At The End of The Day

Authors Thoughts: We jump a little forward in time here. The dynamics of the group have changed a bit and relationships are growing and developing. This chapter is a little bit filler, nothing huge happens. It's sort of a stepping-stone to the next one. This one is mainly setting up the next one and the next one is a big one. Anyways this chapter is kind of light-hearted but don't worry there's some heavy stuff coming up so if you like fun enjoy this one while it lasts and if you're fonder of angst it's coming. But not the kind you might think. Cryptic enough? Keep reading and you'll see what I mean.

Chapter 7

"It is very hard to say the exact truth, even about your own immediate feelings – much harder than to say something fine about them which is not the exact truth." - George Eliot

"I so call shotgun," Haley laughed as she walked quickly trying to catch up to Nathan whose long legs meant long strides and she had to practically run to keep up.

Nathan stopped short to look at her incredulously, "like I'd let you drive my car," he smirked.

She made no attempt to hide her scoff, "are you implying that I can't drive? I'm not Peyton you know." It was no offense to her curly, blonde friend really, but Peyton had a bit of a need for speed and she could be quite reckless when driving.

"You're telling me, I let her borrow my car the other day because hers was in the shop…" he visibly shuddered, "never again."

Haley laughed realizing that Nathan had learned the hard way not to trust Peyton's driving. "You're lucky your car didn't end up in the shop as well."

Nathan opened up his trunk allowing her to put her bag in and then opened up the passenger door and held it open for her. Watching as she jumped up into the seat he smirked, noticing she had to add a little extra effort seeing as how his car was a Jeep, "all set shorty?"

She moved to smack his arm but he quickly closed the door before she could. Going around to his own side he smiled when he noticed her cheeks were still slightly pink with embarrassment. It was so easy to tease her because she was one of those people who for the most part wore her heart on her sleeve and she could never hide her blush, although he could tell she tried very hard to do so.

"So is Peyton driving by herself or is she riding with Lucas and Brooke?" she asked as Nathan started up the car.

"I'm not sure actually," he shrugged.

It was mid October and even for North Carolina the weather was unseasonably warm. Deciding to make the most of the good weather while it lasted they had all decided to drive down to the beach and enjoy it.

"So how's basketball practice going?" she asked as Nathan drove towards the highway. The season was set to start in November and practices had already begun.

"It's not easy but its also not that bad. The guys are pretty cool and Luke is sort of showing me the ropes so, it helps…having someone who's been through it I mean. It makes it easier because he knows whatever I'm going through so he has some great advice for me."

"Yeah Luke's really good in the advice department," she leaned back in her seat, "he's not always so great about following his own though."

Nathan laughed truthfully at that, "yeah, Luke's gotten himself into some sticky situations that's for sure."

Haley turned to look at him, "do I want to know?"

"No," he shook his head. They both laughed at that. Over the last couple of weeks Nathan and Haley had continued to hang out with each other and they got to know each other more and more each day. They laughed and teased each other; or rather Nathan teased Haley over her quirky study habits and she continued to tutor him when he needed it. Kevin and Haley's friendship had sort of been left in an awkward state, something Haley still felt guilty over. Brooke had told her that it was probably best to give him some space, and upon giving it some thought Haley agreed and while she didn't avoid him, she didn't push him to hang out either. Kevin had taken to hanging out with Peyton more and more as Brooke and Lucas spent whatever time they had alone together. The new arrangements left Nathan and Haley to hang out with each other and they definitely enjoyed each other's company. Their relationship was slowing heading in the direction of becoming best friends. Haley wanted to laugh when she thought of it. Her best friend in high school had been Brooke, and Brooke was still her best girlfriend, more so than Peyton. Yet in college Haley had seemed to develop more male friendships rather than meeting new girlfriends. Kevin and Lucas had been her friends since freshman year, and Nathan was becoming a part of that now too. It was ironic to her that she had such a strong male presence in her life now, and not before.

Feeling a little bored Haley took the liberty to turn on Nathan's stereo and immediately the loud sounds of rap music came blaring through the speakers. Quickly she covered her ears as she tried to lower the volume and turned her head to find Nathan laughing.

"Rap?" she mockingly asked him.

"There's nothing wrong with a little hip-hop," he shrugged his shoulders grinning.

"Was that an attempt at a dance move?" she matched his grin holding in her laughter.

"No," he said calmly, but she didn't quite believe him and allowed the laughs to bubble out of her.

"What's so funny?" he tried to feign hurt but he could barely bite back his own smile.

"Nothing its just…" she smiled, "rap…how typical," she rolled her eyes.

"Shut up," he told her playfully

"You shut up," she smacked his arm.

"Ok, so what do you like Ms. Haley James?"

"Oh I don't know all kinds of stuff really. Folksy, artsy, different, oldies, I can go for a little bit of everything."

"Besides rap," he interjected.

"Well there's just not too much appeal in songs that basically all say the same thing…that money, sex, and alcohol is all you need to live…the only difference being that each song has a bit of a different beat. Other than that its all the same crap."

Nathan put a hand to his heart exaggeratedly wincing, "you hurt me Hales really. Crap? Not all rap songs are about those things. And come on its not easy making all those lines rhyme and getting it all out barely breathing in between each line."

Haley rolled one finger in the air, "whoopdy-do," she drawled out slowly, making it clear that she was not impressed.

"All right fine, you pick then," he motioned to the radio.

"No its ok I'm kind of tired so I think I'm just gonna take a nap, wake me up when we get there," she closed her eyes with a smile on her lips.

He shook his head at her, all that commentary on why rap sucks and in the end she didn't even want to listen to music anyway. Haley James was really something.

"Are they almost here?" Haley asked as she and Nathan made their way down the beach and Nathan put away his cell phone.

"Yeah Lucas said they're almost here. Brooke insisted they stop for coffee so they fell a little behind."

Haley laughed, "yeah Brooke's never been much of an early riser."

As they found a good spot they began to lay their things down on the beach. "Beach is practically deserted," Nathan thought out loud.

"Yeah people still think its weird to come to the beach when it's October but hey us college kids need a break right? And if the weather's good, I'm taking advantage of it."

"I know what you mean I love the beach. My family always takes at least a week's vacation every summer and we just stay there the whole week its great."

"Yeah I've never gotten to do that actually," Nathan looked up at Haley as he pulled his towel out of his bag, "I mean," she continued, "we've definitely done the whole go to the beach a couple of days in a row thing but we never stayed overnight like in a motel or a beach house or something."

"Couldn't afford it?" he guessed. He remembered Haley had told him that she didn't come from a lot of money and weeklong, family vacations to lounge around in the sand were probably not high on the priority list.

"Pretty much," she smiled tight-lipped as she stretched out her towel next to his, "my dad sure could though." Just as Nathan was going to ask what she meant by that he heard voices calling his and Haley's names. Turning to look he saw Lucas, Brooke, Peyton and…Kevin coming down the beach.

"You guys sure got here early," Brooke mused.

"They didn't make any stops," Lucas spoke sarcastically as he began to put his and Brooke's things down on the sand next to Nathan and Haley's. Brooke had probably never carried anything remotely heavy in her life.

"Whatever boyfriend," Brooke rolled her eyes. "So Hales, morning swim or work on our tans?"

"Are you kidding, the water is still freezing probably and the best sun is definitely in the morning. I'm lying down and relaxing."

"Hey Peyton," Nathan called out to the other side where Peyton and Kevin were setting up their things, "did your car make it one piece?"

"Ha Ha Nathan Scott very funny," she kicked some sand with her foot in Nathan's direction as he was already lying on his back on his own towel.

"Hey watch it," they both laughed knowing they were just joking around. As Nathan turned his head he seemed to swallow his own throat. Standing in front of her towel was Haley in a conservative, cream-colored bikini, her blonde hair falling in soft waves down her shoulders and back. In the time he had been joking with Peyton Haley had removed her shorts and t-shirt and he had to admit the view was very pleasing. Oblivious to his stares Haley sat on her knees and then stretched her body so that she was lying on her stomach, right next to him.

"Hey Nate, wanna come toss around this football with us?" Luke asked referring to him and Kevin.

"Um nah man that's alright, maybe later."

"Suit yourself," Luke called as he and Kevin ran off. Nathan wasn't sure why he'd turned that down. He really wasn't the type to lie still on the beach with the sun beaming down on him. He liked to run around and play with his friends but for some reason he didn't want to get up from where he was, with Haley lying still next to him. It felt sort of oddly comforting. He lifted his head a little and saw that both Brooke and Peyton had taken the exact same position as Haley on their respective towels, and he let his head plop back down closing his eyes to shield them from the sun.

"Great," he mumbled, "I forgot sunglasses."

He heard Haley giggle as she turned and rested her head on her crossed arms, making a pillow out of them.

"Good job." He rolled his eyes at her teasing. "I'd offer you mine that are in my bag but somehow I don't think they'd fit you."

"No, I don't think so either," he chuckled. Nathan was almost a foot taller and had a much bigger build than she did despite being younger, which meant he definitely had a bigger head.

"LUCAS!" Haley and Nathan both lifted their heads from the comfortable silence they had fallen into at the sound of Brooke's voice screaming.

"Geez Brooke he's not in Siberia you don't have to yell so loud for him," Peyton sat up annoyed at the disruption.

Brooke ignored her as Lucas reached her, Kevin trailing behind him. "What's up?"

She held up a bottle of suntan lotion, "despite the fact that the sun isn't that strong, I'd like to not get cancer." He laughed understanding that she wanted him to put lotion on her back.

"Come on goldilocks, let's go for a swim," Kevin held out his hand for Peyton, "Let's go see how cold the water actually is." Kevin and Peyton had always been the most daring of the group and it was no surprise to the rest of them that they'd want to try the water out already. Peyton quickly stood and they raced down to the shore, Peyton's shriek heard by the rest of them as Kevin pushed her into a wave and the water smacked her full force.

"Actually can you do me too," Nathan was pulled from watching Peyton and Kevin and turned to see Haley had pulled her lotion out of her bag as well and was signaling for him to mimic Lucas.

"Sure," he told her calmly and quietly removed her hair to the side before pouring some cream onto her back. He laughed when she shivered a little, "cold?" She nodded in response and he chuckled softly, "we'll fix that" he said as he spread the lotion around with his hands.

Peyton stopped laughing as she saw Kevin's gaze was turned away from her and followed it to see he was watching Nathan rub lotion on Haley.

"What is he her boyfriend now?" he asked in a not-so-happy tone of voice.

Peyton laughed "oh please its suntan lotion, you're gonna have to do me later too, its no big deal" she shrugged. Noting the look on his face Peyton continued, "hey maybe she'll come around you know. Just be her friend, don't shut her out just because she didn't feel something on your date. If you pull away from her then she never will feel something for you."

"She already doesn't Peyton." Kevin had been dealing with the fact that Haley seemed to only want a friendship between the two of them. He understood and respected that and he had told her it was no big deal. But it was still hard for him to see her or hang out with her and pretend like a part of him didn't still like her. Because of that he hadn't really been hanging out with her, and instead giving both of them some space. He couldn't just shut his feelings off, just because she didn't see him in a romantic light. He had always been her friend though and he was ready to give himself some time to get over her and just be that: her friend. In the end he wanted whatever made her happy, even if that wasn't him. He just wanted for her to be with someone who was good enough for her, of her caliber; because he understood all too well that Haley James was a special kind of girl and she deserved the best. Shrugging he turned to look at Peyton, "Whatever. She just wants to be friends that's fine, but I've seen her spending a lot of time with that kid though."

"Hey Nathan's a nice guy and they're just friends anyways, don't get all jealous."

"I'm not," he bit back harshly, "I'm just saying doesn't he have any friends his own age?"

"Kev, stop it. Nathan's Lucas' cousin so of course he's going to hang out with Lucas' friends."

"I guess."

"Kevin," Peyton looked him in the eye seriously, "they're just friends."

He met her gaze, "for now."