Author: Petal
Spoilers: None. Actually, it takes place sort of before the series :p
Note: It's my first One Tree Hill fic. I have a few others in mind, depending on how this one goes :) Definitely all Luke/Haley!
Warning: If there's any mistakes, I'm sorry. I had this idea late and it was even later when I finished.

Three-second kiss

"Hey honey," Karen smiled at her son who had just entered the cafe. He returned the smile and looked around to spot Haley behind the counter, talking to one of their early customers. He headed to join his mom sitting at a table, working through bills. He slid on the bench facing hers and sighed.

"Everything alright?" she asked, putting down an electricity bill she had been holding.

"I need to talk to Haley about something."

She nodded and followed his gaze to the young brown-haired woman in question. "Well, wait a few seconds until she finishes with Sean there."

"He's a regular?" he asked, looking back at his mother.

She laughed and nodded. "Regular and most difficult morning-client this business has ever known."

"What does he do?" he frowned, slightly concerned.

"He gives Haley the toughest hour on the job," she chuckled. "Go talk to them, if you want. He doesn't bite."

Lucas sprung from his seat and took a seat next to the older man who apparently had been giving Haley such a hard time. He looked up at her and smiled. "Hey."

"Lucas, help," she whispered softly, catching Karen's amused look over his shoulder. "Your mother is evil, Luke. Leave and never come back!"

"What's going on?" he laughed.

"No, I'll take a flavoured coffee. Do you have this here, miss? Vanilla and Hazelnut. Oh, I love mint. Can you add mint?"

Haley shot her head backward and sighed. "Sean, for the thousandth time, would you please take a look at the menu and pick something from there? It'll be faster for the both of us."

"And miss an opportunity to have a conversation with the prettiest woman I've ever met? Sorry, dear. Do you have green tea?"

"Why don't I order you scramble eggs and black coffee," she said as she noted them down in her pad. "The same thing you end up ordering every Saturday mornings."

The man smiled and threw his hands in the air. "She knows me too well."

Haley rolled her eyes and gave the order to the chef. Sean finally excused himself and walked further back in the cafe to a quiet place where he could read his newspaper in peace.

"I wasn't kidding when I begged for help," Haley half-jokingly slap her friend on the shoulder.

He grinned and glanced at Sean settling down with his newspaper. "I've never seen his before."

"That's because you've never been awake this early on a Saturday morning before. What's the occasion?"

He leaned across the counter with a mischievous smile. Haley raised an eyebrow, carefully studying him. "What is it?"

"The third of July, Haley."

"Ok..."

"1996."

"I know I'm suppose to be the wise one around here," she teased. "But you really have to help me here or your mom will have my butt for not doing my job."

Lucas nodded. "That day you had those pink shorts you were so proud of wearing. Bright pink, if I recall correctly."

Haley thought for a moment and gasped. "No! Are you serious? I knew you'd never let me digest this down!"

"C'mon, Hales. Everyone needs to remember their first kiss."

"Of course, when you're not the one who made a complete fool out of yourself."

"You brought me under that tree in the park," he smiled.

Haley buried her face in her hands, blushing but laughing. "I can't believe I had the guts to do that."

"You said you had a big secret to tell me," he went on, enjoying her reaction. "Of course you never got around at saying it. You were too busy kissing me."

Haley burst out laughing. "Hey, don't exaggerate! It was a three-second kiss period."

Lucas nodded and leaned back. "Period was it. You took off the second we broke apart."

Haley blushed a soft shade of pink again. "It wasn't what I wanted to do. It just... happened."

"Yeah, you never did come around at telling me that big secret," he whispered, his eyes sparkling.

Haley rolled her eyes. "I was ten years old. All I wanted to do, I guess, was to tell you about the crush. I don't know, I guess I got all nervous and--"

"Crush?"

Haley paled. "Did I say that out loud?"

"Elaborate," he smiled.

"Ah, your mom is sending me that glare again. Work needs to be done-"

"I'll deal with her later," he stopped her. "Tell me about that crush, Hales. You had a crush on me? And you never told me?"

"Well, I did tell you, in a physical way."

"In a three-second physical way," he corrected. "And the running afterwards. Should I be offended? Was I a bad kisser at ten?"

Haley laughed and shook her head. "I can't believe you're making me talk about this."

"Was I?"

"Were you what? A bad kisser?" she raised her eyebrows.

Lucas nodded.

She sighed. "You were okay."

"Okay?"

"Like you said, it was our first kiss. I never been kissed or kissed anyone before that..." her voice ended as a whisper when she found him staring at her. She frowned and looked around. "What? What did I say?"

"I never saw it that way."

"What are you talking about?"

"Our first kiss."

"Luke, you're worrying me," she admitted. Had she said something she shouldn't have? Then again, the whole conversation was one of the weirdest they had ever shared.

"I always saw it as my first kiss. Your first kiss. The whole 'our first kiss' never crossed my mind," he chuckled.

Haley didn't know what to say. Was this a good thing or bad?

"I didn't mean-"

"It's nice actually."

"All I meant was-"

"Our first kiss."

"This is weird," she breathed. "It was just a three-second kiss, Luke. I mean, I don't even remember how it all started. Every kids do it."

He laughed and stood. "You're right. It was just a three-second kiss."

She smiled, relieved.

"So you couldn't really determine whether I was a good or bad kisser," he continued.

Haley tilted her head to her side. "What can I possibly do for you to drop this subject right about now?"

"How about a three-minute kiss for a change?"

Haley frowned. "A what-"

Lucas leaned in and captured her lips before she could finish her sentence. It was a weird but nice experience. Really nice experience. That ended way before three minutes, she realized as they broke apart. If only the counter between them could just disappear.

"Uh," was all that could come out of her mouth.

Lucas smiled and leaned across the counter once more. "Now, how would you rate me?"

"For a ten-second kiss?"

"Maybe we should try this again," he agreed.

She smiled.

"In another seven years." He turned around and headed towards the door.

Shocked, Haley ran her way around the counter and caught up with him before he could touch the handle. She grabbed his arm to bring him to face her.

"Not in a million years, mister," she joked and kissed him again.

"I wouldn't dream of it," he breathed, stroking her hair as he deepened the kiss.

[ end ]