Chapter 22: This November
"You must be Haley!" An older woman, who didn't look as young as she was, smiled brightly at her. Haley smiled and nodded, but almost jumped in surprise as the woman pulled Haley into her arms for a tight hug. She flinched at first, but the warm, friendly atmosphere around here made her ease off and hug the woman back. "Im so glad you came! My Mark has told me a lot about you." She smiled.
Haley still wasn't sure how to respond, so she smiled brightly and nodded. She noticed the woman's eye flicker to Haley's wrist, then her collar bone, and for a split second, her smile faded, she took a deep breath and smiled again as if she were trying to calm herself. Haley knew what she was looking at, and there was only one painful memory that it reminded her of.
All she could think of was where her life had lead. Mark. She had spent two months with him now, and he had lead her on the most heart throbbing, falling in love experience of her life. She had definitely fallen in love with him. She had fallen in love with his smile, his smell, the way his hair had grown out and now fell into his eyes. She had fallen in love with the smell of raspberry waffles every single morning in bed. She had fallen in love with the way he kissed her neck, and the way it tickled her. She had fallen in love with holding hands with him in public, and almost everything about him.
Almost. She hadn't fallen in love with his consistent drug use. She hadn't fallen in love with his tendency to be over-protective. She hadn't fallen in love with those nights when she wanted to be with him, but he dazed off in a drugged out fashion, too far gone to notice her. And there were things she hated. Like the way he gripped her wrists when he was trying to get a point across but she was being stubborn. Probably her own fault. Or the way his hand fit parts of her body perfectly, when he swung at her, his anger pouring out. And she hated that look in his eye when she knew it would happen. But these moments? They were only small moments in there lives. And she was pretty sure that she could live with them, if she kept her eye on the bigger moments.
"Sorry..." Mark smiled. "She's a little crazy." He whispered into her ear. He had his hand on the small of her back, leading her into the house. Just the feeling of his hand on her bare skin, between her shirt and pants, made her blush.
"I think she's great." Haley whispered back. She watched Mark's mother as she circled the house and cleaned things quickly. The house was small and old fashion, smelling of fresh bread and a delicious smelling turkey. The floors were wooden and the outside was surrounded by think trees, already beginning to become snow covered. The small abandoned part of town was quick and sweet, refreshing compared to the hectic lifestyle they were living.
"Want to see my room?" Mark grinned as he wrapped his arms around Haley waste. She glanced around, noticing that his mother had disappeared, but still a little uncomfortable to be acting so affectionate in his home. "It's okay..." Mark smiled as he lifted Haley chin with his index finger. "She's cool..."
Haley bit her lip and nodded, backing up the stairs as Mark pressed his lips against her's. Before even coming up for air, he kicked his door open and led her in.
"This is..." He breathed before kissing her again. "My room." Haley laughed through their kisses as she listened to him struggle to get words out, before she distracted him with another hungry kiss. "And..." He said in a breathless tone again, "This is... my...bed." Haley laughed hysterically as he scooped her up and let her fall into the bed, she got ready to cover her mouth with her hand, but Mark used his mouth instead, silencing her with his deep, perfect kisses.
"Mom, this is Cara." Nathan smiled nervously. When he looked at his mother, he could tell that she wasn't approving already. Karen nodded and smiled sweetly, the way she always did, but Nathan saw through it all.
"It's nice to meet you." Karen said softly. She didn't respond to Cara the way that Mark's mother had to Haley. There was no hug, there was no talking about how much Nathan mentioned her. There was bright cheerful smile, or attempt to make everything perfect. She smiled once more then lead the couple into the house, hand in hand. "Im assuming your brother isn't coming home this Thanksgiving?" Karen said, trying to break the nervous and disappointed tone in her voice.
"No, him and Brooke are staying in and celebrating together." Nathan said as he dropped his bag on the floor. "I think Peyton and Jake are going to visit them too."
"Peyton and Jake?" Karen said in a surprised tone. "Yeah, since Peyton's illness, she's made up with everyone. She came to us a couple months ago." Nathan nodded. He couldn't help but notice how Cara shifted uncomfortably, and how Karen made no attempt to acknowledge her.
"Well, isn't that nice." Karen said in a fake tone. "And how is Peyton?" She asked again, actually trying to find questions to ask in order to fill the awkward silence between the three. It wasn't that she didn't like Cara, she didn't even know her. But she was uncomfortable with this Haley-clone. And she was uncomfortable with her son's attempts to replace Haley.
"Um, well. Not well. She adjusting. To the treatment and she hates that wig." Nathan laughed sadly. "She's kind of weak, but Jake's taking good care of her."
Karen nodded and smiled. "And where's Haley gone for Thanksgiving?" She finally breathed, trying to act casually. She watched as Nathan flinched, and Cara looked around uncomfortably, as if she knew that Haley was a threat to her.
"I don't know..." Nathan whispered, his voice was sharp and angry, as he gave his mother an evil eye.
"You didn't invite her?" Karen questioned again.
"Mom!" Nathan finally snapped. Karen sighed and nodded, then disappeared into the kitchen. Nathan turned and looked at Cara, sighing as he saw how sad she was. "Im sorry." He whispered as he pressed his forehead against her's.
"It's okay..." Cara pretended to smile.
"She was kind of attached to Haley, and the idea of her and... Yeah." Nathan tried to explain.
Cara sighed, "I think everyone but me is attached to the idea of the two of you. Even you."
"There's a lot of history there... but no future." Cara smiled and nodded as Nathan leaned down and kissed her softly.
"Is there anything I can help you with? Mrs. Lane?" Haley asked shyly as she walked into the kitchen. Mark's mother was standing at the stove with an old worn apron and a house dress. Her hair was tied back into a bun, and though she was dressed so much older, she looked so young and beautiful.
"Oh no, but thank you." She smiled as she turned and smiled at Haley. "Please, call me Kay." Haley nodded and shifted nervously. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do now. Mark was talking to his father who was watching football and made no attempt to even look Haley in the eye. So now here Haley was, stuck in this terrible silence, noticing Kay looking at her arms and collarbone, once more.
"May I ask you a question?" Kay finally spoke up. Haley nodded, but wasn't sure if she wanted to hear the question, though she knew what she'd ask.
"Where in heaven did you get those terrible bruises?" She didn't ask this like a question, she spoke as though she knew, but she wanted to hear it.
"Im a cluts." Haley laughed, trying to shake it off. But Kay didn't laugh, she looked at her sadly.
"He has good intentions. It's not his fault, you know. He's too much like his father. I know how it feels, Haley." Kay said quickly.
Haley pulled her shirt sleeves down and swallowed hard. "I'm not sure if I understand what you're saying." Haley whispered. She could hear the television blasting and was afraid that if Mark heard this, he'd get angry, she hated it when he was angry.
"No need to lie, child." Kay sighed. She furrowed her brow and looked stressed. Then she reached out and pulled Haley's arm in to examine the deep bruise that Haley was trying to hide, which crept up from her wrist to her elbow. "I know these bruises like my own. He's becoming more like his father everyday." She whispered. "I love my son, but, you're a nice girl, don't end up like me. Sometimes love isn't enough, you know." Then she dropped Haley's arm and went back to her cooking.
Let Me know please! Im in a really big rush.. sorry