I am so sorry for my sudden two-week disappearance. Very last minute, I was unexpectedly called back to work for my summer job. It's been rather difficult adjusting back to working and getting back into that kind of routine and it has completely thrown off the writing schedule I had for myself. Things are finally starting to settle down, so I am hoping to get back to the routine I had. I am still going to aim for posting updates on Thursdays, but just wanted to give a heads up just in case I don't end up posting because things get too crazy.

But anyway, thank you so much for your reviews! I don't want to ruin anyone's fun, but there is some major drama coming up...so ;)

White T-Shirt

Haley doesn't know what wakes her first—the feel of fingers delicately stroking patterns on her back or the intense feeling of someone staring at her.

When her eyes flutter open, she's met with a fuzzy vision of bright white sheets and a window view of the beach—a far cry from her normal view of plain walls and creamed colored blinds. Sunlight pours in through the window, her eyes squinting and blinking to clear her vision.

It takes a couple of seconds before everything comes rushing back to her. Flashes of heated kisses, roaming hands, and seductive promises fill her mind, spreading heat through her body and butterflies in her stomach. Her mouth spreads into an involuntary smile, cheeks tinting pink.

I love you.

Even with everything, his declaration of love was her favorite part. The absolute conviction in his eyes as he said those three little words is forever seared into her mind.

She feels different in a way that she can't explain. She's sore, but the pain is different from anything she's ever experienced, but she welcomes it. It's a good kind of different, one that she can feel on her skin, in her bones, and coursing through her veins. It's cliché to say that feels changed, but she does.

Haley swings her eyes over to Nathan and as she expected, he's is watching her, head propped on his hand. His lips are tipped into a soft smile, admiration in his eyes. Even he seems…different, like there's a golden aura around him. His hair is wild and the faded red scratches on his chest intensify the burn on her cheeks. She hates to see what his back looks like.

Sex looks good on him—not that she ever doubted it would.

"Morning." His voice is rough and low, almost hoarse.

"How long have you been up?" she asks, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

She's not even sure how much she slept or what time she ended up falling asleep. Their night was…eventful, to say the least. Something primal has been unleashed in her and his body is her shiny new toy that she wants to figure out every way that she can play with.

"I don't think I ever went to sleep."

"Oh?"

She sits up a little, folding the pillow beneath her had to prop up her body. Nathan's fingers are still drawing patterns on her skin, dipping to the lower curve of her back. She stretches a little, resisting the urge to purr.

"I couldn't sleep," he sighs, but the sound is light and airy. Happy. "You ever have those nights where you're so happy that you're scared to fall asleep because if you fall asleep, it might all just turn out to be a dream when you wake up?"

She smiles, nodding. "Yeah."

"That's what I was feeling last night." His cheeks are turning the lightest color pink that she finds adorable. "So, I stayed up, watching you sleep and listening to you snore—"

"Hey! I do not snore."

He continues as if he wasn't interrupted, but rolls his eyes playfully at her defense. Seconds later, his serious disposition returns.

"And the whole time, I was just thinking about how much I love you and how beautiful you are. I was trying to piece together how in all of the chaos that is my life and Tree Hill, I was somehow lucky enough to find you."

"I love you," she blurts out when he's done. The small tears in her eyes go unnoticed until she hears the crack in her voice. They could argue over who's luckier, but it would be a losing battle.

Nathan turns on his side, his palm cupping her cheek. She takes in the way his eyes are shining, committing it to memory. No matter what happens, she's always going to remember the way she feels in that moment and the way he looks.

He kisses her sweetly, a kiss full of hope and promise.

"I might regret asking this, but I need to know," she murmurs moments after they pull away, breaking the comfortable silence.

"What's that?" He's lying on his back now, his shoulder touching hers, and his head angled towards her.

"How many girls have you been with?"

It's a question that's plagued her for a while, but she never knew how to ask or if she even wanted to. She's heard the rumors and the gossip from the girls in bathroom stalls. According to them, he's some kind of God who sleeps with whoever he can whenever he and Brooke had a "fight" and "broke up." She doesn't necessarily believe them wholeheartedly, but they had to come from somewhere.

"Including you or excluding you?"

His response makes her nervous and she braces for the truth of the question that she really shouldn't have asked. His poker face isn't helping, either.

"Including me."

"Three," Nathan answers without missing a beat, eyes locked on her face.

"That's it?" Her incredulous and shocked cadence thick. The hinges to her jaw loosen before she can stop them.

"'That's it?'" His brows furrow in mock horror. "Who do you think I am? Don Juan?"

Her cheeks burn with embarrassment, her hands flailing as she sits up. The blanket slips from her body and she momentarily forgets that she's naked. Nathan's eyes slope downward and she snatches the blanket to cover her body. Being naked in front of him in the dark is one thing, but in broad daylight, it's a totally different story.

"I'm sorry…I just thought…with the way people talk about you and the fact that you are clearly…very good at, um, what you do…oh, never mind. I'm sorry!"

Nathan's chuckle is husky. "Most of those rumors are things that were taken out of context."

She raises an eyebrow, inviting him to explain. He shifts his body weight, rolling his shoulders and letting out a breath.

"Brooke and I…well, when your entire relationship is a lie, there isn't much to do besides have sex," he says it bluntly and she inwardly cringes. "She would tell her friends things and then somehow things would spiral and apparently I've slept with half the senior class by default."

"But you haven't?"

"No," he says with a chortle, entertaining her need for reassurance. She's grateful for that. "But that doesn't mean they haven't tried. I've had more girls take their clothes off in front of me, unprompted than the average seventeen-year-old boy."

Haley buries her head into her pillow, a chill of discomfort attacking her body. She groans, a sound that borders being a scream of despair.

"I knew I shouldn't have asked." Her voice is muffled by the pillow, but she hears Nathan laugh, feeling the bed dip as he sides closer to her.

His lips skim over the middle of her back, to her shoulder blade and up the curve of her shoulder. Her body heats, goosebumps coating her skin. When he speaks, his warm breath fans over her neck and the shell of her ear. She feels his words just as much as she hears them.

"But last night…best night of my life. And since I know you need to hear it, the best sex I've had."

On cue, her stomach flips and knots, her breath hitching in her throat. She lifts her eyes to meet his, a question in them that he seems to know without having to ask, just like he knew exactly what she needed to hear.

"No, I'm not just saying that. It's true because I love you and because being with you last night was about more than just sex. It meant something…everything, just like I said it would."

Her smile is watery, heart rattling loudly against her ribcage.

"Who's the other girl?"

It's catch 22. If she didn't ask, she's going to obsess over it, use an eagle eye to detect any clues she can that might lead her to who it is. Nathan doesn't appear annoyed, only open to asking any questions that she has, no matter what insecurity they stem from.

"Her name's Amber," Nathan replies calmly. "The summer before my freshman year, I met her at a party slash get together thing at basketball camp. She was attending the girls' camp. There was a little bit of alcohol involved, which was practically forced upon us by the older kids there, and the entire thing was just awkward. A lot of stumbling and apologizing—hardly anything sexy or mind-blowing. Haven't seen or talked to her since."

"Wow, you really rocked her world," Haley teases.

He smirks, danger in his eyes. He's way too quick and before she can get away, she's on her back and he's hovering over her. His fingers attack her ribs, tickling relentlessly as she squirms, squealing and laughing.

"Nathan!" she squeals through her laughs. "Please…stop…I…I…can't…breathe."

He gives in, propping his hands on either side of her head. She tries to catch her breath, but it's proving to be an impossible task when he's peering down at her with that dark glint in his eyes. Like a flip of a switch, her body temperature spikes.

He angles his neck, brushing his lips against hers in a way that leaves her craving more.

"But if I remember correctly, I rocked your world…three times, last night."

Haley sinks into the mattress, heat rising on her cheeks and spreading through the rest of her body. Her hands dance up the length of his arms until her finger bury themselves in his thick hair. She's no stranger to exploring her body, but Nathan had her feeling things so intensely, better than she believed it could be.

"You have every right to be arrogant," she teases, voice thick.

His chuckle blows against her lips as he seals his against hers. Unlike their soft and passionate kisses they shared during the night, this kiss is deep and purposeful, sloppy even. It doesn't take long for her mind to wipe clean, leaving behind only thoughts of him and how he feels against her.

Hands are everywhere, caressing frantically. He kisses the life out of her, peppering every inch of exposed skin he can reach, little sparks erupting in their wake. The sound of her heavy breathing fills the room as her body screams out for his. The onslaught is fast, like a wave overtaking her in the ocean of everything unholy.

She's feeling bold, as proven by her hand snaking down his body, counting his ribs and tracing his abs. He twitches beneath her touch, inviting her to continue. Resting his forehead against hers, his eyes are turned downward, focusing on her hand.

She traces over his hipbone, a sharp intake of breath passing through his parted lips. She finds that she likes having the upper hand. Watching him tremble above her, being completely at her mercy is a heady feeling. And it is such a fucking turn on.

Her fingers curl around him and she holds her breath.

"Shit," he hisses, his arms buckling and eyes fluttering.

Haley remembers the way he likes to be touched and while her hand is less shaky than it was the first time, she has to use intense focus in order to keep herself from second-guessing what she's doing. The pump of her hand is slow, paying extra attention to the places she knows are most sensitive for him.

"Hales," he rasps. "God…"

He drags his eyes back to hers and she swallows hard when they lock eyes. His gaze burns into her, the blue in his eyes iridescent.

"You have no idea how good you are at this, do you?"

Her stomach knots, goosebumps popping on her skin. Her confidence grows with every pump of her hand.

She can tell he's getting close, the muscles in his arm straining as he grips the pillow beside her head. Her wrist flicks and another expletive falls from his lips. But instead of letting her continue, he wraps his cool fingers around her wrist and tugs her free from him. Confusion contorts her face as he presses a kiss to the inside of her wrist.

He takes a few moments to catch his breath, eyes closed. She's burning up beneath him, desire blurring all of her senses.

"Nathan," she whines when he doesn't move, lifting her hips towards his. If her senses weren't clouded by lust, she might've been embarrassed by her needy cry.

He presses a kiss the corner of her jaw, drawing in a shaky breath. "I want to try something."

"You mean…there's more?"

She says it like a joke aimed to calm herself down. She knows that it's impossible that they crossed off every position and act in sex's repertoire in one night, albeit it definitely felt like it.

Nathan's answering laugh is hoarse. "We haven't even scratched the surface. You trust me?"

It's his favorite question to ask her and she loves him even more for it every time.

"Yes."

Her nerves flare as he motions for her to lay on her stomach. He positions a folded pillow underneath her hips and lower stomach, arching her body. Her nerves jangle as he straddles the back of her thighs. She's not sure she likes being…bared like this, and she definitely doesn't like the fact that she can't see Nathan. But she's just as intrigued as she is nervous.

Extending her arms in front of her, she grips the sheet, willing herself to calm down. There is no reason for her fret, not when she's seen, heard, and felt what he thinks about her.

"You okay?"

Haley nods.

He positions himself behind her and she swears she sees stars when he slowly, agonizingly slowly, presses himself inside of her. There's something so erotic about not being able to see him, that makes everything so much more intense.

"Oh, god," she pants, her fingers gripping the sheet tighter and her thighs trembling.

"Fuck, you're so tight like this," he groans, massaging her hips and her back.

He's the perfect combination of rough and gentle, gripping on to her hips. She rocks her body in tune with his and it's only seconds in and she already knows she's not going to last long. The feeling is exquisite, something that she can't explain in words, but her entire body is shaking in pleasure.

"I need…," she gasps. "I need more."

Nathan wraps his fingers in her hair and tips her head back with a gentle tug. He leans forward, his lower stomach rubbing against slope of her lower back. He slides deeper, the angle more intense. Her answering moan is loud, pulling from her throat involuntarily. He bows his head, lips sliding along her throat.

She comes undone, like a rubber band snapping under pressure.

Her back bends, shivers taking over her body. Through the white noise in her ears, she hears herself moan his name. He follows right behind her, jerking against her while chanting her name.

As she comes down from her high, weak and spent against the bed, she focuses on a couple she sees through the window. They're taking advantage of the beautiful morning and empty beach, jogging along the shoreline. It's such an insignificant thing but it puts everything in perspective.

Her eyes widen and she shoots up, this time unconcerned about covering her naked body.

Her post-coital glow is shattered, like someone dropping a mirror on concrete. She's suddenly hyper-aware of the fact that it is 7:17 in the morning and she never called her parents to tell where she was or if she was okay.

She's dead. More than dead.

"Shit! Nathan, we were out all night!" she shouts as if it wasn't obvious.

Scrambling out of bed, she goes straight for her shorts. They're still a little wet, but it's bearable. She digs through her pockets until she finds her phone. No matter how many buttons she presses or how many times she hits the device on the palm of her hand, she's greeted with nothing but a black screen.

Knowing her mom, Tree Hill is probably crawling with search party's and coated in missing posters by now.

Nathan is slow getting out bed like he's still recovering and the land of the living isn't making much sense to him. She spazzes some more, huffing out loud breaths as she tries to locate where Nathan had tossed the rest of her clothes.

"We were out all night," she repeats breathlessly. "My parents are going to kill me."

The gears in his hand seem to click into place and realization dawns on him. He's out of bed like a bullet, hastily throwing on his clothes and muttering "shit, shit, shit" under his breath. Anxiety pulses around them.

Haley doesn't know how she let this happen. She's usually the responsible one, someone that her parents can depend on and trust with freedom. But when the fog clears, her uneasiness about breaking their trust isn't going to mean much to her, not when it led to the one the happiest nights of her life.

She reaches for her shirt that Nathan had tossed to the floor last night and cringes when she feels how uncomfortably damp it still is.

"Here," Nathan says, beginning to rummage through the drawers of the dresser in the corner of the room. "I keep extra shirts here."

He hands her a folded white t-shirt and she slips it over her head.

"Let's get you home before your dad shows up here with a pitchfork."

~x~

Nathan pulls into her drive, tires squealing a little at his sharp turn. Her chest is tight and she practically jumps out of her skin as she scoops all of her belongings in her arms. Her parents, for the most part, are cool. They don't hover in ways that disrespect her privacy and she can't recall a time she's ever been grounded.

But, until now, she's never given them a reason to ground her, and staying out all night with a boy and no call home is bound to be the catalyst.

"I'm sorry," Nathan repeats in a hurry, lips sloped in a frown. The sound of his voice throws her out of her spiraling thoughts and back into reality.

Her frantic movements slow for a brief moment and she allows herself to take a much-needed breath. Leaning over the center console, she kisses him quickly.

"We both got carried away and lost track of time. Plus, with the storm and the power going out, it probably would have been safer for us to say at the beach house anyway."

She prays that that explanation is enough for her parents because she's drawing a blank on any other explanation she can offer them.

"Call me later?"

Nathan doesn't look any less ruffled, but Haley nods and hurries out of his car.

She's on the verge of a panic attack as she approaches her front door. Blood rushes through her ears, her breathing coming out in harsh pants. She's not used to getting in trouble and she has no idea how her parents are going to handle her stepping out of line, either.

Well, actually, that's a lie. Her dad will probably be righteous, refusing to listen to any explanation she gives. Her mom will remain silent, standing behind her dad as if that's her way of saying she agrees with him. But then once they're alone, Lydia will tell her that her dad is out of line and shouldn't have been so harsh.

Time stretches as she stands in front of the front door, frozen. She can't get herself to lift her hand and open the door. She doesn't know what she's waiting for and using the little shred of impulse that she has, she rips the band-aid off.

The house is quiet. Too quiet. She expected FBI agents and news reporters to be swarming her house, their chatter a loud and eerie buzz as they try to locate her whereabouts. Walking further into the house, she heads towards the kitchen. Her steps are light, subconsciously avoiding the spots in the wood that creak.

Stepping into the kitchen, she pauses. Both of her parents are sitting at the kitchen table, exhaustion evident in their crumpled bodies. Guilt pierces her.

"Hi," she squeaks.

The difference in their reaction to her arrival is astonishing. Her mother's eyes melt into relief, color returning to her cheeks. Her hand goes to her chest like she's thanking every deity in existence. On the other hand, her father's face is pinched in anger.

"Well don't just stand there," Jimmy says before Lydia can weep in relief. His voice is pure venom. "Where have you been all night? We've been up all night worried sick!"

She swallows down the shame burning the back of her throat. "I was with Nathan. We were at the beach last night when the storm hit. Nathan's dad has a beach house and we went there to wait for the storm to pass. We ended up falling asleep."

"Bullshit," her dad barks, bolting up from the chair. His actions startle both Haley and Lydia. "Just a couple of days ago I come home to find a boy I've never met sleeping in bed with my daughter and now you're out all night with him? Sounds like a teenage pregnancy horror story waiting to happen!"

A mixture of shock and horror forms on Lydia's face while Haley's stings like she was slapped.

"Jimmy!" Lydia admonishes once she recovers, surprising Haley. Maybe her mom has more of a backbone than she thought.

His eyes only briefly flicker to her before settling back on Haley's face.

"For God's sake, Lydia, she's got a hickie the size of North Carolina on her collarbone!"

Haley glances down to where the stretched-out collar of Nathan's t-shirt dips. Sure enough, a purplish-red bruise is starting to form on her skin. The hairs on the back of her neck are electrified.

"She's a teenager, Jimmy. Do I have to remind you of all the crazy things we did when we were teenagers?"

"No, and that's exactly why I don't want my daughter staying out all night with some boy."

"Nothing like that happened," Haley interjects, the lie falling off her lips easily. The rise in the volume of her voice has both of her parents whipping around to face her. It's like they had forgotten she was in the room.

If it was just her mom, she likes to think that she would have told her all the sordid details. But with her dad standing there, nose flaring like an angry bull about to charge, she's mute.

"I'm sorry," she mutters, continuing to disregard the fight that is brewing in front of her. "I should have found a way to call, but my phone was shot and I wasn't thinking. It won't happen again."

She truly feels terrible for causing them any kind of worry or stress, but what she's saying is true. She wasn't thinking and it was a lack of judgment on her part. She deserves to be punished, but the violate way her dad is acting towards her feels a little unfair.

"That's your problem, you never think," her dad throws back at her. He does this every time they have any kind of argument—she hates how small he makes her feel.

"I'm sorry," Haley repeats lamely. She doesn't know what else to say and she's afraid if she says anything else, she'll lose control of her temper.

The hardness in his eyes never once softens. He steps closer to her and she involuntarily takes a step back.

"I don't want to hear it when this boy breaks your heart or you end up pregnant and he leaves you, barefoot and all alone. If you want to be reckless, then be reckless. But don't get me involved. Not again."

Her spine tightens and her hands clench into fists. His tone of voice is condescending, reducing her relationship and Nathan down to nothing, like it's just a piece of gum he's trying to scrub off his shoe.

She squares her shoulders and looks him dead in the eyes.

"He's my boyfriend and I love him."

Her dad scoffs, followed by a sardonic laugh. "Love? Maybe you should ask your mom about teenage love and how that all works out."

He ends the conversation by stomping out of the kitchen. But Haley knows better. This isn't over. He'll probably ignore her for a couple of days, dance around her like she's a ticking time bomb when it should be the other way around. Then, he'll either start up the fight again or he'll act like it never happened.

Her simmering angry boils over.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Haley asks coolly, focusing her attention on Lydia.

"Nothing, he's just…."

"Really? You're going to make another excuse?"

Lydia blinks in surprise. "What?"

Maybe it's her already present anger, but everything else from the last few weeks coming rushing to the forefront of her mind.

"Do you think I'm blind?" she explodes. "That I just don't notice things? Dad's been gone constantly the last few weeks and every time I ask, you give me some lame excuse about him drinking with his friends or over Uncle Steve's house. You mope around and I've even caught you crying and you brush it off. And now this?"

The words burn in her throat, tears clogging her throat and dotting in her eyes. She can't tell if they're more from frustration, anger, or this gut feeling that she has that whatever isn't right, is going to wreck her.

"He's just—" Lydia tries again, but Haley isn't having it.

"There is no 'he's just.' I'm tired of walking around here and feeling like there's something that I'm missing. That something is being purposely hidden from me."

She's not surprised when Lydia remains quiet, peering at her with glassy eyes. Haley's chest deflates, shoulders slumping. Her posture doesn't match the burning anger coursing through her.

With a shake of her head, she drudges up the stairs and into her room.

~x~

It's the first day back at school from spring break and the anxiousness is palpable. For the juniors, the SATs were only days away. For the seniors, prom is weeks away and graduation follows right after that. For the juniors and the seniors and everyone else, spring break gave them a sense of freedom. They could taste summer in the air and visions of beach days and late-night bonfires dwindled their motivation.

For Haley, it is as much that as it is a completely different distraction.

Her eyes are closed and she's using her backpack as a makeshift pillow. Her Trig textbook is open and lying next to her, but it's just a farce. She thought she would get to school early and take advantage of the nice weather to finish some of the homework she neglected during the break. It took all of five minutes before her focus shifted elsewhere.

Her brain is split in half and right now, she can't tell which side is winning.

The left side of her brain—the analytical and methodical part of her brain—can't stop over analyzing what her dad had said to her the day before and how it relates to the tension she's felt floating around her house. It's driving her crazy and that gut feeling of hers refuses to let up.

The right side of her brain—the creative side of her brain—is focused on Nathan. If she focuses hard enough, she swears she can still feel his fingertips tracing over her body. The floodgates have been opened, the desire hitting her hard and at the most random moments.

Does this happen to everyone or is she broken?

"Something about you is different," Peyton says, eyeing Haley over her overpriced coffee. She just sat down on the grass next to her, folding her legs beneath her.

Haley holds her hand up, blocking the sun from her eyes, closing one of them. She makes a show of giving Peyton's body the once over. "Hm, you too."

"Ah yes, my perpetual paleness has finally decided to take a much-needed vacation courtesy of a lot of sun and parents who forgot to pack sunscreen."

Peyton pivots, pulling down the hem of her t-shirt to reveal her shoulder. The skin underneath is tainted with an alarming sunburn that spreads across her neck and disappears down her back.

"Ouch, that looks like it hurts," Haley cringes, propping her body up on her elbows.

"Not anymore…I'm just numb." She presses her fingers into her shoulder, watching the white indents appear and disappear, leaving behind nothing but a bright, angry red.

Haley laughs lightly, giving a quick shake of her head. "How was Myrtle?"

"Refreshing," Peyton sighs happily, twirling her straw. "For a week straight, I didn't do anything besides lay on the beach and steal my mom's wine coolers when she wasn't looking. It was just what I needed. That whole being sad and stressed thing was not a good look for me."

Haley frowns. "You know it's okay not to be okay, right?"

Peyton's perfectly arched eyebrow raises. There is an air of teasing bordering on mocking to her. "Where did you find that saying? Pinterest?"

Haley rolls her eyes. "I was just saying."

"I am just saying that I'm choosing to ignore the ever-deteriorating status of my relationship."

"Seems healthy."

"I learned from the best." Peyton winks and Haley rolls her eyes again. "Now back to what I was saying—something is different about you."

"I'm not sure what you mean." Haley shrugs, but her heartbeat takes flight. The way Peyton is looking at her is making her nervous like she can see every thought, every rated R thought, running through her head.

Is it that obvious or am I just being paranoid?

"Well, when I came here, you were smiling with your eyes closed. It was quite the...blissed out, dopey look that you were sporting."

Haley doesn't say anything, only turns to her neglected Trig homework. None of her focus has returned, but it's better than facing Peyton's intrusive staring head-on. The blush is already starting to form on the tips of her ears.

"And is that a hickie on your chest?"

On impulse, Haley raises her hand to cover the mark that rests on the curve of her collarbone. Evidently, she hasn't gotten any better at covering up hickies with make-up.

She's been caught. There's no way around this and her flight or fight kicks in. Mostly her flight. How fast can she gather all of her things and dart out of there before Peyton tackles her to the ground?

She avoids looking at Peyton directly, but through her eyelashes, she watches as realization dawns on her. Her jaw drops, eyes alight with excitement.

"Oh. My. God. Nathan finally gave it up!"

Haley's entire body is on high alert.

"Shh, will you keep it down?!" Haley whisper-yells, frantically searching around for anyone who might be eavesdropping. "I would rather not include my sex life in the list of available topics for people to talk about."

Peyton laughs, waving her hand. "Oh, honey, they've already been talking about it for weeks. According to them, you and Nathan have been caught in several compromising positions in several locations around the school."

Haley groans, plopping back down into her laying position. "Ew. That might be worse than the stalker picture."

Peyton bulldozes on. "So, since you have been deflowered…."

She cringes, her shoulders raising to her ears as she tries to make herself disappear.

"And Nathan has stopped being a prude, as your best girl friend, I need to know the details. Is he as wild in bed as everyone says he is?"

Haley knows she's joking. She would be hard-pressed to find anyone who hated the way rumors spread in Tree Hill more than Peyton, but it still makes her uncomfortable.

It feels…not right talking about this with Peyton. The first thing her mind goes to is what Nathan said about Brooke telling her friends intimate details about their relationship. Haley trusts Peyton, probably as much as she trusts Nathan, if not more. But she doesn't want those moments to be shared. She wants to hold the sacred. The rest of their relationship has been under a microscope—talked and theorized about until people were blue in the face.

"My lips are sealed."

"That good, huh?"

For what feels like the hundredth time, Haley rolls her eyes.

~x~

"So, how much trouble did you get into?" Nathan asks as he lowers himself to the grass next to her. She dog-ears the page of The Great Gatsby she was reading and rests it against her bent knees. His grey t-shirt has since been removed, tossed over his shoulder as sweat slides down the side of his face.

Watching him practice on the river court while she read is something so mundane that it makes her smile. The simple act of just being around him, even when no words are spoken and they're lost in their own interests, is comforting. Although, she'd been lying if she said she hadn't been distracted several times while watching him play—both by the glistening sweat on his contracting muscles and the pure joy on his face.

"I don't know."

Nathan spins his basketball between his fingers, chuckling. "What do you mean you don't know?"

She sighs, sitting up further against the tree. Her nails drum against the softcover of her book.

"My dad said some things, my mom said some things, and then things just kind of ended. I don't think they know how to discipline me when I haven't really given them a reason to discipline me. At least, not at this level."

"So, they aren't forbidding you from seeing me?" There's a lilt of teasing in his voice, but the worry is evident in his eyes.

Haley shakes her head with a timid smile. "I'm sure the thought has certainly crossed my dad's mind, but no, not yet. Well, he did say that you weren't allowed in my room ever again, but I would hardly say that's the same thing."

They both share an awkward laugh.

"Which reminds me, sorry for not calling you last night. I ended up sleeping most of the day away."

Nathan's brows crinkle as he dismisses her words. "Hey, don't worry about it. I get it."

For the first time since they arrived at the river court, she notices that he's distracted by something. There's a thin line resting between his brows and he's anxiously twisting the basketball between his hands.

"What's on your mind?" she inquires, placing her book on the grass and sitting up, draping her arms around her knees.

He swings his gaze over to her. He stares at her for several seconds, making her squirm. But then a smile spreads across his face, one that is shaky with apprehension and excitement. "Will you go to prom with me?"

She fights against a smile, her body tingling. They hadn't talked about his prom and she didn't press it, figuring that maybe he just wasn't the type to attend school dances. When she thinks back on homecoming dances and other school dances, she can't recall seeing him there or if she did, it was only for a brief moment.

"Hm, I don't know." She taps her finger against her chin. "Rumor has it, I might have another suitor waiting to ask me to spring formal."

His eyes narrow. "Who?"

"Chase Adams."

This time, his eyes widen. "The soccer player?"

Haley nods, pressing her lips together to keep her from smiling and ruining her obvious teasing. "Peyton let me in on the secret a couple of months ago. I'm sure the offer is still available."

Nathan scoots closer to her, leaning in with a smug expression. He's caught on to her teasing. "Now why would you want to go to the knock off junior prom with him when you can go to the real prom with me?"

"I don't know." She shrugs, this time smiling. She flutters her eyelashes, twirling a piece of hair. "He is cute. Really cute."

"Oh, that's it!"

She laughs loudly as he tackles her to the grass, hovering over her. He's smirking, amusement shining in his eyes. He moves a hand her tickle her waist but she holds up her hands in surrender.

"I'm kidding! I'm kidding!"

"You better be."

Haley giggles, patting his cheek affectionately. It had been a stupid fear, one that she never vocalized, that once they crossed the threshold of taking their relationship to the next level things would change. She expected to feel uncomfortable around him, shy after being naked in front of him. But if anything, she feels closer to him, solidified.

"This wasn't the way I originally planned on asking you," he reveals as he slides off of her. He lays down next to her, turning on his side to face her. "I thought maybe I would set up one of those extravagant prom-posals that are all the rage these days. But then I figured you would appreciate something…casual."

"You know me so well."

"So, is that a yes?"

"I would love nothing more."