It's been a while but hopefully the chapter itself will make up for it! Enjoy :)

Chapter 14

"I'm coming to get you, There won't be no issues, You're gonna be mine, You're gonna be mine girl," – Diggy Simmons

Haley frowned.

Odd since most girls in her position would be elated. Most girls would be flicking their hair or puckering their lips or hell – even flipping cartwheels just to be in this position.

Nathan Scott was standing across the room, surrounded by an entire basketball team hooting and hollering. The only thing is, he was ignoring all the craziness around him and entirely focused on her.

He was staring. Eyes gleaming. Smiling. At her.

Ignoring the insane fluttering in her stomach questioning why exactly this was a bad thing, she turned to focus her attention elsewhere. Anywhere that wasn't Nathan Scott.

Except through no fault of her own, her eyes slowly pulled back onto him.

He smirked.

Knowingly.

God dammit!

She huffed. He'd been doing this for a week now. Ever since she decided to essentially 'freeze him out' without him knowing that was what she was doing, he'd done everything to make that virtually impossible!

How that even made sense, she had no idea. It had been her idea to close off to the escalating situation with her and the cocky jock. She had decided that going down that road was not a good idea, was bound to cause her unnecessary drama, and sure to end in tears. Subconsciously she knew she wasn't giving him a fair chance considering she couldn't predict that was how things would turn out, but she felt it a fair idea to steer clear of a guy who had just got out of a long term relationship only a month ago.

Though Brooke did say it wasn't really a relationship. Just sex.

She scrunched her nose at that.

She had never been one to consider just sex as any kind of relationship, but apparently Nathan Scott had.

And that was EXACTLY why she had to stop this thing between them.

They were too different. She did relationships, he did booty calls. She went with her heart, he went with his hormones. She was a full on geek, he was a charming as hell jock. She was just Haley James. He was Nathan freakin Scott.

He had a lot more experience than her in this department. But she was sure that if she made it clear that she wasn't interested, he'd get over it (whatever 'it' was) and move on. But if anything, this past week, he'd been even more persistent than before!

He was suddenly showing up everywhere she went. EVERYWHERE. Her dorms, the courts, the benches where she liked to read, the food court where they always 'happened' to have lunch together, conveniently managing to walk her to every class, showing up at the tutor centre, committing hours into the library…Brooke even had to throw him out of cheerleading practice…twice. It was like he suddenly had an internal GPS tracking system on her whereabouts.

And then there was the flirting. Dear GOD the flirting. Every second in his company she was treated to his smouldering gaze, his flirty smirks, his bedroom eyes – not to mention that absolutely adorable smile he'd get when she would somehow say something that he actually found funny. And the most irritating thing of all was that it was all working!

She didn't have a clue as to why he was suddenly turning the heat up, but all of a sudden she was being treated to Courtship By Nathan Scott: How To Irresistibly Woo The Opposite Sex Into Jumping His Bones. She was trying – she really was. But all those feelings she was trying to dampen, to flatten out and beat down; they were just rising right to the surface. Practically choking her with the unresolved sexual tension of it all.

Brooke and Peyton were loving it, obviously.

Apparently they'd never seen Nathan work so hard for something that wasn't basketball-related.

Looks like she broke him.

Go figure.

At this point she really didn't think she could handle one more second in his company without completely succumbing to-

-did he just give her the nod?

Her jaw dropped as he swiftly inclined his head in her direction, sharing an amused look on his face when he didn't drop his gaze from hers once as he strode out with his teammates.

Feeling a sudden urge to water herself down with the nearest hose, she'd had enough. She had to get him off her back somehow! But how to do it?

Thinking hard, she hadn't even noticed the body she'd bumped into until she almost fell from the impact.

Dammit, graceful much James?

Glancing up to apologise she was startled to see a familiar face.

"Ryan?"

"Hey James" he smiled, looking every bit the tanned, tousle haired Californian hottie Brooke liked to refer to him as. "Good thing I bumped into you. Was wondering when you were finally going to get round to calling me"

He smiled charmingly.

She smiled back.

Oh yeah, she had an idea alright.

"So you guys won the game. My girls kicked cheer ass and looked fabulous doing it. How are we going to go celebrate?"

Brooke was hyped up and wanting to have some fun. Truthfully it didn't have everything to do with the game, and more so with Lucas giving her weird broody stares throughout the entire thing. She'd been feeling edgy since they'd met and given each other's things back, and he really wasn't helping things now.

"Yo – party at Marcus' place peeps!"

"We're not you're peeps you moron"

Brooke rolled her eyes as Tim continued to hustle as many people together to get going, in whatever form of English he decided was appropriate.

"Brooke, you coming?"

Nathan gave her a weird look noticing her space out a little as Lucas smiled and walked past. Shrugging it off with a smile she just grabbed his hand and pulled him along.

"Come on Scott, people are going to be throwing a fit if YOU of all people don't show up."

"Doubt it…how comes Jake can get away with not showing up and I have to"

"Because Jake didn't make the winning shot in the game, and he's too nice to force things on"

"Hey! I'm nice!"

"Sure sure, you're a regular Prince Charming" Brooke snorted

"Course I am. Just ask Haley" he smirked thinking of the fun he would have with her at the party. She'd give in eventually, he just knew it.

"Yeah well conveniently for you she's not around to prove you wrong"

He frowned. He hadn't actually spotted her after the game. Usually she'd be right with Brooke. "Where is she?"

"Oh she's not coming"

"Huh?" Not coming? "She's a cheerleader, why wouldn't she come?"

Brooke started at his sudden commanding tone. "She had better things to do"

"Like what?!"

"Like a date." She smarted and walked off. It seemed a little cruel but no guy, not even Nathan friggin Scott got to talk to her like that.

"A date." He gritted.

Oh that was so not gonna happen.

He jogged to catch up with Brooke, apologise and get as much information on this so-called date as he could get out of her.

Haley was surprisingly enjoying herself.

She was sitting with Ryan in an ice cream parlour for their date. It was laidback and casual - very Ryan as she was starting to understand. They were both still in their respective game uniforms, something she knew he appreciated if the way he kept eyeing her cheerleading skirt was any indication. They talked quite freely; he was funny and charming and she genuinely enjoyed the conversation.

But…she just wasn't feeling it.

And she hated that she couldn't.

For some unknown reason, despite the fact that she was on a date with a very attractive guy, who was great in all the right places; she wasn't feeling a spark. That pull…the appeal…the way her heart should be fluttering and butterflies should be stampeding all over the place inside her.

Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

And she didn't need a shrink to figure out what was wrong.

She had her mind on someone else. Someone who made her feel all those things with just one look, one word, one smirk. She was crushing hard on Nathan Scott, and apparently her mind wouldn't let her forget it.

And she wasn't the only one who'd figured it out.

"You're really not feeling this are you?"

She looked guiltily at Ryan, who seemed to be staring right back with more understanding than she expected.

"I'm sorry, I'm really really sorry," she gushed, "I thought I was, I mean – I do like you, you're an amazing guy-"

"This is true," he joked, smiling down at her.

"Yeah, god I don't know what's wrong with me!" She laughed awkwardly. She felt like such an idiot, and she wasn't really making sense at the moment.

"Well I'm guessing like the movie says, you're just not that into me" he smirked.

It was a cute smirk. But it wasn't THE smirk.

She laughed. "Like I said, I don't know what the hell's wrong. You're exactly the kind of guy I should be into"

"Oh Haley, you can't force these things. You either like me or you don't. Fact is, I like you, but I don't want to date you unless you want to date me back."

He wasn't rude or obnoxious or in any way patronising her. He was just stating fact and being a right gentleman about the situation. What was wrong with her that she couldn't like a guy like this? Why is it she had to go liking the biggest flirt on campus instead?

"Besides, I'm guessing a lot of guys on campus are used to playing second fiddle to Nathan Scott." He observed her reaction carefully.

Great. She'd been made.

She sighed. "Is it that obvious?"

"No…only if you have eyes"

"Hey!"

She flicked some of her ice cream at him. His laughter gave way to shock at the thought that anyone would waste ice cream, which only served to start another round of flicking ice cream and laughter. All the while, only a few metres away a pair of startling blue eyes were watching the interaction over the top of a brightly coloured menu.

Nathan was pissed. Who the hell does he think he is?

"Nathan!" Ignoring the muffled squeaking behind him he carried on staring at the scene before him. "Nathan stop it – seriously!" He grunted when Brooke's elbow hit his gut.

"What the fuck Brooke?"

"Don't give me that crap. You're the one that kidnapped me!"

"Fucking dramatic much?"

"And you made us both miss the after party to our winning game."

"Don't worry you can do a drunk strip tease on a table at the next one"

"That was ONCE"

"Yeah once too much…"

"Like you can talk Mr-Streak-through-the-Quad-on-parent's-night!"

"Hey, your mum enjoyed that"

"This is pathetic! You dragged me here so we could sit here and spy on Haley's date over a pair of menus. You're acting like a psycho stalker!"

"And you're a goddamn harpy. Could you be any louder? They could hear us."

"Wow, Nathan, this is a new low. Even for you"

"Go Brooke yourself"

"Oh you did not just go there!"

"Will you shut up?"

"Make me you psycho creep!"

"Gladly you crazy bitch!"

"Excuse ME!" They both looked up to see a waitress standing there waiting with a notepad and pen. "If you guys want to order something then can you do so now, or if you'd like to carry on with this lover's spat, I'm going to have to ask you to take it outside."

Both brunettes got equal looks of repulsion at the thought of being mistaken for lovers.

"Nathan? Brooke?"

Their faces dropped. Brooke being the first to recover pasted a winning smile on her face. "Haley! Fancy seeing you here" Nathan was too busy fixating on the dickhead who was currently in the midst of wiping some chocolate ice cream off Haley's face.

With his hand.

Seeing the weird look on her roommate and her date's faces, Brooke immediately looped her arm through Nathan's, who was still staring.

"What are you talking about? You're the one that recommended this place." Haley gave her a weird look. "And what are you guys doing here, weren't you going to the party?" Haley still couldn't get over the bizarre picture of Nathan and Brooke together. In the booth right next to them. Together. Brooke was wearing the biggest fake smile she'd seen on the girl. And Nathan looked like he wanted to shoot somebody.

What the hell is going on?

"Oh yeah, but we changed our minds, felt like getting a little fresh air – see the sights…you know" the bubbly brunette trailed off.

Ryan frowned. "Are you guys on a date?"

Haley looked at him like he was crazy. As did Brooke. So did Nathan. And the waitress.

"Yes!"

"You are?" Ryan's eyebrows shot up.

Haley snapped back over towards Brooke. "You are?"

Nathan looked at Brooke like she was possessed, "We are?!" he whispered furiously

"Since when?" Haley glanced at them suspiciously.

"Oh you know, twenty minutes ago. We've just been dancing around each other for so long, I figured it was time we finally went for it" She looked up at Nathan, "Right Natey?"

He looked at her like she needed to be committed. "Brooke what are yo-Oomf!" Another hit to the gut…lovely. "-you talking about? It hasn't been that long"

"Please, you've been meaning to ask me out ever since you laid eyes on me"

"Right. I have."

"You have?" the waitress seemed doubtful.

"Huh I would never have figured," Ryan looked at the two of them. "I thought you were dating his brother, Lucas"

"You were?" They all stared at the waitress, who just waved them off to continue.

"Yeah, we broke up"

"And now you're dating the other brother?"

"The better brother" Nathan added, almost threateningly, while flashing Haley a grin.

"And you guys decided you finally wanted to go on your first date. Here. And now" Haley deadpanned. These two are so dead. She had no idea what was really going on, but she knew it sure as hell wasn't a date.

"Right where we happened to be." She looked Brooke dead in the eye, while the brunette looked anywhere but at her face.

"Well you know when the timings right, its right. And guess fate just brought all us happy couples together tonight" Man Brooke could bullshit.

"Happy is not the word I'd use…" the waitress muttered.

"Huh, well guess you're over Haley then?" Ryan looked at Nathan, who blanched.

As did Brooke. As did Haley.

"Whose Haley?" The waitress was confused. Haley lifted her hand and the waitress blanched. "Oh…"

"Over Haley?" Nathan tried to play it off, "I was never under her"

The waitress's eyebrows shot up.

Ryan smirked.

Haley face palmed.

Brooke just muttered, "Not for your lack of trying"

"What was that honey?" Nathan gritted.

"Nothing sweetie"

There was that fake smile again. Haley was officially clueless as to what was going on. And was three seconds away from slapping sense into all three of them. Including Ryan, what was he playing at?

"Sorry mate, heard rumours around, you know how it is," he nodded at Nathan. He then took hold of Haley's hand and brought it up for a kiss "glad to hear it though, I don't particularly like sharing"

'What are you doing?' she mouthed inconspicuously

'Just play along' he mouthed back

Haley had no idea what the game was but didn't say anything. She had no idea what she would say at this point.

"Huh, getting really touchy feely there aren't you Saunders?"

Nathan's mouth was in a thin hard line. His eyes gleamed almost predatorily, Haley had seen looks similar on the discovery channel when lions would hunt down gazelles. Which seemed appropriate since he was looking right now at Ryan like he would happily tear him limb from limb.

She remembered seeing that look on his face once before. In the tutoring centre when she had just given her number to the guy sitting opposite her now.

He was jealous.

Really jealous. She noted the clenched fists, the gritted teeth, the eyes sending out death rays at his 'opponent'. God, he looked hot. She felt a thrill jolt through her just taking him in. It was wrong and she really shouldn't be thinking that way considering the messed up situation they were in. But the fact that Nathan Scott would go all alpha-male possessive over her; it was exhilarating.

"Can't help it. My girl's pretty hot."

Oh crap.

He'd said it. Nathan heard it.

Pin drop silence for a second.

And then…

There was a loud bang as Nathan's fists met the table before he pushed himself up. "She's not your girl" he practically growled at Ryan.

"She'd not yours either," Ryan stood up matching Nathan toe to toe.

Haley's eyes popped. Brooke's jaw dropped. And the damn waitress stood there, her eyes glued to the scene looking like she was caught in between seeing what happened next and running off to get popcorn.

"Besides, shouldn't you be more concerned with your date?" Ryan indicated the brunette sitting behind Nathan.

"She's not my date"

Everyone except Nathan stared at Brooke.

She rolled her eyes. "Guess I'm out"

She immediately opened the menu asking the waitress what was good on there. The waitress of course studiously ignored her now that she was no longer a part of the action in front of her.

Ryan chuckled. "So let me get this straight. You like Haley, but you came tonight with Brooke as a date. Only it turns out she's not your date, just your decoy while you spy on Haley – who is actually on a date with me?"

Nathan opened his mouth to argue but Brooke beat him to it, "pretty much"

He gave her a scathing look which she ignored as she continued to peruse the menu. Damn Davis! Acting like it was his idea to put on the stupid dating ruse in the first place.

"But I'm sure your interest in her is strictly friendly right? You're just being overprotective. Well you don't need to worry, she's in good hands"

Ryan smiled, it was clear to anyone that he was goading the basketball star.

Haley herself felt mortified at the thought that this because of her. Throw in that she was also angry at Nathan for gate-crashing her date, at Ryan for provoking him, and Brooke for taking part; not to mention kind of flattered that this was all because of her. She pretty much felt like an emotional basket case right now. Regardless, even she had to admit she wanted to hear what Nathan had to say. He'd been making the moves, and sending the signals for so long. And despite that she was the one that had cut this whole thing between them off, she was surprised that yet again he was the one here and pushing for them once again. Her self-restraint could only resist for so long, and she was anxious that his next move will be the make and break point between them.

Ryan turned back to Haley, indicating that they should leave.

"No."

They all turned at that. Brooke finally put down the menu.

Now things are heating up.

There was nothing better to Brooke Davis than juicy gossip. And in this case she was going to get the live edition. The waitress sat down next to her, both of them practically on the edge of their seats.

"Sorry?" Ryan acted confused but in actuality this was exactly what he'd been bracing for. He knew that Nathan and Haley were into each other. And from the little talk they had just before these two showed up, he knew that all they needed was a push. Haley seemed scared and Nathan needed the right incentive. And what was better incentive than another guy taking over his territory. Or in this case making the moves on his girl.

"I'm not here because I'm being overprotective. And I don't give a shit about you and your hands except that I want them the hell away from her"

"Oh my god" the waitress couldn't contain her excitement.

"Shhhh! It's getting good." Brooke stole a quick look at Haley and was surprised her friend hadn't stepped in and taken over yet. She was usually so feisty and independent, yet she looked like she was just sitting there in some kind of stupor.

"Then why are you here?"

Ok maybe I spoke a little soon. All their faces shifted to the blonde now rising from the booth.

"Haley-"

"No Nathan, don't give me any bullshit, don't spin things a different way. And forget the fact that Ryan or Brooke or anyone else is here"

"Hey!" Brooke just looked at the waitress, "what? I do have a name"

"Good for you…Millicent" she read.

"Call me Millie," she smiled and Brooke smiled back, "I'm Brooke"

"Oh I know" they both snickered bringing their attention back to the couple.

"Why. Are. You. Here?"

"Because you're meant to be here with me."

"I am?"

"Yes. You're meant to be with me. And I don't give a shit that you're here with some other idiot, but you're not supposed to be."

"And what makes you think you're the one I'm supposed to be with?"

He smiled. "Because I like you Haley James. Really like you. And you like me too. You're just too stubborn to let yourself. But that's ok if you won't," he walked over in front of her. She looked at him with a doe-like expression that he found just utterly adorable in that moment. Adorable. Right, he needed to locate his balls. Looking at her though, screw it. "Because I like you enough for both of us right now"

She looked into his eyes and saw nothing but determination. To be with her.

"Right answer."

The smile lit up his face.

And she smiled back.