I woke up to howling. That usually ment one of two things, Scotty, as I still preferred to to call him was on his way here, being my personal alarm, or it was Seth. I untangled myself from the blankets and found my way into the kitchen and flipped on the stove light letting it light up the kitchen. Minutes later, Seth trudged in with his classic smile. "Scotty will be here in a few minutes... Oh and Hals? Collin will be here Sunday." I swung my head around in horror. "What'd you do Seth?" "Hey blame the whole telepathy thing. Just be glad I shifted back before Embry was there to long, along with Collin." I wanted to cringe at the whole damn situation. "Seth why?" "He needs to see that you're happy with someone other then him." I groaned putting my head down on the counter. "I am happy though..." "That's why at the party you were pretty much a loner? Had nothing to with the fact that Embry was there?" I hate it when he's right. "That's not fair... " I had nothin else to say sadly, my mind wouldn't focus on anything else other then Collins birthday. I was the picture of antisocial. I sat alone on the beach with the rumble of the party behind me. It wasn't until Seth told me the next day that I hurt Collins feelings, I spent the next week apologizing to him, and after I got my restaurant job, I got him a proper present, the hat he had pointed out, along with a skateboard. "You know I'm right though, and we all want this for you, wolf Embry aside." "All of you?" "Leah, me, mom, Brady, Jared, Sam, Emily, Paul of course, is on the fence, team player and all. Jake and Quil, well they're not sure what to think, but they're hardly around anyway..." I just sighed to myself again. "I need to call my sister..." "Haley... This is up to you, she can't tell you what to do, none of us can. We just want you to be happy." "Sometimes it's not that easy..." I noticed Scotty come out from the woods. "Go on... I'll see you this after noon, you're only up at the restaurant right?" "Yep just the restaurant." I said as I was going out the door.

"So I met the the girlfriend today." I had been out here enjoying the silence leaning against Scotty, until yesterday's memories flooded back. He turned his head to me with sorrow in his eyes. "I have no further comment... You know all the rest." And he just huffed at me. "Well, work awaits me." I stood up brushing off my pajamas. "Bye Scotty." I turned and went back into the house, and found some clothes to put on, ten minutes later I was out the door, leaving a note with the promise I'd bring home lunch for Seth, since mom would be at the hospital, and Leah had other arrangements. I made sure I had my shades with me this time. Climbing out of my truck I seen Leo talking to someone so I just slipped past them and started with my day at work. "Order up!" Leo barked from the kitchen, glancing back I noticed him flirting with the same woman from this morning, I chuckled to myself glad to see he's moving on finally, in hopes I wouldn't find him on the beach crying anymore. I went to the door hearing it's bell, smiling at Charlie. "Hiya chief, usual table?" I asked grabbing a menu, knowing he probably wouldn't use it any way. "If ya could Haley." "Certainly cheif." I smiled and led him to the corner table. "Coffee?" I asked wondering if it was the usual today. "No, I think I'll have iced tea." "Alright I'll be right back." I went into the kitchen getting a cup and some ice. "Cheif having the usual today?" Leo yelled over the kitchen staff. "Nah he's going through the menu, give him a minute." I yelled back filling the cup with tea, and took it to the cheif. "Ready to order cheif?" "Yeah I'll think I'll have the chef salad." I nearly dropped my pen and pad. "Uh you sure cheif?" I had to recollect myself. "Yep." "Alright that'll be right out." I smiled at him and went back to the kitchen. "Cheif is havin the chef salad today Leo!" I yelled putting the order up. "Is he okay?" He yelled back. "He looks fine!" Leo looked up at me with a quizzical look. I just shrugged and took over dish duty till my order was up. "Here you go Cheif." I set his plate down in front of him. "Thanks Haley. How's the boys doin?" Oh something is up... "They're all fine Chief, what'd you hear?" I stood a little taller, ready for anything. "Word around the streets is Emily and Sam are trying." I was more lost then the lost boys. Trying what? "Oh?" "Mhm." Oh dear lord! Kids... I totally forgot they wanted kids... "Oh I haven't heard anything new just yet cheif." I was off on my game today... "Well just keep me posted if you hear anything, lord knows Bella doesn't share information like that." Yeah ain't that the truth. "I will Chief." I smiled and was almost completely turned around when he brought something else up. "You know, dating Collin might be a good thing." Did everyone know about what Seth and I had discussed this morning? "Oh?" I turned back around. "He's a good kid, and clearly likes you." "Yeah I know Charlie but he's a kid..." "You'd never be able to tell if you didn't know his age." Again with that? "Kiddo I'll tell you what, there's not many men like Collin, and I should know... Bella had her chance with Jake and lost it, now I know everything is all messed up with that, but there's nothin Collin wouldn't do for you. There's nothin to lose really." "I see your point, really I do, and if I was seventeen I'd go for it, but I'm twenty one cheif, I could go to jail, even prison for that." "No, his parents love you, and really with their consent you're home free." "Alright, alright. I'll think about it." "That's all I'm asking." He smiled and continued on his salad. I needed air. Stepping out back leaned against the wall and slid down hiding my face in my hands. "Haley are you okay?" I looked up to see Leo with worry etched across his face. "Fine." I mumbled. "You look anything but fine cupcake." I scowled at the name. I am not a cupcake. "Everyone thinks I should date Collin..." "Well we're all correct. Haley, he loves you more then Seth and I combined, and that's a lot... Why don't you want to?" Cause I have shitty luck... "Leo what if it goes bad?" "Oh cupcake! You have me, Seth, and Paul if it goes wrong." I guess that helps... "Why not just hang out with him one on one before you make up your mind." "That'll work..." I stood up fixing my apron. "You know your shift is almost over." "Yeah... Oh hey! Could you make lunch for Seth and I?" "Yeah I will." I smiled and we went inside, seeing that Charlie had gone, I cleaned the table off and put a five in Leo's tip jar, grabbing lunch, then I went home.

"Hals! What'd you bring me?" I couldn't hold back my smile from Seth, I always brought lunch home on Friday. "Leo's special, pulled pork sandwich, with tots." "Woo! I scored big then! I was scared it'd be that tofu stuff from last week." He took the bag from me, and we went inside. "Hi Haley." I peered into the living room to see Collin watching tv. "Hey Collin, I brought home some lunch, want some?" "Yeah I'll go wash up." I turned back into the kitchen to Seth grinning. "That was nice of you." "Well nice is my middle name." I stuck my tongue out at him grabbing some paper towels and sat down at the table. "Haley nice Wilson? Nah it don't go." Seth laughed setting out the Styrofoam to go boxes for everyone. "I didn't know your last name was Wilson." Collin came in sitting between Seth and I at the round table. "Yeah, and her middle name is Anne." It must be pick on Haley day ... "That's a nice name Haley, Haley Anne Wilson, it's pretty." Collin smiled at me and Seth was casting a dubious look my way. He knew I had two roads to go down, either allow what was being talked about all day, or continue down loner avenue. "Thank you Collin, at least someone thinks so." I smiled at him, and opened up the container. "So Hals, about Sunday, what movie do you want to watch?" I looked up at Seth confused, shouldn't he be asking Collin that? "Uh I don't know...?" He tilted his head toward Collin and I got it. It was my opening to ask Collin myself if he wanted to join us on Sunday. "What would you like to watch?" I looked at Collin, and seen him take on a new color. "Uh me?" He looked confused. "Yeah, if you're not busy Sunday, you could join in." I explained trying not to be creepy. "Oh! I'm not busy. I could bring over some scary movies or something." "Alright." I hope it won't be to bad... "Wait you like Aladdin right?" "Yeah." "Oh I could bring the sequel if you want." Smart guy we have here. "That would be awesome! I haven't seen it years." Collin smiled looking confident. "Dude! You had the second movie all these years and never told me?" It was obvious that Seth and I were Disney children, heck still are. "Well I didn't know you liked Aladdin till Haley showed up." "Oh whatever! You're just trying to impress her." Collin just shrugged and continued eating. "See he's all about you and you two haven't even went on a date yet!" I choked on my water that I was drinking, thank god it was water. "What?" Collin asked. I took in a breath trying to calm down, glaring at Seth. "I uh... I did say that huh?" "Yeah, yeah you did." I stood up cleaning up my lunch. "Wait..." Oh no... Seth what'd you do? I was standing at the sink avoiding eye contact with both of them. "Haley what does Seth mean yet?" Why is he asking me? "Uh... Well..." "It means if you ask her out, she'll say yes." Seth finished, incorrectly, but finished. "Really?" I could hear the excitement in Collins voice. Slowly I turned around to see him grinning. "I... We..." Ah hell... "Pretty much." Collin stood up and closed whatever distance there was between us, and pulled me into a hug. "Not saying anything Is official here, but uh... Collin, you hurt her, and you'll pay dearly." Seth threatened pulling me away and into him for a hug. "And you, I'm glad you decided to listen." "Well I think you told on me to Charlie." "Yeah and Leo... They all agree." He smiled down at me. "You'll be okay." I just nodded my head. "Come on you two, the Xbox is calling my name." I put in castlevaina and sat down in the lazy boy, like usual, it wasn't until I died I realized I should be on the couch. So I got everyone drinks, then sat in the open seat between Seth and Collin. "Hey." Collin smiled pulling me closer to him. "That's better." He wrapped an arm around my shoulder, and I couldn't help but feel a little ridiculous, maybe it'll pass though. Seth passed the controller to Collin letting me sit more to myself, until it was my turn to play.

I walked outside with Collin, still adjusting to whatever was, or wasn't going on, and yet in the back of mind I heard the constant nagging that I was acting just like Bella, along with Seth's voice of what he would call reason 'you deserve to be happy.' "Haley... I that you're worried about the whole situation, and we can do, or not do whatever you want, and we'll always be friends first." I pushed the nagging voices aside and smiled up at him. "I'd like that... Friends first." "Can I have a hug before I go?" He asked and I obliged hugging him, far longer then I expected. "I'll come by tomorrow." I just nodded my head not sure what to say but when he pulled away it felt almost wrong, like he wasn't supposed to go just yet, so pulled him back to me hugging him again hiding my face in his shoulder. "Hey it's okay I'll be back I promise." He whispered rubbing my back. "Alright." I whispered back not sure what came over me, I let him go, and watched him walk away till he rounded the corner. "Hals I know it's strange right now... It's really strange being the on looker, but it'll get better." Seth came out and clapped his hand on my shoulder. "I know it will..." And for the first time in a while I was ready for whatever came my way.