hey guys!! i am so sorry for the wait. but here it is! i'm having a hard time finding time to write. so to all my twists and turns readers, i am so sorry! i promise i will have the next chapter up by tomorrow night. my time! :):)
16. Acceptance.
'You need a job.' Haley spoke, her mouth full of ice cream.
'And why would that be?' Nathan's muffled voice came from behind a stack of boxes.
'Because you're behind on rent.' Haley flapped a letter in the air.
'But it's fine now, cause you're staying. You can pay.'
'Hmmm, I knew you were only with me for a reason.' Haley giggled as Nathan walked over and kissed her.
'Yip.' He smirked as she smacked him playfully on the arm. 'Now, either these boxes contain too many painful memories for you, or you're too lazy to get up off your ass and help me.'
'Fine… I'll start unpacking.' Haley sighed and walked into her bedroom.
She pulled some brown tape and opened a box. It was probably the wrong box to open. It was full to the brim of photo frames and picture albums. Haley smiled slightly as she picked out a big one of her and Nathan and hung it on the wall.
As she pulled out some more things a notebook fell from the box. Her notebook. Her trusty book of secrets that had never left her side, until she moved.
She flicked the book open at a random page. It was her wedding speech. She flicked to a different page, and smiled at what she saw. She slammed it shut when Nathan walked in.
'Oh my god, it's your notepad!' he laughed as Haley blushed.
'You've had that stupid thing for as long as I've known you! I'm surprised you haven't ran out of paper yet.'
'You gave this to me.' She spoke quietly.
'Yeah I did. Let's see that.' Nathan walked over.
'No, I'd rather not. I wrote quite a lot of personal things in this after Lucas…you know.'
'Yeah I understand. It's ok.' Nathan smiled and laid a kiss on Haley's temple.
'Hey Nathan?' Haley said as he walked out the room.
Nathan turned around and stood in the doorway. Haley sat the notebook down and ran into his arms. She hugged him tightly.
'Thank you for everything since I've came back. Thank you for trying with me two years ago, and thank you for not letting go.'
'I always loved you Haley, and I always will. Remember that.' Nathan looked down into Haley's brown eyes.
'Mmmm, I love hearing you say that.' Haley stood on her tiptoes for a kiss. 'Oh, and I love you too.' She giggled.
'I broke up with Chase.' Brooke sobbed into the apartment.
Haley saw Brooke in a total mess and thanked god that Nathan was on a run. 'Oh my gosh Brookie, why?'
'Because he was being an ass to me, and you, and everybody!' She whined, slumping down on the sofa and signalling to Haley.
Haley knew that signal. She thanked god, again, that she'd bought ice cream and grabbed it from the freezer, along with two spoons and blankets. She quickly scribbled Nathan a note and slid it under the front door, instructing him to go to Jake's.
She flopped down on the sofa and handed Brooke a spoon.
'But I thought you guys were doing so well?' Haley asked comfortingly. 'You've been together for over a year, haven't you?'
'Yeah we have, but it was the last straw. He was being too harsh about Lucas and about you and Nathan. I finally saw who he really was, and who everyone was telling me he was.'
Haley nodded. 'I understand Brooke, if you think it's for the best.'
'Of course it's for the best!' Brooke cried. 'He doesn't deserve me AT ALL! Especially now my best friend's back. And I'm in college, there were, and are, loads of cute boys walking around the campus that I never laid eyes on because I thought I had my man.' Haley raised an eyebrow. 'Ok…' Brooke sighed. 'I checked them out. So what? I never did anything about it! But I totally should have…' She joked.
'See?' Haley smacked Brooke lightly on the arm. 'There's the best friend I know and love.'
Brooke smiled and nodded. 'I was never in love with him.' She sat up straight. 'So tutor-girl. What the goss with you and Nate then?'
'There isn't much 'goss'.' Haley laughed. 'I don't know if we are together, if I should move out, what he wants us to be.' She sighed.
'Well what does Nathan say?'
'He asked to me live here, but he said nothing about sleeping in his room or anything.'
'But you guys have totally done it right?'
Haley shook her head.
'Never?'
Haley shook her head again.
'Wow.'
Haley giggled. 'We were just best friends Brooke!'
'I know, I never had a guy best friend. I just assumed you like, you know…taught each other things.'
'Oh my god!' Haley shrieked. 'You thought Nathan was my first time?'
'I'm shocked he wasn't!' Brooke giggled. 'It seemed like it! The chemistry bouncing off you two was blinding. I'm surprised Lucas didn't see it.'
'I guess he did.' Haley smiled. 'He knew he could never come between Nate and me. But he tried, and he may have been pretty successful. Him dying seemed to split us up.'
'Aww Hales…' Brooke touched her arm.
'It's ok Brooke. I've come to terms with it. We never had a life together. I could sit here and think about all of the 'what-ifs?' and so on. But at least I don't have to look back on painful memories of our first house, kids, wedding anniversaries and such.'
'It's an interesting way of thinking.' Brooke nodded.
'Yes it is. Now. You know you are better than him, so why don't you go to the bathroom, get yourself cleaned up, and we'll go and do some retail therapy.'
'Yay!' Brooke giggled and ran to the bathroom.
Just then there was a knock on the door. 'Hales? Can I come in please?'
'Hey Nate!' Haley opened the door and kissed him. 'In you come. We had an emergency, me and Brooke are going shopping.'
'Ok, well the guys wanted us to go to Tric tonight, invite Brooke too. It'll be fun.'
'Yeah ok.' Haley nodded. 'I need to buy something to wear then. But that's good.'
'Ok tutor-girl! Let's go!' Brooke jumped out. 'Oh hey Nate. Sorry you can't have her, I got dibs on her first.' She giggled.
'We're going out tonight Brooke, you need to get something to wear!' Haley laughed.
'Oh my god! I totally do!' Brooke squealed, trying to drag Haley out of the apartment.
Haley fought back and leaned up to kiss Nathan. 'Love you!' She called, running out after Brooke.
Nathan's lips still tingled from where Haley had just kissed him. He smiled. His life was just so good just now.
He slowly started to cook some breakfast for himself. He put the bacon and eggs on and went through to his bedroom to get changed.
He looked around the plain walls. His bedroom bored him, but he never bothered to change it. The walls were a light blue colour, the bed sheets white and the furniture oak. It suited him fine. He knew that things would have to change now, especially since Haley was living with him.
He realised she had been unpacking all her stuff into the guest room. Nathan wanted her in his room, so he decided to surprise her. Before he started that, he needed breakfast.
He walked back through to the kitchen and froze to the spot.
Someone was sitting at the island, helping themselves to his breakfast.
'Rachel?'
'So what do you think?' Brooke spun round in front of Haley.
'I love it, you look so hot girly.'
Brooke was wearing a pair of tiny denim shorts, and a tight fitting corset top. The top was black and pink lace, and she fitted it perfectly.
'You totally rock that outfit Brooke!' Haley smiled.
'I know right? And then I can grab some new leather high heeled ankle boots to complete the outfit!' She squealed excitedly.
Haley laughed, she loved how shopping could fix Brooke in an instant.
'Now try these on!' Brooke handed her a pile of clothes.
'Rachel, what are you doing here?'
The redhead shrugged. 'You hadn't called for a while, I was bored, and I thought you might want to see me.'
'Why would I want to see you?'
'Oh I dunno, to use me like you have for the past year and a half?'
'Rachel, you seriously can't be here. I don't have time for this, and Haley will be home any minute!'
'Who is Haley?' Rachel asked as she crammed some bacon into her mouth. 'Oh wait, she's the chick you used me to get over. I see it didn't quite work then?'
'Haley came back, and we're together now. So leave me alone so I can sort out the apartment in time to go out to Tric tonight… shit.' Nathan cursed himself.
'Oh… so you're going to Tric tonight? What a coincidence, I'll be there too!' Rachel laughed wickedly. 'I'd love to meet this Haley girl again, see what's so special about her.' She smiled smugly.
'Get out Rachel!' Nathan shouted.
Rachel held her hands up. 'Don't shoot! I'm just going.'
Nathan sighed and shut the door behind her. He had to get to work. He grabbed his cell first.
'Hello?'
'Hey Brooke, it's Nathan. Don't tell Haley, I've got a surprise planned for her. Can she get ready at yours? And I'll meet you at Tric tonight?'
'Yeah sure, that's fine.'
'Thanks Brooke. It'll be worth it. See you tonight!'
Brooke hung up the phone.
'Who was that Brooke?' Haley called from the changing room.
'Oh, just Peyton! You're coming straight back to mine to get ready right?'
'Well I was actually going to go back-'
Brooke cut her off. 'Haley pleeease! I really need you to help me get ready!'
'Ok, fine!' Haley emerged from the changing room. 'I forgot how annoyingly persuasive you were.' She giggled.
'So what you buying?' Brooke asked, while the girls stood in the queue.
'You'll just have to wait an see.' Haley winked at Brooke.
'Ooh tutor girl you're so feisty!' Brooke giggled.
Nathan set about his work, trying to clean up and redo the apartment just for Haley. He was working quickly, but he couldn't stop thinking about Rachel. It was such bad timing for her to be back. Haley needed to understand, she might get the wrong impression.
He knew he would have to keep a close watch on both Haley and Rachel tonight, they never got along in High School, which was always an issue because Rachel and Brooke were good friends.
Thankfully Rachel dropped out of High School for their senior year, but Haley had left anyway, so it didn't really matter.
--
3 Years Ago
Haley and Nathan jumped out of Nathan's car and walked towards the school.
'Thanks for always giving me a ride Nate. Lucas is always late.'
'It's ok, remember I'm still your best friend.' Nathan smirked. It was hard for him to say those words, because that's all he was ever going to be. The best friend.
Haley smiled when Nathan smirked at her. She felt butterflies in her stomach but pushed them away. She was with Lucas, and Nathan only saw her as a friend.
She punched him softly on the arm. 'Yeah you are. And it better stay like that.'
Nathan laughed and turned so he was facing Haley. He pulled her into a hug. He then slid his arms from around Haley's waist down to just above the knee.
'Nathan, what the hell are you doing?' Haley asked, then squealed as he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, then continued to walk towards the school.
Haley kicked and punched at Nathan. 'Put me down you idiot!' She yelled, laughing, but Nathan was too strong and held onto her.
'Well well well, I see that tutor slut has got herself yet another boyfriend. Get around much 'Hales'?' Rachel emphasised the nickname, raising her fingers to quotation marks.
Haley stopped kicking and Nathan put her down quickly. She turned to the redhead.
'What do you want Rachel?' She asked flatly.
'Oh, nothing, I was just wondering how someone, as geeky as you.' She looked Haley up and down. 'Could get someone as popular as Lucas.'
'I don't know either, why don't you ask him?' Haley suggested, trying to get rid of Rachel.
'But then, even the hottest guy in the school isn't enough for you, oh no, you have to go and get in with an equally geeky, but very hot, boy like Nathan.'
'What's your point?' Haley asked, glaring at her.
'My point? My point is that they could do so much better, but they don't. You must have them brainwashed or something.'
'Rachel, back off.' Nathan sighed.
'Oh, he talks?' Rachel laughed sarcastically. 'Wow, here's my number.' She handed him a slip of paper.
She walked away, smacking Nathan's ass as she left.
'That little…' Haley started, she was fuming. But Nathan cut in.
'Just leave it Hales, she just wants a reaction from you. If you don't give her one, she'll get bored.'
'Are you defending her now?' Haley gasped.
'No, I'm just saying that you should give people a chance, Brooke gets on with her, she's obviously a nice girl.'
'I can't believe I'm hearing this. Did you see what just happened? Or were you just too busy zoned out staring at her precious body?'
'No Haley, I'm just saying-'
'Save your breath.' Haley snapped. 'I don't want to hear it.' She turned and stormed away.
--
That was the worst mistake Nathan had ever made, defending Rachel. Haley didn't talk to him for a few days, until Nathan got his act together and then defended Haley in her and Rachel's next argument.
'Nathan? I'm stuck. Haley's done shopping and it's only 12 o'clock! How am I supposed to keep her entertained until nine?' Brooke whisper shrieked down the phone.
'She was that quick?' Nathan replied. 'Well, find something to do. Anything!'
A sudden thought sprung to Brooke's mind. 'I've got it. See ya Nate.'
Brooke hung up and then called another number. 'Hey Jake? Please tell me you are in the studio today? Thank god, I'm sending Haley in.'
so there you go, a bit nothingy really, but it gave you a wee look on naley's past, and how they had feelings for each other even when haley was with luke. and then rachel comes in. and it's set up for tric. :)
