AN: Thanks so much for the wonderfully nice reviews to: Nathanlvr, OTH.daddy'sgurl.06, AngelLuva, mistydmLiZ457chelle2911Caitlin, and JmQt831! Just so you all know this story has about 5 chapters left. Enjoy!

Chapter 25

However much Jared was spoiled by his parents before, that all pretty much ended. Although they weren't the most decent people, they disagreed greatly with what Jared had said and done. And so, like most people do when then can't deal with a problem, instead of fixing it, they push it aside. They sent Jared to a boarding school in Massachusetts the day after the whole thing blew over.

Haley, having had her parents want her to go to a boarding school not long ago, felt a little bad for him, but she much preferred it to the alternative of him staying and messing with her and Nathan's lives. Nathan didn't feel bad for the guy at all. If it were his son, well he would never raise a kid like that, but if he had, he would have sent him off to military school or something. But he wasn't going to waist anymore time worrying about Jared. He was out of their lives and they were going to enjoy it.

Come the next day at school, everyone knew what happened. Almost everyone, even some of Jared's old friends, would come up and thank Haley and Nathan for getting him out, claiming that they always hated him. They had to admit, Haley and Nathan were pretty worried what people would say. For all they knew, Jared's friends would come and beat them up for what they did, but instead they just congratulated them.

While Nathan was high-fiving just about anyone that passed them in the halls, Haley was distracted. She would smile at everyone, but inside her mind was going crazy. Her parents had been there that day, had heard what Jared has said. But they just left immediately afterwards without saying a word to her. And Haley was wondering so many things: Why did they want to hear what Jared said? Did it affect them at all? Did they know that Jared was doing those things? Did they agree with him?

Despite her smile, Nathan knew that something was wrong with Haley. So, he brought her to a quiet corner before classes started to talk.

"Hales, what's going on?" Nathan asked and Haley didn't bother lying to him about it. He knew her too well and she knew that he wouldn't buy it if she told him nothing was wrong.

"I just... I mean does it seem weird that my parents..." Haley started, but somehow couldn't finish.

"Just came and left without saying a word?" Nathan finished for her. "Yeah, it was kind of weird."

"I mean, I didn't expect them to... I don't know, hug me or anything, but they could've said something. What did they say when you called them?" Haley asked.

"Well I just told them to please come to the school and they asked why and all that, but when I said that it concerned you they came right away. I played them what I had recorded so far and they didn't really say anything. I think they were just shocked." Nathan said and Haley thought about it. When they heard that it concerned her, they came right away? Well, that meant something, right?

"Ok... Thanks, Nathan," Haley said as the bell rang. They kissed good-bye then headed to separate classes. Well, Nathan headed to class. Haley decided to do something she had never done before. She took a couple deep breaths. And then she quickly ran outside.

---

Haley didn't have the keys to Nathan's car so she just kept running. But it was ridiculous and pointless; she wasn't going to run the whole way, that was impossible. So she found a bus to take her there. It was weird, but that was actually the first time she had ever been on a bus. Her parents would always drive her places and then when she turned sixteen she was handed a car and never needed to drive the bus. But Haley didn't mind it, in fact, she rather liked.

There were a couple times when she considered getting off and just going back to school. I can't do this, she thought. But then, she had already left, she was already on the bus. She was already doing this.

As she got closer her heart rate accelerated, pounding so hard she just knew that everyone else in the bus could hear it. Three blocks left... Two... One... The bus stopped and Haley swore her heart did too, but she forced herself to get off.

Her parents weren't going to talk to her. Fine, she would have to go and talk to them. Now if only she could get herself to knock on that door. She had been standing in front of it for minutes now. She still couldn't decide. Maybe this was all a mistake... Would she regret this later? She sat down and leaned against the door for a little while, still deciding. Suddenly she felt the door pull away from behind her and she practically fell backwards, but she was able to pull herself up.

"Haley. I thought I heard a noise," It was her mother. Normally the butler would open the door, but this time Haley was just lucky.

"Yeah," Haley said, her brain freezing. Why was she here, again? "Can I come in?" Her mother looked at her for a few seconds.

"Okay," She finally said and she moved aside. Haley stepped in.

---

"Nathan, wait up!" Peyton said stumbling to catch up with Nathan during the lunch period. He was so tall and had long legs, making his strides way bigger than hers. Peyton saw him passing by and thought she should talk to him.

Nathan stopped when he heard his name and turned around. Peyton was shoving her way through the crowded hall way.

"Hey," Nathan said when Peyton reached him. "What's up?"

"I was just wondering where Haley was. We missed her first period. I didn't have any other classes with her, so I don't know if she ever came, but I haven't really seen her so..." Peyton said. Nathan looked confused, probably 'cause he was.

"What? No, Haley's here, I was with her right before first period." Nathan said.

"Well she didn't come to class."

Nathan thought about it. Haley? Cutting class? Those two things didn't exactly go together. Did something happen?

"Well, I don't know. Maybe something came up," Peyton said and then she left. Probably to go find Jake. In a way Nathan envied what Peyton and Jake had or what Brooke and Lucas had. They had love, but without all the complications that he and Haley had. But he didn't dwell on that too long. He knew he was lucky to have Haley, even with the complications. He quickly got out his phone and called Haley. Speed-dial two.

---

"James, Haley is here," Lydia announced to Haley's father who was reading the newspaper in the living room. Haley was uneasy and she could tell her mother was too. He looked up from the paper and saw that yes, in fact, Haley was there.

"Hi, Dad..." Haley said uncomfortably. Her and her mother walked in and sat down. Her mother on the couch next to her father, and Haley on a chair across from them. They were silent for a while. Haley felt stupid that she hadn't planed what to say to them on the way here. But the words eventually came.

"You guys left pretty quickly the other day," Haley said. Her parents didn't say anything. "Why is that?" Haley asked.

Her parents exchanged glances and then her mother spoke. "Haley, honey, your father and I have been thinking... We want you to come home..." They explained to her that they weren't going to make her go to the boarding school and they even apologized for their previous behavior. At one point Haley swore she saw a few tears fall from her mother's eyes.

Haley asked questions. A lot of questions, to make sure there was no catch. And there wasn't.

---

Haley's phone rang a little later and she didn't want to be rude and answer, but she saw that it was Nathan and considering that Haley didn't tell him about skipping school, she figured she should answer. She excused herself from her parents and went into another room.

"Hello?" She answered after what seemed to Nathan like ten million rings.

"Thank God. Hales, where are you?" Nathan said frantically.

"Nathan, don't worry. I'm fine... I'm..." For some reason, the right words wouldn't come to Haley. "I'll tell you about it later, okay? I love you, I'll see you later at your house." Haley said fast and then hung up before Nathan could ask her if she was sure.

---

Haley figured she could walk back to Nathan's house from her parent's house. She took the road that went past Echo Park, just so that she could maybe stop there and think. The one place were she could be alone with her thoughts. What was she going to say to Nathan?

Thoughts ran through Haley's mind at one hundred miles and hour and before Haley knew it she had arrived at Echo Park. But she wasn't alone. She noticed a tall, dark figure there and she knew exactly who it was. Nathan.

Haley made her way over to him slowly. Each step making her eyes water more until Nathan was just a watery blur in her eyes. She wiped her eyes and called out to him. He turned around and saw her and walked over.

"Hi," Haley said. Nathan's expression was all concern. He had noticed Haley's teary-eyes.

"Hales, what's going on? What's wrong?" Nathan asked. Haley took several deep breaths and forced herself to look into Nathan's deep blue, confused eyes.

"I, um... went to see my parents..." Haley said with the smallest voice she had ever used. "They, uh... They told me that they wanted me to move back..." Haley couldn't look Nathan in the eyes anymore, it was too hard. She stared down at her shoes.

Haley's parents invited her back? Nathan thought. And from her tone it seemed like... What, was she actually considering...? "Haley, are you going to..." Nathan couldn't finish the thought. His mind got foggy and he felt like he was nauseous.

"They want to be a family, Nathan. They said they were sorry. Do you know how often they admit that they're sorry? Never. But they said it. Nathan, I can't keep living with you and your mom. Your mom has to go through enough already, I can't be another child for her to support when my parents want to support me. I can't keep pretending that you and your mom are my family." Haley tried to explain.

"But, Haley, your parents won't even let you see me!" Nathan said, expression his deepest fright. He knew if Haley went back to her parents than it would be over.

"Yes, they will, Nathan, they'll understand!" Haley said. Her parents seemed to have changed. If they wanted Haley to be happy than they would let her see Nathan. They wouldn't care anymore. They might even like him.

"No, Haley, they won't," Nathan said, starting to yell, "God, Haley, I love you so much, but you are being way too naive here."

"They just want what's best for me! And that's for me to be with you, they'll understand!" Haley yelled back, tears streaming down her face.

"Don't you get it? They think that what's best for you is to stay away from me, not be with me!" Nathan said. He couldn't believe that the only thing he loved more than life itself, was slipping away from him. And there was nothing he could do but protest. And it wasn't going to well. Tears were forming in his eyes. He couldn't lose her.

"No, you've got it wrong!" Haley said, convincing herself that he was wrong. He was. He had to be. "I mean, why does it have to be you or my parents, hun? Why can't I have both? A family and a boyfriend, is that too much to ask?"

"No, it's not too much to ask," Nathan said, then added, "As long as the boyfriend is rich."

"What?" Haley sobbed.

"Your parents, they think I'm filth, Haley." Nathan said. "You should have seen the way they looked at me the other day. They practically disowned you for being with me!" Nathan yelled.

"But they've changed," Haley said. They had changed. They apologized and everything. Her mother was crying. They were going to be a family. "I want a real family. If you can't support me on that, than that's your problem, but I'm moving back in with them!" Haley declared, tears still falling.

They were silent for a while. Nathan let everything sink in. But he couldn't. How was he supposed to accept this? He swallowed. "Then, I guess I can't stop you," He whispered and then turned around and walked away. He couldn't let her see him cry.

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AN: I know, it's sad, but I have a lot planned for ahead, so please don't give up on me! Please review! Thanks!