A/N: Hey guys thank you again for the lovely reviews! We are finally creeping into the climax of the story! All secrets should be relieved in the next few chapters, so just keep reviewing! My goal is to at least get 100 reviews by the end of the story so help me make that goal and I'd be forever greatful! So the usual read and review and of course ENJOY!
Chapter 10
"Alright class, now don't forget to read chapters 4 and 5 and answer questions on page 145." The teacher called out to her class as they left the classroom.
"So now that the class is done what was it you wanted to ask me Nate?" Lucas asked remembering that Nathan had to ask him something before the class started.
"Oh yeah, I wanted..." Nathan had wanted to ask Haley out ever since he broke up with Rachel, actually he wanted to ask her out ever since she came back but of course he couldn't, but since Rachel is out of the picture now he wanted to make sure that it was okay with Lucas first since they were best friends and all.
"Hey guys! What's up!" Haley jumps in interrupting Nathan mid sentence causing Tim to let out a girlish scream. Everyone in the hall looked at Tim, who just had a look in his face like he just peed in his pants, and started to point and laugh. Tim blushed in embarrassment after seeing it was just Haley and excused himself from the group and got out of there as fast as he could.
"Okay then…" Haley giggled a bit as she watched Tim dash towards the exit.
"So what's up baby sis?" Lucas greeted his sister with a smile.
"Hmmm not much…. The usual… juggling my books class to class and the angry psycho girlfriend of Nate's slamming into me causing me to drop everything on the ground." Haley said sarcastically.
"Well psycho bitch isn't Nate's girlfriend anymore and I can't believe she did that to you." Lucas said as they head towards Lucas' locker.
"Yeah tell me about it, and hold on a minute she's not your girlfriend anymore?" Haley said to Nathan.
"Nope broke up with her just before class started." Nathan confirmed as they stop in front of Lucas' locker.
"Well I guess that explains why she went all psycho on me and Peyton earlier. But hey I'm happy for you Nate you don't need a girl like her in your life." Haley said as she bumps hips with him playfully as they stop in front of Lucas' locker.
"Did I just hear this correctly?" Brooke came from behind them with Peyton and Jake, startling Haley a bit.
"Brooke don't do that! You almost made me scream like Tim." Haley said but Brooke just gave her a weird look and continued.
"Well anyway did I just hear that boy toy here broke up with the witch! " Brooke smirked hoping it was true.
"Yes Brooke I broke up with Rachel this morning before the class we just had." Nathan once again confirmed.
"So that's why she went all psycho on Haley earlier." Peyton said as Haley nodded her head.
"Well good for you man, never did like her anyway. She actually tried seducing me before."
"She did!" Peyton looked at Jake a little upset that he never told her about that incident.
"Babe she meant nothing, you know I'd never go for a girl like Rachel what kind of idiot would." Jake said trying to defend himself not really knowing what he was saying.
"Hey! I'm right here!" Nathan backslapped Jake in the stomach a little.
"Sorry man…" Jake chuckled.
"Anyway it's done; Everything is going to be different. No more playing girls for me. From here on out I'm a one woman kind of guy." Nathan declared to the group.
"Well good for you Nate." Haley said with a big smile on her face.
"Well good luck with that." Lucas coughed as he said it, but Nathan heard it loud and clear.
"Shut up man, for real this time."
"Whatever you say boy toy, now I am hungry let's go and eat!" Brooke exclaimed.
"Yeah I'm starving too…" Lucas closed his locker and turned around to face Brooke with a smirk on face which Brooke returned.
"Oh I really hope you guys are talking about food and not each other's tongue…" Peyton said disgusted.
"Oh great now I lost my appetite…" Nathan said as he shivered. The whole group laughed as they made their way towards the courtyard for lunch that day.
It was now the end of school, Nathan and Haley headed for Haley's house for their usual tutoring session.
"Why is it we never go to your place for tutoring?"
"Because… Coop is there." Nathan explained like it was so obvious.
"So? What's wrong with your Uncle Coop? He's a pretty cool guy last time I remember." Haley said confused.
"That's just it, he's too cool I guess. Everyday he has a new girl come in the house. I don't think you would want to see a naked girl walking around the house do you?" Nathan chuckled.
"Eeew! Okay never mind…" Haley said with much disgust in her face.
"Yeah I thought so…" Nathan laughed some more when he saw Haley's expression. Nathan's uncle Cooper was Keith's younger brother. Ever since Deb, Nathan's mom, went into rehab his Uncle Cooper moved in to take care of him, unfortunately he could hardly take care of himself. He was a well known car racer and everyday he had a new girl to bring home. He tries his best to take care of Nathan but at times he turns to Andy for some help.
After a few minutes of studying and Nathan groaning in frustration, they decided to take a break.
"You got ten minutes Moe" Haley giggled as they sat down on double size bed. Nathan got up for a bit and walked around Haley's room. Nathan walked over to Haley's dresser where a bunch of picture frames stood. He took the first picture in hand and looked at it. It was a picture of him, Lucas and Haley at the beach when they were still kids. Lucas and Nathan had their arms on each other's shoulders with big smiles on their faces while Haley stood beside Lucas arms crossed glaring at Nathan and Lucas. Nathan smiled at the three of them, Haley never liked smiling in pictures because of her braces, but Nathan always knew she would have that beautiful smile one day.
"I can't believe you have this pic!" Nathan chuckled. Haley came over to see which picture he was talking about.
"Oh yeah… that was the day you and Lucas decided to dump a bucket full of sand on my head when I was reading my book…" Haley said as Nathan started to laugh at the memory. "Oh yeah… good times…" Nathan smirked. Haley gave a playful slap on Nathan's arm. "Ha-ha... how about we get back to algebra 'Moe'?" Haley chuckled, but Nathan just ignored her and grabbed another picture frame off her dresser. This time their parents had join them in the picture, everyone in the picture was so happy but Nathan couldn't help but feel saddened by it as he stared at his parents, thinking about all the good times they had before the accident that crushed his hopes and dreams when he was only seven years old. If it wasn't for his Uncle Cooper, Lucas and Andy being there for him he wouldn't know where he would be right now.
"You miss them huh?" Haley asked snapping Nathan out of his thoughts.
"Of course, who wouldn't miss their parents?" Nathan said a little abrupt.
"Sorry…uhmm… you heard from you're mom lately?" she asked giving herself a mental smack on the forehead.
"Uhmm… no, the doctor calls the house once in a while and tells either me or Coop about any progress. But I think she's still hurting Hales." He explained.
"I'm sorry, but at least she's making some progress right?" Haley said trying to make light on things.
"Yeah I guess." He said as he kept staring at the three of them as a happy family.
"Why don't you go visit her? I'm sure she'd be glad to see you." She suggested with a smile.
"I don't know. Uncle Coop goes to see her some times and tells me how she is… and well I don't think I'm ready for that confrontation yet. It'll just hurt too much to see her that way, y'know?"
"Yeah…"
"So uhmm… How about you?" Nathan asked quickly changing the subject.
"What do you mean?" Haley asked confused.
"Your mom…Have you heard from her?" he asked showing her the picture in his hands and pointing at her mom. Haley took the picture frame and walked over to her bed and sat down. She glanced at the picture of them as a family. Haley was actually smiling in this picture braces and all. Her mom was crouched down and was hugging her from behind. Behind them, Keith and Andy where standing side by side as best friend should be and they had their sons on their shoulders while Deb had her arms wrapped around Keith's waist. In the background you could see the calm water of the ocean and tints of light coming from the sunset. Everyone had smiles on their faces, it was picture perfect. She glanced at her parent's pictures and couldn't help but to think how happy they were. She kept staring at the picture trying to look for answers, how could she not see what happened between them.
"Haley?" Nathan walked over and sat beside her.
"That was a great day wasn't it?" Haley said trying to hold her tears back and produce a smile, but Nathan could obviously tell some thing was wrong.
"Haley what's wrong?" Nathan glanced at her with worry in his chocolate brown eyes and wrapped his arm around her. Haley just kept her eyes on the frame as a tear fell upon the glass. Nathan pulled her closer until she laid her head on his chest.
"C'mon Hales tell me what's wrong. Is it something with your mom? Something happen between you two? Is this why you came back here?" Nathan asked trying to get an answer out of her. Haley just hugged the frame closed to her as more tears came down her face.
"I just don't get it Nate…" Haley sobbed.
"Get what?" Nathan rubbed his hand up and down Haley's arm to try and comfort her.
"Everything…How could we go from this perfect picture to this messed up life? Everything is just so screwed up Nate; I just don't get it…" Haley started to soak up Nathan's sweater.
"What happened Hales? What's wrong?"
"I'm what's wrong!" Haley exclaimed out of anger as she lifts her head out.
"Talk to me Haley… Tell me…"
"I let them get to me Nate…I should've been stronger… She should've protected me… She should've been there! God I hate her so much…" Haley slid off her bed onto the floor with her knees close to her and buried her face into them.
Nathan joined her and wrapped his arm around her again. "Did something happen in New York Hales?" he asked trying to make sense in what she was saying.
Haley didn't say another word. She just cried to herself still holding the picture close to her chest. Nathan held her tight trying his best to comfort her. He just wanted so much to help her, but he doesn't even know what was going on. What really happened between herself and her mom is what kept going through his mind. Why would she have so much anger and hurt? As questions kept going through his head he knew there was only one way to find out the truth and he had no choice but to do it.