Hey, thanks so much for the reviews last chapter, I am really glad that you guys are enjoying reading this story, because I am having a blast writing it. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

Chapter 10

"Sunglasses?"

"Check."

"Shampoo?"

"Check."

"Sexy dress for the wedding to knock Nathan out of the water?"

I gave Peyton a pointed look. "Che—"

Crap.

"What's wrong tutor girl?"

"Uh we many have a tiny little problem, I have been so swamped with classes and cheerleading practice that I may have forgotten to go shopping for a dress." I say this really fast, so that maybe Peyton doesn't hear what I actually said.

"WHAT!?"

That didn't work out like I planned.

"Haley the whole reason you are going to California is to go to the wedding that fact that you don't have a dress for the wedding isn't a tiny little problem, it's a huge problem."

"Don't overreact goldilocks."

"Dude need I remind you that your flight leaves tonight."

"Okay look at it this way, put yourself in my shoes, I am leaving for California in about five hours, I have a major fashion crisis, and who do I call?" I say innocently, it is then that I see a smile form on Peyton's face.

"BROOKE!" We both yell out at the same time, there is no time to go shopping for a dress, so simply we choose the next best thing, go shopping for a dress in Brooke's closet.

"What? What's going on? What's wrong?" The next thing we know Brooke is running into my room all deck out with a green face mask covering her face. So of course Peyton and I choose to laugh. What? If you were there you would laugh too.

"Funny," Brooke commented slightly frustrated. "I thought one of you like died or something."

"Well not exactly, see Brookie we have kind of a problem." Peyton walked toward Brooke and put an arm around her shoulders.

"What kind of problem?" Brooke asked skeptically.

"Your kind of problem." Peyton told her while smiling. It was then that Brooke understood what Peyton was talking about and a glint was present in her eyes.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

"Absolutely not."

"But Haley you look hot!"

"Brooke I look like a hooker."

I was currently in Brooke's bedroom standing in front of her mirror wearing the dress-if you could even call it that- which she suggested I wear to the wedding.

"Okay hoes break it up." Rachel intervened; the four of us have been in Brooke's room for three hours bickering over what I should wear to the wedding.

"This is obviously not working out, Brooke everything you pick is too slutty, she is going to a wedding not a strip club."

"Could've fooled me, I thought Teresa was the bride." Brooke said with a cheeky grin plastered on her face.

"Look why don't we just let Haley pick out the dress?" Peyton chimed in.

YES! Victory is mine!

"Fine, you know this is what I get for trying to help out?" Brooke put on her infamous pout- the one that got her anything- and plopped down on the bed next to Rachel and Peyton.

"No Brookie cookie, I appreciate your help, but this is what you get for trying to make me look like a whore." I said teasingly as she stuck out her tongue at me.

"If Nathan were here I would have at least one person on my side." Brooke tried to whisper to Brooke and Peyton.

"I heard that." I said in a sing-song voice.

"It's true." Brooke responded in a sing-song voice mimicking my actions.

Another hour, 10 dresses and five fights later I had finally picked out my dress. It was a strapless, black lace dress with metallic accents and it had a wide satin piece of cloth going around my waist creating an hourglass figure.

It was perfect.

"I had no idea why I didn't think of that before!" Brooke exclaimed.

"Yeah tutor slut you look bitchin." Rachel commented.

"Chris will be crying by the end of the night, and beating himself up because he passed on such a hottie." Peyton commented while laughing.

"Not to mention Nathan will probably get all hot and bothered." Brooke said while smirking.

"Shut-up, Nathan and I are just friends."

"Sureee, how much you want to bet that that will all change by the time you come back from California." Rachel added.

"You guys are ridiculous." I said. "Peyton back me up here." I looked to Peyton pleadingly hoping that at least one of my friends would take my side.

"You guys stop,"

Thank you Peyton.

"If they aren't dating by the time they get back, they will at least be friends with benefits." Peyton said while laughing.

I roll my eyes and walk out of the room to finish up packing, but all of the sudden what Peyton just said is already occupying my thoughts.

Friends with benefits.

"You can let go of my hand now Hales." Nathan said while smirking.

"Shut-up I hate flying." I mumbled.

"Aww James, its okay I think it's cute." Nathan commented.

"You think it's cute that I am terrified of flying?" I looked at Nathan weirdly.

"No, I think its cute you made up some story about being afraid of flying all so that you could hold my hand, really all you had to do was ask Hales."

I hit Nathan lightly on the shoulder as he laughed. Our flight had just taken off and we were headed to California. Shortly after I had finished packing Nathan and Lucas had arrived at the apartment to pick me up to go to the airport. I said goodbye to Peyton and Rachel at the apartment and Brooke decided to tag along to the airport because Lucas would be there. Currently we were on the plane, or rather in the air.

"Alright James my turn." Nathan leaned into his seat thinking of what question he should ask me next. I had gotten to know a lot about Nathan over the past month; in fact I would even go as far as to say I know Nathan better than some of the friends I had all throughout high school. The thing was we were both so competitive, that no matter the question neither of us would pass because we didn't wasn't to lose.

"If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?" Nathan asked me.

I pondered the question for a bit, this was definitely one of the harder questions Nathan has asked me, we just sat there in silence for a few moments before Nathan spoke up.

"Is there a time limit for this?" I shot him a look. "Just wondering." He stated while smirking.

A few more seconds passed.

"I wouldn't be so afraid." Nathan looked over at me and gave me a questioning look. "If I could change one thing about myself, that's what it would be."

"Afraid." He repeated. "Of…"

"Of doing things that aren't planned or laid out in advance for me, I'd be more impulsive, you know do things without thinking of the consequences."

"I'd probably be the exact opposite, you know think before speaking, actually think of the outcome of the things that I do." I smiled; it was good to see this side of Nathan the side that opened up. "Your turn."

"Right." I thought for a second. "What is your greatest disappointment?"

"My relationship with my dad."

"What's the story with that?"

"Ever since I was little my dad has pushed me to be the next legend in Basketball, I mean don't get me wrong, I love basketball, it's a huge part of my life, but my dad made it into something I didn't like, something that was fueled by anger. In high school I played basketball to shove to my dad, to show him that I was better at him at the game that he once played."

"I just, I hate him when he is riding me about basketball, but he actually makes me play better at games because when he is there I want to show him that I made it without him."

"How sick is that?" He asked me.

"I actually know how you feel." I responded.

"What do you mean?" He asked me curiously.

"When I was seven, my dad left my mom and me for another woman." I said bitterly.

"Ouch." Nathan commented.

"Yeah, you know people ask me why I am always so focused in school and wanting to be perfect all the time and my usual answer is that I want a good education and be successful. But the truth is I want to stick it to my dad. In the past 12 years I have gotten maybe 5 letters from him, two calls at the most and I haven't even seen him in person in the last ten years. And the thing is I was to show him that I made it without him. That I didn't need him to succeed." I said as I shrugged.

"What about your mom, are you close with her?" Nathan asked me.

"Yeah, my mom's great, she's always been there for me and supported me; I love her for everything she's done for me. Plus she's a little wacky sometimes." Nathan laughed.

Nathan and I sat in a comfortable silence for few moments. I really liked being around Nathan, it was easy to open up to him, which scared the crap out of me.

"Did you love him?" I looked at Nathan confused.

"Chris." He clarified.

I took a deep breath and sighed. "No." I said as I shook my head.

"I thought I did, I think that I just loved the idea of him more than the actual person. What we had was based on a lie, it was hard at first you know to move on and accept the fact that we weren't meant to be mostly because I thought that I loved him, but I soon realized I didn't."

"He is still a jackass, and I hate what he did to me, and I didn't deserve it which is why after this wedding I will be done with Chris Keller." I said confidently.

"Good," Nathan commented. "Now James, we arrive in California in a couple of hours and if my calculations are correct we will have a night to ourselves to do whatever we want before the dreaded wedding."

"What are you implying Scott." I said while smirking.

"I hear LA has a few good night clubs." He said while winking.

This could get interesting.

R&R

--Storyofmylifee