Chapter Thirty-Seven

On Saturday Peyton strolled into her apartment at 8 in the morning and found her roommate sitting in front of the television in her pajamas, indulging in a whole tub of ice cream. "Haley?"

She turned around and Peyton could see a dab of ice cream on the corner of her mouth she hadn't noticed yet. "Hi. How are you feeling?" Haley asked, concerned.

"I'm okay," Peyton told her as she took off her coat and put her bag down.

"How did things go with your Dad last night? I mean, after I spoke to you last."

"Alright."

"But you two must have worked things out, right? You stayed there; you must have talked again sometime last night."

"Er…actually," she began, sitting down on the chair to the right of the sofa Haley was sitting on, "I didn't stay there."

"What? Where were you last night?"

"I was at Jake's."

"Jake's?" Haley grinned. "Peyton that's great! You two are back together, right?"

"Umm…not exactly."

"But you were there the whole night; didn't you talk about your relationship at all?"

"Yeah."

"And what did he say?"

Peyton sighed. "He said that he was going to ask me to go to Charlotte with him."

"Oh my God! Peyton! Well, what did you say?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing! How could you say nothing? Jake asked you to move in with him!"

"He didn't exactly ask me –"

"You know he still wants you to," Haley said, matter-of-factly. "Didn't you say anything about it when you left this morning?"

"Well…I sort of left while he was still sleeping."

"Peyton!"

"Well, I didn't know what to do! I knew that if I waited for him to wake up he'd probably want to talk about it – or us – or something and I just need some time to think."

"But, you will talk to him?"

"I will. Once I figure out what I'm going to say."

"Right." Haley and Peyton watched the movie for a few minutes in silence before Peyton finally spoke up.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Always," Haley said as she licked the ice cream spoon.

"What would you do if you were me?"

"You really want to know?"

Peyton paused for a moment before nodding. "Yes."

"Well, you're not going to like it, but I would go. You and Jake are so cute together, Peyton, and I know that no matter what he did and didn't tell you he really does care about you. I'm sure he never meant to hurt you."

"You know…I don't think Nathan did either."

Haley started, and then looked back at the TV. "He doesn't have anything to do with this."

Peyton sighed and got up from her chair, moving to sit next to Haley. "I think I've been a bad best friend."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, when you told me about what happened at the station I was so caught up with thinking about Jake that I didn't realize until later that Nathan was the same guy who you told me you thought had a crush on you – and even when I did realize it I was still too mad at Jake and my Dad to come and see how you were doing. I'm sorry."

"Hey, you've had a lot on your plate; the thing with Jake and then finding out about your parents too. It's okay."

"So I'm forgiven?"

"There's nothing to forgive."

Peyton smiled and she and Haley shared a short hug before Peyton had to ask, "So what's happening with you and Nathan now?"

"Nothing," Haley said nonchalantly.

"Nothing at all? I mean, if he really isn't your student then I thought maybe you were right about him liking you – plus it wouldn't be illegal and you said he was cute-"

"I'm not going to go out with him," Haley said quickly. "I mean, I told you back then that I didn't like him."

"Actually, I think back then you told me he was your student so it would be impossible."

"Either way – whether it's possible or not – I'm not going out with him, okay?"

"And you're fine."

"I'm more than fine; I'm perfect."

"Then can I have some ice cream?"

"Wh-what? But it's my ice cream…" Haley pouted and held the tub closer to her.

"Now I know you like your ice cream, Hales, but unless your using it as comfort food or something like that I really don't see why you can't give up a tiny bit of your…" Peyton leaned to read off the lid, "Cookie-dough-fudge-mint-chip?"

Peyton got up and went to the kitchen before Haley could reply. She glanced at the tub and then put it down on the floor, turning the TV volume up just as Maria and the children broke out into 'Do Re Mi'.

That night Jake and Nathan met up at the station once more for a largely unenergetic meeting. Jake couldn't help but notice that Nathan merely nodded at everything he said, and, unlike usual, had no ideas of his own. On their way back home, Jake decided to ask him about it.

"Hey, Nathan?"

"Yeah?"

"Is everything alright, man?"

"Just perfect," Nathan said as he put his jacket on and led the way out of the station. "See you at school tomorrow."

"You don't seem like you're okay."

"Well, I'm fine."

Jake stopped on the steps outside the main entrance to the station. "Did something happen between you and Haley?"

Nathan, who was on a lower step, also stopped, and turned around to look at his friend. "No," he said flatly.

"You seem like something happened –"

"Nothing happened. And nothing's going to happen. Ever. You can trust me on that one."

Realizing what Nathan meant, Jake sympathized. "Sorry, man. Maybe she'll change her mind."

"I don't think so. But, hey, at least things are looking up for one of us."

Jake laughed. "What makes you think they're looking up? I haven't told you what happened this morning – or, rather, didn't happen. It looks like we'll both be going back to Charleston alone."

"Oh? So that's not Peyton standing by your car over there?"

Startled by Nathan's statement, Jake quickly looked up and to his right where he had parked his car. Sure enough, Peyton was standing right next to it. When she noticed Jake had seen her, she smiled and gave him a small wave.

Jake wasn't able to collect his wits fast enough to wave back.

Nathan smiled at his friend. "You were saying?"

"I…uh…well…"

Nathan shook his head. "Later, man."

"Bye. Hey, Nathan?" he added, just as his friend had reached the bottom step.

He turned on his foot and faced him. "Yep?"

"Haley will come around."

Nathan shrugged. "I don't see her standing next to my car."

"Maybe she's waiting half-naked in the back seat."

Nathan chuckled. "Yeah, maybe. See you."

"Bye, Nate."

Jake walked up to Peyton, who remained waiting patiently for him. "Hi."

"Hey," he smiled.

"So…that's Nathan, huh?" Peyton gestured in the direction he had left.

Jake nodded. "That's Nathan. Oh, that's right, you guys have never met," he realized.

"I'd like to meet him sometime."

"You would?"

"Yeah."

"Because of Haley?" Jake supposed.

"Well, partly…And also because he's your friend."

"Because he's my friend?" Jake repeated.

Peyton nodded. "I, uh…I went to your house, but you weren't there so I thought maybe you might be here so I came here and…"

"Here I am."

"Yeah. Jake, I'm sorry for leaving the way I did this morning," Peyton said finally. "I shouldn't have done that – in fact, I'm shouldn't have come to your apartment last night. I –"

"Don't say that," Jake cut in. "I'm glad you did."

Peyton smiled at him. "I am too."

"You are."

Peyton sighed. "I've been thinking over and over about what to do and no matter what I keep coming to the same conclusion."

Jake took a deep breath before asking, "And what's that?"

"I'm still mad at you…but I want to go to Charleston with you. I can only leave once the semester is over, but after that…I do."

Jake stared.

"This would be a very good time to say something."

"Right! Sorry, I-I just – are you sure?"

Peyton smile widened as she nodded. "Yes. I'm sure."

"Okay. Wow."

"But, no more secrets!" she warned.

"No more secrets; I promise," Jake told her, grinning.

"Okay." Both paused as they grinned at each other, neither saying anything. "Well, are you going to kiss me now or what?"

Jake chuckled. "Oh, I am definitely going to kiss you."

And he did.