Haley was curled up on the couch, watching television when Brooke got home from a meeting with her consultant.

"I can't stand stupid people!" Brooke huffed, throwing herself in the arm chair and sighing loudly.

Haley looked over at her, raising her eyebrow.

"People in this city...its amazing...none of them can drive! I got stuck on the freeway for an hour and a half – bumper to bumper, all the way!" Brooke exclaimed.

Haley shook her head and her gaze fell back on the television.

"What's up with you?" Brooke asked, noting Haley's quiet demeanor.

"Apparently, my 'fifteen minutes' started with a picture in a gossip rag."

Brooke furrowed her eyebrows, "I'm sorry, but what? What are you talking about?"

"Tabloids, Brooke. I'm in the tabloids - they apparently caught me and Nathan out with my parents and published photos...only it makes me look like the dirty mistress he's cheating on Lisa with."

Brooke cringed, "ugh...what the hell? That's ludicrous. Who would care about you and Nathan? – no offense."

Haley half smiled, "no offense taken- that's what I said. No one should care what we do – we aren't singers or actors."

"Well, look on the bright side! If the paparazzi start to follow you, you can just look right at the camera and proudly announce that you are wearing the newest pieces from 'Clothes Over Bros'!" Brooke said, attempting a joke.

Haley rolled her eyes and laughed, "Yeah – well, we can only hope that no one ever bothers with photos of me or Nathan ever again."

"Hey it could be good publicity for you in PR! Having your name attached to his--or at least experience with image restoration, err," Brooke trailed off, seeing that she wasn't helping matters here.

"Well, I don't want to have to 'restore my image' when I haven't done anything wrong - and I especially don't want people to think I'm dating him to further my career...." Haley replied.

"I know...and everyone who knows you knows the truth...but I was trying to accentuate the positive," Brooke said.

"Thanks but no thanks," Haley said wryly.

Nothing about that sounded positive. This situation had really shaken her to the core. She had been thrust into the spotlight unwillingly and she was realistic enough to know that she would be scrutinized now...especially if she was being compared to a model.

"Listen, why don't I take you out for a drink? It'll cheer you up...besides, we haven't been out in forever!" Brooke said.

Haley was reluctant. "I don't know..."

"Please, come on...Nathan doesn't get back until much later and it will get your mind off all of this." Haley thought for a moment.

Finally, she nodded in agreement. "Alright, let's go...I could do to get out of the house for a little while."

Brooke grinned. "Awesome! I'm going to go get ready."

The two decided to go to a club nearby. It was more low profile and hidden away and that's exactly what Haley wanted at the moment.

She hadn't been able to talk with Nathan anymore – it had been 1am in Italy by the time they had finished talking. Nathan would be coming home soon and hopefully they could try to face everything together.

Haley and Brooke went up the bar and ordered their drinks. There were a few people at the bar but the club hadn't really filled up yet and because it was a Monday night, it probably wouldn't get too crowded.

The ladies waited on their drinks and Brooke began a conversation with one of the gentleman at the bar. Clad in a business suit, he looked like a typical 'power player.'

Haley got her drink and sipped it, listening to Brooke and the man talking about their respective careers. "She works for Scott Public Relations," Brooke pulled on Haley's sleeve. Haley smiled. The gentleman nodded and smiled and introduced himself.

They continued talking, mostly with Haley listening and then finally the gentleman excused himself, announcing that he'd better get home before the wife started wondering where he was. He walked away and Brooke cringed.

"Of course - all the cute ones are married or gay..."

Haley smirked. The two sat at the bar, laughing and talking. For the first time all day, Haley finally felt herself beginning to relax. After a bit, she could feel a buzz coming on and decided to be responsible and stop drinking, due to the fact that it was a work night and showing up late for work wouldn't be a great way to add to her new persona.

"I'll be right back," Haley said, stepping down from the stool to go to the restroom.

~~~

Haley had been in the bathroom stall when she heard two women enter. She started to exit when she heard what they were talking about.

"Did you see that girl at the bar? I think she's the girl from that magazine. She is supposedly hooking up with Nathan Scott, the PR guy who lives here - the guy who is with Lisa Stone?" one girl said.

"Oh yeah – he's sexy," the other one replied.

Haley leaned back against the stall. She couldn't believe that people would have seen the photos and actually recognized her. How could a simple set of photos travel and spread like wildfire?

"I don't even think she's even that pretty -- I mean, she's alright- but he is a 'modelizer'...he hooked up with my cousin's friend last year when she was here doing some modeling," the first girl retorted.

"I can't say I blame her for hooking up with him though...he's hot and he's getting more and more attention…maybe she's trying to be a model too," the second girl replied.

Haley stood there, stunned at the blunt and hostile words of strangers...

Part of her wanted to leap out of the stall and let them know exactly what she thought of them with their cheap perfume and designer knock-off handbags...but she didn't.

A minute later, she heard the door close - she was alone again. She wiped her tear filled eyes and decided that she had to brave it. She had to go back to the bar to meet up with Brooke.

Unfortunately, Haley thought, a dull knot forming in the pit of her stomach, this was far from over...in fact, she had the distinct feeling that this was only the beginning.

It was only a question of how much she could take.