Chapter Seven: To Not Believe in Soulmates
For only a moment, Nathan wondered if he was still dreaming when he awoke and saw Haley wandering around his hotel room, examining his belongings as if she owned the place.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" he demanded, sitting straight up.
"Oh, I can leave if you want," she said coyly. He fell back onto his bed.
"That wasn't an answer," he mumbled.
"I wanted to hang out," Haley said awkwardly.
"Oh, use me some more to get your boyfriend jealous? Because that worked out so well last time," he said.
"Go to hell. I don't see why you object so strongly to hanging out. I'm too young for you, anyway," she said.
"Fine someone who cares, Haley. And most guys have a problem with being a boytoy without the benefits," said Nathan. Smirking to himself, he got out of bed and stood before her, bearing his muscled body to her for the first time.
"Boxers. Huh. You know, I read once you had a nipple ring," she said.
"I did. Davis made me take it out. You've been following our lives?" he asked.
"Yes, desperately. It's been truly inspirational. I especially love the photos of you wandering around LA smoking that seem to be in US every week," she said sarcastically.
"What can I say, I'm deep. I brood," he said. She walked slowly over to him, her eyes on his chest. "Try to be more obvious Hales."
"Shut up. What's that?" she asked in concern. He looked down to the raised scar on his muscled abdomen.
"Knife fight," bragged Nathan. She raised an eyebrow.
"Liar. It's definitely a surgical wound," she argued.
"Yeah. A long time ago. I like making up stories about it though," he said. Haley laughed a half laugh, but her eyes were still on the scar. Slowly she reached out her hand and ran it along the surface, feeling the wound as well as his muscled body. Her hand moved back and forth across it and suddenly Nathan realized that his eyes weren't on her hand, or even her breasts.
There were on her eyes, willing her to look at him.
"Do me a favour?" he asked, the words slipping out of his mouth without permission.
"Because you're so inclined to do the same?" she asked, stepping away and dropping her hand.
"Maybe I will, if you help me out. Just come to LA with me. I need the media to believe that Davis and I have broken up before they start to make rumours. You just need to come and hang around for two days and maybe go out one night. It's what you want, isn't it? To make him jealous?" asked Nathan.
"I don't trust you," said Haley.
"I don't expect you to. So are you coming or not?" he asked.
"Where can I stay?"
"In my place. There's lots of rooms," said Nathan.
"Okay. I can come," said Haley.
"But of course, all that only matters until you move into my room," said Nathan. She slapped him, like he'd expected her to.
But she didn't change her mind.
XxxxxxX
Peyton lazily opened her eyes as the morning sun began to intrude into her sleep. She felt slightly hung-over, but nothing she knew she couldn't handle. All her senses sharpened when she noticed a presence on her right side.
"Jake?" she guessed, before turning around.
"Peyton? You're awake, finally," he said.
"Yeah. You took me home, didn't you. Thanks," she said. She rolled over and affectionately snuggled up to him.
"No problem," he said, winding an arm around her.
"You're so different from other boys, Jake. You're my best friend," she said fondly.
"I know. I love you too," he said.
"It's more than that. You're so much better than ordinary guys. Why can't all guys be like that? It makes it so much harder to find people," she complained. He hadn't let himself be hopeful, but still he was disappointed. He firmly kissed the top of her head.
"Stop it, you're making me blush," he said.
"Like anything could. Brooke said she was going to seduce Lucas, I wonder how it went," said Peyton.
"Sorry, I don't know. When we left, Haley and Nathan were still locked up in a bedroom together," said Jake.
"Oh. Well, serves him right."
"Who, Nathan?" asked Jake in confusion.
"No, Chris. Nathan's a chauvinistic pig, but he doesn't quite deserve my wrath," she said.
"Good to hear. Very few do. What are you doing today?" he asked.
"Oh, CD shopping," she said.
"Nice. Want me to come so you don't have to be alone?" asked Jake. For a second he pictured it: Peyton endlessly flipping through the old records, Jake making wisecracks while he followed her around. Them going out to get ice cream, like they always did. Them going back to his room. Them kissing. Them…
Thoughts turn so easily into fantasies.
Fantasies so rarely into life.
"No, that's okay, I'm meeting Lucas," she said.
"As in Brooke's new boyfriend?"
"They're not. But yeah, we have similar tastes," she said, getting out of bed. Jake watched her go, knowing he and her would never have "similar tastes". They only had their similar past.
XxxxxxX
Jake drove slowly down the street, disgusted with himself. He was being pathetic, he knew. Only pathetic people loved people and never spoke up about it, only pathetic people drove slowly past the record store to see their loves with other men. Only pathetic people thrived on this unique form of torture.
When his mother called him and requested his presence at the Country Club, he went automatically. It didn't matter what he did anymore. He was merely a shell. Dead on the inside.
He played a round of golf with his father and disappeared immediately afterward. Lucas and Peyton were at the record store, Chris was in Charlotte, Haley was missing and Brooke, who he was least close to, never woke up before noon on weekends. He was alone.
"Hey, you're Jake, right?" said a voice. He turned around toward the female voice behind them.
"Yeah. Hey Davis," he said. She smiled up at him.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Nothing," said Jake.
"Isn't your girl out with Luke?" pressed Davis.
"She's not my girl. And yeah, they're shopping," he said.
"Yet you immediately knew who I was referring to."
"Well, I knew she was with Luke. Where's your man?" asked Jake. She followed him outside and they sat on a bench.
"Mysteriously absent. I'm thinking I'll figure it out by the time tabloids come out tomorrow. My life's like that," she said. He smiled at her tragic expression.
"And you wouldn't give it up for the world," said Jake. She smiled slowly.
"Probably not, but it revolves around being dramatic," she said.
"How did you get so famous, anyway?" he asked curiously.
"My Daddy's very, very rich. Uh Nathan's very rich and was a famous athlete for about a minute and a half, I was a Bond girl two years ago and I've done some modeling, I guess," she said.
"Doesn't sound too hard," said Jake.
"It's easy. A career I definitely recommend. Do you have a job, Jake?" asked Davis.
"Not really. I'm going away to school in September," he said.
"Nice. I went to UCLA for like a year. Wasn't my thing," she said.
"What is your thing, Davis Ryan?" he asked in bemusement. She leaned closer, until their faces were only inches apart.
"Hang around and I'll show you," she whispered.