Hey guys! Thanks so much for the story alerts it means so much to know that people are interested. Sorry that this chapter is a little on the shorter side but I cut it off where it felt right, the next one will be longer…promise! And as always a very special thank you to my reviewers! You guys are so awesome! Since I have the story pre-written, starting from his chapter on anyone who reviews will get a little sneak peak of the next one :) Read and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill
Chapter 3
Friday was suddenly upon the teenagers of Tree Hill High and the school seemed to be abuzz with the upcoming Scott party. Lucas couldn't drive Haley to school because he had to make up a test so she was surprised when she saw Nathan parked in her driveway.
They had been friendly with each other having dinner together every night with Lucas, Karen and Keith. They still keep their banter in tact but his cocky demeanor didn't as easily annoy Haley anymore, in fact she had come to see that he meant no harm by it.
Haley looked over at Nathan following him through the quad. "Excited for tonight?" People were definitely staring. Haley had heard the rumors. Apparently her and Nathan were hooking up. She figured that's why Teresa had gone back to giving her the evil eye in class.
"Depends, are you still coming?" He smirked.
"Well, seeing as how people have been talking about this for days I don't see how I could possibly miss out." She teased.
Nathan laughed. "I don't know why people get so tweaked over these things, it's always the same shit."
"What, you getting plastered trying to find some girl to hook up with by the end of the night?" She questioned.
"Typically." Nathan shrugged not seeing the point in lying to her. "Thought I'd try out something different tonight though."
"Oh, yeah? What's that?"
"Hang out with you." He replied smoothly.
"So we can hook up at the end of the night?" She raised a cocked brow at him. She smiled at the look of shock that adorned his face. Haley had always been this forward, it was just the first time she had been forward with Nathan.
"I mean I'm not totally opposed to that…" Nathan shrugged and Haley shoved his shoulder.
"Behave." She pointed at him.
He held up his hands in mock surrender.
"So I have a question." Haley spoke up after a few moments.
"Shoot." He said coming to a stop at his locker looking over at his side to glance at Haley.
"You've heard the rumors lately right?" She questioned.
"Hard not to." He shrugged. "Don't let them get to you, people in this town are just bored."
"Yeah, I don't care what people are saying." Haley waved a dismissive hand. "But ever since the rumor mill started turning, this girl Teresa has been giving me the look of death."
Nathan groaned while looking over at her. "Sorry you have to deal with that."
"Ex-girlfriend?" She questioned.
"More like stage five clinger." He noted. "She just does not get the hint."
"Hm, how about we give her the hint tonight?"
"What are you suggesting James?" He questioned with raised brows.
"Gutter. Your mind. Out. Now."
Nathan laughed.
"All I'm saying is that we hang out. Teresa gets the wrong impression so be it." Haley shrugged.
"You're not worried about her wrath?"
"Oh, you underestimate me Scott." She shook her head. "I gotta head to class, see you tonight Hotshot." She winked at him causing quite a number of people to stare. Nathan chuckled at her antics. Yeah, tonight was definitely going to be interesting.
"Hey Haley." Haley looked up from her book to see Peyton take the seat next to her. She was currently in Spanish and Peyton had the class with her.
"Hey Peyton." Haley smiled.
"So you going to this thing tonight."
Haley laughed. "Yeah, I promised Rachel."
"Oh." Peyton commented. "A night with Rachel…be prepared."
"I have a feeling I can keep up." Haley laughed. "Will I be seeing you there?"
"Yeah, I'm gonna head over with Jake."
"Are you two like together?" Haley questioned.
"Oh, no just friends." Peyton shook her head.
"But you wanna be more." Haley guessed with a smile.
Peyton shook her head and smiled. "I don't know, but enough about me what's going on with you and Scott?"
"Ew, me and Lucas are strictly friends." Haley shook her head.
"You know I don't peg you for being dense so I know you know I was talking about Nathan."
Haley laughed. "Nothing is going on with me and Nathan."
"But you want there to be." Peyton guessed mirroring Haley's earlier words.
"I don't know what I want." Haley shrugged honestly. "Is Nathan hot? Yes, incredibly. But from what I hear he doesn't do relationships and to be honest neither do I."
Peyton nodded. "Fair enough."
"I guess we'll just see how it goes, I'm not really one to over analyze things you know?"
Peyton smiled. "I could definitely use a lesson or two from you in that department."
Haley laughed. "It's easy, you just have to try and give less of a shit."
"Easier said than done."
"Ah, see Peyton that's where you're wrong. All it takes is a little practice to be a cold hearted bitch like me." She chuckled.
"You're not like that."
"When it comes to boys I am." Haley sighed. "It's just easier that way."
"You got that right."
"Haley!" Travis yelled up the stairs. "Lucas is here."
Haley looked herself over in the mirror. It was still pretty humid out so she had opted to wear fitted jean shorts with a loose black tank top, golden buttons going down the middle. She had put on her flip-flops and hastily made sure her bandeau bikini top was hidden underneath her tank top. She didn't plan to go swimming but Nathan did say that the party was at his beach house. She took a brush through her golden blonde hair one more time before grabbing her phone and heading downstairs.
As soon as she reached the top of the staircase she could already hear Travis lecturing Lucas and she had to let out a chuckle for her friend who was most definitely getting read the riot act.
"Travis, leave Lucas alone." She said reaching the two at the bottom of the stairs.
"What are you wearing?" Travis questioned.
"Clothes." Haley rolled her eyes. "We're gonna get going so…"
Travis sighed knowing he wasn't going to be able to get Haley to change. "Remember what I told you. One am and no drinking."
"Yes grandpa." She teased pulling Lucas out of the house with her.
"I know where you live Lucas!" Travis yelled towards the pair.
Lucas chuckled as he got into his car, Haley following suit.
"Your brother's scarier than I remember."
Haley laughed. "Don't worry about him. Let's party buddy." She smiled over at him and Lucas laughed pulling out of the driveway and making his way towards Nathan's house.
"Woah." Haley muttered as Lucas pulled into Nathan's driveway.
"Not LA enough for you?" Lucas teased.
"We're a lot more mellow than this." She laughed. There were teenagers with red cups everywhere. What the fuck were the cops in this town doing? Was it their off night or something.
Lucas led Haley into the house greeted by high-fives from his teammates and flirtatious grins from girls. Lucas was just as popular as Nathan, girls wanted him and guys wanted to be him, he just didn't bask in the glory like his cousin did.
Haley looked around taking in her surroundings. It looked like a party from a movie. She had tried spotting Rachel remembering their promise that they would hang out tonight. Haley finally caught sight of the red head pulling a guy upstairs all but mauling his face. Guess Rachel had other plans. Haley chuckled. Rachel was practically Brooke's twin.
"Luke!" Lucas turned towards the voice calling out his name to see Nathan standing by the keg in the kitchen.
"Come on Hales." Haley followed Lucas to the kitchen and smiled when she saw Nathan's face.
The boy was definitely gawking.
"You can stop drooling now." Lucas called him out irritated.
Nathan glared at his cousin. "I was not drooling."
"You totally were Nate-dog." Tim spoke up from besides him.
Haley let out a laugh at the nickname. "Nate-dog?" She questioned.
"Yeah, that's Nathan." Tim responded confused.
"Haley this is Dim." Lucas introduced dryly.
"Lucas, why the heck to do you calling me that? It's Tim. T-I-M." Tim shook his head and faced Haley. "We've been going to school together since 4th grade, you woulda thought the guy would've remembered my name by now."
Haley laughed out loud. "Get lost Tim." Nathan ordered.
Tim waved goodbye a new group of girls entering the house catching his attention. "IT'S TIM TIME LADIES."
"He's…different." Haley commented.
"Yeah if by different you mean idiotic." Nathan muttered.
"Luke! My man." Skills said walking up to the group.
"What's up Skills?"
"There's this honey I'm trying to get with but she has a friend…mind playing wingman?"
"Skills I'm here with Haley…" Lucas explained.
"No," Haley protested. "Go ahead, I'll find you later."
"You sure?" He asked skeptically.
"Yes, go." Haley laughed.
"Scale of 1 to 10 how annoying is the friend?" Lucas asked bluntly.
"7." Skills muttered. "But she's hot dawg."
"A seven?" Lucas groaned grabbing a cup of beer of the table and downing it. "You owe me."
"Remember what Travis said Hales!" The two walked off and Haley rolled her eyes at Lucas' warning before turning to Nathan with a smirk. "Guess that just leaves us two."
"Guess so." Nathan smiled. "What did your brother say?"
"Not to drink." Haley shrugged as she picked up a red cup filled with beer sniffing it. "You got anything stronger than that?" She questioned.
"I thought you just said you weren't allowed to drink." He smirked leaning up against her slightly.
"Do I really look like the type to follow rules to you?" She laughed.
"I don't know." Nathan responded honestly. "Ever since the first day I met you you've been surprising me so something tells me you're not one specific type."
Haley smiled grabbing his hand. "Learn to embrace it Scott, now take me to tequila."
Nathan laughed happily taking her small hand in his and leading her towards the back porch where a bunch of teenagers were doing body shots.
"What got into you?" Nathan smiled following Haley out into the beach behind his house.
"What do you mean?" Haley asked feeling a little buzzed.
"I mean you practically just forced me to take those body shots off you."
"You're complaining?" Haley questioned skeptically.
"Definitely not." Nathan replied hoarsely.
"I saw Teresa." Haley explained. "Figured I'd give her a show."
Nathan got closer to her the space between their bodies becoming less and less. "So it was just because of Teresa?" He breathed out. They were both definitely not sober but still fully aware of their actions.
"Maybe, maybe not." Haley shrugged moving backwards putting more space between her and Nathan.
"You know, I can't figure you out." Nathan called out following her as she continued to walk backwards towards the beach.
"That's cause I don't want you to figure me out." Haley smirked. "Wanna go swimming?" She asked suddenly.
"In our clothes?" He asked skeptically.
Haley shook her head while bringing her arms over her head to remove her shirt leaving her in her strapless bandeau bikini top. "I brought a swimsuit."
Nathan had to remind himself to breathe as she moved to unbutton her jean shorts and slowly slid them over her legs. He was pretty sure he could add sexy along with pretty and hot to the list of adjectives he associated with Haley.
"Coming Hot Shot?" She questioned moving towards the water.
Nathan quickly threw off his shirt and shorts leaving him in his boxers. He moved to follow Haley into the water.
"Oh my God." He shouted instantly as soon as his leg made contact with water. "It's fucking freezing!"
"Don't be such a pussy." Haley dismissed treading further into the water.
"A pussy?" He questioned with a surprising laugh. Haley definitely had a mouth on her.
He swam closer to her engulfing her in his arms laughing at her squeals he lightly dunked her in the water.
She came up laughing, her blonde hair covering most of her face. "Not funny Nathan Scott!"
"You seem to be laughing." He observed and quickly dodged the splash of water that had instantly come his way. Haley had turned her back to Nathan and emerged herself in the water to get the hair out of her face. Nathan swam over to her and when she came up for air and touched her back instantly. Even in the dark Nathan could trace the ink on Haley's shoulder under the light of the moon.
"You have a tattoo." He observed.
Haley turned around his hand no longer making contact with it in the process. "I told you there's a lot you don't know about me Scott." She smirked.
"C'mere, let me see it." Nathan hadn't really given Haley much of a choice seeing as how he had pulled her to him once again tracing the tattoo on her shoulder.
It was two doves flying over the words 'this too shall pass'- Nathan smiled he didn't know her very well yet but the tattoo just seemed so like Haley.
"It's beautiful." He commented.
"Thanks." She whispered turning around to face him.
"Why'd you get it?" He questioned.
"Personal." She muttered.
Nathan nodded accepting her answer without pushing it.
"We should probably head back inside." She suggested.
Nathan nodded treading toward the shore slowly, Haley right in front of him. The two had reached their clothes when a booming voice halted their actions.
"Haley!"
Haley looked up to see a very pissed off looking Travis and a scared looking Lucas.
"Nice knowing ya." Haley muttered towards Nathan.