Chapter 8
Summary: Haley decides where she is going to live. Reviews greatly appreciated!
"So Haley came back last night?"
"Yep.. Lucas and I found her already packing her stuff."
"So where is she now?" Peyton asked Brooke as they walked through the quad and took a seat at an empty table.
"With Principal Turner."
"Is she finished packing?"
"No, not yet. I'm going to help her after school."
"I can't believe what happened.."
"Yeah, tell me about it.. I still can't believe it… you should've our reactions.. though you can imagine how Nathan felt.."
"I bet, I can't believe it either.. did you see that mark Nathan had on his face." Peyton commented.
"Remind me never to get on Haley's bad side."
"Oh God, should I expect a bitch slap too?"
"What? Peyton .. you're delusional.. Haley loves you."
"That's why you've kept calling me Peyton Marie Sawyer… I was a bitch to Haley."
"You were not a bitch." Brooke responded and Peyton shot her a look.
"Ok, you were.. but Haley has bigger things on her mind right now.. I'm sure it's water under the bridge."
"What's under the bridge?" Haley asked, dropping a big pile of books down on the table and taking a seat.
"Haley, what're you doing? Did you like clean out your locker? You know you shouldn't be lifting so much with your bad shoulder."
"Yeah, I know .. will you help me carry the rest of this? My shoulder is a little sore." Haley took out a bottle of water and some medicine her doctor's prescribed.
"You know it." Brooke smiled.
"Yeah.. I'm here too if you need any help." Peyton chimed in.
"What bridge were you guys talking about? If it's Molina Bridge just outside town then you can help me out Peyton by jumping off it."
"Ohh, harsh tutorgirl.. maybe I should start calling you Peyton Marie Sawyer."
Haley took a sip of her water. "It's been a long day long day and it's only lunch… look Peyton if you want to help, you can come by after school and help us pack my things."
"Yeah.. I'll be there.. and I'm sorry I wasn't there much before .. I know I've been a bitch and the fact that you didn't call me out on it sooner really shows how big of a person you are."
"As long as that doesn't mean I'm fat then you're forgiven P. Sawyer besides it's too exhausting harboring a grudge.. and I'm definitely going to need my energy .. and you're timing is perfect too, the guys have basketball practice today and we can load all my stuff in your car and Brooke's." Peyton and Haley smiled at each other.
"Well why don't we wait until the guys get out of practice so that Lucas, Nathan .. and Peyton can move everything." Brooke stated.
"Brooke!" Peyton called out.
"What? You want to stay on Haley's good side, right.. you do remember that red mark on Nathan's face."
Haley rolled her eyes as the three of them shared a laugh. Haley was definitely going to need all her strength.
--
"Someone was on fire today." Lucas stated as he and Nathan were packing their things to go in the locker room.
"Well, let's just say I didn't want any grief from Whitey today so he would actually let us out on time."
"Someone's excited."
"Is it that obvious?" Nathan said laughing. "Come on, hurry up, the girls are waiting for us at the apartment."
"Just how much stuff does Haley have?"
"You'd be surprise.. now you ready?"
"Someone's in a rush."
"Well, it's not everyday my wife gets to move back in with me."
"Yeah.. I'm still wondering how that happened."
"It wasn't easy.." Nathan said as they walked out of the locker room.
--
Last Night"Like I said, I don't expect for you to suddenly forgive me and take me back, I know I messed up and I know that's it going to take more than saying I'm sorry or telling you how much I love you to make things right.. but you told me before you weren't going anywhere and I want to let you know that I'm not as well.. so what do you say.. stay?" He stood there for a moment, waiting for a reaction. Her eyes grew angry and before he knew it, she slapped him in the face.
"That was for treating me like crap!"
Nathan stood there shocked, and even more shocked when she slapped him again. She stood there looking furious.
"What was that for!?" Nathan called out.
"Well that one was cuz I felt like it. . . look Nathan you're right.. I need to leave for the right reasons and leaving because of you is certainly not it. I already left music and the tour behind me.. I always wanted to go to Stanford and I'd have a better shot if I stayed here in Tree Hill High instead of transferring mid year .. I won't let you take anything else from me."
Nathan was thrilled that she was going to stay in Tree Hill but her last statement put him back in his place and needless to say, the words hurt, but he took it anyway because he deserved it and more importantly, they were true. They stared at each other, each with a serious look on their faces. Tiredness was setting in for Haley, she didn't want to talk anymore about this. She knew she was being harsh but she couldn't help it.
"At least now I don't have to worry talking to Lucas and Brooke about leaving, lord knows they would've locked me up to keep me here." She tried to joke and put on a smile to lighten the atmosphere. She still had to drive back with him all the way back to Tree Hill.
Nathan smiled as he followed her out of the race track. The ride back was a little bit more pleasant than the ride in. Haley got on the phone with her parents and told her that she wasn't going to go back to Honey Grove. She cited college as the main reason and Nathan was glad, any excuse would do just as long as she didn't have to leave. Her parents were happy for her, they knew how much school meant to their daughter.
"So I was thinking that you should move in with me." Nathan said out of the blue.
Haley nearly choked on her own salvia. "And Lucas said you don't have a sense of humor."
"Haley, I'm serious."
"Yeah and so was I."
"Haley.." Nathan said a little frustrated. "I want you to move in with me."
"Did you not hear what I just said back there? No, Nathan I am not going to move in with you."
"Haley, just hear me out."
"Nathan, no! If we weren't so far away from Tree Hill, I'd tell you to pull over and let me out.. there are a million reasons why I can't and won't move in with you .. I don't think you want me to list them."
"No, you're right .. but will you at least let me tell you why."
Realizing that Nathan wasn't going to let this go, she sighed, "Fine go.. but my answer will still be no."
"We'll see about that." Nathan thought to himself. "First off, I know it must be cramped living there with Brooke."
"Two people can perfectly share that apartment Nathan or is your memory that short."
"Yeah, but did I have as much stuff as Brooke .. and then there's Lucas.. when he comes over and him and Brooke have to put out the scrunchy."
"Eww.. gross.. point taken but I'm still not moving in with you."
"Then there's your shoulder .. you need to sleep on a proper bed, not that air mattress Brooke has you on."
"First of all, it's not an air mattress and I'm sure Brooke won't mind me taking the bed until I heal."
"My place is bigger and you don't have to pay rent."
"I help Brooke out with the expenses.. Nathan no, how many times do I have to repeat myself?"
"Haley, I know you're I'm the last person you want to live with but it's not like we're going to be sharing the same bed.. I do have a guest room remember? .. and besides that house is all big and alone.. Now that the divorce is final, Dan lives in the beach house.. and my mom's in rehab.. the house was signed over to me, which technically makes the house yours."
"Nathan.. you shouldn't have."
"You're names already on the deed Haley, it's your house too .. you should live in it."
"When the divorce is finalized, you can keep my half."
"If we get a divorce…" Nathan corrected.
"Nathan"
"Haley."
"Are you going to let this go?"
"No, because you know I'm right.. I mean you'll finally have your own room and some privacy.. and believe me Brooke and Lucas are attached to the hip.. I don't know if you want to be in the apartment for that.. and I know how much a distraction Brooke can be, just think about it .. your own room."
Haley was tired, both physically and mentally, but her resolve was waning. As much as she didn't like having special treatment when she was in Honey Groove, she was glad that she had the guest room all to herself. The last time she had that level of privacy was right before she got married. "I don't know Nathan .. and I still can't believe you put my name there."
"Why no, besides if it was just my name, it'll automatically be your's too.. and I didn't list you down."
"Deb did?"
"No.. Dan actually."
"Dan?" Haley nearly choked again.
"Yeah when they finalized everything, my parents agreed to just put it under my name and m dad put you down also.. he's still an ass but not as big as before.. I don't know maybe he's trying to change.. but he's warmed up to you I think .. but you know him.. he'll still spin things around he says that I play better ball when you're with me and how his daughter in law helped with the school shooting really boosted his poll numbers.."
"Typical.."
"Yeah.. so, what do you say?"
She sighed to herself and couldn't believe what she was about to say. "Fine." She mumbled. Nathan had to contain his excitement and tried to hide the huge smile forming on his face. He didn't want to push the issue any further, he didn't want to push his luck especially with the night he's having.
"Good." He simply stated and continued to drive.
"But just for the record.. this by no way mean we're back together. Do I make myself clear?" She turned to him. He looked back at her with a straight face. "Crystal."
--
Haley arrived at Nathan's house and went upstairs to the guest bedroom. Nathan and Lucas went on ahead of her and brought most of her things. She looked around and was confused, where was her stuff?
"Nathan!" She called out as she entered his bedroom, "Where is my .." She was surprised to see her luggage and boxes of clothes was in Nathan's room. "Nathan, what are you doing now? Just cuz I said I'm moving in does not mean, we're sharing the same bed!"
"I know.. but this is your room now."
"What?"
"My room is bigger, the bed is nicer, and the computer is here so you can do your assignments, lord knows you'll use it more than me.. I can take the guest room."
She sighed in frustration. "Nathan, this is silly .. I'm taking the guest room."
"My bed is much more comfortable than the one in the guest room and you need it with your shoulder, besides if you want to stay in the guest room, that's perfectly okay, just know that I'll be there too." And before she could argue back with him, he already left the room.
She opened his walk in closet and noticed that half of it was empty and that Nathan stuffed all of his stuff on one end. She hung a couple of pieces that needed to be hung like dress shirts, a couple of dresses she owned but anything else she kept in her luggage. This was a temporary arrangement until school ended and she didn't want herself and especially Nathan to think that she was going to be here permanently.
The day had soon passed and she was glad that Nathan, for the most part, didn't bother her. For dinner, Nathan ordered pizza and invited her to join him in the living room to watch television. She declined instead, eating in the kitchen with her history book as she had a lot of school work to catch up on. She got ready for bed and changed into her sleeping clothes. The door was ajar and Nathan knocked before stepping inside.
"I just want to make sure you're okay and have everything."
"I'm good."
"K good.. I'm going to crash now too.. good night."
"Nathan." Haley called as she took a seat on his bed. "Thank you."
"Your welcome Hales."
"I was wondering… with the crash.. on the race track.." Haley choose her words carefully for the incident was definitely not an accident.
"Yeah?"
"With.. with what happened.. how ..how did you get over that?"
"Well I decided to go to High Flyers so that was good for a time but when that was over I pushed away everyone who cared about me and acted like an ass to the ones I loved … and only recently I realize what a huge mistake that was.. so I guess you can say I'm still getting over it .. with what you went through with the shooting Hales.. just don't make the same mistakes I did."
He flashed her a smile and then walked out. She sat there for a minute, taking in his words. She turned the lights off and snuggled under the sheets. His sheets, Nathan's sheets, it even still smelled like him. Her arms wrapped around and a pillow and she tried to push out the thoughts that were in her head. She eventually fell asleep, but couldn't help imaging that it was Nathan that she was hugging.
To Be Continued . . .
Note: Thanks for the reviews and yeah poor Nathan, the boy is trying. Don't forget to watch OTH this week!