Chapter Thirty-Six

"Haley, you can't say you won't go out with me just because I was with Taylor once!"

"I just did!"

"It was 11 years ago! I didn't know you then; I didn't even know there was going to be a you."

"What does that mean?"

Nathan sighed and tried to explain. "Look, I'm not the type of guy who usually does stuff like this."

"Stuff like what?"

"Like standing out here waiting for you for over half an hour, trying to convince you to go out with me."

"Why? Because most of the time girls just fall at your feet? Yeah, now I'm really convinced."

"You know, you're not making this any easier on me."

"Why would I want to make it any easier on you?"

"I don't know! You know, I have no idea why I'm here and why I'm trying for something you obviously have no intention of budging on, but I'm still here! And, for some reason, I still want to be with you."

"'For some reason'?" Haley repeated.

"Because I like you."

"You don't even know me that well, Nathan. How can you know that you want to go out with me?"

"Because I do, okay?"

"Nathan, I just…this just can't be anything. I'm sorry." And with that she quickly unlocked the front door and walked straight down the hall and up to the elevator. She pressed the 'up' button and kept her eyes fixed on the elevator doors, willing herself not to look back and see if he was still there. It turned out she didn't have to.

"What are you so afraid of?"

Haley looked behind her and saw Nathan standing in the doorway, obviously having held it open when she went inside. His choice of words irritated her. "I'm not afraid of anything," she said, flatly.

"Right." This time it was his tone that irritated her, his voice laced with sarcasm.

She was trying to come up with a retort when he turned around and walked away. He was actually walking away! How dare he! Well, she wasn't about to let him have the last word. Just as the elevator dinged to announce its arrival on the bottom floor Haley was marching through the main entrance and into the rain, following Nathan.

"What is your problem?"

At the sound of Haley's harsh voice, Nathan stopped walking and looked back at her. "My problem?"

"Yeah."

"I didn't realize that I was the one with the problem."

"I am not afraid of anything," Haley repeated, "and you can't just say that I am and storm off like everything is my fault."

"So it's my fault?"

"It's nobody's fault, okay! Sometimes people just don't get together. You know, if you ever read anything you would know that."

"I have read things."

"Sports Illustrated doesn't count."

"Real witty."

"Look, I said this can't happen –"

"Then why does it sound like you're trying to convince yourself of that?"

"I'm not trying to convince myself! I know that it can't – it looks like you're the one who needs convincing."

"Not convincing – just something other than the pathetic excuses you've been throwing at me."

"The fact that I'm worried about my job and that you've slept with my sister are not pathetic excuses! But, hey, if you need more I've got them."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"Name one."

"How about I don't want to go out with you because I don't want to? I mean, did you ever think of that? I mean you're so in your own head that you clearly don't think about other people. Well?" Haley prodded when he didn't say anything.

In fact, he didn't look like he was about to say anything as he stared quietly at her, the only sound being that of the pouring rain. Finally, he spoke, "Okay then."

Haley looked at him strangely. "Okay?" she whispered.

Nathan nodded and looked at the ground as he started to turn back.

Haley's expression softened as she realized what she had just said. "Nathan, I – I didn't mean –"

He put his hands up to stop her. "No, it's okay. I don't need an English lesson. Don't worry, I won't bother you again."

And as she watched him walk away with a sinking feeling in her stomach it took Haley a few minutes to realize that she was standing in the middle of the rain and was soaked through.

xxx

Peyton woke up at about 3 a.m. and the first thing she realized was that she was in someone else's bed. The second thing that hit her was all the events of the past two days and the fact that it was Jake's bed.

Aware that she was alone in bed, she looked around and saw him sitting in a chair by the bed, staring out the window in the dark, either pretending not to know she was awake or being genuinely unaware of it.

"Jake?" she whispered.

"Hey. I hope I didn't wake you."

"You didn't. Are you okay over there?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"If you're uncomfortable you could…come here," Peyton offered.

"You don't have to –"

"It's okay." She moved to the other side of the bed so that there was space for him to get in.

He remained where he was at first, contemplating what to do. Then, he got up from his chair and lay down on the bed beside her, but didn't get underneath the covers. "Goodnight Peyton."

She snuggled up closer to him so her head rested next to his shoulder. "Goodnight. Hey, Jake?" she whispered a moment later.

"Yeah?"

"Were you really going to tell me the truth eventually?"

"Yeah. I had a plan, actually."

"What kind of plan?"

"The day we solved the case I was going to go see you as soon as I was finished at the station and I was going to tell you everything. And then, I was going to ask you to come to Charlotte with me."