Well, since I got such lovely reviews :), I decided to come update again. Thank you guys for always leaving such amazing feedback. Here is your much deserved shout out:
glass waltz: Well, I have to say I was happy to hear from you again and to see the spectacular feedback you had left. Ooh, you liked photography? I always liked the idea of it, but when it came to the concept of actually being the one behind the camera, let's just say I kind of sucked at it. :( But I'm sure you're much better. I'm glad you decided to check your email again. Must've been fate. Or maybe your overwhelming faith in me, huh? lol. Just kidding. Haha, yes. The bitchiness and the cockiness are indeed there to mask their true feelings. Those two stubborn kids. :) Well, I'm sure you'll be happy to know that, in future chapters, the slipping up and the showing of their emotions will become a more frequent occurrence. Haha, well I can definitely relate to your comment about talking to yourself. Let's just say that particular trait of Haley's was taken from many years of personal experience. Yeah, I hear what you're saying about hearing a different scene from Nathan's point of view rather than the same one. I actually thought about doing that, but my fingers ended up typing the complete opposite. Weird how that happens. Anyway, thanks as always for your feedback and insight. :)
javajunkielove2809: Thanks so much for reading and leaving a review. I'm so glad you find my story interesting enough to take the time. Oh and by the way, I'm loving your username. :)
Caitidid: Hey! Thanks for the review. Yes, I agree. Surviving this road trip would be quite an accomplishment, wouldn't it? lol. I'm so happy you're still enjoying the story. Actually, funny you should ask about Haley's symptoms because this is probably the first chapter that her illness rears its ugly head. Don't worry, it's not fatal or anything, just a little bit of sickness. I swear, it's like you read my mind or something. lol. Anyway, thanks again!
naley23brucas03: As always, I loved reading your response to the chapter. And it didn't hurt that it was so enthusiastic. It really made me feel good about writing again. So, thank you for that. :) And obviously, I'm really glad that you're loving Nathan's POV. I was a little worried about putting it in, but there are two sides to every story, right? I'm glad you find angry Nathan hot. Well, I'm sure we can both agree that any Nathan is hot, am I right? Can I get an amen? lol. Sorry, me being stupid. Aw, now I'm sad that you'll be gone for 10 days. :( Well, have fun wherever you're going, don't miss me too much (lol, just kidding), and don't worry because I will definitely keep writing. :)
HJS-NS-23: Hey, girl! Like I said, I'm glad I can always count on you to read and leave a review. You know it puts a smile on my face every time. :) I'm so glad you liked hearing both points of views. It's actually really fun to write, so I'm glad people are enjoying it. And, as always, I'm happy to have made you laugh. If people are laughing, I'm doing my job. :) You should be proud, you've put two smiles on my face now in a matter of seconds. lol. Thanks for being awesome!
luvhotshot23: Wow, I don't know how to tell you just how much I adored your reply for this chapter. I'm so glad you thought it was one of my best chapters because I was hoping I wasn't just imagining the improvement. See, I have this tendency to see things as better than they actually are which can get me in a lot of trouble. lol. Anyway, yeah I love romance and comedy especially together so I thought, why not write something I love? I'm glad you're liking both points of view. It's such a relief to know that they're working well together. And thank you so much for the awesome writer compliment, it seriously made my whole day better. :)
Chapter 6:
Haley's POV
I'm not in love with him if that's what you think. I don't even really like him. There's just this bond that holds us together. Like it keeps pulling us closer.
When the hell did I start believing in "bonds that pull people closer?" It would seem that Nathan Scott has me thinking about quite a few things I never would've thought about before. Like stealing a car. If it weren't for his complete and utter cluelessness, I never would've found the courage to do that. Well, what do ya know? The asshole is good for something.
We've been walking for oh, I don't know, say about a hundred feet, and it's raining. It started out as just a light little drizzle, the kind that makes you think, 'What the fuck? It's not that bad. I can stick it out,' then it slowly progressed into something I'd say resembled a hail storm. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse….. I'd say it's karma. But not mine. His. If the stupid bastard could learn to keep his dick in his pants, maybe mother nature wouldn't be so pissed at him and would take pity on us.
But as it is him we are talking about, I don't see any chance of that happening. The guy's got a track record a few miles long. And that's just in recent years. He's probably screwed so many people over, he can only remember the ones who had nice assets. Dickwad.
I consider screaming at him and telling him this is all his fault, but why bother? He already thinks I'm insane to begin with. No need to make him imagine any worse.
"Haley!" he yells.
"What?!" I yell back, barely able to hear him over the claps of thunder and the constant pounding of rain on asphalt.
"What should we do?!"
How the hell am I supposed to know, asshole?! We're in the middle of nowhere because your good for nothing car turned out to be a pile of shit and broke down. These are my not so decent thoughts toward him. But instead, I just utter, "I don't know!"
"What?" he yells back.
"I don't know!" I scream, louder this time.
"There aren't really any places around to shelter us from the storm!" he shouts.
Really? Cause I didn't notice, asshole. I think that should be my new pet name for him: asshole. I use the term pet name very loosely.
We keep walking for a few minutes and by now, I'm shivering. Damn rain. Might as well be snow it's so cold. I glance over at him and he seems to be faring much better. Well, I would imagine so seeing as he has a nice thick sweatshirt to keep him warm. And I happen to know for a fact that he has two shirts on underneath that. And here I am, freezing my ass off in a thin little top and a mini skirt. And he's going to pretend not to notice. Bastard.
Since we're walking along a country road, there's a farm every few feet. After a while, we pass one with a little shed like structure just inside the fence. I quickly point it out to Nathan. He seems reluctant to be in such a confined space with me, the bastard, but he takes one look at the dark clouds churning overhead and grabs my hand, leading me to the fence.
He jumps skillfully over. I, however, sadly, am not that talented. I attempt to repeat his actions, but end up falling backward on my ass, still not over the fence. Not exactly the most graceful thing I've ever done.
Wait a minute, is he laughing? Damn it! He is! He's laughing at me. I can't believe him. But of course he'd be laughing. Stupid jackass that he is. Probably thinks this is hilarious. "Are you gonna help me up?" I ask angrily.
He rolls his eyes. "Not that hard, princess. Just climb under."
I give him an incredulous look. "What?! Under that?! Tell me you're joking." He shrugs. "Nathan, that thing's like an inch from the ground. There's no way in hell I'm squeezing under there."
He shrugs again. He's so damn annoying when he does that. He begins to walk off, throwing back over his shoulder, "Have fun!"
I scream, but I imagine the sound is lost over the pounding of the rain. Apparently not as he turns back and, with what I assume is a sigh (as I can't really hear it) sloshes his way through the mud back to the fence. And just stands there looking at me. "Damn it!" I yell, attempting to get up, but my ankle is already swelling.
His eyebrows scrunch up and his eyes squint, not out of concern, because the rain is obscuring his vision. "What's wrong with you?" he asks, watching as I try again to scramble to my feet. But it's useless. I slide back to the ground, blowing out a breath and leaning back up against the fence.
"I think I hit my ankle on something," I admit reluctantly. Damn. I hate being the damsel in distress.
"Well, get up, so I can see what's wrong with it."
My eyes narrow in anger. "I can't, Nathan. It hurts like hell."
Grunting in frustration, he leaps back over the fence and crouches beside me, lifting the leg of my jeans to inspect my ankle. I swallow at the contact. "Shouldn't we, uh, get somewhere dry first?" I ask. "You know, the shed?"
He smirks. Damn him! Asshole. "Yeah, I guess." He positions my arms around his neck and slides his arms under my legs. I feel his muscles bulge as he lifts me into the air. Damn, this guy is strong. He sets me astride the fence, then hops over it, taking me back in his arms and trudging to the shed. Balancing me with one arm, he reaches out his other hand to try the door. "Shit!" he yells. "It's locked!"
"Really, genius?!" I yell back. "I didn't notice seeing as the lock's right there."
He rolls his eyes. "Just stating the obvious."
I give him a half smile. "Well, obviously."
He almost smiles at that. I can see it twitching at the corners of his mouth, threatening to break through, but then it's gone as he shouts, "What do we do now?"
I roll my eyes. "Do you never watch TV?!" I yell, beginning to search through my pockets. He shifts my weight in his arms to give me easier access.
"What are you looking for?" he breathes into my ear. My eyes flutter closed, but the cold rain pelts down and they slam back open, I hope before he noticed.
I continue rifling through my jeans and coat pockets, then finally produce the item I've been searching for.
He raises a curious brow. "A bobby pin? That's your brilliant scheme?"
I almost laugh, but contain myself, not liking the new direction my feelings for him are taking. "You've never seen someone pick a lock before, dumbass?" I say, and this time he does crack a smile. It almost feels like he brings me a little closer. But I shrug it off, figuring either I'm imagining it or he's really cold.
Inserting the pin into the keyhole, I jiggle it around, trying to find the hole. Bingo! I slide it in, jiggling and twisting until the lock clicks open. His eyebrows raise in amusement.
I roll my eyes. "Don't look so shocked."
He gives me a small, hesitant grin and I smile back. Maybe he's not that much of an asshole after all. Just when I think I've made up my mind about him, he goes and does something so utterly confusing and makes me think maybe he's a half decent guy. He's not so bad to be around. Once you get past the whole dick act.
He kicks his way into the shed and I reach over his shoulder to shut the door behind us. The action brings me closer to him. Our lips are centimeters apart and I hear his breathing quicken as he continues to hold me close, his body heat seeping through my clothes. I gaze into his eyes, his beautiful blue eyes and almost give in. But I can't for so many reasons. Even if he was good for me, there's no way I could do that to him. Why would he want to date someone who only has five months left to live? Damn it! It always screws everything up! So I look away. "Is there a light in here?" I ask quietly. For some reason, this seems to anger him.
He sets me down roughly in the corner and gropes along the wall until he finds the switch. He flicks it on. There's a single light bulb hung from the middle of the ceiling, dangling on a thin string. It flickers, but remains on. He runs a hand through his hair and seats himself in the opposite corner, which, all things considered, isn't that far away. The shed is so small, he's really only a couple feet away. Perfect. Just what I need.
Five minutes later, he's about to doze off and I am shivering uncontrollably. My ass literally feels like it's about to freeze off and my hands have turned to ice. I somehow manage to scramble to my knees and shuffle around, searching for anything to keep me warm.
He clears his throat and I look over to see him watching me lazily, eyes half closed. He looks amused. Of course he is. He's still an asshole. A very sexy asshole. "What are you doing?" his voice is husky, laced with sleep. I shiver again. I can't tell if it's from the cold or the sound of his voice.
My voice is small and weak. Suddenly, I don't feel all that great. I collapse back against the opposite wall, shaking violently now. "Cold," I manage to stutter out.
Something flashes across his features and I can't tell if it's concern or fear. I don't really care anymore. It doesn't matter if he's a bastard. I just want to be warm again. He's on his knees now, crawling over until he reaches me and situating himself next to me. He glances at me again and without another word, pulls off his sweatshirt and holds it out to me.
I reach out a shaky hand and try to grasp it. But I just don't have the strength. The doctors warned me this might happen in the last couple of months, I'd just hoped it wouldn't come this soon. He seems to realize the seriousness of my condition and gently pushes it over my head, grabbing each arm and pulling it through. But the shaking doesn't stop.
I hear him get up, but I can barely see him through the fog that's clouded my vision. "Nathan," I croak out. He's back at my side in an instant, but this time, he has a blanket.
"It's all I could find," he whispers, draping it over me. I shiver and his arms thrust out to bring me closer wrapping me tighter in the blanket. I settle against him and hope he doesn't let go. He doesn't.
All night long, I drift in and out of sleep. Occasionally, I feel Nathan's hands rubbing over my hair, trying to soothe me. Somewhere near two in the morning he lays his cool hand on my forehead. "Jesus, Haley. You're burning up." But I can't tell him why. Even Aunt Deb and Tim don't know. I can only imagine how well it would go over if I told Nathan of all people.
It's around four that morning when we both finally drift off to sleep.
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Nathan's POV
So there's this girl. I know what you're thinking. You're probably shocked, right? Nathan Scott thinking about a girl. But I just can't get her out of my mind. She's a fucking bitch, yet sometimes, it only makes me want her more. And I don't have a damn clue as to what I should do about it.
Well, it's raining now. Hell, it's not just raining. It's raining hard. Every drop pounds into my flesh, but knowing she's walking right alongside me keeps me somewhat warm. That and the fact that I have a sweatshirt on plus a long sleeved shirt and a wife beater under it.
She keeps giving me these heated, sideways looks. Either she wants me… or she's noticed her lack of clothing and my seeming abundance of it. I know what she expects to happen… she expects me to take it off and hand it to her in some gallant, gentlemanly gesture, thereby proving I'm not a complete waste of her time. I smirk. Sorry, sweetheart, not gonna happen. Nathan Scott doesn't do gallant.
She's staring straight ahead now. Apparently, she's given up on me by now. But this lull in conversation has gone on far too long and I feel it is my civil duty to end it. "Haley!" I yell.
"What?!" she screams back. Apparently, she wasn't too keen on talking so soon. I have to admit, that little stunt she pulled was very clever. I mean, pants down in the middle of the road? Talk about your ultimate humiliation. Yeah, somehow the sheer ingenious of it escaped me in the moment it happened, as I was furious.
I'm a little wary of her now, but she'll come around. They always do. We must not forget, I could make any girl, no scratch that, woman fall for me. Hell, I could make myself fall for me. Anyone would tell me I was a little high on myself. I prefer calling it a healthy level of self esteem.
But alas, we must continue with the conversation I so stupidly started. "What should we do?!" I scream, trying desperately to be heard over the furious pelting rain.
I see a rush of emotions flit across her face; irritation, anger, and anything that relates; before she responds with something I can't quite understand. I can tell she's trying to keep her temper at bay as she speaks reasonably soft. "What?" I scream, straining to hear her words.
"I don't know!" she shouts, louder this time.
"There aren't really any places around to shelter us from the storm!" I yell. I can almost see the eye roll coming. But it doesn't. I think she's really trying to hold back. Yeah, wonder how long that's gonna last. Then all is silent again as we just keep walking.
We're on some hick road where there's nothing but the occasional farm. No one else is outside today. Hell, I don't blame them. You'd have to be a damn moron to be out in this rain. 'Then what does that say about you?' whispers that little voice in my head. I'd tell it to shut up, but then that would only be admitting that I do, in fact, hear voices.
Suddenly, I feel a small hand pounding on my arm. I look down and Haley is pointing urgently at something. I shake the water out of my eyes and look in the direction she's pointing. It's a small shed. Really small. Wary of her intentions, I don't exactly want to be cooped up in that tiny space with her, but I look up at the dark, stormy sky and decide it's better than staying out here. I snatch her hand into mine and dash for the fence. I jump over it and wait expectantly for her to do the same.
She tries to. But falls back miserably on her ass. And I can't help but laugh. I mean, the girl looks absolutely ridiculous. It's insane really. After all the shit she's pulled with me, she ends up on her ass in the mud. This is one of those moments you remember your whole life. Though I doubt any part of this trip will be easily forgotten.
She's looking up at me angrily now and I know it's because I'm laughing. Well, she'll just have to deal with it because I'm not about to lessen her humiliation. Not after all the times she's laughed at me. And she calls me an asshole… please.
"Are you gonna help me up?" she spits out, venom dripping from every word. Damn. She's really pissed. Oh well. Not much else she can do to me, is there? Then again, that's what I said last time.
I roll my eyes. No way in hell I'm helping her. "Not that hard, princess. Just climb under."
She gives me this look. The one she has that says, 'You can not be serious.' Then she speaks. "What?! Under that?! Tell me you're joking." I shrug, still not convinced, so she continues with her little tirade. "Nathan, that thing's like an inch from the ground. There's no way in hell I'm squeezing under there."
I shrug again and I can tell I'm annoying the hell out of her with that. Good. I start walking off and yell over my shoulder, "Have fun!" Ha! See what she has to say to that. A few seconds later, I hear her scream. And I sigh. I wish so badly I had the balls to just leave her behind. But something tells me that's really going too far. So, I turn and make my way back to her. I stare down at her, waiting.
"Damn it!" she screams, struggling to get up. I can tell something is wrong. My eyebrows scrunch in concern, but the rain is blocking my view, so I have to squint my eyes to see.
"What's wrong with you?" I ask. Somehow, I don't think that came across like it was supposed to because she looks irritated as she tries to get up again. But she ends up back on the ground, leaning against the fence.
"I think I hit my ankle on something," she says and I can tell she's not exactly proud of it. I think she's more of an independent woman. You know, one of those girls who don't think they need a man and crap like that. Well, I'm about to prove her little theory wrong. There's no way she's getting to that shed without my help.
"Well, get up, so I can see what's wrong with it," I blurt without even thinking about it. Damn. Probably one of the stupidest things I've said in her presence. But I tend to speak before I think.
She is mad as hell now. I can tell. Her eyes do this narrowing, squinty thing and her lips purse. Her face gets all screwed up. Either she's really in pain or she just hates me that much. Let's hope it's not the latter. "I can't, Nathan. It hurts like hell," she grits out. Right. Should've seen that one coming. Stepped right into it.
I grunt. This day is definitely not going my way. Hell, it's a fucking train wreck. And I thought her stealing my car was bad. That was just the start of it.
Jumping back over the fence, I kneel down next to her and pull up the leg of her jeans, looking closely at her ankle. It's definitely swollen. Damn. It's like the size of Texas or something. I can hear her swallow as my hand brushes her bare skin. She speaks tentatively, like she's distracted. "Shouldn't we, uh, get somewhere dry first?" she asks. "You know, the shed?"
I smirk. She is so into me. Maybe this could work out after all. "Yeah, I guess." I carefully position her arms around my neck and lift her into the air, setting her atop the fence as I climb back over. Taking her back in my arms, I trudge to the shed and attempt to open the door. It doesn't budge. "Shit! It's locked!" I yell, angry. I feel like punching something out.
"Really, genius?!" she yells back. "I didn't notice seeing as the lock's right there."
I roll my eyes. I don't feel like putting up with her crap right now. I'm tired of her insulting my intelligence and everything else about me. It pisses me off. "Just stating the obvious."
She gives me this sort of half smile, almost like she's not sure if she should and replies softly, "Well, obviously."
That almost makes me smile. But I can't give in to her that easily. I mean, it's probably just some trick to get back at me. Any minute now, she's gonna pull my pants down again or something. But she seems so sincere. So, I quickly cover it up by shouting, "What do we do now?!"
She rolls her eyes. "Do you never watch TV?!" Yes, I actually do, bitch. But I don't say it. 'Just breathe,' I tell myself. 'This'll all be over soon.' Damn it! There I go talking to myself again. As if hearing voices wasn't bad enough. She starts searching for something in her pockets and I shift her position in my arms so she can reach them better. I expect her to thank me or something, but of course she doesn't. Typical.
So, I decide to take a somewhat different approach. "What are you looking for?" I whisper into her ear. Her eyes close briefly, but she opens them quickly and tries to pretend it didn't happen. I decide not to call her on it. I'm polite, remember? 'Yeah, buddy… you just keep telling yourself that,' whispers that voice. Damn! There I go again. I mean, doesn't my head ever shut up?
She just keeps searching her pockets. I start to think whatever she's looking for isn't there, but she pulls it out with a flourish. I feel my eyebrow quirk. "A bobby pin? That's your brilliant scheme?"
"You've never seen someone pick a lock before, dumbass?" she responds teasingly and this time, I let myself smile. I mean, what the hell, right? She'll never want me if I keep being a jackass to her anyway. I bring her just a little bit closer, but I hope she doesn't notice. I like having her in my arms….because I'm cold! Yeah, freezing my ass off here. The only reason I could possibly want to be close to her is because I'm so cold. 'Someone's in denial.' There's that damn voice again. This time, something tells me maybe it's right.
I watch her concentrate on the lock, moving the bobby pin around for a couple of minutes until it finally clicks open. I raise my brows in amusement. Who knew she could be such the delinquent? She rolls her eyes in a playful manner. "Don't look so shocked."
Against my better judgment, I give her a small grin. She smiles back and I know I've melted her heart. At this point, any girl would usually do anything for me. And normally, I would take advantage of that. I wonder why it just doesn't feel right this time. Shaking myself from my thoughts, I kick the door open, stepping inside. She reaches over my shoulder to push the door closed and in the process, moves closer to me. Our bodies are pressed together as we stare into each other's eyes.
We're safely inside, but I don't let her go. I can feel my breathing speed up as our lips slowly move toward each other. But then, she looks away. "Is there a light in here?" she asks, her voice quiet. Damn it! I almost had her. 'Yeah, and she definitely had you.' I've reached the conclusion that it's impossible to permanently shut up the voice in my head. Doesn't mean I have to listen to it though.
I set her down in the corner, perhaps a little harder than I should have, and start feeling around for a light switch. Finding one, I flick it on angrily and settle into the opposite corner, running a hand through my drying hair. I stretch my legs out and we're almost touching as the shed is extremely small. Great.
Closing my eyes, I'm about to drift off to sleep when I hear her moving around. Opening my eyes, I see her crawling around on her knees, apparently looking for something. Wow, she's really lazy. Can't even bother with standing up. And I thought I was bad. I clear my throat and our eyes connect. She has this sort of glazed over look and I'm a little confused. "What are you doing?" I ask, knowing I sound a little groggy.
She shivers and I hope it's because she thinks my voice is sexy. Something tells me that, while that may be true, she's just really cold. She collapses back against the shed wall, shaking. She looks really sick. "Cold," she mutters, lips quivering. Her voice sounds so small. I can't help but be worried. I mean, she was fine five minutes ago. Could it be because she's wet? No, it still wouldn't be this serious.
So, I crawl over to her on hands and knees and sit down next to her. I look over at her, still shaking, and quickly pull off my sweatshirt, offering to her. She reaches out a hand to try and take it, but her hand is shaking too and she doesn't have the strength. Really concerned now, I put it on for her. This time, I don't mind when she doesn't thank me. I don't know exactly what's wrong, but I can tell it's not just a little cold or something.
So, I stand and start looking around for anything that will help get her warm. Damn it! Why can't I find anything? Wait, there's something. Buried underneath a bunch of tools is a blanket. Carefully pulling it out, I shake it off. "Nathan," I hear her croak out and I rush back to her side.
"It's all I could find," I whisper, but I don't know if it registers. I set the blanket over her, but she's still shaking. I bring her closer and wrap her in my arms, hoping my added body heat will help keep her warm. She settles comfortably against me as I hold her close. She dozes occasionally, but I can't sleep. I have to make sure nothing happens to her.
I run my hands over her hair because it seems to have a calming affect. I think it's somewhere around two in the morning when I finally feel her forehead, hoping she doesn't have a fever. She does and it's really bad. "Jesus, Haley. You're burning up," I say and then I want to smack myself. As if she didn't know. But she doesn't comment. When she finally falls back into a restless sleep again, I kiss the top of her head.
It's close to four in the morning when I fall asleep too. But it's riddled with nightmares and I can't stop them. So, I wake up barely two hours later, not able to sleep any longer. I feel her forehead again and her temperature's gone down.
My left leg has gone completely numb under her body weight and I consider waking her up. But I know she needs her rest. Besides, having no feeling in my leg aside, this position is actually quite nice. Who knew?
Suddenly, my cell phone rings and I carefully remove it from my pocket, flicking it open before it can wake Haley up and whispering quietly into it. "Hello?"
"It's Tim," a voice on the other line whispers.
"Yeah, I know," I whisper back.
"Why are we whispering?" he whispers.
"Because your cousin's asleep on top of me," I say as quietly as I can.
His voice gets louder. "Dude, you are so lucky."
Then, I think about what I said. "It's not like that, Tim."
He continues as though he didn't hear me. "Who would've known? My sweet little cousin likes it on top."
"Tim," I try to interrupt.
He doesn't notice and just keeps talking. "Of course, she always was kind of aggressive..."
"TIM!" I hiss, trying to get his attention without waking up Haley.
I'm not successful as he just keeps going. "Never thought she'd put out for you though. I mean, I know you're Nathan Scott, but man, that girl isn't exactly easy..."
"Tim, to you, no girl is easy."
There's a pause. And I think maybe he's hung up. Spoke too soon. "I'm insulted, Nathan. Really. Man, I thought we were tight..."
I sigh, exasperated. "Bye, Tim."
My cell phone rings again, but it's not Tim. It's his mother. "Hi, Mrs. Smith," I whisper.
"Hi, Nathan. I was just wondering where you are. You should be here by now. Unless, that is, you stopped at a motel or something."
"Well, uh..." I start, but she interrupts.
"I hope you didn't take advantage of her, Nathan. Haley is a very nice girl. She's just had some tough times. You know, family issues. Her life hasn't been easy. And I want you to be respectful."
Nice? Yeah, she's real nice. The girl has done nothing but cuss me out since we met. Not to mention she stole my car, inflicted bodily harm on me on more than one occasion, and pulled my pants down in the middle of the highway. But then I look down at her still asleep and she looks so peaceful. And I think maybe Mrs. Smith is right. She's not so bad. "Hello? Nathan?" I hear and I start, realizing she asked me a question.
"Oh, trust me, Mrs. Smith. Nothing happened. And I agree, she's a much too nice girl for something like that. Yeah, it's... it's nothing like that. We just ran into some...uh, complications."
Her voice sounds stern, almost reprimanding now. "Like what kind of complications?"
I gulp inwardly. "Well, my car broke down. Twice. The first time we got it fixed. The second time, there was no phone service, so we were trying to walk to the next town, but then this huge thunderstorm hit, so we found this... abandoned shed to spend the night in."
"Well, are you OK?" Great, I have her worried now. As if I don't have enough shit to deal with.
"Yeah, we're fine. Haley had a slight fever last night..."
"A fever?!" she shrieks. "Nathan, what the hell have you done to her?! Poor girl. How did this happen?!"
I wince and pull the phone away from my ear. Damn that lady is loud. She's a fucking lunatic. She screams louder than Haley. And that says a lot. I feel Haley stir against me and look down to see her looking at the phone in my hand curiously. 'Who is it?' she mouths. "See for yourself," I grumble, handing it to her.
"Hello?" she says into the phone, confused.
I can still hear Mrs. Smith's voice through the phone, though she has calmed down considerably. "Haley? Dear, what's wrong? I heard you had a fever last night. That boy hasn't done anything to you, has he?"
Haley rolls her eyes at me. "No, Aunt Sherry. Nathan's been a perfect gentleman." I smirk at her and she rolls her eyes again. I half expect her to move off of me then, but she doesn't and I find myself feeling happy because of it. "And it was just a little fever. Nothing to worry about. I feel fine now. It was probably just because I was wet. Besides, we can't really be sure if it was an actual fever."
"So, you're OK?" I hear Mrs. Smith ask.
"Yes, I'm fine. And so is Nathan," Haley answers.
I bend down to whisper in her ear. "So, you think I'm fine, huh?" She smiles and shushes me, listening into the phone.
Mrs. Smith's voice carries to my ears. "Well, you guys just get down here as soon as you can, OK?"
There goes another one of her eye rolls. "Yes, Aunt Sherry," she replies.
"Bye, sweetie."
"Bye." She flips the phone shut and hands it back to me. I slip it back in my pocket and return to holding her. We stay that way for a few minutes.
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Haley's POV
Throughout the night, I fall in and out of sleep and whenever I wake up, I can't remember where I am. Then, I feel a pair of strong arms around me and I remember. I jerk awake shortly after Nathan tells me I have a fever and feel him kiss the top of my head. I sleep comfortably the rest of the night.
Later that morning, a noise wakes me up. It's a woman screaming. Sounds kind of like she's yelling at Nathan. I'm awake now. This should be fun. Usually, it's me that's yelling at him. "A fever?! Nathan, what the hell have you done to her?! Poor girl. How did this happen?!" Wait? Are they talking about me? That sounds suspiciously like that Sherry lady.
I watch as he winces and pulls the phone away from his ear. 'Who is it?' I mouth. He looks down at me. "See for yourself," and he thrusts the phone into my hand.
I bring it to my ear and speak into it. "Hello?" I'm confused as hell now.
Then, I hear, "Haley? Dear, what's wrong? I heard you had a fever last night. That boy hasn't done anything to you, has he?" I roll my eyes at Nathan. Yep... definitely Aunt Sherry.
I take a few seconds to respond. "No, Aunt Sherry. Nathan's been a perfect gentleman." He smirks at me and I roll my eyes again. Why does he have to be so damn sexy? There's silence on the other end, so I try to reassure her. "And it was just a little fever. Nothing to worry about. I feel fine now. It was probably just because I was wet. Besides, we can't really be sure if it was an actual fever."
"So, you're OK?" she continues, sounding not really convinced.
"Yes, I'm fine. And so is Nathan," I answer, hoping she'll take the hint.
He bends slightly down and I feel his breath hit the side of my neck as he whispers, "So, you think I'm fine, huh?"
I want to push him away, but he's just so adorable. So, I smile and wave a hand to quiet him as I listen to Aunt Sherry. "Well, you guys just get down here as soon as you can, OK?"
I roll my eyes yet again. "Yes, Aunt Sherry."
"Bye, sweetie," she says, finally wrapping up the call.
"Bye," I respond, ending the call and handing Nathan his phone. He takes it back and puts it away, then his hand returns to my waist. We just sit there for awhile.
I hope you guys liked that chapter. Don't worry, Nathan and Haley will be back to the love/hate, but mostly hate bickering soon. But there will also be more sweeter moments like the ones in this chapter, so I hope you weren't too unhappy with them. :) Anyway, let me know what you thought and remember that reviews are greatly appreciated and very inspiring. ;)
Here are some spoilers for those who like them:
How will the peace be shattered between our two favorite people? What will happen when Nathan dares to suggest hitchhiking? And if that's not enough to interest you, then I'll just mention that there might possibly be quite a bit more naley action and... well, I won't ruin it all, but I will tell you that you won't be able to guess the curve ball I'm going to pitch you.
Enough to get those fingers typing and possibly singing my praises? I hope so. lol.
I love you all, Ashley