"Nathan, we really have to go," Haley urged. "Someone's going to see us."
"Who cares," Nathan mumbled, placing kisses down Haley's neck as he had her pressed up against the wall of the tutoring center. "No one's around. And it just so happens that I can't control myself around my sexy tutor."
"I haven't been your tutor for months," Haley argued.
"Yeah, you've been kind of a bit busy," Nathan acknowledged, moving his hand, not propped against the wall, to rest on her stomach. "When is this little guy going to kick already?"
"The doctor said any day now," Haley reminded him.
He'd been watching their son grow in Haley for months now, and couldn't wait for their little boy to kick. Hearing the heartbeat, seeing the sonogram pictures, and finding out their baby was a boy had made fatherhood feel more real. Feeling his son kick was the next box to check off.
"Only twenty more weeks, and we'll have our baby boy in our arms," Nathan smiled. "Which means, mommy and daddy have to savor every moment they have together before he gets here."
Haley couldn't disagree. Their alone time together would be severely reduced once the baby arrived. Gone were their all-nighters spent in bed and soon to be replaced with sleepless nights full of diapers, feedings, and crying.
"Come on, Hales. I know a janitor's closet that's calling our name," Nathan tried to convince her, sucking the spot on Haley's collarbone that he knew would leave her weak in the knees.
"I have to lock up," Haley said. Since she was the last tutor in the building, it was her job to lock the doors. That room had precious material. A cabinet in the back held all the answers to the exams at Tree Hill. It helped the tutors have an idea what they should focus their material around from student to student. Of course this cabinet was kept under tight lock and only tutor's had the key.
"No one's around," Nathan said. It was four o'clock, well past school operating hours. The school year was winding down. They had just a handful of weeks before the year was over. The only people who were around would be baseball and softball players, but they were out on the field most of the time. "If you're so worried, I promise we'll be quick."
"You said that about my parent's house," Haley said, remembering her and Nathan's first attempt at a quickie. "We weren't necessarily quick that time."
"But we've had our practice since then, and our multiple midday trips to the janitor's closet say otherwise." Most of their excursions were at Haley's insistence. One of the benefits of pregnancy Nathan noticed was her increased appetite for sex. She was always wanting it. Nathan wondered why she was so against it now, her sex drive had been up the wall these past few weeks.
Vivian had warned her this would happen a couple of weeks ago. As Haley progressed through her second trimester, Vivian's words remained true. The only thing holding her back this time around was her tummy. The last time they snuck away into the janitor's closet, it wasn't the most comfortable situation she found herself in.
"I don't know how much longer I can keep up with those," Haley admitted, patting her growing belly. She would much rather prefer their bed to the tight closet.
"Then why don't we go out with a bang?" Nathan suggested.
Haley finally relented, nodding her head to give Nathan the go ahead. Nathan did not waste a second and dragged Haley out of the room in a fit of giggles. She closed the door to the tutoring center, hoping no one would enter. She would have to return later anyway for her and Nathan's backpacks.
Rachel almost gagged as she saw Nathan and Haley sneak into the janitor's closet with goofy smiles on their faces. She had to roll her eyes at the scene. Couldn't they keep it in their pants for a minute? Although, their insatiable need for each other worked to Rachel's benefit in this instance.
Knowing Haley had failed to lock the door, she went into the tutoring center and headed straight for the back of the room. She went to open the cabinet which housed the exam answers; however, it was locked.
Rachel scanned the room for Haley's backpack, hoping to find a set of keys that would open the cabinet. She'd been looking for a reason to get back at Haley for stealing Nathan away from her and when Bevin let it slip that the tutoring center had cheat sheets, Rachel hatched her wicked plan.
She found Haley's keys just laying out in the open on one of the tables. Taking the keys, she tried each key on the ring until she found the right one. Upon opening, Rachel looked for the answer key to this week's calculus test. It wasn't like she was failing calculus or anything, she just needed a test to frame Haley for.
Rachel locked the cabinet back up and placed Haley's keys back on the table as if nothing was left out of the ordinary. She was on a time limit, not knowing how long the two lovebirds would take.
By the time she left the tutoring center and left the building, Nathan and Haley had yet to return. Rachel smiled at the test. She warned Haley that this was far from over and couldn't wait for Haley to be crushed with the end results.
"Hey, Principal Turner. You wanted to see me?" Haley asked, walking into the principal's office.
"Yes. Please have a seat, Haley," Turner said. "Yesterday, we were informed by a student that one of the calculus exams have been stolen."
"That's awful," Haley said. Who would do such a thing.? That cabinet was always locked up. Only the tutor's had access to it.
"After some investigation, we've discovered who stole the calculus exam," Turner explained.
"Who was it?"
"Why don't you just watch the tape." Turner turned his computer to face Haley to show her what the security cameras had picked up. Haley glanced at the time and date and shuddered. That was the day she and Nathan snuck out for a quickie. Ignoring the guilt building in her stomach, she watched on as Rachel Gatina went into the tutoring center and left with the calculus test in her hands. She wasn't even bothering to hide it.
"Wow, I don't even know what to say." Haley didn't put this behavior past Rachel, but it infuriated her nonetheless. Rachel had waited until Haley had left the center to use her keys to steal the test.
"Well, I've spoken to Miss Gatina. She said that you agreed to leave your keys in the tutoring center while you stepped out, giving her the opportunity to steal the test."
"What?!" Haley couldn't believe this lie and that Principal Turner was believing Rachel over her. Haley was a straight A student and did nothing wrong, yet he was siding with the C student who had been sent to the principal's office more than once. "No, look, Principal Turner..."
"The video doesn't lie." Turner rewound the tape showing Haley leaving and returning minutes between Rachel's entrance and exit. "I'm afraid I have no choice but to ask you to resign your position at the tutoring center effective immediatly." Haley tried to protest, but Turner would not allow it. "My decision is final. I'll need your key. I'm sorry it came to this, Haley. Word of advice? I might take a good look at who your real friends are."
"What do you mean you got fired?" Nathan asked, rubbing Haley's feet.
She'd been so worked up from her encounter with Principal Turner that she called off work for the day. When Nathan got home from school, he saw Haley crumpled on the couch eating a carton of ice cream. He offered to massage her feet to make her feel better.
"Rachel stole an exam from the tutoring center and pinned the blame on me for helping her. That bitch," Haley complained.
"And Turner believed her?" Nathan questioned. Haley nodded sadly. "Why would he ever believe her over you?"
"Because of the video tape," Haley explained. "The one of us heading off into the janitor's closet on Monday."
"What's up with the two of us and tapes?" Nathan mused, trying to take the edge off the situation. The joke was harmless Dan's played ro him and Haley's unique circumstances.
"Not helping."
"But you had nothing to do with it. Didn't you just tell Principal Turner?"
"Yeah, I tried. I told him, and he said, 'it's school policy.' It just really sucks. I love tutoring, and we really needed that extra money." They were now down an extra source of income. Though Deb reassured her constantly not to worry and that her and Dan would take care of the expenses as long as her and the baby lived there, Haley wanted to be financially independent. That's how it would be when she went to college. Better get a handle on it ahead of time.
"I'm so sorry, Haley." Of course Rachel would pull a stunt like this to hurt Haley. She hadn't really gotten over the fact that he dumped her for Haley and the baby. "I shouldn't have been so persistent."
"Don't apologize. It wasn't like I was all that innocent either. I wanted it just as bad."
"What about now?" Nathan wiggled his eyebrows at Haley.
Haley leaned over and kissed Nathan sweetly, not letting it linger for too long. She caressed his face with her hands as she parted from him. "Not tonight. I think I just want to lie down for a while. By myself." Haley stood up from the couch and headed off to her and Nathan's bedroom for a well needed nap.
Nathan hated seeing Haley so down. He'd seen her angry, frustrated, and upset, practically every emotion on the face of the planet. But today, her anger turned into an empty void. Haley was tired of Rachel and her antics to attack her. She just wanted it to stop.
Whilst thinking about Haley, Nathan noticed a text on his phone from Tim. He asked if he was coming to the party at Vegas' house tonight. Since Haley and the baby entered his life, his partying days had decreased. Most nights were spent cuddled in bed with her.
Nathan was going to decline the invite, but thought back to the tired girl upstairs. A night out wouldn't be so bad. They were limited on nights to themselves being normal teenagers. He hoped that Haley would be receptive to the party.
Nathan and Haley are arrived at Vegas' house with many cars parked out front. Nathan hadn't told Haley where they were going that night. He wanted it to be a surprise. All he had said was to dress nice.
"Um, Nathan, what is going on? I thought we were going out to dinner," Haley said, unaware of where she was at.
"Well, we never really got a proper chance to celebrate winning state. We kind of skipped out on Karen's party. And I figured with everything that's been going on lately, it might be nice to have a night out. No need to worry about being parents. We can just be Nathan and Haley and enjoy a little-" Nathan said, getting cut off by Skills and Mouth opening the front door.
"Party!" Skills and Mouth yelled. Since joining Nathan's crew, the River Court boys began to immerse themselves in the high school culture by attending sports games and going to parties. If it wasn't for Haley bringing the two worlds of basketball together, the River Court boys would be out on the River Court on a night like tonight.
"Thank you," Haley said, looking up at Nathan before entering.
"For what?" Nathan asked.
"For trying to cheer me up. I could have sat around and moped all night, you know," Haley explained.
"Well, I can't have my girl being sad," Nathan smiled.
Haley grinned and kissed Nathan's cheek. "I'm going to head in and get a drink. Do you want anything?" Haley asked.
"Nah, I'll get it. I wanted to go in to talk to Luke anyway. I'll catch up with you later," Nathan promised. He had something he wanted to talk to Lucas about anyway without Haley being present. This gave him the perfect opportunity. The only difficulty would be trying to pry Lucas away from Peyton.
Nathan went into the crowded living room hoping to find Lucas, but came up empty handed. Catching a glimpse of two blondes heading upstairs, Nathan ran in their direction and towards the staircase. His arm got caught as he was pulled into a dark closet.
"Haley?" Nathan questioned, feeling kisses being peppered along his neck. He knew Haley to be spontaneous at times, but at a party filled with their friends was new for him. The last two times he'd been to a party with her things never ended well for them.
Nathan felt the kisses growing more aggressive and un-Haley like. Usually at this distance he could feel her baby bump pressed up against him, but he felt nothing. Searching for a light switch he flipped on the light.
"Rachel?" Nathan said with disgust, pushing her away. "Get the hell off me."
"Oh come on, Nate? You can't tell me you didn't like it," Rachel said, tugging on his belt buckle while Nathan tried to keep her hands away from him. "You liked when I did this last time."
"I'm with Haley," Nathan said, standing firm.
"She doesn't have to know," Rachel suggested. The option wasn't that far out of Nathan's wheelhouse. He cheated on Peyton all the time without her knowledge. This wouldn't be any different.
"But I would." He refused to cheat on Haley. Nathan had such a good thing going with her and their son. He didn't want to jeopardize it. Rachel wasn't going to tear apart his family. "I love her."
Nathan hadn't even told Haley that he loved her. That's what he had gone in search of Lucas for. He loved her and it scared the shit out of him. Nathan Scott never loved anyone, but the overwhelming amount of emotion he felt for Haley could only be described as love. He wanted Lucas' input before he told Haley how he felt.
"Nathan Scott in love?" Rachel questioned, repressing a laugh. Rachel didn't believe him. Nathan Scott was not the type to fall in love, especially with a girl like Haley. She was too below him. "We both know you're not capable of love, especially with her. What does she even have going for her? She's average at best. Not to mention the baby weight. How could you see anything in her?"
"Because she is the kindest and smartest person I've ever met. She's so supportive of me and my career. Everything we do is for each other. And it doesn't hurt that she's the mother of my son," Nathan explained. "Speaking of which. I got to go see her." Nathan opened the door to the closet and almost ran into his tiny companion. "Hey, Haley. I didn't see you there."
"What are you doing in a closet?" Haley asked, taking a sip of her water. "I thought that was our thing?" Nathan had to chuckle at her brazenness. It was nice seeing his personality rub off on her on occasion.
Rachel overheard the exchange and thought to make the best of the situation. "Nathan get back here we were just-oh hi, Haley," Rachel said, draping her arm across Nathan's chest. Nathan watched as the color drained from Haley's face. "We didn't realize you were there."
"Haley, this isn't what it looks like," Nathan tried to reason.
"I'll give you a call later, Nate," Rachel smiled, swaying her hips as she walked away from the couple, wreaking havoc wherever she went.
"Haley, I swear. Rachel pulled me in there. Nothing happened," Nathan said frantically. He didn't want a miscommunication to ruin his relationship with Haley.
"Just don't talk to me," Haley said, fighting back tears. She believed him, but needed her space. Seeing him and Rachel together was too much for her. It was one of her worst fears. Nathan finding another girl who was everything she wasn't, even if it was Rachel. It just hurt more that it was Rachel, especially since she stripped her of her tutoring job.
"Haley, please," Nathan begged, trying to pull her back. "Hear me out."
She couldn't stay mad at him and his blue eyes. "You have five minutes," Haley said.
"Could we go outside?" Nathan suggested. He didn't want the rest of the grade to overhear and spin this story. This was for him and Haley to deal with and rumorville would have no hold on them.
Haley agreed. Though she had gotten use to being pregnant and wearing clothes that accentuated her bump, she didn't want her classmates to see her in such a fragile state.
Once outside, Nathan took the opportunity to apologize. "I'm not going to lie, Haley, because you deserve better than that. Rachel kissed me," Nathan admitted. "But I knew she wasn't you. She even tried to proposition me for sex and if I was with any other girl, I might have said yes." Haley regretted ever agreeing to this. Instead of Nathan quelling her fears, he only reinforced them. "But I said no. I don't want to do anything to drive you away even though sometimes I can't help it. Just like I can't help that I fell in love with you because I did. I love you, Haley. And it scares me a little bit. There it is."
Haley looked up at Nathan as the words left Nathan's mouth. He just said he loved her. "Wow," Haley breathed, wrapping her head around Nathan's admission. "There it is."
Nathan said everything he wanted. After Rachel tried to mess up his relationship for the umpteenth time, he refused to let her get in the way any more. He wanted Haley to know where his allegiance and heart was because she had both.
Haley put her hand behind Nathan's neck, pulling him down to her level to kiss him. Nathan wrapped his arms around her as he felt their baby boy in between them. "I love you too," Haley said, parting their lips.
"We should head back inside, shouldn't we?" Nathan asked, stilling gazing at Haley. "If you want to head home, I'm okay with that, too. As long as I have you, I'm happy."
"That sounds nice, but there's something I need to do first," Haley said, departing from the porch and rejoining the party on a mission.
Finding Rachel dancing on the coffee table in the living room, Haley smirked with her water still in her hand. Guys surrounded her hooting and hollering at the show Rachel was giving them. "Thank you, thank you. Tip your waitresses. Or me," Rachel said, stepping down.
"So, how'd you do it, Rachel?" Haley implored
"Do what?" Rachel questioned, playing dumb.
"Don't throw dumb-ass at me, girly. You stole that test, and I want to know how you did it. Did you know that I would be leaving the tutoring center, giving you opportunity to raid my bag. Yeah, I bet you did, didn't you? And now thanks to you, I'm never going to have the opportunity of tutoring someone again."
"Whatever." Rachel rolled her eyes, pushing past Haley in the crowd as a group started to swarm around them feeling a fight about to ensue.
That was the last straw.
"So..." Haley began, throwing her full glass of water in Rachel's face. "That is for getting me fired." Haley took no time to hesitate her next move. She slapped Rachel backhandedly and grabbed her face. "And that is for trying to sleep with my boyfriend."
"Bitch, you are lucky you're pregnant," Rachel warned. If Haley wasn't carrying a baby, Rachel would have no issue laying a hand on Haley.
"Honey, you're lucky that I'm pregnant," Haley fired back. "I think it's time you get your insecure, cheating skank ass out of this house right now."
"You bit..." Rachel started as she charged towards Haley.
Skills emerged from the crowd, intervening to stop Rachel from pushing Haley. "Yo, I think it's time for you to leave," Skills said. Rachel narrowed her eyes at Haley and stormed off, leaving the party. Skills wrapped his arm around Haley to comfort her. "Told you I got the kid's back."
Nathan left the porch at the sound of commotion and found Lucas and Peyton on the way. Peyton relayed that Haley was fighting Rachel and both boys instantly got worried, leaving Peyton with Brooke and Julian while they went to break up the fight.
When they arrived, there was no sight of Rachel. Instead, they found Skills and Haley, catching it up.
"Haley. I heard you were fighting Rachel. You punched her?" Lucas asked. He could not believe that sweet Haley James was getting into a fight, nonetheless starting one.
"It was more of a bitch-slap," Haley clarified.
"Yeah, that was after she threw the drink on her," Skills added, eagerly. It was probably the greatest thing he had ever seen. Skills made a note of attending parties more often if they were going to be like tonight. He was glad to see Haley putting Rachel in her place.
"My girl's a badass," Nathan commented, slightly amused. However, he didn't want the stress of the fight to affect Haley. They could not afford another hospital visit due to stress. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm okay. Don't worry about me. I feel fi-" Haley stopped short as she clutched her belly.
Nathan, fearing the worst, went into panic mode along with Skills and Lucas. "What is it? Are you okay?" Nathan questioned.
"Yeah," Haley assured him and the boys. She scrunched her face and had her gaze pointed at her stomach. "The baby's just really kicking."
"He's kicking?" Nathan asked. He'd been waiting on this moment for weeks and it was finally happening.
"Oh, yeah," Haley said, registering Nathan's excitement. She grabbed Nathan's hands and placed them on her belly as their son was kicking up a storm. It was the first time he'd ever kicked for them. Who knew all it took was for Haley to get into a fight for their son to make their presence known.
"I feel can it," Nathan smiled. "That's our boy!"
"Yeah," Haley nodded as Nathan encapsulated her in a hugged, never once removing his hand from their son.