The other update I promised. Hope you like, and don't forget to review :)

TOXIC

Chapter 17

Truth or Consequence

In the week that passed, Christmas had come and gone. Uneventfully.

Brooke and Peyton had returned to the confines of their apartment earlier that day. While Haley had just gotten back. Loads of new presents weighing her down as she entered through the front door with a grunt. Sluggishly she drug all of her remaining bags from her stay at her parents through the living room and into her bedroom. Returning a minute later to plop down on the couch next to an idle Brooke, who had conveniently decided to leave her bags by the front doorway.

"Ahh it's good to be home," Haley sighed, resting her head on the back of the couch.

"Parents drive you crazy," Peyton asked, sitting in the sofa chair by them, randomly flipping channels on the t.v.

"Parents, siblings, cousins, uncles, aunts, you name it," Haley numbered off, "I don' think I got any sleep while I was there."

"Family time's a Bitch, that's for sure," Brooke stated with complete honesty.

"I second that," Peyton said jokingly, but all three girls knew the truth. While Haley's family could swallow you whole with its pure size, Brooke's on the other hand was almost non-existent. So when she wasn't spending forced time with her mother and step-father she was usually over at Peyton's house with her and her dad.

Shaking off the bad thoughts of her family, Brooke jumped up excitedly from the couch. "I'm bored lets do something fun?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know, give each other facial's or pedicures or something," Brooke said giddily.

"Since when did you become one with all the bonding," Haley muttered, her eyes reverting back to the television screen. A happy Jessica Simpson jumping up and down about the new car Nick had gotten her.

"Well you want to look pretty tonight don't you?"

"For what exactly?"

"For the dinner plans we made last week remember," Brooke said, and looked to Peyton who also nodded in agreement.

Haley brought her head up and looked back and forth between them confused. She couldn't remember ever making any sort of dinner plans. Not that she'd had a whole lot of room in her brain for anything other than the large amount that Nathan was previously taking up. But still, dinner plans? On a Saturday? She couldn't remember ever agreeing to that.

"Dinner Plans?"

"At the Bayview Steakhouse. Duh," Brooke waved off with a laugh, and Peyton gave her that –aww you silly goose– expression. Haley suddenly feeling like she'd just waltzed into a bizarre episode of Leave it to Beaver.

"Well sorry to burst your bubble guys, but I'm gonna take a rain check this time."

Brooke gave her a disapproving glare. " Haley James opts out once again. Why am I not surprised."

"Hey I don't even remember making these supposed "plans". Besides, going out on a Saturday would seriously cut into my lounging around time. Plus I've already eaten enough of my Mom's gourmet cooking to feed a small village."

Brooke looked too Peyton for some support, and she just flipped up her arms in defense. "Hey I'm not getting the middle of it this time."

"Who cares if you don't remember making the plans. Go anyway, be adventurous," Brooke pleaded to her.

"Yeah we can have a whole girls night out thing. Just the three of us," Peyton decided to add, which earned her a bright smile from Brooke.

Haley sighed, convinced she must be crazy for always letting her friends convince her into doing things she didn't want to. "Will you get off my back if I go out tonight," she asked, totally resigned to her fate.

Brooke's face lighted up.

"Cross my heart," she chirped, making a girl scout gesture as Haley just laughed.

"Alright I'm in," Haley subsided letting her head fall back to the couch. "But someone has to help me pick out something to wear."

Brooke smiled mischievously and Haley immediately turned to the sofa chair. "Peyton....help?"

..................................

The Bayview Steakhouse was one of the only three classy restaurants that resided in the their rather small town. While it wasn't quite as exclusive as the Bayview Country club, reservations were still more difficult to manage than the average café.

So when the girls walked in, dressed to the nine's they absolutely felt like a million bucks. Haley watched as a large majority of the male population within the restaurant turned their heads as they strutted into the lobby. It made her feel good inside, special. Something she hadn't ever felt whole lot of in her life.

Which made this good idea she finally surmised. Get out, be among people, away from the doldrums of her room and the constant questions about, and thoughts of a tall, dark, and handsome figure that had been relentlessly invading her brain.

Brooke was definitely an expert about how to get your mind off a guy. Which reminded Haley to thank her for this night later on.

"Feeling good yet," Brooke asked her a moment later, as she noticed the evident smile that had appeared across Haley's mouth, when a rather cute green eyed waiter had looked her way.

"I'm getting there," Haley smirked at her friend.

Brooke grinned and then went up to the Hostess to ask for their reservation.

Peyton and Haley stood back behind her, waiting around, quietly observing the soft glow of the room around them, the serene atmosphere. The peacefulness of it all.

Haley's attention was directed on a happy couple dining together, the soft way they would touch the others hand, or lightly laugh at the other's comment. Wondering how it came so easy to them.

So focused she was on watching them, she didn't even notice that Lucas and Jake meanwhile had come into the restaurant behind them dressed more casually. Everyone but her stood in a little circle conversing.

"Haley," Brooke called over to her. "Look who's here."

"Hey Jake, Luke," she greeted them, before eyeing Brooke and Peyton with an uncertain glower.  Something felt off about them being here. It seemed to much of a coincidence.

As everyone else continued to talk Haley came up beside Brooke and grabbed at her elbow to get her attention. "What's going on," she said in a hushed voice.

Brooke had to lean down to hear, but once she did she snapped to alert. Plastering a fake smile on her face. "What do you mean?"

"Why are Luke and Jake here? I thought this was supposed to be a girls night out, remember?"

"It will be," Brooke assured her. Haley continued to look at her skeptically while everyone else chatted. Unsure of whether to believe her or not. Brooke usually wasn't one for lying. Unless it served her some greater purpose. And if she had wanted to hang out with Lucas, there was no need for the charade. Brooke had come home completely swooning from her little rendevous with Lucas. At first Haley wasn't sure how to react. Of course she didn't want to be a hypocrite and tell Brooke that dating Lucas was a bad idea. Because honestly her time with had been good. What worried her was the level of excitement in Brook's voices as she talked about him. Never in all their years as friends had Haley ever heard Brooke squeal over the prospect of attention from a boy. It was something that was thrown at her every day.

Yet Haley also knew happiness when she saw it as well. The true genuineness of Brooke's smile came through her words. And what else could Haley do, but grant her the same clemency that Brooke did for her. She only hoped that for them, it would out better.

Glancing over to Luke at her thoughts, she briefly wondered if Nathan had ever mentioned anything to him about her. She was doubtful. Nathan had always seemed had been private person, about most things in his life. And Luke and him had never been truly close. Just another question of without an answer she supposed. Something that was becoming almost a rule when it came to figuring out the how's and why's of Nathan Scott.

Lucas noticed gave Haley a quick smile, when he noticed her looking his way. He flicked his eyes over to Brooke and his face softened.

"Hey mind if we eat with you guys," he asked  all three girls expectantly, as if it was the most natural thing he'd ever done.

"That'd be fun," Brooke sidled up next to him happily. "You don't mind right Haley?"

Uh, yeah I do, she wanted to snap at Brooke, but didn't Seeing the happy faces of the two couples in front of her made her heart ache and glow at the same time. This was not how she'd planned on spending the night. However she, decided that being the fifth wheel for a few hours, would be a lot easier than dealing with four very unhappy people, two of which she had to live with.

"No it's fine," she shrugged, watching as the host came up to their little circle in the lobby.

"We're ready to seat you now," he stated primly.

Haley started to move forward when she heard Jake speak up. "Actually we're waiting for one more person."

Something didn't feel right about all of this. They were acting too contrived, too......cautious with their words.

"Who," Haley blurted out looking to anyone who would answer.

"Nobody. Just a friend," Jake answered nonchalantly.

Haley waited for him to elaborate, but he stayed quiet. "By the name of.........."

"Hey sorry I'm late, I had to—"

Their eyes met and froze, like they had so many times in the past few weeks. Only in this instance their was no hate, or passion, or anger. Just total and complete shock.

Haley jolted back. "Oh no! No no no no," she waved her head and arm about frantically, this was not happening, she was not here with him, with her friends, with his friends. This had to be a bizarre dream. Wake up Haley, wake up.

She went to move but the two other girls stopped her. "Yes, yes , yes," Brooke nodded at her, pulling her toward the host who was still waiting to seat him.

Haley glanced around at everyone in front of her, wanting more than anything to dash out the restaurant like a cat after a mouse. But that would require making a scene, something she wasn't prepared to do. Especially in front of Nathan. He didn't deserve to see her make a fool of her self. He didn't have the right.

So as she let her self be led to their already adorned six person table, she turned a harsh quiet voice to Brooke and Peyton. "You set me up. You totally set me up!"

"Sorry sweetie it had to be done," Brooke stated logically, nodding her head.

"What?-Why?!........Oh God. I think my life has just turned into some cheesy daytime soap opera. I mean really, who does this kind of stuff? Who scheme's against their own friends?"

"Apparently we do," Peyton added, with a smile.

"Well you're a disgrace to best-friends everywhere then."

"You won't be saying that when you and Nathan are a happy couple. Now will you," Peyton asked in a chipper tone.

Haley shot her a crazed look, and Peyton shut her mouth, letting her go to sit in her seat.

The boys close behind them just as huddled as the girls were, Nathan none to happy with this current situation

"I'm so gonna kick your ass after we leave here," Nathan grumbled to his brother in a low tone. He wanted to be annoyed by Haley's complete brush off at seeing him here. Honestly though it just hurt more than anything, and that made it worse.

"Man, who knew the two of us could lie so well," Jake laughed at his achievement.

"I probably get it from Dad side of the family. What do you think Nate," Lucas asked with chuckle.

"I really hate you right now," was his only response, as he refused to look at anyone while taking his seat at the rectangular table. Girls and boys on separate sides.

Nathan sat in the middle, across from Haley, who was currently choosing not look anywhere but at her menu.

Brooke noticed the hesitation from everyone's silent forms. Figuring she needed to break the ice, and the fast. She turned to Haley, with more of her usual bounce. "So what are you getting to eat Hales?"

"Anything that's not going to break my bank," she snotted, while opening her menu.

Nathan puffed out a laugh. "Figures," he mumbled under his breath, seeking out any type of retaliation on her he could. Despite the immaturity of it.

Haley whipped her head to look up at him, unsure of what he said. "Excuse you?"

"I didn't say anything," he declared, returning to his own menu.

"Soooo, Jake. How was your Christmas," Peyton swiftly began, doing her part to keep the atmosphere between all of them light.

Jake gave her a knowing smile. "Pretty good. My Dad got me a new lap top with DSL."

"Oh that awesome. Yeah my Dad got DSL last year and now all he does is sit at the computer and buy things off of e-bay."

"That's just like Poppa Sawyer," Brooke laughed.

"Yeah I know. He keeps asking me when you're going to come see him," Peyton replied.

Brooke bit the bottom of her lip, and let her mouth play out into a naughty grin. "Tell him, anytime he wants," she let out a soft giggle.

Peyton leaned over and threw her napkin at her, shaking her head back in forth in vexation.

"Should I be jealous," Lucas asked, watching both girls in amusement.

"Brooke has a dirty crush on my father. It's disturbing."

"He's cute," Brooke shrugged innocently. "Haley agrees with me don't you?"

"No comment," she stated, and everyone fell into a soft laugh. Everyone but Nathan, who had somewhere in the middle of the conversation found himself entranced with Haley's smile. The way she talked when she was happy. He'd never noticed it before. It was so delicate. So not what he needed to be paying attention too.

"Well if they both think you're Dad's great then it must be true," Jake cut in with that endearing charm again. Completely taking Peyton off her guard. "Maybe I could meet him sometime?"

Peyton's face brightened. Not a usual occurrence for her, but nonetheless beautiful "Sure....if you want."

"I want."

Both of them broke into a calm silence as they smiled at each other from across the table, making Nathan more than a bit uncomfortable. Mostly due to the fact that he hadn't wanted to be broughten to this bundle of love in the first place. Yeah, sure he might have been slightly excited when he'd seen Haley first thing. What was going to happen there though? He'd broke it off between them, because......well because they wouldn't work And she'd proved his point by leaving with Brad. Now here they were sitting across a table in a restaurant neither of them wanted to be in. While he was forced to watch his friends be mush all over each other. Fantastic.

"Isn't that so cute," Nathan added sarcastically, at Jake's comment.

"I think so," Haley opposed with resolution.

"You would," he bit out at her, the other two couples staring at them.

"They like each other. What's your problem with that?"

"Why do you care what I have a problem with?"

"I don't."

"Good," Nathan barked, his face a mask of stone as his looked at Haley straight on.

"Great," she met his glare with a fierce determination.

"Perfect," he raised his voice, the tension between them so heavy, it would take a veritable bulldozer to get through it.

"Umm, are you ready to make your order now? Or shall I comeback," their waiter cut in hesitantly.

All six occupants veered their attention into varying directions. Brooke being the only one unfazed by it all, smiled up at the waiter graciously "Yeah, we're ready."