You guys are seriously some of the best reviewers ever! Thanks so much for them all... they really mean a lot. I'm so glad you guys are taking to this story so well because it's awesome to get the feedback that I do. Hope you enjoy this chapter and don't worry, their date is coming up next:)

Chapter 18

As soon as Haley got home that day she threw herself onto her bed, all smiles, and called GiGi. Now was a time when she needed some much awaited girl talk.

"Hello?"

"GiGi, it's me."

"Haley!"

"Hey bud, listen. Do you want to come over tonight?"

"Sure… well uh, actually Marvin was going to come over here."

"Marvin?"

"You know, Mouth. His real name is Marvin. I think it's kinda sexy so that's what I'm calling him these days."

"I gotcha GiGi, but do you think you could cancel? Please, just tonight. We haven't hung out in forever and I have to tell you something important."

"Oh alright. I've needed some serious hang out time with you lately anyway. Marvin can wait. Buds over studs right?"

"Buds over studs. Come over around 6, we can get some pizza."

"Ah, you still remember my weaknesses."

"How could I not? You eat like a whole pie every time."

"Haha. Alright see you at 6."

"Later," Haley said hanging up the phone. She continued to lie on her bed thinking about the happenings of that day. She'd open her heart out to Nathan and he'd welcomed it with open arms. Things could not be better, and now she got to share it all with her best friend. In Haley's eyes it seemed everything was getting better and she'd finally been given that extra nudge to move on from what's happened in the past and worry about making a future. And that's exactly what she was going to do… make a future with Nathan Scott.

After practice that day Nathan, Lucas, and Tim decided to go to Lafferty's Pizza to grab a bite to eat. They got a booth and began talking about their "manly conquests," also known as girls.

"Yo so there was this new girl Anna and she was all over me dude. I mean she was like 'Oh Timmy you're so strong. Hold me in your arms.'"

"Yeah right," Nathan and Lucas said in unison.

"No guys. I'm serious. That girl has got the hots for the Tim."

"Dude. One, your not strong… you're arms are like twigs. Two, girls never go for a guy who talks in the third person," Lucas stated.

Haley did. God is that guy an ass.Nathan thought to himself.

"Whatever man," Tim chimed in. "Man, what's got Nathan up in LaLa Land?"

"Wha-?" Nathan asked after being snapped out of his thoughts.

"You Mr. Girls-Are-Not-Meat. Your head is in the clouds. Me thinks it's a girl!" Tim stated in an overdramatic tone.

"Tim just say there's a girl on his mind," Lucas stated while giving him a little slap to the head. "But really dude, what's up with you?"

"I uh," Nathan began nervously unsure of Lucas' reaction, "have a girlfriend."

"You do?" The other two boys questioned.

"Yeah… Haley James."

"You what!"

"Well, it just started today," Nathan said looking at both their faces. Tim was smiling Lucas had gotten oddly quiet.

"Dude did you make a move?" Tim questioned.

"Actually she did. We kind of ended up making out a bit in the library."

"Dude that's awesome!" Tim said wanting to slap fives.

"Pansy," Lucas sneered.

"Excuse me?" Nathan said, staring at Lucas.

"I said 'Pansy'. You let the girl make the first move."

"Just because I don't drool all over girls like they're some prime rib or the fact that I take things a bit slower than you does not make me a pansy. What's your real beef Lucas?"

"That is my beef."

"Yeah right. Lucas I can read you like a book. You're pissed at me about something else."

"No."

"Yes you are."

"Fine. You stole my girl."

"I what?"

"You stole my girl."

"What the hell are you talking about Lucas?"

"Dude's got the hotts for James yo." Tim stated.

"You have got to be kidding me Lucas."

"Nathan I have been going after her since forever and here you come in Mr. Knight in Shining Armor and like whisk her away from me. What the hell happened that made you two become so close?"

"First of all Lucas, she's not your girl. BROOKE is. So stop treating her like crap. Second of all, why we became close is none of your business. So you should stop wallowing in self-pity that I actually got the girl."

"Ass," Lucas snickered.

"No, you're the ass. You can't get mad at me over a girl who a) you never had b ) doesn't want you and c) ISN'T YOUR GIRLFRIEND! I'm sorry to have to open your eyes to this Lucas but Haley doesn't like you. I mean, I'm sure you guys could be friends if you stopped hitting on her all the time, but she likes the other half of you beloved 'Scott Dynasty.'"

"Snap. Nathan's bringing out the big guns," Tim stated.

"Shut up Tim," Lucas snapped at him. "I'm suddenly not hungry. Let's go Tim. We can go play some basketball while Pansy over here hangs out with his little girlfriend."

"Lucas don't be like that."

"Whatever Nate. Bye," he said getting out of the booth and dragging Tim along with him leaving Nathan in the booth all by himself.

"That did not go as well as planned," Nathan stated stressfully, placing his head in his hands. "And I didn't even get to tell him about my emancipation hearing Wednesday. God he's so freaking stubborn."

After meeting at Haley's house, the girls decided they wanted to eat at the pizza place so they made their way down to Lafferty's Pizza. Just as they arrived they saw a fuming Lucas with a Tim Smith in tow walking in the opposite direction. As she was about to open the door someone else did it for her and she was met with the bluest set of eyes she'd ever seen.

"Nathan," Haley said breathlessly. "What are you doing here?"

"I was meeting up with the guys but that did not go over so well," he stated solemnly.

"Oh do you need to talk," she asked soothingly.

"No, it's okay Hales. Have fun with GiGi," he stated looking past Haley towards her friend. "Hi GiGi."

"Hi-i. Na-na-nathan," she stated, her face getting red. "Um, Haley I'll go uh, get us a booth," she continued before walking past her into Lafferty's Pizza. Haley and Nathan both looked at each other and laughed.

"She thinks you hott."

"Really I couldn't tell?" Nathan said still laughing. "Does she know?"

"I was about to tell her."

"Yeah I just told the guys, Lucas isn't too happy. Says I 'stole his girl.'"

"Oh brother. That boy needs to learn that not all girls will bow down to him. Me being one of them. Well, I hope all works out."

"Me too, but uh. I got to get going. I'll let you talk with GiGi," he said giving her a little squeeze and then making his way towards his car, but not before she could grab his hand and pulling him back towards her so she could lean up and give him a peck on the lips.

FLASHBACK

"Good. Well I'm off to class… kiss you later."

END FLASHBACK

"I'm kissing you later," she stated giggling before turning and walking into the pizza place leaving Nathan there looking back at her retreating figure, smiling to himself. He finally turned to leave once he saw Haley reach her booth.

"Hey GiGi. Sorry that took so long."

"No problem. So, uh. You and Nathan?"

"What about us?"

"I couldn't help but see through the window just now that you kissed. Friends don't just kiss."

"Maybe we're not just friends," Haley said, a smile coming across her face.

"WHAT?" GiGi screamed causing some people to turn and look.

"Shhh. Yes. Me and Nathan our dating."

"Who? What? Where? When? And How?"

"It happened today," Haley began as she told GiGi the story of how it all happened.

"Ohmigod. That is so cute! I cannot believe you and Nathan Scott are together!"

"I know, me either. It's all sort of surreal."

"Man you must be so lucky to have him as your man. Being able to touch that nice firm buttocks… rockin' abs… his guns of steel… his…"

"GIGI!"

"What too much?" She asked giggling.

"Just a smidge. Man, you've been expecting haven't you."

"Puh-lease you didn't think I actually went to the basketball games just to watch a ball being thrown into a hoop. Those boys got game, and I'm not just talking on court."

"Wow. You're a maniac. Don't you have a boyfriend?" Haley asked giggling.

"Well of course. But that doesn't mean I can't look… I just can't touch."

"You're something else you know that?"

"That I do," GiGi said giggling. "And that's why we're friends."

"But of course! Us odd folk got to stick together," Haley said laughing.

"Speaking of. Feel free to drag me along whenever Nathan is by some of his hottie friends," GiGi stated causing them both to laugh. This is why Haley loved her. She was funny and quirky just like her. It's fun to go back for a night and just live how things were before the journal incident. Before Nathan, before Mouth. Back when it was just the two girls having fun. And now it's the two girls having fun, but boys are involved. Haley continued to talk and laugh with her friend, happy that nothing has changed between the two.

'Tonight was perfect,' Haley thought to herself. 'But not as perfect as tomorrow night will be.' And this was true. Nathan was going to do everything in his power to make sure his date with Haley was perfect, because that's what she deserves, perfection… just like her.

And there you have it... chapter 18! Hope you guys enjoyed.