Chapter 12b

"If there is a 50-50 chance that something can go wrong, then 9 times out of ten it will." – Paul Harvey

Nathan had just survived the longest night of his life. And strangely it had nothing to do with basketball or sex, usually the only things he'd be willing to lose sleep over.

He certainly never expected to ever stay up all night rocking a baby.

A baby for Christ's sake!

He was only 16, he wasn't supposed to be anywhere near babies for at least another 30 years. He figured by the time he was nearing 50 he would've ran out of excuses with Lucas to avoid spending time with his nephews (had to be nephews, Scotts seemed incapable of producing girls). He knew one thing for sure after last night. He really did have new-found respect for Jake. The guy had to go through that all the time. Nathan had no clue how he did it, and still managed to stay up to date on school work, basketball, hanging out with friends, and generally just being calm, funny, mild-mannered Jake.

And he always thought he had a lot to deal with. All he had was Dan and basketball. He wasn't in charge of a whole (albeit tiny) human being. That needed and depended on him for everything. Seeing the way Jake handled Jenny last night really opened his eyes to how much his friend dealt with, and on a daily basis. He felt shattered after one night, how many days and nights had Jake gone through feeling like this? Nathan recalled a lot of times where Jake had to cancel on practice or hanging out with the group last minute. He also remembered feeling annoyed with his friend a little, and ribbing him out on never being around anymore. And after seeing firsthand what a fraction of his life was like last night, Nathan Scott felt ashamed of himself.

On reaching his door and twisting the knob he made a vow to himself.

He vowed that he would help out his friend a hell of a lot more than he had been.

Not having even finished the thought, it was immediately replaced with another one once his door was open.

"Hi Nathan"

"Rachel...what..." the hell are you doing in my room?

Of course all speech and thoughts died when he realised she was sitting there on his bed, staring at him...

...completely naked.

"Soooo..."

Haley chuckled. "Brooke just ask, being discreet is not your forte"

"Oh yay!" She jumped down onto the bed Haley had been in the process of making. "Are you gonna get with Nathan already?"

"Well when you put it that way..." she rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on Haley," she followed her roommate round to the bathroom. "I haven't got any action in ages, I have to live through you!"

"Have to?"

"Do you know how sad that is?"

"Unfortunately, I do."

"So when are you going to see him? Are you busy now? You could go now?"

Haley almost laughed at the hopeful expression on Brooke's face.

"You really haven't had any action lately have you?"

"Noooo," Brooke flopped down on the bed, defeated. "The most interaction I've had with any guy lately was that pathetic stop by at Lucas' place for my stuff."

"So ever since you've broken up with Lucas...the most male interaction you've had since...is with Lucas?"

Brooke looked like she was going to cry.

"Hey, it's ok-"

"Ok?!" she looked suddenly furious. "How is that ok Haley?"

Haley winced; she'd used her actual name. That didn't sound good.

"I haven't been with a guy since Lucas! Do you know how sad that is? I'm sitting here like some kind of nun while god knows how many sluts he's been banging!"

Haley crinkled her nose. That was not imagery she needed.

"What am I waiting around for exactly? I'm young, I'm hot, I'm great in bed, I'm hot-"

"You already said that"

"I'm THAT hot Haley! And I'm just wasting all this time, when I could be having great sex with so many hot guys,"

"Er...how many are we talking exactly?"

"As many as I want!"

"Huh...don't know whether that's one point for feminism, or for sluttiness..."

"Feminism Haley! He can go around whoring it up whoever he likes, and straight after we broke up as well...not to mention before that too. So why the double standard? I should be allowed to go around whoring it up too"

"Huh, so now you're a slut with a principle?"

"Oh shut up!"

With that she flopped down onto her bed, arms crossed, silently fuming at her roommate. Haley just stared back, arms crossed, still standing. For the next few moments neither said a word and just kept it up. And a few moments after that Haley smirked, Brooke raised an eyebrow and just like that they both burst out laughing.

"You're such a cow"

"You're a whore!"

"Not yet!"

"I have faith don't worry"

Cue the pillows started flying.

Haley turned the corner on her way to Nathan's room. She hadn't seen him since the day before and the more she kept putting it off the more she got anxious about it.

Sure they kissed, they really kissed! She still felt flushed just thinking about it. There may be a lot of things people said about Nathan Scott – playboy, star athlete, man whore, golden boy...god knows the list was endless...but one thing that was definitely right was fantastic kisser.

She let out a dreamy sigh...

...and then frowned at what she just did.

Last time she checked, she was not that type of girl. She didn't do 'dreamy sighs' and certainly not over one kiss. Hell maybe her first one but certainly not now.

She reached his door and stopped walking. Instead of knocking, she just stared. She was nervous, her stomach all up in knots, her fingers felt jittery, her head was spacing out on that kiss every few seconds, and she kept letting out these pointless sighs! Pointless dreamy sighs.

She needed to get it together.

This was no way to go see Nathan in. She needed to be cool, calm and collected. Not a jumpy, uneasy mess. And definitely not some kind of barely-there daydreaming twit! Besides she could already see how confident and together Nathan was going to be. That guy seemed to have game 24/7, and not just on the court!

"Well that's definitely one way to put it."

Haley's eyes bugged. That wasn't supposed to be said out loud!

"Guess I don't have to ask what's on your mind" Peyton eyed the door Haley had been staring at, "or who."

"You weren't supposed to hear that"

Peyton laughed, "I won't tell don't worry. God knows Nathan doesn't need an even bigger ego than the one he has"

Haley returned her smile. Though the knots were still ever present in her gut. She could practically feel them getting nice and comfortable in there, setting up lots of little knot families, with knot houses and electing a freaking knot mayor!

"Haley, you ok?"

She shook her head.

"Is this about the kiss?"

Seeing her shocked look, Peyton elaborated. "Brooke just called me and told me what happened. She wanted me to check you weren't freaking out since I live just round the corner..."

Makes sense. The dorms were arranged alphabetically so figures Peyton Sawyer would be set right near the Scott brothers. She vaguely wondered what Brooke must feel about that, Peyton must've have been close at hand to Lucas the whole of last year while he was with Brooke.

"...to be honest I'm not surprised you kissed him. Just surprised you held out this long."

"Hey!"

"Woah, not saying you're a slut" Peyton stuck her hands up in a ridiculous pose

"Just saying that despite his overbearingly cocky jackass ways...the man is hot."

"Peyton, are you ok?"

"Hey! I may not be into the album, but it doesn't mean I can't check out the cover."

And that did it.

Haley started laughing.

They both ended up leaning on the wall opposite the dreaded door she'd been staring at.

"You know, I happen to know for a fact that he likes you."

Haley looked down not sure what to say.

"And I know for a fact you like him too...and his game apparently" She quipped.

Haley snorted.

"So just go knock on the door and deal with the fact that you both like each other." She straightened up and added, "Either way I'm right round the corner"

With that she left.

Haley straightened up and stared at the door again. This was it, she was going to man the hell up and face him. She was going to tell him she liked him, and that she knew he liked her. And then she was going to kiss him again.

And probably kiss him some more.

She smiled – there was a plan. She was good with plans, always had been. It was what made her such a great tutor.

Raising her hand to knock on the door, she was startled when it flew open itself. Or not by itself as it were...

Haley stood shocked. A shirtless Nathan was standing there equally shocked. And in between them was Nathan's missing shirt...on one conniving, looking way-too-happy with herself redhead.

"Well isn't this awkward," she Rachel smirked.

Haley just turned and walked away, ignoring Nathan call after her.

She was too busy trying desperately not to think about how the Nathan's shirt had been the same one he was wearing from yesterday.

Or how it seemed to be the only thing Rachel Gatina was wearing.