Chapter Thirty-Two
Danger Zone
Haley
"Would you like a glass of champagne?"
I turn to face the elegant waitress holding out a tray filled with long-stemmed champagne flutes. God, I love my dress, but I think her whole waitress outfit is worth more than like, three of my dresses.
"No thanks," I say, smiling politely as she walks away and offers the next person a champagne. I've learnt my lesson. Never take alcohol at a party thrown by Brooke.
I'm joking of course. Well, kind of anyway.
I can't find Lucas or Brooke anywhere, and Nathan hasn't shown up yet either. Seriously, I am that desperate for some company that I'm even considering Nathan.
Don't get me wrong, I love Peyton to bits, and Jake is a really nice guy too, but together they're the most obnoxiously cute couple ever. All little giggles and private 'in-jokes'. God, they should shoot the person who first thought it would be a good idea to have 'in-jokes'.
Thinking about that makes me think of Lucas. I guess I'm feeling a little lost without him. This is the first party I've been to where I'm not one part of Lucas-and-Haley. Now I'm just Haley. No 'Lucas'. No 'and'. No hyphens.
God, this is getting bad. I'm starting to reminisce about Lucas. I would seriously leave right now if it wasn't for the fact that I'm wearing this dress.
It's gorgeous, a deep emerald green silk with a corset and a full skirt. Not overly-full though, like I knock out everyone within a five-foot radius with it, just nicely full, where it swishes as I walk. Lucy tied my hair up into a tight chignon and Taylor did my make-up. I think I was their project for the night.
Ugh, and it was apparently for nothing because I am having the worst time. I look around again. This place is packed, and I can't seem to find a single person other than Peyton and Jake who I know. Why isn't Nathan here anyway? He said he would be.
I bite my lip as I remember our earlier conversation. I regretted it as soon as the words 'just friends' came out of my mouth. I mean, I meant it, I guess… it's just that, at the back of my mind there's always been this niggling little grip that refuses to let go of the idea of Haley-and-Nathan, no matter how much I want it to.
"Haley!"
Doth my ears decieve me? Is someone actually calling my name? Does someone here actually know me? Surely not.
Oh get on with it Haley!
I turn around to see Taylor approaching me carrying two glasses of champagne and a stuffed olive. How she performs this magnificent balancing act I have no idea, but as soon as she reaches me she hands me a glass of the champagne and throws the olive in her mouth like it's a piece of gum.
"What are you doing here?" I ask. According to Peyton the tickets were like gold dust.
Taylor rolls her eyes. "I thought I could get in with Lucas, but he's like totally smitten with that Brooke girl."
"I mean how did... what?"
"Brooke and Lucas. They're probably off in the car park making out or something. Anyway, would you believe I managed to get this ticket cheap? You know, an event like this you'll always get people selling off invitations to make a bit of money, it's quite sad really, you'd think..."
I tune out Taylor's voice. Lucas and Brooke. Well, Brooke certainly moves fast.
Am I disappointed? A little, I guess. Not because I don't want them to be together, but in my head Lucas is still mine. I know that sounds completely wrong and possessive, especially when I finished it with him, but that's how my brain is working. Well, brain's have never been the most rational things anyway have they?
All I know is that I don't love Lucas... and then it hits me. It's not disappointment I'm feeling, it's protectiveness. I want Lucas to be happy, and even though I love Brooke to bits, she does have a bit of a reputation over being a man-eater.
But like she said, she really likes him. Brooke has been so good to me during this whole mess that I feel she deserves the benefit of the doubt, and she's definitely going to get it from me. After all, what are friends for?
"Haley? Haley!"
I snap out of my thoughts as Taylor practically yells at me. "What?" I ask.
"Have you heard a single word I've said."
"No."
"Gee, thanks. Don't even try to hide it. God, you are so clueless Haley! I said you'd better turn around."
What is he rabling on about now? I know that's slightly hypocritical given that I've just been in the middle of a major inner ramble, but I don't care. Taylor is just weird. "What?" I ask again.
She nods nehind me, looking up. I turn and see a solid chest covered in a crisp white open-necked shirt and a Dinner Jacket. I follow it up and see a crooked smile, followed by shining eyes.
"Oh!" I say, surprised to see someone else I notice after such a dry spell. Seriously, you wait all night (well, half an hour) for someone you recognise and then two come along at once.
"Hello Nathan."
"Stop!" I cry, wiping the tears from my eyes as Nathan tells me about one of Tim's brilliant idea's. Honestly, if there was a Nobel Peace Prize for Idiocy, that guy would be short-listed for sure.
"Why? I'm having fun," Nathan replies, smiling at me with sincere eyes. We're sat at a large round table and we're in between main course and dessert. For some odd reason, Nathan and I ended up at a table by ourselves with a bunch of city investment types, while the rest of the people our age ended up on one single table with two lost-looking city investment types.
You know, I say 'for some odd reason', what I really mean is, 'for some Brooke reason', seeing as this has her written all over it. I was seriously considering going over to her and playing hell about her and Lucas just to get even, except... well, except that me and Nathan are having so much fun. Seriously. Here he is, being himself, and I'm having fun.
It's enough to make me reconsider the whole no 'Nathan-and-Haley' thing.
"Summer Berries Cheesecake," a male waiter says, putting down a plate in front of me. Oh wow. My mouth is watering just from looking at that.
"Mmm," I say, turning to Nathan and ignoring the City Investment type to my right who is going on about who unprofessional the presentation of the cake is. Dude, it's just going to end up a smushed mess at the bottom of your stomach! Get over it.
"Yeah, this looks pretty nice," Nathan says, looking down at his Toffee Pavlova. Well, there's one more thing I know about Nathan Scott. He has one hell of a sweet tooth.
The dessert is stunning, and even though I'm full by the time I finish I'm so sad that it's ended. The sign of truly great food.
"Well that was..." Nathan says.
"Delicious," I finish for him. He looks at me and smiles, reaching up to wipe something from my mouth.
"Crumb," he says matter-of-factly. I don't believe him, but I'm not going to call him on it. The second his fingers touched my lip I just felt a jolt of electricity.
"Sure," I say instead. Nathan's phone beeps for what seems like the millionth time since we sat down, and the moment's over. Finished. The end. Damn technology.
"Is that important?" I ask, trying - and failing - not to pry. "It's just that, it's beeped a lot."
Nathan nods in agreement before reaching into his pocket. He looks at the message and his brows furrow in annoyance. He tuts loudly and then throws the phone back into his pocket. I daren't ask anything. It might be his dad. I know that conversation didn't go so well last time.
"Do you want to dance?"
My eye's shoot up and catch Nathan's. All around the lights have started to dim and the DJ is playing some slow 'after-dinner' songs.
"Nathan, we've just ate," I tell him in a 'duh' voice. Nathan shrugs.
"So? Come on Hales, where's your sense of adventure?"
I raise an eyebrow. Well, it's definitely not in this corset. I don't think even air can fit in this baby with all of the food I've just consumed. I'm just about to say no some more when Nathan jumps up and holds out his hand. I look around and see the whole table where we probably should have sat staring at us. Even Lucas has a sparkle of mischeif in his eye that siggests he's not too bothered if me and Nathan dance.
A three year relationship and he's over me already. Wow, I feel special.
Actually, I'm really not bothered. Nowhere near as much as I should be. butterfles decided that they're going to dance in m stomach, so why shouldn't I? I reach up and put my hand in Nathan's, and feel that familiar jolt of electricity as our skin touches.
We walk over to the floor, as the chorus of 'I Shall Believe' starts up. And we're dancing. And Nathan is surprisingly good at it. If it was anyone else, I would worry about his sexuality.
But it's Nathan. And he likes me a whole lot. And I like him. Why the hell aren't we together?
I put my head on Nathan's chest and feel his heart beating. It's a little faster than average and that thought comforts me no end.
The song finishes, and I want to keep dancing but I can't. The dancefloor is too hot and I don't think I can take all of the shininess. I take a step back.
"I'm going to go freshen up," I say. Nathan smiles but doesn't say anything. Instead he leans down and kisses me softly on the lips. If it were any other time, I'd play hell, but it's not. It's this time, and this time, I'm going to give it a chance.
I'm going to give Nathan-and-Haley a chance.
Wow, I think that you guys should know how much I love you. No, I really, really love you. The response to the last two chapters was amazing, and this story is coming to an end now so I hope you all enjoy the ending (I think there's about another three chapters).
Anyway, so yeah. Just thanks a lot.
