The last droplets of rain the sky had to offer fell briefly, as Nathan hurried up the steps of his and Haley’s apartment. Once he had finally reached shelter - like magic - the rain stopped.

He pushed his capuz, capa off, and blinked. “Son of a bitch..”

It wasn’t long before he remembered what he was doing there, and he quickly made his way towards his apartment. Slipping his key in the lock quietly, he slid the door open, hoping Haley had gone out shopping.

No such luck. No sooner as he’d opened the door, the petite woman appeared from the bedroom.

Mid length auburn locks down, the girl frowned at the site of her husband, her hands instinctively landing on her hips.

“Nathan, you can’t always just run out in the middle of a fight.” Here she went. Starting another argument - again.

“I went to Brooke and Lucas’s.” He peeled off his soaking shoes, and then pulled off his sweatshirt.

Her facial expression softened. “Oh. How are they?”

“Fine.” He shrugged.

“That’s, that’s..” Haley trailed off, and looked down.

“So, did anyone call for me while I was gone?” He made his way over to the answering machine.

“Why?” Haley challenged, “Were you expecting someone?”

“Yeah,” Nathan made a face, “My lover. I‘m sure she said she‘d call around the time I was gone.”

“Oh, you‘re hilarious.” His wife frowned, walking back towards the kitchen.

“Who says I‘m kidding?”

“Nathan, just stop.”

“Well why shouldn‘t I be having an affair? I mean, you always accuse me of doing so anyway.”

“I do not.” Haley said stubbornly, stirring something that smelled delicious. Nathan was tempted to ask her for some, but decided that would somehow be surrendering.

“Okay,” Nathan chuckled, “Except you do.”

“Whatever. I’m not having this argument with you.”

“Oh, so when you want to leave a fight, it‘s okay. But when I do, you rip my head off?” What the hell? Why was she so weird?

“Fine! Fine, the reason I ask you if you’re having an affair is because you don’t make amor to me anymore! Ever! You never even ask! You just go on your merry way. And I know you, Nathan Scott. You have to be getting it somewhere!” Tears began their journey as they formed in her hazel eyes.

Nathan looked down at the floor. He hadn’t known that she’d wanted to, and yet he supposed he hadn’t cared either. He’d simply expected her to not want it, and had therefore forced himself not to as well.

“Hales, I didn’t know that you still-”

“Loved you? Well I am married to you, aren’t I?” A small smile formed on her lips, despite herself. She wiped her tears away, and continued to cook.

They were silent as Haley cooked and Nathan just sat, on the laptop checking his e-mails. After a while, he looked towards her. She wasn’t an inch over five foot three, and she wore a red dress that stopped just above her knees. Her auburn hair was down, and silky looking, and he could almost see her pretty eyes; sad and lonely.

Nathan rose and stood seguinte to her. She looked up at him curiously, and he smiled.

“Need any help?”

“Sure.” She nodded slowly, but a smile lit up her face nonetheless.

Nathan and Haley were one of those couples that had been together forever. They’d gotten together during their junior ano of high school, after much debate. This was, of course, because he was popular, and she was merely his tutor.

They’d pulled through. And drama had occurred. She’d gotten a tattoo of the number ‘23’ on her lower back, and he had tried not to pressure her into sex. They’d had a sweet relationship.

And one day, at some point during that fateful year, he’d asked her to marry him. She’d said yes, and after getting the permission of her parents, Haley became Mrs. Haley James-Scott.

They were happy for a while.

And then Chris Keller happened. Tall, scrawny, and ruggedly good looking, Chris entered her life and gave her the opportunity to do something she’d always wanted; sing.

It had started out so innocently, but not really. Chris had been attracted to Haley from the start, she’d just been the last to know this. Pretty soon, he’d kissed her, and she was living with the guilt.

When she finally did tell Nathan, it was the night she went off on tour with him. This left Nathan, who had finally opened up his coração for someone, completely broken. He’d changed into a monster, and the only person that could change him, was Haley.

He’d hated her. Hated her so much. He had painted their apartment ceiling pink, because he knew she hated the color, and had put up a picture of a clown, because he knew they freaked her out.

Nathan Scott was hurting badly. Then she came home. Out of the blue. Told him the tour meant nothing without him there. And after months of trying to work it out, they were together. Together and happy.

That was years ago, when they were barely seventeen. They’d both gone to college at a community college, because it was all that they could afford, and Nathan had become an architect; a failed architect. He hadn’t ever really had work, but he was working hard to draw up something that would be amazing. That would make him and Haley millionaires, or something close to that. Haley had remained at Karen’s Café, finally becoming the co-owner of the business with Nathan’s mother, and Lucas’s.

They’d been happy for a while. And now, at twenty-two, they weren’t so much. Their fights were getting mais frequent, and even mais pointless. They never made love, and they hardly ever cuddled or held each other.

And although Nathan would never admit it, he missed his old life. Back before she’d left on the tour. Back when she’d come home. Back when he was still so sure he was in amor with her.