Chapter 3
After the first argument with his mother over basketball tryouts, many more smaller spats occurred shortly thereafter. None producing the reaction or outcome Nathan was hoping for. He was beginning to feel hopeless. Almost willing to risk the secret he'd uncovered and kept hidden for over two years, when a few days later he came across the answer to his problem in the most unexpected way.
It was just a quarter passed noon and various students were sprawled out upon the school campus eating lunch. Nathan sat with Haley and Peyton at one of the stone circular tables that was placed in the middle of the quad. Haley was next to Nathan, her lunch on the right and her Algebra book on her left, as she studied the material she'd just learned in class, so as not to forget it. Bored, Nathan stabbed at the meaty substance on his lunch tray with extreme indifference, letting out a long sigh.
"Are you gonna eat that," he mumbled, gesturing to Haley's untouched desert on her own tray.
She glanced up mid problem and shook her head in the negative, returning to her equation quickly. For a minute the two friends sat in quiet: one working, the other eating in peaceful silence until Peyton bounded over from the group of upperclassman she'd been talking to, and bounced down on the seat in front of them with a peppy smile.
"So get this," Peyton preened, causing Haley to avert her attention from her homework for the moment. "Mike Carter just asked me to the Fall Kick Off dance," she smiled wide, unable to stay still in her seat.
Haley gave her a confused look. "Who's Mike Carter?"
"Like the hottest Senior in school. Don't tell me you haven't seen him?"
"I haven't seen him," Haley replied, amused by her friends delight, but otherwise impassive.
Stupefied by her friends words Peyton's features grew comically big. "Blasphemy. Complete Blasphemy. Come here. Right now. Come over here," she said, rising from her seat and pulling Haley over to where she was before. "Now look over to your left just next to the Gym doors. See him? He's the one with the blonde hair and black sweater. See him?"
Haley squinted her eyes and appraised the man Peyton was pointing at for a minute, and then nodded. "Oh yeah I see him. Actually he is kinda cute. I like his eyes, very dreamy," she smiled, and Peyton giggled.
Behind them Nathan snorted to himself, shook his head, and was met with two curious pairs of eyes. "What," he asked innocently, as if he'd been sitting their quietly all along.
Peyton's eyes narrowed in on him. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing," he shrugged returning to the remaining food on his lunch tray.
"Oh it was something," Peyton countered her reflection serious. "Don't be stingy Nate. Come on. Share the humor."
Bringing his head back up slowly Nathan met Peyton's eyes with defiance. Ever since they'd first met back at the group meetings a couple years ago neither of them had particularly gotten along. Haley and Jake for the most part provided a buffer for when the two would get into heavy arguments but regardless of that fact the two continually managed to clash. She was constantly provoking him and he would in turn jump on her insecurities until they were both at each others throats ready for blood. Haley tried her best at staying neutral, but if their behavior ever got out of control she would usually step in and make peace. As would Jake, who had managed to get stuck with making up a quiz this particular lunch period leaving her all alone.
She wished he were here with her now as she watched the look in Nathan's eyes spread onto his face.
"It's just," he paused for the right words. "I don't get what the big deal is. He's a senior who's blonde and short. So what?"
"He's not short, your tall," Peyton through back at him cooly. "And the big deal is that senior's never ask freshman to dance's. Especially not the first dance of the year, when everyone will see you together. It's like making a statement to the rest of school that this is the kind of person you want to hang out with. He could've chose anybody and he chose me. ME. So yeah, it is a big deal."
Nathan inwardly rolled his eyes at Peyton's over-dramatic words. "Sounds like a lot of bullshit to me, but whatever," he answered, picking up his plastic fork on his tray and picking at the desert he'd taken from Haley.
Peyton stared at him with anger, a comeback ready at the tip of her tongue. She held it despite herself, refusing to let his constant sour attitude affect her good news. Instead she brushed him off, turning back to Haley.
"So anyway, I was thinking we could meet in front of school at like eight, because Mike said he'd pick me up and then he wanted to–
Haley's head snapped up at Peyton's words."Whoa-wait, what," she fumbled.
"I said," Peyton repeated slowly. "We'll meet in front of school at eight–
"No, no, no I heard you. But what's this part about 'we'. I never said I was going."
Peyton's face dropped, all the excitement before slipping away. "Haley. You have to go. You're my best friend. I can't do this by myself."
"Peyt, I'm not a dance kind of girl. I don't fit in well at stuff like this. I...no I can't go," Haley shook her head.
Peyton nodded as a counter act. "Yes you can. Please Haley. Please. You have to go. I can't do this alone. I'll mess it up."
Haley laughed and ran a comforting hand up Peyton's arm. "You won't screw it up Peyt. You got the date didn't you. That's the hard part. The dance is the easy part."
"Which is why you should come. See, you don't even have to do the hard part. Come on Haley. Please. Pretty please," Peyton begged, big puppy dog eyes staring Haley straight in the face.
Haley tried to look to Nathan for help on a way out of this, but he was off in another world completely. Outnumbered by Peyton's charm and lack of an excuse Haley caved in as she often did to her friend's whims and sighed long and hard.
"Ugh. Fine. But don't expect me to be happy about this."
""Of course not," Peyton nodded solemnly before exploding with glee, and wrapping an arm around Haley to give her a quick hug.
"Yes! This is awesome. I have to go tell Mike," she gave the brunette another hug and a big smile and then disappeared back to the crowd she was talking to before.
When the blonde was gone, Haley curled her arms up into a circle on the table in front of her and placed her head on top of it.
"I can not believe I just agreed to this," she moaned into her arms.
"Well played," Nathan retorted sarcastically, scooping up a bite on his fork and shoveling it all into his mouth.
Haley watched him with disdain, sitting up straight again and neatly flipping her books shut to put back in her bag. Their lunch hour almost over.
When she had finished her task she stood up from the table and fit the strap of her messenger bag over her shoulder. Nathan grabbed his bag and came up beside her as they walked back toward the building.
"Come by my house and pick me up at 7:30," she through out at him simply.
Nathan blinked, pausing for a minute and then taking a few quick steps to catch up with her again.
"What? I'm-
"If I'm going, you're going," she stated vehemently. Almost testing him to refuse. "Besides you owe me."
"For what," he exclaimed, as they entered the west entrance of the building, the bell ringing loudly behind them letting them know they had five minutes remaining before class began.
"When I had to cover for you, when you lied to your Mom and went to that game up in Charlotte two weeks ago with Jake."
"You said you were cool with that," Nathan protested.
Haley sighed not wanting to get into a battle about this now. "Then look at this as an I owe you. But you're still going with me."
"Do I get any say in this," Nathan asked as they came to their crossroads at the main staircase.
Haley moved in front of him and smiled brightly. "Yeah... Should I wear a red dress or black," she asked sweetly, turning from him and heading up the staircase.
Nathan watched as she went, the muscle in his jaw ticking and looking very much like he was going to hit something or someone. "BLACK," he yelled up the stairs with suppressed anger, wrapping his hand tightly around is backpack strap and heading down the hall to class.