Chapter 24
A/N: Hey, thanks for reading, hope your enjoyng it. I'm going away on holiday and i won't have internet access, so this will probably be the last update for about the next two weeks.Sorry.
I don't like what you think
I'm probably better on my own
I ain't losing any sleep
And then the song changed.
There's nothing left
Nothing left to hold onto
There is no reason for me to fight anymore
The feel of his lips against hers were soft and not pushing in any way. Surprise caused her not to respond to Kalebs kiss in any other way than freezing on the spot. Instantly she forgot all about Haley, Nathan and the slutty redhead. Then, the warmth flowing through her suddenly abated.
Pulling away from her, Kaleb muttered, "Sorry" as a blush rose to his face and he stared at the ground.
Ollie had no idea what to say, this wasn't so much about annoying her dad anymore. Before it had happened, she hadn't wanted or expected the kiss, but now that there was a wide awkward gap between her and this nerdy seeming guy she hardly knew, all she wanted was for it to happen again.
There's nothing left
Nothing left to hold onto
There is no reason for me to fight anymore
Mistaking the silence for rejection, Kaleb started to turn to leave. He hadn't known what had come over him anyway, kissing her like that. Girls like her would never willingly kiss someone like him. Then he felt a hand on his arm and turned back around surprise filling his eyes when she wrapped her arms around his neck her body close to his, not promiscuously like she had been before but softly, her body fitting perfectly in with his this way. Bending his head so his eyes were equal with hers he saw her give him a small nervous smile.
Stiffly at first, he put his own arms around her and she began to sway in time with the slow music, this song she knew was one of Ephraim's. As they swayed together she felt his arms finally relax around her and she wanted to dance like this with him forever.
I let it all go
It'll be easier I know
The weight on my shoulders tells me soWhen there was nothing I could do
As soon as Nathan saw the kiss, he was up out of his seat, ready to rip the little punk away from his daughter. Yes he was being a little over protective, but that was his job, a job he intended to do well too. Stalking toward them, he could tell both of them were lost in their own world, his daughter probably wouldn't talk to him for a while after this, but he felt that he was protecting her.
Eyes focussed on the two dancing he neared the dance floor with purpose burning inside him.
"Don't"
The voice spoke imperatively, strong and commanding and he felt the warm hand of the person pushing him back upon his chest.
He glared down at her and she glared up at him, both waging silent battle against the other. Their eyes burned into one another's, neither willing to back down. Blue refusing to give into brown and brown refusing to give into blue.
After a while the intensity made Nathan snap. He couldn't bear her hand on his chest, being inches away from her, and the chilling familiarity of her eyes.
"She is my daughter Haley." He told her forcibly trying to make her back off.
She didn't back off like he wanted and instead pulled him to a concealed corner of the club so no one, Ollie especially could hear them. Crossing her arms she said with at tone of no nonsense, "You know what Nathan. You can ignore me all you like, but, really, she is my daughter too and I will not let you ruin her night."
Nathan chuckled wryly shaking his head disbelievingly; completely taken aback that Haley actually thought she had any right to say that. In fact, he was speechless.
I let it all go
It'll be easier I know
The weight on my shoulders tells me so
So now I stand here
To sing another song for you
About the pain I've felt before
When there was nothing I could do
Shaking her head with disappointment that this was pretty much a joke to him she asked, "Why are you doing this Nathan?"
"Doing what?" He asked self righteously.
"Acting like this. Flaunting Rachel, constant anger and completely ignoring nearly everyone around you. That isn't the Nathan I remember."
"Well people do change in 15 years Haley, I mean, look at you," he sneered.
"Yeah? How would you even know?" she pointed out angrily, "it's not like you've given me any sort of chance to explain."
"Do you not get it?" he asked annoyed, "I don't care. You're explanation is never going to change anything Haley."
Haley was a little taken aback by that. She had known he was angry at her but not that he practically saw absolutely no chance for them ever again. That hurt more than anything.
So now I stand here
With nothing left to say to you
And if you all could sing along
It might help me make it through
I try to move on
Nothing left to hurt me now
I hope its all in the past to stay
"Fine" she sighed closing her eyes. "If you won't listen to me can you please at least try and accept the past and that I'm here to stay. Please, for Lucas and Ollie's sake. You're hurting them too." Lucas had told her all about Nathans alcohol problems. She also knew that since Luke had been talking to her again, Nathan had pushed him further and further away, almost to the point of him hardly acknowledging him at all.
"Why?" he spat. "We were all fine before you came along."
"Are you sure Nathan?" she asked pointedly, narrowing her eyes. "Are you really sure of that? Because it seems to me most of the people here, in their own ways, are far from happy and have been since well before I got here."
While deep down he knew that was the truth, there was no way he was going to accept it, not from Haley, "Maybe. But only since you came and screwed up everyone's life. You know what? It'd be a whole lot better for everyone if you would just piss off and go back to your precious music. You're not wanted here Haley."
I let it all go
Feels so much better now I know
The weight on my shoulders tells me so
There's nothing left
None of it's worth holding on to
There is no reason for you to fight anymore
To Haley, it felt like the words had physically slapped her open handed across the face. It was taking everything in her no to cry, not to show him just how much that had stung. The index finger of her right hand tentatively wandered to the ring finger on her left. Running her finger over the warm metal ring upon her finger she hesitated a second then slowly slipped it off. Her eyes stared down at the gold band, so small, lying flat in her palm. Clenching her fist around it she glared up determinedly at Nathan, shaking her head.
"I'm done. Nathan. I'm done trying with you." She declared shoving the ring against his chest letting it fall from her fingers.
Standing frozen and shocked from the finality in her voice, he heard the ring clatter to the floor as he watched her turn and walk away. Even though this had been what he thought he had wanted, her to leave him alone, now that it was actually happening, deep down, he knew it wasn't his desire at all. Having a the relationship of anger they had had recently, to him was better than no relationship at all.
Bending down, he scooped up her ring between his fingers. Rotating it within his hand, he saw the inscription on the inside of the band catch the light. Always and Forever.
Just try to see through
All the fucked up shit we do
And hope that we all dont drift away
The words brought back to him all the memories of her that he had kept locked away deep in both his mind and heart for so long that it ached to release them. Instinctively his hand went to his front pocket to reach for his own gold band. But the pocket was empty and the afternoon he discarded his ring into the draw in his office came back to him. All of a sudden he felt horrible.
Knowing that Haley was giving up meant that she wasn't his in any way, and even though he had told himself to move on from her, he couldn't handle her moving on from him. Because if he was truly honest with himself, he hadn't moved on even the tiniest little bit.
"Haley?" he called searching hoping she hadn't gone far yet, the ring burning into his hand as he looked around frantically.
But, she was no where to be seen.
A/N: The song used in this chapter was Let It Out - Aaron Lewis
So now I stand here
To sing another song for you
About the pain I've felt before