Chapter Six

Haley folded her arms as she gazed at the pool. On the outside she looked calm, but the truth was that her mind was spinning.

Nathan knew.

It was possible that he had just been talking to Lucas and had come up to them by accident, but he still knew. That "last fifteen minutes" comment had been purely for her benefit and if she hadn't blushed like mad at it then the others probably would have questioned him about it. What would he have said?

Haley shook her head gazing at her reflection in the pool. What would happen now? Maybe he would never ask her about it. They could just co-exist like they had before, never saying anything about it, Haley thought hopefully. But what if he told Lucas? And what did Nathan think of her now; going into a stupid closet with him like that? What did she think of herself?

At least that question she could answer. She was stupid! Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!

Deciding to go for a walk on the beach and hopefully calm down before going home early with Jake and Peyton, Haley stepped back from the pool and had just started moving forward when she heard him call out, "Haley, wait!"

She cringed immediately. What the hell was he doing here? She kept walking, even though she knew that they were so close it was impossible for him to think she hadn't heard.

"Haley! Haley, wait!"

She walked faster. So, apparently, not only was she stupid, but she was also a coward.

With all his basketball training, Haley hadn't even reached the deck when Nathan caught up to her and spun her around. "I said 'wait',"

She stared at the stone tiles on the ground. "I heard," she muttered.

"Well, then why didn't you?"

Shifting from one foot to the other, Haley ignored his question. "Why do you want me to wait?"

Nathan didn't answer immediately. He couldn't since he wasn't altogether sure what his answer was going to be. He was still trying to process the fact that the girl from the closet was his brother's best friend. Oh, shit. Lucas was going to kill him.

"You know it's not very nice of you to come out here to make fun of me. Well, I guess it's better than you making fun of me in there with everyone watching, but still," Haley started babbling.

"I wasn't going to make fun of you," Nathan told her.

"Oh. Then, um…what did you want?"

"I…I, uh, wanted to thank you for your present." It wasn't the whole answer, but it was true. Nathan reached into his pocket, and took out the miniature car.

Haley had wrapped it herself, but it looked smaller than she remembered on Nathan's large palm; the same hand that had trailed up and down her arm. She shivered just thinking about it, although if he asked she was going to blame it on the cool breeze coming from the sea. Haley looked back at the ground, before replying, "You're welcome. I guess I'll go then –"

"Haley." Nathan stopped her from moving by holding her arm with his other hand. "How did you know to get this for me?"

"I, uh…Lucas," Haley managed

"You asked Lucas what to get me?"

Haley shook her head violently. "No, no I didn't…I didn't ask him."

"Then why did you just say 'Lucas'?"

"He mentioned it." Sighing, Haley let out the whole story before he could ask. "One day when I was at his place we were looking at all the license plate numbers he has on his wall, and then he mentioned that the day before he was at your house and he'd seen your old car collection which you had everything of except for this one."

Nathan glanced at the little toy car on his palm. He'd started collecting it when he was a kid, but even when his mother told him he was too old for it he wouldn't let her throw it away. Not that he still played with them or anything; he just didn't want to get rid of it. He had practically begged his Dad to get him the one in his hand for his birthday once, but, of course, he'd gotten basketball stuff instead. Well, now he had got his present in the end, just ten years later and from a girl he barely even knew. Nathan thought about his conversation with Lucas and said, "But that was almost two months ago."

Haley shrugged. "I remembered."

"So…you bought it for me?"

"I, uh, also remembered that one of my older brothers used to collect them when he was a kid and my Mum and I were sorting through all this old stuff at home and I found it. I didn't go out looking for it," Haley said defensively. "I'm not, like, obsessed with you or anything." She blushed after she said it, and Nathan started to grin. "Okay, I should really -"

"Don't go," Nathan said immediately, holding onto her arm again.

The way he kept touching her arm was starting unnerve her and she looked away. "Don't do that," she said softly.

"Okay." Nathan let go of her arm and put the present back into his pocket. "I won't do that, I won't touch you, just…don't go just yet."

"Why do you want me to stay?"

"I…Can we talk?"

Haley nodded slowly. "Okay."

"So, you'll stay instead of running off again?" Nathan asked to make sure.

"Well, Peyton and Jake aren't leaving just yet so…I'll stay for a bit."

"Okay." Nathan's smile grew. "Okay, good."

Haley couldn't help but smile back. "So…you wanted to talk?"

"Yeah," Nathan glanced back at the party, which he could see still going on through the glass doors. "Do you mind if we go to the beach?"

"No, I don't mind."

"Alright…let's go this way." Nathan gestured to his right and let Haley lead the way down toward the dock. As they walked his hand came up to rest on the curve of her back, but, remembering her wishes he jerked it back and, to avoid falling for temptation, stuffed both hands into his pockets.

Noticing the movement beside her, Haley's head half-turned. "Everything okay?"

Nathan grinned as he took in her bright eyes and nervous smile. "Everything's perfect."