Chapter 4- It's Me Inside Your Head

Haley and Tim had been seeing each other for a few weeks now, it wasn't anything serious but they were both having a good time. They had gone out a few times since the movies and talked pretty regularly on the phone.

One thing that Haley noticed about Tim was that he lived vicariously through Nathan. It seemed as though most of the things he bragged about doing he had done with Nathan. He would also brag about things that Nathan had done. It was as if Tim felt that Nathan was the reason that he was as popular as he was.

What Tim didn't know was all this talking about Nathan was making Haley like Nathan more and more. She had been unsure about it at first, but realized that she became more and more anxious to hear more about Nathan, even if it was through Tim. Haley didn't know how it had happened, but she had fallen for Nathan, and most of it was due to her dating his best friend.

Maybe Rhonda had been right, maybe Nathan was into her. All she knew was that it seemed worth it to find out. But first, she had to figure out how to deal with Tim. School would be starting soon and if they went into it dating, or kind of dating, or whatever they were doing, everyone would know. Then, if she decided to call it quits everyone would know. She didn't want to embarrass Tim. Haley knew what she had to do.

She grabbed the phone and dialed Tim.

"Hey, this is the Tim."

Haley had to laugh out loud at how he answered his phone. "Hey Tim, it's me, Haley."

"Hey Haley, what's up?"

"Can we talk?" Haley knew that those were three words that were dreaded by every guy on the planet, but she didn't know how else to start.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Well, I know that we haven't really defined what is going on with us. Obviously it is something more than friends but it really isn't anything official. So I don't really know how to say this, but whatever it is, I don't think that we should keep it going."

"Are you breaking up with me?" Tim wasn't really that surprised. He had been getting the sneaking suspicion that Haley was into Nathan. She had been asking about him more and more.

"I guess so, but I don't want it to be like that. I just think that whatever is going on between us, well, we should go back to being just friends."

"It's cool. No big deal. I have to run though, I'll talk to you later Haley." Tim really didn't feel like sitting there discussing this at length with her, what was done was done.

"Okay, bye Tim, thanks for being so understanding." After saying that Haley heard him hang up in her ear. She was pretty sure that he wasn't mad. Haley wondered how long it would be until he told Nathan that nothing was going on between the two of them anymore. Knowing Tim it wouldn't be long.

ooooOoooo

Over the next few weeks Haley began talking to Nathan more and more while they were working. Every time that she left him she knew that she liked him more than before. Everything that she learned about him she liked. They hadn't spent any time together outside of work, but Haley started doing things that indicated to her that she definitely had a crush on him.

Haley would spend extra time getting ready for work if she knew Nathan would be there. She would always try and drop hints that she didn't have any plans after work, in hopes that he would invite her to do something. She didn't want to be too forward about it though, she didn't want to feel like a loser. On the days she didn't work Haley would try and find excuses to go to the store. Any time her mom needed anything Haley would go with her. She would use any excuse to see Nathan.

Haley wondered how things would be when school started. Her and Nathan were definitely on different levels. He was really popular and well known at Tree Hill High. Haley, on the other hand, had plenty of friends, but she was far from popular. She was quite sure that no one beyond her friends and classmates had any clue that she existed. Haley really wondered if Nathan would be as anxious to talk about her in school. She really wasn't sure what went through Nathan's head about her, but she figured that seeing how he acted around her once school started would give her a better idea.

ooooOoooo

Nathan hated to admit it, but he was definitely falling for Haley. So many other girls had tried to win his heart, girls that were more like him. Girls that were popular and that partied all the time, they practically threw themselves at Nathan. All he could think about though was Haley. There was just something about her. Whenever he was around her he felt like a different person.

They were talking every chance they got at work, but hadn't spent time out of work. He could tell that she was dropping hints but he honestly had no idea what they would even do. Nathan was used to hooking up with girls, not actually dating them, he really had no idea how to even approach it.

Nathan just wished that there was a way he could figure out what Haley was thinking. For all he knew she wasn't even interested in him, she as just being friendly. Nathan didn't know how he was going to do it, but he had to figure out what was going on in Haley's head. He had debated time and time again about just asking her out, but he couldn't take the risk of being turned down. It would kill his reputation. He could hear it now, the heartbreaker Nathan Scott gets turned down by a tutor girl. It just wouldn't be good. Nathan was going to have to find out a way to find out what was going on inside that head of Haley James.