1Thank all of you patient, supportive, loyal readers and reviewers. First off, you guys are totally awesome. Thank you! Second of all, here's a new chappy! And third of all, I PROMISE that within the next couple of chapters, you'll getcha some Nate/Hales. If ya'll could PLEASE just put up with some Ryan/Haley for now. ;). Thanks again.

Chapter 11

"Chemical Party"

I stood in front of the mirror. A cute little black mini skirt, white halter top, and dark grey and pink New Balances. Not working. I sighed and went back to my closet for what seemed like the 100th time. I got out an olive green free-flowing mini, it was short enough that if I bent down you could most likely see my strawberry shortcake underwear, a strawberry red-ish tee that said 'If I throw a stick, will you leave?' and my matching olive green and red-ish New Balance tennis shoes. I looked in the mirror, sighing. This was fine. Cute but not drop dead gorgeous. Not yet. I would save that outfit for later.

I straightened my hair, flipping the ends slightly, and put on a little bit my make-up. I was ready. I looked at the clock. 5:45. I was ready on time... for once in my life I was on time. I had no clue what to do. So I just stood there, critiquing myself.

"Haley! Hey, Haley, are you ready? We're about to go!" I heard Ryan calling from outside my door.

"Uh..." I looked in the mirror again, rubbing my lips together. I loved my M.A.C. lip gloss. It was my all-time favorite lip gloss. I don't know what I would do without it. "Yeah, just a sec." I adjusted my short skirt and ran a hand through my hair. I smiled and grabbed my cell phone. The only thing I needed. In case Dexter called me or something.

There was another knock on my door. "Haley?"

"Yeah, I'm coming." I started towards the door and opened it. Ryan didn't look bad himself: Khakis, a black short-sleeve shirt, and gray New Balances. I smiled, he looked very athletic. And sexy. "Hey you."

"Hey... you," he smiled, looking me over. When he got up to my shirt and laughed. "I like your shirt."

I laughed, nodding. "Thanks. You don't look so bad, Ryan Wright."

"You don't look too bad either, Haley James."

"I like your name," I confessed. Ryan Wright. I loved the way it fell off your tongue.

He laughed at my sudden statement. "I like your name, too."

I laughed, rolling my eyes. "Let's go," I slid my arm through his as we started down the stairs. David was waiting downstairs, glancing at his watch; briefcase tucked under his arm. He adjusted his tie and then shot a glance back at his watch. He saw us walking down and looked up, stepping back a little, thrown off-guard.

"Hey you two beautiful people," he laughed, but it didn't seem like he was joking at all. "You both look very nice."

"Thanks," Ryan said.

"Yeah, thanks," I laughed.

"Well, I'm really sorry that I have to ruin your evening, but I have to go to the office in Oakland. It seems as if we've had an employee embezzling money from us," he rolled his eyes, groaning. "I am very sorry, but since you two are both dressed up, you should go," he smiled reassuringly. "Don't let me put a damper on the evening. Anyways, again, I'm sorry. I've got to run," he grabbed his briefcase, coming forward and giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"We'll do it some other time, then?" Ryan asked, looking at David.

He nodded, "of course, of course."

"Bye David, I really hope you get it resolved," I smiled. He nodded and turned around, walking out the door. I smiled and looked over at Ryan. "What do you want to do?"

"A friend of mine is having a party. It's about an hour and a half away, but we have time to stop by, so, you want to? I mean, if not, then that's fine. We can go and–"

"That sounds awesome," I cut him off. "Let's go."

He smiled gratefully, grabbing my hand. It sent a pleasing chill up my back. "Well let's go," he repeated smiling.

"Hey man, what's goin' on?" Ryan went up to a tall, blonde guy. He was hot, too. Damn, where were these guys bred at? Even standing outside the door there were hot guys. Blondes, brunettes, lime greens... they were all freaking HOT. Then when we went in there, there were hotties dancing, hotties smoking pot, hotties drinking, hotties practically getting it on with other girl hotties. It was a freaking hotties party.

"Ryan. You decided to come. That's awesome, man. That's awesome. Drinks are in the kitchen, I'm sure you remember where that is. You know what, forget it. I'll show you," he laughed, setting down his own drink and pushing the blonde he had been making out with, away.

"Yeah, how you been doin', Will?"

"Been ok. And you?" he asked, his gaze shifting towards me. "And who is this?" he asked, a smile on his face.

"Haley James," he introduced me, a smile on his face.

"Hi," I smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. I felt so... high-school-ish.

"Hel-lo," he said, his words slightly slurred and drawn out. "It is very nice meeting you, pretty girl. Damn Ry, your doing good over at Duke if you can snag hotties like this."

I laughed and tucked another strand of hair behind my ear on the left side this time, feeling slightly light headed. Probably from the all the fumes from the pot and cigarettes. "Well, the way we met was kind of crazy, but, what can I say? Ryan is a crazy guy. My sorority was having a wet t-shirt contest and..." I giggled wildly at Ryan. "You remember that, Ry?"

He smiled curiously–but it kind of looked gratefully, like he was glad I hadn't told Will I was still in high school–at me, nodding. "Uh, yeah Hales. I remember. How could I forget?"

"Damn," Will shook his head. "Sorority girls? You always were quite the pimp, even in high school," he laughed and pushed open a door, revealing a wet bar.

"Ryan practically dated half the girls in our sorority, but he is just such a sweety," I gently wrapped an arm around his waist.

"So, sorority girl, what would you like?" Will looked at me.

I bit my lip and looked at the bartender. "What's the hardest you got? Tonight is my crazy night," I asked the bartender. He smiled and looked at me.

"A pretty girl like yourself doesn't need anything too hard, there's a bunch of guys around here that take advantage of beautiful, wasted girls," he smiled.

"Ok Dad, just give me an... uh... let's see..." I bit my lip, squinting. "Let's start out with some sex on the beach. And then maybe you can Sex Me Strong. I mean, make me a Sex Me Strong. If you know how... oh, and put two cherries on that, please."

He laughed, quickly making the first drink and handing it to me. I drank it, giving myself a brain freeze. I giggled and put the glass down on the bar. Then he put down a green drink–which I love Sex Me Strong. I smiled and ate the cherries first, then started drinking it, having a nice little buzz going on.

"She doesn't waste any time, does she?" I heard Will ask Ryan. He didn't answer.

"I'm Haley, by the way," I smiled at the bartender. "What's your name, cutie?"

"Logan," he smiled back. "So, what now?"

"Let me think," I sighed, squeezing my eyes shut and racking my brain while sipping on the tasty, sour drink. "I want something strawberry and sweet," I licked my lips. "Yeah, strawberry... yum..."

Logan laughed and rummaged behind the bar, going to work to make the drink. "How about a Wild Thing?" he asked, setting down a red cocktail in front of me.

I nodded excitedly, taking a sip. "Ahh!" I cried. "I love that! What is that!"

"It's called a Wild Thing."

"Yes, you are," I nodded. He just laughed. I grabbed my drink and turned around to face Ryan. "Ryan! You have got to try this drink! It's yummy!" I giggled again. I held it to him, but he shook his head, laughing.

"Let's go, Hales," he put an arm around me.

"Oh, ok. Well, I'll see you later Logan," I turned to the bartender and winked, a huge smile plastered on my face as I waggled my fingers while Ryan carted me off through the door.

"Can't wait, baby," he called from behind us.

"Have something fruity waiting for me, please!" Logan laughed and nodded his head. I turned back to Ryan and gave him a kiss on the cheek. It seemed to have startled him because he stopped walking and just looked at me.

I smiled, biting my lip, "you just seemed... like you needed a kiss," I shrugged, laughing.

"So Ryan," Will went on talking as I sipped on my drink, looking around and watching intently the horde of people. "Have you paid Lenny off?" he asked.

"No, man, not yet, but I've almost got the money together, so it'll be soon."

"It better be, Lenny's come here asking about you."

"Sorry about that."

"No problem, but do you really think he'll stop after he gets his money? I mean, you were drawing people into the business left and right and making him a fortune. He was pretty pissed when you stopped. His business kind of fizzled away, pissed into the wind."

Ryan didn't say anything at first, but took a minute to think. "I never signed on to be an advertising rep or anything. I wanted the drugs, I got the drugs. Now I'm going to pay for the drugs."

"And do you think Lenny'll care what you do and don't sign on for?"

"He has no other choice. Anyways, I better get going. I don't want him to know where I'm staying. If he knows, he's probably going to come looking for me and I'm not going to let that happen. He'll see me when I'm good and fucking ready for him to."

"Where are you staying?"

"At Haley's parents house in Charlotte. Yeah, so we better get going."

"Yeah, man. I'll see you some time. And stay outta trouble," he laughed, patting him on the back and then shaking his hand.

"Yeah, I will. You, too, man,"

Will looked at me. I smiled, "bye." I said and waved.

"Bye Sorority Girl. You know, your lucky to have a great guy like Ryan."

I looked up at Ryan, smiling. "Yes, I am." I grabbed onto his waist, partly for fear of falling on my face, but partly because it just felt right.

Ryan looked down at me, shaking his head. "I'm the lucky one," he muttered, only loud enough for me to hear. "Let's go," he said aloud, walking me out the door and back to his car.

"We're back. And I'm almost sober once again," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "I thought we were going to stay longer."

Ryan laughed, looking over at me and pulling the car into the empty driveway. "If we would have stayed any longer, you would have been completely wasted. Not a good thing. And probably–literally–having sex on the beach."

"He would have most likely been sexing me strong. I know he could have done it." I closed my eyes, remembering how freaking awesome that drink had tasted.

Ryan opened the door with my key and we went inside. "David must still be at the office," he assumed.

"Hey Ryan," I stopped at the stairs, looking at him.

"What?"

"Could you please carry me up the stairs, they are kind of... wobbly and–"

Ryan interrupted me, "yeah," without hesitation, he scooped me up in his arms. I squealed in surprise.

"Having fun?"

"Yes!" I laughed gleefully. We walked up the stairs and into my room. "Ok, by the bed. By the bed." I slid down, adrenaline rising in me. I grabbed Ryan by the waist and pushed him down on the bed beside me. "Oops," I laughed, laying beside him on the bed.

"Oops?" Ryan asked, rolling his eyes.

I laughed, nodding. "Oops. What? Wrong English again?"

"Don't ask me, you're the English major here, sorority girl."

I laughed, rolling my eyes. "Should I have said that I was still in high school? Of course not! I so made your reputation go through the roof!" I joked, laughing. "Will was so freaking jealous, it wasn't even funny."

"Ok, so you made me look a little good, but did you have to add the part about me dating about half the sorority?" he laughed.

I nodded, turning to him. "You're the pimp, not me. Go ahead. Say it."

"What?"

"Thank you."

"Thank you? Thank you for what?" He asked, laughing. "For tonight? Well, then, thank you for going with me tonight to this party."

"Your welcome," I smiled, looking into his eyes. You could get lost in them. And I did. I realized until it was too late that I was leaning forward about to kiss him. It was like when you are running about 40 and the

light, that was green a second before, turns orange, but you can't throw on your brakes now because your too close, so you just run through it while it's going from orange to red. I did that. I knew I should have stopped, but I was too far now. His lips tasted so good, too They tasted so good... and I was so drunk.