2004 ― Tree Hill, North Carolina

A few mornings later, Aurora and Taylor James were at Nathan and Haley's apartment. Taylor was on Haley's laptop and she put a CD into the CD player. The song that Chris and Haley recorded together started playing and Aurora shook her head as she laughed.

"Shut that off!" Haley's voice was heard as she came into the kitchen. Taylor paused the song and turned to her sister.

"So, this is the infamous Chris?" Taylor asked. Haley rolled her eyes and closed her laptop. "Sounds sexy," She said and Aurora laughed.

"Nathan is in the bedroom. Do you want to start World War Three?" Haley asked and Aurora laughed.

"My money's on Nate," Aurora said.

"This isn't funny, Aurora," Haley said.

"It's a little funny," Aurora said. Taylor smirked when Haley bent over to pick up something from the floor and she saw Haley's tattooed '23.'

"Nice henna tattoo," Taylor teased.

"Actually, Tay, it's not henna," Aurora said. Taylor's eyes widened as she turned to her sister. Then she walked over to Haley and ran her finger over the tattoo.

"It is real!" She exclaimed as Haley shoved her away. "23? Is that how many tequila shots it took you to do it?" Taylor asked and Aurora laughed.

"Stop it!" Haley exclaimed as she opened a cupboard door. Taylor and Aurora hopped onto the island counter to sit.

"Hey, what happened to the whole; tattoos are for sluts and burnouts' sermon you gave Ari and me when we got tattoos?" Taylor asked.

"Uh 23 is Nathan's jersey number, and you permanently marked your body with some random... spider," Haley said and Aurora rolled her eyes.

"Taylor's tattoo means something to her, just like your tattoo has meaning for you. Just because you don't understand the meaning behind Taylor's tattoo doesn't give you the right to judge it. She's not a burnout or a slut," Aurora said. Taylor smiled at her sister.

"Thank you, Ari... And the scorpion paralyzes its victims. There's nothing random about that," Taylor said. Haley rolled her eyes as she started peeling her banana.

"Yeah, I bet," Haley said.

"You got a tattoo, and conveniently, it's... in the exact same spot as mine. I guess you don't disapprove of your big sister so much after all," Taylor said as she smirked. Haley rolled her eyes.

"Don't flatter yourself," She said as she sat down at the table.

"Does this mean you didn't wait for the ring to give it up either?" Taylor asked.

"I waited... until I was in love," Haley said. Then Nathan walked out into the room and saw the three sisters.

"How about you, Nathan? Were you in love the first time you had sex?" Taylor asked. Aurora rolled her eyes while Nathan stared her down.

"Tay!" Haley exclaimed and Taylor shrugged.

"What? We're family now, we shouldn't... have secrets," Taylor said as she looked at Nathan. Aurora could tell her best friend was getting uncomfortable and she didn't like how Taylor put him on the spot like that.

"It's not really any of your business, but the truth is... whoever my first was... wasn't nearly as important as my last," Nathan said as he wrapped his arm around his wife. Haley turned to Taylor and smirked before turning back to Nathan.

"Thank you," She said as she leaned up and kissed him, then she walked back to the kitchen. Aurora shook her head and looked at Taylor.

"Low blow, Tay."

⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎

Nathan came to the cafe to talk to Haley. Both twins were there because they were working. Nathan was going to tell Haley the truth, that he lost his virginity to Taylor, and he had no idea how she was going to react, but he was hoping he would take it as well as she did when he found out about him and Aurora.

"Hey," Haley said when she saw her husband walk in, and then she saw the solemn look on his face. "Did Taylor say something? We could always ask Karen if we can live here until she leaves. She won't look for us here," Haley said.

"Still our sister," Aurora said as she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, we need to talk about her," Nathan said.

"Ah-ha! I warned you about her. Give Taylor an inch and she'll take whatever the hell she wants. I know her a lot better than you do," Haley said as the two of them went to the couch by the window. Aurora was serving her customers and cleaning tables nearby, she could still hear.

"Alright, Haley... we got married so quickly, we never really... had the talk most people have when they get engaged," Nathan said. Haley raised an eyebrow and waited for him to continue. "About... you know, past relationships, sexual history," Nathan said as he shifted.

"Ah," Haley said as she set down the coffee pot she was holding. Aurora swooped over and picked it up and then winked at Nathan. She knew where the conversation was going and she didn't want Haley to throw the coffee on her husband.

"Well that's probably because I can give you mine in under ten seconds while yours is cataloged in the Library of Congress," Haley teased and Aurora snickered. "What's going on?" She asked. Nathan took a deep breath.

"Alright, my first time was at this party at my parent's beach house," He said as he took another deep breath. "I was pretty wasted and I... never... I never really saw the girl again... until now," Nathan said.

"Until now?" Haley asked.

"Haley, listen. I swear. I hadn't even heard of you when this happened, okay?" Nathan said.

"You didn't say Aurora was your first time," Haley said.

"She wasn't..." Nathan said. Haley fell silent as she thought about it for a moment, and then her eyes widened.

"Taylor?" She asked.

"I'm sorry, I just... look... She threatened to tell you and I just thought you should hear it from me," Nathan said.

"Well goodness, Nathan! Should I offer up Quinn and Vivian to you as well? If I would've known you had a pattern for sleeping with the girls in my family...-" Nathan cut her off, but Haley was still reeling. She could handle finding out he slept with Aurora; before she knew Nathan, she thought that Aurora and Nathan were going to end up together.

"This was like two years ago! I didn't know you. I didn't know there was going to be a you," Nathan said. Haley shook her head and stood up.

"I have to get back to work," Haley said.

"Haley!" Nathan exclaimed, but she continued walking. She coldly brushed past Aurora. The brunette looked up at her best friend and shrugged while Nathan sighed.

He knew he messed up.

⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎

After work, Aurora went to Haley and Nathan's apartment because Taylor told her she was lounging there. She wanted to have dinner with everyone together since Alex had his late class tonight, so he wouldn't be home until later. "Whatcha doing with Haley's laptop?" Aurora asked.

"Come here, someone is messaging her," Taylor said. Aurora raised an eyebrow as she walked over to the counter and stood next to Taylor.

HellinKeller:
I'm thinking about you

"You've got to be kidding me," Aurora said as she groaned. The IM name gave away exactly who it was.

TutorGirl:
Who is this?

HellinKeller:
Chris

Taylor looked at Aurora with a smirk on her face and Aurora rolled her eyes. She knew Taylor would probably play along with it and then tell him that she's not Haley.

TutorGirl:
I'm thinking about you too

HellinKeller:
I want to kiss you again, Haley

Aurora's eyes widened when Chris' message came in. Taylor looked at her younger sister and based on the shock in her eyes, Taylor knew that Aurora had no idea about the kiss. Now Aurora was getting angry. Haley cheated on Nathan, and she's been lying about it?

"You're home early," Taylor said when the door opened and Haley walked in.

"You're here all the time even though you're staying with Alex and Ari," Haley said as she rolled her eyes. "What are you doing on my laptop? Cruising for jailbait?' Haley snapped.

"Haley!" Aurora snapped.

"Excuse me?" Taylor asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I heard your specialty is deflowering freshman!" Haley snapped as she put her keys on the table. Taylor nodded as she understood what was going on.

"So the Boy Scout told you, huh? Quite a coincidence, but look at it this way. All three of us have slept with him; now we can compare notes," Taylor said. Aurora laughed, but Haley didn't find it amusing.

"It's not funny, Taylor!" Haley yelled as she grabbed a handful of her sister's hair. Aurora quickly jumped up and pulled her twin off of their sister.

"What the hell is wrong with you!? You didn't do this when I told you I slept with Nathan. Why are you freaking out on Taylor?" Haley snapped.

"If you wanted to find someone I hadn't slept with, you should've moved to Alaska," Taylor said. Haley tried to jump at her again, but Aurora held her back and turned to Taylor.

"You're not helping," Aurora said.

"Do you think my relationship is just a big joke?" Haley yelled.

"No! Of course not!" Taylor said.

"But apparently you do! Because Chris is one laughing riot," Aurora snapped. Haley looked at her twin and glared at her.

"What are you talking about?" Haley asked.

"We're talking about you! Bitching about your husband's past when you have a present! I was online and I got an IM, or rather, you did. You've been kissing Chris," Taylor said. Haley's face paled as she looked at her sisters.

"I don't...-I don't know what you're talking about," Haley said. Aurora scoffed as she shook her head as Haley turned away from them.

"Don't do that! I can't believe you would do that to Nathan! Especially after you saw what I went through when Lucas did it to me. Are you sleeping with him?" Aurora asked. Haley immediately turned around.

"No! It's not what it looks like, okay?" Haley said. Taylor and Aurora exchanged a look.

"Oh, really? Because it seems to me like Saint Haley is just as bad as the rest of us!" Taylor snapped.

"Nathan can't know about this," Haley said.

"Cheating and lying is what ended my relationship, and there were no wedding rings in that scenario," Aurora said. Haley sighed as she looked down.

"Fine, Hay. But you need to lay off on all the snide remarks. I'm staying with Alex and Aurora until I figure out what I'm doing, but god forbid I want to see both of my sisters while I'm here," Taylor said. Haley didn't say anything, she sighed, closed her laptop, and then walked back to her room. Aurora looked at Taylor and sighed.

"She'll get over it."

⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎

Aurora and Taylor stuck around the apartment. They didn't want to leave without talking to Haley again. Aurora didn't like to leave things in a bad spot with any of her siblings. Taylor left to go on a jog, and Haley eventually moved from her room to the balcony. When Taylor came back from Alex's after showering and changing, Aurora gestured to their sister.

"I thought we should talk to her together," Aurora said. Taylor nodded and the sisters went outside to join Haley.

"Hey," Taylor said. Haley turned around to see her sisters and she turned to Taylor.

"I'm sorry about your hair," Haley said.

"I'm sorry I slept with your husband," Taylor said.

"Me too, actually. I realized that I told you what happened, but I never apologized to you for it," Aurora said.

"And if it's any consolation, I'm not that memorable," Taylor said. Haley made a disgusted sound and Aurora laughed. Taylor was standing between her younger sisters and they leaned on the balcony the same way Haley was leaning. "Okay, that's a lie."

"Guys... what am I gonna do?" Haley asked.

"Hang in there," Taylor said as she rubbed Haley's arm. "Eventually he'll forget about me, and probably Aurora too," She said and Aurora rolled her eyes.

"No, I'm serious," Haley said as she sighed. "I love Nathan and this is all really confusing," Aurora said.

"Because you kissed Chris?" Aurora asked and Haley shook her head.

"No... Because I'm... just jealous of what Chris has! You know, his music, the freedom to pursue his dream, and that kiss just made it a lot messier. I really don't know what to do," Haley said. Aurora frowned because she did feel bad.

"I am the wrong girl to ask for advice. Your twin is much better at it," Taylor said as the girls hopped up on the railing of the balcony to sit. "Do you two wanna know why I really got the tattoo? When the scorpion's caught in a fire, it stings itself to death," She said.

"That's a myth, actually," Haley said and Taylor shook her head.

"Not in my life. When things get bad, I always find a way to make them worse," Taylor said as she grabbed both her sister's hands. "The truth is girls, you both have always been miles ahead of me. And most of the time, I feel like the little sister," Taylor said. Aurora slightly frowned. "You'll do the right thing, Haley Bob. You always do," Taylor said as she wiped the tears coming down Haley's face.

The three of them laughed and then Taylor wrapped her arms around her sisters and pulled them to her side. "James sister moments like this is what I live for," Aurora said as she smiled.

"Well, while I'm still a good influence, Aurora Grace, got anything to share with the group?" Taylor asked. Aurora laughed at the inclusion of her middle name and shook her head.

"I've been avoiding Lucas," Aurora said.

"Why?" Haley asked and Aurora sighed.

"He caught me off guard the last time we talked. He told me that he broke up with Anna because he still has feelings for me, and I'm just not sure what to do with it," Aurora said.

"Get back together with him?" Taylor asked.

"If it were that easy, I would've done it," Aurora said as she shook her head.

"What's stopping you?" Haley asked.

"How do I trust that he won't cheat on me again? And especially with Peyton?" Aurora asked as her eyes started to water. What made that situation horrible was that her trust was broken by two friends. Two of her closest friends broke her heart, and she knew she wouldn't survive it a second time.

"You don't... but do you trust him?" Taylor asked.

"I do trust him... he's been my friend for nine years... I'm just not sure if I can trust him with my heart again," Aurora said.

"Well, now you know he still has feelings for you, and if you still have feelings for him, I say go for it. Don't let your fear hold you back. You never know what could happen. I don't think he'd repeat his same mistake," Haley said.

"Haley's right, and if he does, Alex and I will handle it," Taylor said and Aurora smiled.

"I wish you were home more often, Tay. I hope you know mine and Alex's apartment is always open to you," Aurora said.

"Do you remember what I said about the scorpion? The last thing either of you needs is me making your lives worse," Taylor said and Aurora frowned.

"You don't make our lives worse, Tay. You're our sister for crying out loud, and we love you. Even if Haley doesn't always show it," Aurora said and Haley rolled her eyes.

"She's right. We love you a lot, and you don't make our lives worse, I promise. I may not have been great at showing it, but I am glad you're here, Tay," Haley said. Taylor smiled as she squeezed them again.

"I love you girls too."

⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎⇎

love my james sisters.

don't forget to vote/comment.

xoxo.