Second Time Around
Chapter 5

Haley went back to the car and drove off.

She headed toward the one place that held so many emotions. The Market Street Docks. As she sat down at the table memories began to flood her mind.

October, Senior year

"Nathan? What are you doing out here so early?"

"The water is calming right now."

"Are you okay?" Haley studied his face. The rising sun was reflecting against the water, and she thought his face was beautiful the way it was lit up. His eyes were the same color as the water, and every emotion he was feeling could be seen in them.

"Just needed to get away." Haley just nodded her head. She hadn't known Nathan long, but she knew that he was stubborn, and if he didn't want to talk, he wouldn't. She refocused on the water in front of them as she let her own thoughts consume her. Earlier that morning she got into an argument with her mother about college. She didn't want Haley going to New York, in fact she didn't really care if she went to college at all. To her mother it was more important to get a husband that can take care of you, in other words, be some trophy wife who does nothing but shop and go to spas. Haley had other ideas for her future. So her mother gave her an ultimatum, stay home and get married to an acceptable man, or never have any financial help.

The two sat there staring at the water for at least twenty minutes before Nathan got up.

"I gotta go now. I'll see you later."

Haley looked up to him with her big brown eyes. "Yup, see you later." She smiled genuinely up at him. His lips turned upward and he smiled back at her before walking off. Haley looked back at the water with a slight giddiness in her stomach.

Haley smiled at the memory of the morning.

That was the first time I realized I was just as stupid as every other girl in Tree Hill. I had a crush on Nathan Scott. I wish I could go back then and slap myself for being so stupid.

January, Senior year

Haley and Nathan sat in the kitchen of the Scott house. They were waiting for Brooke and Lucas to get there so that the four of them could go ice skating. Haley sighed and slumped over in the stool she was sitting in. "What is taking them so long? We were suppose to meet here almost twenty minutes ago."

"Well, they're probably--"

"That was a rhetorical question. I really don't want to think about what they are doing. Uh huh, two best friends. I don't need any mental images. I see what they do in public with each other, I really don't want to think about what they do in private." Nathan chuckled at Haley's reaction.

"Do you want something to eat while we wait for them."

"Yes please." Nathan opened up one of the cabinets looking for food. He pulled out a cracker jack box and opened it up. He offered Haley some. After she took a handful he started looking through the box for the prize. He pulled out a beaded bracelet and reached for Haley's wrist.

"Don't say I never gave you anything."

"Gee, I feel so special. What can I ever do to thank you." Haley said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes and looked at him.

"Well…" He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Haley gasped and hit him in the arm. "Yeah, just what I want. To be another notch on your bedpost." She scoffed as she reached for more Cracker Jacks. Nathan pulled them back before she could get any.

"Fine, then go out with me." Haley stared at him with a suspicious look. "Go out on a date with me. Then you can find out if I really am as horrible as you think I am."

"I don't think you're horrible Nathan. But I do think that you have the tendency of being an ass, especially when it come to the way you treat girls." Haley always did have a bit of a crush on Nathan, but she knew his reputation, and she didn't want to become one of those girls. The two had always flirted with one another, but that was as far as it went.

"Then give me one chance." Nathan knew he had a reputation, but he liked Haley. She was beautiful, inside and out.

"One chance. One date and that's it, you'll drop it and we will never talk about this again?"

"Yup. One shot."

"Fine, but you better take me someplace nice." Nathan and Haley smiled at each other as the front door opened.

"You two ready?" Brooke yelled from the door.

"Yup." Haley yelled as she grabbed her purse as her and Nathan headed to the front door. "You might want to fix your hair before you go out in public Brooke." Brooke looked in the mirror and saw her post-sex hair. Lucas snickered as she tried to fix it.

"I wouldn't be laughing too much bro, yours doesn't look that great either." Lucas ran over next to Brooke and looked in the mirror and tried to fix his hair too. Haley and Nathan laughed out their friends. After Lucas and Brooke looked presentable again the four of them headed to Lucas's Tahoe. Nathan sat in the passenger seat while Brooke and Haley sat in the back.

He really was sweet at the beginning. I remember when he caught me when I almost fell that day. After that we held hands and skated around the rink. We must have looked like a young couple in love. And just a week after that we went out on our first date.

"Brooke, I look retarded."

"Would you stop that. You look beautiful Hales. So where are you guys going?"

"I don't know, Nathan won't tell me. He said dress up and he would be here at 7:00. That's all I know."

"Well, he should be here any minute so I will go now. Have fun and don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Brooke yelled at Haley as she started going down the stairs. As she opened up the front door Nathan was walking up the steps with a dozen pink roses. "He's here Hales." Brooke yelled before she stepped out onto the front porch. "Hey Scott. You clean up pretty good. She's in her room."

"Thanks Brooke." Nathan walked into Haley's house and headed up the stairs to her room. When he got to the door he knocked and Haley opened it. Nathan's lost his breath when he saw Haley standing there. She was wearing a long black halter dress and her hair was curled and loosely pulled back in a low pony-tail. "Wow, you look beautiful." Haley blushed and looked down an her feet. A piece of her hair fell forward. Nathan lifted Haley's chin and then tucked the piece of hair behind her hair. "Is Miss James blushing." Haley smirked up at him as the red in her cheeks lessened.

"Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself." Nathan was dressed in black slacks with a black button down dress shirt.

He handed her the roses he had brought. "These, are for you." Haley smiled at him. He really was being the perfect gentleman.

"Thank you." Haley took the flowers and he offered her his arm. They walked down the stairs together. "Let me put these in water and then we can go." Haley began walking to the kitchen. "So, are you going to tell me where we are going?"

"You'll see." Haley put the flowers in a vase and then the two of them left.

Nathan took her to the new restaurant downtown. There was a large chandelier in the center, and below it a large dance floor on which there were a few couples dancing to the live band. They sat down at a small table to the side and ordered their dinner. While they were waiting for their food Nathan offered his hand out to Haley. "Would you like to dance."

"I'd love to." He helped her up and the walked hand in hand out to the dance floor. He put one arm around her waist and with the other held her hand near their chests. She placed her free arm around his shoulders. Even with the heels she was wearing he still towered over her by at least six inches. They stared into each others eyes for a moment before Haley placed her head against his chest as they swayed to the music. After two dances they decided that they should get back to the table for when their food comes. Their food quickly arrived and they began to eat. After they finished eating Nathan paid and they left. He drove them over to the docks. They both got out and started to walk around, surrounded by a comfortable silence. They ended up at the table that they had sat at together just a few months earlier. The sat down next to each other staring out into the water.

"You remember that morning a couple of months ago that we both just sat here in silence for like a half an hour?"

"Yeah." Haley told him smiling at the memory.

"That was when I knew, you were different than everyone else Hales. You are so beautiful and you have this huge heart. That was when I knew I wanted you, and as a notch in my bedpost. I wanted you."

"Yeah, I remember. I remember because that was the time that I knew I wanted you too." Haley took her gaze off of the water and looked to her right. Her hazel eyes were met with his blue eyes. They sat there staring at each other for a moment before Nathan raised his hand and cupped her chin. They leaned in and their lips touched for a sweet kiss. They both pulled back a little, each with their eyes still closed, savoring the feeling. Haley leaned back in for another kiss, but this kiss grew passionate. With their dueling tongues and roaming hands, electricity was coursing through their bodies. They finally reluctantly pulled away and gasped for air.

"I think I'm falling for you."

"I think I've already fallen for you Hales. So does this mean you would say yes to a second date?" Haley smiled and nodded her head yes. "So are we like officially together now?"

"I dunno. Do your want to be?"

"Yes. You?"

"Yes." They both leaned back in and continues to kiss under the moonlight.

Haley involuntarily touched her lips at the memory before she looked at the time. She stood up and headed back to the rental car. If she didn't leave now she would be late for the fitting. When she arrived at the shop she walked into find that she was the first one there. She sat down in a chair near the waiting room and waited for her mother and sisters. When they arrived a few minutes later the seamstress got the dresses and the fittings began. The fitting was finished nearly an hour later, just in time for their next appointment at the spa. They each got a massage as well as a facial. Nearly three hours later when they were done they went to some bridal stores to get their shoes and other accessories. When they were done they all went their separate ways since they had three hours before the family was meeting for dinner.