Nathan pulled into a parking space at the riverfront park. He and Haley had agreed to meet there to talk. Nathan could see he was the first to arrive and sat in his car for a moment, collecting his thoughts.

He looked around and memories washed over him - this had been the docks they had walked along. This was where they had had their first tutoring session...he had brought her to a cafe here on their first date...so many memories of their time together.

What a mess, he thought.

A moment later, Haley pulled into the parking space next to him.

The two stepped out of their cars at the same time and looked at one another.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hi," she replied.

"Wanna take a walk?" he asked.

Haley nodded silently and the two set along the path.

They were quiet for a few moments, Nathan walking with his hands in his pockets, trying to think of just what to say.

"I'm glad you called," Haley said. "I tried to call you several times but I could never get you on the phone."

Nathan nodded, "I know...I needed some time."

Haley nodded in understanding.

"I don't really know what to do or how to go from here," Nathan said finally. "We got a little carried away the other night..."

"Yes we did...." Haley answered.

She was silent a moment more and then spoke up, "Why did you leave so suddenly that morning?"

Nathan looked at her, "I didn't know what else to do..."

"You could've stayed...we could've talked about it."

"I was confused...and surprised and I'm sorry I bailed out, I just didn't know of a better way to handle it at the time," Nathan said.

"I'm going to tell Chris," Haley blurted out.

Nathan looked at her, surprised. "Are you sure that's the best idea?"

"At this point, I can't imagine not telling him," Haley said.

Nathan knew that was true - Haley was honest to a fault and the guilt of keeping something like that a secret would consume her.

Nathan sighed and looked up at the sky. He thought that the inevitable trouble this would create between her and Chris would have made him happier but somehow it didn't. The deception of it all made him nauseous.

"I'm sorry I complicated your life," Nathan spoke up.

"You didn't complicate it on your own...it took the both of us to make this mistake," Haley said.

Nathan flinched at her use of the word 'mistake.' Never in the deepest recesses of his mind, could he have ever imagined that their lovemaking would be seen as a 'mistake.'

Haley noticed this, "I'm sorry -- I didn't mean--"

"--No, its okay," Nathan interrupted her. "You're only being honest."

"I just wish things hadn't happened this way."

"Yeah me too," Nathan said. "...because as much as I care about you- I wanted you to be in my life...but not like this," he said, sitting down on a bench.

Haley followed suit and sat beside him.

"I always prided myself on not being this kind of person" she asked, looking out over the lake.

"—and what kind of person is that?" Nathan asked.

"A cheater," she answered looking at him.

Nathan didn't know how it happened or why, but suddenly he became very aggravated with the situation.

"Listen...maybe its a good idea if we just don't see each other from now on, okay? Since I've created such a massive complication in your life and apparently changed the kind of person you are," he said gruffly.

Haley looked at him, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-- "

"--I just don't want to hear it, Haley…okay?" he interrupted her again. "I came here so we could talk...but now I just feel worse...yes, we got caught up in the moment and things escalated...but for me to sit here and listen to how much you regret it and how its going to mess up your life with him...its hard for me to sit here and feel sorry for a guy who stole my girlfriend."

Haley closed her eyes and the two sat in silence for several moments that felt like an eternity.

"You are still so bitter," Haley commented, looking down at the ground.

"Yeah, I guess I am," was all Nathan could say.

He avoided eye contact with her for several moments and then noticed she'd been staring at him, waiting. "What do you want me to say here?"

"I guess there's nothing left to say," Haley said. After a moment, with that said, she got up and walked to her car, got in and drove away.

Nathan leaned down, his head in his hands and tried to will away the tears stinging behind his eyes.