OBS: This chapter didn't come out as planned, but I hope you'll still enjoy it.
Naley, your reviews make me so happy hehe.. Anyway, there's still a long way to go before they find their happy place and I hope you'll have the undying patience! This chap explains a little of what's going on Nathan's head, but not SO much.
echogrl345, as you'll see, it's not all about pride! And don't feel bad for Haley, I can assure you she's going to take the upper hand soon. Thanks for reading and reviewing. It's VERY VERY important to me.
mistydm, he might be a BIG fool, but he's got some not so good reasons, but still plausible as you'll see. Still, don't forget he's been raised by Dan and Deb Scott, the two most stupid and selfish people in the world, and he's got a LONG way to go by himself and with some other people's help to become a better person. Thanks for the review!
Lorilozz, I don't know if you've received my msg, but someone had told me about the quotations and from this chapter on I added them. It's wrong, but I don't have it me to go back to each chapter and add them hehe. Still, it's an honor to be reviewed by you. I've LOVED and left some annonymous words on some of your stories that I absolutely LOVE. You're so talented and you captivate lots of emotions in a much better way than I do. Thanks.
TutorGal23, be patient hehe.. That's all I can say now because this story goes a few years into the future and well...
Hjs, CALLIE? Is it YOU? Luv ya, babe.
krizue, if you're glad for Haley, I can assure you youll love how she's going to stick up for herself soon. She's going to wake up and start moving... Life's too amazing to be mourning over someone who's too blind to see how great she is. Still, this IS a Naley story, so don't worry! ThanKSSS!!! You're the best.
HJS-NS-23, the same I already said all along. In this story, Nathan's been a FOOL so far, but we have to give him credit. He belong to the psycho version of the Adams family! Anyway, he's realized he's losing her as you'll see and I'm spoiling, but I don't think he's realized how much he's going to miss her if he lets her go.
Anyway, I hope you'll all have the patience and keep reading. The next three chapters (or four) are a little harsh and not in this one, but in the next two, some WEIRD and AMAZINGLY SAD (but comic) things will happen. Thanks for the support.
AllY
Chapter 6
Standing in the relative safety of the warm glow of light outside her home, Haley chanted happily to herself while fumbling with her keys. Her face was flushed with excitement, her hair disheveled from the dash home, jacket fallen down behind her shoulders with the sleeves bunched around her elbows, and her backpack, most prized envelope and work apron resting on the ground below her.
Finally managing to get the door opened with a triumphant tug, she quickly gathered the items scattered on the floor and burst inside the apartment, screaming Brooke's name.
Haley couldn't contain her joy, pride and exuberance, and today, if necessary, she'd allow herself to provoke the World peace, waking Brooke from her kinky dreams. Brooke, the girl who loved a nap after cheer practice!
Haley needed her roommate, and she needed her NOW! Some serious news HAD to be shared with someone who truly adored her, treated her with nothing but kindness and respect, and who had earned her trust; Brooke was without a doubt one of those people!
The caring brunette deserved to be among the ones that would find out first about the amazing occurrence of that fateful day. The best news of this year, according to what Haley was telling her self, even if her heart begged to differ.
It came in a letter that was safe inside the wrapper she was keeping with her for dear life. The package consisted in being the far most important correspondence the girl had ever received in her almost eighteen years of living, after the annulment papers Dan Scott himself had delivered her months in prior.
Entering the room, Haley carefully dropped the contents she was carrying, and in the process, she failed to notice the people sprawled out across the floor and on her bed. All she saw was the one she was looking for with her cell phone in hand, making what Haley assumed to be an unimportant phone call. Brooke Penelope Davis did those all day long much to her father's horror. Every time he received her monthly bill, disapproval and anger would be expressed, and also ignored.
Haley's contentment was so involving that as soon as Brooke's eyes perceived her and read the tag on the plastic envelope, they both bounced in the air, hugging each other tightly and crying for that long awaited moment.
Their position seemed compromising to those who didn't know them, but everyone in the room was completely familiarized with those two fabulous little lunatics, and they were blown away by the scene unfolding in front of their eyes, despite their curiosity that was eating some of them alive.
Who'd think the smartest girl in school, who was against all kinds of sports including jogging, would run home desperately with the purpose of sharing her joy with the head cheerleader, who was all about going to games and following players around, although with intentions other than keeping track of their game? Things changed, that was for sure. For better or worse, they definitely changed, inevitably. Welcoming them the best possible way was the right thing to do, according to Haley's college application essay.
"I'm so happy for you, honey!" Brooke told Haley with the cutest giggle.
"Oh, Tigger, I know. I'm so happy for me too!" Haley agreed, happy tears close to the surface and the broadest smile in her face; One that would be imprinted in Brooke and Lucas' memories for good, as well as in the minds of the other ones in the room.
The girl's hug had been the one-of-a-kind type. It was the hug everyone wished for when going through a nightmare, awful crisis, or the best time of their life. Brooke had been there for Haley in all occasions.
Letting go to give each other a chance to catch their breaths, the girls high-fived and went on celebrating, dancing weirdly as Brooke had done it on the Sparkle Classics, only this time to no music, causing everyone in the room to start laughing, or whistling.
"Oh..." Haley said enigmatically as she came to a halt after registering they weren't alone. Re-thinking her entrance and little dance, she blushed. Not even in her house she would cut herself some slack. The girl could indeed be annoying.
Gathered around the room, on the floor, were Skills, Bevin, Fergie, Junk, and the not at all morbid Peyton Sawyer, who was staring perplexed, making a note to herself to tell Rachel to correct her "lesbian vibe" observation, which at this point should be about Haley and Brooke and not involve her. Oh, the power of jealousy! So close of being a seven deadly sin...
On Haley's bed was Lucas, in his Ravens' uniform, all gross and sweaty from an unsuccessful basketball game, applying a bag of ice to his left knee, enjoying the exchange of tenderness between his two favorite girls!
Directing her gaze downwards, Haley greeted her friends all at once, including Peyton. Their relationship was still on life-support, but no one was pulling the plug of the mechanical devices yet. It would certainly require quite the amount of time for Haley to find the forgiveness the blond one was seeking for.
"Hey". They all returned together, with Peyton over analyzing the visible awkwardness between Haley and her.
"Hey Luke, you're so washing my sheets, buddy. And don't even think of asking Karen to do it. You made the repugnant mess, you clean after yourself." Having said that, she turned back to Brooke. "My dear Tigger, how could let this pig use my bed?" Haley whined, with her tongue stuck out disgusted.
"It was our not stain proofed couch, my bed, or yours, darling. Which one would you've chosen if you had been the one in here when Fergie, Junk and Skills brought him over?"
"None, of course. I'd have sent his dirty $$ to his mom's house. He's one of the privileged kids, Brookie." Haley patted Brooke on the should. "He's got a parent in town looking out for him, unlike certain people." Haley spoke in a low-intensity voice, as if revealing some BIG hidden information.
The room filled with laughter, and Brooke, Haley and Peyton were also having a little blast, but knew too well how it sucked to have to take care of themselves with the age of seventeen. Their parents were not normal.
At least one thing the angry one and the auburn one still had in common.
"Mom's in Charlotte with Keith, Hales." Lucas said, protruding his lips in his best expression of displeasure. "The guys brought me here because it was closer to the school gymnasium and none of us had a car."
"Oh yeah. Why is Karen there? I don't mind working with Deb, but whenever we're alone she becomes the over-protective soon to be ex mother-in-law and it is just... I don't know, freaky?"
Relief washed over the room. Haley had said "soon to be ex mother-in-law" without sounding as if someone was squeezing her heart in the meanest of ways. She was really getting better within every passing day.
Nodding to each other, Skills, Peyton, Fergie, Junk and Bevin got on their feet. They had full knowledge the inseparable trio had things to discuss and they weren't going to stick around to intrude.
"We're going to go, let you guys talk. Call me later, alright, Brooke?" Peyton asked, when standing up.
Brooke nodded before dedicating her full attention to her Broody and her favorite roommate in the world, as she usually referred to Haley, which, by the way, should hear the plans for celebrating today's achievement.
If it were up to Brooke, they'd throw a party with the biggest proportions ever seen in Tree Hill. It'd be even more gigantic than the "End of the summer beach party" had been. This time Brooke would invite the entire school and most of the people wouldn't have a clue of who Haley was, but they'd still go. Any reason was good reason for a party, saved some exceptions, such as Keith Scott's party, which had to lead the second category.
Brooke was running out of time and out of ways of approaching the subject. With Lucas provoking her day and night saying he had his hair died for no reason and that he'd have it died back because Brooke was the lousiest competitor, things were not getting any easier.
Ms. Davis wasn't one to admit failure, but this time she was close to doing it. There was no way she'd manage on her own to persuade Haley to go party with the wannabe "Camden family". That was the name Haley had given them after seeing first hand Deb, Dan and Nathan trying to imitate the most tiresome family of television when in the presence of Mae and Royal.
Lucas, on the other hand, was yet to get to know how his dearly beloved brother, psychotic father and Deb operated in front of the elder Scotts. He had never met his grandparents, but he had already prepared a card he'd keep hidden up his sleeve. Her name was Brooke Davis, the one who'd pretend to choke on her food and to need to be taken to the emergency-room if Lucas presented the smallest of pouts. It was their pre-developed sign for the evening.
Once the guys had left, Brooke turned to Haley to talk about the possibilities of partying, but their phone prevented her from doing it. It started ringing and Brooke wasn't the one to let it ring without answering. For all she knew, it could be a new fan of hers or her clothes. How could she disappoint him/her?
Heading to the living room to pick it up, she left Haley and Lucas by themselves.
"I don't recall having special powers to read from huge distances, Hales." Lucas joked, staring at the envelope that was on the floor leaning against the wall next to the door.
"How cruel would it be if I made you walk towards the envelope?" Haley asked, her eyebrows slanting down like an evil cartoon.
"As cruel as the person who's made sure to so gently step on my knee during today's practice." He answered her coyly.
"Nathan did that?" Haley asked, anger rising inside her.
"Sort of, but don't go ballistic. It'll heal soon." Lucas calmed her.
"I get it that you love the game, Lucas. But is playing that important to you?"
"You think I'll drop the team because of my stupid brother?" He gazed into Haley's expectant brown eyes.
"You know that's not what I'm talking about." Haley swallowed hard.
"Hales, I'm taking my medicine right and I'll be fine. Now let's not discuss bad things. Let's talk about the thing I can't reach. Can you please be so kind and bring it over? Or you're making crawl?
"That'd be an interesting thing to see." Haley considered.
"Thanks, Hales." - Lucas said grumpily.
"You're such a baby. But since you're dying to know, I'll grab it to you." Haley told him, bending down and picking it up to hand it to her best friend, who read the tag and became proud of Haley for her acceptance on an early admission to no place other than the highly distinctive Stanford University.
"I love you for being happy for me, but I'm not hugging you until you shower." She warned him.
"FYI, I wouldn't hug me either." Lucas admitted playfully.
"Luke, there's more..." - Haley started, biting her bottom lip.
"What, more than being accepted to Stanford? Have you been accepted to the Ivy League schools earlier too, Hales?" - He demanded arching his eyebrows.
"No, but I have been given a scholarship to this one." Haley told him shyly, pointing to her envelope.
"YOU WHAT, Say what? OH MY GOD. BROOKE!"
"Just a minute, BROODY!" Brooke replied from the living room.
"Wow, Hales. This is incredible. You made it. You're going to spend the next four years without having to work your $$ to pay for your tuition."
"Yeah" - Haley said not so enthusiastically.
"You don't sound as happy as you should be. What's the matter, Hales? Is this you hesitating to go because of Nathan?" Lucas questioned with a hint of anger in his voice, receiving the nastiest glance from Haley in return.
"Let's wait for Brooke so we can talk. Maybe her presence will prevent me from stepping on your right knee." Haley muttered.
Meanwhile, sitting on the couch was a mad Brooke, phone cradled to her ear, trying to contain the volume of her voice.
"No buts. When I told you not to approach her I should have told you not to approach Lucas, or me for the matter. Or you should have understood it without the need of an explanation. Forget it, you're a dumb$$ and I can't believe I'm giving you one second of my day." Brooke roared at Nathan, growing rapidly into her dragon form.
"Brooke, wait, just wait! Don't hang up." He supplicated.
"And why shouldn't I? I'll count to five and you feel free to give me a good reason not to do it, or I will. I hated you, but I think I hate you more since the post award incident you shared with Haley." She notified him.
"I don't think I have a good one other than checking on Lucas."
"Are you Bipolar? Lucas' knee is all purple and could have been severely injured because you stepped on it when he fell down. And now you want to check on him? You're so full of crap. You're just glad it was Coach McCallum and not Whitey in there, Co-captain."
"Brooke, I AM sorry, it was an accident." He asserted vehemently, having Brooke laughing hysterically at him.
"Of course it was."
"It was. I didn't mean to do it, I'm sorry."
"I'm not the one you owe an apology."
"I won't apologize to him and you know it."
"I'm hanging up now."
"No, wait." He begged.
"You haven't given me that good reason yet. One, two..."
"I want to meet you in person."
"HA. When hell freezes over, you dolt. Having to see your face at school makes me sick enough."
"Come on, Brooke. I have to discuss Keith's party with you."
"What about it?" Brooke shrugged. "You'll go, I'll go, we'll pretend we barely know each other, I'll do my best not to kick your balls when dinner is served and my legs are hidden under the table, you'll be lucky and not hurt, we'll go home and it'll be one less day I'll have to put up with you. Sounds good to me." Brooke was precise.
"That's not what I wanted to discuss with you."
"Then what is it? And my patience is running out. I'll give you a minute and then we're done. Gladly, we'll be done for the rest of our lives with the exception of this party. I'm not meeting you and you can say it over the phone or forever hold your peace".
"Peyton told me Haley's said she was not invited to it."
"Peyton said that? How did she...?? When did they...?? And why do you care if she's going or not? You pretend she doesn't exist." Brooked grew confused, but furious nonetheless.
"Can you hear me out for just a while and then you can go back to hating me?" He never gave her the time to answer or to consider. "Yesterday morning, Peyton and Haley spent the first period together having a formal conversation about Haley's song that's being used on Peyton's album and they also discussed her performance at the opening concert."
"Just to correct what you've said, I don't have to stop hating you to hear you, but so what? They were talking, blah blah, blah..." To his dismay, Brooke had considered his question and was getting more irritated. She decided it would be best to go to the balcony before Nathan got the best of her and she started yelling at him like she had done in the hallways.
"And Peyton asked Haley if she was going to Keith's party."
"And...?" Brooke groaned.
"And Haley asked what party."
"Maybe she wasn't invited then. What is it with Peyton? I love the girl, but this gossip you two keep sharing makes me want to strangle her." Brooke stated with all of her rudeness.
"Keith would never throw a party and not invite her. Well, Keith's never thrown a party in the first place so this whole thing is weird already. He not inviting Haley makes absolutely no sense whatsoever."
"AND AGAIN, WHY DO YOU CARE IF SHE'S GOING OR NOT?" Brooke barked at him, out of reach of her friends' ears and not disguising her anger anymore. "Why does Peyton care? All the both of you do is treat Haley like complete dirt. Peyton seems to be coming around, but there's still a long way to go before Haley can manage to look her in the eye without remembering all the bad stuff she's done. And you, on the other hand, are, like Haley's so brilliantly put it: A ship that has sailed; Water under the bridge." Brooke tortured Nathan, aiming to destroy his massive ego.
"She has not said that." He argued, almost in a sob.
Brooke laughed as a sadist, causing Nathan the worst of shivers.
"What if she did, Nathan? It'd be the truth because you think you're so perfect and deserve someone who'll never make a mistake. You act like you've never done an impetuous thing your entire life. News flash, buddy: You've screwed up more than Lucas, Haley, I, and the entire population of Tree Hill altogether this past eight months. Ever since Haley's been back, you've done NOTHING, and I repeat NOTHING, right. That's because you're SO MUCH better than Haley huh? Goodbye now. I'll talk to you, hmm... let me think? NEVER AGAIN!
"Wait a sec, God damn it!" He erupted. Brooke was finally ticking his buttons. "You might not believe it, but today's incident at practice was an ACCIDENT. You think I didn't want to tell Lucas that? I just, I couldn't." His confession was being extracted through torture. He was not liking it.
"You think I'm angry at Lucas because he went to New York and didn't tell me? You think I'm mad because he's taking Haley's side and beating me up every five minutes? I'm not. Have I fought back all the times? No, I haven't. We both know that if I had, we'd both have ended up in the hospital. I let him punch my jaw repeatedly after I do and say stuff I didn't and never meant to say because I know he's right and if I was in his shoes I'd probably do the same. I called you to ask about Haley being invited to Keith's party because if you say she hasn't, I'll ask Keith why. I'll tell him to invite her and tell him I won't go. I won't take Karen, Lucas and Keith from her. I won't take away all the family she's got left in here away from her."
"BROOOOKE" She heard Lucas calling her.
"In a minute, Lucas." Her conversation with Nathan was finally getting to the part that interested her and she thought she'd tell Lucas she was talking to Theresa, or someone else, but she realized she'd be a hypocrite if she considered her next words.
"Yo! You what? Don't formulate more lies, Nathan. Your life's a big one already." Brooke called him on what he was saying. She had no wish to be feed a bunch of things that he did not mean.
"It is, isn't it? I try convincing myself I don't need Haley or Lucas when the truth is all I have is my mother, and would give anything to be able to count on my brother and on the love of my life."
"Maybe you SHOULD DO THAT, GENIUS. Take the advantage of having two wonderful people like those two in your life. Suck it up, Nathan. APOLOGIZE! They're more virtuous than you. They'll find it in their hearts to FORGIVE you. You could become a decent person instead of this uncontrollable robot with no feelings."
"You think it's a piece of cake, don't you? I'm sorry, Ms. Perfection."
"Go to Hell. Why am I talking to you again when all I have to do is press a button?"
"I take it back. Wait, please. It was my fucking defense mechanism. The same stupid one that comes to the surface whenever I'm near Haley or Luke. You know, I was being vengeful towards Lucas for those two things he's done until I realized he'd done nothing wrong, and that I had made him choose a side when he never wanted to do it. He kept his trip to New York a secret because he was waiting for the best time to bring it up."
"OH MY GOD, you still have a brain somewhere in there." Brooke mocked cynically.
"I have tried, Brooke." He sighed exhausted. "I've tried so hard to convince myself I had to hate Lucas, but when it comes down to it, he's right. He's tried protecting me and I gave him hell. Now he's doing the same with Haley. He's protecting his little sister. God knows Haley's more of a sibling to him than I am, and maybe she doesn't need to be protected, but she deserves to. I'm not criticizing him just so you know."
"Do you think this is a help-line service, Nathan? Because it's not! So far you've admitted you've been nothing but a spoiled brat to your brother, but you haven't presented the solution I'm interested in hearing. You seem to realize your shitty attitude to your wife, but I also don't see you trying to fix it. Like I said, I'm not the one you owe your apologies. The line of people's long enough for you to waste your time explaining yourself to me."
"And you don't think I know? I'll find it in me to apologize to Lucas eventually. I hope I will. I just..."
"Can't deal with your ego?" - Brooke suggested, interrupting him.
"I just don't think he'll be able to leave the past behind us and---"
"If you improve your attitude towards his best friend, he might." Brooke enlightened him harshly.
"Haley... The one I won't mess with. Seriously, I won't put Lucas in the middle anymore, Brooke. You've seen how well that turned out."
"Because you're an absolute idiot."
"I am." He agreed much to her amazement. "It's not fair to him or to Haley and we'll never have a healthy relationship because whenever I see him, I'll start thinking if he'll report it to Haley and vice versa and none of us will really move on."
"Because that's who he is, a gossiper, like you or Peyton." Brooke laughed bitterly again.
"Fine, Brooke. You want the real reason I don't want him in the middle?"
"Didn't you say you were not going to lie? The button I can press, Nathan. Remember that."
"I don't want Haley to ever have to look at her best friend and think of me. She'll forget me eventually and if Lucas and I become all buddy-buddy again she might move on but still be tormented by the thought of me. She doesn't need that and Lucas doesn't need to step on eggshells whenever they talk, thinking he might spill the beans about something I've done and that it could hurt her."
"That's just so noble..." Brooke blurted out ironically. "It's bullshit. Haley's bigger than that. She'd never deprive two brothers of having a friendship."
"She is; She's meant for greatness, Brooke. And with me? She might not reach that."
"Stop playing noble guy, Nathan. We both know you're not. We know you're not with Haley because of your damn pride. When you're old and lonely, maybe your pride will keep you warm at night."
"You won't believe what I'll tell you." He breathed deeply. "When she came back, I kept her away from me because I hated what she had done and because I couldn't look at her without picturing her making out with Keller."
"It was one kiss. And tell me something I don't know yet." Brooke snapped impatiently.
"Two kisses, but that's beside the point. The thing is, after getting past that, I fought with myself to let her in again and I... I can't give her hope if I don't mean to stick with her for good. She's accepted the divorce and its better this way."
"It is? It's better to let the love of your life go to the other side of the country for good?" Brooke reasoned with him.
"I won't get accepted to Stanford, Brooke. You know it."
"But she'll be accepted to Duke or any other school you might go to."
"And she'll give up on her dreams once again and follow me around? Because that's so fair, isn't it?"
"You REALLY don't deserve her, Nathan." Brooke declared. "You don't know the first thing about love." She lamented.
"Oh, but you do?"
"I know enough to be aware that being in love is about making some sacrifices; That being in love is about forgiveness, about finding new dreams together and about giving in at some point. So what if she gives up on Stanford? She'd be willing to do it."
"And in ten years from now she'd look at me and regret it."
"She wouldn't. Honestly, I'm hoping for a miracle now. I feel pity when it comes to you and I wish you'll stop looking at life in your parents perspectives, or you're doomed to unhappiness. Haley's hurting now and she's got a scar for the long haul, and a void in her heart that will be highly difficult to fulfill, but she'll get past it because she'll always find consolation in the fact that she tried all she could to make things go back to normal. What about you? Have you tried anything at all?"
"BROOOOOKE PENELOPE DAVIS?" Lucas called again.
"I got to go, Nathan, goodbye. And remember, her name's not Dan Scott. "