She slowly put her things in her bag then got up and left. She walked down the halls in a sort of trance until she walked into the tutoring center. She sat down at a table wondering how Nathan did on his exam. She was starting to think that maybe she jumped into this thing with Lucas because of what she thought Nathan had done. Maybe it was a mistake.
She wasn't even sure how long she had been sitting there battling with herself until Nathan walked in wearing his basketball shorts and a sleeveless shirt. Haley looked up at him as he walked over to her table. She looked around and noticed that everyone had left. She turned and looked back at Nathan. "So?" she asked.
"So what?" he retorted with a smile.
Haley hit him on the arm playfully. "How did you do on the exam?"
Nathan shrugged "I think I did okay"
"When will you find out for sure?"
"Friday" He said then sat down next to Haley. "Thank you for all your help, Haley." He smiled at her.
"Your Welcome." was all she said. That smile just made her melt.
"Listen, let me take you out to dinner."
Haley shook her head then frowned at Nathan. "You know I can't" she said looking away.
"Of course you can. It's not a date or anything."
"Isn't it?" she said turning to look at him. "And Lucas would have a fit about it."
Nathan laughed softly. "It would just be a 'Thank You' dinner. Something to show you how much I appreciate all you've done for me"
Haley took a deep breath. She thought about it for a few minutes before she finally said, "Fine, Friday…" Nathan's smile widened "But only if you do well on your exam. Anything lower than an 85, I'm staying home."
Nathan laughed. "Okay, then make sure you got something nice to wear." He got up and started to walk out.
"But I may not be going." she said. "Don't go and get cocky."
Nathan turned around at the door. "Oh don't worry…your going." And with that he walked out.
Haley watched him go then put her head in her hands. She really hoped he did well on this exam. That way she could go out with him, but it would be completely innocent. She looked up "What am I getting myself into?" she said quietly.
Over the next couple of days, Haley thought about how she was going to tell Lucas about this dinner. At night she went through her closet, trying to find something 'nice' to wear. Finally Friday morning she decided on a long jean skirt and a red halter top. As much as she hated to admit it, she was really looking forward to this dinner. She went to school and was at her locker when Lucas walked up beside her.
"Hey, what do you say we order some pizza, rent a couple of movies and just stay in tonight?"
Haley didn't even look at him. "I might have other plans tonight."
"You might have plans?" He asked completely confused. "What does that mean? And who are you thinking about having plans with?" he asked with a smile.
Haley took a deep breath. She had been dreading having this conversation all week. She turned and looked at Lucas. "Okay, so Nathan wanted to thank me for all the help I've given him so he asked me to dinner. A 'Thank You' dinner." She added quickly seeing his face turn cold.
"And you said you'd go?" He asked trying to keep his voice even.
"Well, no, not exactly." she said closing her locker door and walking down the hall.
Lucas followed. "Not exactly?" he asked.
"See, I don't go unless he gets an 85 or higher on his exam." she said hoping that helped some.
"Sure are setting a low standard." He retorted.
Haley sighed. "I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that. If things don't go as planned, I'll call you." She reached up and kissed him softly on the cheek then turned into her classroom. She sat at her desk then looked over to where Nathan usually sat.
"Waiting for me?" Making Haley jump as he walked up and sat behind her.
"Jeez Nathan, you scared the hell out of me.
"Sorry."
"Yeah." She took out her binder, opening it on her desk.
"You didn't answer my question." Nathan said with a cocky smile.
"That's because there is no answer." Haley responded with sarcasm in her voice.
"Sure there is. The correct answer, Ms. James, is…Yes I was waiting for you. I just couldn't wait to see you."
Haley laughed. "Right…Your so full of yourself."
"So your saying you weren't waiting for me?" Nathan said with a knowing smile on his face.
"Actually…" She turned in her seat to look at him. "I was thinking about Lucas. And hanging out with him tonight when you get less than an 85 on your exam."
"Has anyone ever told you that you can't lie to save your life?"
Haley rolled her eyes and turned back around facing the blackboard.
"Fine. Whatever you need to tell yourself." Nathan leaned up so that he could whisper in her ear. "Your just scared to admit that you like me."
Haley turned sharply in her chair, almost bumping heads with Nathan. "Your…"
"Settle down" the teacher said as he walked in and put some papers on his desk. Haley turned and looked to the front. Nathan got up and moved to his normal seat smiling.
Lucas met up with Haley at lunch. "Hales look, I'm sorry. I don't like the fact of my girlfriend going on a dinner date with someone who isn't me."
Haley looked at Lucas. "It's not a date."
"I know, but I still don't like it." He said looking over and seeing Peyton walking towards them.
Haley sighed. "It's okay…I told Peyton I'd eat with her today. If I go, I'll come by afterwards, okay."
"Okay." Lucas leaned down and kissed Haley softly on the lips. "I'll see you later." He walked passed Peyton. "Hey."
"Hey Luke." Peyton said as she walked up to Haley.
Both girls watched Lucas leave then Peyton turned and looked at Haley. "Trouble in paradise?" she asked with a joking smile.
"Ugh, don't even get me started" The two of them walked over to a picnic table and sat down.
"You know you can talk to me." Peyton said as she put a chip in her mouth.
Haley looked over at Peyton skeptically then sighed. "Okay, but this has to stay between the two of us." Peyton nodded then listened to Haley talk.
"Okay, so…" Haley bit her lip then continued. "I think I like Nathan."
"But your…" Peyton started.
"Dating Lucas." Haley finished. "Yeah, I know. Do you see the problem?" Peyton nodded as she continued to eat her lunch and listen to Haley.
"It's just…here lately I've been wondering if maybe it was the wrong thing to do."
"Getting with Lucas?" Peyton asked.
"Yeah" Haley said. "See, when we first got together, Nathan had hurt me…or at least I thought he had by showing that note to everyone at the party. And Lucas had been hurt by…" Haley looked up at Peyton.
"Me…yeah thanks."
"Sorry" Haley responded "But if he hadn't kissed me that night…I might be with Nathan now. And I can't help but wonder if that's what was supposed to happen." Haley said then took a bite of her sandwich.
"Wow Haley." Peyton started.
"That's not all. After me and Lucas got together, I continued to tutor Nathan. Lucas didn't like it, but I had promised Nathan."
"Of course"
"Yeah, well, lately I've been with Nathan a lot, Tutoring." Haley added by the look on Peyton's face. "Now I can't get him out of my head. He's all I ever think about. Well, that and how this is gonna hurt Lucas when he finds out."
Neither said anything for a minute then Haley started to tell Peyton about the dinner. "The other day after school, Nathan asked me to dinner. You know, something to say 'Thank You'."
"Nathan was always better at show then tell." Peyton said with a laugh. "So what did you say?"
"I couldn't just come out and say yes…so I told him that if he got an 85 or higher on his exam then I would go."
"What did he get?" Peyton asked as she finished her lunch.
"I don't know yet. I'll find out after school." Haley said as she put the remainder of her lunch in a bag. She looked up at Peyton. "So what am I supposed to do?"
Peyton took a deep breath. "The best I can tell you, is to follow your heart." Peyton thought for a second then said, "I can tell you this."
"What?"
"Ever since Nathan started hanging around you, he's been a better person. He talks to you, which is more than he did with me. With us, it was all about sex. You make him want to be a better person. I don't see the bad in that."
Haley smiled.
The bell rang as they got up. "Hey Peyton." Haley said as they started to walk away from each other.
"Yeah" Peyton turned around
"Thanks." Haley smiled.
"Anytime." Peyton said then turned and walked away.
Haley turned to find Lucas standing in front of her. "Hey" She said walking over to him.
Lucas took Haley's hand in his own. "Did you have a nice chat with Peyton? You barely ate you were talking so much."
Haley laughed. "Yeah, I did actually."
"So what'd you two talk about?" Lucas asked as they stopped in front of Haley's class.
"Oh you know…girl talk." She reached up and kissed Lucas. "I'll see you later." She turned and went into her class.
Lucas kissed Haley back. "Okay, bye." He watched her go then turned and went to his own class.
Haley was waiting very impatiently in the tutoring center after school. She was pacing the floor waiting for Nathan to let her know how he did on his exam. Just as she turned, facing the door, Nathan walked in. "Well?" She asked eagerly.
Nathan smiled then pulled out his exam. "91!" He said.
Haley ran over and hugged him. "Oh Nathan, I'm so proud of you." She said, then stepped back quickly realizing what she was doing. "Yeah, so, I guess that means we have a date tonight."
"It's not a date…remember." Nathan reminder her. "Okay, so I'll pick you up at 7. Okay." He smiled then turned to leave.
"Okay." She smiled to herself. "Wait, where are we going?"
Nathan turned around. "That's a surprise." He said and left.
Haley stood there for a second smiling then, "Oh my god, I got to go and start getting ready." she said and quickly grabbed her things up and left.
She got home around 4:30, threw her things down on her bed then went into her bathroom. She took a nice hot shower. 30 minutes later, she got out and put a towel around her body and another one around her head. She walked over to her mirror, wiping off the steam and started to blow dry her hair.