"Not again." She sighed as the footsteps stopped beside her. "Please don't hurt me."
"It's me Hales." Nathan told her as he sat down beside her. She relaxed for mere seconds before breaking out in another set of tears, Nathan instantly wrapping his arms around her and pulling her body to his. "It's gonna be okay."
"No it's not Nathan. You have no idea how I feel right now. I don't even understand why you're here with me now. You can't possibly want me anymore. I'm gross. You know how much sex means to me and then this random guy ruined everything. Oh god. I cheated on you!" Haley's eyes widened and she pushed herself out of Nathan's embrace before standing up, Nathan following suit.
"Hey, you didn't cheat on me. You didn't want this, it wasn't your fault that any of this happened. And you're not gross." Nathan told her as he reached out to pull her to himself.
"I could have some gross disease." She pulled back a little.
"And we'll deal with it. I'm not letting you go through this alone Hales." He said as he took once last attempt to keep her close to him. He wrapped his arms around her and surprisingly she didn't pull back, instead she rested her head on his chest.
"I don't want to hurt anymore." She muffled into his sweater.
xoxoxoxox
"Who did it?" A very pissed off Nathan asked the people who currently occupied the apartment's living room. Nathan had guided Haley back into the apartment and stayed with her until she had fallen asleep.
"Nathan-" Brooke started softly.
"What? You like seeing Haley like this?"
"Of course not! But I think she'd rather see him rot in jail for what he did then for you to rot in jail for killing him for what he did." Brooke argued.
"Luke who was it?" Nathan asked, turning his attention to his brother.
"As much as I'd like-"
"You want to have a chance at being brothers again you'll tell who freakin did this to her!" Nathan threatened, vengeance dripping through his voice.
"Number 36." Lucas sighed, avoiding Brooke's glare.
"Looks like we're going to a party tonight." Nathan smiled facetiously before grabbing Lucas by the arm and pulling him towards the door.
"Party?"
"Yeah, the hicks are partying tonight. Thanks to Tim I know where and whose party it is. So, are you coming?" Nathan explained.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
"Where are you bringing me now?" A drowsy Haley asked from the backseat of Brooke's BMW bug.
"Well we couldn't leave you alone at the apartment so it was decided that you have to come with us."
"I got that. But where?"
"To a party."
"Brooke, I'm sorry if you don't get what I'm going through right now, but I really don't want to go to a party right now, in fact it's the last thing I want to do right now."
"Oh this party isn't for fun, we kind of are going to keep Nathan out of jail for manslaughter."
"Brooke!" Peyton shushed.
"What, it's true."