Authors Note from HJS-NS-23: Hey Everyone! I know you had to wait a little longer for this chapter but we wanted to get ahead before I leave for winter break! Thank you to everyone who reviewed! They were amazing and made Steph and me smile. We hope you enjoy this chapter and don't forget to review! We already have the next chapter written and its something you wont want to miss!
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20th of November 2007.
All of the gang was in Haley and Brookes' room; it was like their headquarters for the last couple of weeks or so. The guys even started to arrange the room the way they wanted to by bringing in two armchairs.
"So guys... Thanksgiving is not far away now." Said Brooke all excited. "What are you going to do?" She added sitting on Lucas lap.
"Well..." Said Lucas seriously. "I think I'm going to spend thanksgiving with my girlfriend and..." Lucas trailed off looking at Brooke.
"Yep me and Broody are going to leave together and maybe stop a few times on the way," Brooke said laughing at the horrified faces of the others.
"Eww! Ok Brooke to much information" Haley shouted throwing a pillow at her sister.
"Well me and Hales are going to go home to Pasadena with Jenny." Jake said answering for the two of them and changing the subject back to Thanksgiving.
Haley just nodded. She didn't want to go back to Pasadena because her mother wouldn't be there anyway, her mom was going to spend Thanksgiving in Vancouver to stay with her brother who lost his wife about three months ago.
"And You P. Sawyer?" Asked Brooke. "What did you decided to do?"
"I spoke with my dad yesterday and he's going to be back for sure. So I'm going to spend it with him" Peyton said blissfully happy.
Nathan couldn't stop staring at Haley. "I know her pretty well already " he congratulated himself. He saw her nod to Jake's statement but he could see that she was not that comfortable and he dreamt to know what she was thinking just now.
Jake looked at his watch and stood up. "Well guys..." He said tapping his hands. "We've got to go now coach K won't wait for us." He added with a dark tone.
"We don't have much of a choice do we?" Said Lucas kissing Brooke." I'll see you girls later" he added hugging Brooke.
"Well...Maybe not you never know... If we meet some hot guys!!" Said Brooke winking at Haley for her to play along.
"Yeah!!" Said Haley laughing, "If a guy look like Jensen Ackles I'm so in!!" She added looking at Nathan from the corner of her eyes.
"Jensen who?" Nathan said wanting to kick that guys butt.
"Never mind just go!!" Brooke laughed.
After the guys left it was just Haley, Brooke, Peyton and Jenny sitting in the room.
"You know Tutor sis you could come home with me and spend thanksgiving with me and dad" Brooke told her.
"No thanks Brooke I should spend it with Jake and mom its tradition you know" Haley said shrugging her shoulders. She felt bad for lying to her sister but she was just going to stay on campus and think about everything that happened this year. "Once Jake buys his ticket I will tell him I am going home with Brooke because my mom will be in Vancouver and then just go to his apartment and stay " Haley formulated in her head.
"So B. James you excited for Black Friday?" Peyton asked breaking the silence that had enveloped the room.
"Omgosh that's like the best shopping day of the year! I can't wait to look at all the ads and the people I love shopping" Brooke excitedly said.
"Wow" Haley said laughing at her sister's reaction to one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
23rd of November 2007:
Haley was in Jakes' flat sat on the rocking chair watching Jenny sleep when Jake arrived. It was already late and Haley was sure he went to say good-bye to Peyton. She put Jenny down and walked to the living room to meet Jake.
"Okay girl I've got my plane ticket." He said showing it to her. "You got yours right?" He asked sitting down on the sofa.
Haley knew that Jakes' plane was leaving early in the morning. She took a deep breath. "Well... I don't have it actually."
"What?" Said Jake in shock. "But... But... How come?" He added not really knowing what to say. "There is no way you're going to be able to get a ticket now!" He added furious but containing his shouting because of Jenny sleeping in the next room. "It's already 10 pm and the plane is leaving at 6:30! I can't believe you forgot!" He added.
"Who told you I forgot?" Said Haley calmly. "I'm not going." She added looking down.
"Huh?" Jake asked astonish. "What do you mean by « I'm not going »?" He added standing up and walking toward her.
"Well..." Said Haley shuffling her feet and looking at them. "My mother is going to go to Vancouver for Thanksgiving to stay with Uncle Joe. You know since Aunt Sylvia died he's really bad and...and because she's not going to be there I decided I would accept Brooke's offer and go with her to Tree Hill."
"Of course you did!!" Said Jake with sarcasm. "And when did you intend to tell me huh? When I'll board the plane?" He added more with pain then anger. "How am I suppose to go through Thanksgiving without you?"
"You still have Jenny" Haley told him calmly."Plus this is a chance for me to see where and how my sister grew up. Please don't be mad at me" Haley begged. "Plus you were the one who wanted me to get closer to my sister!" Haley added.
"I knew that was going to come back to bite me in the ass " Jake laughed before turning serious. "I'm not mad when you put it like that baby girl I'm just going to miss you. This is going to be one of our first Thanksgivings's without each other and I just wish you had told me sooner."
"You would have talked me out of it. Don't worry I will still drive you two to the airport," Haley replied.
"I wouldn't have talked you out of it! Well maybe although I am glad you are going to spend more time with your sister" Jake said pulling her into a hug.
I" feel so guilty lying to him but with everything that's happened this year I just want to be by myself " Haley thought. I"ts something I need to do though " she reassured herself before telling Jake goodnight and changing into pajamas than crawling into bed next to Jake.
When the alarm clock went on at 3 Am Haley started to swear. She didn't sleep well last night apparently guilt had way more effect on her than coffee! She was walking like an automat and she thank god that the bags were already packed.
Jake was not on the bed and his place was already cold. She walked into the kitchen where Jake was drinking his coffee while giving Jenny her breakfast.
"Good morning sunshine!" Said Jake with a big smile. "There is fresh coffee in the coffee pot if you want some".
"I need the whole pot!" Said Haley with a sleepy voice. "How come you're so super duper this early in the morning huh? Life is so unfair" she added sitting down pouting.
"Cheer up baby girl "Said Jake laughing. "Do you really want me to leave with the image of you pouting?"
Haley did an overplayed smile and looked at Jenny. "Isn't your daddy funny?" Jenny giggled. "Of course he is!" Said Haley looking at Jakes from the corner of her eyes.
"Hawey." Said Jenny opening her arms.
Haley took her in her arms. "Okay Angel. We're going to get dressed huh?" Haley said to Jenny who nodded.
Jake left his car to Haley with a list of recommendation. They arrived at the airport around 5.00 AM. Jake kept repeating the list to Haley.
"Come on Jake! I'm not dumb!! I know how to deal with a car and you're gone 5 days not 5 months!!" Said Haley irritated. "Plus I won't use it!! I'm going to drive it home and back to the airport to pick you up!"
"Oh don't be like that" said Jake in mock hurt. "You're already abandoning me so be nice."
"Gosh" Said Haley rolling her eyes. "You know I love you JJ but you're treating me like a baby." She added.
Jake smiled. "Finally…. I love you too and you're my baby girl!!" He added like he was stating the evidence.
"You're unbelievable!" Said Haley unbuckling and taking Jenny into her arms and walking into the airport.
"I know!!" Said Jake proudly pretending to understand it the other way around.
After checking his luggage, Jake came back to Haley and took Jenny into his arms.
"Well… I guess we better make our goodbyes now" said Jake sadly. "We're going to board soon."
Haley had tears in her eyes and started to ask herself if she did the right choice. Maybe staying alone to think was not the best choice. "I'm going to miss them so much!" She said to herself pulling Jake and Jenny into a hug.
"I'm so going to miss you baby girl," said Jake with emotion. "Text me 3 or 4 times a day okay? Just to tell me you're fine." He begged.
"I swear." Said Haley raising her hand. "I love you two so much." She said the voice broken with emotion. "I…I". She heard the call for the plane to Pasadena. "Well you better go. Have fun!" She added trying to smile.
"Well… It will be hard without you but we'll try our best." Said Jake walking away.
Jenny started to wave to Haley. "I wove you Hawey."
At this comment Haley's heart just crushed. "Well here I am all alone." She stated to herself. Walking to Jakes car she decided she would go and stay at Jakes' until 5 and then grab her bag she had hid in her closet so that Brooke wouldn't see it.
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"I really wish Haley would have come home with us for Thanksgiving" Brooke pouted. She loved how they were finally starting to become sisters, well at the very least friends.
"Don't worry cheery she needs to spend time with her mom. Plus I have ways to get your mind off your sister" Lucas said suggestively wiggling his eyebrows.
"Ohh broody I have taught you well" Brooke said laughing before attacking his lips with hers.
"Ok cheery as much as I like this we really need to get on the road" Lucas said pulling her hand and grabbing her last suitcase that hadn't been put in the car yet. "Don't forget Nathan is going to be meeting us in Tree Hill about a hour later than us because he wanted to work out longer." Lucas added walking to the car.
It was about 4:45 and Nathan was running behind. His shower lasted longer than expected and then checking out he forgot to empty his trashcan and had to go back and do that. He got in the car and started driving to Tree Hill when he remembered his I-pod was still in his room. He decided that he would just turn around since he was only 15 minutes away.
MEANWHILE:
Haley went back to the dorms at 5 to grab her bag but quickly circled the parking lot and didn't see Nathan or Lucas's car since she knew they were the ones who were driving to Tree Hill. Signing in relief she walked to her room where she started grabbing everything she would need for the week.
After pulling around he quickly got back to the dorms and ran to his room and grabbed his I-pod off the bed before walking down the hallway deep in thoughts of how much he was going to miss Haley. "She took a big place in my life in such a short time without me even noticing it," he thought to himself. He stopped for a minute because he thought he was having a hallucination. "That's not Haley is it?" He wondered seeing her leave her and Brookes' room with a big bag. He shook his head but she was still there. He decided to walk up to her a bright smile on his face.
"Well well well Ms. James what do we have here? I didn't know that your dorm room was Pasadena? How is it there?" Nathan asked sarcastically.
Turning around Haley knew she was busted as her face drained of color. Quickly turning away from him she thought, "What are the odds of Nathan coming back here? Obviously high guessing my luck," she mumbled to herself.
She turned around again and gave a shy and guilty smile to Nathan while biting the corner of her lower lip. "Hey Scott!" She said.
"I caught you James didn't I? I can read right through you! You intended to spend Thanksgiving by yourself! What a shame!!" he sighed dramatically.
Knowing she was busted she just decided to tell him the truth, "its not like he can really do anything to stop me" she thought to herself. "Well you guessed right I just want to stay here and think for a while I mean… A lot of things changed in such a short time. Please don't say anything to Brooke or Jake because they both think I'm with the other okay?" She begged Nathan.
Nathan just grinned at her. " Oh I won't say a word Hales if…."
"Thank you!" Say Haley relieved cutting Nathan off reveling in the fact that her secret was safe.
"Oh don't thank me so fast!" Said Nathan putting a devilish look on his face. "I won't say a word if… you let me stay with you!"
Haley jaw just dropped "What?" she asked like someone punched her in the stomach. "Come on Nate be reasonable you're family is waiting for you! You can't do that!" She argued with him.
Nathan just shook his head not really wanting to explain his messed up family life but something told him Haley would understand. "My mum is in rehab." He frowned when he saw that Haley wasn't surprised but continued nonetheless "Listen Hales" he sighed. "We're friends now right? You've got to help me on this one. I don't want to spend Thanksgiving alone but I don't want to spend it somewhere I don't really belong too!"
Haley was about to speak but Nathan put his hand on her mouth to finish. His touch always made Haley shiver and this one was no different. "This is not a good idea!!" she thought to herself.
"I mean Lucas is Keith and Karen's son, Brooke and him are like almost engaged. They're family and I don't feel like I belong! Please Hales you have to help me, we're going to have fun I promise."
Haley could see pain in his eyes. She couldn't let him down and sighed. "Okay Scott" she said in a military way. "You've got yourself a deal but don't screw things up understand? Don't say a word!" She added. "Now move you're ass, we're staying at Jakes'".
"Yes!!" Thought Nate to himself. He picked up his phone and called Luke to say not to wait for him and that he had other plans for Thanksgiving. He didn't want to say much more especially about spending it with Haley.
"I'm sure I'm making the biggest mistake of my life!!" said Haley to herself walking beside Nathan.
They quickly got Nathan's bag out of his car and walked to Jakes unaware of the pair of eyes watching them in jealousy.