~~~ "I'm Never Alone, I'm Alone All the Time" ~~~
* Chapter Twenty-Three*
The next morning Quinn and Clay sat side by side in the waiting room at the doctor's office. She'd been able to get a last minute cancellation appointment to confirm her pregnancy and Clay insisted on coming along. He rearranged his morning schedule in order to make it there to support her. Quinn looked a bit anxious as he eyes darted around at the few patients in the waiting room. Unfortunately, she was casing the joint looking for possible people who might wonder why she was there and would notice Clay with her. Thankfully she didn't notice anyone of interest staring back at her. It wasn't long before they were called back to meet with her doctor.
They'd been able to complete a dating ultrasound and so far the baby looked to be developing well. Her doctor stated some concern about Quinn's upcoming touring schedule and the stress she was to be under. Quinn tried her best to reassure it wasn't as bad as it appeared to be on paper. They agreed to reassess things at a later date and if something changed with the baby's condition before then, that Quinn would call sooner. She tucked the ultrasound photographs back in the manila colored envelope and shoved them into her large purse before they left the office. Once they were safety in Clay's car, Quinn whipped out her phone and called Haley.
Haley woke to the sound of Nathan's voice calling out her name.
"Hales…baby…wake up your phone's ringing." Nathan stated as he gave her a gentle nudge. Haley's eyes fluttered open and she reached for her phone on the table next to the bed.
"This better be worth it." She said into the phone in a rather annoyed tone of voice.
"Well good morning to you. Did I interrupt something little sis?" Quinn asked with a little giggle.
Haley moaned as she tried to wake up as quickly as she could. "No you didn't Quinny. What do you want so early in the morning anyway?"
"Clay and I just left the doctor's office and I wanted to let you know that I'm officially pregnant!" Quinn exclaimed. She spent the next few minutes filling her sister in on all the details from their appointment and promised to show her the ultrasound picture later. Haley sent them well wishes from herself but also from Nathan as well. She hung up the phone and couldn't help but feel excited.
"Quinn sounded so excited! I'm so happy for the two of them." Haley said to Nathan who was still lying next to her with his eyes half open. On instinct he reached out and pulled himself closer to her. His lips found her bare shoulder and he couldn't help but placed kisses on it.
"The timing of the baby doesn't sound like the best though with the tour and stuff though." Haley continued as she decided to check her email quickly. Nathan's hand found it's way on top of Haley's stomach that was covered with a thin sheet. He couldn't deny the heat he felt radiating from underneath the layer of fabric. The chemistry between the two of them was always there. He kissed his way up her shoulder and without hesitation had moved on to her neck. His kisses halted when he felt her neck tighten underneath his kiss.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Haley exclaimed and then bolted up in bed nearly knocking Nathan in the head with hers. She stared down at her phone reading over the email once more to make sure she got it right. She clutched the sheet at her chest and tucked it under her bare arms.
"What's wrong?" Nathan asked.
"It would appear my time off to rest and recuperate is over. I'm heading to San Francisco on Friday for a photo shoot for the day and then to New York that night for a TV appearance. Saturday I have three back to back business meetings with Peyton. I won't be back home until late Saturday night." Haley answered in a tone of voice sounding less than enthusiastic of her upcoming travel plans.
Nathan sat up resting on his elbow as he now tried to process the information she'd just given him. She had just got home and had yet to even have 24 hours of consecutive rest thus far.
"What the hell is Peyton trying to do? Run you until you break?" Nathan stated and judging from the edge in his voice, Haley could tell he was annoyed.
"It must be important if it's last minute and she's booked me for it. It's just, I'm leaving yet again and will get back late Saturday night. You're leaving for an away game on Saturday so that means I won't see you maybe until what Sunday sometime." She exclaimed.
Nathan rubbed her bare back with his callused hands trying his best to offer her comfort. It was proving more difficult as he was getting more worked up about Haley's busy schedule.
"We'll work it out Hales don't worry about it. I'd be more worried about the hours you're gonna be working. You know I love you but I don't think it's a good idea keeping up this fast paced schedule for much longer." He confessed somewhat out of nowhere. He hadn't meant to bring it up without thoroughly thinking it through first but now it was too late. The cat was out of the bag.
Haley scooted to the side and turned around slightly to look at him in response to what he said.
"Why do you think that?" She questioned rather abruptly.
He struggled for a moment with how to respond to her. She used a different tone of voice than he was used to. He knew she valued honesty in their relationship and he did too. But he was now treading on unstable waters and one false move might have lasting effects on their relationship he didn't want.
"Hales, I'm just kinda worried about the long hours you've been putting in since the band focus shifted a while back. Your work load has probably tripled since then and you just go go go. When you'd call me from the road, you sounded so tired on the phone, more so than usual." Nathan paused for a moment debating if he should continue and decided to proceed. "Don't take this the wrong way because you know I think you're beautiful but lately you just look exhausted all the time. Even yesterday, you didn't have the chance to eat proper meals because Peyton was working you into the ground. " He concluded in nearly one breath. He was scared he might lose the courage if he paused for too long to finish his thought. His eyes stayed focused on hers hoping it would keep her from flipping out on him.
"Gee, I didn't know you were keeping such close tabs on me." She snapped back at him. She closed her eyes instantly regretting the harshness of her tone. She didn't mean for it to come out like that but where did he get off telling her what she to do. He was her boyfriend not her father.
He let his eyes shift towards her bare back and they stopped at the sight of her shoulder blades sticking out, clearly defined on her frame now. He could've sworn they didn't used to be that pronounced. He took in a slow breath, held it and then released it hoping to center himself before he responded to her.
"You're my girlfriend of course I'm keeping track of where you are and what you're up to as best as I can. Just like you do when I have an away game and need to travel for basketball. I care about you and just don't want to see you run yourself ragged trying to please the "oh holy Peyton Sawyer"." Nathan replied honestly with a hint of sarcasm. He knew he was now treading in uncharted territory.
"But I trust you to manage your own schedule and that you know what's best for you. Just like you should do for me. This is my career Nathan, mine. The last thing I need is another boyfri…..person telling me what I can and can't do or wear." She shot back at him. Her eyes opened and settled onto a picture frame that sat on top of his dresser across the room. Inside the frame was one of the many photographs they'd taken together on their first official date when they went to the zoo. The smiles on their faces were so pure and genuine. Her face in the photograph did appear fuller and more colorful than the reflection that stared back at her now. How did that happen so quickly?
Nathan sat all the way up in bed now before he responded "I do trust you Haley. You know I do. I'm just trying to be honest about what I see and how I feel. I'm not trying to tell you what you can and can't do. All I'm saying is that I think the pace of your schedule lately has been having negative effects on your body. You look like you've lost some weight, Hales and I don't think you had any to spare weight to begin with."
There it was. He had mentioned the "W" word with his girlfriend. Most guys did everything they could to avoid ever discussing weight with their girlfriends. It wasn't until after Haley recalled her run and how she nearly passed out from exhaustion did he really begin to think twice about it. He believed she wasn't intentionally trying to lose weight but her grueling schedule wasn't helping her live a healthy lifestyle. Last night when they made love, he felt a difference in her body. Areas on her body that had more curves were lacking their previous shape. Though he'd always been able lifted her up with ease before now, he felt like he could easily shoot her across the room with one hand.
Silence filled the room as Haley took in what Nathan had just said. She knew she'd lost weight. Hell her measurements at the last photo shoot had told her that already. She'd been doing everything she could to stop it from happening but clearly it hadn't made much of a difference. Nathan sat next to her praying she'd break the uncomfortable silence between them soon.
"I appreciate your concern for me and I know it couldn't have been easy for you to say all of this to me. But I don't know if you understand fully all the pressure I have on my shoulders right now. You've got pressure to play well to keep your position on the team and for them to win and all that stuff. But I have the pressure of my entire band on me to make sure we're successful and making money. The fans and keeping our appeal and their interest in our music. Not to mention our road crew who depend on me now since the band's focus is on me for their paycheck. My head is on the chopping block with our record label now when we're recording a new song or making any creative decisions about the band's future. If a magazine doesn't sell well with just my face on the cover…who do you think is to blame? I'm doing whatever it takes right now trying to fulfill my contractual obligations and be the best for everyone in the process. I don't know what else to say. I'm doing the best I can." Haley confessed in an outburst. She wrapped the sheet tighter around her chest as she prepared to get out of bed. Nathan reached out and gently grabbed her arm to stop her.
"You're right, I don't know exactly the pressure that you're under. I just want you to know that I'm here to support you no matter what. Hales, I love you and I will always be here for you. Always" He said softly as he reached out to touch her cheek with his hand. He felt her body soften ever so slightly under his fingers.
"It's just I've got everything balancing right now and I feel like if something gets knocked out of place, my entire world is going to come crashing down. Slowly I feel like I'm losing all control over every aspect of my life. Between what I can and can't do to where I can go…I can't handle much more. I just want something to be 100% on my terms for once and not worry about the repercussions for once." She admitted to her boyfriend. She felt his arm wrap around her body and pull her close to him. They sat in silence together with him kissing the top of her head.
"It's your life though. Don't forget that! What do you say we take a little control back?" He asked sounding more upbeat.
She looked up at him only to see a toothy grin staring back at him.
"What's on your mind Nathan Scott?"
"We've gone to great lengths to conceal our relationship from the press for a while and we both know it's only a matter of time before we're busted. I say we reveal it on our terms and in our way. What do you say?" Nathan asked desperately hoping she'd agree. He was tired of hiding their relationship and felt this would only strengthen their bond.
Haley smiled back at him and then said "How would you feel about maybe having breakfast date at the Ivy today?"
"Exactly the type of place I was thinking about!"
They both dressed for the day and finished off getting ready. Haley was grateful she'd planned ahead and brought several items to refresh herself the next morning. Minus the tooth brush however which she forgot on her bathroom counter at home. She quickly applied some make up and was just finishing her hair when Nathan peeked around the door frame to the bathroom.
"I've got to a meeting with Dan at ten or so and a team meeting at noon. How's your day looking?" Nathan asked as he watched Haley skillfully twist and turn her hair into a messy bun on the top of her head.
"I've got a satellite radio interview around eleven and I promised Chris a rain check on a "serious" talk sometime today." Haley answered pausing what she was doing to demonstrate air quotations when she said the word serious.
Nathan laughed out loud and then said "What on earth does that mean?"
"Who knows when it comes to Chris?"
Haley finished up in the bathroom and then they headed out. Haley followed behind in her car since they'd need to go their separate ways after breakfast. Nathan kept an eye on Haley's car right behind his as they drove towards the Ivy. It was a guaranteed photo opportunity with the paparazzi which they were counting on. Everyone knew the Ivy was notorious for their celebrity clientele as well as their food. Nathan decided to get a table since it was busier than he'd expected it to be when he arrived and was pleased to sit outside. Nathan kept his sunglasses on to shield his eyes from the California sunshine while he waited for Haley. He snuck a glance across the street and saw at least three paparazzi cars camped out. He'd grown accustom to their presence whenever he went out and about in downtown L.A. He watched as they began taking pictures of him once they were sure who he was. He couldn't help but grin once he saw Haley gracefully approaching him making her way through the tables and chairs with a sexy grin across her face.
Nathan stood up as she arrived at the table and pulled her chair out for her. Soon they placed their orders and then sat back chatting until their food came. They conducted themselves casually while they ate their meal until Nathan had finally reached his hand across the table. Haley placed her small hand into his.
"And we've officially become a buzz worthy couple." He said with a devious smile.
She smiled back at him and had to admit it felt good. To finally be doing something that was just for her and on her own terms. Of course she knew Peyton would flip out once she found out about it especially since Haley had decided not to give her a heads up about the romance. With so much of her career focusing on pleasing others and meeting other's expectations of her. It felt good to be carefree and a little reckless for a change. She could tell Nathan was enjoying himself as well. However, she knew he'd have his agent/manager to answer to later today as well. Unfortunately for him that person was also his father.
They headed out of the restaurant together, Nathan walking closely behind Haley with his hand on the small of her back. They walked out front together emerging hand in hand clear as day for the world to see while they waited for valet to bring their cars. She stood right next to him and welcomed his arm around her small waist. She snuggled into his shoulder and as he laid a kiss on the top of her head she couldn't help but smile. Nathan waited with Haley until her car was brought as well before parting ways. They happily provided the paparazzi with one last photo as they quickly shared a kiss before getting into their respective vehicles and drove off in different directions.
Nathan arrived at Dan's office a little early for his meeting. He took the opportunity to fulfill the last part of their "coming out" plan and quickly composed a tweet to send out to his many twitter followers.
"best way to start my day….breakfast with my fave 'Fire Pistol'!"
He took a deep breath as he got out of his car. Then proceeded to put on his game face knowing damn well he was about to walk into the lion's den for a battle.
Haley was amazed nothing came up in her radio interview about her morning escapade with Nathan Scott, NBA God. She navigated her way through questions about the upcoming leg of the tour, their latest record, and her band mates. She wasn't quite sure if she'd be so lucky when she met with Peyton later. She decided to try to call Chris again hoping she'd finally get him the third time she tried. She sat in her car outside of Peyton's office as she anxiously waited for him to pick up.
"Keller at your service!"
"About time! Chris, for someone who was so insistent on talking to me last night you're a pretty hard person to get a hold of today. Now what was so important that you needed to talk about? I have a few minutes before I need to meet with Peyton." Haley exclaimed.
"You're seeing Peyton two days in a row. Talk about a girlie love fest! What hoop does she have you jumping through today?" he asked in a joking tone of voice.
Haley smiled to herself in response to Chris, "Feels like I've suddenly joined the circus. What was that all about yesterday anyway? You'd think we'd never been in the studio together with the amount of times we had to re-record everything."
"Blondie was definitely on a power trip and out for you! That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Chris started his voice suddenly sounding very serious.
Haley picked up on the shift right away and interrupted him, "What's going on Chris?" she asked.
"After she finally left the studio, I decided to hang around finishing up a few things in the studio. Peyton had stormed off to her office no doubt pissed off at your act of rebellion. I figured I'd put a good word in for you and maybe smooth things over a little for you before I left. Well, I headed down to her office and overheard her talking on the phone to someone about your schedule." He said only to be cut off by Haley once again.
"It's her job to manage my schedule Chris you know that right?"
"Will you just hold your jets for a minute! As I was saying, she was going on about how your schedule was going to fill up so you'd have next to no free time. From the sounds of it, Peyton wants all work and no play for you. Is something going on I don't know about?" He asked her directly.
Haley let out a sigh as her mind desperately tried to wrap around the new information Chris had just shared with her.
"Nathan and I had breakfast this morning before my radio interview." She declared.
Chris let out a devious chuckle and then said, "Who doesn't love a little breakfast in bed after a night of hot lovin'."
"At the Ivy."
"Ohh, so the cat's outta the bag! About damn time! How does it feel?"
"Honestly, it was nice to feel free and just do something normal together without worrying about being seen together. However, now reality is setting in and the long list of consequences that are surely coming my way." She admitted to her old friend feeling safe enough to share her feelings. Under other circumstances, she'd probably go to Quinn but not now. Quinn had more than enough going on in her own life with the pregnancy and the tour.
"But it's worth it right. Being with Nate I mean."
Haley stalled with her answer for some reason. Her heart was telling her it was worth it without a doubt. Part of her feared she might not be strong enough to handle the repercussions from Peyton, the label, fans, and the press if everything turned negative.
"I love him Chris in a way I never thought possible after the last…."
He immediately jumped in rescuing Haley from having to finish her sentence.
"I know Hales. I've got your back you know that. We all do. Walker, Quinn and I." He added hoping he helped ease her worry.
She smiled tenderly as she wrapped up her phone call with Chris. She decided to quickly double check her twitter feed in response to her morning activities and sure enough word was spreading. After taking a quick glance at other music/gossip news feeds the story was clearly breaking. She flipped her phone into lock mode, dumped it into her purse and climbed out of her car. Haley walked into the office building with her head held high and her shoulders back. If anything, she was going to go into her meeting with Peyton with her gloves up this time.
Dan Scott looked at his wrist watch for the third time in the last 5 minutes. Nathan was due any minute and he was literally foaming at the mouth. He couldn't believe what he'd done. After the effort and money he'd spent to keep the trivial romance a secret, Nathan had decided to out himself without consulting him first. He was after still his agent/manager and should have been entitled to the information first. But the erratic actions were a reflection of a much younger version of Nathan. The version that was more driven by emotions and not business. Dan had worked hard over the years to mold and pressure Nathan into thinking about all his future decisions in a business manner not personal no matter what they were about. He was an intricate part of the wall Nathan had built up around himself. The one goal Dan had for Nathan was for him to be successful in the NBA and have a lucrative career.
Now he needed to think fast about how to manipulate the situation into workin his favor. Dan had convinced Nathan into giving up on trying to carry on relationships and girlfriends citing it was bad for his focus on the game, his rehab from his injury, his image and his monetary worth. What was he going to do now? Dan was shaken from his own thoughts when his secretary alerted him Nathan was on his way in.
The door to his office swung open and Nathan entered looking cool and collected. Dan had somewhat expected an emotional driven Nathan to show up but after all he had yet to know what Dan had been up to concerning his precious girlfriend, Haley James.
"Well hello son, I see you're in better shape than when I saw you dragging your ass of the court last night." Dan sneered not being able to help himself from instantly taking a little dig.
Nathan shook his head in utter disbelief as he sat down across the table from his father.
"Gee, thanks for noticing Dad. Yes, I played a shitty game last night. Spare me the belittling lecture you've rehearsed because I'm not in the mood for it today. I have a team meeting after this and believe me, I'll be getting all the constructive criticism I need from there." Nathan said as he stared Dan down.
"Nathan, you know I only want the best for you and for your career. All I've ever done was to make you a better player. I really wish that you'd see the hard work and sacrifice I've put into your career too." He replied now trying to play the nice doting father angle.
"So are we going to go over the latest endorsement obligations for the upcoming week or what? I have other things I need to do today." Nathan stated.
Dan raised his eyebrow and cleared his throat trying to hide the cackle that wanted to escape his mouth.
"Oh do you have another date to get to? I figured you'd still be full from your hearty breakfast."
Nathan and Dan engaged in a stare down from opposite sides of the desk. Nathan knew going into the meeting that Dan already knew about his outing with Haley. Dan patrolled Nathan's social media all the time and insisted on remaining up to date about any news related to his best client. The uncomfortable silence in the room could've been cut with a butcher knife. Neither man wanted to back down first however knowing it was only a matter of time.
"Was that a booty call breakfast you had this morning? I don't recall sharing a meal part of the deal but I guess times are changing." Dan said knowing exactly how to get underneath his son's skin.
Nathan's eyes flickered with anger and he took a deep breath before he responded, "I had breakfast with my girlfriend this morning. Bottom line my relationship with her really doesn't concern you. You handle my contractual negotiations related to basketball and my endorsements. I'm not discussing my love life with you."
Dan let out an over exaggerated laugh and then shot back in a louder tone, "What you think you're in love with this one? Get serious Nathan, she's not any different from the others who've warmed your sheets at night. Please tell me you're not that fucking stupid."
Nathan's knee began to bounce up and down as he struggled internally to control the rage brewing in the pit of his stomach. He knew the game Dan was trying to play and that Dan couldn't play without a partner. He was trying everything he could not to engage back. What Nathan didn't know was that Dan had already found an opponent named Peyton Sawyer.
"When are you going to get some new material Dad? This is a non-negotiable issue and you will not change my mind or mettle in this. Understand?" Nathan demanded as he wiped his sweating palms on his jeans. He was rather impressed with himself and how cool he was staying especially with an issue concerning Haley and Dan. The mere sound of her name coming from Dan's mouth made him want to vomit.
"I don't need any new material and Haley James is no different. The story is the same no matter the era. Women like her appear fun, sweet and innocent and end up on your door step months later suddenly knocked up. That's the last thing you need right now, trust me on this one son!" Dan countered now trying to pull out all the stops. He couldn't believe how calm his son was remaining, so unlike the Nathan Scott he'd raised.
Nathan shook his head in disbelief at how low Dan was stooping now, "Are you fucking serious? Can't you let her rest in peace instead of dragging up lies about my mother. I'm pretty sure that both of you flunked your health class that semester in college because it takes two people to make a baby Dad." He snapped back in a harsher tone than before. He ignored the queasy feeling creeping up his throat and tried to swallow it back down.
Dan slammed his fist on his desk top in anger while he glared at Nathan.
"Sure Haley James is the leader of a profitable rock band and making her own money. I'll give her that, she's probably not after your money as she's racking in her own. It's the image I'm bothered by. Musicians are different from athletes with their sense of entitlement and pompous attitudes. She's going to pull your image down just being associated with you." Dan started but was cut off by Nathan.
"You have no clue what the hell you're talking about! You don't even know anything about her or her band."
"Her band line up consists of two other guys night after night on the tour bus. How does that look to the media? I'm not even going to go into what popped up when I did a name search for her online. Amazing how many photographs and stories popped up. Do you really know all your girlfriend's dark secrets?" Dan asked knowing he had gotten his last jab at him to work just by the shift in Nathan's expression on his face.
"This meeting is done. Email me the details for the Nike deal next week since we're clearly not accomplishing anything here. I'm done with this Dan." Nathan concluded and then stormed out of the office ignoring his father calling his name after him. He was fuming and needed to get out of the building, away from the breakables on the desks and walls and into fresh air. He'd have to make every attempt to calm down before his team meeting knowing the last thing he needed was to enter that meeting with a hot head.
Dan sat back pleased with himself and how things had gone unfolded with Nathan. He'd managed to find a new angle and hoped Peyton would agree willingly.
Peyton crossed her legs and tugged a bit at her mini skirt which was clearly about 2 inches two short for her. Haley rolled her eyes at Peyton's fashion sense among other things.
"I just don't understand what you're thinking about Haley. We discussed in great detail the direction of the band and the obligations you would be required to fulfill. Starting a mainstream romance was not one of them. And worst of all, you kept it hidden from me of all people. I had to find out with the rest of the world via twitter. Where's the trust in our relationship here?" Peyton demanded.
"It started before the shift in the band occurred and I wanted to make sure there was a relationship actually there before I started sharing it with you and the press. I didn't want it to be like the last time. I needed this just for me for a while with everything else going on. I needed it Peyton. Can't you understand that? " Haley confessed deciding to try the full honesty angle with Peyton. Maybe she did still have a heart somewhere in there despite her cold, hard business exterior.
She looked back at Haley and was instantly taken back a few years ago to another moment that took place in this very office. Haley was knee dip in her first scandal and was literally close to falling apart. Peyton had recognized the seriousness of the situation back then and had done everything in her power to protect her client's integrity and respect.
"Haley I understand you're under a lot of pressure right now with the added obligations and the band's continued rise. This is what you, Walker, Chris and Quinn have worked years for. This is what you wanted. I've done everything I can do on my end to make all your dreams come true. I don't want anything to come in the way of that for you guys. What if we aren't as lucky as the last time when your romance with this basketball player falls apart?" Peyton finally responded.
Haley felt goose bumps cover her arms and the hair on the back of her neck stand up, "I've talked to them and they are 100% supportive of my relationship with Nathan. That's all you need to know about them. All of the new material I've written lately you love has been inspired by him. Where do you get off already working on a contingency plan for this to fall apart? I never realized how bitter you really have become Peyton until now." She declared sadly.
"I'm not bitter Haley and someone needs to be the smart one in this situation and clearly it has to be me. You're too busy thinking with your heart instead of your head. He plays in the fucking NBA! Do you really think this is a happily ever after situation? I don't think so. The same problems you had before are going to be even worse this time around. Especially with his level of celebrity and fame. Instead of trying figure out when to visit your boyfriend on a movie location, you're trying to figure out which away game he has where. You don't have time for a relationship with the schedule you need to keep to make this band work." She declared heatedly as she stared Haley's eyes down. Peyton watched the center of Haley's chocolate brown eyes suddenly turn black.
"What he does for a living doesn't define who he is as a person Peyton? You need to keep your damn mouth shut about stuff you know nothing about. About my schedule, I've noticed you've been booking me for stuff left and right here and that's not going to work for me. I need to rest Peyton just like the rest of the band is getting. Moving forward, I will not be doing any events without a contract agreement that I've signed personally." Haley stated matter of fact manner and then leaned back in her chair waiting for the response.
Peyton's right eye brow rose up and sadly part of her was proud of how assertive Haley was becoming. Being a women in the music business was difficult at times with having to fight off prejudices and stereotypes. But the real question was this new attitude self-motivated or her boyfriend directing her actions.
"Agreed but you need to do what you're booked for this weekend. We'll start fresh after that, together. Haley, I'm trying to look out for your best interest and your image. You need to be protected. You barely made it out your relationship with that asshole Damien West without being scarred for life in the public's eyes. I don't want to see you go through that again." Peyton admitted her eyes softening slightly.
"Nathan Scott is a good man and he would never do that to me. I know it deep down in my bones Peyton I promise you." Haley replied hoping she'd said enough to convince Peyton to back off.
"I sure hope you're right Hales because I won't be able to fight that beast again if something goes wrong." Peyton concluded trying to hide the slight fear in her eyes. She knew if it came to blows, she'd be no match for Dan Scott.
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