Chapter 7
Part 2
You Always Make Yourself the Victim
Haley goes straight to the back of the store where the prescription drugs are located. She searches for aspirin, Tylenol, Excedrin, Advil, there are way too many kinds. She finds what she's looking for after 10 minutes of searching, grabs a few other things along the way and then heads up towards the cash register. She hears a familiar female voice in the next isle and freezes. It's Brooke. She's shopping with her friends.
Haley ducks and turns the corner to avoid seeing her and runs straight into Jake Jagelski.
"Hiding from someone," he laughs, and Haley stands up from her crouched position. Her cheeks tinged pink.
"You could say that," she nods and peeks her head around the corner. Brooke's at the opposite end of the store now.
Jake catches who she's eyeing and a knowing smile spreads over his face and into his eyes. He looks highly entertained.
"Her bark's much worse than her bite." he says and Haley glances up at him. "Usually."
"I have a hard time believing that," Haley replies and they both smile.
"Yeah I don't blame you," Jake agrees, and Haley can't help but respect him. For as long as she's known Jake, he's always run with the basketball crowd, but he never let the popularity get to him. Despite all his chances to grow an ego, to be an asshole, he's always managed to stay the better man. Haley can't understand, why then, he hangs around with someone like Brooke Davis.
"Well I should probably..." Haley turns in the direction of the registers and Jake nods.
"Yeah, me too..." he turns to meet back up with Brooke and stops. "Hey Haley?"
She pauses and looks back at him. "Yeah?"
"Be careful," he says and Haley doesn't know if he's referring to Brooke or Nathan or both.
She smiles at him and nods. She thinks maybe Jake and Brooke—isn't for her to understand.
…………..
Haley's lost in her thoughts as she walks home. The grocery bags she carries were fairly light the first mile, but after two they now feel heavy. And she holds them like they were full of rocks.
A black range rover pulls up beside her and slows down.
"You're pretty hot for bag lady," Nathan calls out to her and she rolls her eys.
"Very funny," she slaps back sarcastically, but can't help the smile that spreads over her face at the sight of him.
He brightens at her expression, continues to follow her in his car as she walks.
"What are you doin'?"
Haley's face darkens at his question. She doesn't want to think about her mother around Nathan. It just brings her mood down She hides her frown. "I had to....to pick up some stuff for my mom," she says, leaving it as vague as she can.
"Are you going home now," he asks and she wants to say no. She wants to runaway with him. Disappear, become recluses and live on the road. Forget responsibility and obligations.
"Yeah," she says.
Nathan thinks she seems sad when she answers him. But he's not sure. "Get in," he tells her and leans over popping the passenger side door open.
"Nathan, I have to get home."
"Ok. Do you want to walk? Because I was planning on driving you there," he says with goofball charm. It makes her pulse race and her stomach flutter.
"Oh," Haley bites at her bottom lip and then slides into the seat. She sets her bags down at her feet and looks at Nathan. He's staring at her mouth. She's staring at him, staring at her mouth. She waits for him to come forward. But he doesn't.
She stretches her hand out and runs it along the side of his cheek and onto his jaw. He leans into the touch and his eyes involuntarily close. Haley doesn't even feel herself moving forward, until her lips are against his, his tongue reaching into her mouth asking for access. She grants it without hesitation and then their mouths are crushed together.
Nathan blindly gropes for her body, pulling her closer to him. He grabs a hold of her head and tangles his hands in her hair. Haley moans into his mouth. The feel of his touch melting her away.
Nathan pulls back, his breaths deep and his eyes heavy. He leans his forehead against hers.
"Hey," he says, his voice rough and husky.
"Hey," she says softly and can't help but giggle at how giddy he makes her feel. "I missed you."
He smiles with his mouthed closed. "Me too."
Haley settles back down into her seat as Nathan puts the car back into drive. She keeps her left arm on top of his thigh and lazily plays with the hem of shirt, feels the heat of his body through his clothes. Comforting.
"You've been gone all week," she looks up at him and meets his eyes as he turns his head. "Is everything ok?"
Nathan nods without wavering. It's like a gut reaction. Never let them know when your defenses are down. "Yeah. I had some stuff I had to deal with. It's fine."
Haley senses he's not being honest. She doesn't know how to make him tell her what's wrong though. Nathan hates to share...anything.
"Are you sure," she asks, and waits for him to nod and say yes.
"Yeah," he nods, and Haley can't help but feel concerned. She knows she should be irritated, but she can't help but want to, well, help.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"No. I really don't."
Nathan turns into her neighborhood. He notices how all the houses look exactly the same, like they were just carbon copies of one another. He wonders if the families are copies of each other too. The option would be better than his family now though.
Haley watches him as he drives. She can tell that something isn't right. He's more tense than usual, even for her. She really wants to ask him what's bothering him but knows it will only make him more angry. She doesn't have the time to argue with him right now.
"You can drop me off at the end of the street," she points to edge of the block a few houses away from hers and Nathan gives her a perplexed look.
"It's easier if I just pull up into your driveway," he keeps driving and Haley pulls her bags off the floor of the car quickly.
"I know, but you can't.....my Mom's home today," the words still in her throat and she watches Nathan pause for the briefest of seconds. He turns to her and his demeanor his straight forward.
"Haley, I don't care," he counters bluntly and continues to drive.
Haley places her hand on top of his on the steering wheel. "I do," she speaks softly, her voice laden with regret. "Please just drop me off here."
Nathan lets out a long tired sigh and pulls the car over to the side of the road. He lets Haley's hand linger on his, but he doesn't move to take it. She leans over and places a kiss on the corner of his mouth.
"I'll call you later," she whispers to him and then hops out of the car.
………
When Nathan walks in the front door, he can hear his father call out to him. He groans.
He wants to go up to his room. He doesn't want to talk to his father. He can't handle another guilt trip from him today.
"Nathan come in here," his father snaps again, and Nathan bites his tongue and goes into the family room.
His father has an uncharacteristically merry face and is holding up a white envelope for Nathan when he walks up to him.
"It's from Penn," his father shoves the letter in his hands with what Nathan can tell to only be something of happiness. "You got in."
Nathan pulls the white letter from the envelope and sees the Pennsylvania State University emblem stamped at the top of the paper. The word Congratulations, bounces back up at him. His heart stops.
Dan Scott smiles proudly. He sees his sons' whole future come into focus.
Nathan wonders why he can't see the same thing.
