A.N Figured it was time to give you guys some more. So here it is. I guess the only thing I can really say about this chapter is Poor Haley she's really having a tough time. Although if I'm going to be honest if this is her version of having a bad day then I would quite gladly swap places. How about the rest of you? Hope you all enjoy. Let me know what you think.

kaos2405 So I guess any concerns I had that you might not be enjoying the story were not exactly justified. That was one enthusiastic review and I thank you for it. Enjoy this chapter.

hesfadedme To be honest I don't think any of us would like to get on Nathan's bad side. Plus she has the added inconvenience of a fiance she loves very much. Things are definitely not all roses in Haley's world at the moment.

MeSpikeAndAngelinA3sum I apologise once again for how long it took me to update last time. Internet has definitely been giving me grief lately. As for Nathan's plan I couldn't resist making it a bit evil but something that he will enjoy carrying out. Whether or not he will be able to go through with it I guess remains to be seen.

unfolddream I'm happy that you liked that line. It just seemed like the sort of smart ass thing Nathan would say. Keep reading and reviewing I love finding out what you think of each new chapter.

jacqueline22393 Uh oh is right I think you can safely assume that Haley's life is about to include a whole lot more drama. Poor Haley if only she knew what I had in store for her.

Cap'n Keira Sparrow I honestly didn't think people would like that lastchapter let alone think that it was interesting. Thanx for the vote of confidence.

Chapter Eight.

By the time Haley's alarm went off the next morning she was already up and dressed. It had taken her forever to fall asleep the night before and then when it had finally happened she had found herself awake again less than two hours later staring wide eyed at the ceiling praying for sleep to find her once again. But after an evening such as she had experienced the night before it had proved impossible to get her mind to slow down enough to allow sleep to be a genuine possibility. Now she was suffering the consequences of too much alcohol and too little sleep as her head pounded monotonously.

The shrill ringing of the telephone beside her didn't help and as she picked it up she wondered if Nathan would be on the other end ready to begin round two. Picking up the phone she decided to make it clear from the start that she had no interest in hearing anything he had to say. "Yes," she said hoping her abrupt greeting would convey exactly how much she did not want to be speaking to him right now.

"Haley, honey how are you?" Josh greeted her.

"Josh," she said in shock "um hi."

"I'm not waking you am I? I thought you'd be up getting ready for work by now."

"No of course you're not waking me," she assured him. "I'm glad you called."

"Well after you seemed so upset when we were speaking the other day I thought I'd better call and see if you're feeling any better. You know you never did explain to me what had you so upset."

"It was nothing really I was just feeling a bit bad about the way things have been between us." She couldn't tell him that seeing Nathan again had been the catalyst for all those tears. He didn't even know Nathan existed and as far as she was concerned it would be best if it remained that way.

"But you're ok now?" he asked sounding relieved.

She started to speak to tell him that she was fine but before she could he continued what he was saying.

"I was actually trying to call you last night. I tried several times but I didn't get an answer. Did you go out?"

Not wanting to lie to him but not sure she really wanted him to know everything she told him the truth well her version of it anyway. She decided that this was one of those occasions where it would be best to use the less is more theory. "Yeah I actually went out to dinner with a colleague. We used to go to school together and now we're both back there as teachers."

"Well that must make things easier for you having someone on staff who's your age and you already know them. So where did she take you for dinner?"

Looking back on it later Haley would wonder why she didn't just correct his assumption then and there but for some reason she was reluctant to tell him that her dinner companion for the night had not been a woman. Maybe it was knowing the inevitable questions that would follow that she really didn't want to have to answer. After all if Josh were to hear that it was a man who had taken her to dinner he would have wanted to know just what their relationship was in High School. Haley knew that she was not ready to talk about just how close she had been to Nathan in High School or the fact that at the time she had truly believed that she was in love and he was the man she was destined to spend the rest of her life with. No there was definitely no need for Josh to know that. Nathan was her past. Josh was her future.

"Just to a local Italian restaurant here in Tree Hill."

"Well that must have been nice for you. I'm glad you have someone to spend time with while you're in Tree Hill."

"So you were trying to call me last night. Was there anything important you wanted to talk about?" Haley tried to steer the conversation onto more comfortable ground and away from her little white lie.

He hesitated for a moment. "No nothing important. I just wanted to know how you were settling in."

"I'm fine." She assured him. "Of course I'd be better if I was back in Chicago with you."

He chuckled gently at her comment and Haley couldn't help but grimace at his reaction, she had not meant that as a joke.

"I really have to get going if I'm going to get to school on time but I miss you and I'll talk to you soon ok."

"Ok honey I miss you too. Bye." Josh said hanging up and smiling to himself as he wondered how she would react to the surprise he had in store for her.

Haley remained where she was staring at the phone for a few moments after he had hung up. What am I doing? She asked herself. Now I'm lying to Josh. I guess it was only a small white lie and its not like he's ever going to find out because there is no way I'll be spending any more time outside of school with Nathan.

Convinced that she was worrying about nothing as she was prone to do she put the phone down and grabbed her keys and purse before heading out the door to drive to the school.

Nathan sat impatiently in his car in the teacher's parking lot waiting for her to arrive. Although initially he had been very unhappy to learn that she was engaged to someone else now he couldn't help but marvel at how well this piece of information actually tied into his plan. Another five minutes went by before he saw her car turning into the lot and taking the empty space adjacent to where his car was parked. He watched her get out of the car and walk around to the passenger side bending to retrieve the books and papers she would need for the day. He paused for a few seconds to admire the rounded shape of her ass clearly visible beneath her fitted skirt before getting out of the car and moving to stand behind her.

"Need any help?" he enquired silkily.

Hearing his voice come so unexpectedly from behind her she stepped back in shock. He placed both of his hands on her hips supposedly in an effort to steady her but more because he knew it would unnerve her.

Haley gasped in shock as she felt Nathan's body pressed so closely against her. There was no need for her to look to see who it was that stood behind her. Even if he hadn't spoken in that familiar voice there is no way she would have failed to recognise the feel of his body against hers or the almost automatic response her blood pressure gave when he was close by. She felt his warm breath caress her neck as he leaned his head down to speak into her ear.

"Here why don't you let me take these?" He said removing his hands from his hips and moving them up to remove the cluster of papers in her hands effectively trapping her in the circle of his arms for that brief moment. Bringing the sheaf of papers back around to be held casually in one large hand he deliberately blew lightly on the nape of her neck and watched as she shivered in response. He smiled to himself. It appeared she was just as vulnerable to him as she had always been. Noticing how rigidly she was standing in front of him he reached out and ran a finger slowly down the column of her spine and was gratified to see a noticeable softening of her stance.

Leaning in again he spoke once more into her ear. "You can still feel this thing between us can't you Hales?"

Haley tried to inject some venom into her voice as she responded but her reply came out sounding breathless instead of forceful, as she had intended. "I don't know what you're talking about." She told him but not even she believed it as she said it.

"Oh I think you do," he told her allowing his hand to come to rest on her hip again as that torturous finger stroked lightly against the skin under the hem of her shirt.

She breathed in deeply somehow she had to try and force her traitorous body to move away from those magnificent sensations he was stirring within her body using nothing more than a finger. She could feel the hard muscles of his chest behind her and wanted nothing more than to turn around and drag him to the nearest empty room so she could refamiliarise herself with every inch of his body. Gathering every morsel of self control she had she forced herself to move sideways away from that hand of his and turned to face him. "Nathan you have got to stop this. I told you last night that I'm engaged. We cannot keep doing this."

"Oh of course," Nathan feigned forgetfulness. "You're engaged to um… now what was his name again."

She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.

"No don't tell me I'm sure I'll remember it. Was it Tom? No that wasn't it was it. Greg? It was Greg wasn't it."

Haley shot him a venomous look.

"Right I guess it wasn't Greg then. I know. It was Peter wasn't it?"

The look on her face became murderous as she continued to glare at him.

"Hmm well I guess that leaves only one more possibility. Yes I remember now. How could I possibly have forgotten? The name of your fiancé is…" He paused wanting to make sure this statement held maximum impact. "Nathan. Nathan Scott I do believe. Which would of course be me. Yes I seem to remember a certain pledge to each other along the lines of us getting married some day."

Haley cut into his little tirade. "Nathan stop…"

But he continued as if she hadn't spoken. "Yet it seems that you had no trouble forgetting all about that little promise doesn't it. Now as for what was just going on between us. Trust me as your fiancé I don't mind at all. In fact I say the more of it the better."

"Nathan stop it. You know perfectly well that I was talking about Josh."

"Ah yes of course the infamous Josh. The famous invisible fiancé." He looked thoughtful for a moment as he weighed up his next words determined to make sure that she understood his meaning very clearly. He didn't want her misinterpreting anything of what he was about to say. "Well Haley from what you've told me I'm not certain that he should really be called that. If I understand what you said last night correctly. You were engaged. But you're not now. So as far as I'm concerned that makes you fair game."

"Nathan you can't be serious" Haley protested. "I told you last night that we may be taking a break right now but Josh and I are still together."

"One small problem with that Hales," Nathan continued determined to have the last word in their conversation. "I don't see Josh here do you? So as I said before Hales that makes you fair game and I can promise you that things between us are just beginning and they are only going to get hotter. Hope that's not going to be a problem for you." he said although it was clear that he didn't mean it. Now if you'll excuse me I have a class to get to but I'm sure I'll see you later." He leaned in towards her apparently intending to kiss her on the cheek but at the last second he gripped her jaw in his hand and turned her face to his searing her lips with a hard kiss. "Try not to miss me too much." He called back arrogantly over his shoulder as he causally sauntered away.

Oh God Haley said to herself this cannot be happening. Reaching into her purse she pulled out her phone and a small white business card. Dialling the number printed in bold black ink she waited impatiently for someone to answer at the other end. Not giving the other person a chance to speak after their initial greeting. "Brooke, it's Haley. Any chance you're free for that lunch tomorrow. I really need to talk."

Brooke agreed and they made plans to meet at a café in town the next day.

Hanging up Haley heaved a sigh of relief. Well at least I seem to have got the worst out of the way. Surely the day can only get better from here.