After much consideration and even more pleading Lucas agreed to move into Peyton's house to room with the two. Even Karen was pleased by the idea and helped coax him into moving, after all it meant Lucas not being in the house alone all summer. The three of them had each other to look out for and to look out for them, it was a fool proof plan.
"So is that the last of everyone's crap?" Peyton asked as she stood with Haley and watched Lucas carry the last box up the stairs.
"Seems to be. Ooh this was a great idea." Haley squealed, clasping her hands together with a smile plastered on her face.
"What was?" Nathan asked, suddenly appearing in the doorway to the Sawyer residence.
"I think I just heard Luke call, so uh. Yea." Peyton said quickly before rushing upstairs, leaving Haley and Nathan to be alone. The smile had disappeared from Haley's face as she turned to away from Peyton's retreating figure to see Nathan.
"Oh, um. Luke and I are rooming here for the summer. You know, keep Peyton sane from all the drama she has going on." Haley told him calmly, avoiding his eye contact.
"Oh. You guys need any help moving in or anything?" Nathan asked.
"Um, no-" Haley started, taken aback by the offer.
"Did I just hear you offer to help move stuff? Cause if I did go on up!" Peyton exclaimed as she bounded down the stairs, stopping beside Haley.
"Alright." Nathan shrugged as he headed up the familiar staircase, Peyton was about to follow but was soon held back.
"Peyton, what the hell?" Haley demanded through a whisper.
"What? There's furniture up there that needs to be moved and Lucas can't do it on his own, and I sure as hell ain't doin' it." Peyton whispered back before heading back up to the rooms. Haley sighed heavily before deciding to get a bottle of water from the fridge, wasting as much time as she could.
"Haley!" Peyton sang.
"What?" Haley whined loud enough for Peyton to hear.
"If you don't come up here to unpack I'm going to go through all of your clothes. And I'm sure there's some articles that Lucas here doesn't want to see, nor do you want him to see, or me to see for that matter." Peyton continued to yell to her friend.
"I don't care. Take whatever you like. I have no one to look good for!" Haley yelled back, tired of her game.
Haley knew she was being stuck up, but she was heart broken and she felt she could unpack at any time. Slowly she wandered outside to Peyton's backyard and for the first time noticed the swimming pool that was surrounded by a beautiful outdoor deck. Quickly she turned and made her way upstairs to find Peyton no where near her bags.
"I thought you were unpacking for me?" Haley questioned sarcastically.
"And I thought you were gonna mope downstairs." Peyton returned.
"Whatever. I wasn't moping. And I'm just here to retrieve my swimsuit. You never told me you had a pool." Haley confessed as she began rummaging through her belongings.
"Yes, I do. So you're going swimming while we work up here?"
"Yup. I didn't ask for his help." Haley stated bluntly. She found her prize and went to the bathroom to change.
"Was that Haley?" Lucas asked, taking a break from arranging his new room.
"Yea, she's going swimming. A.K.A. avoiding Nathan."
"Really. Huh." Lucas muttered as he retreated back to his room, leaving Peyton to go to hers.
Minutes later Lucas made his way downstairs and outside onto the deck where Haley was lounging, almost completely dry on a inflatable in the pool, clad in a cute brown and blue bikini.
In revenge to Haley's wake up call Lucas quickly and quietly made his way to where Haley was drifting before cannon balling into the water, creating a huge splash which knocked his unsuspecting victim off of her raft and into the water. All the while letting a terrified scream echo through the yard and into the house.
"Payback a bitch huh Hales?" Lucas choked out through his fits of laughter.
"Lucas I hate you!" Haley pouted.
"Nah you love me, and you know it." Lucas laughed as he swam over to his friend embracing her in a hug.
"You suck." Haley muttered before dunking him into the water.
"Hey, I was playing nice." Lucas whined playfully as he made his way back over to Haley.
"Oops." Haley shrugged before swimming away from the ready to attack Lucas. Knowing Haley all too well Lucas had anticipated the move and was able to catch her which resulted in the two of them having a full blown water fight.
Hearing the scream Nathan and Peyton ran downstairs but only to find Haley and Lucas having the time of their lives in the cool water.
"I say we join them. It's freakin hot out." Peyton insisted.
"Peyton I came here to talk to you." Nathan admitted.
"About Haley?"
"How'd you guess?" Nathan quietly joked.
"Cause you're all she ever talks about."
"Yea. I just. I love her, but she left me and I just don't know how to forgive her."
"And she loves you too. She knew you wouldn't welcome her back with open arms and she is trying so hard to respect that but it's tearing her apart. And I know you went through it when she left, but when she was gone, all you wanted was her back. And now she is. She's right there Nate and she's ready when you are." Peyton told him honestly.
"Thanks." Nathan said honestly.
"Alright, now let's go swimming." Peyton immediately kicked into happy mode and dragged Nathan upstairs to change.
"I don't exactly have anything to swim in." Nathan told her, following her to her room.
"Yes you do. Remember these?" Peyton asked. Throwing him a pair of his swim shorts he had left at her place at the beginning of the year.
Nathan laughed as he took the shorts and changed then made his way back downstairs and stopped to watch Haley and Lucas play in the water. Not soon after Peyton was by his side.
"Just trust her Nate." Peyton told him, knowing what he was thinking.
"I know." Nathan sighed.
"Okay, let's go. By the way. How hot does your wife look in that bikini?" Peyton exclaimed. By now Haley had somehow managed to be straddling Lucas' shoulders as he held her out of the water, her tanned and toned body being displayed for all to see.
"Shut up." Nathan laughed nervously, in his head he was thinking that exact thing.
"Hey! No creaming in the pool!" Peyton shouted at the two as her and Nathan made their way towards the pool.
"Ew. Gross!" Haley squealed as Lucas threw her off of his shoulders, neither of them noticing Nathan.
"C'mon Pey. We can take him." Haley called, never taking her eyes off of Lucas, knowing he would attack if she did and vice versa.
"Ok guys. Whatever you two are doing right now is kind of freaky." Peyton noted out loud as she bent forward to test the water. Reminded of a familiar incident Nathan quickly ran towards Peyton and grabbed her, throwing both of them into the water.
Peyton surface and glared at Nathan before swimming closer to him.
"So you wanna talk to her now?" Peyton whispered.
"Yea, I guess. I just.-" Nathan whispered back.
"No. No backing out. You said yes. So now you have to go and talk to her. Let's go ambush." Peyton planned as she swam over to Haley and Lucas who had their eyes locked on one another.
"Peyton! Over here now!" Haley demanded, breaking eye contact for one second, within that Lucas made his move and grabbed her legs, pulling her under. Nathan swam over to where they were and waited for her to resurface.
The two were now battling under the water as Nathan and Peyton watched on and gave each other confused looks. Finally Lucas resurfaced, soon to be followed by Haley, both who took a deep inhale as soon as oxygen was available.
"Ha! I win!" Haley cheered as she stuck out her tongue at Lucas.
"Very mature." Lucas joked before he was pushed under by Peyton.
"Yes!" Haley exclaimed, clearly happy with the way Peyton was thinking.
"Hey, can I talk to you?" Nathan asked quietly as he placed a hand on the small of Haley's back, causing Haley to jump.
"What the hell are you trying to do?" Haley exclaimed as she tried to recompose herself.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Nathan apologized.
"Well, make noise when you swim next time." Haley joked.
"I'll do that. So uh, can we talk?" Nathan asked again.
"Here? In a pool?" Haley asked, half jokingly.
"No, uh. Inside?" Nathan suggested.
"Sure. Um. Let's go I guess." Haley agreed before leading the way, forgetting she was only in her bikini.