Hey! This is one of the two stories that I'm starting up. I was going to wait to post it until I finished writing 'Finding The Way Back' but I was feeling excited about it. I already have the next chapter written, so if the feedback is good, then I'll post the next one. Thank you!
Chapter 1
"Let me warn you..." Haley's sister Quinn began, letting out a deep breath. "Clay's best man can kind of be a jerk sometimes."
Haley laughed, continuing to curl Quinn's hair. "You've met my ex-boyfriend, right? Chris was the king of all jerks." She said, smiling at her sister in the mirror.
"It's different." Quinn said, shrugging slightly. "He's been nice to me, but usually when I'm around, he's off doing something else. His brother, Lucas, is very nice though."
"Stick to Lucas. Got it." Haley said, letting out a deep breath. "I love Clay, but what is he doing having a roommate? He can afford his own place. Sports Agenting pays well, I'm sure."
"He has never really explained it to me. Just said Nathan couldn't be alone." Quinn said, nodding down at her. "Nathan can afford it too, believe me."
Haley set the curling iron down, resting her head on top of Quinn's, letting out a deep breath. "I can't believe that you're getting married tomorrow." She said, flattening her hands down her sister's arms. "You look beautiful."
Quinn smiled at her, "Right back at you, maid of honor. I'm sorry that your jackass boyfriend had to do what he does best, be a jerk." She said, standing up, turning to face her.
"I'll just get drunk and have meaningless sex at your wedding." Haley joked, waving her hand. "It's the perfect plan."
"Good idea. I'm sure has a lot of sexy football players coming. Or basketball, baseball. You name it." Quinn laughed, wrapping her arm around Haley's shoulders. "Thanks for being the only sibling that could make it to the rehearsal dinner. Damn weather ruins everything. This is what I get for wanting a winter wedding in New York. Let's hope they can make it tomorrow."
"It's probably better that Taylor doesn't make it. I was worried I wouldn't be able to. It's damn cold here." Haley laughed, shaking her head. "I miss the warmth of Tree Hill."
"Oh, stop it." Quinn laughed, biting her lip and looking at Haley. "Are you ready?" She asked her sister.
"Not ready for you to be a married woman." Haley responded, linking her arm through her sisters, tugging her out of the hotel room.
xxxx
"Please be pleasant tonight, Nathan." Clay said, tying his tie and letting out a deep breath. "I shouldn't feel like I have to ask you to be nice, yet here I am doing it."
"I'll be fine." Nathan grumbled, fiddling with his tie and shaking his head. "Are you sure this girl is the one for you, man? You haven't known her that long."
"I'm getting married tomorrow, Nathan. Just support me." Clay said, shaking his head and looking at his friend, resting his hand on his shoulder. "She's the one." He assured him, letting out a deep breath. "I won't be too far, Nate. We have an extra room in the house we picked out so if you need a place to crash."
Nathan shifted, shaking his head. "I'll be fine on my own." He said quickly, shoving his hands into his pockets, letting out a deep breath. "I'm happy for you, Clay."
"Thanks, buddy." Clay responded, nodding at his friend and looking at himself in the mirror. "Quinn's maid of honor is her sister, Haley. She's super sweet, so be nice to her. No one else in her family will be here until tomorrow morning, so just focus on being kind to Haley when you see her. She can be tough. She's a high school literature teacher. Twenty-three years old and beautiful, mixed with horny high school students. She'd have to be tough." He informed him, nodding.
"I'll be nice! Would you cool it?" Nathan snapped, pushing his hand through his hair. "I feel like you're treating me like I'm a kid."
"I've been treating you like you're my kid for the last year, Nate. Don't drink too much tonight, please. I need you on your best behavior, otherwise I'll make Lucas watch you." Clay said, slinging his arm around Nathan's shoulders.
"Don't make Lucas watch me." He grumbled, letting out an annoyed sigh. "I'll be fine. I know my limits."
"Do you?" Clay asked him, looking at him and letting out a deep breath. "I can't worry about you tonight, Nathan. It's my rehearsal dinner. You do know that I pushed the wedding back a few weeks because you weren't doing well, right?" He asked him, letting out a deep breath.
Nathan shifted, looking down. "I'm twenty-three." He began, his voice cracking a little bit. In age only. "I can take care of myself."
Clay sighed as Nathan's eyes became dull, letting out a deep breath. "I know." He said, nodding at his friend. "Please don't sleep with any of Quinn's cousins."
"I won't. Would you stop acting like I'm going to ruin your wedding? I won't drink, I won't sleep with anyone. I'm just going to sit there and play nice." Nathan responded, letting out a deep breath. "You don't need to worry about me. Lucas will be there."
"If Lucas brings a date, who are you going to hang out with? Third wheel to him and his girl?" Clay asked, raising his eyebrows.
"You told me I couldn't bring a date." Nathan said, sighing softly. "You let Luke have a plus-one?"
"You would have brought someone that I don't want at my wedding, man." Clay said, letting out a deep sigh. "I really don't want to treat you like you're six, Nate. But please, tell me what you're going to do if you end up third wheeling to Lucas."
"I'm going to sit at the bar, and talk to Chase. Have one beer. You can tell Chase if you feel the need to." Nathan said, letting out a deep breath, pushing Clay's arm off of him. "That's it. I promise. I'm going to behave. I won't even talk to anyone except Chase, unless they speak to me."
"Nathan..." Clay sighed, shaking his head. "Okay. Come on, buddy. Let's go."
xxxx
The dining room was beautiful. Very Quinn-like. There was a certain charm to it that made Haley smile. Her sister had spent months planning this wedding, and every detail reflected that. She'd made sure everything was perfect.
While their parents and siblings had not been able to make it, some of their cousins had flown in just before the snow storm hit.
Quinn was swept away from her almost as soon as they stepped into the room, which left Haley standing alone, talking to a cousin that was the same age as her oldest sister, whom she had hardly anything in common with.
"I think that twenty-five is a little young to be getting married." The woman said, letting it a deep breath.
"I think as long as she's happy, that's all that counts. Right, Whitney? Age is just a number." Haley grumbled, shaking her head.
"Yes, but it's a small one. If I had waited a little longer to get married, maybe I..."
That's when Haley zoned out. She knew it was the rude thing to do, but why the hell was this woman telling her that her sister was too young to get married? When you know, you know.
A familiar voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Haley James!" The voice nearly shouted, grabbing Haley by the wrist. "Quick! I have an emergency!" She said, before pulling Haley away.
Haley let herself be pulled into the bathroom, a grin forming on her face when they'd escaped the crowd. "Brooke!" She said, pulling her friend into a tight hug.
Brooke hugged Haley back, smiling brightly. "I thought I'd save you from the torture that is your judgmental cousin Whitney." She said, smiling at her. "It's good to see you, Hales!"
"Oh, you won't believe how nice it is to see you." Haley said, letting out a breath of relief. "It feels like it's been forever."
"Way too long." Brooke agreed, "Almost a year now."
"I thought you told me that you told Quinn that you couldn't make it." Haley questioned her, smiling at her.
"Some things changed around, and here I am." Brooke responded, letting out a deep breath. "Wow, it's so good to see you. Why the hell haven't I moved back to Tree Hill yet?" She laughed.
"I ask myself the same question every day." Haley said, smiling at her.
"Where's Chris?" Brooke asked, raising her eyebrows.
Haley sighed, shaking her head. "We broke up."
"Shut up! I live in New York, Haley. Not the moon. Cell phones still work." Brooke said, shaking her head. "Tell me what happened."
Haley let out a deep breath, beginning to tell the story. "Well..."
xxxx
Clay led Nathan over to Quinn, wrapping his arms around her from behind, his chin resting on her shoulder. "Hey you." He said, smiling.
Quinn turned around, grinning up at Clay. "Hey soon to be husband. Have you seen my boyfriend hanging around here? I want one last hook up before I'm a married woman." She teased him, smoothing her hand over his suit jacket.
"No, but if I do, I'll tell him you're looking for him." Clay laughed, glancing over at Nathan.
"Hey Nate." Quinn said, nodding at him. "You look nice."
Nathan nodded at her, "Thanks. You too." He said, letting out a deep breath.
"I wanted to introduce Nathan and Haley." Clay said, gesturing to his friend. "Thought maybe they should recognize each other just in case there's an emergency and the best man and maid of honor need to have a meeting."
Quinn scanned the room, shaking her head slowly. "I'm not sure where she went. If I find her, I'll steer her in your direction." She said, offering Nathan a small smile.
Nathan tugged on his tie lightly, rubbing his neck and letting out a deep breath. "Okay." He said simply, looking around the room to see if he could find his brother anywhere.
He recognized quite a few of the people there. Clay's parents. Clay's family, mostly. Some of his and Clay's friends from college had even made it. But he didn't want to talk to any of them. In fact, the only person he was interested in talking to was his friend behind the bar; Chase Adams.
"Is that okay, Nathan?" Quinn asked him, raising her eyebrows.
Nathan looked at her, blinking in confusion. "What?" He asked her, clearing his throat. He saw the look of disappointment on Clay's face. Dammit, Scott. Get it together and focus.
"Can you give a toast after dinner?" Quinn asked, sending him a small smile.
Hell no. Nope, nope, nope. But he could see it in his best friend's eyes that he wanted him to agree, so he offered Quinn a small nod, before smiling.
"Absolutely." He said, letting out a deep breath. "You look very beautiful tonight, Quinn. Really." He said to her.
Quinn smiled at him, resting her hand on his shoulder for a brief moment, "Thanks, Nathan."
Nathan nodded, looking at Clay. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go catch up with Chase." He said softly, making his way to the open bar, leaning against it.
"Chase, my man." He said, grinning slightly. "I'm surprised he let your sorry ass bartend."
"Very funny." Chase laughed, smiling at him. "I'm a pro now, check it out." He said, tossing a cup into the air, nearly missing it, but saving it just in time.
"I can see that." Nathan said, laughing.
"What can I get for you?" Chase asked him, raising his eyebrows.
Beer. Vodka. Anything with alcohol, really. But Clay's words rang in the back of his mind.
"Water." He decided, letting out a deep breath.
"Sexy." Chase laughed, handing Nathan a glass of water. "You know, I could put some vodka in there. It looks pretty much like water."
"I better not. Maybe later though." Nathan chuckled, looking down at his water glass, tracing his fingers along the wood grains of the bar.
A woman stepped up next to him, and he kept his gaze on the wood. Not tonight, Nathan. He reminded himself. She could be Clay's sister for all he knew. But he was pretty sure he didn't have a sister.
"I'll take a water." She ordered, smiling at Chase.
Nathan glanced up at her, and her head was turned away from him, looking towards the people scattered about the room.
"Interesting choice of drink." Nathan said, smirking slightly. "What's the reason for it?"
Haley's head turned to him. Brown eyes met blue. She gasped quietly, taking a step back.
Nathan's eyes widened, his jaw dropping a little bit.
They stayed there for a moment, silently staring at each other. Chase probably feeling very confused and uncomfortable.
Nathan finally spoke first, his words hardly more than a whisper.
"It's you!"