Hello all! I come to you from my warm bed with a wicked hangover and trying not to freeze my butt off at this ridiculous weather. Something last night must have inspired me because I woke up this morning itching to write! I'm not extremely thrilled with this chapter, but it'll have to do. School starts tomorrow for me, so again updates are likely going to be less frequent but I'm going to try my best. Hope y'all enjoy this one.

Chapter 12

Stomping angrily across the quad Nathan made the conscious decision to not even look at her. He was going to walk right by his group of friends and head straight to his locker to put all his stuff away. He could feel her eyes burning a hole in his back when he passed by, but frankly he was just way too pissed off at her to even care.

Nathan had to admit though, as pissed off as he was he felt some semblance of satisfaction when he heard her quick, light footsteps approaching him from behind. "What is your problem?" she demanded.

His satisfaction disappeared when he heard her annoyed tone. He grunted and continued with his determined pace. "Where's your boyfriend?"

"I'm looking at him," Haley responded becoming increasingly confused by Nathan's behaviour.

Nathan scoffed and hurriedly opened his locker. Before he managed to reach in and put his stuff away though, Haley slammed it back shut. "Was that really necessary?" Nathan sighed agitatedly.

"It got you to actually look at me, didn't it?"

"What do you want, Haley?"

Haley cocked an eyebrow. "I would think it's obvious. I want to know why you're being such a grouch and ignoring me."

"I would think it's obvious," Nathan repeated her words and opened his locker for a second time.

"Well it's not, so why don't you just tell me why you're so pissed off?"

"I saw you with him," Nathan grunted and slammed his locker door shut forcefully. He turned and glared at her with fire in his eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Haley asked in disbelief. Neither of the couple seemed to realize that their quarrelling was attracting a lot of attention from their fellow classmates.

"You and Jake. I saw you with him this morning," he elaborated. Haley looked taken aback and stared at him in shock.

"When?"

Nathan slipped quietly through the Roe's front door. "Nathan, what are you doing here?" Karen asked when she saw his large frame in the front hallway. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard her soft voice from behind him.

"I came to see Haley," he explained with his heart still racing.

Karen smiled softly and apologetically for scaring him. "She's actually still asleep. I was about to go wake her up so I'll tell her you're here."

"Do you think that I uh could wake her up?" he said uncomfortably.

Karen laughed under breath and nodded. "Sure, go on up. Just try not to distract her too much, you two have to get to school soon."

"I won't, I promise," Nathan told her and started up the stair case. He made it to his girlfriend's bedroom door and decided against knocking. He turned the knob and slowly pushed on it. Peering in through the small crack he had made, Nathan's jaw clenched. He was expecting to see his gorgeous girl friend sleeping soundly in her bed. What he didn't expect was to see his gorgeous girlfriend sleeping soundly in her bed while cuddled up next to that punk Jake. Her head was resting on his chest and he had his arm around her waist, much too close to her ass for his liking.

The pair looked way too content in each other's arms to have only ever been best friends. Nathan felt is blood start to boil and he pulled the door back shut roughly. He stomped back down stairs and met Karen in the kitchen. "I'm heading out now."

"That was awfully fast," she mused.

"Yeah, well Haley was a little preoccupied already."

"What do you mean?"

"Haley was busy cuddling up to her precious Jake. I wouldn't want to ever disturb them," he ground out furiously. He was absolutely convinced that the image of his girl lying in bed like that with another guy would never leave him.

"They were in the same bed?" Karen asked surprised.

"You didn't know?"

"No, but I can't say I'm surprised. From what I saw between them when Keith and I went to California, Jake and Haley are extremely close with each other."

Nathan visibly tensed up even more than he already was. "Something about their relationship rubs me the wrong way."

"Relax, Nathan. Haley is head over heels for you. There's not a chance that she would ever even think about leaving you for someone else. Her and Jake are just friends, bit if it makes you feel any better I'm going to have a chat with her about the sleeping arrangements in place right now."

"Thanks, Karen. I should go now," Nathan said and turned to leave.

"Nathan," Karen's voice halted him. "I know you're upset and you have every right to be, but take it easy on Haley. Jake is her best friend and was the only person who could help her after Jimmy and my sister's accident. He means a lot to her."

Nathan nodded but didn't dare to agree out loud to Karen's request. He didn't care how much Jake had helped Haley through things in the past, he wasn't needed anymore. Haley had her boyfriend to help her and console her now, so this ass, who may or may not be trying to steal his girl, could back the fuck up. As for Haley, she just needs to figure out how to rely on her boyfriend instead of her best friend and learn that when you're in a relationship, there are certain boundaries you have to set with male friends; preferably to just not have any.

Haley looked at her boyfriend remorsefully. Although in her eyes she didn't do anything wrong, she could see how Nathan's feelings may have been hurt by seeing his girlfriend in what he would have assumed to be an intimate embrace with another boy. "Nathan, that really was nothing. Jake and I have always been close and affectionate like this with each other."

"Trust me, I've noticed. I've also noticed the way he looks at you and I don't like it, Haley."

"The way he looks at me?" Haley asked incredulously. She scoffed and shook her head, only then becoming aware of the audience they had garnered. She rolled her eyes at the pathetic teens who had nothing better to do than to watch Tree Hill High's resident king fight with his girlfriend. Haley grabbed Nathan's hand roughly and dragged him into a nearby empty classroom, closing the door shut behind them. She attempted to calm herself down for a minute before turning and facing Nathan again, her anger resurfacing when she saw the expectant and condescending look on his face. "Jake doesn't look at me any different now than he has the entire time I've known him."

"Which is exactly the problem!"

"Oh my God, what are you going off about now?" she asked becoming more confused by the second.

"Jake is in love with you!" he spat out his words like they left a bad taste in his mouth.

Haley immediately burst out laughing. "Nathan, that is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

"It's not funny, Haley. I don't want you talking to him anymore. Tell him to go back to California and cut off contact."

"I know you don't expect me to cut my best friend out my life because of some messed up insecurity you have."

"This isn't about me being insecure; it's about him trying to go after you."

Haley laughed softly and felt her anger begin to dissipate. "You know, you're kind of sexy when you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous," he declared stubbornly.

"Oh yes you are, but its okay, I like it. For the record, even if Jake was in love with me, it wouldn't matter. You know why?" she asked and took a step closer to her boyfriend while biting her lip.

Nathan shook his head no and grabbed her arms to pull her the rest of the way to him. Haley smiled and stood on her tip toes so her mouth was level with his ear. "Because I'm in love with you," she whispered and kissed his cheek before pulling away to look him in the eye and judge his reaction.

Nathan was at a loss for words. His girlfriend, the girl whom he had realized not too long ago that he was already madly in love with had just told him she loved him too. It was quite possibly the last thing he expected her to say to him when minutes prior she looked as if she was about ready to wring his neck. He squeezed his arms that were around her waist and pulled her as close to him as possibly. His eyes that were locked with her own diverted their attention to her pink lips. God he loves those lips. Without a second thought Nathan connected his lips onto hers in a deep kiss.

The couple reluctantly pulled apart minutes later when air became an issue. Nathan smiled at his girlfriend softly. "I love you too, Hales."

Haley let out a girlish giggle and smiled brightly up at Nathan. "Does that mean I'm forgiven?"

"Yeah, I'm still not fond of Jake though."

Haley sighed. "Nathan, he's my best friend and whether you like it or not he's going to be around and you two have to get used to each other. I'm going to say the same thing I said to him, just get to know each other and give him a shot. That's all I'm asking."

"Okay, I'll give him a chance. Only because I love you, though," he said with a cheeky smile and leaned down for another kiss. Just as he was about to deepen it, the sound of the bell signalling five minutes until the commencement of first period rang loudly. They grudgingly pulled apart but remained in each other's arms for a few more seconds. Opening the class room door again, Nathan walked down the hall hand in hand and noticed that more than a few of their class mates were still staring at them.

Nathan rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Can't these idiots find anything more interesting than you and I?"

"In a small town like this, I think drama between Tree Hill high's ruler and his girlfriend is the most interesting thing going on."

"Yeah, well they need to get lost."

"Or, we could just them a show," Haley suggested when they stopped outside her homeroom class. Nathan smirked, obviously being a fan of what she was insinuating. His smirk widened when Haley grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him down to meet her. She immediately opened her mouth and allowed his tongue to enter and clash with hers. Haley smiled against his lips when she heard Nathan moan softly into her mouth. The pair continued with their make out session display for their gawking peers until they heard someone speak from beside them.

"Okay, ew. My cousin and my best friend making out is so not something I need to see this early in the morning."

The couple detached their lips and both turned to see Lucas and Julian looking slightly grossed out. Nathan was glaring at both of them for the interruption and Haley blushed at being called out.

"Whatever, man," Nathan grumbled and kissed Haley's cheek. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Haley leaned up kissed his cheek as well. "Okay, I love you," she whispered into his ear happily and Nathan repeated the gesture.

Lucas made fake gagging noises at the couple as he walked into class and took his normal seat between Haley and Julian. Haley elbowed him in the side and shook her head. Truthfully, she wasn't at all embarrassed to be called out on making out with her super hot boyfriend. He was sexy and she needed to let all the girls in Tree Hill know that he was off limits.

"So I guess that rumour of you two being ready to kill each other in the hall ways this morning isn't true," Brooke said amused when she sat down at the group's regular lunch table and saw Nathan and Haley practically in the early stages of foreplay.

"Well I wouldn't say we were ready to kill each other necessarily," Haley said with a shrug.

"So you guys were fighting then?" Peyton assumed.

Haley shrugged again. "If you have to put a label on it, then I guess."

"Care to share what it was about?"

Haley laughed at Brooke's nosiness and Nathan grunted at the mention of their squabble. "There's not much to share. Only that my lovely boy friend here was a little jealous," she explained and smiled at her annoyed boyfriend. She soothed him by planting a soft kiss in the crook of his neck. "I kind of loved it though," she continued so only he could hear.

Nathan's new found smirk wasn't lost upon any of his friends. "I'm not even gonna ask what Haley just said to you to make you look that pleased," Lucas shuddered.

"Don't worry Luke, it was nothing your virgin ears couldn't have handled," Haley teased.

"Okay, you've been spending way too much time with Nathan," Lucas accused while trying to deflect the conversation off of his virginity. The last thing he wanted was for people to start thinking he was still a virgin and dating Brooke Davis.

Haley leaned closer into Nathan's chest from her seated position on his lap. She looked unabashedly at her cousin. "I don't think I could ever spend too much time with him."

"You two are so in love, it's sickening."

The young couple ignored Peyton's comment and continued on with staring lovingly into each other's eyes. When they leaned in to start kissing like they always did, Lucas protested loudly. "Can you two just stop with the PDA all together? It's becoming seriously disturbing."`

"Why don't you worry a little more about pleasing your own woman and a little less about what me and Haley are doing," Nathan grumbled.

Brooke snorted and rubbed her boyfriend's arm while he glared at the moody boy. "You are such a grouch when you're not the main guy in Haley's life, Natey."

Haley winced and discretely shook her head at Brooke, begging her to drop the subject of Jake before it really got started. She felt her boyfriend's arms around her squeeze her tighter. Blowing out an exasperated breath Haley leaned further into Nathan's chest and squeezed his hand in reassurance. When Nathan still didn't seem acquiesced she smiled at him and stood up. "Come on, let's get out of here."

She smiled at her friends in good bye and dragged a confused Nathan behind her to the parking lot. "Do you have your keys on you?"

"Yeah. Where are we going, Hales? Lunch is almost over."

"We, my lovely boyfriend, are leaving. As for where we're going, you tell me. Since we didn't get to spend any time together yesterday we're going to spend the rest of today just the two of us."

"Mm that sounds like fun," Nathan said upbeat and placed a sweet kiss on her lips. "How do you feel about going to the beach?"

"In November? Nathan's it'll be freezing out there," Haley reasoned with a laugh.

"Who cares? You told me once that you used to love going to the beach in California. We've never been there together and I think it'll be nice. The place will be deserted so we can do whatever we want," he said and wiggled his eye brows suggestively.

She chuckled and shook her head. "I'll tell you right now that our first time together is not going to be on the beach in the middle of the day where anyone could see us."

"It was worth a shot," he shrugged with a smirk.

She punched him lightly in the shoulder. She knew when he had suggested it that he was kidding. Nathan was well aware that sex was a pretty big deal for her and that she still wasn't quite ready to do it with him yet. He was being amazing about it though, incredibly understanding and patient with her despite his feelings and what she knew he wanted. Hopping into the passenger seat of his car, Haley smiled a wide smile at him when he bent down and kissed her cheek lightly before walking to the driver's side and getting in.

Pulling up to the beach Haley saw that Nathan was right, it was deserted. Not a single soul was insight and the thought made Haley feel extremely content. Thinking about it, Nathan and Haley had never actually spent time together where they were completely alone like this. There were always cars driving around them or people walking by and looking at them curiously.

"Wow," she breathed. "I forgot how much I love the beach.

Nathan smiled and clasped his hand around her smaller one. He guided her over to a spot in the sand where the waves just ended. They sat down next to each other and sat in silence for a few moments. "It's beautiful out here. Like another world."

"You're beautiful," Nathan stated simply in reply. Haley blushed a light shade of pink at his compliment and offered a dazzling smile in thanks.

"You always come up with the best lines."

"Babe, you haven't even seen my A game yet."

"Oh Lord, help me if that's true," Haley drawled and leaned in to place a chaste kiss on his enticing lips. Nathan wasn't having that though and immediately deepened the kiss. He combed his hand through her honey blonde locks and pulled her so she was on top of him in their laying down position. Nathan's tongue traced the outline of her lips and she granted him access. The couple pulled away from the intense kiss minutes later when air became an issue. Nathan smiled contentedly at Haley and ran both his hands up and down her back. Haley returned his soft smile and popped another light kiss onto his lips.

Haley's smile faded when she noticed the mischievous glint in his blue orbs. "Nathan..." she started uneasily. Before she had a chance to say anything further he picked them both up and tossed her over his broad shoulder.

Laughing like she didn't have a care in world Haley shouted. "Nathan Scott you put me down right now!"

"No can do, Hales," he said and started running into the crashing waves. He ignored the frigid temperature and moved into the vast ocean until the water hit just above his waist.

"I mean it, Nathan! Let me go!"

"If you say so," Nathan smirked and dropped his unsuspecting girl friend into the water. When she resurfaced her mouth was hanging open in shock and she glared at him.

"You are so going to pay for that!" she declared and jumped roughly onto his back, trying in vain to dunk his head under. The young couple played happily in the water with each other, completely forgetting everything else going on in their lives for a little while.