Well if your reading this, thank you because it's with all of you support that got this chapter up early, I got my fifth review then realized I didn't have it edited, oops :p so sorry if there are any grammar mistakes. But anyway thank you to everyone who read/is reading this story. So for chapter three I need to write the final scene and once that's done and edited I will post it after five reviews or a week from now. Thanks reviewers!
Naley13-Thank you so much!
Ace5492- Thank you, no matter what I write your always their saying wonderful, is it kind of bad that i expect it now? haha
X-Mrs-Scott-X-Maybe your right, maybe your wrong, you will find out next chapter! Thank you for reviewing!
Naley12- I would love to hear your ideas and sorry it has taken so long for me to reply just pm me any ideas you have a about the title or storyline because i am almost done the first chapter and once it is
done I will send out a preview to you
To anyone else who read L.A.Y. It will probably be up within the next two weeks or so and if you want a preview write it in your review for this or pm me!
Also check out my profile for updates!
And a special thank you to jodiesophiamerrygold and kaya17tg for editing this and check out Opposites Attract and Gone Before You Truly Existed by Jodie and kaya17tg's Give Into ME, along with try to convince her to continue it and make a naley story. Also this was all kaya17tg idea so a big thank you to her for trusting me with her baby!
Thanks Jodie and Kaya
And last chapter I forgot this Disclaimer: I own nothing, although I wish I owned James Lafferty and I could make him never cut his hair like he did for Season 9 again and I wish I owned OTH because then their would be a lot more naley, along with Joy and or James having more screen time!
Eighteen Months Later, September, at Duke University.
I was standing outside of my class on a Thursday morning talking to my friend Shay when I heard my name being called.
"Haley! Haley!" I started looking around trying to find the voice, a voice I recognized, I couldn't have missed them anywhere two deep cerulean eyes stared back into my brown ones.
Those eyes I could spot anywhere, only because of their occupier. Nathan.
I hadn't seen or spoken to him since that day in my room over a year ago. Yet the moment I saw him all the anger, and sadness I normally felt when I thought about him, or everything I felt that day when I was driving away and saw him in my rear-view mirror, it all flew out the window as I ran to him and hugged him. "Nathan!"
"Oh Hales, I have missed you so much!"
"I missed you too!" I was so overwhelmed right now, this man had torn my heart to pieces and yet here I am in his arms. I took a step back away from him.
"I didn't know you were going here." He stated.
"You either" I crossed my arms in front of me.
"Hales this has been my dream school since I was like five." He said this with a little laugh.
"Yours or Dan's" I spit out not thinking then corrected myself as I saw him stare at the ground "Sorry, that was out of line"
Shay then stepped in "Haley, I have to go but I will see you back at the dorms." she was one of my roommates.
"Okay, we should be by later" We, maybe I shouldn't have said that because now Nathan may make the assumption that I meant him.
"Haley, I promised myself that if we ever met again, if I ever talked to you again no matter the circumstances I would tell you that I l…" He started; I was pretty sure I knew what he was going to say, before Clay walked over and interrupted him, thankfully.
"Hey baby" He kissed my cheek.
"Hi Clay, this is Nathan he was my neighbor growing up," I said trying to smooth out the awkward confrontation, yet only awkward for Nathan and I because Clay did not know anything.
"Oh cool, nice to meet you, Clay Evans" He said shoving his hand in front of Nathan to shake, of course Nathan shook it.
"Nathan Scott" He said defeated.
"I have heard a lot about you, you should stop by Haley's dorm tonight a bunch of us are hanging out, I'm sure you want to catch up and I would love to get to know you more."
"Cool" Nathan muttered as I saw Clay look at his watch.
"Aww Haley I'm sorry but I have to jet, my business class starts in five"
"It's fine"
"Okay see you later" He was then gone, no kiss, nothing.
"So I see you have moved on."
"I can't do this now Nathan," I ran my fingers through my hair "Listen there is a coffee shop right down the street"
"Ale's Coffee House, yeah I know where it is."
"Meet me there at four? I think you'll like it it's just like Ka..."
"Karen's I know, besides have you tasted the macaroni and cheese, it's almost as good as your mom's" He said before walking off, leaving me standing here to pick up my emotions from the ground, my heart once again on my sleeve. My brain was a mess; I had no clue what to think. All I knew was that I couldn't go back to that place I was in 18 months ago, I couldn't be vulnerable with Nathan again because I don't think my heart could take it. I would not be able to handle another heartbreak.
When I walked into the café at 3:50 he was sitting in a booth in the corner. "Hey" I said approaching him as I placed my bag down and slide into the booth. Never could I remember Nathan Scott being early, for anything.
"Hi Hales" He said. I hadn't heard anyone call me that in a while. "I know what you're thinking, I am actually early for something, but it's been one year, six months, and eight days since I last saw you and I'm not going to miss any minute I can get with you." Then before I could say anything the waitress came over.
"Hello, what can I get you today?"
"We will have a hot chocolate, and a coffee, black." Nathan said speaking for both of us.
"Coming right up" She said walking away as I just sat there.
"You remembered?"
"How could I forget? I remember a lot more than you think, Haley."
"Really?"
"Yeah like your hair, you wore it that way the first day you tutored me, these jeans you wore to that party where when we declared our spot. Those shoes you wore on the day I first kissed you and this shirt you wore on the day you left."
"Wow I never thought you cared,"
"Of course I did Hales." The waitress came out with our drinks I saw him take a sip then look down into it "Do you know how many times I went to our spot while you were gone? I missed you so much."
"I missed you too" I said weakly.
"You're the one that left in the first place" He said with a little bit of resentment in his voice, almost as if I didn't get to miss him.
"I needed to get out of that town, at least for a little bit."
"You know, I promised myself, as I was saying earlier, that if we ever met again I would tell you this, I was a scared teenager when I first felt it and it wasn't till you left I realized I felt this way, but I love you Hales, and it hasn't changed since you left and it never will because I love you so much Haley and I want to be with you."
"Nathan I can't…I have a boyfriend I can't do this to Clay."
"I still can't believe you moved on to another guy."
"Why you were dating someone else while we were dating?"
"Don't pull Brooke into this; she is happy now because of that situation, you know that was just to be in the in crowd."
"Oh Nathan, just give it up you loved the attention, and don't remind me about how happy Brooke is because I am to be the maid of honor at Brooke's wedding."
"Oh I'm the best man, looks like we're walking down the aisle together one way or another." He picked up my hand that was on the table and kissed it. He pulled a few bills out of his wallet as I stared at him. Then he slowly got up, he walked closer to me and placed a kiss behind my ear, my wear spot and he knew it, then I heard him whisper "I'm the guy for you Haley James" and as I turned around slowly he was gone, it was like he vanished.
I was hanging out at my dorm with Clay, Shay and Chase (my roommate and her boyfriend), Chris, Mia, Grubbs, (they were all from music school) Lindsay, (from my composition class) and then Taylor (my sister). We were joking around and about to play a game when there was a knock at my door. "I got it guys," I walked over and opened it "Nathan, what are you doing here?"
"Clay invited m earlier…"
"Oh…yeah, come on in" He walked in as I took my seat in between Clay and Taylor. "Everybody this is Nathan, a friend from back home, Nathan this is Shay, Mia, Grubbs, Chase, Lindsay, you met Clay and Chris already and of course Tay."
"Hi" They all said unanimously.
"Nice to see you again, Nathan." Taylor said. "What has it been four years? It seems like just yesterday." Nathan looked down regretfully.
"Ahh yes, back when bitchy Taylor was around and she took my best friend growing ups virginity." I said snidely.
"Hey" she said elbowing me "You know I have changed"
"Yeah me too" Nathan said to me before telling everyone "I used to be a huge man-whore, but then Haley and I became…friends again and it all changed"
"How did you know which dorm was mine?" I asked coldly.
"Well it wasn't hard considering you called Lucas like a few weeks ago and started yelling 'I'm in Bell Tower, I'm in Bell Tower' so I called and asked him and when I got here I just asked someone where your dorm was."
"So you two grew up together right? So, Nate, you got any juice secrets about Hales?" Mia asked.
"Well we were best friends until middle school then in junior year we became close again, did she ever tell you she slept with a teddy bear until fifth grade, Mr. Waffles, she still has him today, I bet he is around here somewhere. She still had him on her bed just sitting there in junior year." I could tell my face became red as I buried it in Taylor's shoulder.
"Oh my God, Hales" Taylor shouted "That was mine and I gave it to you when you were like three because I had out grown it, and I was six!" She shouted.
I picked up the thing closest to me, a plastic plate, and threw it at Nathan, it missed by a mile. "And she is terrible at sports, especially basketball. I once spent three hours trying to teach her how to shoot a free throw, she didn't make it once, and she still probably still calls them a free shot or a shoot throw. She was a total nerd, which I got to admit, wasn't bad when I needed tutoring." Nathan said with a smirk as I had a small smile as he reminded me of some of my favorite memories.
"Tell us more about Haley growing up." Lindsay said.
"Nate tell them about when we first met… you know when you threw a basketball at my head!" I suggested as he put his hands up in surrender.
"I did not throw it at your head I threw it and you so happened to be walking by my house."
"Sure"
"Wait, how old were you guys?" Chase asked.
"Four." I supplied.
"It wasn't my fault my dad was well…being my normal dad and being a, you know what I'm not going to traumatize you guys with details about him, so anyway he was yelling at me yet again and I threw the basketball in anger and Haley had just happen to walk by and it hit her in the back of the head. Her brother Brian had been with her and he walked over and punched me in the face. He broke my nose, boy did my dad have a field day with Brian and Mr. and Mrs. James. But they didn't take it, they yelled at him too. But we were taken to the emergency room together and we spent like an hour waiting to see the triage nurse and we just talked and laughed. Then the next day I went over to her house and asked her to play."
"Aww" Shay said.
"How old was Brian?" Clay questioned.
"He was nine, so I was no match for him. But I could totally take him now." Both I and Taylor laughed, Brian was 210 pounds of pure muscle, although it would be something to see, who knows who would win. "Nah, actually we are friends once we got passed that whole broken nose thing."
"Alright enough about me, let's play monopoly, although we are going to have to play in teams since we lost a few of the pieces." I stated as Clay and I partnered, so did Chase and Shay, Chris and Mia, and Grubbs and Lindsay.
Taylor looked to Nathan and said "Partner?" She held out her hand as he shook it. "Partner, lets kick some butt."
We had just gotten it all set up as I heard his phone begin to ring then he looked down at it "I'm sorry I have to take this." He stood up and held the phone to his ear "Hey big brother" was all you heard before he walked over to the corner of the room. I saw him laughing and smiling. Then a few minutes later he walked back over.
"You talk to Lucas?"
"Yeah, when you left we got really close, like this whole 'missing Haley syndrome' hit us both and we got to know each other better. Brooke has been crazy lately; she is completely wedding Nazi so he has been calling me a lot saying that he was going to just drive to Vegas one of these nights."
I then heard someone clear their throat and Lindsay say, "Someone want to fill us in."
"Oh sorry, Lucas is my best friend from home and Nathan's half-brother, and Brooke is our…..um friend and Lucas' fiancée.
"Can we start please" Clay said getting a little aggravated because he wasn't patience, and was very competitive. I could tell he was probably insecure about Nathan being there.
Everything was going good for a half hour except for the fact that everyone kept asking Nathan to tell another story, tell another story, and then another story about me. A lot of them were very embarrassing.
Nathan just had been telling them about my 'ugly ass poncho' before I interrupted "Alright, I get it, you made your feelings towards that particular item of clothing very clear!" I said laughing and slapping him playfully.
He smiled before continuing on with what he was saying. "And it may sound like I'm constantly putting her down but if you don't know already she is the kindest person, she is an incredible musician, one of the best people I know, and an incredible kisser." He said with a smirk as my jaw dropped.
"What?" Clay said.
"Wait you're the Nathan that Haley wrote all those sappy love songs in music school about." Mia said as it dawned on her, I heard Chris mutter a 'duh' as Mia wacked her boyfriend in the back of the head.
"Yep the one and only" Nathan said cockily.
"Nathan can I talk to you outside…NOW" I demanded. He shrugged and followed me.
"Nathan, stop!" I hissed pulling him out into the hallway closing the door behind us. "Why did you say that?"
"What Haley what do you want from me!" he took a deep breath "I told you I loved you and wanted to be with you and you said no so call me in ten years when you're married to some boring sports agent who isn't me and I will still be alone because you are the only one in the entire world for me. I would rather be alone than with anyone else. With that said, you'll see me around more because I lost you once and I barely made it. So I'll give you some time to sort out your feelings but I know we'll be together again. Always and forever, Hales." With that Nathan walked away.
I slid down the wall just sitting there for a few minutes, how could he always do this to me? I gained my composure before walking back in and sitting next to Taylor who wrapped her arm around my shoulders "Listen guys, I have to tell you something, Nathan and I dated for a few months before I left, and when I left for school it wasn't on good terms, when I saw him earlier today when I was talking to you, Shay, that was the first time I had seen him in eighteen months."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Clay questioned.
"Have you told me all the girls you have dated, or even better, all the girls you have slept with? No, so I didn't think I needed to tell you about the three guys I have dated, but if you have to know: I dated a mathlete named Julian Baker when I was fourteen, that lasted a week and then when I was fifteen I dated Damien West for like a month and the entire time he was just trying to get into my pants. Your turn Clay!" I declared angrily grabbing my purse and sweatshirt then said "don't wait up" sarcastically before walking out. Taylor followed me as we walked quietly to the garden/park area next to my dorm before we sat on the bench and I broke down in her arms. When I finally regained my composure, I told her what Nathan had said.
"Hales you need to choose what you want, and I think you and I both know what you need to do."
Was it that easy? All I had to do was break up with Clay, it was that easy. Except he was the guy I had been with for the past two months and I trusted him, I could allow myself to feel comfortable with him, and I didn't think I could just end it. It was hard to get back in the ring, especially with the one who knocked you out in the first place.
When I was finally done sobbing, it probably had to be an hour later. I allowed myself to go to him and when I finally found him, at his dorm, I walked right into his open arms.
"I'm sorry about what I said"
"Me too, Clay. I was just confused about seeing him again and I'm sorry. Are we okay?"
"Sure baby"
The next day I had arranged to have lunch with Lucas and Brooke, when I got there I saw him at a booth and sat down next to him.
"Hey buddy"
"Hi Hales"
"Where's Brooke?'
"She was running late she should be here in a little bit"
"So why didn't you tell me you were all buddy buddy with Nathan?"
"I didn't want to upset you, I mean I thought you were finally getting over him and I didn't want to set you back, and it felt nice to get to know my brother. And for once I saw the guy you saw when you dated him. He isn't a bad guy he just has a tough exterior."
"Yeah" I muttered "and why did you tell him what dorm I was in?"
"I didn't know he was going to show up I just thought he wanted to know. But Hales, he has changed since you last saw him."
"Lucas…"
"No, listen for once please. He hasn't seen another girl since you left; I have barely seen him talk to any, in exception of Brooke and Peyton. He loves you and I know you feel the same, so give him a shot."
I sighed and placed my head in my hands. "Have you forgotten about Clay? You know my boyfriend"
"Please, you were just trying to fill that void in your heart, and I have a feeling it's not working."
"What's he doing here?" I questioned seeing Nathan walking in, he didn't look like he slept well, and he was in basketball shorts and an old raven's t-shirt.
"Hey little brother" Lucas said greeting him as he sat across from us.
"Hi Luke, I didn't know you were going to be here, Haley" Nathan said, as I swiftly elbowed Lucas.
"Ow!" Obviously he didn't know what went down last night. "What did you just wake up? You look a mess."
"More like been up for hours, had a problem sleeping."
I wonder why, I said to myself sarcastically.
"What about those sleeping pills the doctor gave you?" Wait, what?
"I left them at home didn't think I would need them. I just played NBA Live for like eight hours straight."
"Some things don't change" I joked as he gave me a small smile.
"Well, what did you do this morning?" Lucas asked me.
"Studied"
"But we are only like two weeks into the semester."
"I am taking six courses this semester. So I need to stay on top of it all"
"Wow that's a heavy load"
"Yeah but I mean I really enjoy them all, five are so I can get my teaching degree but then each semester I am going to take a different music course, this time its composing and I looooove it" I said singing the end in a sing song voice.
"You are too perky, all of you are spending too much time with Brooke" Nathan declared "Where is bridezilla anyway?"
"BRIDEZILLA is right behind you boy toy!" Brooke said sitting next to him placing a binder on the table. "or should I say BIL"
"Brooke, my name is Nathan N-A-T-H-A-N, not BILL. Where did that even come from?"
"No not BILL, like B-I-L brother-in-law, remember we are going to be family"
"Don't remind me" Nathan said acting upset.
She then looked to me with a smile "So hooker girl, want to go over some wedding plans?"
"Wait, since when am I hooker girl?"
"Since you chose hoe-bag over me to hang out with."
"Who is hoe bag?"
"Taylor"
"Brooke, I mean she was before and obviously you-know-what is an example" I said referring to her sleeping with my best friend growing up. "But ever since everything happened with you-know-who she has really changed. I mean like yesterday, she was just there and she sat on a bench with me without either of us talking for like an hour." I said then referring to the situation that a few months ago Taylor fell in love with a man, they had been dating for a while but then she found out he was married, she was heartbroken, she would never wish that on anyone and she instantly broke it off that was one thing that she couldn't stand.
But she did the right thing she sat down with his wife and told her what happened saying if she knew he was married she would have never dated him. I admired her for the way she handled it. But it messed with her head and ever since she has been different.
"I guess, but still, I'm wonderful."
"Of course you are Brooke; now show me some wedding plans"
"Okay Nathan and Haley switch seats." She ordered so I sat next to her. "So the colors are silver and a medium blue, like like…like" she said looking around for something "Oh, like Nathan's eyes! Haley look at Nathan's eyes they're perfect." Brown met blue as our eyes locked and I was instantly hypnotized by him, as if I were under a love spell. "Here is your maid of honor dress" she flipped the book open.
"Sorry Brooke, but if that is my dress, I will not be in the wedding; it's like twenty yards of tool and looks like a tutu." I heard Nathan laugh "Don't you laugh Nathan Scott; I would like to see you in that dress!"
"I'm just joking tutor girl" she said flipping to another page "this is it" she pointed to the page on the left and said "and this is Nathan's best man tux, don't they look gorgeous together?"
"Oh I love it." It was a one shouldered dress with ruching at the waist. From there it ended at the knee and had pleating under the waist band. "And I love how this part of the tux is blue and that part is silver, and it pulls it all together."
"Who would have thought tutor girl had a designer eye?" Brooke joked.
We flipped through and talked about the cake, well actually cupcakes, the flowers, (which would be daisies), decorations and then she held up the book so Lucas wouldn't be able to see then showed me the dress she designed. "It's incredible" I looked at her with teary eyes as I said gently "You're getting married."
She smiled and repeated "I'm getting married." I pulled her into a tight hug, and then whispered "I'm so happy for you." When we pulled apart we just smiled at each other.
Then the woman who was clearly flirting with Nathan, brought out our food. I got macaroni and cheese, Brooke got lobster (Expensive taste, was my comment, then she stuck her tongue out at me), Lucas got the house burger, and Nathan got prime rib.
That stupid waitress and her comments: 'Oh prime rib that is my favorite!', 'If you need anything, anything at allllll (she over exaggerated) just snap your fingers and I will be over in a jiff'
Who says jiff anymore for crying out loud! 'Just feel free to shout out my name, it's Amber'. She liked to lean over right in front of Nathan to expose her cleavage.
"Once again if you need anything, anything at all, just call me." She said slipping him a piece of paper with her name and number as she turned around.
"Oh honey, just give it up and stop being desperate, he clearly isn't interested." I said as she gasped.
"Oh yeah, it's not like he is interesting in you when you look" she looked me up and down then said in a disguising tone "like that"
"Alright that's enough" Nathan started.
"No Nathan let me handle this, what do you mean Amber"
"Maybe you should drop a few pounds."
"Huh" I scoffed "you're one to talk."
"Alright, that's it" Lucas said waving down the manager. "Excuse me sir, but Amber here is disrupting our lunch."
"Again," he said "Sorry about that folks, Amber my office, now!"
We all started laughing as they walked off.
Then Brooke and I starting passing notes
I wish I had something like you and Lucas do I'm so happy for you :-)
You could if you just grabbed the guys hand across from you and told him how you really feel :-P
BROOKE! You know I can't. I just can't be with him again; I got hurt too much the last time.
Tutor girl, he's not the same guy anymore, you changed him for the better and love hurts, but it's so worth it. I'm pretty sure it is hurting you two more being apart, and I mean after everything you told me this morning on the phone, obviously he isn't doing so good, I mean look at him! You two belong together just suck it up!
I don't know
Just think about it, and don't get into a major fight before the wedding you two need to walk down the aisle together and dance together
Don't remind me!
Admit it, you want to kiss him you want to hug him you want to love him you want to marry him you want to have his babies, awww the Naley babies will be so cute!
Dude you just stole that from Miss Congeniality,
Dude don't call me dude and just admit it
NO!
"What are we in the seventh grade again, you two passing notes about two hot guys." Nathan said as him and Lucas pounded fists.
"Yeah, let me be the teacher, so I can read it aloud to the class." Lucas said.
"No!" Brooke and I shouted at the same time as she crumbled it up and threw it in my purse.
"What is so secret that is in it?" Nathan questioned as we were both silent.
"Fine I might as well tell you….I umm…I am addicted to cheese all kinds of cheese I could eat it all by the pound, I like put it on everything. Have you ever tried it on vanilla yogurt? It sounds terrible but it tastes really good. And um, like, I double the amount a normal person uses when I cook something and then a lot of times I still put more on it after….and yeah"
I rambled as Brooke elbowed me. She looked at me and whispered through gritted teeth 'cheese really!'
I mumbled 'sorry' before looking at Lucas and Nathan who were looking at me like 'you were the smartest person I knew up until this moment when you totally look like a complete imbecile.'
Brooke luckily filled the void for the rest of lunch with wedding plans until I could escape.
What Brooke wrote got to me, he has changed for the better because of me, and Lucas said he hasn't been with anyone else since me. When I asked Brooke about it she said that he tries to avoid people if possible. The only people he talks to by choice are Lucas, Brooke and Peyton.
Why was I doing this to myself? I just needed to make a choice, Nathan or Clay? I knew what it would be in the end but I just couldn't do it, it was too hard. I was officially a mess.
Clay and I were walking through campus together the next day and once again he was flirting with other girls, ('friends of ours' as he put it), as we walked by. About two weeks into our relationship, I had finally got up the courage to speak to him about it and he just brushed it off as 'That's just the way I am, I can't help it. Haley I am a flirty guy, but don't worry I only have eyes for you.' But that didn't really make me feel any more secure. I guess I just forgot about it up until today.
How could I date someone who always made me worry? Always flirting with someone and it doesn't matter to him? He acted as if one day it may not matter if he cheated on someone.
Nathan wasn't like that, even when he was a big player and dating Brooke other than me, he didn't flirt with anyone. Ever. He once told me that he thought men who cheated on their wives were disgusting, which I guessed in out scenario made him seem like a hypocrite but he wasn't even with Brooke really, he spoke to her for about five minutes a week and that was just to plan their next 'appearance'.
Haley why are you doing this to yourself? I thought to myself. Don't go there unless you want to break down in the middle of the quad with a hundred strangers surrounding you, taking photos of 'the psycho who all of a sudden had a spaz attack on the quad.' Nice reputation to have in the beginning of college, something I would never live down.
I had finally gotten enough nerve to do what I needed to do; I walked right up the stairs and banged on the door, wanting to do this before I lost my courage. He opened the door in low riding light grey sweatpants, and that was it. I could see his sculpted chest and he ran his hand through his hair. Before he could speak I cleared my throat and began.
"You see Nathan; I wouldn't be calling you to complain about my husband because it would be pointless. I would call Brooke to whine about how you forgot to put your clothes in the hamper, or you left the food out again so it spoiled. You see Nathan, I won't be marrying a boring man one day, one day I will marry you and I imagine that each day will be very interesting." And with that he cut me off.
He pulled me into his arms and kissed me, a life altering, hair raising, goosebump creating, leg raising, earth shattering kiss. Something I had been missing for one year six months eleven days and twenty two hours.