AN: Part two of my apology!

Chapter Eight

Bittersweet

Haley

Okay, so here's a good question: Why am I here? Seriously, why am I using up valuable homework time to see a boyfriend who made it quite clear that he's pissed off at me. What he hasn't made clear though, is why he's pissed off at me.

Oh yeah, that's why I'm here.

God, I really hope that it's Lucas who answers the door. I've tried ringing his cell and its switched off, and no one is answering the house phone. I knock again. I hate using the doorbell, Lucas always goes on about how obnoxious it is.

Well, this is the house of Dan Scott.

You know what? I don't think anybody is in, maybe I should just go. I can always talk to Lucas tomorrow, find out what the problem is and sort it out. Yeah, that's what I'll do…

Aghhh! Except the door is open! And it's not Lucas who's stood there. Oh no.

It's Nathan.

"Um… I-is Lucas there. Please. I mean… Is Lucas there please."

What the hell was that Haley James? Get a grip on yourself woman!

Nathan is looking down at me. His expression is unreadable, and his eyes seem to have some kind of blanket over them. Oh, he's seriously pissed off. Maybe I should pretend that it wasn't me who slapped him earlier. Yeah! Maybe I could say I have this totally deranged twin sister who we lock in the attic because she's crazy and goes around slapping jocks!

Oh yeah, now look who's deranged.

He's not answering me. Just staring. Hmm… Well, maybe I should apologise? But, wait! No way! He said something completely – what? What exactly did he say that was so bad it deserved a slap? He was just being his usual jerk self.

"Okay, look, you're obviously having some trouble voicing your no doubt inspirational words right now, so… I'm going to go. Uh, tell Lucas I called round."

Okay, that was kind of good! Better, at least, than an apology. Now I'm just going to go. Just slip away, quiet as a…

"He's out," Nathan says suddenly in a flat voice. Okay. So he's talking to me. Funny that I don't feel much better, huh?

"Right. Well, I'll see him tomorrow anyway so…"

"You came round here to see Lucas?" Nathan asks. I narrow my eyes at him.

"Why else would I be here Nathan? To get some basketball tips off your dad? I mean, I love your Mom but we don't really have a 'social visits' kind of relationship."

"I was talking about me."

Despite myself, a huge laugh comes from my throat. "What? What about you?"

Nathan smirks, that slow, lazy smirk. Oh God, my knees feel weird.

Maybe I should go see a doctor about that.

"Well, you slapped me earlier Haley…"

"What? What, so you think that – that I slapped you because you incited some kind of passion in me? Huh?" I burst out before I can stop myself. Whoa, where did that come from? Time to do some damage limitation. "No, no mister! I feel absolutely nothing for you Nathan Scott. You are… You are a flea on my radar!" Ha!

Oh, that did not make anything better.

Nathan is still staring at me with that grin of his. "I just meant that I thought you were here to apologise."

Are we suitably mortified Haley?

"Oh. Yeah, of course. Um… I'm going to go…" I say. Oh, my cheeks are boiling hot. I probably look like a tomato or something. I turn away and walk down the drive.

"Haley!"

What? What now? Has he not humiliated me enough!

Actually, I probably did a pretty good job of that myself.

"Yeah?" I ask, trying to be polite and resisting the urge of running as far and as fast as I can.

"You still haven't apologised." He walks across the drive to me and looks down at me. I take a breath. Am I really going to do this?

Suck it up Haley.

"I'm…"

"You know what? Don't worry about it. I was out of order today, I had no right to say what I did."

I'm sorry. WHAT? What the hell is this? Why is he being so… so nice?

"Are you high?" I ask, because it is the only reason my poor humiliated brain can come up with for Nathan's complete change of character. Nathan laughs.

"That's nice Hales, I give you a break – which, by the way, you didn't do for me this morning – and then you question my sensibility by suggesting I take drugs? I play for the basketball team Hales. Drugs tests mean anything to you?" He says all of this in a completely light voice, like he's making a joke.

"You're right. I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted."

We stare at each other then. I don't know whether to go, or to let him go first. I about to say goodbye when he reaches down and kisses me on the cheek.

Seriously. Nathan Scott has just kissed me on the cheek.

"Nathan, why did you do that?" I ask, and I can't mask the suspicion in my voice. Horrible people like Nathan Scott do not change overnight. They do not go from throwing insults to throwing about kisses to nerds.

Not that I'm calling myself a nerd or anything, just… you know, some others might.

Some like Nathan Scott for example.

"What? I'm just saying goodbye!" Nathan laughs, thrusting his hands in his pocket.

"Oh, so you would kiss someone like Brooke Davis on the cheek as a way of saying goodbye?"

Nathan shrugs. "I might, except that she would take it as a come on and then who knows what would happen?"

I laugh at that. How can I not? It was kind of funny, and Nathan is saying it with such innocence.

"Right, well I'm going to go."

"Okay."

"Finally. I mean, we've completely dragged out this whole goodbye thing huh?"

"Yeah."

"Right." I stand there. WHY AM I NOT MOVING?

"Bye Hales," Nathan says, and he turns around back into the house.

See? He left first. He can't be after me.

Whoa! Where did that thought come from? I mean, as if Nathan would be after me! He's the most popular guy at school. He's captain of the basketball team.

Huh, dream on Haley.