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Chapter 2: You were always the cool one, but I was never that sure.

It had been two days since the incident with Tim and Nathan, and Haley had still yet to face him. She tutored him every other day, meaning today was their next session. She wasn't sure if she would be able to go through with it though. The words he said were so hurtful, so not Nathan. Or at least the Nathan she had known. She remembered back to the last time she saw him, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes as she relived the pain.

Flashback

"Nathan save it. Congratulations, you have just proven the smart girl wrong. I gave you the benefit of the doubt and thought you could be a good guy, but you have now shown me I was clearly wrong about you." Those were the last words Haley had uttered to him, and upon that she turned and swiftly walked down the sidewalk. She wasn't sure where she was going to go, but she sure wasn't going to stand there and get trampled on.

As she walked down the sidewalk she let the tears finally fall, unable to hold them back any longer. How could he do that to me? Not only was that humiliating, but I didn't deserve that. Haley continued to walk down the sidewalk ravaging in her thoughts when she realized she had nowhere to go. She was about to walk home, but considering her parents were there and they were incapable of keeping their nose out of other people's business she decided not to. She wasn't about to tell her parents about Nathan; she wasn't in the mood to pick at a very open wound. Besides they wouldn't understand, it's not like they were dating and they didn't even know about their friendship… no one really did.

Instead, Haley decided to walk to Lucas', but it was on her way that she realized he would question her on her puffy eyes, so she took yet another detour and went down to the river court. It was around dinnertime so she knew no one would be there. It was so calm and peaceful, just what she had been looking for. As Haley approached the court she couldn't help but think of Nathan and all the potential he was filled with, he just didn't know it. He was too caught up in the popularity mumbo-jumbo and the pressure of his father. Her thoughts continued to drift to Nathan as she crossed the court and went down to the river, walking all the way down to the bank just out of sight.

She found a rock and sat on it, taking her sandals off and dipping her feet into the soothing water. She looked at her reflection. She had dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and little dimples when she smiled. She knew she was no model, but Haley couldn't help but think she was decent looking. I mean, did he really think she was that ugly? Or was it the fact that she was original, not one of those blonde bimbos the jocks tended to hang around with? What would make him say such things? It just didn't make sense. She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the words that were haunting her brain, "You think I would actually be friends with someone that below me."

Haley continued to look at her reflection and bask in her thoughts until she heard someone, or more like someones.

"Yo Nathan, pass me the ball!" Tim shouted. Haley couldn't help but instantly become more interested. Yes, she was hurt, but she couldn't push the feelings that had been developing out of her just like that. And course she was furious with Nathan, but maybe the conversation would get interesting.

"Here Tim, but ya know man, I'm not really in the mood to play," Nathan replied, tossing Tim the ball.

"Nathan Scott, not wanting to play basketball?" one of the guys taunted, he had been at the ice cream shop too.

"Nah, I've just got some stuff on my mind."

At these words, Haley knew she had to get into closer earshot. She could hear them now, but not as clearly as she would if she were a couple steps closer. Haley stood up from the rock and crouched behind the bushes that were planted there to protect the ball from rolling into the river. She peered through them and could see and hear Nathan clearly.

"And what exactly do you have on you mind?" Tim inquired.

"Uh, well, nothing really. Just stressed and uh," Nathan tried to think of something but the only thing he could think of was Haley. However, telling Tim and the guys that Haley James was the person taking over his mind at that moment would definitely not go over well.

"Ta-ta-today junior! Gosh Nathan, you'd think that some girl was running through your mind the way you are acting all dumb right now," Tim said, and by the silence that filled the air, Tim put two and two together. Haley couldn't help but wish Nathan would tell them he had feelings for her, but she really had no clue what his reaction would be. Maybe she had read into him too much, maybe she was just his tutor. "Wait, Nate. Please do not tell me you are thinking about that tutor girl? I mean come on, the only thing she is good for is good for is modeling the clothes that old people knit; those dang ponchos are so ugly!"

"Tim will you just shut up? Haley is not that bad, and what is with you always implying that I like the girl. She is just my tutor. Nothing more, and never will be. She's not my type and besides, you seriously think that after what happened last summer Lucas would let her go out with me? Not that I was even thinking about it of course, she's too bookworm for me." Nathan couldn't believe he just said that. Maybe Haley was right, maybe he was an egotistical jerk. I mean, he loved having her around, both as a tutor and friend, and he deep down longed to be more than that with her. It just seems though, that every time her name was brought up, he had this mechanism to bash her, as if he had to defend to his friends that he did not like her.

Meanwhile, after Nathan's last comment Haley had to get out of there. She had heard enough. Well I guess I got my answer, she thought, Nathan doesn't like me. I'm only his "bookworm" tutor. Gosh, why are guys such jerks? You be nice to them and this is how they repay you!

Haley looked around desperately trying to find a way to get out of there unnoticed, however during her search, she found her answer, though not as expected.

WHACK

"CRAP!" Haley screamed, unable to notice the guys staring at her due to the pain now engulfing her head from the basketball, "I guess those dang bushes don't really work!"

"Haley, oh my God! Are you okay? What are you doing here," Nathan exclaimed, running over to the petite girl now lying behind the bushes.

"What, oh Nathan it's you! I was down here because.." Haley tried to remember but nothing came to her, however it was once Tim Smith came into view that she remembered, "I remember now. I came down here to calm myself down from that oh so wonderful conversation you and Tim had before. You know, outside the movie theater. Which by the way, nice to know what you think about me Nathan, it really made my day."

"Haley wait, I can explain" Nathan pleaded.

"Not now Nathan, I really just want to go home." Haley got up and started walking away, holding her head as she was still recovering from the basketball that had bounced off her. "Oh, and Nathan do me a favor, stay away. I'll continue tutoring you until I find a new one, but after that just leave me alone."

With that Haley walked to her house, as Nathan stood there in awe, a knot growing in the pit of his stomach.

End Flashback

Haley walked through the quad on her way to her tutoring session with Nathan. She was still searching for a new tutor. Nathan was a very trying student to tutor so she had to make sure she could find someone with enough patience. As she entered the hallway from the quad, she couldn't help but become nervous. She wasn't sure if she could deal with Nathan right now. His words still hurt. Then an idea came to her; this hallway went to ways. On one end was the tutoring center, and on the other was a side door that lead out to the parking lot. Now was her chance, if she stepped to the left, she could slip away from her session with Nathan and give him some excuse later, or she could step to the right and face here fears and just go tutor him. The only question was, which step was in the right direction?

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