AN: Thanks for reviewing to: crazy4fiction, ilvjameslafferty, JmQt831, Lorilozz, Nathanlvr, abonana, and chelle2911. So just so you know I'm leaving for three weeks in two days so hopefully I'll find a computer there to update on, but otherwise, I'll update when I get back! So sorry for the inconvenience!

Chapter 18

Nathan and Haley spent practically the whole weekend working. They were both able to pull extra shifts so that they could get more money. Of course, this meant they were seeing much less of each other, which they weren't exactly happy about.

Haley was getting second thoughts about this whole kissing booth idea. When Nathan had suggested it, it had seemed like a good solution at the time, but now she wasn't sure if she wanted to go through with it. She wasn't looking forward to kissing twenty guys, none of which being Nathan, all in one lunch period. Not so long ago, Haley was a nobody at Tree Hill High. How could she even assume that twenty guys would want to pay to kiss her. Oh, now that thought just made her really nervous. What if Nathan would be sitting there with a line of fifty girls who would pay big money to kiss shim, and Haley would be just there next to him, with no one in front of her? She didn't even want to think about what she would be thinking when seeing Nathan kiss twenty different girls.

xXxXxXx

It was ten o'clock on Sunday night, and Haley was coming home after closing up at the cafe. She had thought about their kissing booth plan for a while, and she decided to tell Nathan that she didn't want to do it, and that they should just think of something else.

She took a deep breath, put the key in the lock, and went inside. She was caught off-guard at how disheveled the kitchen looked. There were papers of all colors, scissors, glue, every arts and crafts known to man basically, all scattered about on the kitchen table. It looked like girl scouts had invaded to made posters for their back sales or something. Then it hit Haley. Oh, no, she thought.

Nathan walked in holding a huge sign. "Ta-da!" he said proudly, like a little kid, as he held up the poster. 'Kissing Booth' it said in big sparkly letters. It said at the bottom, 'Wednesday, during lunch period visit Nathan and Haley at the kissing booth. $10 a kiss!'

"Wow," Haley said, for lack of anything better to say. It was so adorable how excited Nathan was about this.

"Yeah, it's cool, hun? I've been working on them for an hour. I made five to put around school tomorrow."

"Wow, Nate. You're really putting a lot of effort into this," Haley said.

"Yeah, well, we kind of need it to all go smoothly, or else I'm screwed," he said, jokingly, but it was true. "Listen, Hales," He said more seriously, walking up to her and wrapping his arms around her, "I really appreciate you doing this for me. I mean, kissing twenty people who you barely know? It isn't exactly... appealing. But it's incredible that you're always there for me. If it wasn't for you, who knows where I'd be now. You're amazing, you know that?"

OK, so maybe I could go through with this, Haley told herself. She needed to do it for Nathan.

"Yeah? Try telling that to the other guys at school. I doubt there are many who'd want to pay ten bucks to kiss me." Haley admitted.

"Are you kidding?" Nathan said, "I kept imagining you with a line of fifty guys and me all alone," He said chuckling, and then kissing her sweetly on the forehead.

xXxXxXx

Monday morning, Nathan hadn't even put up the posters yet, but as Nathan and Haley walked into Tree Hill High, Haley felt like everyone know, and it was embarrassing her a little. God, relax, she told herself, they do these sorts of fund raisers all the time at high schools.

"Oh me gosh, Nathan, I just thought of something!" Haley said, grabbing his arm in panic. "What if they ask us what the money's for?"

"Oh, you're right," Nathan said, pausing for a moment to think. "Well, why don't we just say we need to pay the rent," Nathan suggested.

"You want people to know we're living together?" Haley asked. She knew how people would take this news and she didn't feel like being gossiped about.

"Of course. I mean, it's nothing to hide. I'm not ashamed or anything. Why? Do you not want them to know?" Nathan asked with concern.

"No, it's not that, but... um..." Haley said, trying to find the right way to say this. "People at this school can get pretty... harsh, when it comes to gossip like that, you know?"

"No, Hales, don't worry about that. Everyone'll only find it adorable that we're in love and living together. I'm sure they'd be glad to help," Nathan said, without any hesitation in his voice.

"OK," Haley said trying to convinced herself that eveything'll be find. "Yeah, you're right. I guess I'm just getting nervous."

Nathan kissed her on the lips, but just briefly because they were at school, but it was enough to clear Haley's head, which is just what she needed. "Don't worry about it," he said calmingly, "Look, I gotta go to class, I'll see you at lunch though." he said, and kissed her quickly again, and then headed down the hall.

xXxXxXx

Haley was waiting for everyone, during her lunch period, at a table alone. Nathan was probably scurrying around the school putting up posters. She guessed that he had already put some up or told some people about it, because as a group of guys passed her earlier, they all blew kisses to her, making her blush. She didn't even know them!

She saw Lucas walking towards her, looking at her a little weirdly. She could tell that he know. He sad down at the table across from her.

"Hey," he said but he said it awkwardly, avoiding her eyes. Haley didn't blame him. If she had heard that Lucas was holding a kissing booth, she would act weird around him, too.

"I'm doing it to help Nathan," Haley said, knowing that he would know what she was talking about.

"And how exactly is kissing other guys for money going to help him?" He asked. Haley made a face, that's not what she meant.

"He needs the money. Look, don't tell anyone, but he-we got in trouble with the cops, and Nathan's still on parole, so we have a fin to pay, and well... we need money." Haley explained. She knew she could trust her best friend with this information.

"You couldn't... I don't know... do a car wash or something?" Lucas said. Haley laughed.

"You think a kissing booth was my idea? No, Nathan just thought it would e easy and effective. It's actually really cute, he's all excited for it," Haley said, smiling.

"So, it was his idea to kiss other girls for money..." Lucas started making it sound really bad. Haley didn't know why he was acting so against this.

"Lucas-" Haley tried to say, but he interrupted her.

"And he's excited about it!" Lucas said. His voice was raised a little more, and he was almost yelling.

"Nathan's not like that. Come on, Lucas you know it's not like that. He loves me," Haley said.

"If he loves you so much, why'd he get you in trouble with the police, hun? Why'd he get you kicked out of your house?" Lucas said angrily. This was getting out of hand; somehow they ended up yelling at each other.

"Hey! I didn't get kicked out of my house. I left, because I wanted to! And I didn't get in trouble with the cops, only Nathan did!" Haley yelled. She was outraged at Lucas's behavior to all this. It was just a kissing booth! He would do it too, if he had to pay a fine.

"You guys talking about me?" Haley heard a voice said from behind her. She turned around to see ?Nathan there, looking confused.

xXxXxXx

"Nathan!" Haley yelled after Nathan, who had stormed off, just as Jake, Peyton, Brooke, and Tim had arrived at their table. Haley got up and ran after him.

Lucas sighed. What had he done? He didn't mean to get so mad. He didn't know what had gotten over him. He put his head in his hands and Brooke comfortingly put her hands on his shoulders. She had no idea what was going on, but she could tell it was bad; and all she could do was comfort.

"I messed up, Brooke," Lucas admitted. "I messed up real bad," he said in despair.

"We'll fix it, babe." Brooke said reassuringly. "Don't worry."

xXxXxXx

Meanwhile, Haley was having a hard time keeping up with Nathan. While he was 6'2'' and was talking big steps walking, Haley had to run to catch up.

"Nathan, wait up," Haley said, but Nathan kept on walking. They were now outside, in front of the school building. "Come on." Haley said and Nathan stopped abruptly, catching Haley off guard and making her run right into him.

"I thought we agreed to to tell people," Nathan said, but he wasn't yelling. In fact he was almost whispering. Like he wasn't mad at Haley, but just disappointed.

"We did. I know, and I'm sorry," Haley said looking at the ground. "I only told Lucas, I swear. He's my best friend, I know he won't tell anyone." Haley said. Nathan didn't say anything. "At least, he was my best friend. I don't even know anymore."

"What happened?" Nathan asked. He was still a little upset, but it was slowly leaving, and he couldn't help being concerned about Haley.

"I don't know. All of a sudden he got all weird. He acted like this whole kissing booth was like... a lesser thing for me to do or something. And then he started talking about you and how you're-"

"Getting you into trouble." Nathan finished for her. Of course, he thought. Nathan like Lucas, but of course the best friend protective shield was going to get in the way eventually. "I can see why he would think that. I mean, honestly Haley, he might be right."

"What? No, Nathan. I love you. If I didn't want you in my life than you wouldn't be in it. I've never been as happy as I have been since we got together." Haley said, frankly. It was the honest truth, and she hoped Nathan knew that. He didn't say anything, but Haley swore she saw a hint of a smile on his lips. "I'm sorry I told Lucas. Are you mad?" Haley said softly.

"No, I'm not mad," Nathan whispered as he pulled Haley close. "I just wish you could have asked me before." Haley nodded. Nathan kissed her on the top of her head. They stayed there for a while, not saying a word; just holding each other; needing each other.

xXxXxXx

AN: I'm hoping I'll be able to update before three weeks, but incase I can't, I'm really really sorry. Hopefully you guys will still be interested when I come back! Thanks so much for reading. Please review!