Author's Note: I'm back with another update! I'd like to thank all of you who reviewed – they make my day! ;) Well, on with the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own One Tree Hill or anything to do with it.

Unfortunate Circumstances

It had been two weeks; two weeks of playing cat and mouse with Haley and still his hands wouldn't stop trembling every time he smelt her fragrance waft down the corridors of the Tutoring Centre. Still his stomach never stopped doing back flips whenever he heard her sweet voice sing out to him from his stereo. Still his heart stopped beating every time he saw her – the rare glimpses that they were.

So when Brooke asked him to be her date to the formal, she didn't have to push hard to get what she wanted. They were both lost souls, desperate and in need of consoling. Their hearts had been viscously attacked, their empty souls left behind to pick up the pieces. Brooke never meant to make her mistake, it just happened. And now there was nothing she could do. Lucas wouldn't even look at her. It was hopeless trying to do anything right now – her heart ached for him far too much. It took all her energy to get out of bed let alone face him at school.

Nathan's once sparkling blue eyes were hollow as he took Brooke's cold hand into his and began to dance. The dull ache in Nathan's heart wouldn't leave him. The pain that came with each beat of his heart penetrated deep within his soul. He was in desperate search of something to numb his pain. And so before he knew what was happening, he was wasted at Tim's after party, clothes flying everywhere as he shot his tongue in and out of Brooke's mouth – void of any emotion.

Meanwhile…

Haley was wiping down the counter as the last customers left the café. She hurriedly brushed her falling tears that held so much love in each tear drop. So caught up in her own thoughts, she didn't notice the entry of her next tribulation until she heard a dry 'cackle' emerge from someone's mouth.

"Still 'grieving your loss'? Dan sneered, air quoting his last phrase. Haley looked up; tear stains streaking her beautiful face.

"Get away from me." She whispered, desperately willing her voice not to crack.

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He walked briskly, the wind blowing through his sandy blonde hair. He needed her. His best friend. He missed having someone to talk to. He just wanted to hold her and apologise profusely. He hated this. Everything was going wrong. His world was spiralling out of control and he needed to take control the reigns once again. Ever since the start of this semester things had spun out of his hands. One moment he was experiencing the purest kind of hatred he knew towards the man whose DNA was half his own, and the next his heart was burning with a passion he had never felt before. He breathed her, she was his oxygen, and she was his Brooke. Until one day he happened to chance upon that same Brooke speaking of her true emotions towards him. Next thing he knew he felt his heart break in two. He felt betrayed, he felt cheated. How was he supposed to deal with this? And finally, the icing on the cake – the person he trusted his life with – Haley – betrayed him and went and fell in love with his brother. The one he resented, the one he envied, the one he couldn't comprehend. And so he took it out on her. All his frustration, all his pent up anger, all his confusion, he lashed out on her – just because she was nearest.

But then he thought about it and he realised. He realised her betrayal wasn't a betrayal at all. He knew what it was like to be in that feeling where nothing can go wrong and hadn't he too kept Brooke a secret? Hadn't he too lied about his relationship with Brooke? He should have supported Haley in her decision; at least she came to him and spoke the truth unlike his cowardly self. He understood. He understood her predicament – and who was he to deny her happiness? Trusting Nathan was something he couldn't do – yet. But Haley wasn't asking that from him. She just wanted his blessing. He knew he was being selfish, but in doing so he was protecting. He was in two minds. By protecting her, he was hurting her. He would have to settle his differences with Nathan – for Haley's sake. So now he knew. Hopefully, he could figure things out, step by step until he had control of his life once again. Protect her? Hurt her? Just let her live her own life.

So here he was, making his way to the café to meet his best friend, to make everything right with her. What he didn't expect was to find Dan Scott standing in his mother's café, an evil grin plastered over his features.

"… Just reminding you not to spill our little arrangement to anyone." Lucas heard Dan say as he strolled off into the night; Lucas ran to Haley and scooped her up into a tight bear hug as she let the tears fall.

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The two sat huddled together on the floor behind the counter sipping hot chocolate. Haley had relayed the entire story to Lucas – despite Dan's threats. They were now sitting, letting the warm liquid burn down their throats as they each were lost swimming in their own thoughts.

'I should tell her. Then what………' Lucas thought. 'If she finds about Brooke and I now, she'll flip out. I can't. I should, but I can't. Not now anyway – she has too much to deal with. I've caused her enough pain.'

WhileHaley's head was spinning with emotion as she thought. 'I told him. I told him. What's Dan going to do?' Shivers of fear rippled through her body, Dan couldn't know about this. All she wanted was to feel Nathan again. She wanted to feel his strong arms wrap around her again and hear his voice soothe her. She needed him. 'I need him. I need him. I need him.' She chanted over in her head. And before her conscience could kick in and warn her of the consequences, Haley had jumped up and grabbed their coats, Lucas following her blindly.

When they finally reached her destination, Haley clutched Lucas' hand and spoke,

"Lucas, I understand why you did what you did, but it will take time before I can trust you again. I felt I should tell you that before we went into that." She said, pointing to the large house in front of her with wasted teenagers swaggering about. Unsure of what to say, Lucas simply nodded. He hadn't expected her to give him her trust on a silver platter; he just didn't think it would hurt this much either. Letting go of his hand, Haley went into the house and walked upstairs to find the love of her life. However, after half an hour neither Lucas nor Haley had found Nathan. Just as they were leaving, Haley heard Nathan's voice from one of the many bedrooms. Her body froze as she placed her hand on the cool door knob. After pausing for a few seconds, she pushed open the door, not being able to comprehend the sight before her.

Brooke.

Nathan.

Nathan and Brooke.

Before she knew it, her legs were carrying her far, far away. She didn't know where and she didn't care. She just wanted to erase the last few months out her mind. When she met Nathan, she had wanted to reach out and be someone different. She was bored of being 'Safe Little Haley'. She wanted to experience something different. She wanted to take risks; she wanted to live another life. She had been stuck in a rut for her whole life, people saw her as the 'Safe House' and she was tired of that label – she wanted to feel alive again. And so when Nathan came along, he presented the perfect opportunity to her. She fell in love and felt something she never knew she was capable of feeling. Then, before she could as much as blink, everything came crashing down; her boyfriend's father threatening her to end her relationship with Nathan. Next thing she knew, her heart was being stabbed a thousand times as her mind saw Nathan with Brooke over and over again. She couldn't deal with this. She just wanted to go back to her old life – where everything was 'safe'. So she sat there, on their table at the docks, panting, crying. She threw her hands up in the air and laughed ironically through her tears.

'I've turned into crying mop!' And it was true. Along with the happiness being with Nathan had given her, she had had a fair share of painful moments.

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Nathan pulled on his shirt as fast as he could and ran out of the room searching for Haley. Instead he was met with Lucas' rough hand. They entered an empty room, and Lucas closed the door behind him.

"What the hell were you doing in there?" He asked the confusion and anger seeping through his otherwise neutral voice.

"Don't try and act like you're her hero all of a sudden!" Nathan shot in a tone of disbelief, his face scrunching up appropriately.

"Don't try and turn this on me. I know what I did was wrong, but you sunk low Nathan, even by your standards." Lucas said gravely.

"Oh! And you would know so much about that would you? You don't know the half of my life so don't even go there Luke." Nathan said, his heart aching for Haley to come back and everything else to just melt away.

"Look. I know you're bad news to Haley and you'll just end up hurting her – so do us all a favour and go back to your world." Lucas spat, slamming the door behind him, leaving Nathan to sink to the floor, his back against the wall, listening to the loud rap music blaring from the loudspeakers downstairs.

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