A/N– Hi guys! Remember me D Yes, this is really chapter 7. I started it like a month ago and finally finished it today! Thanks for all the feedback, it makes me feel so warm inside D. I'm glad that readers are enjoying this story, I'm horrible at updates, but I promise, now that school is ending, I will probably have more time to update!
Dedication– To all the lovely readers who take the time to read it D I really appreciate the comments and I just wanted to say thank you!
Chapter7 – Walk a Lonely Road
No sooner had the four teenagers stepped into the club; a tall girl threw herself at Nathan.
"Latey Natey! You aren't late! What a surprise! How are you doing cousin dear?" The girl, also known as Zinnia, shrieked into Nathan's ear.
"Zin," Nathan said, giving her a hug and wincing, "Inside voices please."
Zinnia paid no attention to him as she grabbed Peyton and gave her a big hug. "P. Saw, how are you doing!"
"Hey Z!" Peyton said, giggling as she gave the girl a big hug. She could feel the energy radiating from Zinnia.
Haley and Jake just stood back. Haley was amazed at the energetic nature of the girl. Zinnia was pretty tall, a few inches shorter than Nathan. She had long flowing black hair, which was currently pulled back from her face. Her green eyes were simply sparkling, obviously from the anticipation of playing tonight.
Zinnia turned around and faced Haley, "So! You must be Haley!" Without a warning, she grabbed Haley and squeezed her. Haley started to laugh, but it soon died done as she realized that Zinnia was cutting off her oxygen supply.
Noticing Haley's predicament, Nathan gently tugged her arm until Zinnia got the hint and let go of Haley.
"I see, I see," Zinnia said, smirking. "Don't like people honing in on your possessions. Do you have her marked?"
Nathan gave her an annoyed look, as Haley blushed. Peyton butted in before Zinnia could make any more of comments. "Zin, this is another friend of ours, Jake Jagelski, he is also on the team with Nathan."
Zinnia grabbed his had and enthusiastically pumped it, "Nice to meet you! Wow, you are a cutie, you interested?" She winked, knowing that it would just tick Peyton off (and hopefully get Peyton to ask Jake to dance!)
"It doesn't matter if he is interested or not, you are already taken darling" A voice said, from behind Zin. In a matter of a second, a tall boy popped out from behind her.
"Yes, by this wonderful hunk of a stud named Adam!" Zin squealed, hugging him around the middle.
Haley's head started to hurt from all the energy. She knew that Jake was feeling the same way, noticing how he was rubbing his temples slightly.
"Pey, Nate, good to see you guys again. Looks like you guys have branched out." Adam said, smirking.
"What, can I say, change is good." Nathan said, bumping hands with Adam. He winced when Haley elbowed him in the ribs and Peyton pinched his side. "Ouch. Just joking girls."
Adam turned to Jake, "Hey Man, you look familiar. Did you play a set at Karen's Café before?"
"Yeah." Jake nodded, "A few months ago."
"Awesome, good stuff." Adam turned and looked back at Haley. "That's why you looked familiar, you performed that night too, didn't you?"
"Yeah." Haley nodded; not realizing how many people was actually there that night.
Nathan was getting annoyed, everyone but him had seemed to hear Haley.
"Smashing voice, it was like an angel!" Adam said, "You need to hear her sing. Maybe you can form a duet." He said to Zinnia
"Oh! I would love to hear you sing!" Zinnia said, looking down at her watch, "But I gotta run, I'm on in a few minutes. Make sure you guys get front row seats!" She gave Adam a kiss and zipped off.
The gang stood for about a few seconds, marveling at Zinnia's energy. Nathan turned around to look at Jake and Haley.
"She has always been like that, don't worry about it." Nathan said, laughing at their stunned reaction. Peyton giggled along agreeing.
"Come on," Peyton said, tugging Jake's arm, "Let's get something to drink and grab a table."
Nathan grabbed Haley's hand and the couple followed Peyton and Jake. Haley felt disconnected from everyone else. Brooke's words were still echoing through her head and she couldn't shake the bad feeling. She felt herself forcing herself to smile and interact normally, but truthfully, Brooke's words hurt more than they should have.
"Haley, spring or coke?" Nathan's voice wafted over her. She jerked out of her thoughts, giving him a quizzical look. Nathan shot her back an equally confused look, while Peyton and Jake patiently waited for her answer.
"Oh, um…sprite please." Haley absentmindedly answered. She looked at Peyton and titled her head towards the bathroom. Lucky for Haley, Peyton had already picked up on Haley's demeanor.
"Hey boys, why don't you get our drinks and grab our drinks. Haley and I got to prettify ourselves." Peyton said, linking her arms with Haley's and pulling her.
"Not that it will take much." Jake winked at Peyton, who blushed. Nathan guffawed while Haley gave the first genuine smile of the night.
"Hurry back, Zin will be up in like 10 minutes. C'mon Jake" Nathan said, already heading towards the 'bar'.
"Okay, what's up?" Peyton asked, as soon as the girls stepped foot into the bathroom.
"I don't know." Haley answered truthfully, plopping down on the couch. Peyton followed her lead, neither of them paying attention to the fact that there was a couch in the bathroom in the first place.
"Is it Nathan?" Peyton gently asked.
"No…yes…Oh Peyton!" Haley cried out, nearly in tears of despair. "I don't know what to do! Only a week ago, we were still friends, and now he wants something and I don't know if I can give it to him."
Peyton silently sat there, rubbing Haley's back. She knew that Haley just needed to get everything out of her system.
"He cares about me, just as much as I do to him. But he is deceiving himself into something else. When I asked him to be my psuedo-boyfriend, I only asked because I knew that he would make Lucas jealous. I can't give him my heart Peyton. Because I know that I will care for Nathan more than he will for me and then he will shatter it again. And…and I can't go through it again." By now, Haley had tears literally pouring down her face. Her tears slowly dropped down her cheeks and plopped one by one on her jeans.
Peyton thought for a moment before speaking. "Do you believe in soul mates?"
Haley looked up, "I used to. But now, I don't know if I believe in love."
Peyton shook her head, "Don't be that pessimistic Haley. I've seen what you and Nathan have. It might not be love yet, but that is only because you are holding back. Give it up. I know Nathan, and I know how he feels. What he is feeling now is a new feeling. Give him a chance."
"No. I can't. Because if he doesn't hurt me, I will hurt him. I don't think I'm good at this whole dating thing. I mean, obviously, I wasn't a good enough girlfriend for my best friend. The person who knew me the best in the world. How can I be good enough for someone who doesn't know me?" Haley pondered, twisting her fingers.
"Stop." Peyton said, jumping up. "Haley, I love you, but I'm going to be very frank. Lucas behaved very badly, and so did Brooke. I'm disappointed in both of them. But that doesn't mean that everyone is like that. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You didn't do anything wrong. You are not at fault for Lucas' cheating."
"That's not what Brooke thinks." Haley muttered, standing up to wash her face.
"She is going to say whatever to make herself feel better. Ignore it. Listen to me, Haley." Peyton grabbed Haley by the shoulders and turned her around. "Give Nathan a chance. Give love a chance. You can't block yourself off. This may have started out as a stupid little prank, but don't let it end that way."
Haley nodded, "I'll try."
"There you girls are, we thought you fell into the toilet." Nathan said, as Peyton and Haley came back.
"Hah." Peyton stuck her tongue out at Nathan, who stuck his tongue out at her. Haley patted Nathan on the shoulder as she sat down next to him.
"Oh, no. We were just girl talkin' it." Haley answered lightly, trying to act normal. She had a feeling that Nathan was starting to suspect that something was up.
Just then, a scruffy looking boy stepped up on the stage, "Okay guys. Shut up. We are ready to start!"
Peyton scoffed, "Yes, that will definitely get me to come back to this club."
"Shhhh." Nathan, Haley and Jake admonished just as Zinnia stepped up on stage. Haley watched her set up her guitar and take her seat. For a second, Haley felt a pang of jealousy. She wished that she were as brave as Zinnia to be able to sit up on stage and perform.
Zinnia adjusted her mike, "Okay guys, thanks for coming out tonight. This song is very special to me because I turned to it a few years ago when I was facing some dark times, but now its all good." She smiled down at Adam, who grinned back at her.
"Aww!" Peyton and Haley cooed, as Nathan and Jake rolled their eyes good-naturedly.
I know there's a reason you're forcing a smile
You hide what you're feeling and you have for a while
I can tell that you're falling
And you feel that you can't go on
But a new day is calling
And you'll see that the feeling is gone
You know you're not the only one
Who has a lot to overcome
And when the time has come then you move on
'Cause you've been crying for too long
Sometimes life is so unkind
But change is never a waste of time
I know how you're feeling, I've been there before
The hurting is something much to strong to ignore
Don't be waiting for someone
Who can take all your fear away
When there's no one to listen
That is when you should not be afraid
Alanis Morisette – (Change is) Never a Waste of Time
Haley felt a pang in her heart. Zinnia's soulful voice and the combined words just made her realize how much Lucas really hurt her. She really felt that Zinnia had directed the words to her.
"Wow. She was really good." Jake shouted, over the deafening applause. Peyton nodded, whistling.
"She is really good." Nathan grinned, cheering along with Haley.
"Can we go speak to her again?" Haley asked, eager to get to talk to the girl and see if she was really that soulful.
Nathan nodded, grabbing her hand and leading her through the crowd. All of the sudden, he stopped and bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks for coming. It means a lot to me." He said, giving her a small smile.
Haley smiled, despite her turmoil, "Of course. She is amazing."
Nathan nodded, pulling Haley towards Zinnia. Zinnia immediately spotted them and jumped off of her stool and ran over to them.
"So! How did you guys like it?" Zinnia asked eagerly.
"It was okay. I've heard better." Nathan smirked. Zinnia's mouth dropped and she punched him in the shoulder. Nathan winced and then swung his arm around her shoulders. "Just kidding Zee."
"That was honestly beautiful." Haley said, "I wish I had your courage to go up on stage and be able to perform."
Zinnia smiled, "Thanks. But I don't think its courage. I think it is more like love for music which is what gets me up there."
Nathan noticed Peyton waving over to them and indicating the time. "Hey Zin, we have to go. Early morning practice tomorrow." He picked her up in a bear hug. "Great job Zee, talk to you later kay?"
"Naturally. Thanks for coming Nate." Zinnia said, hugging him back.
Haley stepped back a bit, feeling like an intruder. She was surprised at this side of Nathan. He truly cared for his cousin, and the emotions were palpable.
Nathan let go of Zinnia and put his arm around Haley's waist. "C'mon."
"Wait Nate." Zinnia said, "Can I talk to Haley for a few moments?"
Nathan gave her a strange look. He looked at Haley and saw that she didn't mind. "Sure, but hurry up." He gave Haley another kiss on the cheek and left.
"Are you sure it's a farce?" Zinnia asked, watching Haley watch Nathan leave.
Haley looked back at her startled. Zinnia chuckled, "Don't worry, Peyton told me. But I would have never guessed."
Haley sighed, "That's what everyone says. And that's what scares me. I don't think I can give him what he wants."
"Too late." Zinnia grinned, "He already has what he wants. I know my cousin very well and I haven't seen him this happy in a long time. Even when he was with Peyton, he was always reserved."
Haley sighed, "So I've heard. I'm just confused."
Zinnia gave her a hug. "It's okay to be confused. But don't wallow in your confusion for very long. You don't want to confuse confusion with decision."
Haley nodded. "It was nice meeting you. I better go, before Nathan storms back in here and thinks I ran away."
Both girls laughed. "Yeah, Nate isn't exactly the epitome of patience. IT was nice meeting you." She handed Haley a piece of paper. "If you ever need to talk, just holler."
"Thanks." Haley smiled, hugging her new friend. Zinnia hugged and they parted.
As Haley walked back to the car, she was so confused. Everyone was positive that she and Nathan were perfect but there was something in her heart that was holding her back. She knew she had feelings for Nathan but they were different than those she had for Lucas. Haley couldn't decipher if they were good or bad.
As soon as she stepped out of the club, Nathan swung around to the front of the entrance. "Finally! I was about to come in but Peyton stopped be."
Haley laughed, "Zin and I were just talking about music. She really is great. Probably the only Scott I like." She teased.
"Thanks you looooove the other one!" Peyton giggled.
Haley froze as well as Nathan. Peyton immediately caught on to the fact that she made a mistake and shut her mouth.
Jake, noticing the tense situation, tried to add some humor. "Are you sure it's not Dan?"
"Ewwwww!" Nathan and Haley simultaneously said, making a face. The four of the laughed, as the tension lessened a bit.
Jake and Nathan started to talk about basketball as Haley got a text on her phone.
I'm so sorry.
I was so not thinking,
It was me being blonde.
I love you! – Peyton
Haley smiled down and texted back:
Don't worry! You not thinking?
Wow, that's new :p Luv ya too!
Haley could hear Peyton gave a sigh of relief but the fear returned to Haley again. Love. The dreaded four letter word. Haley had great parents who loved her very much. Her brothers and sister loved her as well as her friends. But that was comfortable love. With Lucas, Haley thought she felt love, but apparently she was wrong.
The talk in the car slowly dwindled down. Peyton was leaning on Jake, barely awake. Jake was sleepily holding his head up, nodding off. Nathan had turned on the radio and some random love ballad was playing.
Nathan looked over at Haley, who was staring out the window pensively. There had been something off about her all evening. Like she was withdrawing into her shell. Nathan knew that shell, after all, he did that too. It scared him since Haley usually had her emotions on her sleeve. He reached over and took her hand, encasing it in his larger ones.
Haley looked down at their hands. People said that the ring finger on a person's hand lead to their heart. Nathan's ring finger next to Haley's looked a bit too intimate for her. She gave it a minuscule squeeze and pulled her hand back out. She felt Nathan give her a look but she stared straight out the window.
She couldn't deal with everything. Not now at least. Her feelings for Nathan were bordering love, she knew it. She also knew that she might have already fallen in love with him.
Nathan gave her a startled look, but Haley continued to stare out the window. He gave a small sigh and continued to drive. She was pulling back, and it was not a good thing.
I know this chapter seemed like a filler but the roller coaster is about to start. Trust me! Once again, drop comments, good or bad, I can handle it!Thanks for sticking by guys!
3 Tina