Chapter Four
I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
"Gorgeous."
Brooke took a step back and smiled at her creation. Haley was more stunning than ever, and she was sure to catch Nathan's attention. She actually seemed to be enjoying looking glamerous, and Brooke was enjoying getting her there.
Haley spun around and flipped her hair a few times for Brooke's admiration, then broke out into a fit of giggles.
"Ok, Barbie... think we'll make it out of here any time soon?"
"Uh... aren't you forgetting something?" Brooke asked with a devious grin.
Haley sighed intentionally, and responded in a fake enthusiastic tone, "Oh, right... Brooke, you look oh so beatiful. Any man should be proud to have you as their Prom date..." she replied with a quick roll of the eyes.
Brooke grunted. "Don't I know it."
"... Even Tim Smith." She added, recieving a light smack on the arm from Brooke, who defended herself by saying, "Last resort Hales, always remember, last resort."
Haley's stood stiff next to Peyton as he awaited Haley's arrival.
Peyton's Prom had started nearly an hour ago and still she hadn't shown, along with one other person he seemed to notice for the first time. But when they walked in together, arms entwined, even Nathan could only concentrate on Haley's beaty. He couldn't imagine a time when she had appeared more radiant. But it was, after all, Prom.
I could stay awake just to hear you breathing Watch you smile while you are sleeping While you're far away and dreaming I could spend my life in this sweet surrender I could stay lost in this moment forever Well, every moment spent with you Is a moment I treasure
He finally caught her gaze, and for the first time in a long time, she actually smiled back. Just as Aerosmith' "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" was beginning to play, Nathan forced himself to ask Haley for a dance, knowing she wouldn't resist. But he had beaten him to it. And so Nathan watched on in misery as his brother and ex-wife danced closely to his and Haley's song.
Haley clung to her best friend, fearful that this would be their last precious moment together, and precious it was. She knew how much he loved her, how much he cared, yet she still couldn't take her mind off the fact that Nathan was dancing ever so closely with Peyton, to "their" song.
Flashback
"Nathan... every couple has a song, we have to have one too!" Haley whined as she sat in the passenger seat of his mustang.
"OK, OK. So then, how do we decide what our.. song.. is?" He asked uncertaintly.
She fumbled on the thought for a moment, before flipping on his car radio.
"What are you doing?"
She put her finger to his lips. "I have an idea. Whatever song is on.. will be our song."
Nathan thought the idea was ridiculous but went with it anyway, he would do anything just to see her happy.
But when Haley turned the radio to some random station, finding some unrecognizable country song playing, they both laughed and sent each other funny glances.
"OK, maybe we'll try this one more time..."
I don't wanna close my eyes I don't wanna fall asleep 'Cause I'd miss you, baby And I don't wanna miss a thing 'Cause even when I dream of you The sweetest dream would never do I'd still miss you, baby And I don't wanna miss a thing
And that was that. Haley leaned back into Nathan's arms, both of them satisfied with the new song, one that they would forever more call their own. One they could always be sure they would be saved a dance to.
End Of Flashback
"Nathan, what is your fucking problem!" Peyton pushed him away suddenly, watching as his face turned bright red and several people turned to stare at them.
"Um.. What?!"
Peyton sighed, rolled her eyes, then made a hurried gesture toward Haley and Lucas.
"Are you blind? Or just ignorant? Haley is right there... look how beatiful she looks," Peyton's voice softened as Nathan turned to the pair.
Lying close to you Feeling your heart beating And I'm wondering what you're dreaming Wondering if it's me you're seeing Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together And I just wanna stay with you In this moment forever, forever and ever
"You have to talk to her, please, just do it for my sake, for her sake, if not for your own."
Nathan nodded almost apologetically, understanding that he had been putting off his discussion with Haley all night. After a minute or two, he was able to move his feet from their spot, walking toward the two.
I don't wanna close my eyes I don't wanna fall asleep 'Cause I'd miss you, baby And I don't wanna miss a thing 'Cause even when I dream of you The sweetest dream would never do I'd still miss you, baby And I don't wanna miss a thing
Lucas broke away from Haley when he felt a hand tug on his shoulder. He smiled, and nodded before Nathan could say anything at all, backing away from Haley and heading off in Peyton's direction. "I'll see you later, Hales."
She looked to Nathan, her eyes large, glossy with tears. She immediatley pulled him into her body as they began swaying to the music.
"I love you Nathan, you'll always know that." She whispered into his ear.
I don't wanna miss one smile I don't wanna miss one kiss Well, I just wanna be with you Right here with you, just like this I just wanna hold you close Feel your heart so close to mine And just stay here in this moment For all the rest of time
"Then why are you doing this, why are you putting us both through this torture when you know in the end, it's meant to be."
She pulled apart from him, knowing that what she was doing now was torture enough. In the end, for the both of them.
"You don't know that, Nathan. There's a whole world out there that we've yet to experience." She was trying to convince herself of this more than she was him.
Don't wanna close my eyes Don't wanna fall asleep 'Cause I'd miss you, baby And I don't wanna miss a thing 'Cause even when I dream of you The sweetest dream would never do 'Cause I'd still miss you, baby And I don't wanna miss a thing
He moved closer, reaching out for her warmth, but Haley stepped back just in time.
"Please, don't do this.." She stumbled backward, turning on her heel to leave the gym, expecting, though resenting, that he had followed her.
"Haley!" He called out, finally reaching her a mere few feet from her car.
"I can't have this discussion right now!"
"Is there ever going to be a time when you can have this discussion? It seems like every time is a bad time, but there's not much of it left."
"What does that mean, there's not much of it left?" She slurred between sobs.
I don't wanna close my eyes I don't wanna fall asleep 'Cause I'd miss you, baby And I don't wanna miss a thing 'Cause even when I dream of you The sweetest dream would never do I'd still miss you, baby And I don't wanna miss a thing
"College, Haley, college. We're both going, as far as I've heard."
"You're going to California..." Haley whispered, staring down at the pavement between them.
He nodded slowly. "And you're going to Charlotte. I don't understand why, there's a campus right outside Tree Hill, in Wilmington... it's much closer..."
"I need to get away from here, Nathan. I can't spend the rest of my life cooped up in Tree Hill, even if it is my home." She responded lightly, not daring to avert her eyes away from his. They were pulling her in... ever so gently...
"But you're gonna come back, right?" He pleaded, reaching out for her hand, which she lent with no hesistation, and began caressing with her thumb.
"I don't think so, Nathan. But it's gonna be okay, we're gonna be okay."
Don't wanna close my eyes Don't wanna fall asleep, yeah I don't wanna miss a thing I don't wanna miss a thing
Within in the same instant, she dropped his hand, allowing it to drop lifelessly to his side again, and moved toward her car, stopping to look back once before she climbed in and pulled the door closed.
I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
"Gorgeous."
Brooke took a step back and smiled at her creation. Haley was more stunning than ever, and she was sure to catch Nathan's attention. She actually seemed to be enjoying looking glamerous, and Brooke was enjoying getting her there.
Haley spun around and flipped her hair a few times for Brooke's admiration, then broke out into a fit of giggles.
"Ok, Barbie... think we'll make it out of here any time soon?"
"Uh... aren't you forgetting something?" Brooke asked with a devious grin.
Haley sighed intentionally, and responded in a fake enthusiastic tone, "Oh, right... Brooke, you look oh so beatiful. Any man should be proud to have you as their Prom date..." she replied with a quick roll of the eyes.
Brooke grunted. "Don't I know it."
"... Even Tim Smith." She added, recieving a light smack on the arm from Brooke, who defended herself by saying, "Last resort Hales, always remember, last resort."
Haley's stood stiff next to Peyton as he awaited Haley's arrival.
Peyton's Prom had started nearly an hour ago and still she hadn't shown, along with one other person he seemed to notice for the first time. But when they walked in together, arms entwined, even Nathan could only concentrate on Haley's beaty. He couldn't imagine a time when she had appeared more radiant. But it was, after all, Prom.
I could stay awake just to hear you breathing Watch you smile while you are sleeping While you're far away and dreaming I could spend my life in this sweet surrender I could stay lost in this moment forever Well, every moment spent with you Is a moment I treasure
He finally caught her gaze, and for the first time in a long time, she actually smiled back. Just as Aerosmith' "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" was beginning to play, Nathan forced himself to ask Haley for a dance, knowing she wouldn't resist. But he had beaten him to it. And so Nathan watched on in misery as his brother and ex-wife danced closely to his and Haley's song.
Haley clung to her best friend, fearful that this would be their last precious moment together, and precious it was. She knew how much he loved her, how much he cared, yet she still couldn't take her mind off the fact that Nathan was dancing ever so closely with Peyton, to "their" song.
Flashback
"Nathan... every couple has a song, we have to have one too!" Haley whined as she sat in the passenger seat of his mustang.
"OK, OK. So then, how do we decide what our.. song.. is?" He asked uncertaintly.
She fumbled on the thought for a moment, before flipping on his car radio.
"What are you doing?"
She put her finger to his lips. "I have an idea. Whatever song is on.. will be our song."
Nathan thought the idea was ridiculous but went with it anyway, he would do anything just to see her happy.
But when Haley turned the radio to some random station, finding some unrecognizable country song playing, they both laughed and sent each other funny glances.
"OK, maybe we'll try this one more time..."
I don't wanna close my eyes I don't wanna fall asleep 'Cause I'd miss you, baby And I don't wanna miss a thing 'Cause even when I dream of you The sweetest dream would never do I'd still miss you, baby And I don't wanna miss a thing
And that was that. Haley leaned back into Nathan's arms, both of them satisfied with the new song, one that they would forever more call their own. One they could always be sure they would be saved a dance to.
End Of Flashback
"Nathan, what is your fucking problem!" Peyton pushed him away suddenly, watching as his face turned bright red and several people turned to stare at them.
"Um.. What?!"
Peyton sighed, rolled her eyes, then made a hurried gesture toward Haley and Lucas.
"Are you blind? Or just ignorant? Haley is right there... look how beatiful she looks," Peyton's voice softened as Nathan turned to the pair.
Lying close to you Feeling your heart beating And I'm wondering what you're dreaming Wondering if it's me you're seeing Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together And I just wanna stay with you In this moment forever, forever and ever
"You have to talk to her, please, just do it for my sake, for her sake, if not for your own."
Nathan nodded almost apologetically, understanding that he had been putting off his discussion with Haley all night. After a minute or two, he was able to move his feet from their spot, walking toward the two.
I don't wanna close my eyes I don't wanna fall asleep 'Cause I'd miss you, baby And I don't wanna miss a thing 'Cause even when I dream of you The sweetest dream would never do I'd still miss you, baby And I don't wanna miss a thing
Lucas broke away from Haley when he felt a hand tug on his shoulder. He smiled, and nodded before Nathan could say anything at all, backing away from Haley and heading off in Peyton's direction. "I'll see you later, Hales."
She looked to Nathan, her eyes large, glossy with tears. She immediatley pulled him into her body as they began swaying to the music.
"I love you Nathan, you'll always know that." She whispered into his ear.
I don't wanna miss one smile I don't wanna miss one kiss Well, I just wanna be with you Right here with you, just like this I just wanna hold you close Feel your heart so close to mine And just stay here in this moment For all the rest of time
"Then why are you doing this, why are you putting us both through this torture when you know in the end, it's meant to be."
She pulled apart from him, knowing that what she was doing now was torture enough. In the end, for the both of them.
"You don't know that, Nathan. There's a whole world out there that we've yet to experience." She was trying to convince herself of this more than she was him.
Don't wanna close my eyes Don't wanna fall asleep 'Cause I'd miss you, baby And I don't wanna miss a thing 'Cause even when I dream of you The sweetest dream would never do 'Cause I'd still miss you, baby And I don't wanna miss a thing
He moved closer, reaching out for her warmth, but Haley stepped back just in time.
"Please, don't do this.." She stumbled backward, turning on her heel to leave the gym, expecting, though resenting, that he had followed her.
"Haley!" He called out, finally reaching her a mere few feet from her car.
"I can't have this discussion right now!"
"Is there ever going to be a time when you can have this discussion? It seems like every time is a bad time, but there's not much of it left."
"What does that mean, there's not much of it left?" She slurred between sobs.
I don't wanna close my eyes I don't wanna fall asleep 'Cause I'd miss you, baby And I don't wanna miss a thing 'Cause even when I dream of you The sweetest dream would never do I'd still miss you, baby And I don't wanna miss a thing
"College, Haley, college. We're both going, as far as I've heard."
"You're going to California..." Haley whispered, staring down at the pavement between them.
He nodded slowly. "And you're going to Charlotte. I don't understand why, there's a campus right outside Tree Hill, in Wilmington... it's much closer..."
"I need to get away from here, Nathan. I can't spend the rest of my life cooped up in Tree Hill, even if it is my home." She responded lightly, not daring to avert her eyes away from his. They were pulling her in... ever so gently...
"But you're gonna come back, right?" He pleaded, reaching out for her hand, which she lent with no hesistation, and began caressing with her thumb.
"I don't think so, Nathan. But it's gonna be okay, we're gonna be okay."
Don't wanna close my eyes Don't wanna fall asleep, yeah I don't wanna miss a thing I don't wanna miss a thing
Within in the same instant, she dropped his hand, allowing it to drop lifelessly to his side again, and moved toward her car, stopping to look back once before she climbed in and pulled the door closed.