Author's note: Thanks guys for the reviews. They have increased, but still not as much as I had hoped, but oh well. Some small drama fires up in this chapter but in about two more it really gets nuts, so keep reading. I know that this has been slow to pick up, but the relationship between Nathan and Haley and the circumstances surrounding that relationship really needed to be established before I could bring in the good stuff. A special thanks to Ange for reading this and reviewing, she is an amazing writer and gave me some great tips. I have already tried to use them in this chapter. Enjoy!

Manydreams: Thanks for the review! I had made a decision when I started this story to have the central friendship be between the three girls, that is why Lucas had only appeared in one chapter in the beginning. But, your review was time perfectly because Lucas will be making an appearance.

Chapter 12- Nothing's Perfect

"Hey Tim, how's it going?" Haley asked as Tim walked up to the end of her register to bag for her. Things had been a little awkward between the two right after their break up, or whatever you could call it, but the weirdness had quickly ended. Haley had felt like she should have discussed her and Nathan dating with Tim, but Nathan said that it wasn't necessary, that he had already talked to Tim and cleared the air. Haley knew that there was no point in further meddling in their friendship, especially when Nathan advised her against it.

"Not too much Haley. How's Nathan?"

"He's fine. Thanks. He actually dropped me off at work a little bit ago." Haley usually thought it best to avoid the topic of her relationship with Nathan around Tim, but sine he was the one to broach the topic she figured she should at least respond.

"It's pretty early though, it isn't like Nathan to get up so early just to take someone to work." Tim raised an eyebrow at Haley.

Haley knew what Tim was insinuating. "Yeah, well I stayed there last night, so it really wasn't a big deal." As soon as the words escaped her mouth she wished she could grab them back. Haley wanted to get out of this conversation as soon as possible, she was really uncomfortable with the direction it was heading.

"Stayed there…hmmm. Guess he won then." Tim raised an eyebrow at Haley and then focused his attention back to the groceries he was supposed to be bagging.

"Won what?" Haley felt a bad feeling forming deep in her stomach, she knew that whatever Tim was going to say next, Haley wasn't going to like it.

"Well, back when Nathan and I first met you we knew about your rep, how you were a goody two shoes and all." Tim smirked at Haley. "And well we both thought you were hot but knew you were a challenge. Well, I said that it would be me, The Tim, who would get you to cave. It was me who was going to give the tutor a little tutoring, if you know what I mean." Tim chuckled at his own attempt at humor. "Nathan said there was no chance in hell of that, that you would sleep with him first. I'm guessing that he won."

The bad feeling that had been forming in Haley's stomach quickly turned to fury. "Nathan didn't win anything. Just because I stayed there doesn't mean anything happened." Haley looked at Tim right in the eyes, "I think it would be best if you went and helped someone else."

As Tim walked away Haley had to fight away the tears. She couldn't believe it, this was all a bet? All of this with Nathan, just a challenge to see who could sleep with her first, she couldn't believe it. And how did Tim know? Did Nathan tell him? What, did Nathan call Tim the second Nathan dropped her off at work? Haley glanced at the clock, three more hours to go. She couldn't wait to get out and talk to someone.

Who would she talk to though? Brooke was such a huge fan of Nathan these days that that she probably wouldn't get the severity of this. She would chalk it up to a big misunderstanding. Haley knew that if she discussed this with Peyton, Peyton would never trust Nathan again, not that Haley was sure she herself would be able to. Peyton was always a hard one to impress, she would feed off of something like this. One bad thing and she would just go off on one of her rants about how all boys suck. That was the last thing she wanted, to sit through one of Peyton's angry rants.

Then Haley realized that there was only one person that could help her through this one.

ooooOoooo

"Hales, this is a surprise, come on in."

"Thanks, I need to talk to you."

"Sure, what's going on?" Lucas reached behind Haley to shut the door.

"I'm sorry to bother you it's just that, I didn't know who else to talk to." Haley couldn't get one more word out without crying.

Lucas hated to see his friend upset and he pulled her into his arms. "Hales, Hales, buddy, talk to me. What's going on?"

"It's Nathan. I found out something today. Something terrible." Haley managed to choke out in between sobs.

"Why don't you take a deep breath Haley, I'll go and get you some water, and some tissues. I'll be right back." Lucas was never good at dealing with crying girls, especially Haley. She was his closet girl friend and he just hated to see her hurting.

Haley sat there trying to calm herself while Lucas scurried around getting water and tissues, he walked back into the room and Haley seemed to have collected herself a little.

"Sorry, I've just had this bottled up inside me all morning."

"What Hales, what's going on? What did Nathan do?"

"Okay, I was at work and Tim was there. He was bagging for me. He said that when he and Nathan first met me they had kind of a bet to see who was going to sleep with me first. Can you believe that? All of this had been a bet. I really thought that he cared about me, I thought he loved me. But now, I find out this. I don't know what to do." Haley started to sob again.

"Hales, calm down. I am sure that it isn't what it seems like." Lucas handed Haley a tissue. "Nathan isn't a close friend or anything, but I've seen the way he is around you. I've seen the way he looks at you. That look he gets Haley, it isn't something you can fake. He loves you Haley, I know that." Lucas looked towards Haley, he saw a little smile forming behind all of those tears. "Have you asked him about this?"

With that question Haley's smile disappeared and more tears began to fall. "No, I haven't. I came here right from work. I didn't want to freak out on Nathan." Haley took a few deep breaths before she continued. "I just didn't know what to do Lucas, I was so surprised to hear this."

"You have to remember that Tim might have some harsh feelings about how everything went down with the two of you. Tim is kind of a different type of person to start with, I don't know how much stock you can take in the stuff he says. Just talk to Nathan, that's all you can do. But just remember what I said, I can see it when he looks at you, that boy loves you."

Haley began to smile through her tears. "Thanks Lucas. I really needed that. You are always there for me when I really need it. I really appreciate that." Haley was kind of surprised that Lucas was so insistent on the fact that he knew Nathan really cared about Haley, obviously Haley could feel it, but having Lucas say it just reinforced it. She knew that all she could do was confront him about it and hope that this wasn't what it seemed.

"That's what friends are for. Now, do you want a ride over to Nathan's?"

"Yeah, I do. Thanks." Haley began to stand up.

Lucas walked over to grab his coat and then walked over to Haley, "Aw, come here buddy." He pulled her into another hug, "It'll all be okay Hales. Just talk to him, hear his side of things."