Chapter Three
Economy Of Mercy
"Ohhh... Tutor-Girl!" Brooke called out in a sing-song voice from behind Haley. It had been days since her discussion with Dan, only a day from their high school prom, and Haley was feeling completely out of it.
She spun around and smiled at Brooke, who had apparently been early to school tha day, also. Over the last few months, their common difficulties with men had grown them closer, resulting in a beatiful friendship. Neither of them knew this so-called "beatiful friendship" had ever existed.
"Hey, Tigger. What's up?"
She glided over to Haley, a worried expression defining her usually cheerful face.
"Have you gotten a gown for Prom yet?" She asked eagerly.
"Whoa, what's this? Brooke Davis is fashion clueless?" Haley was quite amused by the idea.
She cast her a look, before proceeding, "Look... I didn't think I would be going. I mean, I know I shouldn't sit around and pity myself all day but I just wasn't in the all-clear after Lucas... and um... I really don't want to go there, so please tell me you're ready for some last-minute shopping with me!" She finally ended, able to breath.
Haley laughed, but nodded. "Well, I guess that makes two of us then. Just as long as you don't turn me into your dress-up doll."
"Oh, I'm sure it won't get that extreme. If it does, I'll recomend you to my therapist."
----
"Wait, did Peyton Sawyer just as me to be her date for Prom?" Nathan asked with a smirk.
Peyton rolled her eyes. This had been her way of keeping the ugly, yet real, truth from her friend. "Well, yeah, I mean, we all know no matter how much pressure we put you under there's not a chance in hell you'd ever ask Haley."
Nathan sighed heavily. "You know I can't do that, Peyton. But since you've offered, I guess I could be your escort to the Prom."
"Good, good. As long as this whole "escort" deal doesn't involve a late night fetish, I know how you Scott's are." She warned, not being able to help the smile now forming on her rosie red lips.
Nathan held his hands up in surrender. "Hey now, I'm a guy, not just a Scott. I do have hormones, you know." With that Peyton lightly smacked him on the arm, as he feigned hurt.
----
"I don't know if shopping with you was such a great idea..." Haley joked, holding her black gown embroidered with pink flowers at the hem up to her body as she stood in front of Brooke's full-length mirror.
Brooke came up behind her, claspin both hands on either sides of Haley's shoulders, sighing. "Well, in that case, my mission is complete."
----
Nathan lie in his room that night, covered in complete darkness, though that didn't stop him from admiring the picture he had clutched in his hands. The picture was of Haley and himself, taken during a former trip to the beach. They looked so happy their together. He couldn't imagine where they had went wrong...
Except that was just the thing. They hadn't went wrong anywhere. An un-prepared decision to be married at such a tender age, that was all. But did that affect their love for each other? Not in the least bit. They were both still very much in love with each other, and it was up to Nathan to keep that love alive. He decided he would finally gather up all his courage on the nigth of their senior Prom. His last chance.
Economy Of Mercy
"Ohhh... Tutor-Girl!" Brooke called out in a sing-song voice from behind Haley. It had been days since her discussion with Dan, only a day from their high school prom, and Haley was feeling completely out of it.
She spun around and smiled at Brooke, who had apparently been early to school tha day, also. Over the last few months, their common difficulties with men had grown them closer, resulting in a beatiful friendship. Neither of them knew this so-called "beatiful friendship" had ever existed.
"Hey, Tigger. What's up?"
She glided over to Haley, a worried expression defining her usually cheerful face.
"Have you gotten a gown for Prom yet?" She asked eagerly.
"Whoa, what's this? Brooke Davis is fashion clueless?" Haley was quite amused by the idea.
She cast her a look, before proceeding, "Look... I didn't think I would be going. I mean, I know I shouldn't sit around and pity myself all day but I just wasn't in the all-clear after Lucas... and um... I really don't want to go there, so please tell me you're ready for some last-minute shopping with me!" She finally ended, able to breath.
Haley laughed, but nodded. "Well, I guess that makes two of us then. Just as long as you don't turn me into your dress-up doll."
"Oh, I'm sure it won't get that extreme. If it does, I'll recomend you to my therapist."
----
"Wait, did Peyton Sawyer just as me to be her date for Prom?" Nathan asked with a smirk.
Peyton rolled her eyes. This had been her way of keeping the ugly, yet real, truth from her friend. "Well, yeah, I mean, we all know no matter how much pressure we put you under there's not a chance in hell you'd ever ask Haley."
Nathan sighed heavily. "You know I can't do that, Peyton. But since you've offered, I guess I could be your escort to the Prom."
"Good, good. As long as this whole "escort" deal doesn't involve a late night fetish, I know how you Scott's are." She warned, not being able to help the smile now forming on her rosie red lips.
Nathan held his hands up in surrender. "Hey now, I'm a guy, not just a Scott. I do have hormones, you know." With that Peyton lightly smacked him on the arm, as he feigned hurt.
----
"I don't know if shopping with you was such a great idea..." Haley joked, holding her black gown embroidered with pink flowers at the hem up to her body as she stood in front of Brooke's full-length mirror.
Brooke came up behind her, claspin both hands on either sides of Haley's shoulders, sighing. "Well, in that case, my mission is complete."
----
Nathan lie in his room that night, covered in complete darkness, though that didn't stop him from admiring the picture he had clutched in his hands. The picture was of Haley and himself, taken during a former trip to the beach. They looked so happy their together. He couldn't imagine where they had went wrong...
Except that was just the thing. They hadn't went wrong anywhere. An un-prepared decision to be married at such a tender age, that was all. But did that affect their love for each other? Not in the least bit. They were both still very much in love with each other, and it was up to Nathan to keep that love alive. He decided he would finally gather up all his courage on the nigth of their senior Prom. His last chance.