Author's note: I just wanted to say thanks to everyone that's been sending in reviews. So…Here's Chapter 3
Secrets and Friends
Karen was standing at the counter of her café talking to Haley when Nathan walked in. Haley turned and smiled at him as he sat down, putting his head on the counter top. "Hey friend." Haley said as Nathan groaned. "Hard practice?" She asked as she poured him a soda.
Nathan looked up and took a drink. "Thanks. God, I thought Whitey was never gonna let us leave."
Haley looked sympathetically at Nathan as she leaned on the counter. "So, did you ever find out who that woman was?" Haley asked, trying to get his mind off of basketball.
"Hey sweetie." Karen said as she walked up to the two. "What woman?"
"No, I didn't…" Nathan said then turned to look at Karen. "Hi, Mom."
"It was really kind of creepy actually."
"Yeah, there was this blonde lady at school today, who Haley swears was watching us."
Karen turned and looked at her son. "Blonde lady? How old was she?" She asked starting to get worried.
"Well, I didn't really get the chance to ask her…but she looked about your age, I guess." Nathan said then watched his mom tense up a little. "Do you know her?"
"Umm, I don't know. Nate, do you think that you could close with Haley tonight? I have some things I need to do."
"Yeah, sure. Is everything okay, Mom?" Nathan asked as Karen grabbed her purse and started to walk out.
"I don't know…" She said honestly before leaving.
Nathan turned and looked at Haley, who shrugged. "So I guess it's just me and you tonight." Haley said with a grin.
That smile. Nathan nodded. "Yeah looks like." He smiled at her as he thought, What is this girl doing to me?
Start Flashback
Baby Lucas was asleep in his crib as Karen paces in the living room, waiting for her husband. As the front door opens, she turns and quickly sees Dan walking in with Nathan in his arms. Karen walks up to the two and takes Nathan into her own arms. "Oh Dan, he's so beautiful." She looks up at Dan. "She knows that I'm going to adopt him, right?"
"Yes. I told her that. And how Nathan was going to know you as his mother."
"Okay." She looks down at Baby Nathan. "Hey sweetie…I'm your mommy." She walks into the nursery and over to the red oak crib that was against the wall. "And this is your big brother, Lucas." She smiled down at her two sons before putting Nathan into a crib identical to Lucas'
Dan came up behind her, placing his arms around his wife's waist. Karen laid her head back against his chest. "Did she say anything about wanting to see him at all?" Karen asked, wondering how any woman could just give up her child like that, yet happy that she had Nathan.
"Only that she didn't ever want to." Dan kissed Karen on the side of her head before the two turned and walked out.
"Good."
End Flashback
Karen walked into Scott Motors and up to Dan. "I need to talk to you."
Dan nodded and took his wife into his office. "Karen, what's wrong?" He asked, concerned at the way she was acting.
Karen took a deep breath before looking at Dan. "Nathan told me that he and Haley saw a blonde woman about my age watching them today at school." Karen said in one breath with tears in her eyes at the thought of what could happen if Deb came into their lives now. Dan walked over and put his arms around her, but he was worried also. "It can't be her, Dan." She looked up into her husband's eyes. "She can't come back now…not after all this time."
Dan sighed as he watched Karen break down at the mere thought of Deb showing up in their lives…in Nathan's life. "You are his mother. You may not have given birth to him, but in every, every other sense of the word you are. He's a good boy…if it comes to the worst, he will understand that it was you…not her…that raised him, took care of him…it was you that loved him."
Nathan and Haley were standing at the counter laughing when Peyton walked in. The two immediately stopped and looked in her direction. "Peyton…what are you doing here?" Nathan asked.
"And of course, he forgets." Peyton said, apparently angry. "Nathan, we were supposed to go out tonight."
Nathan closed his eyes for a second. "Oh, Peyton, I forgot. I can't go. My mom asked me to help close tonight."
Peyton sighed. "She can close by herself Nathan." She said glancing at Haley.
Nathan shook his head. "I promised my mom and plus, she seemed pretty upset when she left."
Peyton crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Nathan, can we talk alone."
Nathan looked at Haley, who scoffed then pointed up. "Try the roof."
"Thanks, Hales." Nathan walked with Peyton upstairs.
As soon as the door shut, Peyton rounded on Nathan. "Hales? You two haven't even been friends…if that's what you want to call this thing…for a whole day. Nathan that girl isn't even in your league." She yelled.
For the second time that day, he got upset for someone saying 'that girl' about Haley. "Look Peyton, I'm sorry about tonight, but I promised my mom I would help out here. And that girl's name is Haley. She is my friend and that's something you and everyone else are gonna have to deal with. Accept it." He said in the same tone as Peyton.
Down in the café, Haley could here the couple yelling on the roof. She couldn't help but to smile as Nathan yelled at Peyton, defending her…and their new friendship.
"And what if I can't. What if I just don't want to, Nathan?" Peyton shot back.
"That, my dear, sounds like a personal problem." He turned to leave when Peyton stopped him.
"Fine. You keep your friendship, but Nathan, if you do, I'm gone…we're through."
Nathan turned and glared at Peyton. "Are you giving me an ultimatum? Your not seriously gonna ask me to choose between you and her?"
Haley stopped and turned to face the roof door. "Well, so much for me." She said aloud, certain he would choose his girlfriend of 2 years over a friendship that just happened. Haley turned when she heard the bell on the front door.
"Can I sit anywhere?" The woman asked.
Haley just stood there for a second then nodded. She watched as the blonde from earlier that day sat down at the counter.
"Yes, Nathan, I am."
Nathan stood there for a second then turned and looked at Peyton. "I think you should leave…"
Peyton looked at Nathan, shocked. "Your choosing her?" Her eyes wide. She never expected this. "You know what…fine, this…" She motioned between the two of them. "is over." She pulled the door open and walked down to the café.
Haley turned and looked at Peyton as she walked through to the door. "Good Luck." Peyton yelled before walking out.
Nathan walked up behind Haley. "Hey, looks like we have a customer." He said glancing at the woman sitting at the counter with the menu in front of her face.
He chose me. She thought to herself as she looked at Nathan incredibly. "Oh yeah." She pulled Nathan to the back, but before she said anything, she hugged him.
Nathan, taken aback by the sudden movement, just stood there, then hugged her back. "What was that for?" He asked as they broke apart.
Haley blushed but smiled. "You chose me."
"You heard all that?
"Haley nodded. "I wasn't eavesdropping or anything…you two were just kind of loud."
Nathan smiled. "It's okay. I told you earlier that everyone is going to have to deal with this friendship, and I meant it." He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.
Haley's smile grew, then she remembered why she had pulled him back there. "Oh, yeah. It's the blonde woman."
"What about her?" Nathan asked, confused.
"No." She turned his body, making Nathan face the woman sitting at the counter. "It's her." Nathan just stood there, looking.
"I just thought you should know." She walked back out and over to the woman. "Hi, what can I get you?"
The woman looked up and smiled. "A water, please." She said putting the menu back down. "And a blueberry muffin." She finished.
Nathan put the muffin on a plate as Haley poured the water. "Thanks." Haley said, taking the muffin from Nathan then taking it to the woman.
"So, we haven't seen you around here before…your not from Tree Hill, are you?" Haley asked as Nathan walked up beside her.
Deb looked up at the two teenagers and smiled. "No…I'm just visiting. I know a few people from here. My name is Deb." She said holding out her hand.
Both teenagers shook Deb's Hand. "Well, Welcome to Tree Hill." Nathan said before the two walked away. Deb smiled then pulled out some kind of notebook .
The two stood in the back, watching Deb. "Do you really think she was watching us?" Nathan asked as he turned away from her to look at Haley.
"I don't know. That's what it looked like though." She looked up at Nathan. "Whatever happens though…I got your back."
Nathan smiled as he wrapped an arm around Haley, pulling her close to him. "Thanks."
A little while later, Haley walked up to Deb. "Can I get you anything else?"
Deb shut her notebook. "No thanks, how much do I owe you?"
"$1:50." She said as Nathan walked up to take the empty plate.
"Aw, young love…I remember that." Deb handed Haley a ten. "Keep the change."
Haley and Nathan looked at each other then laughed. "Actually, we're just friends." Haley said then took the ten. "Thanks."
"Maybe for now." Deb said then grabbed her things and turned to leave. "Maybe I'll see you two around."
Haley walked behind Deb and after she left, she flipped the sign to show they were closed and locked the door. She turned and looked at Nathan. "Wow."
Nathan laughed. "Alright, Hales. What do you say we get this place closed up?" Haley nodded.
As Nathan and Haley walked out of the café, Haley locked the door and turned to see Nathan looking at her. "Come on, I'll walk you home."
"Nathan, you don't have to."
"It's okay, I want to." Nathan held out his arm playfully to her.
"Well, if you insist." Haley smiled, taking his arm. As they got to Haley's house, she turned and looked at Nathan. "Well, this is me."
"Alright, well," He stood there for a second then continued. "What do you say to walking to school together tomorrow?"
"Umm, I'd say, your on." She laughed as she started to turn but looked back at Nathan. "Hey, I'm sorry about you and Peyton."
"It's not your fault. No regrets." He said and she laughed.
"Okay, I'll see you in the morning. Thanks for walking me home." She turned and walked up to her front door, turning and waving before going inside.
"Good night, Haley." He smiled to himself before turning and walking home.
Author's Note: Okay guys, I have a few questions. What do you think will happen when Nathan finds out about Deb? What do you want to happen. Let me know what you think. If you have any question, feel free to ask and I'll try my best to answer them.