Yes, it really is me. And I really have come to finally update this story. Wow, four years is a long time. How do you even begin to explain that? You don't because there is absolutely no excuse. I mean, yes, things kept me very busy for awhile. But then it got to be one of those things where so much time had passed that it almost felt awkward and weird to update. Then I got a sweet message from a dedicated reader (you know who you are) and I remembered how much I absolutely hate when writers just leave in the middle of a story and never return. It is so disappointing. The absolute worst. So, I decided to keep going. On the off chance that anyone was still waiting around to see how it all ends. Not to say that it's about to end. I guess I could have just written a last chapter or two and closed it off for my peace of mind, but where's the fun in that? If I was going to come back, I was going to see this all through the right way.
Anyway, you will never know how sorry I am for the long wait and I am wishing and hoping and praying so hard that I am not that much of a bitch that I would ever make you wait that long again. I don't think I could. But I guess I never expected this update to take four years either.
Well, first things first, here are a few people that I think I missed in the shout out for my last update (a thousand years ago) due to technical difficulties and my tendency to be scatterbrained. Anyway, yes here you go:
bethy23: Hi! It's so nice to hear from someone who knew my story from another board. Another board that I failed to finish it on… wow, I suck haha. But anyway, I'm so glad that you're such a fan of my story. I really appreciate you reviewing!
Lucky1three: Hey! I'm so sorry I missed your review all those years ago when I was doing shout outs for the 12th chapter. You are so awesome for taking the time to leave some feedback! I really appreciate the encouragement and the congratulations :) I suppose this is coming a little bit late, as is the update that goes along with it. But better late than never, right? Thank you!
And now, here is a shout out to everyone who replied to my last update, though you have probably all moved on with your lives by now. But I feel that I owe it to myself and to anyone who is still there to see this thing through. So here is a heartfelt thank you anyway!:
Adnama23: Hiiii! It is so great to hear from you again! You are such a sweetheart. And I am of course ecstatic that I could make your day seeing as you make mine whenever you review :) I am so very happy that you liked the chapter and particularly the ending. I thought it was appropriate haha. Anyway, thank you so so much for begin involved and taking the time to review! Bet you're regretting that comment about not worrying when I take a long time to update, huh? Pretty sure four years isn't what you had in mind haha. But thank you for the encouragement!
un-used-30194: Thank you so much for your input! I appreciate any feedback you are willing to give. I hear what you're saying about the chapters. I just kind of get on a roll and don't want to stop haha. I guess you could always just read it in parts or something? Maybe then it wouldn't feel so long? Anyway, thank you again for reviewing! I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far.
naleylovex3: It's so good to hear from you again! (I like how I say that like it was just yesterday when it has actually been several years haha). But it's still very true today! That is a very strange, but awesome coincidence. Maybe something will just tell you to check up on this story soon even though I am sure everyone has given up on me ever returning by now haha. And I'm so glad you liked Haley calming Nathan during the fight! I'm sure that's not everyone's cup of tea, but I'm a sucker for the calming effect a girl can have on a guy like Nathan haha. And thank you for the support on the length of my chapters! Lol. I know they can be very long, but I figure that's a good thing when I sometimes go so long between updates haha. Anyway, thank you again! I love you! (seriously)
nathanandhaleyforever: Thank you for your kind words! I'm so glad you've enjoyed the story so far. And yes, I feel very bad for Nathan as well. I just can't seem to stop torturing him though… haha. And I have a feeling that wasted story is a very good one. I myself have done some foolish, but entertaining things while drunk. But that's another story for another time haha. Anyway, if you ever come back here and see this, I just want to you know how appreciated your review was! :)
twilightnaley19: Ahh it was so exciting to get another review from you! And especially such a long and awesome one! I'm so so so glad that you liked the last chapter (though you probably don't even remember why now seeing as it's been so long haha). But I definitely agree with you. Kaitlyn and Jamie should just take a short walk off a long cliff. Luckily, neither will play major roles in future chapters. In fact, they will be gone for good soon enough haha. Anyway yes, Haley is clearly not the most logical person. Even I know not to kick walls and such when angry. But alas, I chose not to impart that knowledge to her. And I'm also extremely glad that you liked the cute naley moment. I figure we need some of those in there to balance out all of the bickering. Don't worry, there are plenty more of those moments to come. They'll get more frequent as the story goes on. I'm glad you liked drunk Haley. I find that sometimes, it's a good idea to loosen things up bring some comedy by liquoring characters up lol. Anyway, thank you so much as always for the amazing review! You are spectacular.
Hales luvs Nate: Well, I am very pleased that my updating makes you happy! I guess it's unfortunate then that this one took me four years. My sincerest apologies. I am so very happy to hear that you like their tension! I know that it can get frustrating at times, but I've always subscribed to the philosophy that good things come to those who wait! Besides you know it's like once they give in, all of the anticipation is gone and then you just start running out of material too quickly. I think the build up is the most fun part! Anyway, I'll stop going on and on about this haha. Thank you so much for your support. It means the world! You rock!
PatCrosby87: Haha well I am very glad that my reply was helpful. Especially since I go so long between updates. Making readers wait for four years. Who ever heard of such a thing? I know, I suck haha. But despite all of that, I am very grateful for the interest you had in my story! And I definitely agree, I feel very sorry for Nathan at this point. But I think he'll survive haha. Thank you so much for taking the time to review again!
HJS-NS-23: I am so glad you thought the last chapter was worth the wait! I know that this one probably is not. Not because it sucks or anything but let's be real, four years is too long for even the greatest stories to go without an update haha. But I'm so glad that you loved the last chapter so much! I agree, it is very frustrating that Haley passed out. Bad Haley! I'll have a talk with her haha. Also very glad that you enjoyed their drunken talk. I can't help it, I find drunken conversations fascinating and entertaining. Glad you seem to as well haha. Thank you so much for your feedback and your understanding :)
othcheergirly53: Wow, thank you so much for those extremely kind words. I definitely understand those kinds of expectations after the prologue, but I'm glad you gave it a chance anyway. And that you were so pleasantly surprised! You can't even imagine how nice it is to hear that you're hooked. And I'm so glad you like the Nathan/Haley relationship. I agree, those two crazy kids need to get it together! I'll try to do something about that haha. Thank you so much for reviewing and for the talented writer comment. That is one of the best compliments you could ever give me :)
currish: Aw thank you so much for taking time to compliment my story! I am so happy that you were enjoying it and so very sorry that I made you wait so long for an update haha. I guess better late than never isn't that comforting to hear? Maybe after four months it would have been, but not four years. All I can do is apologize again! Haha. And say thank you again for reviewing!
bels81172: Thank you for letting me know how much you enjoyed this story! It is so nice to hear. And it will probably be a few more chapters before Nathan finds out about the cancer. Haley isn't too eager to share that part of her life. But don't worry, I won't wait too long. Thank you so much for your encouragement!
sammieleelee: Thank you so much for reviewing! I am unbelievably happy that you were enjoying reading so much! It means a lot to hear how much you loved the story. And I am so so sorry that it took me so long to update haha.
mobilegirl: Oh my goodness, I am so impressed by your dedication! And so so very grateful. I don't even know how to express how much I appreciate you and your review. It must have been very time consuming to read those long chapters three times and I can't even tell you how touched I am that you were so excited about this story. It is readers like you that make me want to return, even after four years of silence haha. THANK YOU SO MUCH! You are seriously the best 3
happywtmylife: Haha no need to apologize for taking awhile to review or for a shorter reply. First because any reply from you is much appreciated and puts a smile on my face. You have no idea how much your dedication to this story means to me. Second because I clearly take even longer to update than people take to review haha. And I am actually really sorry about that. It is so sweet of you to tell me how much you love the story and how much you want to know what's going to happen next. I think I let the anticipation build for a little too long this time, but I'm very sorry and ashamed of myself! Haha. Anyway, thank you so much again for always sticking with me. Love you!
Mackenzie175: Heyyy! It's very exciting to hear from you! Thank you for taking time to review and for your enthusiasm :)
kagje94: Thank you so so much for your reply! I am so happy that you loved the story and that you're a fan of sarcasm. I am a HUGE fan of sarcasm (in case you couldn't tell from the content of this story haha), and I'm so glad that I am not alone in that haha. More Haley sarcasm is on its way! Thank you for loving it and for taking the time to tell me so!
larocca22233: You! You are pretty awesome. And probably the main reason I finally came back to this story. It was one of those things where I kept wanting to, but I was busy. And then, after a certain amount of time passes, you figure it's just too late. And then, nearly three years pass between updates and I get a message from you. And I was so touched that you were so dedicated to the story and that you still wanted more. Thank you so much for that message. You have no idea what it meant to me and how inspiring it was. Readers like you are the only reason that doing this means anything. I can never thank you enough!
To everyone: I have to apologize again. I will probably never stop apologizing. And trying to make up for this four year gap. Anyway, I'm sorry for any errors. Rather than making you guys wait any longer by taking the time to really edit this, I decided to just post it. So here goes nothing…
Chapter 13:
Haleys POV:
Holy shit. So, this is what a hangover feels like. I'd almost forgotten. No wonder I gave up drinking. Well almost. Sort of. The headaches are a bitch and running to the bathroom to throw up in the toilet first thing is definitely a pain in my ass. And all the while, he just lays there, sleeping peacefully. The fucking asshole. He never suffers as much as I do.
When I woke up this morning, I thought I'd died and gone to hell. The stupid bastard had his arms around me and I was half naked. I could only assume he'd tried to take advantage of me, but I didn't have long to think about it because when my stomach started churning, I knew it was time to bolt.
Now, I'm draped over the toilet, waiting to make sure it's all out of my system. I didn't think it was possible to feel this sick. But I guess this trip is just full of first times. First time being harassed by a hot, but completely worthless asshole. First time being harassed by an old, disgusting trucker. First time (or not) being harassed by my bitch of a cousin. There's just no justice.
But finally, I finish getting sick, so I go back into the bedroom. And he's sitting against the headboard, rubbing his head. Grinning, I slide onto the bed next to him and lean right into his ear. "Morning princess," I say really loudly.
He grunts and shoves me off him. "Someone had too much to drink last night."
I roll my eyes. "Maybe, but I have to tell you, I really don't appreciate you coming onto me when I was obviously too drunk to stop you. I mean, if I'd been sober, I wouldn't have let_"
He cuts me off. "What the hell are you talking about?! You're the one who started it!"
I narrow my eyes at him. What's he trying to say? "No I fucking was not," I say in as calm a voice as I can. Wouldn't want to wake the whole damn motel up by screaming.
His jaw clenches. "Yes, you were. And you weren't complaining."
I groan, frustrated. "Well, if I had been sober_"
But he interrupts again. So rude. "You were sober all the other times."
I scoff. "Please, don't remind me." I plead temporary insanity. Honestly, why else would I go near anyone as insanely irritating as him?
He chuckles. "Why not? I'm sure you think about it all the time."
I growl and slap his arm really hard. "You are so disgusting."
But he doesn't seem to care. He just keeps going. "Yeah, you probably dream about it too. Late at night... when I'm already asleep..."
I just roll my eyes and slam into the bathroom. "What are you doing?" he yells in to me.
I start to undress. "Taking a shower!"
"Want some company?" he laughs back.
I start the water and bite my tongue. "Yeah, come on in!"
"For real?" I hear him ask. He's right outside the door.
I laugh. "No, fuck off."
I can hear him grumbling on the other side, but I just roll my eyes and step into the water. Hopefully, we'll be leaving soon.
(still Haleys POV)
When I get out of the shower, I brush my teeth and wipe the steam off the mirror so that I can look at myself. I look a little tired, but all things considered, not too bad. I go to pick up my clothes from the toilet seat, but nothing's there. Looking down, I realize they're not on the floor either. Which means they're in the room. With Nathan. The stupid asshole stole my clothes. Greeeeat. Now, he gets to see me in a towel. That'll just make his day.
I sigh, then call his name. "Nathan?"
"Yeah?"
I hear the TV volume turn down. "Can you bring me my clothes?"
I can hear him laughing and I am not amused. He can go fuck himself for all I care. "Sorry, Haley. I'm really comfortable. You'll just have to come get them yourself."
"Bring me my fucking clothes, dick!"
He just laughs harder. "You didn't say please."
"Damn it," I curse softly to myself. Taking a deep breath, I secure the towel around myself and slowly open the door.
He's still laughing. "I'll make sure to keep my eyes closed," he snorts.
Rolling my eyes, I step out. Avoiding looking at him, I search for my clothes, but I can't find them anywhere. Then, I look over and he's holding them in his lap on the bed. "Oh, you think you're just so cute, don't you?" I start slowly toward him.
He nods, grinning. "And charming too."
I snort as I approach the bed. Keep dreaming. Then, I reach to snatch my clothes from him, but he quickly holds them away from me. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I shout angrily.
He just shrugs and scoots farther away from me. Stupid damn bed. Why the hell does it have to be so big? It's just so much more difficult. You'd think the people would have thought about that when they were making it. When he dodges me again, I decide regretfully that I will have to get on the bed. So, I climb on and very slowly make my way toward him. He smirks, but before he can say anything, I slap a hand over his mouth. "Shut up." Then, I realize there's really only one way to get my clothes back. So, I straddle him and watch as his eyes widen. Perfect. Then, I remove my hand and replace it with my lips. Finally, he shuts up. There is a God.
He quickly wraps his arms around me and kisses me back. I slide my tongue in his mouth and his hands move to my thighs as I shift slightly against his lap. He groans and I grin against his mouth, reaching down to cup the bulge in his jeans. His hands clamp down hard on my legs. Then, I reach down to grab my clothes and quickly hop off the bed, holding my towel out as I run back into the bathroom. I lock the door behind me and can hear him shouting from the room. "That's not cool, Haley! You could have just slapped me, you know!"
I shake my head and chuckle to myself, starting to dress. And for some odd reason, I can't wipe the smile off my face.
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Nathans POV:
The first thing I hear when I wake up is Haley puking her guts up in the bathroom. Damn. How much did she have to drink last night? How much did I have to drink? I feel like someone split my head open with a chain saw. But at least I'm not getting sick. I almost feel sorry for the poor girl. Maybe I should go see if she needs anything. I try to sit up, but find that it's too hard. Oh well. She'll survive without me. Besides, she doesn't deserve my charity anyway. She's a bitch. And she passed out on me last night.
A few minutes later, I'm finally able to sit up, but my head's still pounding. I start massaging my temples, but it only seems to make it worse. I hear her come out of the bathroom, but can't bring myself to look up at her. I feel her sitting on the bed next to me, then her breath hitting my ear. Then, "Morning, princess." Shit! She's loud.
I have a fucking headache, bitch! But I don't say that. I groan and shove at her. "Someone had too much to drink last night." And she's way too fucking chipper for a girl with a hangover.
She rolls her eyes and I can already tell I'm not going to like what she says next. "Maybe, but I have to tell you, I really don't appreciate you coming onto me when I was obviously too drunk to stop you. I mean, if I'd been sober, I wouldn't have let_"
And I have to stop her. She cannot be serious! "What the hell are you talking about?! You're the one who started it!" And she is! Damn it, why does she just automatically assume I came on to her?
"No I fucking was not," she says in this eerily quiet voice and I almost decide not to mess with her right then.
But I'm too pissed to let it go now. I grit my teeth and respond in an equally scary voice. "Yes, you were. And you weren't complaining."
She groans and throws her head back. "Well, if I had been sober_"
Oh, hell no! She did not even go there. So, I cut her off again. "You were sober all the other times." A very good point. She can't deny that all of those happened.
She scoffs. "Please, don't remind me."
Oh, but she knows I will. I laugh to myself. "Why not? I'm sure you think about it all the time." I mean really, who wouldn't?
She groans and slaps my arm. "You are so disgusting."
I am not! I'm just stating the facts. But that's not the point right now. So, I don't mention it. "Yeah, you probably dream about it too. Late at night... when I'm already asleep..."
She rolls her eyes and retreats to the bathroom. That's right, bitch! You're no match for me. I wonder what she's doing in there. So, I decide to ask her. "What are you doing?" I yell.
"Taking a shower!" she calls back and I immediately want to go join her. I have a feeling that may not be a very likely option right now though.
But I decide to ask anyway. "Want some company?" I ask, unable to contain my laughter. I know I shouldn't have asked.
As usual, she surprises me with her answer. "Yeah, come on in!" she yells and I can hear the water running.
And, just like that, I'm up and running to the door. "For real?" I ask loudly, hating how eager my voice sounds.
I hear her laughing and realize it was a joke. "No, fuck off." What she doesn't realize is, I might do just that. I wonder how long girls take in the shower...
But before I can make an educated guess, there's a knock at the door and I sigh, frustrated, but quickly decide that I should probably answer it. So, I open the door to see some unfamiliar guy standing there, although he does look vaguely familiar. He looks surprised to see me. I smirk. This should be fun. "Did you want something?" I ask lazily.
He clears his throat. "Yeah... uh... is Haley here?"
And the smirk is gone. I stand up straight and cross my arms in a menacing way. "Who's asking?"
He starts to gulp, but tries to cover it up by coughing. The smirk comes back. I just seem to have this kind of power over people. He's scared of me. Ha! He never stood a chance. And then, I realize he's talking to me. "My name's Ryan. I work at the front desk. I... I talked to Haley yesterday?..."
I raise an eyebrow. "Are you asking me or telling me?" And then, he looks like he's about to piss himself. So, I just can't stop myself from laughing. Which is a mistake because it seems to give him confidence.
He clears his throat. "So, you're the boyfriend."
"Wha_" I start to ask and then stop and smile as I realize what's going on. She must have told him we were dating. I don't blame her. "Yeah, that's me. So, what do you need my girlfriend for?"
He blinks a few times, then apparently decides she's not worth the trouble. A wise choice. "Nothing, just dropped by to say hi."
I smile sarcastically. "Well, I'll make sure not to tell her." Then, I slam the door in his face. I can't stand guys who try to act tough.
Haley's still in the shower five minutes later and I'm already bored with the stuff on TV, so I decide to have a little fun. Sneaking quietly into the bathroom, I grab her clothes and rush back out. I wince as the door closes loudly behind me, but I don't think she notices. Smirking, I go back to the bed and get comfortable. Now, I just wait.
A few minutes later, the water stops and I shift a little, beginning to get restless. It doesn't take long for her to realize. "Nathan?" she calls.
My smirk widens. "Yeah?" This is gonna be good.
"Can you bring me my clothes?" she asks and I can hear the irritation in her voice. This is just too perfect. I love fucking with her.
I start laughing, even though I know it will just piss her off more. "Sorry, Haley. I'm really comfortable. You'll just have to come get them yourself." I never could keep a straight face.
"Bring me my fucking clothes, dick!" she shouts and that just sets me off all over again.
"You didn't say please," I call back and I can imagine her face getting red. "I'll make sure to keep my eyes closed," I say as I hear the door open and I still can't stop laughing.
I watch as she looks around for a minute, then suddenly realizes what I've done. She looks over and there's this weird look in her eye. It only looks half way angry. "Oh, you think you're just so cute, don't you?" she asks sarcastically and slowly begins walking toward the bed.
I grin and nod my head at her. "And charming too." I really am irresistible. I don't understand how she can keep her distance. Guess there's just no accounting for taste.
She snorts out a laugh. "Keep dreaming." She reaches the bed and tries to grab her clothes from me, but I quickly snatch them away. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" she yells and I know I've made her mad. But I also know that's half the fun.
I shrug off her question and move away from her, managing to keep her clothes just out of reach. Finally, when I've left her no other options, she climbs onto the bed and starts toward me. I smirk. Well I'll be damned, if I wasn't just having a dream like this last night. But she slaps a hand over my mouth and says, "Shut up," so quickly, I wonder if she can read my mind.
And then, suddenly, she's straddling my hips and smiling seductively down at me. Holy shit! Is this really happening? How the hell can she switch moods that fast? Not that I'm complaining. And then, she's kissing me and I can't think anymore. I wrap my arms tightly around her waist before she can change her mind. Not that I think she would. Of course not. I'm irresistible, remember? Her tongue slips past my lips and I groan as she shifts lightly in my lap. It really is like a dream. I rub my hands over her exposed thighs. I should've thought of this clothes thing before.
She's smiling against my lips as she reaches down to grab my erection. I grip her legs hard. Then, suddenly, she's moving off of me and I open my eyes just in time to see her running into the bathroom, clothes in hand.
I groan and let my head fall back against the bed, closing my eyes. "That's not cool, Haley! You could have just slapped me, you know!"
And I think I hear her laughing to herself. What a whore! When she finishes getting dressed, she comes back out and takes a seat next to me again. I know I have to get her back somehow. Then, lightbulb! What did that kid say his name was? Ryan? "So..." I start, smirking to myself, "you don't know anyone named Ryan, do you?"
She gives me this confused look. "Yeah, why?"
I turn my smirk to her. "No reason, he just stopped by while you were in the shower. I kind of got the feeling he has a little crush on you."
She smiles. "Really?"
I roll my eyes. "How cute. You guys are crushing on each other. Maybe, he can give you his ring and you guys can go steady!" and I clap my hands in faux excitement just to punch the point.
She shoves me, but I can see a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Shut up!"
I grin back at her and bat my eyelashes. "Do you think you'll ask him to the Sadie Hawkins dance?!"
She laughs at that. "You are so mean."
I smile and sling my arm over her shoulder. "I know, but see, I don't think anything will happen anyway. Unless you're the cheatin kind. Apparently, we're dating."
"Oh, shit," she groans, "here we go again."
I laugh and start singing, "Does she love you? Does she love you? Like she's been loving me?"
She laughs with me and leans into me and I know I should quit while I'm ahead, but I can't stop myself. This is good stuff. I can even use it later. I grin down at her. "Can't you just picture it? Me and him battling it out? Our very own sing off?"
She slaps my knee half heartedly. "Stop it!"
But her head's resting on my shoulder now and I know she really doesn't want me to.
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Haleys POV:
When I finish getting dressed, I walk back into the room, still smiling. I take my seat next to him again and, out of the corner of my eye, see his smirk. Uh oh. What now? "So..." he starts and I want to stop him right there. This cannot be good. "You don't know anyone named Ryan, do you?" he continues. OK, not what I expected, but that smirk always means something bad for me.
I raise my eyebrows at him. "Yeah, why?"
He looks at me, still smirking. What the hell does he have to be so smirky about? "No reason, he just stopped by while you were in the shower. I kind of got the feeling he has a little crush on you."
Hmmm... that's interesting. I kind of got the same feeling yesterday when he tried to kiss me. And the day before that when he hit on me. I decide to be happy about it and see if he'll get jealous. "Really?"
He rolls his eyes and starts talking in this scarily perky voice and clapping his hands together in a very girly way. "How cute. You guys are crushing on each other. Maybe, he can give you his ring and you guys can go steady!"
I almost laugh at that, but I know I should keep this whole liking Ryan charade thing going. So, I shove him a little. "Shut up!" I yell playfully. I don't want him to get mad, that's why. But I can already feel myself starting to smile and I know I'll cave soon.
He smiles and flutters his eyes at me a few times. OK, now that's funny. "Do you think you'll ask him to the Sadie Hawkins dance?!" he asks in this fake, excited voice.
I have to laugh at that. "You are so mean." But I have this gut feeling that he doesn't really care. And surprisingly, neither do I.
He smiles and wraps his arm around my shoulders. "I know, but see, I don't think anything will happen anyway. Unless you're the cheatin kind. Apparently, were dating."
Fuck! Ryan must have told him what I said. I groan. "Oh, shit. Here we go again."
He chuckles and starts singing in this really deep voice. It's actually sexy. Until I recognize the song and promptly burst out laughing again. "Does she love you? Does she love you? Like she's been loving me?"
We're both laughing now and I expect him to be running out of material soon, but he keeps going. "Can't you just picture it? Me and him battling it out? Our very own sing off?"
And that image has me cracking up all over again. I slap his knee, but it's a half-assed gesture. "Stop it!" I say, but I can't help it when my head droops down to his shoulder and I start to relax into him. Maybe he's not so bad. Well, sometimes that is.
And he's definitely jealous.
(still Haleys POV)
After like half an hour of kidding around, I gave Nathan a push toward the bathroom and told him to take a shower. I can't help it if he smelled like sweat. So now, he's in there and I'm in here all alone, thinking how ironic it would be if I took his clothes. But I decide not to since we're actually OK right now. Cause who knows how long that will last?
He steps out of the bathroom (shirtless, in case you were wondering) just as his cell phone rings. Grabbing it as he starts looking for something, he punches the on button, "Hello?"
I roll my eyes and go to look in the bathroom and, sure enough, there's his shirt on the floor. I can hear muffled talking coming from the room. "Dude, are you OK? What's wrong?"
Walking back out, I hand him his shirt and he nods his thanks. "Yeah, she's right here," he's saying and takes the phone from his ear. "It's Tim," he whispers. "You might want to be nice to him. He sounds really upset."
I roll my eyes and take the phone from him. "Hello?" I hear sniffling coming from the other end and have to bite my lip to keep from laughing. Is he crying? "Tim?"
Then, I hear a sob. Holy shit, he is! "Haley?" he chokes out.
I grin and cough to cover up my laughter. "Yeah, it's me."
"Why do you hate me so much?" he sobs.
I'm shaking with silent laughter now. "I don't hate you, Tim."
"Well, it sure as hell seems like it!" he shouts, then immediately starts crying again. "I just want to know why I'm not good enough. Was it something I said? Maybe something that happened when we were little that I don't remember? I really didn't know any better when I was stealing your barbies, I swear! Please forgive me, Haley!"
I sigh. "Tim, I_"
But then, he's cutting me off. "No! You know what?! I shouldn't have to ask for your forgiveness! I never did anything to you. Not a single damn thing, you hear me? I don't deserve all this shit from you!"
Now, thatpisses me off. "Excuse me? Am I just imagining all those times you came on to me? Or the times you tried to convince me to play seven minutes in heaven? Or that time you felt me up? Or how about the time you got me wasted and tried to take advantage of me? That's not reason enough to hate you?!"
"Well, fine!" he screams. "Hate me then! See if I care!"
"Well, OK then," I grit out, ready to end the conversation.
"No, wait, Haley, I didn't mean it," he cries out. "Please don't go," he begs.
But I don't even feel bad as I punch the end button. I scream in frustration and slam Nathans phone back into his hand. Then, I storm toward the door. He grabs my arm. "Haley, wait."
"Don't touch me right now," I yell and he flinches away. I feel a small pang of guilt, but decide not to focus on it. I charge down the hall and outside, pacing around. I'm trying to work off my anger, but it's not really working.
Then, I hear a guy's voice behind me. "Haley?"
I turn around to see Ryan's friend from yesterday. Shit! What was his name again? I smile. "Yeah, hey."
"So, what's the matter? Fight with your boyfriend?" he asks carefully.
I laugh and wave my hand. "Oh, him? We're not together anymore."
The guy grins. "Well, Ryan will be happy to hear that." Then, he leans closer. "He can't stop talking about you," he confesses.
I raise an eyebrow. "Really?"
He laughs. "Yeah, come on. I'll walk you to him."
I grin and follow him as he leads me into the registration area. And there's Ryan behind the desk. He really is pretty good looking. Not as good looking as Nathan, of course, but who says you can't settle for second best? I smile as he and his friend say hi. Then his friend walks off, leaving us alone. I hop up onto the counter and dangle my legs in front of him. "So..." I start.
He grins. "So... where's your boyfriend?"
I smile back and lean a little closer. "Who cares?"
His grin widens and he takes a few steps toward me, putting his hands on my hips and resting between my legs. His lips have barely touched mine when I hear an all too familiar voice. I look up and Nathan's standing over us on the counter top. Ryan looks pissed, but I'm already laughing as I realize what he's doing. "Does she love you? Does she love you? Like she's been loving me?"
He keeps singing and Ryan's glaring at him as he starts to draw a crowd. Some woman in her forties whistles and throws a dollar at him. He winks at her and pockets the change as he keeps singing. I laugh and kiss Ryan's cheek, sliding off the counter and away from him. "See you later," I wave at him and he stares incredulously as I join Nathan on top of the counter. I smile as he pulls me to him. I give him a long kiss, then start tugging on his hand. "Come on, let's get out of here," I giggle, pulling him down as the onlookers start booing.
He grins as I drag him after me. "But you're disappointing my audience, Hales," he pretends to pout.
I give him a quick kiss and he's smiling once more as he starts singing again, changing the words around. "She loves me, more than she loves you..."
I laugh at his antics. "Are you drunk?"
He grins and shakes his head, putting his arm around my waist and pulling me beside him. Dropping a kiss on my head, he laughs. "No, just a damn good actor."
I laugh and put my own arm around him as we head back to our room.
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Nathans POV:
We sit there for awhile and I keep making her laugh. It's nice really. Us getting along. Then, she sends me to the shower. Apparently, I don't smell pretty. Well, buy me some fucking perfume then. But I'm not really that upset. We're kind of in this shaky place in our relationship. And I know that any second now, we'll go right back to bitching at each other, so I'm just trying to make the most of it. And she better be grateful cause it's not something I do often. With anyone.
When I finish, I dry off and get dressed. But my shirt's not there. Oh well, must have left it in the room. So, I go out and the first thing I hear is my phone ringing. I look at the caller ID. Can't he ever just leave me the fuck alone?! I thought girls were the ones who talked all the time. But I answer it anyway cause he'll just keep calling if I don't. "Hello?"
All I can hear on the other end is someone blowing their nose. Is he crying again? I swear, what is this? The sixth time this month? "Dude, are you OK? What's wrong?"
He sniffs. "I'll be fine, I was just thinking about something and got a little upset."
Oh, Lord. "What were you thinking about?"
He sniffs again. "Nothing really. Hey, is Haley there?"
"Yeah, she's right here," I say, taking my shirt from her hands. Then I cover the mouthpiece with my hand and whisper to her, "It's Tim. You might wanna be nice to him. He sounds really upset."
She rolls her eyes, but takes the phone from me nevertheless. "Hello?" She smiles and bites at her lips. Shit. She better not start laughing. That'll just make him even more crazy. "Tim?" she asks.
I can't hear what he's saying, but she's trying to hide her laughter with a cough. Then I hear her say, "Yeah, it's me."
I can't really hear what he's saying, but I can tell he's still crying. And she's trying really hard to hold in her laughter now. Her face is red and she's shaking. "I don't hate you, Tim," I hear her saying and roll my eyes. Jesus, how pathetic can he get?
Then he's yelling and all I can hear is something about being young and stealing barbies. What the fuck?! Haley sighs and tries to talk over him. "Tim, I_"
But apparently he's not having that as he starts screaming again. Damn. Must run in the family cause I don't know anyone else who can get that loud that fast. Apparently, he's saying something he shouldn't because she's stopped laughing and she's getting that look in her eyes. The one that says, I'm pissed, it's your fault, and I'm about to screw you over big time. Yes, I've come to know and respect that look. Or, well, at least know it. Shit. Now, she's screaming. How the hell am I supposed to get rid of my headache now?
"Excuse me? Am I just imagining all those times you came on to me? Or the times you tried to convince me to play seven minutes in heaven? Or that time you felt me up? Or how about the time you got me wasted and tried to take advantage of me? That's not reason enough to hate you?!" Ouch. She told him. I wouldn't be surprised if he went back to his corner and cried again. The boy needs to grow some balls.
She waits for him to finish yelling before she talks again. "Well, OK then," she clenches her teeth.
I can hear him saying something on the other end, but she's already hanging up. And she looks pissed. Wow, I'm glad it's not directed at me this time. She looks like she could kill someone. She screams and throws my phone back at me. Then, she's stomping toward the door. I grab her arm. Where is she going? "Haley, wait."
But she turns to me with that pissed off look in her eye and screams, "Don't touch me right now!" and I know when to back off. I sigh and rub at my head as I watch her go. Then, I quickly decide I should follow her and make sure she doesn't do anything stupid. So, I sneak quietly out the door just in time to see her whirling around the corner. So, I jog toward her and turn the corner carefully. She's just gone outside and the door's slamming shut behind her. I wince. Damn these loud noises.
She's pacing back and forth and throwing her arms up like a madwoman. I can't help it. I smile.
Then, some guy walks up and starts talking to her and she's smiling. Damn it! Where the hell are all these guys coming from? I'm not used to competition. Except they're not. Competition, that is. Well, not really... but she's following him now and I have no choice but to creep outside and watch as he leads her into another building. I move a little closer so I can watch what's happening. Great. That's just fucking great. He's taking her to the Ryan kid. Little fucker.
Then pretty boy leaves and she's left with the little fucker himself. She jumps onto the counter and faces him. They seem to be talking. They're both smiling and they seem to be getting closer. I know what's going to happen next. I've done the same thing a million times. But much more smoothly if I do say so myself. But no time to think about that. He's putting his hands on her.
Time to act. I spring up from my place and rush into the building. And just as they kiss, I jump up on the counter and start belting out our song. It's kind of a spontaneous thing, but it just seems to fit. "Does she love you? Does she loves you? Like she's been loving me?"She immediately looks up at me and I can see her laughing as I continue to sing.
I can see the little fucker glaring at me and it only makes me sing louder. I look out at the crowd I'm drawing and grin. What can I say? I'm definitely a people person. Some older woman tosses a dollar at me and I gladly take it, winking at her. No harm done.
Then Haley's saying bye to Fucker and climbing up on the counter next to me. She's smiling as I grab her arm and pull her to me. She gives me a long, hard kiss and I gladly return it. Then, she grabs my hand and tugs me off of the counter as my fans start booing her. "Come on, let's get out of here," she giggles.
"But you're disappointing my audience, Hales," I pout and wave at them when she looks away for a second. She kisses me quickly and I smile again as I improvise my own little song. "She loves me, more than she loves you..."
She laughs at me. "Are you drunk?" she asks.
And I grin cheekily down at her. "No, just a damn good actor."
I bring her to my side and slip an arm around her waist, kissing the top of her head as she laughs and wraps her arm around me too. She looks up at me and smiles. "I'll say."
I hug her closer to me. "Well, I couldn't have done it without you." Then, I break into song again. "Did you ever know that you're my hero..."
She cuts me off with a short kiss and smiles. "Don't ever sing again, OK?"
I laugh. "Why? Does it make your heart beat faster?"
She rolls her eyes and bumps her hip against me playfully. "Oh yeah, it just gives me chills."
I kiss her cheek. "Aw, really? That's just so sweet," I mock her.
She snorts. "The kind you get when someone scratches their nails down a chalk board."
I shake my head at her. "That was not nice, Haley. Not nice at all."
She opens the door to our room as we reach it and pulls me in after her. "It's a harsh world out there, Nate. You've gotta learn sometime."
I laugh. "Well, you'd be the one to teach me."
She rolls her eyes. "Whatever."
I fall back onto the bed and she falls back next to me. I look over at her and smile. "You know what?"
"What?"
"We should leave."
She sits up and furrows her eyebrows. "What? Why? You don't want to stay here anymore?" I shake my head and she nudges me. "Oh, come on. Ryan, Jamie, Kaitlin, how much funner can you get?"
I roll my eyes. "Oh yeah, they're just a bundle of joy disguised as a death threat." She laughs and I feel slightly insulted as I continue. "No, I'm serious, any time I get near them I just want to strangle myself."
She gives me an exaggerated pout. "Aw, poor baby. Maybe you should try slitting your wrists first. I hear it's a lot more accurate."
I wince. "OK, I did not need that picture."
She laughs. "Doesn't bother me."
I give her an incredulous look. "You cannot be serious." She just shrugs and I shiver. "Now, that's just gross. Not to mention disturbing."
Then, she laughs. "I'm kidding. I hate knives."
I sigh in mock relief. "Good, I'd hate to think I've been living with a serial killer."
She rolls her eyes. "You look more like one than I do."
I scoff. "Please, I'll tell you who looks like a serial killer. That Jamie guy."
She laughs and sputters out a, "What?!"
I nod vigorously. "No, really. He's demented. He tries to act all innocent and gay and the next thing you know, you're dead. I bet Kaitlin helps him hide the bodies."
She groans and slaps me. "Ew, that's disgusting."
I shrug. "Doesn't bother me."
She laughs and slaps me again. "You're so bad to me."
I grin at her. "You love it."
She sticks her tongue out at me, then sighs. "Well, I guess, if you really want to... we can find somewhere else to stay."
"Yes!" I pump my fist in the air, then reach over to give her a hug. "I'm ready when you are."
"Tsk, tsk. So eager. You know, it really doesn't become you."
I roll my eyes and jump off the bed, pulling her with me. "Whatever, let's go." The sooner we leave, the better. I've never had to work this hard to keep a girl's attention. In fact, I only have to work this hard to get rid of them.
She sighs. "Alright, well, we just have to check out and pay." I'm already by the door. What the hell is she waiting for? I'm not changing my mind. She sighs again. "You know, I'm actually gonna kind of miss this place." Well boo freaking hoo. Now, can we leave? But I don't say that cause I know it would make her mad.
Finally, she joins me at the door. I put an arm around her and lead her out, locking the door behind us. I keep trying to hurry her up, but she won't go any faster. When we finally get to the registration area, Ryan's still there. And he's still pissed. He sneers at us. "So, happy couple back together again?"
Haley's about to say something, but I speak over her. "Yeah, got a problem with that?" She looks up at me, surprised, but I'm still glaring threateningly at Ryan. He quickly shakes his head and starts ringing us up.
She smiles shyly up at me and I lean down to kiss her. But I get a little carried away and, before I realize what I'm doing, I have her backed up against the counter. I put my hands on either side of her to brace us as her hands move to my hair. But the stupid little fucker has to go ruin it. He clears his throat obnoxiously. "Its $150.00," he tells us.
What the hell?! They charge $50.00 a night? It's so not worth it. But I just give him a smug smile and give Haley one more long kiss, then reach in my pocket for my wallet, keeping an arm around her. But I open it up and it's empty and I realize she still has the money. "The money, babe?"
"Oh yeah," she starts and reaches into her pocket. Her hand comes up empty. "Uhhh..."
I pull her aside for a minute. "What's wrong?"
She looks kind of panicked. "I think we lost the money?"
"What?!" I hiss out.
She nods miserably. "I don't know where it is."
Shit!
And there it is. Only took me four years. Sorry, too soon to joke about it? As I've said a few times now, I seriously am so sorry about not updating for so long. And I will do my damndest to make sure that it is only a matter of days (weeks at most) between updates from now on. Thank you so much to everyone who was so loyal to this story. And (wow does it feel weird -but good- to be doing this again), here are some spoilers:
-How much will Ryan absolutely not care that Haley and Nathan have misplaced their money?
-What will Nathan do to set Haley off this time?
-How will the two lovebirds escape?