Second Time Around Chapter 8, an one tree hill fanfic

Second Time Around

Chapter 8

The shrill of the phone ringing for the wake-up call awakes Haley from her peaceful slumber. She throws on a pair of shorts and a sports bra before she puts on her running shoes. She throws her hair up and grabs her iPod and keys before she heads out the door. She gets into the Cobra and drives off towards the beach. She turns on her iPod and walks toward the waters edge. When she gets there she starts off in a light jog before picking up her speed. After nearly a half hour she turns around and runs back towards the area where she parked her car. The run helped clear her body and mind of the pent-up tension after her encounter yesterday with Nathan after not seeing him for years. Of course through those years he had haunted her thoughts and dreams, but she could always control him there. Yesterday she had no control. She had no control over the fact that he basically ignored her. She would have rather screaming and yelling, then she would at least know he felt some sort of emotion towards her, even if it were hatred. But to know that he felt nothing, that hurt worst of all.

Little did she know that the man that still haunted her heart was watching her from his beach house. Once again, he watched her, captivated. This was not only the woman that had stolen his heart over six years ago, but it was the woman that still held it today.

After Haley took her shower when she got back to the hotel she got ready for the day with her sisters and mom. She curled her hair and applied her make-up before she got dressed in her distressed jeans, black halter, black heels, and black and white tweed peacoat. She grabbed her purse and keys and left the hotel. She drove over to Karen's café to grab some breakfast before she met up with her mom and sisters. As she walked through the door she heard the familiar jingle from the bell and saw the woman who had been a second mom to her senior year.

"Hey, can a girl get a decent cup of 'Jo' around here?"

"Hey kiddo. I've missed you!" Karen fills up the customers coffee and walks over and gives Haley a big hug.

"I've missed you too."

"So how have you been? Are you back here for the wedding?"

"I've been pretty good. Yup, I couldn't miss my sisters wedding. Had to witness for myself who was crazy enough to marry her. How have you been?"

"Good, great actually. So how long are you here for?"

"A little less than a week." Haley sat down at the counter and had some breakfast while Karen and her got caught up on each other's lives. When they were done Haley left to meet her mom and sister at the mall. They finished shopping for the accessories and made a stop at the florist to make sure that the flowers would be ready for the wedding. By the time they were done Haley still had a half hour before Jake's plane would arrive. He was staying in the same hotel, so as soon as he was checked in they were going to go to out to grab a late lunch. She drops her purse and coat on the chair and flops down on the bed to watch some TV while she waits. As she's going through the channels her cell phone starts to go off. She flips it open but doesn't recognize the number.

"Hello?"

"Hey Haley, it's Josh."

"Oh hey."

"So I was wondering if you wanted to go to the club with a group of us tonight. I know where having that dinner with all of the family that is in town, but some of us were going to head to Tric afterwards. Do you want to come with us?"

"Tric?"

"Yeah, it's a club."

"Sure. Sounds great."

"Great. Well I gotta get back to work, but I'll see you tonight at the dinner."

"Sure. See you then." She flipped her phone shut and continued to watch the rerun of Sex and the City. Nearly twenty minutes later her cell phone goes off again.

"Hey Jake! Where are you?"

"We just finished checking in. We're gonna head up to our room and put our stuff down and freshen up a little. Then do you want to head out?"

"Sure. What room are you in?"

"522."

"That's down the hall a bit from mine. I'm in 533."

"Okay. So we'll get ready then pick you up on our way out?"

"Yup. See you then."

"See you soon Hales." Hales continued to watch the show for a little while longer until she heard a knock at the door. She opened the door to find her cousin, his wife, and daughter standing there. Jake immediately pulled Haley into a big hug.

"Hey Hales. I've missed you. It's been too long."

"I missed you too Jake, but I saw you guys just a couple months ago."

"You know him Hales, he's more of a girl than us." His wife said as she hugged Haley

"Hey Peyton. And Jenny, you get bigger every time I see you." She said as she hugged the ten-year old little girl. "So I was thinking we could just head down to the docks and grab some food an walk around cause we have the dinner in a couple of hours. Is that okay with you guys?" They all agreed and headed out towards the docks. They each got a hotdog and a drink from a vendor and walked around catching up with each other for nearly two hours. They headed back up to the hotel and all got freshened up for the dinner. Haley drove separately in her Cobra to her parents house. By the time she got there the house was already packed. She walked in with Jake, Peyton, and Jenny and they began meeting their new relatives. After everyone had eaten the dinner they began to mingle and Josh came up to Haley.

"Hey. We're gonna head out in a little bit. Did you still want to come?"

"Yeah. When are you leaving?"

"In just a little bit. Do you want me to come find you then?"

"Yeah. Thanks." She turned back to Jake and Peyton who each had an eyebrow raised. "I'm going to the club with some of them. It's not a date, so chill. Do you guys want to come?"

"No thanks." Jake said as he nodded his head towards Jenny.

"We'll be fine. We'll go back to the room and go to sleep. Go and have fun with your cousin."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Have fun."

"Thanks sweetie." He hugged her and kissed her cheek just as Josh came up.

"So, you ready?"

"Yeah. Where's Tric at?" After giving her the directions they all headed out. Jake and Haley took the Cobra so Peyton could get back to the hotel in their rental. After parking they found the rest of them that were there. The group consisted of Haley, Jake, Josh, and Sara, Ryan's sister. Taylor and Ryan were going to come as soon as everyone left from the dinner. They all headed inside and went to grab a table. After a couple of minutes Haley gets up to go get a drink. She leans on the bar waiting for the bartender to come over.

"Strawberry Daiquiri."

"Well, two times in one day. I could get used to this."

"Hey Karen. What are you doing here."

"I own it. Opened it bout two years after you guys graduated."

"Wow. No way. That's great." Karen handed Haley her drink and Haley turned around and bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you." She heard the guy say. She knew that voice. She looked up and was met with the eyes she knew to well.

"Not like you woulda done anything if you had." She quipped quickly before walking off to her table leaving a shocked Nathan sanding at the bar. She sat back down and finished her drink quickly. Jake noticed the tension and leaned over to her.

"Everything all right Hales?"

"Just peachy. Could you go get me another drink?"

"Yeah. You sure you're okay."

"I'd be even better with another drink."

"Okay. I'll be right back." Jake heads up to the bar to get Haley another drink.

"Jake? How are you? You here with Haley?"

"Hi Karen. Yup, I'm here with her. In fact, I was just sent up by her for another drink." Karen started to fix the drink for him.

"Since you two are here together you should sing. I'm sure the house band would love to play something with you two. I remember when you two used to sing at the Open Mic Nights we had at the café. You were great. Everyone loved you."

"I'd love to. I'll just have to ask Hales. Maybe after another drink she'll be ready."

"Just come over and tell me when you're ready and I'll let the band know." She told him as she handed the drink over.

"Thanks Karen." Jake took the drink back to the table and Haley drank it even faster than the first. "I just talked to Karen. She said we should sing."

"I dunno Jake. We haven't sang in a while in front of a crowd."

"Oh come on. I'll get you another drink." He nodded his head toward her now empty glass and put on the best puppy dog face he could muster.

"Okay, but get me my drink first." Jake got up and went back to Karen.

"She'll do it, but she wants another drink first." Karen nodded and fixed another one. Jake took it back to Haley and she drank it again. "So, what do you want to sing?"

"Mine as well go with our classic." Jake nodded his head in agreement with her and waited for her to finish her drink. When she was done they both went to go tell Karen they were ready. She told them to go backstage and talk with the band. Within ten minutes Haley and Jake were on stage after being introduced by Karen. The band began playing and Haley started the song.

Dancin' where the stars go blue
Dancin' where the evening fell
Dancin' in your wooden shoes
In a wedding gown

Dancin' out on 7th street
Dancin' through the underground
Dancin' little marionette
Are you happy now?

Where do you go when you're lonely
Where do you go when you're blue
Where do you go when you're lonely
I'll follow you
When the stars go blue

Haley finally loosened up a bit. She had forgotten how much she loved to sing.

Laughing with your pretty mouth
Laughing with your broken eyes
Laughing with your lover's tongue
In a lullaby

Where do you go when you're lonely
Where do you go when you're blue
Where do you go when you're lonely
I'll follow you
When the stars go blue
The stars go blue, stars go blue

The crowd loved them. Jake set down the guitar he had been using and got off stage while she stayed one more song. She took a deep breath and began playing.

Heaven bend to take my hand
And lead me through the fire
Be the long awaited answer
To a long and painful fight

Truth be told I've tried my best
But somewhere along the way
I got caught up in all there was to offer
And the cost was so much more than I could bear

Though I've tried, I've fallen...
I have sunk so low
I have messed up
Better I should know
So don't come round here
And tell me I told you so...

We all begin with good intent
Love was raw and young
We believed that we could change ourselves
The past could be undone
But we carry on our backs the burden
Time always reveals
The lonely light of morning
The wound that would not heal
It's the bitter taste of losing everything
That I have held so dear.

I've fallen...
I have sunk so low
I have messed up
Better I should know
So don't come round here
And tell me I told you so...

Heaven bend to take my hand
Nowhere left to turn
I'm lost to those I thought were friends
To everyone I know
Oh they turn their heads embarassed
Pretend that they don't see
But it's one missed step
One slip before you know it
And there doesn't seem a way to be redeemed

Haley loved this song. It touched something deep within her. If someone where to have asked six years ago where she would be now she probably would have answered married to Nathan Scott raising their kids together. But somehow things didn't go quite as planned. Somewhere along the way it changed.

Though I've tried, I've fallen...
I have sunk so low
I have messed up
Better I should know
So don't come round here
And tell me I told you so...

The crowd had remained silent the entire song, which was something rarely seen in Tric. The emotion that Haley sang it with is unexplainable. The crowd erupted in applause as she finished the song and set the guitar down. She smiled at the crowd as she stood up and walked off the stage. She let the unshed tear fall from her eyes before she took a deep breath and wiped her cheeks, erasing any indication that she had cried.