AN: I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that has been reviewing. I'm glad your liking the story. This is Chapter 10. I also have the next chapter written and am about to work on the 12th. So Read and Review and I will updated soon.
You Can't Hide From Your Heart
Nathan sat upstairs, in his room at the beach house, by himself. He had just finished telling Haley how he felt about her and it didn't exactly go the way he had hoped. Although she didn't laugh in his face, she didn't jump up for joy either. What was I thinking? He thought to himself as he remembered his talk with Haley.
Flashback
Nathan was standing outside on the porch, listening to the music that was playing inside when Haley walked up beside him, handing him a drink. "Here." She smiled at Nathan softly. "Hey Nate, Thanks for taking me to the dance. I'm really glad we went together."
Nathan smiled over at Haley. Now is the time. He thought as he took a sip of his drink then a deep breath. "Me too. Umm, Haley, can we talk?"
Haley nodded. "Of course, you know you can always talk to me."
Nathan pulled her over to the porch swing and sat down, waiting for Haley to do the same. Once she was sitting next to him, he glanced over at her. "Haley, you know you're my best friend." Haley nodded. "And we've spent a lot of time together since we became friends." He looked over into Haley's confused eyes. "And you know that I care about you so much." Haley smiled warmly and nodded once again. "Over the summer, after all that stuff that happened with Deb, well, I started to have feelings for you, more than just a friend." He said quickly but quietly. "I went to high fliers, and you went on tour, and I think that was the longest two months in my whole life. And I realized something. I realized that I can't stand being away from you. I missed you like crazy this past summer and I thought that, you know, you're my best friend, of course I'm gonna miss you. But when I saw you perform, and saw you for the first time in two months, everything became clear."
Haley was looking at Nathan, shocked and confused. She still hadn't said anything. "I love you, Haley. I've loved you for a long time, maybe since the moment I first talked to you in the café, I don't know. At first, I just thought it was a friendly type of love. But after you came home, you got with Chris, and that killed me. I soon figured out that I was in love with you. And as much as I've tried to get that…you out of my head…and my heart, I can't. I just fell harder. Then, when we were in California, I realized that I didn't want it to go away. I want to be with you, Haley. Maybe forever." He took a deep breath and looked into Haley's eyes, trying to read her expression, but for the first time, he couldn't.
Haley held Nathan's gaze for a few silent minutes before smiling at Nathan. She reached over and took his hand into her own. "Nathan, I honestly don't know what to say." It was all she said, all she could say. She was so confused and surprised. She did love Nathan, more than he knew, more than even she knew. But she never thought that he felt the same about her.
End Flashback
Nathan leaned over and put his face in his hands. The two had sat on the porch swing, looking into each other's eyes, for a few more minutes. After that, Nathan knew that she wasn't going to say anymore. "Okay." He had whispered then got up and walked inside and up to his room, where he had been sitting ever since. He sat up and looked around his room, a room that had been filled with pictures of himself and Haley and their friends over the last year and a half.
Nathan looked towards the door as he heard a soft knock. "Haley?" He wondered quietly before getting up and walking over to the door and opening it. "Oh, hey." He said before walking back over to the bed.
"Thanks, just the welcome I wanted." Brooke said as she shut the door behind her and walked over and sat next to Nathan. She had just talked to Lucas, who told her about everything.
"Sorry, Tigger, I thought that maybe…" But he broke off and shook his head.
"You thought what?" She asked, looking over at him.
"Nothing." He said quietly.
"You thought that I was Haley." She stated and smiled at the look he gave her. "Lucas told me what happened."
Nathan rolled his eyes. "And how did he find out?"
"Haley told him…"
Nathan turned and looked at Brooke. "What did she say?"
Brooke sighed. "Well, she doesn't hate you." She laughed lightly but quickly stopped at the glare Nathan gave her. "Sorry. She told him that you told her how you feel."
Nathan nodded. "Yeah, and all she said was that she didn't know what to say."
Brooke smiled warmly. "Give her time. You did kind of ambushed her with the whole, I'm in love with you speech." She took Nathan's hand into her own. "Nate, she loves you too. I know she does."
Nathan looked at her disbelieving. "And how do you know that Brooke?"
Brooke smiled. "Because, I see the way she looks at you…especially when she thinks no one else is looking. And it's the same way you look at her. She sees you Nate, more than anyone else. But, she's scared."
Nathan laughed dryly. "What does she have to be scared of? I'm not Chris, I'm not going to hurt her."
Brooke nodded. "I know that's not what you want to do, or even plan to do. But sometimes, it just happens without us knowing it. And that's not what she's scared of." Brooke took a deep breath. "She's scared of loosing you. We are all going to be scattered across the country next year, and the two of you are going to be on different sides altogether. She's scared of having such a short time with you, falling even more, then loosing it all. Or if by some twist chance that it doesn't work out between the two of you, she's scared of loosing her best friend…and her other friends." Brooke sighed. "She told Lucas that we have all been friends way before she came along, and she's afraid that if you two don't work out, then we are all going to just drop her or something. Well, she didn't say it in those words, but still the same."
Nathan shook his head. "I wouldn't let that happen."
Brooke nodded. "I know, and none of us would let it happen either. We all love Haley just as much as each other, even if she hasn't been there with us this whole time. She still just as much a part of us as Peyton or You."
Nathan closed his eyes. "So what do I do, Brooke? Do I tell her that it's going to be okay? What am I supposed to say to make her feel better?"
Brooke shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think there is anything you can say right now. Give her some time to process all of this, she'll realize that your worth the risk. She will."
Nathan smiled weakly at Brooke. "Thanks."
Brooke hugged Nathan and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Nathan, the five of you are my family, I'm always going to be here for you."
Nathan smiled and nodded. "I love you too, Tigger."
Brooke laughed and nodded. "Yeah, that too."
Haley had sat out on the beach for a few more hours, just thinking. She soon realized that it had gotten really late, so she got up and went home, only to change into shorts and a tank top and lay on her bed, thinking some more. She did love Nathan, she just didn't know if she was ready to put it all on the line.
She thought back to what Lucas had asked her on the beach. Is he worth the risk? She closed her eyes and nodded. Nathan had always been worth the risk. She just didn't know if she was ready to take that leap. She laid on her bed, turning it all over and over in her mind. She hadn't even realized when she dozed off, creating different scenes of how all this could play out in her dreams.
Haley slept restlessly all through the night and most of the morning. She only awoke when her phone rang around 10:30. Haley opened her eyes and looked at the clock before she reached over and looked at her phone. She saw Brooke's name and picture on the screen then sat up. She really didn't feel like talking to anyone right now, so she just let it go to voicemail. After the phone stopped ringing, Haley grabbed it and turned it off. She reached over and grabbed her guitar and sat in her bed just playing softly. She had always been able to think better with music playing.
She had sat there all day, her eyes closed, playing her guitar. She hadn't even realized it had gotten dark until she heard a hard knock on her bedroom door. She opened her eyes and had to reach over to turn on the lamp beside her bed to see. She set her guitar next to her before getting up and walking over to the door. As soon as she unlocked in, Brooke came stomping in. "You know, it would be nice to get a call from you, at least letting me know that your not dead in a ditch somewhere, Haley. No one saw you leave the party last night, and none of us have heard from you since your little walk with Lucas."
Haley sighed and sat back on her bed. "Sorry, my phone was turned off." She said, grabbing her phone and turning it on. She immediately saw that her voicemail box was full and she had a long list of missed calls, each from her friends in turn.
Brooke was now calm, knowing that Haley was okay, and sat down on the bed in front of Haley. "What's wrong? Why have you shut yourself in your room all day?"
Haley looked up at Brooke and shrugged. "Just thinking." She said quietly.
"About Nathan, and what he told you last night?" Haley nodded. "Well, got it all figured out yet?"
Haley looked sadly into Brooke's eyes and shook her head. "Brooke, can I ask you a question?"
Brooke nodded. "Of course, what do you need Tutor Girl?"
Haley smiled weakly then continued. "Does your parents still own that cabin in the mountains?" Brooke nodded slowly. "Do you have access to it?"
"Yes, but what does that have to do with…"
"I need to get away for a few days." Haley answered her unfinished question.
Brooke sighed. "Haley, running away is not the answer."
"I'm not running away, Brooke. I'm just giving myself some space from it all to figure out what I'm going to do. It's just going to be a few days."
Brooke thought for a minute. "And what about school?" She asked.
Haley smiled, knowing Brooke was going to help her. "I'm ahead as it is, and I can make up all the work when I get back. It's only a few days."
Brooke took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay. When do you want the keys?"
Haley thought for a minute about leaving that night but decided against it. "Tomorrow morning. I need time to pack some things, and write a few emails, making sure no one worries." She looked at Brooke and smiled. "Thanks." Brooke nodded slightly. "And I need to ask you for another favor…can you not tell anyone, not even Lucas, where I am, or that you even know for that matter? If he finds out, he'll tell Nathan, and we both know that he will try to come and find me."
Brooke didn't like lying to Lucas but nodded. "Yeah, I can do that, but make sure your back in a few days, okay."
Haley nodded. "Okay, Tigger." She hugged Brooke then got up and started to pack. Brooke had stayed for a little while longer before leaving.
Brooke, not wanting to watch Haley leave, came back a few hours later and walked into Haley's room. When Haley looked up at her confused, Brooke just smiled and handed her the keys to the cabin. "I don't like watching people leave."
Haley smiled and took the key from her. "Thanks, and it's only a few days."
Brooke nodded then noticed a bunch of bags at the end of Haley's bed. "Why do you have so much stuff for only a few days?" Brooke asked, looking back at Haley.
Haley turned and looked at her stuff then at Brooke. "Most of it is my guitar and keyboard, music stuff…" She lied.
Brooke nodded. "Okay, well, I'm gonna go."
Haley nodded and waved as she watched Brooke turn and leave once again. She took a deep breath then walked over to her computer. She opened her email and sat quietly for a minute before she started to type.
Hey guys,
I'm going away for a few days to take care of some stuff from this past summer. Just some loose ends from the tour. I won't be gone long. Please don't worry, I'm okay. I'll talk to you all when I get back.
Love Always,
Haley James
Haley sent the short email to the five of her friends. She was going to wait till the next morning to leave, but since she already had the key…and she knew once they all saw her email, they would be coming over to figure out what was going on…she decided to go ahead and go. She packed all her things in her car and started to Brooke's cabin.
Monday morning, Brooke was standing at her locker with Lucas, talking about Haley going away for a few days. "I don't know, but you know Haley, she's always serious. And since it has something to do with the tour, it probably has something to do with her music, which we all know she cares about a lot." Brooke lied. She hated lying to Lucas, but Haley had asked her not to tell him anything, and she was going to stay true to her word.
Nathan walked up to Brooke and Lucas. "What the hell is so important that she has to go now to tie up?" He asked, angry and confused.
Lucas shrugged his shoulders as Brooke turned her attention to getting her things out of her locker. "I don't know man."
Nathan looked at Brooke. "Brooke, do you know where she is and what this is all about? Because I'm starting to get the feeling it has something to do with me."
Brooke took a deep breath and turned to Nathan. "Nate, I got the same email as the rest of you, so why would I know anything more than any of you?"
Nathan sighed. "I don't know."
Lucas kissed Brooke softly. "I'm going to get to class." He looked at Nathan. "Come on, Nate. And don't worry so much. Haley even told us not to worry, that she was okay." Nathan nodded then walked away with Lucas. Brooke watched the two guys walk away down the hall and took a deep breath.
It was now almost two weeks after Haley had sent everyone the email telling them she was going away for a few days. Lucas, Peyton and Jake weren't that worried, they just figured that it was taking a little longer for her to do whatever it was that she had to do. However, Nathan was getting more worried and angry by the day. Brooke had called her the last couple of days to figure out what was going on, only to get her voicemail.
The five friends were sitting at a table at lunch, talking and joking, well all of them except Nathan, who had started to just sulk and ignore them the last few days. Brooke's phone rang and she pulled it out of her purse as she laughed at something Jake had just said. Her laughter quickly stopped when she saw who was calling her. She answered the phone. "Hey, hold on." She looked over at the others. "I have to take this, it's my dad, probably telling me that him and my mom are going away again." She got up and walked away from the table, out towards the parking lot. When she was far enough away to where she knew she wouldn't be heard, she took a deep breath and spoke into her phone. "You realize that a few days, had turned into two weeks, right?"
Haley sighed. "I know, and I'm sorry. It's just taking a bit longer than expected.
Brooke shook her head. "Stop with the cryptic. What's going on, Haley? And most importantly, what are you hiding from?"
"Nothing's going on, Brooke. And like I told you before, I'm not running away or hiding from anything. I'm just giving myself some space from everything."
"You mean from Nathan." Brooke spat. She was tired of lying to everyone, and she was tired of seeing how much this was all hurting Nathan.
"Brooke, please don't be like that?"
"Like what, Haley? I have a right to be whatever way I feel like being. I'm not the one hiding out in a cabin."
Haley sighed. There was silence between the two for a few minutes. "I just need a little while longer." Haley finally whispered.
"And how much longer is that? A month? A year? Haley, if you haven't figured it out by now, your never going to." Brooke said, angrily.
"Figured what out, Brooke. I'm just giving myself some space, like I've said many times now."
"Bullshit. Your never going to figure out how to not love him. I'm sorry Haley, but you can't help who you love…or when that love comes along. Instead of running from it, you should be living with it, because you never know when it will came around again…if ever." Again, silence. "Look, Haley, I love you, and I will do anything for you to help you with this, but if you're gone much longer, I'm afraid that by the time you get back, by the time you realize that what he wants is the same thing you want, it's going to be too late. And by then, you may not even have him as a friend."
Haley sighed once again. "I know. I'm not going to be gone that much longer. I promise."
"I'm not going to lie for you much longer, Haley. I can't do it. I'm giving you one more week, tops. And if you're not back by then, well, I'm just going to have to tell Nathan the truth. And hope that he still cares enough to come get you." Brooke took a breath. "I gotta go, the bell's about to ring. Some of us don't have the luxury to not go to school. Bye." She hung up and ran her fingers through her hair.
Haley hung up the phone and laid back against the couch. "Bye, Tigger." She whispered.
Brooke turned to go back to the table, but when she did, she saw Lucas standing behind her. "God, Luke, you scared me." She glanced down at her phone. "How long have you been standing there?"
Lucas walked over to Brooke. "Long enough. Why didn't you tell me?"
Brooke sighed. "Because Haley asked me not to. And it's been killing me to lie to you. She was afraid you'd tell Nathan."
Lucas nodded. "Well, she's probably right. I would have told Nathan. I think we should tell him now."
Brooke shook her head. "I can't, I told Haley I'd give her another week."
Lucas looked back at Nathan. "This is killing him…not having Haley around…not knowing what she's doing. He knows something's up." He turned back to Brooke. "I don't know if he can take it another week."
Brooke looked at Lucas. "I promised her one more week." She whispered. "Please, don't say anything."
Lucas shook his head. "I can't promise that. I think he should know. And now." He turned and walked away from Brooke.
"Lucas!" She called after him, but he didn't turn around. She knew that he was right, but she gave Haley one more week, and that's what she was going to do. Lucas didn't know where Haley was, he just knew that she was hiding away, someplace Brooke knew about. Brooke took a deep, calming breath, then followed Lucas back to the table to get her things.
AN: So, what did you guys think? Let me know!