Chapter 3

Haley and Brooke walked into Tric being admired by almost every guy in there, even the ones who were with someone. The girls didn't care much for attention; they were too busy admiring the decorations that Karen and Peyton had put up.

Tric looked so different. There were heart balloons everywhere and hanging from the ceiling were large cardboard hearts and cupids. In one of the corners there was a large arch filled with balloon hearts so that couples could take a picture. The place looked great and it was even better that so many people decided to participate in the event, single or taken.

Brooke and Haley giggled as they made their way over to the table that they had noticed Lucas was saving.

"Haley you look great!" Lucas said as he greeted his best friend with a long hug.

"Thanks, you're looking pretty spiffy yourself," she said returning the compliment.

Lucas smiled as he turned his attention the gorgeous woman in his life. "And you my pretty girl are looking stunning."

Brooke smiled as she kissed her man. "Thanks boyfriend," she said as she took her seat next to him.

"Okay Luke, I got the dri-," Nathan began to say but suddenly stopped when he noticed the blonde haired beauty sitting at his table.

Haley's eyes almost popped out of her head, she thought that Lucas and Brooke were finally going to leave them alone. Haley wanted nothing more then to be with Nathan again but she didn't want it to be pressured, she wanted him to come back following his heart, not the heart of his friends.

Haley stood up, face to face with her love. "Excuse me," she said as she walked right past him not wanting to make things awkward tonight.

Nathan turned as he watched as she walked away. Every time he saw her walk away, his heart hurt a little more but it was his own fault. He knew that when she was walking away it wasn't because she was going to leave Tree Hill and hop on a tour bus with Chris Keller; it was because she didn't want to make things harder on them by being too close.

He lost himself in the way she walked, the way the dress was hugged her perfect frame, the way her legs were so firm and looked amazing as she walked, the way her hair bounced and the way she smelled. There was one thought that drove him crazy though, if he was thinking all of this and he was supposedly 'angry' with her, what are the other men in the club thinking? Nathan didn't even want to think about that, he would kill them all.

Haley walked over to the bar where she knew she would be away from Nathan but still catch some of the excitement.

"What can I get for you beauty?" asked the bartender, giving her a sweet smile.

Haley smiled back, not being able to keep it in. He was cute but he was no Nathan.

"Just a coke please," Haley replied sweetly.

The bartender poured her drink and smiled. "What's a gorgeous girl like you doing alone on Valentines Day?" he asked her.

"Oh, it's complicated."

"Try me," he said with a grin.

"Well I'm actually married which wouldn't really make me single but my husband and I are going through something right now and he pretty much wants a divorce so that's where the 'single' part sort of falls in," she said with pain in her eyes.

"Well whoever the guy is, he doesn't realize what he's losing if he does go on with this divorce."

Haley smiled, she really did appreciate the sweet words, they were the only sweet words she was actually getting. "Thanks a lot," she said still keeping her smile.

"It's only the truth, I'm Chase," he told her as he stuck his hand out for her. "I'm Haley," she told him grabbing his hand and shaking it.

"Who's the hottie over there that Haley's talking to?" Brooke asked completely impressed by tutor girls' new boy.

Nathan looked over at Brooke shooting her a warning look, "Hottie?" he asked, clearly threatened.

"Oh come on Nathan, he's good looking."

"Whatever, he looks like a jerk," Nathan said coldly as he continued to look over at Haley.

"Like you weren't a jerk when Haley first met you?" Lucas shot back.

"That's different," Nathan said. "I've changed."

"Not lately, you've turned back into that monster Nate, is that who you really want to be? Nathan look at you, you have jealously written all over your face. Go there, make things up with your wife," Brooke told him.

"I can't do that," he told her.

Lucas sighed in disbelief. He was getting pretty sick and tired of Nathan.

Brooke stood up upset, "Fine then, DON'T, but I'll be damned if I continue to let you hurt Haley. Nathan wake up and smell the coffee, there's only one guy out there for her and that's you…YOU, ever night she looks at her wedding ring and she tells me that she prays that one day she can put it back on your finger. She keeps your wedding picture so close to her heart; she kissed it every night before she goes to bed. She doesn't know I know that but I can hear the kiss, she's hurting Nathan and I understand that what she did to you sucks but it's been months and if you really want to go on with this divorce then do it now and let her move on cause I'll tell you right now, I'll be the first one to help her. Luke and I are so pro Naley but we love Naley when they're together and happy, not when they're apart and hurting," and with that, Brooke excused herself from the table and walked over to where Haley was.

"Haley, my shift is just about to be over, how about we talk some more," Chase asked her.

"Sure Chase, I'd like that," Haley said sweetly.

"Tutor wife, who's the cutie," Brooke said, causing Chase to blush.

"Brooke this is Chase, Chase this is my best friend Brooke," Haley said introducing them both.

"Nice to meet you," Chase said with a smile. "Yea you too," Brooke said.

The girls waited as Chase got himself ready and join them. The music was getting better and that only meant one thing for Brooke, DANCING! But this was bad for Lucas. It was Valentine's Day; all the music would be slow which meant that Lucas was going to have to dance with her for all of them unless of course he didn't mind watching his girlfriend go off with another man which he completely minded.

Crazy Love by Brian McKnight began to play. Brooke took Lucas out onto the dance floor. Haley noticed that Nathan was no longer at the table so she decided to head back and sit down as she watched two of her best friend sharing their love and expressing it through a dance. She smiled but deep down it hurt.

Nathan was talking with some people in the corner; he was still able to keep his eye on Haley. He watched as Chase walked up to her and took out his arm for her to take, a dance maybe? Nathan thought. A smile appeared on his face when Haley seemed to turn down the bartenders offer. 'That's my girl," he thought.

"Maybe later okay Chase," Haley said hoping that she didn't hurt him.

"No problem Haley, hang in there okay, he'll come to his senses," the sweet bartender told her as he took a seat next to her and they began to engage in conversation.