5.
She was genuinely surprised at the number of people who were pointing and whispering about her when she got to school the next day, she had imagined at some point people would begin to hear about the stuff found under her stairs but she had no idea gossip spread this quick.
She felt so self conscious and it didn't help that she got flustered when she was nervous, she had already stumbled three times in the halls and the sound of people laughing was just as painful as at the cheerleading try out.
She had used to be so unknown and now people knew her as the loser from cheerleader tryouts and the girl who tried to kill Brooke Davis.
It was all so ridiculous but she really had no clue what to do about it, it seemed no one was going to believe her so it seemed pointless trying to convince them and the fact that Lucas hadn't believe her really hurt.
She guessed that's what she had to do next was talk to Lucas again and maybe when he was away from Brooke he would see sense.
That was her plan but all day where ever Lucas was so was Brooke, he seemed to be skipping lessons to hang out with her and the whole time he had his arm around her shoulder as if trying to protect her.
For the first time in the past few weeks she couldn't help but feel bitter, she had no idea what Brooke had that she didn't, that made Brooke so special but her obviously not.
She wanted to leave school all day but knew that wasn't going to help her if she was going to be a social out cast she would rather be one with good grades.
Although most people had just talked about her as she walked past some people had actually come up to her and told her what a good job she'd done but next time could she had finished Brooke off properly.
She never replied when anyone said anything like that, the positive comments were as bad as the negative ones to her.
When the end of the day finally rolled round she was very relieved, she was looking forward to going home and locking the door and not seeing anyone.
It was only when she saw Nathan walking down the hall towards her that she remembered that she was ment to be babysitting that night but as she turned back to her locker she laughed ironically to herself, there was no way he was going to let her look after Poppy now, he probably thought she was some psycho.
"Hey Hales." Nathan said stopping next to her.
"Hey." she replied not looking up from her locker pretending to busy herself with something in there.
"About tonight." Nathan started but Haley interrupted him not wanting to have the humiliation of him asking her not to come.
"It's ok I understand, if I was in your position I wouldn't want to leave a child with me either." She said still not looking at him.
"What are you talking about of course I want you to babysit tonight. I know there is no way that you could have done that stuff to Brooke." He said.
Haley acted out of pure joy not even thinking and threw herself at Nathan giving him a big hug which he happily returned.
"You don't know how good it is to hear someone say that." Haley said still clinging on to him the emotion she felt clear in her voice.
Nathan pulled back from her, keeping his hands on her waist but looking into her eyes.
"Hale's I would always trust you with Poppy, this is all going to blow over I promise." He said sincerely, worried about how she seemed to be coping, not that he blamed her. He then let go of her not wanting to cause more gossip by being seen all over her.
"So I'll see you tonight?" he asked and all Haley did was nod, happy at this tiny bit of good news in spite of the horrible day she'd had.
She got to Nathan's after her shift at 8.30, she was surprised to see Poppy still up.
"Shouldn't she be conked out by now." Haley said tickling under Poppy's chin making Poppy smile widely in Nathan's arms.
"I think she wanted to see you." Nathan said smiling. Haley blushed slightly at the compliment.
"Aww you're such a clever girl, staying up just to cheer me up." Haley said and gave her a kiss on her chubby cheek. She picked up Poppy out of Nathan's arms and went and sat on the sofa
"But we need to get you too sleep so you wont be grumpy for Aunty Karen tomorrow." Haley said and started singing very quietly to Poppy completely forgetting Nathan was still in the room.
A few minutes later Poppy was asleep in her arms and Nathan came and sat down next to her surprising her slightly.
"You have a really nice voice." He said quietly so not to wake Poppy, Haley blushed.
"I thought you were gone." She said embarrassed.
"I think I might stay in tonight." Nathan said as he gently took Poppy out of Haley's arms and took her into her room to put her to sleep. When he came back he saw Haley putting her coat on.
"What are you doing?" Nathan asked.
"Well if your staying you don't need me." Haley said.
"No stay, Poppy might wake up and you can sing her back to sleep, then I can give you a lift home later." Nathan said, he knew she had had a crap day and that she probably needed someone to talk to, he found it ridiculous that Lucas didn't believe Haley.
"Ok." Haley said uncertainly, happy that he wanted to hang out but slightly nervous.
They both sat on the sofa in silence for a bit.
"So what were you told about what I supposedly did to Brooke?" Haley asked curiously.
"Jake and Peyton told me this morning. They said the stuff had been found under your stairs." Nathan said "To be honest I thought they were joking. It all sounds a bit suspicious as well I mean when have they ever been to your house before?" Nathan said.
"Well apparently you've been missing a lot lately so Brooke thought maybe you were with me." Haley said "I guess they don't know it but I have had lots of opportunities to take that tape from your flat." Nathan chuckled slightly.
"Remind me if you're ever in court not to let you speak in your own defence." Nathan said smiling slightly, Haley also smiled slightly.
"It means so much that you believe me." Haley said seriously.
"It's not just me Peyton and Jake both didn't seem that convinced it was you." Nathan said trying to make her feel better.
"That is great and all but I really just wish Lucas believed me he's ment to know me best." Haley said despair evident in her voice.
"I guess being in love is kind of affecting his judgement." Nathan said "Brooke is pretty intense."
"You would know." Haley said quietly surprised at herself that she was slightly jealous, although she wasn't sure what of.
"Hey sleeping with Brooke was a huge mistake, I don't even really remember it I was so drunk. I'm so glad I don't do that stuff any more. It still hurts to know that I did that to Peyton even though we were kind of broken up." Nathan said remorse clear in his voice.
"Hey its ok, it seems Peyton had forgive you plus she has Jake now so I doubt she cares what you did in the past." Haley said.
"Are you trying to say Jake is a better catch then me." Nathan said pretending to be hurt.
"Well I am a sucker for nice guys." Haley teased back "and brown eyes are much better then blue ones."
"Take that back." Nathan said then started tickling her and she started squirming under him. Nathan couldn't help but enjoy the sight of Haley writhing under him a look of poor joy on her face.
"Ok blue eyes are better." Haley said and he stopped although he was still leaning over her as she tried to regain her breath. He gently brushed a strand of hair out of her face and left his fingers lingering on her cheek.
Haley's mind was going haywire the tingles going down her body just from his fingers touching her she just started up at him unsure what was going to happen next.
All Nathan wanted to do was kiss Haley, he looked down at her red lips and couldn't help but lick his own, he also felt himself getting hard but prayed Haley hadn't noticed. He slowly leaned forwards when the sound of Poppy crying filled the quiet apartment. He got off the sofa immediately but Haley also got up.
"I'll get her." She said giving him a small smile.
When Haley had gone Nathan paced up and down cursing to himself.
He could not kiss Haley James she was Lucas best friend and he defiantly couldn't be thinking about girls at the moment he needed to concentrate on Poppy and Haley was so good with her he didn't want to fuck up with her then ruin their bond.
His mind was still going a mile a minute when he heard the door bell ring which surprised him. He quickly went and opened the door and found all his friends standing on the door step.
He cursed silently to himself and prayed that Haley didn't come back before he had got rid of them, from Poppy's bedroom you couldn't hear the bell.
"Hey guys what are you doing here?" Nathan asked blocking the door so they couldn't come in.
"We thought we would come hang out, we presumed you wouldn't be doing anything." Lucas said looking surprised at his brother and why he seemed to want them to go.
"If you're busy we can go." Jake said noticing Nathan didn't look that happy to see them.
"I'm just a bit tired, I was going to get an early night." Nathan lied and Brooke suddenly got a big smile on her face.
"You've got a girl in there haven't you Nate." Brooke said excitedly.
Nathan rolled his eyes
"No Brooke." He said irritated.
"Well let us in then." She said not even waiting and pushing herself into the apartment, the others slowly following.
Nathan prayed even harder that Haley wouldn't come out yet.
"As you can see Brooke I'm hear all on my own." He said having a quick glance over the apartment glad nothing seemed out of the ordinary "If someone was here I would have a few les clothes on." Nathan said and smirked causing the other to chuckle.
"You have been being a bit secretive lately Nate." Peyton said, she was curious at the change that had happened to Nathan over the last few weeks and she wasn't quite sure what had changed him for the better.
"Guys you are so paranoid I'm not hiding anything." Nathan said and with the worst timing ever Haley immerged from the bedroom carrying Poppy in her arms, having not hurt anyone come into the apartment.
"She just doesn't want to get back to sleep." Haley said looking at Poppy so she didn't notice the others in the apartment until she was fully in the living room and she gasped in shock.
The others all looked at her holding the baby mouths open.
"You have a baby." Lucas said looking at Haley the blood draining from his face.
"What the hell's going on here and why is she here I thought I was your friend Nate." Brooke said angrily.
Haley stood there not knowing what to say, it wasn't really her place. Nathan sighed in irritation before stepping forwards and taking Poppy out of Haley's arms and cuddling her.
"She's my daughter, some chic showed up 2 months ago with Poppy and said I was a dad, I've been looking after her ever since." Nathan said holding his daughter protectively.
"And you didn't tell me why?" Lucas demanded angrily.
"Look if Dan found out about her he'd get her taken away, the only person I told was Karen who looks after her during the day." Nathan explained "I didn't want you guys to have to worry and keep secrets."
"Nate are you sure you're the best person to be looking after a child." Lucas tried to say delicately.
"Nathan is a great father." Haley defended quickly before Nathan could speak and he felt a small swell of pride at her words.
"What the hell are you doing here anyway, trying to ruin someone else's life." Brooke said cruelly at Haley.
"I've just been babysitting." Haley tried to defend herself.
"You trust her." Brooke said sneering to Nathan.
"You would tell Haley over me." Lucas demanded angrily.
"She just found out ok, I didn't tell her and she kindly offered to help babysit as she had nothing better to do as you've been off with Brooke most of the time." Nathan said irritated at Lucas.
Lucas felt guilty at his words but he was still cross with Haley.
"Yeah well she could have talked to me about it instead of messing with Brooke." Lucas said crossly and Haley felt like she'd been slapped in the face and her eyes began to water.
"Poppy really needs some sleep I'm going to put her down you guys should finish talking." Haley said quickly but gently taking Poppy and going back to Poppy's room so the others couldn't see her cry.
Nathan sighed again, he saw how upset Haley was after Lucas comment and he was so cross at his brother for the way he was treating his best friend.
"Look I am really sorry I lied to you guys but you know now ok." Nathan said.
Peyton looked at Jake and he nodded.
"We forgive you Nate we know it can't have been easy, you ever need some more babysitters were up for the job." Peyton said and Nathan smiled at them in gratitude.
"Look Nathan I don't care about the baby I just don't see how you could let Haley in here." Brooke said crossly.
"Yeah man maybe you should be careful." Lucas said slightly worried about Haley's mind frame at the moment.
That was too much though for Nathan how could Lucas stand there and say that about Haley.
"You know what guys just get out. You can talk to me when you come to your senses and want to support me. Thanks Peyton, Jake I'll see you tomorrow." Nathan said and started herding them towards the door and then slammed then slammed it behind them.
He let out another angry sigh but tried to calm down for Haley's sake, another part of him was happy though that they knew it ment he didn't have to keep lying to them.
He made his way to Poppy's room and stood in the door way as he saw Haley rocking Poppy to sleep and singing a sad lullaby while the tears fell down her cheeks. When Poppy had fallen asleep she put her down in the crib.
"You're so good with her." Nathan said trying to cheer her up. She gave him a small smile even though she was still crying.
"Are they gone?" she asked standing next to him at the door and wiping her cheeks.
"Yeah they've left, Luke's an idiot." He said trying to help but it made her cry harder so he pulled her into a hug and let her cry into his chest while he stroked her back.
After a while she pulled back.
"I'm so sorry you have so much to deal with already you don't need my stupid problems as well." Haley said rubbing her eyes.
"Stop thinking about everyone else for a change, I want to be here for you. If Lucas is being an ass then let me be a Scott replacement and if anything I owe you so much for being so great to Poppy." He said sincerely.
"It's my pleasure." She replied honestly.
"How about we watch a film then I'll drive you home?" Nathan suggested.
"That would be great." She said and gave him another smile, she couldn't help but be grateful she may not have Lucas in her life at the moment but Nathan and Poppy were more then enough.
Thank you for all the lovely reviews, I have some very great loyal reviewers. I'm really glad your all enjoying the story. I guess the only defence for Lucas is that he's in love and love makes you do stupid things like doubt your best friends.