Haley was packing up some last minute things before her departure tomorrow. Luke offered to drive her to Duke and stay with her during freshers' week, she couldn't believe it was actually happening; the years just seemed to have flown by. She sat on her suitcase trying to get it to shut.
"People normally have suitcases full of clothes not books," called someone from her doorway.
"Oh, it's you." Said Haley is disappointment.
Peyton looked around the room nervously, "Erm your mom said to come straight up."
"Lucas's not here," Haley said still fighting with her suitcase "And neither is Nathan," she muttered quietly.
"I know, it's actually you I came to see," Peyton said shifting from one foot to another nervously.
Haley stood up and walked towards Peyton, "What? About Nathan, yes I know and no I won't tell Lucas, don't know why I'm not, oh wait maybe it's because for some stupid reason he really seems to care about you."
"Haley, it was a mistake and I promise it'll never happen again, it's just Nathan got inside my head and one thing led to another you know…"
"No I don't know Lucas is the best thing that ever happened to you and yet you seem to seek pleasure from the worst thing possible, who also happens to be his half brother!" She exclaimed.
"Haley, I'm sorry, I never meant to hurt him on purpose, I just don't know how to tell him."
"Yeah, that must be the hard bit, I mean making out with the half-brother was the easy bit now the explaining, oh gosh my heart bleeds for you Peyton."
"It's not like you've never done anything to hurt Daniel." Peyton said getting annoyed with Haley's sarcasm.
Haley shot Peyton a dagger of a look, "For your information, Daniel and I are no longer together and secondly it was that jerk you decided to get off with who also seemed to ruin that relationship."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Peyton mumbled.
"Peyton, go find Luke and talk to him, I can't carrying on lying to him, if you don't tell him I eventually will, not that I want to, it's just I can't lie for you or to him for that matter."
"Thanks." Peyton said after a short pause.
"For what?"
"Not telling Luke," Peyton said looking down at her feet.
"Luke's a great guy, he doesn't deserve this, I just didn't tell him because I know that he's madly in love with you, just talk to him." Haley sighed.
Peyton smiled and walked out of the room, leaving Haley to fight with her suitcase.
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It was 8 in the morning and Haley was running around trying to grab all her bags and get ready at the same time, whilst Lucas was continuously beeping his horn impatiently.
"Luke!" Haley shouted from her window.
"What?" He said sticking his head of his car window looking pissed.
"It's 8 in the morning; people are still asleep, make yourself useful, get your ass inside and help me with some bags." She said slamming the window shut.
"Jesus!" He said dragging himself out of his car and slamming his door shut.
"Haley," called her parents from downstairs, "we'd like a quick chat sweetie."
"NOW!" Haley screamed back, trying to brush her hair and pull her jeans on at the same time.
"Yes honey."
Haley quickly came downstairs said a quick hi to Lucas and told him the rest of her stuff was upstairs.
"Yes, you wanted to talk?"
"Haley-bop, take a seat."
"Erm O.K." She said baffled.
"We just wanted to make sure that you were clear on a couple of things..." Her parents started.
"Yes I know no drugs, no alcohol, no sex, no rock and roll, no getting pregnant, did I say no sex, I did didn't I, was that all?" She said getting up.
Her parents looked at one another in shock and turned back to her, they both burst out into hysterics. "Oh Jimmy, we've taught her well haven't we?" Said Lydia standing up pulling Haley into a hug.
"We sure have," Jimmy said ruffling her hair and hugging the two of them, so Haley was squeezed in between.
"O.K... can't breath, help," Haley said trying to break free, when all of a sudden there was a flash.
"Ha-ha, this will definitely be an ice-breaker of a picture at Duke, don't you think Hales." Lucas said shaking the photo in her face and running off. Her parents broke out into their usual fits of laughter.
"LUCAS EUGENE SCOTT!" Screamed Haley "IF YOU WANT TO SEE BROAD DAYLIGHT TOMORROW YOU WILL HAND ME THAT PICTURE!" Haley chased Lucas to his car and jumped on him trying to grab the picture.
"C'mon, ittle bittle Hawey Jamesh looksh shoooooo coooot." Lucas said in a mocking baby voice.
Haley shot him a piercing look, "If you show anyone, I will show everyone the picture of you wearing my ballet dress!" She said threateningly.
"Fine, fine," he said putting his hands up surrendering. "Hay, you told me that the dress was cool, I was only 5."
"Yeah and so dumb, nothing's changed," she said smiling sweetly.
"You do know I am staying with you for a week, your treading on thin ice young lady." He said narrowing his eyes at her.
"Hold on let me just say bye to my parents." She gave both her parents one last hug and kissed them goodbye.
"Let's get this show on the road Lukey boy," Haley said punching the air and waving her parents goodbye. She got into the front seat, Lucas started the engine. "Leaving this crap hole behind," she muttered under her breath and smiling as they drove off.
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Haley opened a packet of crisps and watched Lucas intently as she chucked a couple of crisps into her mouth, "What?" He said without looking at her.
"She spoke to you didn't she?"
"What?"
"Peyton!"
"Maybe."
"Lucas, you can't lie to me I'm your best friend I know you better than you know yourself."
"But you can lie to me right?"
"What?" Haley said quickly looking away.
"James, I know you know."
"You know I know what?" Haley said trying to act dumb.
"Acting dumb isn't one of your strengths." He said turning to look at her.
"Sorry." She muffled "I didn't want you to get hurt."
"So you thought you'd deal with Nathan all by yourself?" He said knowingly.
"You know?"
"Well yeah."
"So what's happening with you and Peyton?"
"I don't know, I told her I need some time," he said biting his lip.
"I'm sorry, Luke I wish there was something I could do." she sighed.
"I know fresh start right?"
"Fresh start," she said smiling as they pulled into the entrance of Duke.
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Luke helped Haley gather her things and take them up to her flat, her room was nice, she paid a little extra to get an on-suite bedroom and she was supposed to be sharing it with another girl, but she was on holiday in Ibiza so wouldn't be here for another week, which is why Haley managed to sneak Lucas in.
"Right let's chuck all these bags in my room and take a look around." Haley said dragging her bags into her room with Lucas tailing her.
They managed to get all the bags up and were exhausted after all the carrying. They stepped outside and walked around the gardens, "Oh my gosh Luke look, the wisteria-covered pergola," she squealed pointing to a porch like thing decorated in tiny purple flowers. Haley ran towards it, whilst Lucas rolled his eyes and followed.
"I can't believe I'm actually here," she said leaning against some railings.
"What's so special about this," he said trying to pull some flowers from the top.
"I don't know I saw it in a book and ever since I was a little girl and it's just been a dream to come here." She said shyly, she called him closer and whispered "You know when I was little I used to imagine being proposed to by my perfect man here, it's corny I know, but I think this place is so beautiful."
"You never told me that," Lucas said grinning from ear to ear.
"Laugh all you want," she said pushing him away.
"Oh look I see a cafe, let's go grab some food."
"Can't we stay a little longer, I feel like I'm in the movies," she said throwing her hands up and twirling dramatically.
"Fine you stay here and be all Juliet like, you never know Romeo might turn up whilst I'm at the cafe," he said wiggling his eyebrows up and down.
"Shut-up, oh get me a chocolate chip muffin and a coffee whilst you at it," she said ushering him away. "And make sure it's a big muffin." She called after him.
Haley leant over the railings, and smiled to herself breathing in the fresh smell of all the flowers.
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Said a deep yet soft voice.
Haley turned at the speed of lighting almost falling over; there was a tall Greek God like guy looking down at her smiling the most perfect smile she had ever seen. "Erm, yeah." She managed.
He wore a white T-shirt which accentuated his abs and biceps with dark blue jeans. He was lightly tanned with dark messy brown hair and had beautiful deep brown eyes, which reminded her of Daniel, in fact he looked a lot like Daniel, the only thing missing was the dimples. Haley realised she had been ogling at him, she blushed a little and quickly looked away gaining her composure, she pinched her self subtly just to make sure she was awake.
"Hey I'm Chris," he said putting his hand out to shake.
"Haley." She said shaking his hand, looking away as thoughts of Daniel started clouding her mind, without realising tears had started welling up and she was blinking frantically to fight them back.
"Hey, hey, did I say something to upset you," he said lightly placing his fingers under her chin beckoning for her to look up.
Haley pushed his hand away, "No, I'm sorry I should go." She turned in the opposite direction and ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She was so lost in thought that she bumped straight into someone, sending his books flying. "Sorry," she said suppressing her tears. She looked up to see who the guy was as she handed the book back to him, her mouth fell wide open.
"YOU!" Her tears seemed to turn to fury "WHAT…" She was totally speechless.
"My daddy bought me my entry into college." He said sarcastically grabbing the book back off of her.
"What, uh, unbelievable just when I think my day can't get any worse," she said getting up and blowing her fringe out of her eyes.
"You really are so full of yourself aren't you?" He said rolling his eyes in annoyance, "and believe it or not I got in on my merits..."
"HA! MERITS, Nathan Scott has merits!" Haley forced out laugh.
"On basketball," he finished sternly, piercing his eyes.
"Uh, whatever just make sure you stay well away from me." She uttered huffing in frustration.
"Reality check darling, you're the one that can't stay away from me but truth be told your not really my type, the stuck-up-I'm-too-good-for-anyone doesn't really strike me as hot." He fired back.
"Yeah but the I'm-so-wrapped-in-Nathan-nothing-else-in-my-life-matters does." She hit back.
Nathan grabbed her by the arm and pulled her so his face was inches away from hers. "Listen James, your treading on thin ice here, if you want your life to be as normal as it can be, you better learn when to shut-up."
"HA!" she forced out, "Are you threatening me?"
"Threaten, warn, advise, it's all the same right?" He said staring hard at Haley. "Believe you me, I can't stand you as much as you can't stand me, you go your way I go mine, stay away from me and I stay away from you." He said menacingly.
"Perfectly fine with me." Haley said slowly, pulling her arm for his grip.
"Fine," Nathan clarified.
"Fine!" Haley repeated as they both turned to walk their separate ways.