Hey guys! Sorry this has taken so long. The spacebar on my keyboard keeps getting stuck.
daddyzangel10: lol. Yeah, you might just have to sue me one of these days... but only after the story's over, right?lol. I'll try to lay off the cliffhangers, but it's like once you start, you can't stop. :) Thanks so much for reviewing. I'm glad you liked it, despite the cliffhanger.
OTHgurlie86: Thanks for reviewing. Missed you:) Hope you like.
Chapter 13:
The silence in the room was deafening. As happens sometimes, their silence spoke louder than words.
Particularly Nathan's. Haley had watched carefully for his reaction and it wasn't what she'd imagined it would be. She'd expected him to be jealous, angry, yes, but his expression showed that he was much more. His entire face looked as though it had been set in stone, an angry fire burned inside his eyes; a fire of fury and, perhaps, she hoped, a little of jealousy. His mouth was set in a straight line, not frowning, but far from smiling.
He didn't look hurt though. The Scott brothers never did. She knew this might be killing him inside, but he would never show that to anyone. To the world, he was the picture of composure, remaining ever calm. But Haley knew that wasn't the case. It never was.
Slowly, she stood from her seat, keeping her eyes trained on Nathan the entire time, wanting to see if his facial expression changed at all. It hadn't yet. And she knew it probably wouldn't.
She took the phone from Tim and spoke into it quietly, "Hello."
"Haley," she was surprised at the desperation in his voice. Normally, she would've cussed him out, told him to leave her the hell alone, but something stopped her. "Please, please, Haley, you gotta listen to me. I need you to," he pleaded with her. And, against her better judgment, she believed him.
Her eyes closed involuntarily, blinking back the tears; the ones that always threatened to fall when he contacted her. Because part of her left each time he did. Part of her was tired of fighting. "OK," she whispered.
He breathed out in relief. "I have to see you, Haley. I have to, I…… I can't explain it, I just I need to, please, I'm begging you. I know I'm not your favorite person and I don't deserve anything from you, but please do this for me."
A single tear trickled down her cheek and at the sight, Tim moved to comfort her. She waved him away, wiping it off.
Nathan couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of fear for her; an almost natural instinct to take her in his arms and protect her. Protect her from everything. It was an instinct he knew he shouldn't have anymore; one he thought he'd gotten rid of. But apparently, along with his love for her, it had never faded. He couldn't do it in front of Tim and Michelle though.
And then, he remembered who she was talking to. Jack. The man who had taken her away from him. And he felt a tide of anger swell inside him, one so great, it terrified him. He wanted to kill him. And for one conflicted moment, he wanted to kill her. He quickly shook the thought from his head, a wave of guilt punching his gut that he'd even dared to think it. It didn't mean he wasn't angry with her. He was. But he was even more angry at him. At Jack, the man who'd taken his world from him. He'd taken everything.
Haley glanced at Tim, knowing she'd hurt him when she waved off his attempts at comforting her, but she didn't want anyone to hold her right now. Anyone except perhaps him. Nathan. He was the only one who could convince her it was all going to be OK one day.
"Haley?" Jack's voice was soft, pleading, anxious now. "Please, I just, I need you to do this one last thing for me."
Her throat constricted and she could barely get the words out. "When? Where?"
He sighed in relief. "You won't regret this Haley. Um, how about tomorrow?"
"No," she choked out. "It's too soon. I can't do it until I'm ready."
"Alright, how about in a month?"
She nodded, then realized he couldn't see her through the phone. "Yeah, that's fine I guess."
"OK, same place as last time, that little café."
"OK," she felt a sob catch in her throat as she whispered her consent, making it come out louder than she intended. She hoped he didn't notice.
He did. His voice softened a little, as much as she'd ever heard it do before. "I'm sorry to make you do this, Haley, but it's really important to me, so I'm glad you will. I'll see you then."
And then, there was a click and the sound of the dial tone. She slammed the phone back down into its cradle, wiping her tears and taking a few deep breaths, calming herself before she turned back to the other three people in the room. Only two remained. Nathan had left, knowing he shouldn't, but knowing if he stayed, he wasn't capable of controlling his anger and he wasn't sure what would happen.He didn't want to accidentally hurt someone he cared about.
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I won't talk
I won't breathe
I won't move till you finally see
That you belong with me
Jack Summers pressed the end button on his cell phone, silently rejoicing that she'd agreed. After all he'd done to her, he didn't expect her to agree so quickly. But, then again, that was what the old Haley James would've done. He was learning more and more about the person she was before he corrupted her.
You might think
I don't look
But deep inside the corner of my mind
I'm attached to you
Mmmm
He'd learned to admit that, while he hadn't meant to, he had ruined her life. And that was something he couldn't change. He'd taken everything away from her and that was never something he'd wanted. He'd only wanted to protect her. And now, she was hurting because of him.
I'm weak
It's true
Cause I'm afraid to know the answer
Do you want me too
Cause my heart keeps falling faster
Haley James was one complicated woman. She made him feel things he'd sworn years ago that he'd never feel again. She made him reconsider his theories, every last one of them. She challenged him in a way that no one else had ever been strong enough to do. He knew she was a strong person, he'd just underestimated her strength. It was greater than what he'd imagined all these years. And that was something he admired about her.
I've waited all my life to cross this line
To the only thing that's true
So I will not hide
Now it's time to try anything to be with you
All my life I've waited
This is true
He admired her beauty too. Even when she was crying, her beautiful eyes shone, her lips the perfect shape, her entire face a woven picture of perfection. He could stare at her for hours and never get bored. He would love to just watch her every day, watch how she moved, memorize every line, every curve, every detail, so that one day, maybe, should he acquire some amount of artistic ability, he could paint a picture of it, to ensure that it would never leave his memory.
You don't know
What you do
Every time you walk into the room
I'm afraid to move
He admired the way she held herself, with such poise and grace. Always confident, yet never overly so. Her posture could rival that of the greatest celebrities known to man. She could pose for pictures well; her stature making her an excellent model. But no picture could ever capture her beauty, inside or out.
I'm weak
It's true
I'm just scared to know the ending
Do you see me too
Do you even know you met me
He admired her smile; her dazzling, beautiful smile. It was full blown, no doubt about that. She rarely ever smiled if it weren't genuine. When she smiled, you could see her eyes light up. When she smiled, every part of him urged him to smile back. But he never had before. Because before, he'd always maintained control, manipulating and dominating. He never relinquished that up until this point.
I've waited all my life to cross this line
To the only thing that's true
So I will not hide
It's time to try anything to be with you
All my life I've waited
This is true
And that's when he realized, that he, Jack Summers didn't just admire all these things about Haley James. He loved them. And he loved her too. He tried to dismiss the notion as absurd, but he knew it wasn't. The impact of this realization hit him and he was so shocked, he had to sit down.
I know when I go I'll be on my way to you
The way that's true
Breaking all of his own rules, defying anything he'd ever believed in, he'd fallen in love. And with the most unlikely of people.
I've waited all my life to cross this line
To the only thing that's true
So I will not hide
It's time to try anything to be with you
All my life I've waited
This is true
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It was 9:00 at night and Tim, Haley, and Michelle were waiting for Nathan in the living room. He still hadn't returned. Michelle was frantic, Tim was beginning to feel worried, but Haley, Haley knew better. She knew he needed time and space to cool off. She knew she'd made him angry and that she needed to back off and give him time to think about all of this.
"Where could he be?" Michelle asked Haley and Tim, wild eyed with fright.
Haley shrugged, knowing what she was going through, but not knowing how to help her. She held out her arms and Michelle collapsed into them, sobbing openly, her tears falling freely now. Haley smoothed her hair in a friendly and comforting manner. "It's OK, Michelle. We're all worried, but I'm sure he'll be OK. You'll just have to trust that he will be because all this panicking isn't going to help bring him back safely."
"I know," she sobbed. "I just, I love him too much. I can't lose him."
Tim averted his eyes from her shaking form and looked at the ground, knowing he'd be the same way if Haley were doing this. He watched Haley rub soothing circles on Michelle's back, whispering, "Sh, it's OK. I promise, he's OK. He'll be back soon."
Tim moved to the couch and sat next to them, taking them both in his arms and holding them tight. "Guys, it's fine. I know Nathan. He just had to get away for a little while and think about something. He'll come back, and he'll be OK."
Michelle seemed to take some comfort in his words, nestling farther into him. Her tears didn't stop, but they slowed a little.
Suddenly, the front door burst open and Nathan stomped in, looking as angry as he had before he left. "Oh, thank God," Michelle uttered, flinging herself off the couch and into his arms. "I was so scared," she whispered, still crying and holding onto him as tightly as she could.
He hugged her in return and kissed the top of her head. "I know, I'm sorry, baby. Sh, it's OK now. I'm back. You're OK."
She nodded and dried her eyes, smiling up at him. He kissed her deeply, knowing it would irk Haley. He looked up and knew it had when he saw the look in her eyes.
When he looked at Haley, she could see the anger in his eyes and knew it was directed at her. She shuddered slightly, not wanting to be the object of his wrath. But she was and she knew it was time to face that.
Nathan looked back down at Michelle. "Michelle," then he looked to Tim, "Tim, do you think you guys could go out for a little while? Me and Haley need to talk privately and it might get ugly."
Tim stepped closer to Haley and hugged her. "But.."
Nathan cut him off. "Tim, I need to talk to Haley," he gritted.
Tim sighed and kissed her. She quickly took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, not wanting him to leave. She wasn't ready to face Nathan alone yet. When they pulled apart, Haley looked at Tim, the panic she felt evident in her eyes. 'Sorry,' he mouthed, taking Michelle quietly by the hand as they slipped out the front door.
Nathan waited until he heard the car engine roar out of the driveway before he began. "So, what does Jack want?" he tried to remain calm.
"We're meeting up in about a month. He needs to talk to me," she answered coolly.
"Haley! You know, I almost forgot about what happened and all the answers I don't have. I was letting myself enjoy what I thought we had, but now, this, this just brings it all back. And I think it's about time we had a talk about what happened, about why you left me!" His voice was growing steadily louder.
She stayed silent.
"Come on, Haley!" he shouted. "I never got my explanation. I never got anything. You just left and you ruined everything. And not even an apology. I mean, you can do better than that. I thought things were changing, I thought we were finally getting past all that crap."
She began crying, not caring if he saw how upset she was anymore. "Don't you get it, Nathan! We weren't moving past it. We never would've gotten past it. I mean, I can't just put something like that behind me. It would've always come between us. It never would've stopped."
"You were scared!" he shouted. "I was scared too. I was scared of losing you!"
"That''s why I left!" she shouted back.
"What?" he whispered, shocked by her words.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. ""I knew you were and that scared me. But what scared me more was that I knew I would never get over New York and Jack and I knew that you needed me to. It would've been more painful for both of us if I'd stayed."
His voice rose again. "That's not for you to decide, Haley! I would've done anything to be with you, even if I knew we would eventually break up. It killed me the day you left. I would've done anything to make it work between us; I was willing to fight for us. And I thought you were too. Right up until the part where you left."
Her eyes shone with new tears. "I'm sorry. I should've known that. But by the time I realized it, it was too late. I'd already left and I couldn't go back."
"You know, Haley, I was waiting for you to come back. I would've taken you back in a heartbeat. No questions asked. But you didn't. And I think that's what hurt the most. It was like you didn't even give a damn."
"Well, I'm sorry if I made a mistake, but I was just trying to do what I thought would be easier on you. I mean, watching our relationship fall apart would have caused you so much pain. It would've been torture for you to watch that. But if I left, it would still cause you pain, but it would be quick. And, I knew it would be hard, but I was hoping you would find a way to move on."
"Yeah, well, it didn't really work, did it? I got left with a broken heart while you just walked away like we meant nothing to you; like you couldn't even be bothered to try to work things out."
She looked at him incredulously. "And you don't think it was at all hard on me? I love you so much, being with you meant so much; it was my life. You were my life. I couldn't imagine ever being without you. That was the hardest thing I ever had to do, walking out that door, and I felt so guilty after I did it. I can't even begin to imagine what it did to you. But you know, I broke my heart too and it never stopped. For years, I couldn't contact anyone from home. I was too ashamed. I still haven't talked to my family or our friends, aside from Tim, since the day I walked out that door. And I know it's my fault, but that doesn't make it hurt any less."
He sighed. "I think maybe one day, I'll be able to understand that, but there was one thing you were right about, Haley. This was your fault. You know, you broke my heart, you made me think there was no point in living anymore; you made me feel this way. And that's something that's not so easy to forgive. So, you'll forgive me if I'm not quite over that yet."
She shook her head, eyes still brimming with tears. How had everything gotten so messy again? Just when she thought they'd finally begun to assimilate some sort of relationship again, something like this happened and now, it was all shot to hell.
For awhile, she'd actually allowed herself to believe that they could one day be together again in the way they used to be. Now, she wasn't sure if they would ever be anything at all.
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Tim and Michelle were driving around aimlessly, not saying much of anything. She turned to him. "I wonder what they're talking about."
"I have a pretty good idea," Tim sighed. She looked at him questioningly. "They're finally talking it out; actually probably screaming it out. They'll probably be fighting about the day she left right about now. He'll ask her why, she'll try to explain, he won't listen, etc."
"Then where do we come in?" Michelle asked.
He glanced at her briefly, then retrained his eyes on the road. "We don't. We just sit back and let them have it out. And we hope for the best, just like always."
Michelle, in turn, sighed, and returned to looking out the window.
Tim heard her and decided they both needed some cheering up. "Hey, you wanna go to a club or something?"
She smiled tightly at him. "Sure, why not? Not like there's anything else we can do."
He pulled up to the first club he saw and they stepped out of the car. Michelle sauntered up to the bouncer, Tim following close behind. She gave him her sexiest smile."Hey, think you could let us in?"
He smiled back at her and pointed to his cheek. She rolled her eyes playfully and placed a kiss where his finger had touched. He ushered them inside. She looked at Tim, surprised. "Well, that was easy." He laughed.
They waded together through the crowds and to the bar, taking seats right next to each other at the counter. The bartender was a hot guy who looked to be in his mid twenties. He immediately took notice of Michelle and approached her and Tim with a smile. "Hey, honey, what can I get you?"
"A sex on the beach."
He grinned, but it faded as he turned to Tim. "And you?"
"Just a beer, thanks," Tim responded easily, not willing to let this guy and his advances on Michelle rattle him.
Before their drinks even arrived, Michelle turned to Tim with a smile and said, "You wanna dance?"
He returned her smile. "Sure."
She led him onto the floor and they danced, moving closer and closer with each passing second until they were pressed together, Michelle's back to Tim's chest. She turned to him and ground herself into him. "So, how long have you and Haley been dating?" she asked.
He looked at her for a few moments. "Does it matter?" he asked, feeling himself involuntarily moving his head closer to hers.
"No," she whispered as they kissed for the first time.
Twenty minutes later, they were backed into a corner, heatedly making out. Michelle lifted her chin, allowing him to kiss her neck. She moaned. "Tim."
He stopped, trying to get a grip. "We shouldn't do this here."
She gently pushed him off her and they stepped apart. "Yeah." She smoothed her hair and ran her lips together.
He ran a hand through his own hair. "Tonight, we'll use one of the extra guest rooms. Wait til Nathan goes to sleep. I'll wait until Haley does."
Michelle nodded and took his hand, weaving through the crowds and leading him back out of the club and to his car. The ride back was quiet, neither saying a word the entire way.
When they arrived back at Tim's house, they entered to find Haley asleep on the couch and Nathan nowhere in sight. Tim quietly approached the couch, taking notice of her tear stained face and the crumpled tissues on the coffee table beside her. Michelle began collecting them to throw away as Tim gently lifted her and carried her back to their room.
Michelle took the tissues into the kitchen to throw away. Nathan was in there, drinking straight from a bottle of vodka. She threw the trash into the trash can and washed her hands in the sink. Nathan stayed silent, watching her. When she was done, he came up behind her and circled her waist with his arms, kissing her neck. He turned her around and kissed her deeply, holding her close. His hand began to creep up her shirt.
She wanted so badly to give in to him, to believe that things were finally OK between them. But she knew it wasn't right. Not at this point in time. "Nathan, stop," she moaned.
"Why?" he kissed her again.
She pulled away. "Because you're drunk."
He shook his head angrily and left the room. She could feel the tears stinging the back of her eyes, but refused to let them fall. Making her way back to their room, she entered to find Nathan passed out on the bed. She kissed his forehead and smiled sadly, knowing he didn't need her anymore, but wanting to believe he did.
She slid quietly out the door to wait for Tim in the hallway.
Tim watched Haley sleep for a few minutes, mesmerized, as he often was, by her beauty. He would do this with Michelle, but it didn't mean he loved Haley any less. Nothing could change his love for her. He kissed her forehead softly and tiptoed out of the room.
As she heard their door close, Haley opened her eyes slowly. She had seen Tim and Michelle come in together and had noticed the tension between them. She saw the looks they were giving each other and could tell something was going on. And, seeing Tim leaving the room, she knew they'd finally cracked.
She wasn't sure if they knew what she and Nathan had been doing, she certainly hoped not, but she was positive they both knew she and Nathan still loved each other. And she knew that killed them, she just didn't know how to stop it.
Now, Tim was sneaking around with Michelle. She knew she'd been doing the same with Nathan, but she didn't anticipate that Tim would ever do that to her. Though he had a right to. She knew he was slipping away from her. First Nathan, then Tim. She could feel that everyone she loved, or felt close to, was leaving her. And it was her own fault.
And now, it was beyond her control.
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So, a a lot happened in this chapter, huh?
Jack's call...
...his admittance of his love for Haley...
...the big fight...
...finally, a Tim/Michelle hookup...
...and Haley knows...
My, my, my, what will happen next? Guess you'll just have to review to find out. :) I promise I'll update more tonight if you do.