AN: Thanks to: NaleyBop, abonana (your review really touched me. It was really sweet, thanks so much!), TREEHILLADMIRER, JmQt831, OTHlover04, Nathanlvr, and chelle2911! You're reviews are so greatly appreciated!

Chapter 13

The boys, Tim, Jake, Nathan and Luke, all arrived shortly after at Brooke's house. By then the girls were done with getting ready. Brooke jumped into Lucas's arms and gave him a big kiss. Peyton was a little more shy with the PDA's, so she just went up and hugged Jake and kissed him on the cheek, while Jake mumbled compliments in her ear, making her smile and blush. Haley went up to Nathan, who appeared to be speechless at the moment.

"Wow, Hales..." He said as he put his arms around her waist. Haley blushed and smiled. "... Wow. You are so beautiful." He said frankly.

"Thank you," Haley said quietly. She was especially shy when it came to compliments, which she got a lot of from Nathan. He bent down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Even just a peck from Nathan, left Haley feeling on top of the world.

She had to admit, she had been feeling pretty down lately, what with everything with her parents, or ex-parents, whatever they were. She was excited for this party. She really wanted to let lose for once, and have crazy fun, but she didn't think she would be able to with the persistent image of her mother crying, glued to her mind.

xXxXxXx

An hour or so later, the party was in full swing. And Haley had actually managed to enjoy herself. Brooke and Peyton stuck by her side to make sure she was getting the best party experience ever, minus the drinking. They wanted her to enjoy it all, but also be able to remember it the next morning.

Peyton, Haley, and Brooke were on the dance floor, dancing to "Just a lil' Bit" by 50 Cent. Haley felt like she was finally letting lose, having fun. She was able to relax a little with her friends and she was glad about that. Lucas, Jake and Nathan came over and smiled broadly at their girlfriends dancing together.

Damn, Haley looks sexy like that, Nathan thought. Okay, so she always looks sexy, he reminded himself, but still... He looked to Lucas and then to Jake and could tell that they were thinking the same things about their girlfriends. It was weird, he would never have pictured Brooke with Lucas or Jake with Peyton, but somehow they seemed to fit perfectly. Then again, he would have never pictured himself with Haley James either, but look how that turned out. A couple weeks into their relationship and they were already living together. And he could never be happier.

Nathan came up behind Haley and wrapped his arms around her stomach and they started swaying to the beat. Lucas and Brooke, and Jake and Peyton, did the same. Soon enough, Lucas and Brooke decided to go be alone somewhere and they left. Jake and Peyton looked at each other, and without saying a word, left too, wanting to be alone also. Nathan and Haley kept dancing, but started laughing a little at their friends not-so-subtle attempt to leaving Nathan and Haley alone.

Haley saw Peyton and Brooke talking to the DJ, Lucas and Jake right behind them. And right then, Haley doubted it was by any coincidence, a slow song came on. Haley and Nathan stopped grinding with each other, and Haley turned around to face him.

Even though they were together, so really it's not like it would be weird to slow dance with each other, it was still awkward. Haley didn't know if Nathan was into the slow-dancing thing or if he expected her to ask him, or if she should wait to ask her or what. She got suddenly very nervous, and blurted out the first thing she could think of to get out of that awkward situation. Of course it wouldn't been so much easier just to ask him to dance, but right then all she could think of saying was:

"I think I'm going to get some water..." She said. That was random, she thought. She really did want to dance with Nathan. Why on earth didn't I just ask him? She asked herself. She started walking away, she might as well do as she said, she thought. But Nathan grabbed her arm and swung her back around.

"I don't think so," He said as he chuckled and brought her closer so he could wrap his arms around her waist. She brought her arms around his neck and rester her head on his chest. She gazed up at him lovingly. He was so perfect for her. So gentle and kind and loving. She didn't even know if she deserved him. There she was making some excuse and there he was pulling her in for a dance. Haley was so insecure and she didn't know anything about all of this dating stuff, but Nathan made it that much easier. She really couldn't have asked for anything better.

xXxXxXx

After a couple more songs, Nathan and Haley decided to take a break. Nathan went off to find Tim, and Haley went to get some water, this time actually needing it. She felt her phone vibrating in her pocket and she waited until she was in the quiet kitchen to pick it up, but by then it was too late. The screen of her phone read: "You have one new message". She clicked on it and pressed her phone to her ear to listen to it:

"Haley. This is your mother. I was hoping to talk to you, but unfortunately I guess I will have to tell you this in a message. After you left, your father and I discussed the... situation very deeply. We looked at it from every angle, and we only believe that it is more proof that that boy has changed you. You have forgotten who you are, where you belong. You have forgotten all about principles, and the way we do things in the James's household. Since, you have decided to leave us and live with the Scott's, there is nothing we can do about it. Just know this: You will regret this. You will eventually remember your true self, and where you belong. But when that happens, don't think for one second that you can come back home and be welcomed back with open arms. You made your decision and now you must live with it. You're on your own, now, Haley. Good-Bye."

Her mother's voice cracked as she said those last few things, and Haley could tell that she was crying. I can't believe this, Haley thought. Her worst thoughts were actually coming true. They didn't want to be Haley's parents anymore. They had no daughter as far as they were concerned. What did this mean? Would she have a father to walk her down the isle when she got married? Would her children have grand-parents?

Haley really needed Nathan at that moment. Tears were flooding down her cheeks, not just a couple of little drops too. She looked around and couldn't find Nathan anywhere. She passed by Brooke and Lucas, who were heavily making out in a corner, so she couldn't talk to either of them. Jake and Peyton could be crossed of her list of go-to's as-well, because Haley had seen them go into a room about ten minutes earlier, and she really didn't want to disturb that.

The tears were starting to make her vision foggy so she decided not to risk the not being able to see and tripping and falling on her face scenario, so she just sat down on a near-by couch.

"You look like you need a drink," Some person said to her, that she didn't recognize. "While supplies last?" She said, as she handed a plastic cup to Haley. Haley just stared at it. No! Would be her first impulse to an offer like that. Even since she knew what it was she would associate 'drinking' with 'bad', but now she found herself hesitating.

She remembered what Nathan had said to her their first time tutoring. She had asked him why he drank and he had answered: Just to escape from reality. God, that sounded good to Haley. It sounded really good. To escape from her mother's broken voice in her head, her mothers sad face in her mind, the thought that she was now parent-less. She wished that she could escape all the what if's that were going through her mind right now. What if things didn't work out with her and Nathan? What if Nathan ended up kicking her out if his house? What if she ended up on the street? What if her parents happened to walk by and just look at her as if she were some random homeless person, not worthy or their attention?

But the main What If that stood out: What if she took that drink that was held out infront of her face? She could escape from it all. She would rather feel drunk and unbalanced than the way she was feeling right now. And besides this is a party. This is what you're suppose to do... right?

She managed a smile as she took the drink from the girl. She took a sip and while not enjoying the taste that much, she enjoyed the feeling. She wasn't buzzed or anything yet, but she felt a twinge of excitement. So this is what it feels like to drink, she thought. There was something exciting about breaking rules, and doing things you don't normally do or have never done in your life. And she liked that feeling.

She finished her drink pretty quickly. While since she was small and slim and she had never drank before, it wouldn't take much to get her drunk, she didn't feel like one drink had been enough. She still felt almost as much pain as she had before, and could not get her mother, or used-to-be mother, out of her mind.

She soon found another drink and swallowed that down in no-time. Her head started spinning and she was soon starting to forget all about her parents. She felt like she was soaring. She wanted to have fun! She wanted to dance! Sing! Jump! Whatever it took, she just wanted to do something fun, something wild!

xXxXxXx

"Tim, how many times do I have to tell you? If you threaten guys, they're gonna take it as a challenge for a fight. They're not just gonna get intimidated by you and run away." Nathan said. He had found Tim getting beat up by some guy on their football team, this guy was huge. Sometimes Nathan really didn't know what goes on in Tim's head when he threatens a guy like that.

"He was being a jackass." Tim said. He had cuts and bruises all-over. It was really a sad sight. "I don't see how he gets all these hot girlfriends." This surprised Nathan. David, the guy who had beaten Tim up, was huge and dumb as a post, and he did not get attention from the girls at Tree Hill High.

"What're you talking about?" Nathan asked. "He has hot girlfriends from other schools or something?"

Tim nodded. "I've seen pictures." He confirmed.

"So, big deal, the guy knows how to use PhotoShop to insert a picture of Angelina Jolie into his Prom picture. You figured that out years ago." Nathan said. And Tim didn't deny it. Nathan laughed, but stopped abruptly when he saw Haley inside, stumbling around everywhere. She almost looked... drunk? Haley was drunk?

"Uh, I gotta go, Tim. See you later." He said and patted Tim on the back.

"Ow!" Tim exclaimed and Nathan gave him an apologetic look. Then, ran off inside to find Haley.

xXxXxXx

"Naty!" Haley exclaimed as she saw Nathan rushing towards him. She had had a couple more drinks and was now practically floating. If she wasn't drunk before, she definitely was now.

"Hales? Jeez, Haley, how many drinks have you had?" Nathan asked. He was so shocked that Haley- his Hales- was actually drinking. But there was no denying it, she was definitely drunk. And OK, Nathan couldn't judge her for drinking, he had been way more drunk in his life, but it was so unlike Haley. It didn't seem right. Something must have happened.

"Oh, I lost count after tree!" Haley said, laughing for no reason.

"You mean three?" Nathan said. This was weird, him being the one correcting her. He was pretty worried about Haley, what could have happened for her to want to drink? he thought. But he had to admit, it was a quite funny sight to see.

"YA!" Haley yelled, making Nathan's ears hurt. "Yeah! That's it! Three!" She said laughing hysterically. "Come on, Nathan, let's dance!" She said, her eyes lit up and she started swaying to the music. She was letting it all out, and Nathan knew that he needed to get her to calm down, before she started dancing on a table or something.

"Uh... Why don't you come with me," He said as he took Haley's hand and led her away from the crowd into an unoccupied room. Haley didn't protest, it's not like she would have had enough force to anyway. "Look," Nathan said as they got settled in the room, him still standing and her siting on the bed, "I don't know how much you've drank, so I don't know how long until this wear's off. But you might want to try and relax here, I don't want you to do anything you regret."

"You're so good to me, Natey!" Haley said, jumping up and into his arms. She kissed him hard on the lips before he could say anything else. Haley had that power over him, that just made him not able to not kiss back.

Things intensified as their tongues collided together. Nathan could taste the alcohol in her mouth. He didn't want things to go further. Wait. Scratch that. He definitely wanted things to go further. But now not, not while Haley was like this. He knew that whenever or wherever they ever did have sex, it would be special for him, but he needed it to be special for her, and if she was drunk, he couldn't exactly say it would be special for her.

Even though he thought those things, he couldn't pull away. He literally was not able to, somehow his brain just couldn't communicate with his body just then. Suddenly he found himself letting Haley pull of his shirt and throw it on the ground, only parting his lips from hers for a slit second to get it off his head. But for that slit second, he was able to reach reality and he pulled away a little and looked into Haley's eyes that were looking up at him.

That passionate kiss seemed to have calmed her down a little. "Hales, what're we doing?" Nathan asked, breathing heavily.

The question echoed in Haley's head over and over again. What were they doing? She asked herself. This is sex. A big deal, a huge deal. Maybe it was all the drinks Haley had consumed or maybe it was just that she was in love with Nathan, but she wanted Nathan so bad at that moment. This was it. She wanted to party, she partied. Now she wanted to do something wild, and having sex with Nathan while she was drunk, would definitely be wild. Would she actually do this? Could she?

She didn't know what to answer to Nathan's question. All the alcohol in her system, plus the after-affects that kiss had had on her, left her mind all dizzy and she couldn't think straight. All she knew was that she wanted Nathan, and had to have him. Since she couldn't think of how to say that to him, she just pulled him in for another mind-blowing kiss.

Nathan still wasn't sure about all this. But right now, his physical needs and wants were getting the better of him and he gave in, kissing her back hard and bringing her body closer to his.

They made their way to the bed, discarding clothes on their way. All thoughts of anything but Nathan escaped Haley's mind, she didn't even know if she was doing all this right, and she didn't care. Nathan didn't know if he would regret this later. All he knew was that he was enjoying it now. But at least, he was sure to use protection.

xXxXxXx

AN: OK guys! and that's where I leave you! I wasn't sure if I wanted to make that happen in this chapter, but then I thought, what the hell! I hope you guys liked it! Please give me feed back! Please review! Next up: The morning after...