A/N: Totally awesome reviews guys. Thanks for all the great support so far. I hope I'm doing this story justice. Keep up the wonderful feedback. It really helps me whenever I get those spontaneous spurts of writer's block!
TOXIC
Chapter 11
Crash.......
The party was already in full throttle by the time the three girls waltzed into the Scott abode. Small and large groups of people scattered all over the house, on the balcony, and out in the large incased back-porch. A soft glow, lighting each and every room, bottles of alcohol in every patrons hand.
Haley cringed at how cliche this entire scene felt, and looked. She briefly wondered if rich kids like the Scott's, created party's which movies based them off of, or if they based their party's on watching too many movies. She didn't have time to ponder that thought, however, before Jake caught up with them in foyer.
"Hey Peyton, Brooke, Haley," he said greeting each of them individually with his ever present charm.
Brooke and Haley gave him warm smiles, as Peyton said, "Hi."
He then ushered them down one of the lengthy hallways, amidst all of the different people, coming to a stop in front of the kitchen.
"You girls want anything to drink? It's all on the house, so to speak," Jake laughed.
They accepted the drinks he offered from the variety of beverages available. Hundreds of bottles, cans, and cups aligned on top of every open surface, before them.
When they were done they then proceeded to follow Jake, until he came to a more subdued part of the house away from the other commotion.
As they walked into what Haley could only describe as some kind of private study, adorned with plush leather couches, she suddenly felt the urge to turn around and run.
Here they all were. Together again. Haley feeling insecure and 16 all over again. Wanting more than anything to hurt Brooke, for making her wear the rather skimpy black top, and form fitting jeans, which hugged her body.
Everyone in the room, looked over and stared as Haley and them entered the room.
"Well look who the cat finally decided to drag in. I knew it was only a matter of time before you showed your faces around here," Theresa snipped out bitchily, from her place on the couch next to Nathan. "Oh and look, you brought Tutor girl with you as well."
"Retract your claws Theresa, were not here to fight," Brooke responded to her, with a curt smile, entering the room as if she owned it all.
Peyton and Jake followed suit, leaving Haley to stand inside the doorway alone. Her eyes locked on the back of Nathan's head.
"You gonna stay there all night," Lucas called from his seat, a couple minutes later.
"Was thinking about it," she said with a nervous laugh.
"Here come sit, join the festivities," he offered comfortingly, and Nathan broke his eyes away from the window he was staring out to look at her.
Haley obeyed his request, sinking down into the corner of one of the two sofa's that occupied the room. She watched the interaction among everyone, with mild interest. Unable to keep her eyes, from flitting back to Nathan, every now and then. Wondering what the Hell was going on in his head.
He'd yet to saying anything to anybody since her and the other's had entered the room. She didn't know if he was purposefully ignoring her, or just didn't know what to say. God knew, she was lacking in the word department at the moment as well.
Taking a drink if her beer, Haley glanced around the room once more, her eyes stopping on the tan blonde that was currently staring at her with a look of pure disdain.
"So what do you do," Kelly asked her with ridicule, a hint of jealousy in her eyes.
"Excuse me?"
"It is Haley isn't it?"
She nodded.
"So what do you do, other than tag along to parties you weren't invited to, I mean.
Haley glanced over at Brooke and Peyton who had overheard the remark and were ready to step in. She gave them an 'ok' look, turning back to Kelly sharply.
"I go to school, have my job at the club." She responded lightly.
"The club? You mean Ecstacy right?"
"Yes."
"How's that working out for you?"
"Just......just great."
"You've probably worked at places like that a lot right?. People like you usually do."
The nerve of this girl was infuriating. What had she done or said to cause such hatred? She'd only been in the room for a total of 15 minutes.
Basically Haley hated confrontation. Avoided it at all costs if necessary. It just never was her thing. Why argue, fight about something when you can solve it with rational words. But something told her that the way these people lived, the way they worked, being logical and rational just wouldn't cut it in this world. She'd have to save herself or be eaten by sharks. Survival of the fittest was the game. And this chick was going down in flames.
"Where as people like you don't. I bet you've never had job. You do know what a job is though, right? It's that thing that you do, when you go to a place of employment-- work, and get compensated for it. So that you don't have to live off your Daddy, like a spoiled brat."
"Of course you would know all about that wouldn't you. I'm sure your Daddy just loves cleaning toilets for a living. And so will you," Theresa smiled sweetly.
Haley gave her a murderous glare. Ready to respond, before she was cut off by Kelly. "Yes, please tell us new girl, how is it that your father can afford to send you to a school like Bayview State. Is it the hours he spends sweeping the carpet of my father's law firm? Or in between breaks while he's cleaning the dirt out from his nails?"
Haley wanted to defend her father. Wanted to say something, so that they knew she didn't think of him being a janitor as anything shameful, because to her it wasn't. But no words would come.
Theresa and Kelly continued to laugh to themselves, while everyone else watched. Haley move to leave.
"Oh don't go," Kelly falsely pleaded to her. "It's so much fun catching up with you."
"Screw you," Haley through back before fleeing the room quickly. Peyton and Brooke right on her tail, and Jake following after them
The two girls giggled wickedly as the others retreated. "Oh I think she's going to cry," Theresa mocked.
"Maybe we should go check," Kelly responded, causing her and some of the other boys to break out into laughter.
And making Nathan finally push up off his seat on the couch, breaking loose of Theresa's grip. She looked up at him, still laughing as he gave her a irritated face.
"What!," she said defensively.
"That was fucking lame alright. Get a life."
"Oh that's rich, you defending the poor girl now."
"She's not poor. You're just a Bitch."
"Oooh Burn," Vegas called, him and Tim cracking into fits of laughter again.
"Shut up asshole," Theresa screamed at them.
Nathan cast the entire room and annoyed face, before heading to leave, glancing down at Lucas's silent figure in the corner of the room. Shaking his head in frustration.
.........................
"Haley wait up," Peyton called, from the down the hall, Haley almost half way to the door.
She spun around, her face and body rigid. "Do not ask me stay."
"I wasn't going to. I just wanted to see if you were ok. I think Theresa and Kelly officially win for Bitch of the year now" she said trying to comfort her friend.
"Now Damn it, I wanted that titled," Brooke whined jokingly, coming up beside the two of them, and running a hand over Haley's hair soothingly.
Haley cracked a small smile, and looked down at her watch. "Well I made it a whole twenty minutes before running. You should both be proud," she said.
"You want a medal," Brooke asked.
"If you're handing them out."
"You guys go on ahead, I just want to say bye to Jake first," Peyton added, turning around to were he stood watching them a few feet away.
Haley took a deep breath, and tried to calm her nerves. Her eyes boring holes into the ground.
"Ready," Brooke looked at her expectantly.
"Let me go to the bathroom first, ok?"
"Yeah. I think it's that way, if my memory serves me," Brooke pointed down another hallway.
Haley nodded, and went forward. Exiting the bathroom a few minutes later, she tired to remember which way it was that she'd actually gotten there. Taking a turn to her left, she walked through a door that seemed similar to what led her to the foyer. Instead finding herself inside of a kitchen. A smaller one this time. Empty.
Making her way through it, Haley paused when she noticed someone come through the opposite door.
Nathan's face staring back at her.
Their eyes locked for an instant and then they broke away. Neither one speaking for a moment.
"I was just leaving," Haley finally broke the silence.
"You don't have to," He responded, casually.
"Do you want me to stay?"
"Sure. More the merrier, right," he gave her a half smile, and then headed to the fridge.
Haley quietly watched him. "So this........... is awkward."
"I guess ," he said, his eyes searching the refrigerator.
It seemed like he stood there staring in front of him for an eternity. She wondered why he seemed so calm.
Her mind full of questions, only her mouth wasn't being as cooperative. She followed his body, as he began taking a couple drinks from the fridge and setting them on the counter beside him. Minutes passed, and neither of them spoke.
"Well it was really fun talking to you. But I think I'm gonna go now," Haley finally got out, heading to the door Nathan had come through.
It was then that she felt a strong hand grab her by the elbow, and turn her around. Nathan only inches from her face.
"Wait," he whispered softly.
"Why? So you can be the first to leave again," she retorted bluntly, not sounding half as intimidating as she meant to.
Nathan smiled at her, and looked away mildly ashamed. "About that......... I'm.........I'm sorry."
Haley's eyes widened. Her mouth dropped open. "Oh. My. God."
"What?"
"Did–did Nathan Scott just apologize to me?" She looked around the room to see if anyone else had witnessed this event. "I think Hell might have just frozen over."
Nathan gave her a fake grin. "Ha ha you're funny."
"I don't think your friends would so much agree with you on that," she slightly smiled. "Are they always so....."
"What? Snobby?"
"I was gonna go with evil, but yeah snobby works too."
"I don't know," Nathan sighed, grabbing a strand of Haley's loose hair, and tucking it behind her ear. Unconscious of what he was doing, while she looked at him. "Might be the holidays. Nobody really wants to deal with their families, you know."
"If that's their excuse," Haley replied. " Anyways, I should probably go. Brooke and Peyton are waiting for me."
"Right, of course," Nathan said staring down at her, not moving.
"So I'll see you later," Haley responded, unable to move herself.
Nathan leaned down his eyes zoning inn o n hers. The striking blue ocean inside of them making powerless to leave, " Yeah, see you around," he whispered huskily.
Before either of them had a chance to say another word Nathan quickly crushed his mouth to hers in a fervent kiss.
In turn Haley pushed herself up into his embrace, their tongues battling together. As they melted into each others arms. Nathan caressing the side of her face, as she rubbed her hand along the strong muscles of his back. At last breaking away to catch her breath, Haley's eyes, sought out and captured Nathan's. Everything around them pausing for a moment as they watched each other in silent contemplation.
It was when Nathan finally broke that contact, that they heard the sound of a familiar voice.
"Holy shit" Theresa cried from the open doorway across the room.
Haley and Nathan broke away from one another, and looked forward at the veritable fumes rising off of Theresa's stagnant form.
"Please tell me this is not what I think it is Nathan. Please tell me you're not standing here trying to get into Tutor girl's pants. That's so cute I might just puke."
"Oh, cause you and the Pool boy were just a match made in heaven, right," he countered with revulsion.
"Jealousy is an ugly, ugly color for you darling. Sorry, but I don't think green suits you well."
"Kiss my ass."
"No thanks. I'll leave that to Tim and Vegas, if you don't mind," she gave him a sickly sweet smile.
Nathan shook his head disgusted, noticing how uncomfortable Haley was beside him. "You done? Cause I'm ready to go now"
Theresa's eyes flickered with a moment of pain. It didn't last long though before she resumed her regular visage. This time her expression towards him more demeaning. "What are you doing Nathan," she asked him, while blatantly watching her competition.
Nathan glanced down at Haley, and then to Theresa. "Nothing. It's none of your business. What I do or don't do is none of your business, actually," he said defiantly.
"Is that right," she yelled.
"Sure is," he hollered back.
"Well you certainly acted like you were my business when I was in your room last night," she finally pulled out her last ditch effort to destroy whatever she could. Her plan appearing to have worked, as she saw Haley's eyes grow wide at Nathan's guilty face.
No one was able to react to her statement however, because in that second Brooke walked in through the door behind Haley and Nathan, her eyes searching everybody, almost as if she'd just stepped into some kind of war-zone.
She grabbed Haley's arm, and turned her around.
"Let's go."
Haley tried to search Nathan's eyes one lat time.. But he kept his attention focused in front of him.
Brooke observed as Haley looked from Nathan and then back to her giving her a nod of recognition. Brooke then let her friend lead them both out the door and away from whatever monstrous fight she assumed they both just unintentionally walked into.
However watching the petite brunette more closely out of the corner of her eye, as they left, Brooke had the sneaking suspicion that her friend hadn't wandered into that argument by accident. And tomorrow she was fully prepared to find out why.