Thanks for reviewing. Hanna I'm glad that you're reading even though you're not a Nathan/Haley fan. I hope you stick around for the rest of it. Lysser8312 thank you for reviewing not only this story, but my others as well. I always enjoy reading your comments. And you're right, I do lean more towards LB. I usually refuse to read, much less write, LP,but they just sort of happened here.

What You Say
Chapter Two - Good

Nathan turned the radio up louder as he drove. There was another hour left in his drive to Charleston and he was becoming a bit nervous, which was not a normal feeling for him. He was a calm and collected, always in control, person. However, seeing Haley those few weeks ago had completely messed with his head.

He had thought about her a lot while he was gone and he hadn't been lying when he told her he missed her. He knew that she cared about him. He'd always known, but there was nothing he could do about it then. He was with Peyton. He was still with Peyton. The only difference now was that he wasn't a boy. He wasn't in high school and he didn't have to live up to anyone else's expectations. He didn't have an entire town watching his every move. He didn't have his friends hounding him all the time about whom he was dating. Being with Peyton was what he was supposed to do. But more than that, it was what he could do. He could love Peyton and he could let her love him back because they were the same. In high school, he had cared about Haley, but he had loved Peyton. He had loved her more than he should have. They saw the world in the same way. They knew that sometimes things were crap and that it wasn't just about them, it was about everyone around them as well. But ever since he came back, things had been

different. They weren't the same as they had once been and they both knew it. That's why she was spending so much time with Lucas these days and why he didn't really care. It was why he was going to see Haley and though he was sure Peyton would care because she'd always been a bit insecure about his and Haley's relationship, he knew it was something he had to do.

Even before he'd formally met Haley, he'd known that she was different. She wasn't like all of the girls he had been hung out with before. She cared about more than just boys and fashion. She had substance.

He knew then that had he tried to be anything more than her friend, he would have broken her heart, so he didn't. She was special to him then and her friendship was what he had needed more than anything at the time. She didn't care that he was a star athlete or homecoming king or the hottest guy in school. She had seen him for who he really was and with her he never had to pretend. She had graciously accepted him as the boy he was, not the one everyone wanted him to be. She would never know how much he appreciated it.

So, now as he got closer to his destination and Haley, he couldn't help the nervousness. He was here to figure out just what it was that he wanted with her. Before, it had been friendship. Now, he was thinking it was something more.

It was ten minutes until six when he pulled into the parking lot of her workplace. He had made sure to be early. He didn't want to make her wait. Not in the cold or in general. He knew how much his coming meant to her. He had heard it in her voice. He didn't want her to doubt him.

Fifteen minutes had gone by before he saw her small frame walk through the giant glass doors. He smiled as he got out of the truck to meet her.

"Haley!" He called seeing her looking around for him. Nathan noticed her face light up and he couldn't help but smile. When they finally got to one another, he wrapped her in his arms, taking her by surprise.

"I guess my instructions weren't half bad," she said leaving his embrace.

"I don't know why you were worried. You've always been able to explain things to me."

"True."

"So, do you have any ideas of what you want to do?"

"There's a really great Chinese restaurant down the street. I was thinking we could have dinner and decide the rest there."

"Sounds good. I love Chinese." He opened the door to his truck for her and she stepped in.

"I know." She replied easily.

He smiled and just looked at her for a few seconds. She wasn't looking back at him. Instead, she was focusing on the pattern of her skirt. He was making her nervous. "Yeah. I guess you do." His voice came out softer than he had intended. Haley looked up and her eyes met his. She smiled shyly. Nathan shut the door and walked over to his side to get in.

Haley directed him to the restaurant and the rest of their ride was filled with casual conversation. He asked her about her day and she asked about the drive. The initial awkwardness they had both felt was slowly melting away as they eased back into who they were together.

After they had finished eating, they had yet to decide on where the rest of the evening would take them. "Charleston doesn't have much of a night life," Haley said taking a sip of her soda. "There's the theater, a few clubs, miniature golf, Brooke's boyfriend, Jake, is having a party, but other than that, it's pretty quiet here."

"I kind of like the quiet now. I think I've gotten most of the late, drunken nights out of my system."

"You're barely 22, Nathan."

"Yeah, but I've been doing it since I was 15. Besides, it's pointless."

"I tried telling you that when we were 15."

"I should have listened." There were several moments of silence before Nathan spoke again. "Being away made me realize that some things are worth spending time doing and others aren't. I like the parties, Haley and I still go to them every now and then, but it's not the same as it used to be. They used to be my life. I used to live for the nights out with the guys where we would get wasted and wrestle and just make absolute fools of ourselves. I used to think that was the best thing in the world, but now I know it's not. I don't want to be fifteen anymore. I don't want to wake up with a hangover every morning. I don't want to live the rest of my life the way I did in Tree Hill."

"What do you want, Nathan?"

Before he could answer, his cell rang. "It's Peyton." Haley excused herself to the restroom and Nathan watched her disappear behind the door before answering.

"Hey."

"Hey, babe."

"Did your flight make it to Boston alright?"

"Yeah. I slept most of the way. And the lady sitting next to me had the most adorable little boy. He had blonde hair and blue eyes, just like Lucas. And he didn't cry, thank goodness. Last time I sat next to this little brat who would not be quiet for anything. It was much better. So what are you doing?"

"Nothing much. Just hanging out. Are you on your way to your dad's?"

"I'm meeting him for dinner first. I don't know why we couldn't meet at his apartment and then go. Now, I have to carry my bags with me to the restaurant. Hopefully, he'll be there and I can just leave them in his car. The cab driver already had a difficult time getting them all loaded."

"I told you you packed too much."

"I just want to be prepared."

"Well, I'm sure you are."

"We're actually pulling up at the restaurant now, so I better go. I'll see you when I get back."

"Have a good time, Peyt."

"I'll try. Love you."

"You too."

Nathan pushed the phone back in his pocket and went to pay the bill. He had just finished when Haley reemerged from the restroom.

"Perfect timing."

"So have you decided what you want to do?" She asked trying to control her emotions. His phone call with Peyton had been a bit of a reality check for her. She knew he was with Peyton, but most of the time, she let herself forget.

"I thought maybe we could rent a movie and just go back to your place. We haven't really spent any time together. Is that okay? Because if you want to go somewhere, I'm fine with that."

"I'd like that."

"Good." He smiled and opened the door for her to walk out.

"So what do you want to watch first? Napoleon Dynamite, Collateral, or Garden State."

"Whatever you want," Haley called from the kitchen where she was popping a bag of popcorn.

Nathan sat on her bedroom floor waiting for her to finish. "So what did you decide?" She asked walking in with a large bowl and shutting the door behind her.

"You pick."

"Nathan, I really don't care."

"Neither do I, but I want you to pick."

"Why?"

"Would you please just choose."

"I really don't see why you're making such a big deal about this, but I pick Garden State." Nathan smiled. "I see you're satisfied with the choice."

"I'm satisfied you chose the one you really wanted to see."

"And you're saying I don't want to see the others?"

"Not as much as this one."

"You're the one who picked it."

"Because you were raving about how fantastic everyone said it was on the phone last week." Haley looked surprised. "I do pay attention to what you say, Haley."

"I know." She replied softly and crawled onto her bed.

"Good." Nathan put the DVD in and turned off the light. He sat down and pulled her into his arms. Her body fit perfectly against his. "I'm really glad I came here," he whispered just before the movie began to play..