was just trying to get her riled up; but she wasn't going to let her.


"Hey," Nathan said hesitantly.

"Hi," she turned to him with a smile.

He smiled back. "So you kinda owe me." He leaned in to kiss her.

After a few seconds Haley pulled away.

"What was that for?" Nathan laughed.

"I- just save some for our date," she smirked. Ugh! Why was she letting Aundrea get inside her head?

"Will do."

"I'll see you later then. I'm sitting with-"

"I know."

Haley smiled. Then she went on her toes and pecked his lips. "See you."


Nathan picked up the phone, "Hello?"

"What's up?"

Nathan massaged his temple.

Aundrea laughed again, "So today you were acting so cutsie with Haley. I swear I don't think I've actually seen a couple that was so cute they made me want to gag."

"Really? All that from just seeing us together?" Nathan asked sarcastically.

"Umm hmm. So you have a date with her?"

"In a few hours," he said unsympathetically.

"Again, more cheesiness I assume," Aundrea mocked.

"What's it to you?"

"What, the date?"

"Yes."

"I don't know. I guess I just have some advice for you."

"And what would that be?"

"Enjoy it while it lasts."

Nathan swore that if she were standing before him he'd be struggling not to slap her. She reached his soft-spot.

"When are you going to tell her?" Nathan asked.

"I don't know. Whenever I want to; whenever you try to pull something; whenever I see Haley and I have an urge to. You know, whenever."

Nathan exhaled deeply.

"Well anyway, have fun on your date- or not. Whatever. I have some stuff to do on a Friday aside from torture you," Aundrea giggled which was followed by her hang-up.

The phone rang again and he hesitated before picking it up again.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Zach asked on the other line.

"Oh hey Zach," Nathan said relieved.

"It has to do with Haley. I just know it. All lunch you were looking at her. And it's not the first time I catch you doing it either. Are you thinking of having sex with her or something?"

"What? No. It has nothing to do with that."

"Then what does it have to do with?"

"Nothing, I'm fine. You're overexaggerating. Can't a guy look at his girlfriend?"

"Sure he can. But not in the way that you're looking at her."

"I'm not looking at her in any different way than I have been."

"Yeah, for a week and a half now. You're thinking about something."

"Yes, that's what we have a brain for."

"Don't try to joke your way out of this."

"What do you want from me, man?!" Nathan said angrily. "Nothing's wrong!"

Zach sighed, "Keep telling that to yourself but I know better." He hung up.

Nathan put his head in his hands. He knew they weren't exactly fighting but it was hard enough with the whole Aundrea thing.


"Anything planned for tonight?" Haley questioned when they were walking hand-in-hand through the park.

"No, just hanging out," Nathan replied looking at her and then at her hands. Boy was he going to miss how her hand fit perfectly in his.

Haley smiled, "I love just hanging out." She leaned on his shoulder as they continued to walk in the park.

"Glad you do," Nathan kissed her forehead. "So tell me about your day."

"Nothing special; really just waiting for this date. Peyton said something funny during lunch that I can't remember," Haley laughed. "But I do remember I couldn't stop laughing. So did anyone say something funny during your day?"

"Jayme said something about milkmen."

"What?" Haley giggled.

"Yeah, I didn't really hear but Zach did and he spit his Gatorade and got the entire table wet, including my shirt."

"Aw! You had to be sticky for the rest of the day!"

"Yep."

"Anything sad happen today?" Haley asked.

Nathan looked at her eyes, which were looking up at him, and shook his head. "You?"

Haley shrugged, "I guess. I mean not really that sad. You know how I told you that I don't care that my French teacher still doesn't like me and I don't care?" Nathan nodded. "I do care. I don't know, I just like being on the good side of every teacher. And now I got my math teacher against me too. It's hard enough that I had to work really hard to get all my grades up- basically I had to get 5 Cs and a D back to As by the end of the grading quarter- but it had a lasting effect too," Haley sighed. "And you know… about Math… weeks ago, Aundrea was saying how my average was lower than my usual grade in the class. She said that since math builds on what you've learned, if you missed something it's harder to do well in the weeks afterwards. Well, she was right. I find some things, that should be simple, I have to go back to relearn."

Nathan didn't know how to respond to that. But it seemed she didn't need a reply, just for him to listen. This and also the fact that he felt incredibly guilty.

"I hate it when she's right," Haley admitted.

"She'll be right about things, Hales…" Nathan started.

"No, I meant right when it comes to me. It scares me to know that she somehow gets what's going on and I don't."

You have no idea how right that is, Nathan sighed. "Let's sit down," he offered. She nodded as they sat down on a bench; Haley's head in Nathan's lap. He started stroking her hair.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Nathan replied.

"Have you ever pressured Aundrea into, you know, doing anything with you?"

"What?" Nathan asked surprised, pausing the stroking of her hair.

"Did you?" she met his eyes.

"I- no… I mean," Nathan looked out at the distance. "Look Haley, I'm not the same guy I was when I went out with her. But I didn't pressure her about it. I talked to her a few times about sex but never to the point of making her do anything she didn't want to," Nathan explained. He then looked down at Haley. She nodded.

"Did you two sleep together?" she asked. "I mean, sorry, you don't have to answer since that is pretty personal-"

"No," Nathan cut her off. "She didn't want to."

"She didn't want to?" she looked up at him confused. "Have you dated multiple Aundreas?"

"Only one," Nathan laughed. And believe me that I never regretted anything more… well, aside from breaking your heart.

"But she's- she's- Aundrea."

"Yeah, she is. She's a tease and a slut but she wouldn't go there with me."

"Why?" Haley asked interestedly.

"Because she wasn't in-love with me," Nathan explained simply.

"So she's waiting," Haley inquired.

"Umm hmm."

They were silent for a few seconds.

"Let's not talk about Aundrea, please," Nathan requested. Talking about her was really unnerving.

Haley nodded. "Yeah, why don't we say something happy that happened today?" she suggested.

"Okay, you go first," Nathan resumed stroking her hair.

"Well," she thought, "lunch today was good. I like hanging out with my friends."

Nathan nodded.

"How about you?"

"What about me?"

"Something good that happened," she laughed.

Nathan thought through his day. There wasn't really a moment that stood out. In his mind it was all part of him being paranoid about Aundrea. "Seeing you open your door when I picked you up."

Haley smiled. "You were probably just glad it was me and not one of my nutty parents."

"Nah, it was just seeing you."

Haley beamed. He was really sweet. She didn't even notice how distant he was being.

"What was that noise?"

"My stomach," Haley giggled. "It just gurgled. I'm kinda hungry."

"Well I have some money if you want to buy a hot-dog or something," Nathan offered.

"Okay," Haley got up slowly and stood up.

They walked through the park.

"They should have a Mac n' Cheese cart in the future," Haley thought out loud.

Nathan chuckled, "They should."

"I thought you said it's only for five-year-olds," she turned to him.

"You remember that?" She nodded. "Well, to let you in on a little secret, I started buying Mac n' Cheese after our little conversation at the movie-theatre. I always have at least one box at home."

Haley looked at him wide-eyed. "Are you serious?"

Nathan nodded.

She smiled, "Aw, Nathan. I told you it was good!"

"I never said it wasn't. I just said I hadn't eaten it since I was really little."

"And I brought back your love for it!" Haley exclaimed happily.

"Not really actually," Nathan chuckled.

"Shut up! I want some credit," she giggled.

"It was because of you that I gave it a chance again," he smiled.

"Okay, that's good enough," she pecked him and they located the hot-dog stand.


"Wait!" Haley giggled aloud. She put both her hands out to the sides and walked on the rocks separating the sidewalk and grass.

"I'm telling you Haley, you won't be able to walk perfectly with me behind you," Nathan laughed.

"That's because you deliberately distract me!"

"How do I do that?"

"Breathe down my neck, grab my waist or randomly start tickling me! Don't act like you don't know, Scott. I nearly fell!"

"I caught you, didn't I?" he smirked.

"Not the point," Haley looked at the grass where a few kids were playing with their families. "Cute, isn't it?"

"Little kids?" Nathan raised a brow. "More like annoying."

"Nah, they're cute," Haley grinned. "But that's not what I meant; just the whole family thing," she paused just looking at them. "How important will your family be to you?" she turned towards him as he was standing on the sidewalk.

"Pretty important, I guess," Nathan said. "I mean, my parents kind of screwed up and I don't want my kids to have that. And I want them to know that their father and mother, whoever she may be, will always be there for them. Unlike my parents who weren't there for me."

Haley nodded understandingly. "I'm the same way only opposite. My parents were there for me and I loved it so I want the same for my kids."

Nathan nodded as he looked back to where Haley was looking before. She was right; it was pretty nice to see.

When he looked back to Haley he saw her smiling at him, "What?"

"Nothing," she giggled. "It's just that I got mucho man Nathan Scott to be mushy and speak of little cute kids."

"I never said kids were cute," Nathan protested. "And that wasn't mushy."

"If that's not mushy for you, I wonder what is," Haley smirked. "I like you as a softie."

"I'm not a softie," Nathan frowned.

"Stop denying it!" Haley laughed, "It's working for you."

"How?" Nathan raised his brow.

"It's really sexy when you talk about how you want to be a good dad. I don't even know, but I guess a caring guy is a turn-on."

"A caring guy or me as a caring guy?" Nathan questioned, stepping towards her.

"Well, you know that almost-kiss with Zach was kind of a turn-on too. And it had nothing to do with you or being caring. Though Zach is a very caring guy. I wonder how it would be like to actually kiss-" she teased but before she could finish he had her in his arms and gave her a tender kiss; not letting go until making sure she was breathless.

"You want to finish up that sentence?"

Haley shook her head, "Maybe another time." She kissed him back hungrily.

"You know… what we should… do?" he asked between kisses.

"Hmm?"

"Some… roll play from… that Notepad movie."

"Notebook," Haley corrected stopping the kissing. "And I don't think so," she giggled giving him one final peck.

"Fine, lets do some Girl Next Door roll play and you can be the porn star," Nathan grinned.

"How about we do a Charley's Angels roll play and I kick your ass?" Haley suggested.

"That works," Nathan smirked.

Haley rolled her eyes. "I like it better when you're mushy."

"And I love it when you're feisty, remember?"

"As in do I remember from the time you pushed my ass up the tree?"

"Yeah, that time," Nathan smiled. "If you want, we can climb up some of these trees," he signaled towards the many trees in the park, "if you know what I mean."

"How about I don't kiss you until the end of the night?" Haley suggested.

"Screw the trees. Who needs them anyway?"

"The human race?" Haley offered giggling.

"Well aside from them," he pulled Haley towards him.

"Aside from us," Haley corrected. "Unless we're not humans."

"Not humans, animals," Nathan winked.

"They kind of need trees too."

"You mean 'we'," Nathan chuckled.


"There's a waterboy and a milkman, right? Why when the boy grows up he starts selling milk and not water?" Nathan questioned.

"Nathan! STOP!" she laughed hysterically.

"It wasn't that funny Hales, it's quite a philosophical question and I'd like to be taken seriously," Nathan 'frowned'.

"Well after you telling me one million jokes one after the other, I can't take you seriously," she whipped at her eyes.

"So what do you say?"

"Waterboys don't necessarily become milkmen, you know," Haley smiled.

"But why isn't there like a milkboy or a waterman?"

Haley crinkled her nose, "Those sounds weird."

"What?"

"Milkboy and waterman," Haley giggled.

"It's because the milkman was never a milkboy and the waterboy doesn't grow up to be a waterman."

Haley laughed again and sat on the top of the bench.

"What are you doing? You'll fall," he warned her.

"Nah, when I was little I used to put my legs at the bench and hang behind it," she did just that. "Like this."

He held her legs, just in case.

"Oh my God, Nathan."

"What?" he asked worryingly. "Are you getting a headache?"

"No, I'm fine. And my head's basically on the ground since obviously I've gotten taller but," she held up her hand for him to pull her up. He did. "Wasn't the grass full of little kids a few minutes ago?" she brushed through her hair with her hands.

"You mean a few hours ago," Nathan corrected laughing.

"Hours ago?" she looked around to notice they were the only ones in the park. "What time is it?"

Nathan pulled out his cell phone from his pocket as Haley looked at him. "Three AM," he said surprised.

"THREE AM?!" Haley's eyes widened. "I'm going to be in so much trouble."

Nathan thought for a second, "Not necessarily."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's get you home," Nathan got up holding out his hand for her.

"I can't just barge into the house in the middle of the night," Haley protested.

"You're not going to have to."

"Yes, there is no other way to get inside," Haley said, not understanding.

"You've never sneaked in, have you?"

"I never had to." She smacked him, "You're a bad influence on me."

Nathan chuckled.

"How the hell am I going to get to my room?"

"Through the window," Nathan said, continuing to walk.

"I'm sorry, I think I just heard you say that you want me to sneak into my house through the window."

Nathan looked over at her and smirked, "Yep, that's how you're getting to your room."

"But Nathan-" she began to protest.

"Or through the front door and being grounded for the next month for sure," Nathan said. "It's your choice of course."

"Won't I be grounded either way?"

"Only if you'll get caught."

They walked in silence, "How the hell am I supposed to do it?"

"I'll help you, I've done it many times before I was emancipated. Well until I was thirteen because that's when my parents stopped caring when I got home."

When they got to Haley's house they looked at Haley's room window.

"You ready?" he smiled at her.

"Nathan, I'm scared," she admitted.

"Come on, it's not that high… I'll climb behind you," he offered.

She nodded silently as they walked to the edge of her house.

Haley began to scale up the side of her house after Nathan's whispered instructions.

She giggled at the thrill of it all.

Nathan smiled at her. He continued to climb as a déjà vu feeling overwhelmed him.

He looked up at the open window and a crazy idea overcame him. He then started to climb up the side of her house….When he got close enough to hear he nearly fell. The voice he heard was not what he expected but rather the voice of an angel. He stood there dumbfounded just listening to her voice and her guitar.

"It's open!" she whispered looking down at Nathan, taking him out of his daze.

"Uh, good."

She tried pulling herself up and then looked down at Nathan. "Can you do your specialty?"

"My specialty?" Nathan looked at her confused.

"You know, push me up. Let's see if you can do it for windows and not just trees," she smirked.

Nathan grinned, "Sure can, ma'am."

He pushed her up as she pulled herself into her room. She disappeared into her room. A second later she reappeared.

"Thank you," she smiled giving Nathan a kiss.

"No problem. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," she repeated.

He started stepping down, "One last kiss."

"One last kiss," she giggled pecking him once again. "Now go before my parents decide to show up."

Nathan laughed as he started going down the side of her house.


Nathan smiled walking towards his apartment but the second he entered that feeling disappeared.

Spending that night with her was a great escape but it didn't change the situation he was in; what he had done to her.

He hoped that it was just a phase with Aundrea. Kind of like Haley felt with Kyle yelling at her. But he knew that this, like Haley's situation, was only going to get worse.


A/N: again, I'm sorry for the long wait… I hope you liked the chapter!