I apologize for the long update, but with me starting my new job, and life continually getting in the way, it's been tough getting the energy to write. But I think I'll have a bunch of free time this weekend, so hopefully there will be updates galore. And as always thank you guys for your kick-ass feedback. Me love you all long time :)

Also if you have time, check out my new N/H story Chariot! Shameless pimping of my own stories, I know, I know, but hey what can ya do?

TOXIC

Chapter 23

The Links In Between

"Welcome back slacker," Denise Young called out as Haley walked into the Student Learning Center with a handful of books in tow.

"Miss me," Haley questioned with a bright smile.

"Only a little," the red-head teased. "How was your break?"

Haley came up to the round blue table that Denise was sitting at and pulled out the chair next to hers. The room was fairly quiet for that time of day, but it was mostly due to the fact that the semester had just begun. And most students wouldn't start coming by until the second or third week in, when tests began being given. Haley was going to take this quiet period and relish it, before the madness really began.

"It was okay," Haley replied, pulling out a pen and notebook from her bag.

The other girl eyed her suspiciously. "What? No torrid romances or exciting adventures?"

"No. No, not really."

"Yeah, me neither. Us book types never get involved in the juicy drama," Denise spoke with seriousness, and shook her head for emphasis.

Haley stared at her for a minute and then rolled her eyes in amusement, "You're such a cornball, you know that?"

"And that's why you like me. I bring laughter and joy into your life," she pointed at her with her ball-tipped pen.

"You're the only," Haley added sarcastically, while laughing.

"As long as I believe it, that's all that matters to me," she replied, flipping her own book open.

Both girls giggled together for a few moments before falling into quiet while they studied. A few of the other tutors were scattered about the room at other tables, helping the small number of students that occupied the room. Haley was only required to stay around from 2pm til 5pm, but she usually came a little early and stayed a little late. She'd come to truly appreciate and eNjoy helping others learn over the past 5 years. Had enjoyed it ever since she started doing it in highschool. Although she also figured it would've been something she'd just leave behind when she came to college, that way she'd have more time to focus on her own major. She found though, that she felt somewhat lost without it. So her sophomore year she'd signed up for it and never looked back.

The room was quite as both girls studied and after a few minutes Haley could hear the door to the learning center click open. She saw her friend's head snap up the second a tall dark haired guy entered the room.

"Ooh hottie at three o'clock," Denise whispered, using her head to point to the handsome man across the room. "Be right back."

Haley laughed at the other girl's verbosity, and went back to her book, that feeling of sadness coming over her again, as she watched her friend flirt so freely with someone that happened to resemble Nathan. But it wasn't him, and that fact cause her to ache just a little bit more.

Do not think about him, she told herself. Think about math. Math is good. Math never gets you into trouble or breaks your heart, or doesn't love you back. Math is the exact opposite of gorgeous, rich, basketball stars.

"Excuse me...you tutor for Stats right," a voice came from behind her, breaking into her inner monologue.

"Yeah. Can I help you," Haley asked, twisting in her chair so that she could look up at the person standing behind her chair.

"Actually you can," Nathan grinned, swiftly moving into the empty seat beside Haley. "You see, I was taking Educational Psych. but I had to drop out of it. So, Statistics 108 was the only class available for me to take in its time slot. And isn't that a coincidence that you just happen to tutor for that exact math."

Haley watched the growing on Nathan's face, and remembered why she was annoyed with him in the first place. She scowled at him. "That sure is a coincidence."

"I thought so too. Funny how life works out like that."

"Oh yeah, real funny."

Nathan pulled his book bag up onto the desk. "So here's what I think: I figured we could just go over the assignment. It doesn't seem too—"

"Nathan I'm just going to stop you right there. Before you take out all your books and start whatever plan this is that you've concocted."

"That's not what this is," he claimed.

"Then what is it," she asked, folding her arms in front of her.

Nathan took a breath and met Haley's eyes. "I came to you because you're smart, because you know what you're doing, and because I trust you..........I want to do better this time Haley......Will you please—,"he took another deep breath in, forcing the words out. "Will you please help me?"

Haley watched him, saw the sincerity in his eyes, and in his voice. "I–I don't know Nathan....."

Nathan leaned on the table, bringing his body closer to hers, but not touching her. He didn't smirk, or pull out a cocky grin, just gave her an honest face. "I'm not asking you to make up your mind about me this second. I just want you to be my tutor. And whatever happens tomorrow, or a week, or a month from now, we'll deal with it then. Right now I just want you to help me with Math."

Haley sat silent for a moment, watching him--watch her, before she raised up out of her seat, taking her books with her.

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

Their microwave beeped three times, signaling that her frozen meal was now ready to be eaten. Haley sat the papers she was studying down, and went to the kitchen. Peyton came out of her room and joined her there a minute later, opening the fridge in search of something to drink.

"We got any more lemonade," Peyton asked, her head still shielded by the open door.

"No, I think Brooke drank the last of it yesterday," Haley replied, grabbing a fork from the drawer beside her.

"Dammit, why does she always drink the last of everything. It's like a frikin' evil ritual for her or something."

"You can have some of my orange juice if you want?"

"Mmmm no thanks. I'm not in an o.j. mood."

Haley nodded at her, and continued out of the kitchen and back to her little study session by the couch, her food firmly in hand.

"So my day was boring as usual. How was your," Peyton sing-songed, plopping into the cream sofa chair by the couch.

"Um I don't know," Haley jabbed at the lasagna in front of her.

"Well, was it good....bad.....suicidal? Should I be on death watch here?"

"Yeah ok drama queen, not quite.......It was just interesting is all."

Peyton tilted her head. "Interesting like how?"

"Like there was some new developments," Haley brought another bite off food to her mouth.

"Really? Well you mind actually telling me what you're talking about here, instead of being all cryptic?"

Haley swirled her fork around in her dish, concentrating on how the red sauce mixed and separated underneath the black plastic carton. "......Nathan asked me to be his tutor today."

Peyton sat silent as Haley waited for her to respond to her news, when she didn't, Haley bit her bottom lip and dropped her fork onto her plate. "Say something."

"So what did you say to him," Peyton asked, shifting in her seat on the couch.

Haley continued to bite down on her lip, and stare at the papers, she'd set down on the coffee table in front of her, his handwriting scribbled in jagged lines across the page. "I said I would," she responded softly.

Peyton puffed out a knowing laugh and smiled, getting up from the chair and heading back over to the kitchen, decidedly thirsty again. "You think that was such a good idea," she said, not making any judgements, simply asking the question Haley had been asking herself all evening.

"I don't know," she replied, running her fingers over his written name on the page. "I guess I'll have to wait and see."