Happy OTH Day! Although - I'm not sure how happy all LP fans will be tonight, I have a feeling from the preview it's going to break my heart.

Okay, so I've had a rush of inspiration for this fic. It's my favorite that I'm writing currently. Also, I want to get this finished or at least mostly finished so I can start the other one I'm brewing up! But this fic probably has 10 or so more chapters, so it's a long way from being finished. I hope you all enjoy it! Thanks for the great reviews.

Tonight I watch the lights go out in your house
Wondering how I could get so deep
And you could still get to sleep
In vain I blame my trembling on the cold air
And I can't hide that I relied on you
Like yellow does on blue

Haley James Scott didn't have a whole lot of experience when it came to love and dating. Sure, she'd gotten married at 16; but her and Nathan hadn't been together all that long before they tied the knot. And their young marriage proved to be another of the statistics; it seemed like they weren't going to make it. Before Nathan, she had never dated anyone. So, it was safe to say her knowledge of relationships was slim. However, when she saw two people in front of her that were in love, she knew it. This was the case as she sat in front of Lucas Scott and Peyton Sawyer. There is no way these two will last through the summer without hooking up again, thought Haley smugly.

The pair of blondes were sitting in a booth at Karen's Café, facing each other, bantering and flirting. Since Lucas and Peyton had reconciled as friends, those two and Haley had been nearly inseparable. They'd adapted to waking up early in the morning to get to the beach, where the girls would sunbathe and Lucas would take his morning run along the shore, followed by a swim in the ocean, where after he'd run up to the girls and drench them in the salty water, starting an all out war. Haley usually worked every afternoon, so Lucas and Peyton would follow her there and hang out. After Haley's shift, they'd head over to the Roe household and watch a movie together.

Haley wasn't sure what those two did after the movies, she'd usually go to bed. A lot of nights she heard their quiet giggling. One night, Haley had woken up at 2 a.m. for a glass of water. She saw that Lucas's bedroom door was open and peeked inside, only to find the room empty. After wandering through the rest of the house, she realized the two broody blondes were nowhere to be found. So, she guessed other nights they snuck out to Peyton's house or the beach. She never asked; she supposed it was something that they held sacredly for themselves, since they never brought it up, and she respected that.

"You still with me, Hales?" Peyton's teasing voice asked.

Haley snapped her head up and shook away her thoughts, seeing that Lucas was no longer sitting with them. "Sorry girlie, I just had some things on my mind."

Peyton nodded sympathetically. "Nathan?"

Haley bowed her head. "No, not actually."

Peyton leaned over the table and placed a comforting hand on top of Haley's. "Hales, you've been so great to me since you've been back, and I appreciate that, especially with how cold I was to you in the beginning. But… you haven't even mentioned Nathan once yet, and Lucas says you won't talk to him, either. I know how hard it must be… if you need to talk, I want you to know I'm here."

Haley let her face fall for just a moment and then perked back up. "I just don't want to talk about him yet. I promise when I am ready – I'll let you both know. What I do want to talk about is you and Lucas."

As Haley waggled her eyebrows, Peyton flushed pink with embarrassment and turned her head away. "What do you mean? We're friends, you know this – we all hang out every day."

"Yes, but I don't hang out with you two all night," she teased, forgetting about her own pact to leave the two alone.

Once again, Peyton blushed, but thankfully Lucas walked up to the table to save her from being embarrassed alone.

Lucas looked at Peyton and sighed; she was so beautiful when she was blushing. "Hales – what'd you say to make Peyton blush? Thought I was the only one that could do that."

"Okay, as much as I love you two poking fun at me-"

Haley laughed and patted Peyton's hand. "I was just questioning Ms. Sawyer over here about where you two disappear to after I fall asleep."

Lucas, too, flushed red and rubbed his chin. "None of your business – now get your ass to work. You're on the clock!" He whipped her with a towel as she scurried off, giggling.

Peyton scooted out of the booth. "So, you ready to go catch that flick?"

"I sure am." He held out his arm in offering? "Madam?"

She looped her arm through his. "Thank you kind sir."

As they walked through the door of the café, Deb turned to Haley. "Are those two together yet?"

The only response from Haley was a sarcastic chuckle.

-----

Once outside and walking, Peyton had quickly pulled her arm away from Lucas; it was too hard to have any physical contact with him. Her feelings had not only not gone away, they had intensified beyond belief since they'd been spending every night together.

Their nights together hadn't been anything overly romantic or meant to be anything more than two friends hanging out, but they had been less than innocent as well.

The second night they snuck away from his house, they had ended up on the beach; their beach, where Lucas had found Peyton sitting in near tears at the beginning of summer; that night where this whole thing had begun.

Lucas and Peyton were casually strolling along the beach, their feet half in the water, and half in the sand. They were discussing their latest music fixations, Lucas's current reading choice, and the call he'd received from Karen that day. Anything and everything that came to their mind, they discussed; it was almost as if they were back to being just friends. Almost.

Lucas was on the right side of Peyton, closer to the ocean. Suddenly, and without her notice, he playfully swooped down and splashed some water up at her.

Peyton stopped dead in her tracks and turned to him with a teasing gleam in her eye. "Oh you are so dead Eugene."

At the sound of his middle name, Lucas picked her up by the waist and ran straight into the ocean, her laughing and wiggling against him in protest. As soon as he was far enough out he plunged down under the water, soaking them both.

Once they emerged from the water, playful splashing ensued along with childish name calling and kid antics. It felt good to just have fun again.

In the middle of all the splashing, dunking, and diving, Peyton's legs had somehow found their way around Lucas's waist. Lucas's hands had somehow found their way to the outside of Peyton's thighs.

Lucas was laughing heartily when he realized the intense stare being sent his way by the beautiful blonde in his grasp. His laughing ceased immediately.

It surprised even her when Peyton leaned her head forward, as if to kiss him. He smiled reassuringly at her, and she mirrored his smile. Just as their lips were about to meet, an overly loud splash was heard followed by a round of giggle coming from a group of kids running into the ocean.

Peyton immediately jumped out of his arms and swam back to the shore with a shout of "Race you to the beach!"

It wasn't the only time something like that had occurred; various scenarios had happened upon them while spending their evenings together, but something always interrupted them or stopped them from taking that next step. Peyton wanted to stop it all; but she couldn't help herself. This boy-man was addicting.

At the movie theatre, Peyton agreed to buy the junk food whilst Lucas sprung for the tickets. As Lucas was walking to join Peyton at the concession stand, he found her speaking with another guy; and not just any speaking, it was most definitely flirting. Lucas tried in vain to keep his jealousy down. Before he came to stand next to her, he closed his eyes, counted to ten, and attempted to not jump to conclusions. When he finally joined her, the man had left, but his presence still lingered within Lucas.

When Peyton noticed Lucas she attempted a bright face. "Okay, we've got the large popcorn and coke, and I'm definitely buying Reese's Pieces, but Skittles or Sweetarts?"

"Um, Skittles, I guess. So hey – who was that you were talking to?"

Peyton internally groaned, knowing that if Lucas saw the boy that this would be coming. "Um, that was Aidan, he's new in town, and he's our age and will start at THHS in the fall as a senior."

Lucas decided to try another approach and bumped her shoulder with his in a seemingly friendly manner. "Looked like you two were flirting a bit."

Peyton nodded uncomfortably. "Uh, yeah – well, he asked me out on a date, and I kind of said yes."

Lucas stopped dead in his tracks; this was not good. He thought they were getting somewhere with their will-they-won't-they scenario and now he had another roadblock to deal with.

"You coming?"

Lucas nodded solemnly and joined her in the theatre. He never did find out what that movie was all about; his mind was on Peyton Sawyer the entire time.

-----

Haley was exhausted from a long day at work; all she wanted to do was come home, take a hot shower, and fall asleep for hours on end. Walking through the back door, she decided to make herself a cup of tea beforehand, and then proceed with her night as planned. Every plan she had was nixed as she saw her best friend sitting at their kitchen table, head in hands, looking miserable.

"Uh oh," Haley let out, dropping her bag on the floor, "I'm assuming that this must be Peyton related."

"How'd you know?" The sad boy mumbled through the cracks of his fingers, never lifting his eyes to greet his friend.

Haley rolled her eyes as she took a seat. "It's always about Peyton. When is it not?"

"She's going on a date with some new guy, Aidan something or other. We went to the movies this afternoon and she accepted a date from another guy. Hales… I really thought we were getting somewhere. We've almost kissed like a dozen times, and we flirt like there's no tomorrow. I know she feels it too; I just can't take it anymore, Haley. I'm in love with her," he spoke softly.

Haley knew this, and for some reason unbeknownst to her, tears sprang to her eyes; this wasn't even her love story. She moved her chair next to Lucas's and pulled him into a hug. "I know you are, buddy. And I'm sorry – but Lucas, she's in love with you, too. She just doesn't want to give in to these feelings. She loves Brooke too much."

"Yep, and apparently Brooke's feelings are more important than mine and hers. I'm going to bed; don't wake me in the morning. Tell Peyton – tell her to have fun on her date. I don't want to see her tomorrow."

Haley thumped her head against the hard wood of the kitchen table and groaned. She was seriously thinking moving back home wasn't all it was cracked up to be. And then her phone vibrated; Nathan was calling.

And you're my good feeling, I'm kneeling
Inside her room she paints me blue
And you are my reason for breathing
Inside her room she paints me blue

Okay, so I hope that was worth the wait. I think it was anti-climatic? And I apologize for the shortness, but it will serve its purpose. But the next chapter is juicy, I PROMISE! It should be out way faster than this chapter. Let me know your thoughts.

As you can see I love Haley, and LH and PH friendships; but I don't think I'm going to make Naley as much of a big deal; but I'll write them some.