I wanted to give a huge thanks Michelle for being my Beta for this story!

Wake-up

Chapter 4

Don't cause a scene

Mind your manners

Speak only if spoken to

You know what you are not to do

Watch and learn

Haley James was used to the façade of being Miss Perfect, but this show of being in love with Nathan Scott was becoming a greater burden than she had planned.

Haley's hair had been styled in a beautiful and elegant up-do and her make-up had been painted on perfectly. She was the image of perfection. She stared at her dress, which was hung up on the hook on the wall, not being able to put it on. She didn't want this wedding, she never had. It was as if putting the dress on was putting the last nail in the coffin. She would become like one of those girls she had always promised herself she wouldn't become. One of those girls who let her parents dictate her entire future. One of those girls whose parents arrange a marriage for their own selfish reasons. One of those girls who doesn't follow her heart and dreams, who doesn't get her happily ever after. The thought chilled her to the core. This was her end.

Her fingers skimmed the red satin fabric running across the top off the dress before taking it off the hanger and slipping it on. It fit her body like a glove. The strapless gown elegantly revealed her neck, which was encircled with the diamond necklace her parents had given to her last night at the rehearsal dinner along with a pair of matching diamond earrings. Just as she reached for her shoes there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

"Oh Hales, you look so beautiful. So you may be marring the Spawn of Satan, but at least you look damn hot doing it."

"Thanks Brooke. You look great too." Brooke had on a strapless gown similar to Haley's, but it was completely red. "It really means a lot to me how great you've been these last few months."

"Of course I would be there for you, and if you want to show your thanks you could hook me up with your soon to be cousin-in-law. It totally sucks that your parents have basically forced you two to do this, but at least we'll still go to school together. Sucks that we won't be able to get that apartment together either, but you can come visit mine anytime you want, unless of course I'm with some totally hot guy."

As the quartet began to play the wedding march Jimmy began walking Haley down the aisle. Nathan watched and was taken away with Haley's beauty as she came towards him.

"Love is patient, Love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,

It keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves."

A single tear slid down Haley's cheek as the ceremony started. For as long as Haley could remember she had dreamed of having a simple ceremony on the beach with only her closest family and friends. She would be in a simple white dress and he would be in a tux—just simple and filled with love. But this, this was just the opposite. This was an arranged marriage, even if their parents acted as though they had a choice in it. The ceremony was being held next to the large pond at The Gardens. The sunlight sparkled off the lake, illuminating the roses that were growing up the gazebo Nathan and Haley stood under.

"Do you, Nathan Lee Scott, take Haley Rebecca James, to be your lawfully wedded wife…?" The crowd watched on at the exchange of vows, all admiring what they thought was young love, each hoping to one day be so lucky.

"I do."

"And do you, Haley Rebecca James, take Nathan Lee Scott as your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

As much as Haley wanted to scream at the top of her lungs "I don't!" she simply smiled and softly said, "I do." One more tear slid down Haley's cheek, but before she could fall too deeply into her thoughts she felt Nathan slide the ring onto her finger.

"With this ring I thee wed. Haley, please wear it as a sign of the depth of our love."

Haley grabbed Nathan's hand, and with a shaky hand, she slid his ring on.

"With this ring I thee wed. Nathan, please wear it as a sign of our lifelong commitment." Haley felt as if she could feel the bile rise up in her throat at the exchange of lies.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Nathan and Haley turned to one another before Nathan reached up and cupped Haley's cheek, guiding their lips together. There was no awkwardness, no clumsiness, and no inelegance, despite the fact that this was the first kiss the couple would share. It was a graceful dance of the lips. They separated and shared a look filled with wonder.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Scott." Haley linked her arm through Nathan's and the newlywed couple walked down the aisle.

"Every time our eyes meet

This feeling inside me

Is almost more than I can take.

Baby when you touch me

I can feel how much you love me

And it just blows me away.

I've never been this close to anyone or anything

I can hear your thoughts

I can see your dreams."

Haley and Nathan glided along the dance floor beneath the thin tents surrounding the reception as the crowd watched from their tables. Everyone's focus was on the dance floor, watching the young couple share their first dance as a married couple.

"I don't know how you do what you do

I'm so in love with you

It just keeps getting better.

I wanna spend the rest of my life

With you by my side

Forever and ever.

Every little thing that you do

Baby I'm amazed by you."

Their sweeping turns and dips were performed with ease thanks to the previous dance rehearsals that were set up by the wedding planner. They were executing the dance with the same perfection that was seen throughout the rest of the ceremony and reception.

"The smell of your skin

The taste of your kiss

The way you whisper in the dark.

Your hair all around me

Baby you surround me

You touch every place in my heart.

Oh it feels like the first time every time

I wanna spend the night in your eyes."

Haley looked over Nathan's shoulder and saw her Grandpa Whitey, who had a huge smile on his face. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen him this happy, at least not since his wife passed away. Haley had always had a connection with him, telling him about the newest book she read while he told her about stories from when he fought in World War II. She was always amazed that someone that special could be partially responsible for the creature she called a mother.

"I don't know how you do what you do

I'm so in love with you

It just keeps getting better.

I wanna spend the rest of my life

With you by my side

Forever and ever.

Every little thing that you do

Baby I'm amazed by you."

Whitey caught her gaze and winked at her, causing Haley's smile to become genuine for a moment. Whitey was unaware of the circumstances behind the marriage. He honestly believed that they were in young, and the fact that he couldn't tell she wasn't created another crack in her heart.

"Every little thing that you do

I'm so in love with you

It just keeps getting better

I wanna spend the rest of my life

With you by my side

Forever and ever

Every little thing that you do

Oh, every little thing that you do

Baby I'm amazed by you."

The crowd applauded the newlyweds as the next song began playing and the guests were invited to join the Bride and Groom on the dance floor.

The reception continued as day turned into night and the stars became visibly through the thin fabric of the tents. The elegantly decorated cake was cut and Nathan and Haley carefully fed one another a small piece. The bouquet was tossed soon followed by the garter before the magnificent dinner was served to the numerous guests. Sporadically throughout the meal the guests would tap their knives on their champagne flutes and Nathan and Haley would share a brief kiss, resulting in awe throughout the crowd. Nathan and Haley shared their last dance before they left in the black stretch limo, complete with "Just Married" written in white on the back window.

Thank you so much for reading, and as always I would love to know what you thought about it!
Credit for their wedding song goes to Lonestar with "Amazed". I love that song and wanted to cry when they played in concert a year ago. So good!