A Sisters' Quarrel & Choosing Between Them (Chapter 7)
Five months later…
Taylor James sat down in her family's living room with Brooke. Brooke looked at her sympathetically. "So, are you excited about coming home from spring break?" she asked. Taylor nodded and smiled.
"How are you holding up?" Brooke asked.
"I'm fine now, Brooke. Honestly, Joe and I were over a long time ago. I'm just sorry it took me so long to realize what I really wanted," Taylor said.
"And what might that be?" Lucas asked.
"Nathan," Taylor admitted. Lucas and Brooke both looked at her in surprise. "Don't give me those looks," Taylor said.
"Tay, I don't think it's such a good idea to go running back to Nathan," Brooke said.
"Why not? Nathan and I were good together and he really loved me," Taylor said.
"Well, because you and he are different people now. And I honestly think you're being premature. You just miss the stability that you had with Nathan, that's all. You weren't in love with him like you were in love with Joe," Brooke said.
"And I have it on pretty good authority that Nathan has already moved on," Lucas said. Brooke and Taylor both looked at him in surprise.
"What makes you say that?" Taylor asked.
"Well, because he has. He has a new girlfriend," Lucas said. Brooke smirked in surprise. She didn't think Nathan would ever be able to move on after dating Taylor. It was almost insulting in her opinion. There was no one who was better than her sister and whatever he shared with this new girlfriend of his was nothing compared to what he had with her.
"How new?" Taylor asked.
"They've been dating for about six months," Lucas said.
"Well, once he sees me again and I tell him how I feel, he'll ditch her in six seconds," Taylor said. Lucas sighed. Overconfidence had always been a major character flaw in Taylor. It was what turned her into such a bitch and made all the other less popular girls in high school hate her. He shook his head.
"Please don't cause trouble for him," Lucas said.
"Why?" Taylor asked.
"You broke up with Nathan a long time ago because you and he were better off with other people. Now, I'm not saying that you didn't love each other because I know that you did, but you made your choice. It's not fair for you to put him in this kind of position and I'm afraid that you're just going to end up getting hurt. He's really happy with his new girlfriend. In fact, he's crazy about her. I honestly do not see him leaving her for you," Lucas said.
Nathan followed Haley as she led him up the front lawn of her house and fiddled with her keys. She was stopped at the door, sorting through them. He decided to use this to his advantage. He leaned down and wrapped his arms around her waist and trailed kisses down her neck. She leaned into him laughed. "You know, it's very hard to find the key with you doing that," she told him.
"Then, we'll just stay right here," he murmured.
"Out in the open?" she asked.
He tightened his arms around her and smiled. "Give your neighbours a show," he said.
"Hmm," she said and started laughing. She turned around to face him and put her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her.
"So let's make it a show they'll never forget," she said, smiling at him playfully. He bent his head down and kissed her deeply and passionately. Then, Haley pulled away. "Aha! I found it," she said putting the key into the lock and opening the door.
They walked in and Haley picked up her bag of laundry and guitar. Nathan grabbed her book bag and smirked. "Holy! This thing weighs a ton. It feels like there are ten basketballs in here," he said. Haley smirked.
"No. Just a lot work," she replied, taking it from him as they walked into her room.
"For what? It's spring break. You're telling me your teachers gave you music to learn," he said.
"Well, yeah, but most of it's for that concert thing me and Peyton are organizing," she said. Nathan nodded.
Tree Hill University's Music Department and Athletic Department were both trying to find ways to help out people oppressed by a fire that had broken out in the middle of town and decimated two apartment buildings. Haley and Peyton had joined forces and had come up with the idea for hosting a basketball game and concert at Tree Hill University's gymnasium where the students from the music program would volunteer to perform at. Peyton was a manager at TRIC and knew a lot about the business angle while Haley had an amazing background in music and knew a lot about stage and sound equipment.
"I'm so proud of you for doing that. It was a smart move to make all the proceedings go directly to those people," Nathan said. Haley smiled.
"Well, honestly, it wouldn't be happening if it weren't for Peyton. And about the money going to them, I made it clear to the administration that I wouldn't help if it didn't. I knew that a certain coach would probably demand that the money go to his department," Haley said, laughing.
"Yeah, that's something my dad would definitely do. He thinks that the athletic department is the major source of revenue for the school and honestly, he could care less about those people," Nathan said.
About an hour later, Nathan and Haley were in her kitchen looking for something to eat. "Popcorn," Haley said, taking out two bags of microwavable popcorn. Nathan smiled. "What?" she asked, putting one into the microwave.
"Nothing," he said, chuckling. Haley shook her head in confusion and then turned to the fridge. Nathan continued to watch her, amazed at how much things had changed. Not even a year ago, he was in this same kitchen, looking for some special bottled water that her parents had bought specially for Taylor and Brooke. With Taylor, things were tough and petty. She had always expected him to do everything she wanted when she wanted him to and there was not even a point in arguing because she would throw a fit if he did.
At first he thought that he and Taylor made the perfect match. They were the same in so many ways. They were both wild. They were the classic couple: one of the co-captains of the basketball team and one of the co-captains of the cheerleading squad. They enjoyed the same stuff: drinking, going to parties, hanging out with their friends, being popular. These were the reasons he stayed with her. She was gorgeous with the typical blonde hair and shimmering sky-blue eyes.
But towards the end, he had started to realize why he and Taylor would never last. Taylor had this unrealistic notion that every one around her was there for her convenience and they were all supposed to do whatever she wanted for them to do. And he thought that she was the kind of girl that he wanted. But he was wrong.
Haley was sweet. She had shining dark brown hair and soulful big brown eyes. Well, she was the kindest person he'd ever met; she was not your regular "girl next door" type. She was the one that had surprised him. Haley had her own set of rules and morals that she lived by and she didn't expect anything less from herself. She treated others kindly and if she had judged a person, she never showed it. Haley basically wore her heart on her sleeve.
She was talented (in music and school), but modest. Haley was very pretty, but not the type that you noticed right away because she didn't try to exploit it. In fact, she seemed to be oblivious as to how good looking she actually was and Nathan found that refreshing. Too many beautiful girls these days seemed to be too flashy and out there because they knew how gorgeous they were.
She was so good for him; sometimes he took advantage of it. And like he expected, she made him pay for it. She challenged him every step of the way and kept him on his toes. Sometimes he didn't know what to expect or how she'd react. She had surprised him this morning when she continued to kiss him outside on the porch in plain view. Usually she would get self-conscious or embarrassed because she was private.
Taylor felt like someone had punched her in the gut as she walked into the kitchen only to find Haley and Nathan kissing. Shock paralyzed her. Never in a million years did she ever think that Haley would be good enough for a guy like Nathan, or that Nathan would settle for a girl like Haley. So her little sister was Nathan's new girlfriend; the one that Lucas had said he was crazy about. "Ahem," Taylor said. They broke apart and both their faces reddened as they saw that the intruder was her.
"Hi, Tay," Haley said as she gave the popcorn to Nathan. She smiled her typical sweet smile and Taylor felt like slamming her face in just to wipe it off. A feeling of betrayal swept over her and she was seething now.
"Can I talk to you for a minute, Haley?" Taylor asked, keeping the anger out of her voice. Haley nodded. Nathan kissed her on the cheek and whispered something into her ear that Haley nodded to and then left the room.
"It seems to me that 'nothing' has turned into something," she said, remembering their conversation before Haley had left for college when she had insisted that nothing was going on between her and Nathan. Confusion crept onto Haley's features as she looked at Taylor.
"Do I even get a hint as to what you're so pissed about?" Haley asked, smirking.
"Nathan," Taylor said instantly.
"What about him?" Haley asked.
"You're dating him," Taylor said.
"Am I? I completely forgot. Thanks for the reminder," Haley said and started laughing. Then she saw Taylor's expression and it finally dawned on her.
Taylor gave her a speech about how she and Nathan were supposed to be together and that she wanted him back. "If that's true, then you shouldn't have dumped him," Haley said.
"I was confused and feeling pressured then, Haley. Nathan and I were together for a long time. We had the kind of thing that few people find in their lives and I'll be damned if I let another girl take that from me," Taylor said.
"And just exactly what do you think you can do?" Haley asked.
"Once I tell Nathan how I feel, he'll come back to me," Taylor said.
"He might," Haley said, "he might not."
"Haley, you broke the rules," Taylor said. Haley looked at her in confusion. "You're never supposed go after one of your sister's ex-boyfriends," she explained.
"Oh, so now I'm your sister?" Haley asked.
"What are you talking about?" Taylor asked.
"Sometimes it's as if you don't notice that we're related. Most days you won't give me the time of day. You only pull the sister card when it's convenient for you," Haley said. Taylor looked at her for a minute and then shook her head, dismissing the idea.
"And as for Nathan, you made your choice when you broke up with him and moved on with Joe," Haley said.
"He was my boyfriend first," Taylor argued. She sounded like a two year old.
"Yeah, well, now he's dating me. And just for the record, I didn't go after Nathan. And if you think I'm going to fight you for him, you're wrong," Haley said.
"Why wouldn't you fight for what you want?" Taylor asked.
"Because if you're the one he really wants, then you can have him. I won't be what anyone settles for. I don't consider this a contest like you do. I just want him to be happy and if you make him happy, then so be it," Haley said. Taylor had to give her little sister her props.
"Well, that's good," Taylor said, leaving to find Nathan.
Taylor walked to her sister's room and frowned when she saw Nathan lying on Haley's bed, looking at a picture of her performing at some concert. She knocked on the door and then entered instantly. He looked up and she registered surprise in his eyes. "Hi, Taylor," he said. His tone was not familiar to her. She had heard him use it before; there was usually more confidence in it. Now it just seemed kind.
"What're you two going to watch?" she asked, gesturing to the movie.
"Mission Impossible," he replied. Taylor made a disgusted face and Nathan smiled.
"I knew you'd hate it," he said, chuckling.
Taylor wasn't nervous at all so she blurted out, "I want you back." Nathan sat up and looked at her in confusion. Then, she started to explain about what she was feeling about him. She told him that she and Joe were over. Nathan was so shocked that he didn't stop her when she came over and sat down beside him. Then she reached her arm over and ran her hand down his shoulder. Her touch was familiar but felt alien at the same time.
"I knew you felt the same way," she said and leaned into kiss him, but he moved away from her and got up off the bed.
"No," he said, shaking his head insistently.
Taylor was so shocked at his rejection that she laughed at him. "Nathan, stop kidding around," she said, getting up and coming closer.
"Taylor, I'm serious. I don't have feelings for you anymore," he said. Taylor narrowed her eyes.
"Yeah, I don't believe you. Look, I know you don't want to hurt Haley, but you shouldn't deny how you feel," she said. Nathan shook his head.
"You're right; I don't want to hurt her, but I'm not lying either. I love Haley, Taylor. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is," he said.
"Pinch me," she said. He looked at her bewildered.
"What?" he asked.
"I feel like I must be dreaming. You're actually choosing Saint Haley over me?" she asked choking over the words because she could hardly wrap her head around the concept.
"If you have to look at it that way, then, yes," he said, shrugging his shoulders.
Haley walked into her room a few minutes after Taylor left. Nathan was still standing in a state of shock. "Hey," she said, smiling. He didn't even blink an eye. She called his name again. Then, she walked up right up to him and waved her hand in front of his face as she said his name again. "Nathan?" He snapped to life and looked at her and looked like he was going to jump out of his skin.
"Where'd you come from?" he asked.
"Tree Hill," she replied. He laughed at her joke.
"You know what I mean," he said.
"The kitchen," she replied, "is something wrong?"
Nathan looked at her carefully. "Taylor just admitted that she wanted me back," he announced. Haley didn't look fazed at all. She actually nodded.
"Wait. You knew?" he asked. Haley nodded.
"She told me in the kitchen and then berated me for dating you," she replied.
"So you knew that she was going to come in here and try to get me back," he concluded. Haley nodded.
"And you didn't do anything to stop her?" he asked. Haley shrugged.
"I didn't have anything to worry about," she said. He looked at her in amusement. Her tone wasn't at all confident, it was matter of fact.
"What makes you so sure?" he asked.
Haley smiled and came closer. "I know that you love me, Nathan. Besides, if you really wanted Taylor, you never would've started dating me to begin with let alone try to get me back," she said. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her.