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Hi All, I'm bringing you my 13th Story. I really enjoy writing these. I just wanted to point out while you are reading my stories. There may be a lot of grammar and spelling errors, this is down to my disability. So please be kind and understanding while reading. Lastly, I have the lovely othfangirl helping me with this story, I'm so thankful for her support with writing and encouraging with this story. Happy Reading.
Finding Our Future chapter32
Since their talk, Haley and Nathan hadn't had the chance to see each other. They spent their nights talking on the phone and telling each other about their day, just trying to get back to the new normal of their relationship.
Haley walked happily along the street, coming from the beach heading towards Karen's cafe. She had a little spring to her step today as she was feeling more like her self then she had in the last week or so.
"Hi Haley," Quinn spoke cheerful as her sister entered the cafe.
"Hi," she replied walking over to where her sister was sitting.
"Oh, is Clay here too? She questioned seeing that the seat on the other side of the table seemed to be occupied
"Um actually it's...,"
"Oh Hi Haley!" Brooke spoke approaching the table and sitting down across from Quinn.
"Do you want to join us?" Quinn asked nervously knowing there had been some tension between the pair in recent days.
"Um is that okay?" Haley nervously asked Brooke while fidgeting with her pinky ring.
"Oh course it's okay tutor girl," she spoke pulling out a chair for her.
"Thanks," she smiled feeling a sense of relief.
Xxx
"Look man, I know you and Haley have gone through a rough patch lately."
'Yeah, all couples have stuff they go through Clay, but we finally had a good talk and we're slowly getting back on track."
"Well that's great to hear. I wanted to say that I'm really thankful for all the hard work you have put in over the last few days here. I know it must have been difficult working all the extra hours when you could have been with Haley."
"Yeah man, you're right, but we both still need to make a living. I was neglecting my work before everything went down, so in a way it's helped me work out a good balance between my work and my personal life."
"That's good to hear man. So how are things between the two of you?"
"Well we haven't seen each other since our talk, but we have been communicating better with each other in the past few days."
"That's great man. You guys are coming tonight right?"
"Yes, we are planning to be there later. Honestly, I'm a bit nervous to see her again."
"Why?"
"I'm scared of jumping in too fast and screwing it all up again."
"Well you have your friends around you for support. Just be yourself man and take the lead from her. I'm sure you two will have no problem going from there and moving forward."
"Thanks man", he spoke giving Clay a fist bump.
Xxx
"So Brooke, where have you been staying?" Haley inquired casually to her.
"She has been staying with me," Quinn spoke before giving Brooke a chance to talk.
"Oh," Haley spoke softly feeling even more uncomfortable with the whole situation.
"Don't feel bad Haley. You've had a lot going on and needed some space to process everything." She spoke giving her a reassuring smile
'Yeah, look Brooke, I know I wasn't very nice to you and I'm sorry for that. I'm still working through everything with Nathan, but if you would like my guest room, then it's still available. It's yours if you want to use it for the rest of your stay."
"Are you sure? I don't want to invade your space if you're going to be spending your nights with Nathan."
"Oh you're not invading. Nathan and I aren't back to that point yet. We're taking things slow." She explained
"That's a good step in the right direction then. It means things won't be awkward later when we're all together
"Yeah, just please don't pressure us into kissing. We definitely aren't back to that yet."
"Okay no pressuring," both girls agreed smiling softly at her.
Xxx
Later that afternoon Haley was at home getting herself ready to head over to Quinn's, when her phone started ringing.
"Hi you," she spoke answering the call.
"Hi Haley, look I was just wondering would you like me to come pick you up? We can go over to Quinn's together," he asked nervously not sure what her reaction would be.
Haley was a little shocked by his suggestion.
"Haley, you still there?" He asked after a few minutes of silence.
"Ummm Nathan I...,"
"Haley, it's okay. You don't need to explain. I just thought I would ask you," he spoke trying to remain upbeat hiding his disappointment.
"It was a sweet suggestion Nathan. I just don't want to put any pressure on us to feel like we are obligated to show up together."
"Yeah, that's fine Haley. I just didn't want you to think that I wasn't going to ask you. So I guess I will just see you there."
"Definitely," she spoke trying to be encouraging toward him.
"Okay, see you later, Bye." He spoke before ending the call.
Haley spent the rest of her time getting ready, and second guessing her decision. She was beginning to feel the pressure of seeing him even more now.
Xxx
Pulling up outside Clay and Quinn's house, Haley looked around feeling a sense of relief wash over her when she realized that Nathan had still yet to arrive. She grabbed her bag and headed into the house.
"You look nice tutor girl." Brooke commented as Haley walked into the kitchen
"Thanks Brooke, but must you always call me tutor girl?"
"Yes, it's your nickname."
"Okay, whatever you say Tigger."
"Oh Haley Bob, you're here." Quin commented coming back into the kitchen.
"Yep, just got here."
"Great, well Clay is already outside, so why don't we head out."
"Um is Nathan here yet?" She asked not wanting to sound too eager but still feeling curious at the same time.
"No he is still yet to arrive, why?"
"He called me a little while ago asking if he could pick me up. I put him off."
"Haley, why?"
"Yeah tutor girl, you have nothing to worry about. We're your friends, and we promised not to put any pressure on you guys, remember."
"I guess I'm just nervous about seeing him with everything that's been going on," she spoke feeling frustrated with herself.
"Here, drink this. It will calm your nerves," Quinn commented handing her a shot.
"Quinn, if I drink that I will be drunk before he even gets here. I need to have a clear head to be around him," she explained walking to the fridge to get a bottle of water.
"Okay suit yourself," Quinn replied before knocking back the shot.
Xxx
Outside everyone had congregated on the patio and they were all drinking and chatting. Haley on the other hand could feel herself getting more nervous and worked up awaiting Nathan's arrival.
"Haley, you okay?" Clay asked seeing that she seemed to be a little out of sort.
"Yeah, I'm actually just going to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back."
Quinn saw her rushing away, but didn't want to go after her incase she made the situation even worse
"Is she really okay, Quinn?"
"Yeah, I think she is just a little anxious because Nathan hasn't appeared yet."
Xxx
Looking in the mirror, she tried hard to get her thoughts together. "Come on Haley, just be here and enjoy it with everyone. If he doesn't show up, don't let it spoil your night."
After finishing up, she walked out of the bathroom and straight into Nathan.
"Sorry", she spoke before even looking up.
"It's okay Haley. I didn't realize you were in there."
"Yep, I was just trying to calm my nerves down."
"Why are you nervous?"
"I was worried that you wouldn't show up, and I was nervous about everyone staring at us. It's making me feel uncomfortable. You know what though, I think coming here was a bad idea. I'm just going to get my stuff and go." She whispered out all in a tizzy.
Reaching out to grab her hand, he said "No, please don't go Haley."
Haley looked up at him, surprised at the spark she felt jolt through her body.
"Look, I'm late because I was beating myself up about asking if I could pick you up? I was worried I jumped the gun and pressured you too hard. Now seeing you're just as nervous as me, I think we can help each other out. Get through this together." He spoke smiling at her.
"Okay! Look I know we are still working on us, but do you think I could have a hug? I just need to feel safe before going back out there." She nervously whispered, biting her bottom lip awaiting his answer.
"Of course", he whispered pulling her in a second later, letting her head rest against his chest as he breathed in her familiar scent.
They stood quietly enjoying the moment, before she pulled herself away again. "We better get out there or Quinn will be wondering what happened to me."
Xxx
"You guys seem to be doing well with all the clients that have been signing on recently."
"Nathan has been doing a great job with all the meetings. We just need to get a few more people and that will be the quota for the year."
"I wouldn't expect anything less of him." Haley praised before looking his way with a small smile.
"So are you ready for school?" Clay questioned to her.
"Well I have my classroom all ready. Whether or not I'm ready is a totally different matter altogether."
"Come on Haley Bob, you're going to be a great teacher."
"Haley if you can tutor me, you can teach anyone." Nathan commented with a smirk on his face.
"Thank you," she smiled feeling a little more confident in herself.
"Tutor girl, come get in the pool with me." Brooke shouted over to her.
"Not tonight Tigger," she replied taking a sip of her water.
"Please"
"You know she is going to keep asking until you get in right," Quinn commented to her.
"I guess I can just put my legs in," she spoke getting up heading over to the pool.
"Happy now tigger,"
"No, I still want you to get in and swim with me tutor girl,"
"Urgh fine"
Taking the hair tie off her wrist, she put her hair up into its messy signature bun. Pulling her tank top off, she stood and looked over her shoulder to spy Nathan's eyes glued to her as she shimmied out of her shorts.
"Fuck, my girl is so sexy", he thought to himself. As his eyes roamed all over her body, seeing her bikini hug her in all the right places.
Getting used to the water, Haley had an overwhelming sense of Nathan's eyes on her. Looking his way as she swam, she locked eyes with him for a brief second before he adverted his eyes, nervous that he got caught checking her out as her tattoo was on full display for everyone to see.
Xxx
"Here, Quinn asked me to bring this over to you." He spoke handing her a plate of food.
"Thanks," she smiled taking the plate from him. Trying to keep hold of the plate as she felt that spark again between them.
"You're welcome," he smirked at her trying to shake off the same feeling.
"What?" She questioned noticing the look he was giving her.
"I'm just surprised is all,"
"At what?"
"I think this is the first time I have seen you eat a plate of food that doesn't involve Mac and cheese."
"True! Hey Mac and cheese is food of the God's,"
"Yeah, if you're five," he commented seeing the shocked looked on her face.
Looking around her she couldn't help feeling a few pairs of eyes on her. Haley looked up at Nathan, "Do you want to go for a walk on the beach?"
"Sure," he replied softly smiling at her.
"Okay, just let me tell Quinn where we are going and I'll be right back."
Watching her walk over to Quinn, gave him the chance to calm himself down and get his thoughts together again.
Xxx
"It's a really pretty evening," Haley spoke looking out at the ocean as they walked.
"It's not as beautiful as the view I'm looking at."
"Shut up" she blushed before pushing him a little.
"What, I'm just telling it how I see it Haley."
"Thank you. I appreciate the compliment," she spoke smiling up at him.
"Haley, I'm sorry if I worried you earlier with showing up late."
"I'm sorry too Nathan. Things are getting better for us, and I just didn't want everyone talking and putting more pressure on us if we showed up together."
"That's understandable. I guess I was just getting a little ahead of myself again."
"Hey, you are allowed to be hopeful Nathan. I just need for us to still take things slow."
"That's fair. You're really testing me though when you decide to wear such a sexy bikini." He spoke with his trademark smirk
"You are my boyfriend and I do still have to keep you interested in me," she replied with a smirk of her own.
"Haley, I'm always going to be interested in you. No matter what is going on with us, I really hope you can believe that." He spoke reaching to interlock his hand with hers.
"Nathan, I'm trying so hard to believe you. I'm still finding the trust a difficult issue. My mind is still a mess trying to process everything, but I like that we have recently had some nice moments together, just the two of us." She commented, stopping to look at him while she talked.
"I have enjoyed that too. Why don't we sit and watch the sunset together, after all, it is what we did on our first unofficial date." He suggested as he sat down on the sand.
"I'm glad I'm not the only one who counts that as our unofficial first date." She commented getting down to sit close beside him.
Looking out at the sky, on instinct she gently rested her head on Nathan's shoulder.
"Thank you for asking me to come on this walk with you tonight. It's been nice." He whispered softly, taking her hand and interlocking his fingers with hers
As they sat watching the sunset together, a swirl of emotions and questions consumed both of their thoughts, but they didn't want to spoil the sweet moment between them either, so they just concentrated on the simply act of being together.
Happy reading and always please review
