Sorry this took so long to upload I really did want to get this up before I went on my holidays but things became a little more hectic than I planned and so that didn't happen. So apologies anyway here in the next installment. After the next chapter things will start picking up pace and the time line with jump a little.
I just want to thank everyone for all the support for this story. I hope you all enjoy this next chapter.
Three Hearts One Love
It's Official...
Haley's tired eyes scanned over the page. It was the fourth time she had read over the equations but Haley needed to make sure that she got it. Geometry was her first exam next week and although academically she excelled in her classes Geometry was her week spot and she just had this horrible feeling that she was going to flunk it. That fear had been keeping her tossing and turning all week. She was tired and she was fed up and completely freaking out. It also didn't help that no matter what her Dad had told her about not worrying about the money for her college fees, Haley had been doing nothing else and had been picking up extra shifts at the Theatre and even her Dads place. Which is why she was thankful that it was quiet tonight. It gave her a chance to rest her aching feet and to get in that little bit of extra study.
Just as she reached the last sentence of the page she heard a familiar voice which sent an easy smile onto her pink pouty lips. It faltered a little when she saw the brunette tucked against his side. She was pretty, and was dressed in a pair of light colored jeans and a white button down shirt that showed off her ample cleavage. What is it with boys and boobs. Haley thought bitterly to herself.
"Hey Jax." Haley smiled to the girl. "Hi." the girl responded with a small smile.
"Hey Hales, you okay?"
"Yes thank you. Busy." She said with a laugh, although nothing was funny about how busy she actually was.
"Thought you'd be locked away studying for next week. I suppose though with your brains you ain't got much to worry about do you Darlin'?"
"Hardly." Haley grabbed her Geometry book off of the counter behind her. Showing the large text book to Jax. "I'm kind of freaking out right now. Cramming as much as I can."
"Nah.,, you got no need to sweat it darlin'. You'll breeze through them and before you know it you'll be off in LA forgetting about us dumb folk back in Charming." Jax teased as he feigned hurt by resting his hand over his heart.
However Haley didn't find any humor in it. In fact it just made her relive the conversation she and Sam had.
"Were official Hales. Boyfriend, girlfriend and all that." Sam said in a blasé tone as he shoveled a handful on fries into his mouth, his gaze drifting out off the window. "So gonna be spending more time with her."
"Oh..." Haley's voice barely above a whisper as she sat there in shock.
"Yeah. But you understand right Hales? She's my girl, gotta keep her happy. So the tutoring will probably have stop to." Haley felt the burn in the back of her eyes. "Plus I'm sure you have a lot on your plate with the big move after graduation." And there was the bitterness. It was like a slap to her face.
"I..."
"I've gotta shoot. Picking CC up. On a promise." Haley watched as Sam took the last mouthful of his coke. His eyes now finally meeting hers if only for the briefest of moments. He pulled a few bills from back pocket, throwing them down the middle of the table as he stood to his feet. He cleared his throat before leaning down, dropping a kiss onto the top of Haley's soft blonde locks. "I'll see you round Hales." Sam spoke as he pulled away.
Haley had been caught completely off guard. When Sam had called her she thought that maybe he had wanted to discuss what had happened between them or rather what could of happened if Gemma had not of interrupted them.
Haley had been nervous about telling Sam that she was going to attend UCLA. But his reaction had surprised her. And when she was tucked against him she felt like everything was going to be okay. And then he looked at her, kissed her delicately on the bridge on her nose as he whispered words of encouragement to her. She thought, hoped even, that with the closeness that something might actually transpire between the two of them.
That wasn't the case. He clearly didn't want her on that level and even if his Mother hadn't have walked in nothing would have happened. Sam had the girl he wanted and that was all that mattered. Haley was leaving and clearly Sam didn't need her anymore. It had now been three weeks since that dreadful conversation. Three weeks since they had spoken.
"Hey..." Haley shook her head, shaking away the memories when she felt Jax reach across the counter placing his larger calloused hand over hers. "You okay?" Haley unable to speak at the moment just nodded her head.
"Jax were going to miss the start of the film." Having momentarily forgotten about the little brunette Jax turned to look at her when the sound of her voice tore his attention away from Haley.
"Yeah uh..." Jax turned back to Haley. "Can we get a large popcorn..." He asked giving her a tight lipped smile. Haley nodded walking over to the popcorn machine getting Jax and his date their order.
As Haley placed the popcorn in front of Jax she automatically grabbed a couple of packets of red vines, knowing they were Jax's favorite. He gave her a wink before collecting the items and handing them to his date.
"Why don't you go and grab us a seat. I'll be there in a minute babe." The girl smiled as she lent onto her tip toes and pressed her lips against Jax's.
"I'll get us the back seat." The girl said with a wiggle of her perfectly plucked eyebrows. Her intentions clear to not only Jax but Haley. The younger girl couldn't help but roll her eyes before diverting those hazel orbs to her feet as the brunette kissed Jax again.
"Sorry bout that." Jax apologised as he licked his lips.
"That's okay." Haley said with a shrug. "She seems nice." And by that Haley meant that she wasn't one of the club girls Sam had once told her about.
"She's al'right." Jax didn't really care to talk about Sarah, fact was he just couldn't face a night in the clubhouse. One thing he actually missed about Tara was the alone time they shared and not just between the sheets. He liked the normalcy of dating which is why he had chatted up Sarah. She had been the year below him at Charming High. She had always had a crush on him, so why not take advantage of that when he wanted to. There was nothing serious between him and Sarah.
"You sure your okay. Haven't seen you round lately." Haley shrugged.
"Like I said I've been pretty busy lately. UCLA isn't cheap Jax." Haley answered simply as she started restocking the shelves.
Jax could see that Haley was trying to busy herself so that she didn't have to look at him. He knew her, which meant that although there was some truth to what she had just said he knew that it wasn't the full truth.
For the past three weeks Jax had watched his brother mope around the house. Anyone barely getting more than a grunt out of him. And now seeing Haley it confirmed his worse fears that his little brothers unhappiness was because of Haley...or rather because of him.
Jax walked out into the garage to find Sam working on their late fathers old bike. It had been the bike to kill their father, but at the same time it had been JT's pride and joy which is why the two of them made a promised to themselves and their farthers memory that they would restore it. It hadn't been an easy task and it was taking a lot of man hours but neither Teller minded putting the time in so it was no surprise to Jax to see his brother working on the bike.
Walking over to Sam who was laying flat on the floor, his head under the bike Jax kicked his leg to get his attention.
"What?" Sam snapped as he slid from beneath the bike. Jax raised the beer in his hand. Sam rolled his eyes as he grabbed the old rag wiping his hands as he sat up. "You giving me beer, something tells me I ain't gonna like what comes next."
"Always thinking negative Sammy." Jax remarked with a smirk while handing his brother a beer and taking a seat on the work bench.
"Am I wrong?"
"Depends."
"Great." Sam mumbled to himself as he accepted the beer and taking a long pull. He lent on the trunk of his Mothers Caddy. "So come on, out with it big brother."
"You and Haley..."
"There's nothin' between me and Hales." Sam snapped angrily cutting Jax off.
"Ma said..."
"Ma doesn't know shit."
Jax pulled out a smoke lighting it quickly as he inhaled the nicotine, watching the anger build inside of his brother. It reminded him of himself when Gemma would try to talk to him on various occasions regarding his relationship with Tara. It had always infuriated him because all she ever wanted to do was meddle. Gemma hated Tara and even though her son loved the young brunette Gemma would do anything to break them up. That wasn't what Jax was trying to do here.
"She seems to think she saw something..." Sam went to cut Jax off again but Jax raised his hand stopping his brother. "Look I ain't gonna sit here and lecture you on that shit I just want to know..."
"Know what Jax. If I like Hales?..."
"Yeah."
Sam sighed picking the label of his beer. That had been a question he had been asking himself ever since the day Gemma had caught them on his bed. He had never felt anything like that before, had never thought of Haley as anything other than his best friend and truth was in that moment he wanted to kiss her.
He ran his hand through his his shaggy blonde hair as he got to his feet draining what was left of his beer. His back now facing his brother.
All these emotions were new to him and he didn't know what to do. And if he was honest it was freaking him out.
Jax stubbed out his unspent cigarette under his sneaker as he got to his feet walking over to his brother. They stood side by side both of them staring down the street out of the garage.
"Haley is a good kid, has her whole life ahead of her. Fucking Ivy League College." Sam nodded he knew all of this and that was what was so hard. "You've gotta be a 110% clear on this Sammy. Anything less ain't good enough. You understand what I'm saying here Sam?"
"Loud and clear."
Jax figured that Sam had for once finally listened to him. Only he had taken his words completely out of context. He was pushing Haley away. And it was because of him and now Jax felt guilty.
"Look Hales, I know that you and Sam are going through somethin'." He watched as the younger girl stilled in what she was doing. "Sammy cares for you Hales...he's just...he's just going through some stuff."
Haley suddenly slammed the box onto the counter as she spun round to face Jax, her actions shocking him. "We all have stuff Jax, it does not mean that he..." Haley took a deep breath stopping herself before she went any further. Jax was Sam's brother it wasn't her place to discuss what was happening between her and Sam, even if he was the closest thing she had to a friend right now.
"Hales." Haley took a step back as he moved towards her. She turned her head to the side and noticed that a couple more people coming in.
"I'm sorry. I've got to get back to work."
"Haley."
"Bye Jax."
