Author's Note: Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews you sent me! Especially Brittney Brightside - your review made my day five times over.

There's not a whole lot of dialogue in this chapter, but much reflection on Haley's part. And there's not a whole lot of Baley action-ness. But there will be in later chapters (which will probably not come as soon as this one did… Although I may get one or two out over Christmas break.) This is just kinda an "in-between" chapter that will help me glue the "plot" together.

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Chapter Five: Oh, Gravity

Haley didn't get much sleep that night. She lay in bed, trying to figure out exactly what had happened between her and Brooke. Her thoughts and feelings were so jumbled up that she could barely begin to untangle them. No matter how hard she tried to sort them out, her thoughts kept circling back to the kiss and every time she closed her eyes the scene played over and over in her head. However the memory of the kiss was almost as blurry as the rest of her thoughts. She could recall the heat, the passion, the way Brooke's tongue had- she shivered at just how vividly she could remember what Brooke had been doing with her tongue- but what she had been feeling, what she had been thinking at that moment had all disappeared from Haley's mind. Even now she could hardly form a coherent thought when she replayed the kiss.

But another part of the memory was even more troubling to Haley: when Brooke had whispered in her ear.

I want you, Haley.

She had said Haley. Not Brookie. Haley.

Haley's thoughts dissolved beyond that point. She'd try to register this, to link it with the sinking suspicion that gnawed at her gut and comprehend all its implications, but at that point her mind would pull back to the kiss and start over again in a cycle that lasted most of the night.

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By the next morning, Haley was utterly exhausted since she hadn't allowed herself to sleep until she had put her thoughts into some semblance of order. (She was, after all, one of those people who couldn't rest until they figured everything out.) After mulling over the situation all night, but had come up with three completely confusing and slightly disturbing points. She had, for some reason that she could not or would explain, let Brooke kiss her when they were walking back to the car. At the time, it had seemed like an almost logical thing to do - Brooke had been high, and Haley was tired of fighting her - but in retrospect she understand why she hadn't just given Brooke over to Peyton, which would have solved all her problems. But as much as she hated to admit it, she had kinda… enjoyed? the attention the other girl had given her while she was high.

Which lead straight into her next point. Brooke had called her "Haley", not "Brookie". This had to mean that Brooke had at least some idea of what she was doing, which scared Haley. It was one thing if she was acting strangely under the influence of drugs - that could be excused because she couldn't help it - but it was something else entirely if she had actually been hitting on Haley intentionally. And if the drugs had worn off by the time they had reached the car, how much longer had Brooke really been herself? Was it possible that she had just been acting that she was high just to have an excuse to flirt with Haley?

Haley had dismissed that idea as soon as it entered her head. Brooke was one of the most popular girls in school. She could have any guy - or girl - that she wanted. Why would she go through all that trouble just for Haley?

But the last point was the most unbelievable of all - She had kissed Brooke. Or Brooke had kissed her and she hadn't pulled away and what did that mean? Haley could have thought of several things that meant, but didn't really want to go there. Because she didn't like girls. It wasn't like she had anything against gays, but it just wasn't her thing. She was straight. And she didn't like Brooke.

She was still trying to convince herself of this as she walked down the hallways of Tree Hill High spotted the cause of all her problems; Brooke was standing at her locker, getting her books. Haley stopped in her tracks at the sight of the brunette, wishing to backtrack around the previous corner. Deciding that running and hiding would be silly, she continued on, but kept her eyes fixed on the cheerleader. Sure, she was… hot, Haley admitted to herself, looking Brooke over objectively. You'd have to be blind notice that. But it wasn't like she was attracted to her in a physical sense. Although she did… No, Haley wasn't going there. Because she didn't like her, she was a girl. She didn't have a crush -

Brooke slammed her locker shut and turned around, her eyes meeting the girl's who had been watching her. Haley tripped suddenly, dropping her books.

Haley blushed furiously and bent down to gather her belongs. Oh my god! I'm such a klutz! Haley thought, when she noticed another set of hands rushing to pick up her stuff. She looked up to see Brooke, smirking at her, and her blush deepened.

"Brooke! I - hi! I didn't- I wasn't- how are- "

"Here," Brooke said with a smirk, cutting off Haley's unintelligible babble. She offered the stunned girl a few papers and a notebook, which she took speechlessly.

"I'll see you later, Haley," Brooke said with a wink, then turned and walked away. Baffled, Haley watched her walk away, her eyes lingering a moment too long as another blush crept across her cheek.

I am so screwed.

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Congrats! You just read the first chapter of the Middle of a Baley Fanfic. I, for one, never thought I'd live to see the day. Tell me what you think. And for goodness sake! Tell me where to go with this.