On a Lonely Night
''All our young lives we search for someone to love. Someone who makes us complete. We choose partners and change partners. We dance to a song of heartbreak and hope. All the while wondering if somewhere, somehow, there's someone perfect who might be searching for us.''
Haley James pulled her cardigan closer to her body as she walked around Tree Hill. She's not been here in five or six years, and she's missed it like crazy. She just gave up Charlotte's School Of Performing Arts to come home, she can't believe she's been without it for all this time.
In 6th grade, she got an offer to join their school after someone who works their saw her perform at a ballet recital. She was given a scholarship and moved their 7th grade. After a knee injury, she was unable to perform most of her routines. So she decided it wasn't worth it anymore. But she doesn't really mind, atleast she's away from her lying ex boyfriend Jack.
She walked along the slightly familiar pathway in the middle of the trees, she saw the tree and walked towards it. Haley smiled when she saw the engraving HJ + BD BFFs.
Brooke Davis, her best friend since she was five. They met when Brooke punch Emily Gilton in the face after she called Haley a nerd. They were best friends ever since. I say were because they aren't anymore. They've not spoken for three years. After Haley joined CSPA, it was hard for her and Brooke to see eachother everyday, so eventually they made new friends and drifted apart.
They used to play at the rivercourt all the time. None of them could play basketball to save their life, but they used to just hang out there. It was there place where they could be alone, be seperate from the world. So that's where she's going now.
She smiled when she saw the court in the distance, it turned into a frown when she saw a figure playing basketball. The summer has just began, so it was still light out. So she noticed how his muscles flexed and his eyes shined in pride when the ball went through the net. She could barely see him from a distance, but she could already tell he was hot. She started to unknowingly walk forward.
Nathan Scott stopped playing as he saw someone out of the corner of his eye. He noticed a small girl walking towards the court. The first thing he relalised was that she was beautiful, which is very different for him, he's never used that adjective to describe a girl. Strange. he mused.
He's never saw a girl look so attractive, she was just wearing a simple jeans and blue hoodie, with her honey blonde wavey hair trailing down her shoulders. And worn out black and blue converse.
''Um, can I help you?'' he asked after he broke out of his 'beautiful girl' daze, that's the nickname he just decided in his head until he finds out her name.
''I'm sorry for interrupting.'' she started, ''I've just missed this place so much.'' she said in a daze. She stared at the nets, she remembered when she tried to reach them to prove to Brooke that she was tall. She looked at the bench, and wondered if her and Brooke's names were still also engraved in there.
''Yeah, you from Tree Hill?'' he asked. He started to bounce the ball up and down, he shot it in the net. Nathan had to admit he was showing off, just a little.
She nodded. ''I used to be.''
He walked over to the bleachers and took a sip of his water bottle. ''Where are you from then?''
''Here, hopefully.'' she said. She took a second to check him out as he put his bottle back down. He was just wearing a black t-shirt, with black basketball shorts. And he looks hot. She could see the muscles through his shirt, it was like he had a body of a greek god.
Nathan chuckled and sat down, ''You're confusing, beautiful girl.'' he winced when the nickname he'd thought of two minutes ago rolled off his tongue.
''So you think I'm beautiful?'' she teased, sitting next to him. She was also confused. She's never saw herself as beautiful, yeah she's been called it a couple of times, but she never believed it. She was also didn't understand why that comment caused butterflies to errupt in her stomach.
He winced again and nodded.
''Why thank you...''
''Nathan Scott.''
''Nathan Scott.'' she repeated, letting the name sink it to her mind.
He smiled, ''So I don't get your name?'' he asked.
She shook her head, ''No. I think I like your nickname better.'' she said, and playfully nudged his side. They both tried to ignore the tingles that went through their bodies as her side touched his.
''So how come I've never seen you before?'' he asked.
''I lived in Charlotte for a couple of years. How come I never saw you before I left?''
Nathan shrugged, ''My family moved here five years ago.'' he stated.
''That's why then, weird huh?''
''Yeah. I bet if you would have stayed we would probably be together and married.'' he mused.
She snorted. ''Married?''
''Yeah, it happens. I bet we would have met on out first day of high school. We would have ran into eachother and I would have helped you with your books. You would have thought I was hot, naturally.'' she slapped him on the arm. ''You know it's true. I would have asked you out, and you would have said yes. Then we would be together, then when we were both sixteen I would have proposed.''
At this point Haley was doubling over with laughter. ''You're crazy. What movies have you been watching?''
''Good ones.'' he said defensively, he actually enjoys watching movies with his little cousin Lily, he doesn't want beautiful girl to be mocking them.
She giggled, ''You've got romantic obsessed teenage cousins to?'' she guessed.
He nodded. ''Mine's called Lily.''
''Mine's called Jess.''
''So I guess you're not called Jess then, that rules out one of millions of names.'' he said playfully. He then noticed how comfortable they are with eachother, even though he already has the hugest crush on her, he can't deny that it's easy to talk to her. They're talking like they've know eachother for years.
She ignored his comment. ''Why can't they just accept the fact that no relationship is perfect? It's not some fairytale life that never knows pain. Love hurts, it really hurts. The sooner they realise that, the better.'' she said bitterly. Nathan knew that this conversation was going to get serious, he didn't mind. It means he gets to find out more about her, and atleast he's actually talking to her.
''You sound like you know the feeling. Love.'' he commented.
She laughed, it sounded like it was forced. ''I thought I did.''
''What happened?'' he asked softly.
''I went to Charlotte's School Of Performing Arts. I met him there, he was a musician. He wrote me songs and everything. I thought I loved him, but I couldn't sleep with him. I didn't want to give up my virginity for him. I didn't, I coundn't. I found him in bed with one of the other musicians, that's when I realised I wasn't in love with him.'' she said, tears forming in her eyes as she remembered that day. She didn't even understand why she was opening up to him, she never even told anyone about Jack. She felt a connection with Nathan, and it wasn't stopping, and it didn't have any signs of going away.
He crouched down beside her, and wiped the tear that had just fallen from her eye. ''I'm sorry that you had to go through that.''
''I just felt so lost. It felt like everything had been destroyed. It felt like the carpet had just been ripped from underneath me, I didn't know who I was anymore. I was like Jess, I believed it the whole fairytale happy ending. But everything changed after him. I didn't concentrate in class, I didn't even know if I liked dancing anymore. I injured my knee one day when I wasn't concentrating, so I can't dance anymore. And it's all my fault. I shouldn't have loved him. I shouldn't have put him before everything else. I shouldn't have let him hurt me.'' she said, the tears now falling freely.
He quickly stood her up and hugged her. He rubbed and patted her back to try and calm her down. He hushed her and told her that she was going to be okay. That she was home. And that even though they had just met, she had him.
''I'm so sorry... I should.. go.'' she said awkwardly after she'd calmed down. After he little outburst she figured he didn't want to be around the crazy girl anymore. As much as it hurt, she would save him the awkwardness.
''No, don't go.'' he almost pleaded.
''You want me to stay? After I've just had a crazy outburst?'' she asked skeptically.
He nodded, ''And it wasn't crazy, you cried, we all do it.''
''Even you?'' she asked teasingly with a small smile.
''Titanic was a very sad movie, she said she'd never let go, and what did she do?'' he said, faking tears and wiping his eyes dramatically, which effectively made her laugh. He loved that laugh immediatly, he hoped that he could hear it again.
''Thank you Nathan.'' she said sincerely.
''Anytime Beautiful Girl.''
''So what are we going to do then? Do you have anything you need to do tomorrow, or do you want to stay here all night like badasses?'' she grinned devilishly at him. His smile widened at the fact that he was the one to make that smile appear on her face.
He paused for a second. ''Nope. Lets just stay here all night and talk, I want to learn more about my beautiful girl.''
Haley smiled brighter when the butterflies errupted again. But then she remembered the pause. ''Do you have anything you need to do tomorrow?'' she repeated.
''No.''
''Nathan, don't lie. What is it?''
''I'm kind of.. going to High Flyers tomorrow.'' he said timidly, he can already tell that she would want him to go home. Because she's a good person, and she wouldn't want him wasting his time with her. But he loves wasting time with her, he'd choose to be with her anyday.
''High Flyers? As in that really amazing basketball camp that's like a really big deal?'' she asked.
He nodded.
''Nathan! How could you not tell me about this? I know we met like twenty minutes ago, but you should go home and rest. You're going to High Flyers! You shouldn't be staying with me just because I was upset, which I'm not anymore. You've made me feel better, mission accomplished.''
''I didn't tell you about this because I want to stay here and talk to you. I'm not staying with you to make you feel better or because you were upset. It's because I like talking to you and joking around. I want to stay out all night like a 'badass' with you.'' he said. '''Plus, I can sleep on the plane.''
She smiled. ''Really?''
''You may be the most weirdest person I've ever met, but I want to know more about you. I'd take that over sleeping anyday.'' he assured her.
''You, Nathan Scott, are awesome.''
''20 questions?'' he suggested after telling her about what High Flyers is about. They're sat on the rivercourt floor now, idian style, rolling the ball to eachother effortlessly.
''Okay.'' she shrugged. ''But I get to ask you after you ask me.''
''Do you have any siblings?''
''6. 3 sisters, 3 brothers.'' she giggled at the shocked expression on his face. ''How about you?''
''I have a twin brother, Lucas.''
''Twin? As in, identical?''
He shook his head, ''Nope. He's like the opposite of me, blonde, squinty...''
''Hot.'' she filled in teasingly.
He raised his eyebrow at her, ''Please.'' he scoffed. ''I'm so hot.'' he said and flexed his muscles to prove his point.
''You're an idiot.'' she stated and threw the basketball lightly at his head. When she realised what she'd done, she put her hands to her mouth in shock. ''I can't believe I just did that.''
He rubbed his head where the ball had hit him. ''Me niether. Ouch.''
''I have the worst aim in the world, I didn't think it would actually hit you.'' she said, giggling slightly.
''You don't actaully feel bad about this, do you?'' he asked in amazement.
She shook her head and shrugged. ''You were being cocky.''
''Thanks.'' he said dryly, she just shrugged again in responce. ''You want me to help you out with that? The aim thing.''
''You wont be able to.'' she giggled. ''I'm a klutz. You'll see that at school, I'll be tripping over my feet, walking into lockers. I may be good at dancing, but walking, not so much.''
''But this is just shooting a ball. You'll fail P.E. next year if you cant get the ball in the net atleast once you know.'' He insisted.
She snorted, ''I seemed to get your head easy enough.''
''Fine, fail P.E.''
''Okay, fine. Help me shoot a stupid ball, but I bet I don't get it in once.''
Nathan chuckled. ''You are talking to the guy who's going to be going to the 'really amazing basketball camp that's like a really big deal'.'' he quoted her words from earlier. ''I think I can help you out.''
He stood up and grabbed her hand, pulling her up. The tingles travelled through their bodies again, and just like last time, they ignored it. She took the ball and stood a few feet away from the net.
''Alright, square your shoulders to the basket.'' He went behind her while she sqauare her shoulders. ''Bring the ball up right past your nose like this, okay?'' He put the ball in her hands and lifted her arms up so the ball was up right passed her nose.''Bend your knees a little.'' Haley could feel his breath down her neck, which made her shiver. Not because it was cold out, but because of the effect that he was having on her. ''Relax you're hips.'' He moved his hands down to her hips which made her immediatly relax. Nathan smiled, he loved that he was so close to her. ''and just shoot.'' Haley shot the ball and it went through the net.
''I did it! Oh my gosh! I did it!'' she squeled, she jumped into his arms and hugged him.
He wrapped his arms tighter around her, ''You did it.'' he whispered.
Haley and Nathan lay on the court, just staring at the stars above them. They were both absolutely freezing, they didn't even know what time it was, but it was very late, so the chilly air made them shiver often. But they didn't care. Even though they just met a few hours ago, they're not going to see eachother for 3 months, and that hurts both of them.
''How did you get so good at basketball?'' she asked after ten minutes of silence.
He paused for a second. She had told him her big secret about her ex, but that's not the only reason he wants to tell her. He doesn't know why, but he wants her to know about his life and he wants her to know about his secrets. ''My Dad used to be on the Ravens when he went to Tree Hill High. He was their best player, he was always the one that scored the most points each game. They got to the state championships, and he didn't agree with what Coach Whitey was saying, so he sat out and they lost the game. Then in college he had a knee injury and was out of the game for good.
''After my mom had me and Lucas, my Dad wanted us to be great and follow in his footsteps. He pressured Luke a little more than me, because he's older, by three minutes. He used to make us practice everyday, it was awful, it still is. He had a heart attack a few years ago, he's got HCM, it's a really bad heart condition. Last year me and Luke went to Charlotte to get tested, there's a 50/50 chance that I could get it. I'm fine, but Luke was the one that inherited it. So he can't play anymore. My Dad went mad, but then he remembered that he's got another son. So he's been putting more pressure on me, and got me into High Flyers. Three months without Dan, I can't wait.''
''Wow.'' she breathed. She honestly didn't think he would actually tell her that much, it just makes her like Nathan Scott even more.
''I'll miss you though, beautiful girl.'' he said, taking her hand in his.
''I'll miss you too, Nathan. You better win some games for me.'' she said smiling at the gesture.
''I'll win them all.'' he promised.
He then surprised them both by kissing her on the cheek. It was a simple gesture, but it made them feeling a strange feeling in their stomachs. They didn't know what it was.
But they loved it.
There it is, my new story. Check out my other new Brulian one 'All My Heart'. The chapters for this story will be longer than the All My Heart ones, because the story's shorter.
THIS IDEA WAS GIVEN TO ME BY kaya17tj, I'M THE ONE WRITING THE STORY.
Please, Please, Please review! It makes me write faster, hehe.