Chapter Eight

Nathan stayed sitting but he didn't say anything, he didn't know what to say. Before he could figure out how to respond Haley started talking, "I..if you want, I can g…go," she stuttered out. "Actually I think I will just go, I mean this is your mom's café you shouldn't feel uncomfortable here, I don't belong here any way. I'm sorry to have caused you any discomfort…"

"Haley, relax it's fine, you can stay. I don't mind. In fact eat with me, we can catch up," Nathan said, stopping her rambling. As soon as the words left his mouth he wished he could take them back. He should have let her leave, he didn't have a clue what they would say to each other.

"I'd really like that, do you want to move down to the corner or should I come over there?" she asked with a slight shake in her voice.

With no way out of the situation he put himself in, Nathan stood up with his coffee in hand and moved down to sit next to her. He couldn't help but notice the differences in her. Her hair was its natural dirty blonde in curls down her back. When they had been together she had kept it dyed a dark brown. She wasn't her confident self she had been when they were together, she seemed like the nerdy nervous Haley he asked to tutor him so he could stay on the basketball team. He suspected that her nervousness was because he was there. He had watched her interviews on T.V and she always seemed so confident and sure of what she was saying.

She wasn't all different though he noticed. She still smelled like the strawberry and cream shampoo she favored. She still made his heart hammer in his chest with just being there. It scared him how much he wanted to wrap his arms around her and act as if nothing happened, to just be them again.

"Um.…so do you still play basketball?" she asked trying to break the awkward silence that had fallen over them. As soon as the question left her lips he was brought back to reality.

"No, actually, senior year I hurt my knee pretty bad. I needed surgery and rehab and after that it wasn't the same," he explained with no emotion. He couldn't have been hurt at a worse time. Scouts for the NBA were at the game looking to recruit him. He had gotten his life back together, he had a plan for his future, and it all ended with one bad landing. If he could take back that slam dunk he would. They would have lost the game but he wouldn't be sitting here awkwardly next to his wife, his wife who he wasn't comfortable being around anymore.

"Oh Nathan, I'm so sorry. I had no idea. I wish…" Haley started but stopped. He knew she was going to say she wished she had been there. He had wished that to through all the months of hell he went through, but she wasn't and she couldn't change that with a few words.

"It's fine, I'm not a big NBA star but I clearly was never meant to be. I have to get to work but maybe I'll see you around town before you leave," Nathan said standing up to go.

"I'm still sorry, I know it was your dream. I'm glad we got to talk even if it was only for a little while. I'm sure I'll see you around," Haley said with a smile as Nathan nodded and left without another word.

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Not long after Nathan left the café Haley said goodbye to Karen and made her way to the tour bus to pack her bags. She couldn't stay on that awful thing one more night. She needed a proper bed and shower. She would have to find a more permanent place to park the bus. She had sent her drive back days ago, not that it really mattered the bus belonged to her. She hadn't wanted some label telling her what she could and could not do on the bus while she was on tour. After all she had lived on the thing more than in her apartment.

It didn't take her long to pack the few bags she had. With her back pack and duffel bag she started her long walk to the only hotel in Tree Hill. Halfway there she really wished she had her car, her shoulders hurt from the straps digging into them and her legs were burning. She had never been athletic but she had to stay in shape to keep up with her hectic tour schedule. Right now she was wishing she had gone to the gym more.

After she found a house she would fly back to get her car, she thought as she trudged along at a haphazard pace. When she got back to New York she could pack up her car, with the few belongings she had in her apartment, and terminate her lease. That is if she made it to the hotel before she collapsed, she thought with a laugh.