A/N: Wow, I just finished Ch. 7 yesterday, and I already feel like working on a new one. I really like the way the story is going, it's pretty fun to write; plus all the reviews are definitely exciting to read. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, and thanks to all that will review. You all are doll faces!
Oh, and by the way, Chapter 8 is supposed to be set a few months after Haley gets out of the hospital, around October.
WARNING: This chapter has sex in it; I thought that it would be appropriate. If you have problems with this, you should try to avoid that section.
Brooke sobbed into Peyton's shoulder, crying and telling her about the Haley incident.
"It's not fair, Peyton. Both Nathan and my ex love her, and now she's taking you too! It's like I'm not good enough anymore. It's like the world is totally backwards, with all of the cutest guys falling in love with Tutor Geek. Remember when you had Nathan and I had Lucas? Now that's all screwed up because of her, and she's not ever pretty!" She sniffed in and wiped her soaking eyes.
"Brooke, I know that this is really tough to handle right now, but you can't be hating on Haley like that. I'm sure that she doesn't mean to have both of them crushing on her. It's not her fault that Lucas likes her." She rubbed Brooke's back comfortingly.
"Whatever, P. All I know is that I can't have another Brooke Davis wannabe actually succeeding in becoming Brooke Davis."
Back at Haley's house, Lucas and Nathan were watching a Lakers vs. Cavaliers game while Haley took a shower. It was the 4rd period and the score was 91 to 88, Cavaliers advantage. They could hear her singing in the shower… another song she had made up.
"I don't believe in the smile that you leave me with when you walk away and say goodbye. Well, I don't expect the world to inplode beneath me, but for God's sake, could you try? I know that you're true to me, you're always there, you say you care, I know that you want to be mine…"
"She's not that bad, you know. I think she'll be famous one day." Nathan said, continuing to watch the game.
Haley came out of the bathroom wearing a towel toga-style.
"Are you two staying for dinner? I'm making baked chicken! And we can eat the mac and cheese that Lucas made." She walked into her bedroom and left the door open a crack.
"Sure, I'll stay, but I have to leave right after. Mom's going to New Zealand with Andy this week, so I have to house-sit." Lucas returned his attention back to the TV.
"I can't stay, Hales. I have to go back to my apartment and fix one of the windows before it gets really cold. Have fun though." He also returned his attention to the TV, and at the same moment, he and Lucas jumped up and cheered on one of the purple and yellow players as the game ended. Nathan stood up and walked into Haley's room.
"I'll come back for some food later." All was quiet for a few minutes, with the TV announcer in the background, and then he walked back out of her room. "Bye, Lucas." Then he walked out of the house.
Lucas stood up and leaned up against the door of her room. "Haley!Tell me that you did not just make out with Nathan when I was a mere 25 feet away."
She giggled and came out of her room wearing her regular clothes. "You can not give me crap when I had to walk in on you and Brooke doing the nasty. That was trauma." He laughed along with her.
He followed her into the kitchen. "Do you need help making dinner?"
"Sure, you can make the seasoning mix for the chicken. It's salt, pepper, thyme, and basil. Really simple. I know you can do it."
"Please, me? You are talking to the son of the best cook in Tree Hill, and the best friend of the second best chef in Tree Hill High. I'm the first."
"Sure you are, keep telling yourself that."
They had fun making dinner. They prepared the chicken then threw it in the oven. Lucas re-heated the mac and cheese, and Haley tossed together a Caesar salad.
"Ya know, to some people, baked chicken, Caesar salad, and mac and cheese would be a disgusting combination. But I think that it's yummy!" She popped a lettuce leaf in her mouth. "Perfection! Set the table for me, will ya?"
He did, and they sat down. They began eating and after a few minutes, they started talking.
"So, Haley. I know you probably don't want to talk about it, but can you remember anything about that night? I know that it was a few months back…" He spooned some mac and cheese into his mouth.
She placed her fork down carefully and folded her hands in her lap. "I remember being at the beach with Nathan. And then I left somewhere, and I remember watching him leave. And then I sat down waiting for you, and I heard someone's footsteps on the sand being right behind me, and I thought it was you. So I turned around, but it wasn't you. He sort of looked like you, he was tall with blond hair, and I think he was pretty cute. I couldn't really see his face, but he told me that I was beautiful, that he loved me and his voice was deep and rough, it would have been comforting if I wasn't scared out of my mind."
He looked down and ate a piece of chicken.
"But that's all I can really remember. I heard some things, and I remember being in excruciating pain. I remember wanting him to just kill me, because what he was doing was hurting so bad. I heard him muttering to himself, and I think he was, um, hurting me someplace else, because that was the worst pain I had ever felt in my life. And then I believe I passed out. I heard someone else coming, and I was praying that it wasn't the same guy, and I was so glad to hear your voice. You sounded so sad and you were crying and I heard you begging me not to die, and I couldn't cry on the outside, but I was crying on the inside. I swore to myself right then and there that I would get better. I wasn't afraid of dying. I was afraid of never seeing you again."
She wiped her eyes with her napkin, and then shoved it down quickly, trying to hide the fact that she was crying. His face crumpled, his eyes were wet.
"I never said thank you, Lucas. You saved my life. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't be here. Thank you." She walked over to him and gave him a hug.
"I… I love you, Haley." He tilted his head up and kissed her. He shifted his weight and touched her face. Her fingers ran through his hair. He stood up and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and continued kissing him. He shoved her up against the wall and unbuttoned her shirt. He kissed her neck and unhooked her bra. Her breasts welcomed him, and he gave attention to them.
He brought her into her bedroom, and gently laid her down on the bed. She sat up and ripped off his shirt, and kissed him some more, but then stopped.
"Lucas, um," he kissed her neck, her chest, her stomach, "I've never done this before."
He stopped kissing her and looked up at her. "Seriously? I thought… Nathan's not exactly one to wait…"
"Well, he never asked me to. I'm a little, nervous… is that ok?" She bit her thumbnail uncomfortably.
He laughed. "Of course it is. Are you sure you want to do this?"
She inhaled deeply. "Mhm. I'm glad to do this with you. Of all the people that I could do this with, well, between you and the other person I could do this with, I'm glad it's you."
"Me too." She kissed his chest and traced her finger over the ripples in his stomach. She undid the clip in her hair and shook her head in a sexy demeanor. She laughed and kissed him once again, while his hands searched over the mounds of flesh on her chest.
He undid the button of her jeans and yanked them down her legs. All she was left wearing was her purple panties. He ran his thumb over her inner thighs then played with the strap of her panties. She pulled off his jeans and removed his boxers.
"Whoa."
He laughed and pulled down her panties. "Same to you."
She sat up and shoved him down. She trailed kisses all the way down his chest and abdomen, and then settled on his package. She worked on him until she got his eyes to roll back into his head.
"Who would have though Haley James could be that good at something that bad?"
"Shut up and enjoy it."
He flipped her on her back and did the same thing to her, making her arch her back and call out his name. Then he entered her. He pumped slowly at first, making sure not to hurt her. After she had relaxed, they moved their bodies in sync with each other. She climaxed, and soon after a furious mad dash to the finish line, he did too.
Afterwards, he held her in his arms, and she played with his fingers.
"You know, that wasn't very good..." She laughed as his eyebrows rose.
"How would you know if it was good or not?"
"Just joking, it was fun. I can't believe it's been 17 years and I've never done that before. That's what I've been missing? Let's do it again!"
"Oh my God." He laughed and rolled her over.
Nathan, Peyton and Brooke sat in Nathan's apartment. Brooke and Peyton were drinking White Zinfandel, and Nathan, a beer. By now, they were pretty wasted. Brooke was lying on her back, crying and telling her sob story about Haley taking everyone again, and this time Peyton was on Brooke's side. Nathan was holding the bottle in his hands, and threw it up against the wall.
"Shut the hell up, Brooke! She doesn't like Lucas. She loves me! So shut up until you know your facts!" He held his head in his hands.
"Maybe you should keep a better eye on your girlfriend, Nathan. Where is she right now?" Brooke smirked.
"She's at her house with…" he paused, "Lucas."
"Aha! So she is with him! Nathan! This isn't fair! Why can't your slut of a "girlfriend" keep her hands off my ex?" She sat up.
"She's not a damn slut! And who are you to talk about what slutty is? You're the Queen of the Sluts!" He got up and walked to the door. "And if you're going to talk about her like that, then you can leave!" He opened the door and ushered her out. He then sat on the couch next to Peyton.
"Tell me the truth. Do you think that this is at all possible?" He looked at her curiously.
Peyton was quiet for a few moments. "Possibly, for sure. Probably, perhaps. I'm not too positive, Nate. I agree with what Brooke was saying, about how you and Lucas both have feelings for her, but---"
Nathan interrupted, "What? How do you know that Lucas has feelings for her?"
Peyton realized, too late of course, that she had just spilled the beans for a second time. "Well, um, he… told me?"
Nathan's mouth was agape. "He told you that he had feelings for my GIRLFRIEND?"
Shit. "Yes."
He got up and walked to the door. "We'll just see about that." Peyton heard his car door open, slam, the engine rev up, tires squeak, and she knew that he was off to Haley's house.
"Shit! What have I done?"
Meanwhile, at Haley's, Lucas had put his clothes back on after a strenuous "five times", as Haley put it. He was tired, sweaty, and all he wanted to do was sleep. He knew that Nathan would be coming back soon for his food, but he was in no hurry.
Haley came back into her room, after showering once again, wearing her oversize 'Karen's Café' tee. It had been Lucas' as a pre-teen, and now it was "just the right size to be a nightshirt for me", Haley's words.
"Hey, you. Are you spending the night?"
"Yea. My mom called, she said that her flight was cancelled so she's going to New Zealand tomorrow morning instead. So I'm all yours until 11:00 AM." He smiled and snuggled back against her pillows.
"Oh, lucky me." She climbed back onto her bed, and after kissing him a few times, stopped abruptly.
"Oh my God! You need to hide!" She did a giant leap off the bed and still landed on her feet, compliments of the 14 years of ballet, no doubt.
"What? What is it?" He got off the bed as well, clearly startled.
"Can't you hear the blaring 'Hives'? Or the squealing tires belonging to the only Corvette north of Charleston?" She ran to change into her jeans and tank top. "That's right, babe. Nathan's here. So get in my closet and hide!" At that moment, after she shoved him into the small dark space, a loud pounding at the front door made her jump.
"Do not talk." She smoothed her hair and glided to the door.
"Hey, Nathan. Whatcha doing here?" She smiled her signature innocent smile.
He stepped in past her and looked around. "Is Lucas here?" He walked into the kitchen and examined it.
"No, whatever gave you that idea?" She followed him cautiously.
"Something Brooke said made me wonder." Haley bit her lip.
"Wonder what?"
"If you were cheating with Lucas." He continued searching.
"WHAT? Nathan, why would I do that?" She turned him around so he faced her. "Nathan, he's not here." She scooped him into a hug, and he hugged back tightly.
"I'm sorry… it's just that Brooke said that you were with Lucas and that you actually wanted to be with him… it made me very upset. I love you so much, and I don't want to lose you."
"I love you too." She kissed him.
All the while their mushy love stuff was going on, Lucas was sitting in the closet brooding. Oh sure, he wasn't here. How could she pretend that their sex was nothing? Did it mean nothing to her? How could she lie to Nathan when she was so obviously in love with him?
Nathan left after a while and Haley sat back on the couch holding her forehead. Lucas exited the closet and came into the living room ready for a battle.
"I'm not here? How could you hide me like that? Do I mean nothing to you now?" He stood waiting for her answer.
"Lucas, you know very well that I couldn't have said, 'Oh, he's in the closet, we just had amazing sex, but I can't tell you that because I love you', now how would that sound?" She crossed her arms.
"You still love him?"
"Of course I still love him! How could I not?"
"Screw you, Haley! What kind of stupid question was that? Unlike you, this meant something to me. And maybe you're too shallow to believe in love at first sight, but I do. I've loved you since the moment I first saw you."
She let out a small sob. "So what?"
"So it's not going to be easy, it's going to be really hard. And we're going to have to work at this everyday, but I'm willing to because I want you. I want all of you, forever, you and me, everyday… will you do something for me? Please? Will you just picture your life for me? 30 years from now, 40 years from now? What's it look like? If it's with Nathan, then go. Go! I've lost you once, I think I can do it again, if I thought it's what you really wanted. But don't just take the easy way out."
"What easy way? There is no easy way! No matter what I do, somebody gets hurt."
"Would you stop thinking about what everyone wants? Stop thinking about what I want! What he wants, what your parents want! What do you want? What do you want?"
"It's not that simple!"
"What do you want?" Silence. "Goddamn it, what do you want?"
"I have to go." She walked towards the door, choked back one more fistful of tears, and went out the door.
He sat on her couch and sobbed. Maybe it wasn't right for guys to cry, but he didn't care who was watching. Suddenly, Haley walked back into the house and ran to her room, still sobbing. He could hear her closet doors opening, a loud thud, and a bunch of other sounds. A few minutes later she ran out, rolling two large suitcases.
"Goodbye, Lucas!"
Brooke and Peyton were at Karen's Café. They were enjoying a large cheese, pepperoni, and sausage pizza. Also, they were talking about Lucas. Well, Brooke was, anyway.
"P, it's not fair! Haley is such a backstabber! She steals my boyfriend, and she already had a perfectly good one to begin with, although he is being an ass today."
"For the love of God Brooke, I don't care anymore! Who gives a crap about how you and Lucas were so good together? It's over, and you need to face that. And by the way, your Haley bashing makes you sound like a jealous bitch." She slid off the chair and left.
Brooke sat, stunned that Peyton could and would ever say that to her. She was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she almost didn't notice the familiar brunette head running into the café. Haley opened the counter door and proceeded to enter Karen's office.
"Karen? It's Haley. I just wanted to say goodbye, and thanks. I'm going to New York, and I wouldn't have been able to without your help. Thanks again for getting me in touch with that producer up there. You're the best almost-mom I could ever ask for." She gave Karen a hug and ran back out the door to her car, which, Brooke noticed, was stuffed with suitcases.
Brooke got up and went over to Karen. "She's leaving?"
Karen looked up. "Yes, she's going up to New York to work on her singing career. I got her in with a producer up there, somebody named Chris Killer, or something like that… anyway, shouldn't you be getting home soon? It's after 10:00."
"Yea, thanks Karen. You're awesome."
Brooke ran all the way over to Nathan's because she didn't have a car on account that Peyton had driven her over. The entire 16 blocks that there was between the café and his house seemed like an eternity. She knew that she had to tell Nathan the truth, but she was extremely scared to. How would he take the news that his girlfriend had left him, his girlfriend of nearly a year? Especially from someone that he wasn't exactly happy with at the moment…
She walked up his driveway and ran the bell. His mother, Deb, opened it wearing what was obviously a Dolce & Gabbana work suit, clearly saying that she had just gotten home from her job as an attorney.
"Hello, Mrs. Scott. Is Nathan home? I really need to speak to him." She smiled and stood up straight.
Deb rubbed her eyes. "Whatever, Brooke. Just don't stay too long. I need to get up in four hours for my flight to Los Angeles."
"Sure, Mrs. Scott." Brooke pushed her way past her, into the foyer, up the stairs, and into Nathan's room.
"Hey, Nathan? Can we talk?" She gave an awkward grin and leaned up against his door jam.
He glanced up uncertainly, not sure if he should trust her. "Fine." He scooted over on his bed to make room for her to sit down. "What's up?" He produced and almost-smile.
She inhaled deeply, "You're not going to like what I'm telling you, but," pause, "Haley's gone."
His almost-smile faded. "What?"
"Yea, she went to New York to pursue her singing career… she just left 20 minutes ago, I saw her at Karen's. She had a lot of suitcases and she looked like she'd been crying. She's going to be working with some producer guy too… oh Nathan I'm so sorry." She comfortingly rubbed his back.
He shuddered away. "Don't touch me! You think you can just come in here and tell me that my girlfriend is gone, and you still want to be my friend? This is your fault for telling me all that shit! I went over there and confronted her about it!"
She put her arm on him again. "I know, but don't you think that ---"
"And you know what the funny part is? I only started dating her to mess with Lucas! And now she ended up ruining my life!"
"Nathan, I know you must feel horrible now…"
"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING about me," but before he could spit out the last word he choked on a mouthful of tears. He collapsed on the bed and rolled into a little ball. Brooke instinctively took his head into her hands and held him tight.
"Sh… honey, it's going to be okay. It's going to be okay." She smoothed his hair as he sobbed hard into her neck.
"Brooke, it hurts," Nathan cried, "it hurts so bad. I didn't know anything could ever feel this bad."
I know, honey… I know… you're not alone. It's gonna hurt. But you're not alone."
He sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Well, I guess I won't be needing this anymore." He reached in his shirt pocket and pulled out a black velvet ring box.
A/N: Whew! This chapter had been physically EXHAUSTING to write! So I did a little Kelly Clarkson. Go me. I took a little from The Notebook, (Please don't slap me with any plagiarism charges!) And a little from a OTH book I once read.
I think I will take a break before posting Chapter 9. I did my best to give you two great LONG chapters to make up for my recent absence from so I hope you enjoyed it! That was the longest 6,700 words I've ever written!
Read and review PLEASE! I was really unsure about these last two chapters, especially with that sex scene (sorry if it sucked, I'm only 14!) THAT was hard to write! LOL, I had to go by the last couple of stories I had read, they really helped me out. Especially 'Tainted' which is a Pirates of the Caribbean story. It's in my Favorite Stories list if you'd like to check it out.
Thank you to ALL of you for your cooperation and patience with me and my debut novel!