A/N: Now, in my author's note for the first chapter of this story I said it was going to be about ten chapters long. Well, I've been having so much fun writing it that it's been slightly extended to 14 chapters. But that's it. As much as I love it, I'm not going to keep making it longer for the sake of dragging it out. But, hey, that ending isn't here just yet so let's move onto happier matters like those wonderful reviews you guys have given me. I love reading them and I'm glad that so many people like it; hope you enjoy this chapter too.
Chapter Ten
Nathan and Haley waited until Peyton and Jake returned to the house before they looked back at each other.
"Well…" Nathan began, "it looks like I'm going to have to give you something good to tell them about tomorrow."
"Oh, god." Haley groaned and buried her face in Nathan's chest.
"Hey, it's not that bad."
Haley looked at him with a stern expression. "Easy for you to say. Your friends didn't just embarrass you in front of…"
Nathan smirked. "In front of?" he prompted.
"Never mind," Haley muttered and folded and folded her arms.
Nathan grinned at her and reached a hand out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
Haley smiled softly at the gesture. "Well…um, what do you want to do now?"
"Um…we could stay here. I mean, at this point I don't think anyone else will come out –"
"You spoke too soon!" Haley groaned when she saw a man come back out of the house. "Jake?" she called, surprised that it was him.
"Hi." He smiled at both of them. "Really sorry about this, but I just had to ask you something."
"What?" Haley wondered.
"How are you getting home? 'Cause, see, Peyton and I are going to leave soon and we were just wondering if you were coming with us – or with Lucas or…"
Jake trailed off, allowing Nathan to jump in. "I can take you home."
Haley glanced up at him "You can? You don't mind?"
"No, it's fine."
"Okay then." Jake nodded. "I'll go tell Lucas."
"Lucas?"
"He wanted to know. Peyton sent me because she thought it was better than if Lucas came and caught you guys making out, again."
"Right."
"See ya!" Jake waved goodbye and jogged back up to the beach house.
"Well…" Haley muttered.
"I guess this means no basketball game next week for me."
Haley looked up at him. "Oh, right. The Charlotte Raccoons?"
Nathan burst out laughing.
"What? Lucas told me about a little about the game and –"
"Bobcats, Haley, Bobcats," Nathan managed to say between chuckling.
"Oh. I see." Haley kept her arms folded and looked down at the floor.
Nathan stopped laughing and smiled at her. "Come 'ere," he pulled her closer to him and bent down to plant a kiss on her head.
Haley rolled her eyes and looked up at him, but before she could say anything they were disturbed once more.
"Hey, Nate!" a voice called out.
Both Nathan and Haley groaned as they looked in the direction the voice came from.
"What is it, Tim?" Nathan asked, sourly.
"I've been looking for you all over. Where the hell have you been?"
"Around. I had to go for a walk."
"Well, when are you coming back? I got a couple of girls waiting."
"You can tell them that I'm not coming back."
"But…what should I do? I mean, they expect to make out with somebody."
"Well, why don't you make out with them?" Nathan suggested.
"Me? Only a blind girl would believe I was you – and I don't know any."
Tim's choice of words gave Nathan an idea. "Then why don't you make them put on the blindfold?"
Tim's face lit up. "You serious?"
Nathan grinned. "Yeah. Go have fun, Tim."
"Thanks, dude. Seriously. Oh…hey, Haley."
"Hi, Tim." Haley waved at him.
"You went for a walk, too?"
"Something like that."
"Okay, see you guys later."
"Bye, Tim." Once his friend was back inside the house, Nathan turned to Haley. "What do you say we go somewhere else? I mean, before anyone else comes out."
"You don't want them to, huh."
Nathan's brow furrowed. "Yeah, it's kind of annoying. You were just saying so yourself. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah," Haley said, but not in a way that convinced Nathan.
"Haley, what's the matter?"
"Do I embarrass you? I mean, I know I embarrass myself all the time, but –"
"You don't embarrass me, Haley."
"Then why did you just tell Tim you went for a walk?"
"You know what Tim and those guys are like."
"No, I don't know what they're like."
"Well, he would have had a lot of questions –"
"So?"
"I just wanted to get rid of him so we could spend some time alone."
"Or you didn't want him to know you're with me now? Or not even really with me yet since we're just going to sort of 'see what happens'?"
"Haley. Did I act differently around you in any way when Lucas, Brooke, Peyton, Jake or Jake, the second time, were here?"
"Well, no –"
"Then what makes you think that I wouldn't want my friends to know about you?"
"I…I don't know." Haley sighed. "I'm sorry, I just…you and me, this is like…a big deal for me."
"And not for me?"
"Well you didn't like me for years or –" Haley clamped a hand over her mouth as Nathan's eyebrows went up; way up.
"Years?"
"Did I say years? I didn't mean years. I meant months – just a few months, you know, nothing really that long term. I talk weird sometimes and I say the wrong thing without meaning to. It's this verbal deficiency I have, it's a really serious problem – I should go see a doctor –"
"Haley?"
"Mm-hmm?"
Nathan took her hands in his and bent down so their foreheads were touching. "You don't embarrass me. And this thing with us is important to me too – and not just because Lucas will kill me if I screw it up, which, with my track record, there is a high possibility of happening."
Haley broke into a smile. "I don't think so."
"So, we're good?"
"Yeah."
"Good. So, how about we get out of here then?"
