Author's note: Sorry it took me so long to update…I had some stuff going on in my personal life last week and I just didn't have any time to write. I promise at least two updates this week to make up for it. Thanks so much for all the reviews. It inspires me to write…so…here it is…

Chapter 37- Regret

"I cannot even believe that this is our last week in Tree Hill. This summer flew by fast." Brooke proclaimed as she floated around on a lounge in the pool.

Haley nodded in agreement, the months had flown by. Now, the beginning of their freshman year of college was upon them. Brooke would be leaving first. She was heading up to New York City to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology. Brooke had been unsure as to whether or not she wanted to go so far away for school, but she had been easily swayed when Lucas had accepted a full athletic scholarship to Syracuse. They would be less than an hour plane ride apart.

Peyton and Haley were leaving together, heading to Chapel Hill. They had opted against being roommates, but were going to be living in the same residence hall. Haley was going to study political science, in hopes of one day making it to law school, and Peyton would be studying art.

"I just can't believe that we're going to college, I swear it feels like just yesterday we were starting high school." Peyton looked up from her sketch pad as she spoke.

Peyton made eye contact with Brooke who nodded in Haley's direction. Peyton looked over and could see that Haley's mind was somewhere else.

"Tutorgirl, earth to Tutorgirl, are you with us?" Brooke exclaimed from the pool.

"What? Brooke, yeah, I'm with you."

Brooke laughed, "Yeah, right. What's going on in that head of yours? You've been daydreaming all day."

"I've just been thinking about this time last year, with Nathan leaving and all. Despite him leaving, and how hard that was, we were so happy, so in love with each other. And look at us now. He left the state because he didn't want to run the risk of seeing me."

"Come on Haley, what did you expect?"

"Peyton, shhh." Brooke warned.

"No Brooke, let Peyton say what she wants to say."

"It's just that I see where Nathan's coming from. That boy loves you so much and at the first sign of trouble you're just bailing out. And this whole thing with Jesse, the second you realized you were attracted to him you should have gotten yourself out of that situation. You never should have been in the position where you almost kissed. I know you couldn't help how you felt for him, but you could help how you reacted to it."

Haley just sat quietly, thinking about what Peyton was saying. Finally she spoke, "This wasn't the first sign of trouble. Things hadn't felt right for a while. This wasn't all because of Jesse. It's about so much more than that."

Peyton stopped Haley, "I'm not the one you need to explain yourself to. I'm just telling you what I think."

Haley nodded and then stood up, clearly annoyed at Peyton for sharing her opinion. She gathered up her clothes and towel as she stood. "I'm going to get going. I have to work. I'll talk to you guys later."

Brooke glared at Peyton as Haley walked away. "Jeez Pey, did you really have to say that?"

"Yeah, I did. She's been whining about this all summer and I'm sick of it. She broke up with him, he had to leave to deal with it and I can understand that, sometimes space is a good thing."

"I still think you could have maybe said it a little nicer, or not have said anything at all."

"Yeah, well, I couldn't. I'm sick of hearing about it. I thought it was time to tell her what I thought." Peyton reached for her iPod, putting the ear phones in, clearly indicating to Brooke that she wasn't in the mood to further discuss the issue.

ooooOoooo

Later that day Haley was at work, busy waiting on customers, when she felt something. She wasn't sure what it was, but something was telling her to turn around. Doing so, she glanced at the registers behind her, and there he was. A few registers over there was Nathan, she could only see that back of his head, but she knew that it was him.

Taking a deep breath she told herself to focus on the customer in front of her, now certainly wasn't the time to talk to him. She was just shocked that he was back.

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed him walking towards her register, towards the exit. As he got closer she turned, certain that he had seen her. Their eyes met for a brief second, but he quickly tore his gaze away from her and walked out of the store.

This small encounter left Haley breathless. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to chase him out of the store and talk to him, see how his summer had been, if he'd had fun, if he was looking forward to school, if he had missed her. That was really what Haley wanted to know, if he'd missed her. Haley had missed him so much, everyday, her heart had ached for him, she wondered if his had ached for her.

Haley glanced over at the clock, seeing she had three hours left of her shift. She knew that there wasn't anything she could do now.

When Haley left work she pulled out her phone, took a deep breath, and dialed his number. She had thought about it for the last three hours, she had to talk to him.

"Hello."

"Hey Nathan, its Haley."

"Hey, what's up?"

"Well I saw you at the store, I guess I just wanted to call and say hi. How was Maryland?"

"It was fine, thanks."

After Nathan answered neither said a word, they just sat there in an uncomfortable silence.

"I'd like to see you before you head back to school, if that's alright with you."

"I don't know Haley, will that do any good?"

"Nathan, we can't just avoid one another forever."

"I know, I know. Yeah, we can get together before I leave."

"Okay, when do you leave?"

Haley clenched her jaw, this conversation was frustrating her, it was like pulling teeth.

"Tomorrow."

"Well then, I guess that leaves tonight. Do you have any plans?"

"Not besides packing."

"Okay…how about we grab some ice cream later? It will give you a break from packing."

"Fine."

"Is 7 o'clock okay?"

"Yep, fine."

"Okay, I'll see you at 7. Bye Nat-."

Nathan hung up before Haley could finish his name. Haley was stunned, she hadn't expected a warm reception or anything, but she hadn't expected Nathan to be so cold towards her. Haley hated that this had to be so hard.

Hours later Nathan made his way to the ice cream shop. He knew that seeing Haley was going to be weird, after all, just talking to her on the phone earlier had been weird. Nathan wasn't quite sure what Haley was going to say to him, but he knew that there was a very good chance that whatever she did have to say, he wouldn't want to hear.

Nathan had thought about Haley pretty much every minute of the entire summer. His friend Tony had done all he could to try and keep Nathan busy so he wouldn't obsess, but nothing worked. The whole drive from Maryland back to Tree Hill Nathan had debated with himself as to whether or not he should call Haley and tell her he was back in town. Finally, he had decided no.

After spending a whole summer thinking and dreaming about Haley, Nathan decided on his trip home, that that wasn't going to be the case anymore. Nathan was going to move on. He was going to go back to Syracuse and start his sophomore year, and he planned to live it up.

Nathan spotted Haley and walked over to her. She smiled once she saw him. Nathan wondered if there would ever be a day where her smile wouldn't make his heart skip a beat.

"Hey, Nathan. I'm glad you could make it."

Nathan just nodded as he held open the door for Haley.

They walked in and ordered their ice cream, then headed outside to sit down by the water and talk.

Haley tried to make small talk, but she quickly became frustrated as Nathan only provided one syllable answers to every question. Haley gave up and the two sat in silence.

After what seemed like hours of silence Haley spoke quietly, "I miss you Nathan. I worry I made the wrong decision."

As soon as Nathan heard those two words he sprung up off the bench and stood in front of Haley, "How dare you say that Haley. Honestly, what gives you the right? What do you think, the whole damn world revolves around you and what you want?"

Haley felt the anger grow inside of her. She stood to face him, knowing she had to defend herself.

"No, I don't think the world revolves around me. I'm just saying that maybe I made the wrong decision."

"So what Haley? You're just realizing that now? Huh? You had all summer to think about it. You had longer than all summer. You had from the minute you started thinking about breaking up with me to realize that it was the wrong decision."

"No, I knew it before now. I guess I just realized it when I saw you today."

"Well Haley, sorry, but it's too late. If you had called me a month ago, hell, even two days ago, and told me that I would have run back to you so quick, so quick Haley. But now, well now I've already decided to move on."

"I didn't realize it until I saw you." Haley felt her bottom lip begin to quiver as she spoke, she tried to hold strong though, not wanting to break down in tears in front of Nathan.

"Well you could have at least called and said you were thinking about it. I mean just throwing it on me now, the day before I leave, how fair is that? Honestly, I want to know how fair is that?"

"I guess it's not fair. I mean obviously we can't do anything about it, you're leaving again after all."

Nathan's eyes widened, he stared down at Haley in disbelief, "Don't you dare blame me, don't you dare blame my leaving. If you want to lay blame, fine, lets. If that's the case the real blame, all of the blame, is on you, you're the one who called it off. Remember?"

"Of course I remember, but I told you, I regret it."

"Yeah well it's too late. I can't just let you back in Haley, I can't. I was finally getting somewhere. I was finally going to move on from this. I need to move on, can't you understand that?"

"Why though? Why do you have to move on? I don't get it."

"Because I need to do just what you told me to do and live my own life for a while. You need to do that too. You're starting college soon Haley, enjoy it, enjoy it for yourself. Enjoy it without me. I need to start enjoying it for myself without you."

Haley just stood there, arms crossed. She couldn't say anything else. She knew he was right, she hated to admit it, but he was. She had said that they needed to live their own lives, and now he was going to do just that. It just hurt, not being able to get him back when she thought it was what she wanted.

"I'm going to go Haley. I don't think this was such a good idea. I'm just going to leave before we fight anymore, before we say anything we'll regret."

Nathan turned to walk away, but then hesitated. He turned back towards Haley and pulled her in close. Bending down he planted a searing kiss on her lips.

"This is what you wanted Haley. I'm just giving you what you wanted."

Haley stood there stunned as Nathan walked away. She was scared to move, afraid that her legs wouldn't hold her up if she tried to go anywhere. Haley knew she had lost, he was gone, and it was all her fault.