Title: Southern Gentleman

Name: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

Rating: PG 13

Pairing: LH

A/N: This is my first One Tree Hill. I picked up watching this show a bit late so I may not get all the history perfect so don't kill me over it okay. I'm not sold on Laley stories but I don't like Nathan much so I don't do Naley stories. I have a Lucas and an original character story that is sitting on the shelf cause ya'll don't read stories with OC's with main characters. Oh well…


1.

He never saw himself as a Southern, not in the classic sense. Most of the people around him didn't have accents or behave like 'hicks' so it just never really occurred to him. After all he was from NORTH Carolina. So why was this even on his mind? Haley... She said he was a southern gentleman.

Christmas break was almost over but was looking to be extended due to an actual snowfall...besides just about everything in their little world had changed. Nathan and Haley had broken up during the holiday mainly because he was having passive-aggressive episodes daily. Nathan's parents were into the 'I hate you, you hate me' phase of things and Nathan was not taking it well. He desperately wanted to stay with his mom but his father had threatened to cut off all communications with him if he didn't live with his father. It screwed with Nathan's head to the point that Haley could see Stockholm's syndrome at work. One minute Nathan would be 'whatever you say Haley' then the next it was 'how the hell could you do this to me!' The drama was too much and Haley bowed out. During one of Nathan's explosive episodes Haley turned to him and said, "And you wonder why I don't believe you when you say you love me."

Lucas himself opted out of the high drama in his world. He thought Brooke was cool but more than anything she was a distraction and he was using her. While she could live with that, he couldn't. Peyton had her own issues. She was too wealthy and pretty to leave her crowd and fit in with Lucas. She wanted to but not bad enough to risk the ridicule.

This had left Lucas and Haley plenty of time to vegetate and talk. The more they talked and played the more they realized what they had been missing. This was great for them but awkward for the others. There was a shindig coming up that Haley had planned to go to with Nathan, so an expensive dress was bought tailored for the event...and now no boyfriend. Haley's parents were less than understanding as to her lack of enthusiasm so she was still expected to attend. Parents are weird like that some times. Lucas immediately volunteered his services as date and protector for the evening. "You really are a southern gentleman...always ready to save the Bell of the Ball," Haley had commented.
    And this is why Lucas Scott was sitting in his mother's dinner contemplating being Southern. He wondered if that was the reason him being a 'bastard' was such a wonderful put down...or maybe it was just that a rich guy like Dan Scott was bastard enough to treat him like trash so everyone else felt obligated to.

    "So you're going with Haley to this..." Karen began.
    "Uppity class warfare display...yes," Lucas replied.
    "Well aren't we going into this with the right attitude?" she teased her son.
    "I just...you were a cheerleader and part of that world... I don't get it," he said quietly.
    Karen sat down beside him, "Honey...you don't need to." They stared at one another. "This is a small town. The have and the have nots are harder to identify than people think."
    "I just hate the fact..."
    "What?"
    "I hate the fact that people can call me a bastard, know who my father is, and not see him as the scum of the earth for what he has done... I hate that people treat me like I am lower than low because of what he did," Lucas snapped.
    "Lucas, people are idiots," his mother contended. "Lets get out of here."

    Lucas thought for a moment, "Mom?"
    "Yeah?"
    "How difficult would it be for me to take your last name?"
    Karen looked at him for a moment, "I don't know... But talk to Keith before you decide to get rid of your name. He has been the only father you've ever known."
    Lucas thought, "How bout for my birthday I ask Keith to officially adopt me? No name change required. It can be Scott and Son towing."
    "There's a thought."

Tbc