Chapter 4: Figure It Out For Yourself

At the end of the day Haley went to her locker and exchanged some notebooks and books for ones she would need for a tutoring session and homework that night. She turned again when she felt someone tough her shoulder expecting it to be Jake again asking her to be in the open mic night, but unfortunately it was Nathan….again…

"What hell do you want?" She slammed her locker shut and crossed her arms looking around behind him for Brooke, Peyton, or even Lucas to save her from him.

"To talk to you. I know something has been going on lately and I know it involves me."

"It does not, and if it did how would you know that?"

"Because I saw the note that you and Peyton were passing in English today…"

"Um…you can't mind your own business? And sorry Nathan but this is one thing that doesn't revolve around you for once…" She pushed past him headed for the doors that led out to the quad and to the parking lot and busses for the freshmen and sophomores.

"Haley I saw the note clearly and you said that it maybe involved me and that's why you didn't want to tell her…"

"Nathan you really do have problems if you'll sink so low to read my own note to Peyton. If it was anything serious that involved you, which it isn't, I would let you know. So would you please just do what I'm asking and leave me alone?"

She rolled her eyes and walked out to her car slowly getting in and placing her face in her hands and lightly crying, but then she realized she was still in parking lot so she wiped off her face and pulled away.

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Peyton pulled up to Brooke's apartment and ran up the stairs throwing the door open not even bothering to knock only to see Brooke sitting at the counter on her laptop.

"Hey P.Sawy….." Brooke was immediately cut off by Peyton staring at her completely confused.

"Hey Brooke, so I don't care what you have going on right now, but we need to go to Haley's…now…something is really wrong with her, and we need to make her tell us…"

"Ok…but why is it so urgent?"

Brooke got up and shut up laptop walking in front of Peyton and to the front door. She shut it behind her and locked it staring at Peyton.

"Because why else would she be sitting in her car in the parking lot and practically sobbing after school?" Brooke grimaced and bounded down the stairs after Peyton.

"Good point…"

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The girls walked into Haley's room to see her laying on her bed reading a magazine as if everything was completely fine, but they knew differently and knew whatever was wrong was tearing her up and it wasn't good at all.

"Does no one knock anymore?" Haley laughed, but everyone knew it was completely fake. Brooke plopped down on Haley's bed next to her and criss-crossing her legs. She shoved Haley lightly and raised an eyebrow in concern as Peyton walked to the other side of the bed and plopped down on the other side.

"So what's wrong with you?"

Haley rolled her eyes knowing something like that was coming. She pushed herself up off of her stomach and leaned back against her pillows pulling her legs to her chest.

"Nothing, I've told you I'm not ready to tell anyone….Lucas doesn't even know…"

"Haley Peyton saw you crying in the parking lot today after school…."

Haley bit her lower lip nervously and looked from Peyton to Brooke and Brooke to Peyton.

"Does it involve Nathan?" Haley looked over at Peyton not sure if she wanted to answer the question at all or even truthfully. She bit her lip again and nodded.

"Um…yeah it does…."

"Do you miss him?" Brooke adjusted herself on the bed staring at Haley.

"No, why would I? I mean…yeah ok sometimes, but I'm not desperate enough to run back to him. And lately, he's like stalking me or something…."

"That's because he cares about you Hales…." Peyton looked at her friend sympathetically knowing Nathan wasn't going to give up. Peyton saw them when they were together and they had their differences and fought, but Peyton thought Haley was good for him.

"Haley will you please just tell us what's wrong?" Brooke rolled her eyes and excused herself walking into the bathroom in Haley's room that joined with the one next to it connecting the two rooms in a way, but still leaving eachother to their privacy.

"No don't use that one!" Haley was too late and didn't think Brooke heard her. She collapsed against the bed again and looked at Peyton and frowned not knowing why she was getting the look she was.

"Why can't Brooke use your bathroom?" Brooke walked out of the bathroom only a mere minute after she walked in holding something in her hands.

"Um….Haley? Is this the reason you've been acting weird?"