A/N: Alright I know I've been absent from here for awhile, but as I've said before I'm in my last semester of school and finals have been kicking my butt. Look for another update on this one and my untitled one sometime tonight or tomorrow. R/R please.

Chapter 2

Haley and Nathan fell into a routine. Once a week he would come in and eat and they'd talk. The two became friends and looked forward to their weekly visits. One night Nathan came in and could tell Haley was not herself. She didn't greet him with the same big smile; she didn't run over with a hug for him. She looked like her dog had just died. "What's wrong?" Haley just shook her head and Nathan could tell she had been crying earlier. "Seriously Hales, what's wrong?"

"I broke my guitar today."

"That's it? Haley that's nothing to cry over."

"Maybe for you but my guitar is my life and I don't have money for a new one right now. I have a gig in a few days and I can't play without my guitar." Haley put his milkshake down in front of him and went off to take another customer's order. The wheels in Nathan's head began to turn. By the end of his visit a brilliant idea had formed in his head.

Haley wiped at the counter absentmindedly. She had gone all over town that day looking for a new guitar and had found nothing. All the one's at the pawnshops were too badly beaten or cost too much. And she knew she couldn't afford a new one, or at least a new one of any quality. Nathan had been in the night before and tried to cheer her up, but nothing worked. She was close to calling the club and telling them she couldn't make it. The bell above the door jingled and Haley looked up and was surprised to see Nathan coming through.

"You were here last night. What're you doing here?" A huge smile was plastered across Nathan's face. It was then that Haley noticed the box in a shape of a guitar in Nathan's hand. "What is that?"

"Well you were so upset and wouldn't take my tip to go buy yourself a new guitar I took it upon myself to get you one." He placed the case up on the counter and pushed it towards Haley. "Go ahead and open it." Haley opened the case and became speechless. She gingerly lifted the guitar out of its case.

"This is a Martin."

"Yeah, the guy at the store said they're the best acoustic guitars."

"You bought me a Martin?"

"Haley don't look so surprised. It's just a guitar. Come on play something for me." Haley looked at Nathan and then back at the guitar. She then placed it back in its case.

"I can't accept this. This is too much. Thank you, but I have to decline."

"Haley stop being stupid. It's a present take it and go play your gig. I'm not going to take it back. I have no use for a guitar. And I already ripped up the receipt so I can't take it back."

"Are you sure? I know how much these cost. It's a lot."

"I swear if you don't stop and just accept it I'm never coming back here again. Haley listen to me. I have no girlfriend, no interest in dating at all, I have a HUGE disposable income and more money then I could ever spend. If have to spend it on someone else. Besides, I know that someday when you're a famous musician you'll pay me back."

Haley quickly thought it over. On the one hand it was a Martin and she had always dreamed of having a nice guitar. On the other, she didn't want to be Nathan's charity case. Finally she caved in and picked it back up out of it's case. She strummed the strings and quickly tuned it.

"Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me." Haley looked at Nathan with such sincerity in her eyes it warmed his heart. It felt good to him to do something nice for someone else. His entire life he had thought about only himself and liked this new feeling of helping others.

"Well go on, play me something." Haley looked around at the empty diner.

"I don't know what to play."

"Play your favorite song. Play the first song you ever learned. I don't care just play something. I want to make sure I'm making a good investment." Haley laughed.

"A good investment? Is that all I am to you?"

"Yeah, you know me, I buy and sell people all the time. Just want to make sure you're better than the last girl I gave a guitar too."

"Ha ha, very funny. Alright, this song is what made me want to learn how to play the guitar. My parents are crazy and listen to the weirdest music. Growing up all we heard were old songs, old folk songs, old rock, whatever. This is 'Dream a Little Dream of Me' by the Mamas and the Papas."

Nathan listened as Haley started to play and sing, she was good, she was really good. He wasn't really into the singer/songwriter genre but knew she was amazing. He watched her as she played. You could tell music was her passion. She put her whole soul into it while she was playing. When she finished up Nathan was upset that it was over. He put his hands together and started to clap. Haley blushed and did a quick curtsy.

"Bravo, bravo. That was excellent Haley."

"Thanks." She put the guitar into its case carefully and crossed over to Nathan's side. "Thank you. I'll cherish it forever." She said as she threw her arms around Nathan and engulfed him into a hug. Nathan hugged her back and was really happy for the first time in what seemed like forever.