1Thank you guys for all the comments! They are all greatly appreciated and just make me want to right more. Sorry for not updating as regular as I should. I'm gonna make an excuse again: I'm so freaking busy with the end of school. Crappy excuse, huh? Yeah. But it's the truth. These teachers are crazy with essays and term papers... Geez!

Chapter 14

"Here He Is"

"Here he is! Here he is! Ryan, he's here!" I squealed excitedly. "I can't believe it! It seems like forever since I've seen him," Really, it had been two days. I clapped my hands and grabbed Ryan trying to pick him up. And failing horribly. He didn't even budge. I laughed and rolled my eyes, stopping the attempt and recognizing defeat, I ran over to the black Escalade, the spinners on it still spinning. He was loaded. His mother, Barbara–I called her Barb–was a doctor, and his father, Glen, was an oil-company owner. Yeah, they were totally loaded.

"Haley?" I heard Dexter say before I could even see him.

"Of course," I said, running over to the driver's side. He turned off the vehicle and stepped out. His tall frame was silhouetted against the big, black vehicle but I could recognize him still the same. I ran the rest of the way to him, and then jumped up. He laughed, grabbing me, and spinning me around.

He finally put me down and I could see him better in the glow of the streetlight. "Ah, Hales, it's been a long time, babe," he smiled. In the light I could see his sloppy grin, his messy mass of auburn brown hair, his wrinkled clothes, and his intoxicating smell; Hollister. I had bought it for him last Christmas and he'd bought six bottles between then and now. 8 months and 6 bottles. And then, a cut on his lip, a shiner on his right temple, and a cut in his eyebrow.

I frowned and put my hands on my hips. "So it was a bad fight?"

"Can we talk about this later, please?" he asked, sighing.

I nodded. "Besides that, you haven't changed a bit! Look at you, your still sloppy-looking, even in dressy clothes. What, did Barb and Glen have you attend another notorious party?" I laughed, rubbing the collar of his black, dressy button-down shirt.

He laughed and nodded. "You know me all too well, Hales."

"Now that I do," I agreed.

"Come here, I want you to meet somebody," I grabbed his hand, leading him around the vehicle. Ryan was already standing up, his hands in his pockets, waiting for us. "Ryan Wright, I would like you to meet my best friend since I was in diapers, Dexter Lawrence. Dexter, I want you to meet Ryan a really good friend of mine," I smiled, introducing the two boys.

"Hey man," Dexter held out his hand, a funny look on his face. "Hey, Ryan Wright as in Duke's starting left guard?" Ryan nodded, laughing "It's nice to meet you, man, Duke has been my team since I was six! Your freaking awesome," he smiled his mega-watt smile while giving him a thorough up-and-down inspection, though.

"Yeah, it's nice to meet you, too. Thanks for being so into the game. I have actually heard a lot about you," Ryan smiled, shaking Dexter's hand.

"You have?" he gave me a slight smile. "Uh oh."

"Nah, nothing major, Haley likes to gush about you, though," he laughed, looking at me and giving me a smile.

"Yeah, Haley gushes a lot," he agreed, laughing. "She's actually quite the gusher, let me tell you."

"Oh no," the boys shared a look.

I laughed and rolled my eyes. "Guys, come on. I so do not gush all the time. Just probably.. 94 of the time," I laughed. "What! You guys are gushable!"

"Gushable?" Ryan lifted an eyebrow.

"We can add that one to the great dictionary of Haley's stupid, meaningless, off-the-wall words," Dexter added sarcastically. "Have you noticed that she likes to make up her own words? She's made up tons within the span of 17 years."

"Yeah... what was it earlier, Haley?" he looked at me, I shrugged, smiling slightly as the two boys shared a 'moment.' "Anyways, I've actually noticed that, too, and I've only been around her a day."

Dexter laughed, nodding. "You just wait until your around her constantly," he rolled his eyes. "Go ahead, run for the hills now while you still can, man," he joked. They both laughed.

"Oh, whatever. You love my ass and you know it, Dexter."

"Gilmore Girls every Tuesday night and when they're on hiatus, you watch an episode off of the DVD's of past seasons every Tuesday night. The episodes that have Tristan in them–watch out!" he ignored me and kept on talking.

"That guy is so freaking hot!" I defended myself. "Who doesn't have the biggest crush on him?"

"You've got me there, Haley. I do have a crush on Tristan," he turned towards Ryan. "One look at this guy and you will, too, man," he joked around.

"Let's just go inside," I laughed, looping my arms through both of their arms, each on one side of me. I looked up at Ryan, who looked down at me and gave me a smile, then winked, which sent my heart doing cartwheels through my stomach it felt like.

"Listen, it's been nice meeting you Dexter, but I've got to go," Ryan gently unhooked our arms, and gave me a smile. I couldn't help but blushing, so I lowered my head to try and hide it the best I could.

"Yeah, you, too."

he smiled and nodded earnestly, and then looked at me again. "See you, Haley," he nodded and turned around. I watched him walk up the stairs and then disappear behind the wall.

"So, what's the deal?" Dexter asked when he heard the door close.

I turned around and looked at him. "What are you talking about?" I asked stupidly, even though I knew exactly what he was talking about.

He laughed and rolled his eyes, "you know what I'm talking about Haley James."

I smiled and nodded, walking over to the couch, "I don't really know. I've known him a day and already I'm..." my sentence trailed off.

"Your what?" Dexter asked, sitting down beside me. "In like? In love? What?"

"Of course not love. I'm not some bimbo. I don't even hardly know him. I just like him, that's all. Hard-falling like, maybe?"

"Hard-falling like? This wouldn't be the same kind of hard-falling like that you fell for Trent Malone with, would it? Because if it is, Hales, then I'm going to strongly have to tell you to stop immediately and take off with me to somewhere... somewhere cold. No bikinis."

I laughed and rolled my eyes. "No, Dex, nothing like that kind of lust I fell for Trent with. It was just about getting what we wanted then and now, I really like Ryan. He's cool. I can be myself around him."

Dexter just looked at me, smiling slightly, "are you happy here, Hales?" he asked, looking down at the floor.

"I..." I paused, not expecting the question. I guess I expected it, but, it was just... a jolt of reality hitting me, I guess. "I don't know. I've only been here for–"

"A day, I know," Dexter interrupted me, a sullen look crossing over his face. "I didn't ask you how long you'd been here, Haley, I asked you if you were happy or not."

"I miss you, Dex," I replied.

"Are you happy?"

I paused and thought for a second. Thoughts of the court, David, the party.. I thought about them all and then I remembered the great times I had at each of those people. I had really been enjoying myself today. I couldn't lie to him, he would see right past that facade. I had to tell him the truth. "Yes," I said quietly, waiting for his reaction.

He just nodded his head, wringing his hands. His gaze was on the floor, "but I miss you terribly, Dex. It's been hard not having my best friend by my side this whole time. I just want to thank you for coming. I've needed you," I took his hands and squeezed them. "You're my better half," I laughed.

He smiled, nodding, and then slowly looked up, finding my eyes. "I miss you, too, Hales, but I'm glad your happy. And as long as your happy, I'm content. Even with you living four hours away from me," he laughed, looking away quickly. For a second I thought he was going to cry, but then I decided against it. He had once said that only wimps cry and he definitely wasn't a wimp. Or so he thought.

"I love you, babe," I scooted over, putting my arms around his neck and squeezing him as hard as I could.

"I'll never forget about you, not for one second," I laughed, pulling his neck down and rubbing it hard with my knuckles.

"Hales!" he cried, though he was laughing. "Stop!" I finally stopped and jumped up.

"Are you going to drive all the way back to Charlotte, tonight?" I asked, my eyebrow raised skeptically, "or are you going to shack up in one of the guest bedrooms?"

"Just for tonight," he assured me.

I nodded, smiling. "Until whenever."

"Tonight, Hales," he looked at me sternly.

"I wish that you would stay here forever... and ever... and ever... and–"

Dexter grabbed me around the waist and pulled me forward before I had a chance to get out anymore, squeezing me tightly to his chest. "Shut up, Hales," he laughed.

"Haley?" A voice called from the front door. I hadn't even heard it open. I whirled around to face David, his suit wrinkled and his hair a complete mess. It was the first time he'd looked old to me, with dark circles under his eyes and glasses on his face. I never saw him with glasses. He looked older and smarter with them on. Not the carefree guy he came off to be, either.

"David? You look like hell."

He gave me a short squeak of a laugh, "thanks." He smiled and looked over at Dexter, his face furrowing. "And who is this?"

"Oh," I said, "I'm sure that you remember Dexter Lawrence."

"How could I forget," he laughed, stepping forward and holding out his hand. "I was there for the first seven years of your life, Haley Bug, and you used to hang out with the little geeky kid from next door all the time," Dexter laughed and shook his head.

"It's nice to see you again Mr. James."

"Your not as nerdy as I remember, Dexter. I don't know if that's a good thing being around my daughter or not," he looked suspiciously at the two of us.

I stepped up, shaking my head. "No, David, we're just friends. The same way we've been friends since I was in diapers. Nothing has changed, and nothing will."

"It better not," he said as a joke, but I could hear the hint of seriousness in his tone. Apparently, Dexter could pick up on this, too. He gave me a look and then back at David.

"David, Dexter came all the way from Charlotte to see me and I was wondering if he could stay here tonight."

"Just tonight, it would only be one night, sir, and I could sleep in a closet. Hell, I'll pay you for staying here. It's just a really long ride back to town and I'm not in the mood for a long trip back, I mean, it's late as is, but, still... anyways, I'm sorry to be piling this on you right now and I intend on repaying you in some way. I don't see this as a motel, either, sir, where I can just check in anytime. This will be a first and last time thing," Dexter said quickly, getting it all out. The nervousness in his voice was cute. I had never seen Dexter nervous.

"Son, it's alright," David chuckled. "Our house is open anytime for you, be our guest. I just don't want to find you with my daughter in either of your rooms tonight," he pointed a finger at both of us. "Up the hall and to the left," he said sternly. "And I don't wanting you crossing over the threshold that is going to be the right of the hall when you go up the stairs. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good," he smiled. "It's nice to see you again, Dorky Lawrence."

We all laughed. "He's not seven anymore, David,"

He nodded, "so I've come to find out. I'm beat and going to bed, goodnight kids,"

"Night, sir," Dexter waved slightly.

"Night David," I smiled, laughing. I was happy. Happier than I had been in a very long while