They had been young when Dan Scott had challenged them with a wager that they, in their idealistic naiveté, had not been able to ignore. Mere teenagers who thought that they were the only two people in the world that really mattered, that they would be together forever without question. He was the first boy to make her heart pound and her pulse race. She was the first girl who made him want to be a good person, someone worth her time.

Fairy tales, Haley now thought bitterly. The bet had been a stupid one, pointless and cruel. The challenge was voiced after the last game of the basketball season their senior year. Nathan had played an amazing game that attested to his physical prowess and Haley had thrown herself into his arms, beaming, almost as soon as the final buzzer sounded. She congratulated him on how well he'd done, her voice radiating the way only a proud girlfriend's could.

Nathan, grinning as he held her close, had remarked teasingly about whether or not she'd still like him when he was too old to play.

That had been when Dan Scott approached, the cocky smirk on his face as condescending as if he were about to talk to a child about utterly adult business. "You actually think you two will be together when you're that old?" There was a pause and when Nathan didn't respond, he went on, "It's cute, your little relationship, but it's far from meaningful and life-long."

"Because you're such a great judge of meaningful relationships?" Haley had asked, her voice biting. Everyone knew about the troubles in Dan and Deb's marriage; taking advice from him on how to build a lasting relationship was like asking Satan how to become an angel.

Dan's eyes cut into her, but they all knew that he wouldn't attack her verbally with Nathan right there. Quite frankly, Haley didn't give a shit if Dan hated her. He could have jumped off a cliff in a hula skirt and lei, and all she would have said was good riddance. "You'll get tired of each other soon enough and realize what a waste of time this was. Nathan, it's distracted you from your game."

"I just scored thirty-eight points."

"And just think. Without clouding your mind with thoughts of her, you could have scored forty. Or more. All for something that's not going to be here ten years from now."

Haley had felt Nathan go stiff and tried to keep a reign on her own emotions. Somehow she'd managed to keep her voice calm as she said, "We'll just see about that."

The moment Dan's eyebrow raised, Haley knew his evil mind was working up trouble. God, how she hated that man! "If we're so confident, why don't we bet on it?"

"Bet?" Nathan and Haley had repeated, their voices equally cautious.

"If you last ten years from graduation, you win. No, not even ten. I'll give you a break—lucky seven. You last seven years and I'll admit that I was wrong about you two and leave you alone. If you don't, I win and you both admit that you were wrong and this stupid little thing between you was nothing. And you, Nathan, give up these foolish dreams of working in advertising and work for me. Join the family business."

They had known that it was pointless. It really could only hurt them in the long run. Getting rid of Dan's annoying presence after seven years didn't seem like enough of a reward against the possibility of having to bow down to him. It was like making a bet with the devil and they knew they could get burned by taking it.

In the end, it was pure pride had forced them to take it. They knew they wouldn't have been able to face him after that without him bringing up their lack of faith in their relationship if they said no.

Now Haley wished she'd been smarter and not let that damn man grate on her nerves the way he had.

Seven years from the day of their graduation. Doing the mental math, she realized with frustration that the day was five months away.

"Haley?" Despite trying to sound like her decision meant nothing to him, Nathan sounded strained and worried on the other end of the phone and Haley knew he wanted less than anything to lose the bet with his father.

"What exactly are you suggesting we do, Nathan?"

"Lie our asses off," he replied bluntly. "I need him to think we're still together."

This was the man who'd ignored her for so long for his work. Well, he sure wasn't ignoring her anymore.

She could back out, leave Nathan to deal with the consequences of their agreement. But she knew that wasn't right, and if she did it she would never be able to forgive herself. She was a woman who stood by her word.

And she desperately wanted to see Dan Scott eat his words.

Haley had to swallow the lump forming in her throat and force her next words out. "I'll be there tomorrow morning. Try to make the house look at least halfway decent."

His sigh of relief came through the line clearly. "What are you going to be doing until then?"

Rearranging my life for you, you undeserving pig. "Lounging poolside," she drawled dryly. "I'm going to be getting my things together, Nathan."

"Right. You might want to go to the market, too, to pick up some groceries. Mom'll be able to figure out you wouldn't live in a house that only has old pizza and beer in the fridge."

Haley resisted the urge to roll her eyes and let out a groan. This was going to drive her insane. She just knew it. "Anything else you want me to do? Pick up some dry cleaning? Wash your car? Scrub the floors with a toothbrush?" she offered sarcastically.

He laughed and Haley saw so much of the old high school Nathan in him that she would have smacked him if she'd been with him face-to-face. "I personally think that's going a little overboard, don't you? It's my parents, not the President. But if you feel up to it, I won't stop you."

This time the groan couldn't be repressed. "How long are your parents in town for?"

"A week, I think. Maybe more."

"One week too long."