Hey guys, I'm really really sorry for the long wait, but I'm really busy with school and I'm dealing with some stuff at the moment. So I'm sorry for this medicore writing performance and that this chapter is not that long. Hope you like it anyway.
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Haley walked aimlessly through the town. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. Her hands were resting on her belly all the time now. She couldn't believe what she heard from Rachel and she couldn't believe that everybody was hiding this from her. This has to be a terrible nightmare. Could be possible? Nathan slept with this red-haired monster named Rachel. Haley couldn't walk anymore. She didn't notice that she had already walked to the river court where Luke and all the other guys usually played basketball, including Nathan. She sat down on the bench. She covered her face with her hands and vented her emotions. The words that slipped out of Rachel's mouth still sounding through Haley's mind. …he isn't your husband anymore…who slept next to him the last two months…
Haley felt her heart breaking into a thousand little pieces. Nathan was sleeping with this bitch, god knows how long. Maybe right after Haley left. It now seemed to her that Nathan didn't really love her. Maybe those three little but magical words were just words to Nathan. It meant nothing to him.
Haley sobbed only more. Who was there for her now? She was completely alone in this town. No Nathan, no parents and her so called friends were only lying to her. Lucas, Peyton and Brooke, all of them knew that. Lucas, Peyton and even Brooke lied right to Haley's face. She was angry. Angry that Nathan left the apartment two months ago without letting Haley explain anything. She was angry with Lucas, Peyton and Brooke that they weren't telling her the whole story about all what was going on. She was angry with Rachel that she threw herself at a married boy, but mostly Haley was angry with herself. All that had happened since she was back in town was her entire fault. If she hadn't left, all would be well. She and Nathan would still be together, both would be looking forward to becoming parents and nothing would be bad. But these thoughts were only dreams. Dreams that now would never become true.
Haley didn't know how long she had been sitting there but it had become darker around her and suddenly she heard her cell phone ringing in her purse. She searched for it, but when she saw that it was Lucas she threw the phone back. She didn't want talk to him right now.
After a few minutes or was it already a few hours, she decided to go back to Peyton's. Haley really hoped she wasn't there yet so she could be alone for a few more minutes. Tomorrow she wouldn't be alone anymore, because she had to go to school. Everybody would be looking at her, because she was back. Haley was scared of tomorrow, of seeing the others, of seeing him.
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Peyton opened her eyes slowly because the rising sun that was now filling her room with a bright light was blinding her a little. She turned around in search of Haley, but the place where she was supposed to be was empty. Peyton sat up and looked around. No Haley. Suddenly, Peyton heard the breaking of something and she came out of the bed and into the kitchen. Haley was there, kneeling on the floor and cleaning up the mess that was there because of a broken plate.
"Damn!" Haley exclaimed when she tried to clean up the mess. She looked at her finger which was bleeding. When Haley stood up she saw Peyton standing in the kitchen. "I'm sorry Peyton. I was a bit absent-minded," Haley said soundlessly. She put her finger under the water to make it feel a bit better, but she no longer felt this little pain. She felt another pain right now. "It's okay Haley, it doesn't matter. Umm, Lucas was worried, because you didn't come over after visiting Brooke and you didn't answer your phone either, so what happened?" Peyton asked carefully. She already noticed in the way Haley was acting right now, that something was wrong with her friend. Haley turned the faucet off and turned around to face Peyton.
She was at Peyton's around 10 o'clock and thank god, Peyton wasn't there. Haley had a few moments just to be alone. When she heard the front door shut she quickly went into bed and pretended that she was sleeping. She didn't want to speak to Peyton right now.
"Nothing important, sorry about that. Umm Peyton listen, I have to go now. I want to go to school a bit earlier today because I want to speak with Principal Turner about the tutoring and stuff like that. So see you there." Haley announced and grabbed her school bag and went to the door. "Hey, why don't you just wait a few minutes and then we can go to school together?" Peyton stopped her friend in the expectation that Haley would then spoke to her. "Thanks Peyton, but I would really appreciate it if I could go alone. You know I have two healthy legs. So see you at school." Haley explained and went out of the door.
Peyton looked questioningly at the closed door which Haley walked through. She tried to figure out what was on Haley's mind, but she couldn't.
Haley wouldn't let Peyton pick her up, but maybe she would let Lucas, so she decided to call him.
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Haley walked slowly along the pavement. She was afraid of school but maybe it would help that she was there a bit earlier then most of the other students. She wore one of her wide sweatshirts again and also a wide jacket. Although the weather was comfortable this day in March and it wasn't that cold she still wore her jacket. It made her feel like no one could see her belly.
While she was deep in her thoughts she hadn't noticed that a car drove slowly right beside her. "Hey little girl, want to have a ride?" A familiar voice called her out of her thoughts. Haley looked at her right and saw Lucas sitting in his car.
"No thanks, I'll walk," Haley announced and began walking a bit faster. "Hales come on! What's wrong with you? Peyton said you were acting a bit strange this morning." Lucas tried to get Haley to explain. "Nothing is wrong. It's just the hormones, okay? So could you please drive!" Lucas sighed and drove on, but he stopped a bit away from Haley. He got out of his car and obstructed himself into Haley's way.
She was still looking at the pavement, but she had stopped when Lucas stood in front of her. "Haley, talk to me. What is wrong?" "What do you want me to say? Everything is wrong! It's wrong that I'm here again after I disappeared and didn't call, it's wrong that I'm having a baby in a few months without the father even knowing about it and it's wrong that my friends, especially my best friend, lied to my face." Haley declared with a depressed sound in her voice and looked up to face her friend. Lucas didn't really understand what Haley was saying. "Luke, why didn't you tell me that Rachel is with Nathan and I mean really with Nathan, like he is sleeping with her, shortly after I left? At this moment I don't know what hurts the most. My husband is sleeping with another girl or my best friend is lying to me about that." Haley said distressed.
Lucas ran his hand through his hair because he was mad and annoyed. "I told Brooke that she should not tell you what's going on. I should have guessed this!" Lucas spoke more to himself than to Haley. "No, it isn't Brookes fault. Don't blame her for that. After I talked with Brooke, Rachel appeared and she told me some stuff and maybe she is right." Haley said angry, more with herself than anyone else, and looked back down to the pavement. Lucas took a step closer to his best friend and pulled her into his arms. "I didn't tell you that because I didn't want to hurt you, but I guess I only hurt you more and that was the last thing I wanted Haley. I only wanted to protect you," Lucas sighed. He thought that not telling Haley all this stuff would make things better, but it seemed that exactly the opposite was true.
"Haley, don't listen to her. I think she only wants to tease you and it seems like she wants you to believe this crap she is telling you. Yeah, Nathan made big mistakes in these two months, but you should talk to him about all this stuff before you believe what this girl is saying. I don't know what exactly is going on between the two of them, but you should find out, for yourself and for your Baby," Lucas spoke softly. He nibbled on his lower lip. Again he was lying to Haley, because of Nathan and Rachel. He knew exactly what was going on between them, at least what has been going on between them the past two months ago, but he didn't want take the hope away from Haley.
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Peyton stood in front of Tree Hill High and looked at her watch. School would begin in 10 minutes and Haley and Lucas weren't here, though Haley wanted to be here early. She hoped that nothing happened. But all of a sudden, Peyton saw Lucas' car driving into a parking lot. A smile appeared on Peyton's face when she saw Haley with Lucas.
She walked to the two of them and gave Lucas a kiss. "Haley is everything all right? I was really worried about you this morning." Peyton announced when the three walked into the school. "Yeah well, it doesn't matter Peyton. I'm sorry about this morning, I …I think it was just because of the hormones." Haley lied, but Peyton was okay with this answer so she didn't ask anymore.
When the three of them stepped into the school hallway, suddenly everybody was staring at Haley and pointing at her. Haley looked around and felt uncomfortable. She didn't really understand why everybody was gazing at her. Nobody did this before. "Why is everybody staring at me guys? It scares me a little bit." Haley said to her friends when they walked along the hall. "Everybody has heard about your tour Hales, so that's why everybody is starring at you," Lucas declared. Haley sighed. "I only want that one person to be staring at me."
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Nathan was relatively early. If he went to school it was often no earlier than half past ten, but today he felt like being to school on time. He shut the car door and walked to the school door. "Hey Nate, never expected that you would be at school on time." A voice suddenly sounded beside Nathan. Rachel was leaning on the school wall and looked to Nathan. "Oh well, then you were wrong. I thought you wanted to come back after you were at Brooke's?" Nathan announced while walking along the school hall, next to Rachel. "Well, things changed a bit and I think they will for you, too. There is a big surprise today for you at school." Rachel said mysteriously and linked arms with Nathan.
Nathan sighed. Actually he couldn't stand that Rachel was that close to him, but at this moment he didn't really care about that.
"What a surprise? Right now I'm not in the mood for surprises." Nathan murmured while looking down at his shoes.
Rachel suddenly got a smile on her face when she saw a honey-coloured mane coming out of the principal's office. Rachel pulled Nathan with her so they were in Haley's walking course. Nathan was still looking at the floor and walking absent-mindedly with Rachel. Suddenly, he rubbed against somebody and a few paper sheets landed in his way.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I was walking." A soft, familiar voice to Nathan, excused herself and began to pick up the papers. Nathan suddenly felt like he was frozen. The blood that used to stream through his veins stopped and his heart seemed to be abandoned. When he looked down he saw a ring that was blinking on the ring finger of her left hand. It was the same ring he placed on the finger of the girl he wanted to love and protect for a lifetime, eight months ago. After the girl finished collecting her stuff she stood up and flipped her hair backwards. "I'm sorry again I-" But her clear voice broke immediately once the girl looked into Nathan's blue eyes.
Haley couldn't breathe. Nathan was standing in front of her right now. But when she looked at the person who was standing next to him, she recognized that it was Rachel. She was smirking at Haley in a way Haley didn't like and her hand rested on Nathan's arm. Haley was searching for the words in her head, but her head seemed to be empty.
She couldn't say anything.
When she was ready to say something but Nathan pulled Rachel with him passed Haley. Haley abruptly turned around to follow Nathan and Rachel with her eyes until both disappeared. It was the first time she saw Nathan since her abandonment and the only thing she could do was stare at him and he…he didn't say anything to her. Not one single word.
In the twinkling of an eye, Haley felt something she never felt before. Quickly she laid her hand on her belly and a little but meaningfully smile appeared on her lips. This feeling was so gentle. It was the first time she felt her baby kick. She looked down at her belly and caressed it gently. Although the first meeting between Haley and Nathan wasn't like she expected, but obviously the little person inside her didn't feel this way. Maybe it was a sign that hopefully all would become well, at least the baby thought it would be.