As he wiped away the last of grease from the tabletop, Lucas Scott sighed and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. It was late. Ten o'clock to be exact and he was still closing shop for the evening. Work had been pretty rough what with at least double the amount of customers coming into the driveway, asking about this and that, leaving and picking up their cars, and just generally annoying Lucas and his uncle Keith to no end. But now everything was quiet, the garage door left wide open so Lucas could spray down the concrete floor of the garage.
"So tired," Lucas mumbled to himself as he placed the greasy rag he was working with on a tool chest and began to gather the water hose in his hands. The young man had a more strenuous day than usual. He had started his day by practicing his game in the playground. Lately he had been practicing alone, wanting to improve his shot without all of the commentary and playful taunts of his friends. They were good guys but sometimes Lucas needed to be alone. Those mornings were just the time where he could shoot and think about everything that he would do for the day and everything he would do in the future.
He would think about high school and how much more interesting it was becoming. He would think about what college he wanted to get into if he did well on the upcoming SATs. But then he began to think again about the game and lo and behold thoughts of Nathan Scott, his arrogant half-brother, crept into his mind and sank their claws into his emotions. He missed a three-pointer and silently cursed himself as he ran over to retrieve the ball from the dew covered grass. Standing erect once again, he remembered the most recent words that his asshole of a brother had said to him:
"You're game's tired, kid," Nathan had called from the sideline, "Why don't you just accept the fact that you just can't deal?"
To which Lucas quietly replied, "And why don't you just piss off?"
Of course, Nathan made a scoffing sound and turned around walking back to his gas-guzzling SUV. "See you at practice, loser," he called from his car door before slamming it and driving away from the playground.
That little exchange of words was only a couple of days ago but they still rang fresh in Lucas' mind. He couldn't understand why Nathan hated him so much. Correction, he couldn't understand why Dan hated him so much. Lucas always knew that as selfish, arrogant, and ego-driven Nathan was he had only gotten that way mainly because of his father...their father.
Lucas shuddered at this thought and began his game again, dribbling the ball for a moment before sinking several three-pointers and a two-pointer to make up for his missed shot.
"Don't worry about that man," Karen, his mother, had always told him, "When you see him, don't address him. Act as if...he's the last person you would ever speak to."
"Mom, I know what to do," Lucas had always replied with slight exasperation.
"Yes, I know. It's just that I want you to know that you are not Dan and even though he's..."
Lucas looked up at his mother and frowned slightly, not wanting her to say what he knew she was going to say. Instead, she rephrased her sentence accordingly.
"Even though you two have a connection, rest assure you will never be like him," Karen said and smiled, flattening a stray lock of dirty blonde hair on her son's head.
"I'll never be like him," Lucas repeated quietly as he sank another basket in the hoop, the morning sun's rays shining more vividly above the buildings in the distance, "I'll never be like him...I'll never be like him."
* * *
Lucas finally drove to school after almost an hour's worth of practicing. With little time to fix himself up, he reapplied deodorant under his arms, ran his hands through his hair a couple of times, grabbed his backpack and stepped out of the truck that he parked in a roadside parking space in front of the school.
He prepared to face the new day, one that was not so ordinary anymore. With his recent inception into the high school's varsity team, Lucas had become something of an icon amongst many of the students, especially those that used to think of him only as the car salesman's illegitimate son. He was especially lusted after by the girls of Tree Hill High School, constantly getting wolf whistles and "Hi, Luke" from some of the hottest girls around, something that didn't occur as often when he was relatively a nobody.
"What's up, Luke," a young guy, a teammate of his, called as he ran toward the door.
"Hey," Lucas responded half-heartedly as the guy made his way into the building without receiving Lucas' reply.
As Lucas made his way into the building, he noticed that the floods of kids were beginning to file into their classrooms. But he wasn't paying much attention to anyone else. He was trying to find her...
"Luke!" a familiar voice called.
Lucas smiled and walked over to the short, auburn haired young woman that he knew as Haley James, his best friend and closest confidant. He stopped in front of her, leaning against a locker as she sifted through her own.
"Practicing again," Haley asked as she looked over to Lucas and smiled before returning her attention back to her locker.
"Of course," Lucas said as he placed his arm on the door of the locker, "I've gotta keep my game fresh. And practicing every morning is the way to do it."
"Huh. And I suppose showering is not as important," Haley remarked as she pulled out a thick hardback book labeled "The American History".
"Is it that bad?" Lucas inquired, worry clearly in his eyes.
"Only if you stand about three yards away it is," Haley said as she closed the locker door, forcing Lucas to remove his arm quickly. She smiled, "I'm just kidding. But seriously, you look a mess. Why not practice later in the day?"
"I've got my reasons," Lucas said as the two began to walk toward her first class as was their daily ritual for many years.
"Oh, well excuse me for trying to learn more about my best friend," Haley said with slight sarcasm as she gripped the heavy history book across her chest, "...it doesn't have anything to do with Nathan, does it?" she asked after a moments silence.
"Haley..." Lucas started, very exasperated with the fact that she should bring up Nathan now of all times.
"Look, I'm just wondering, all right," Haley protested as they continued to walk at their slow pace, "We're getting more serious every week and you're my best friend. I have a right to know if you two are getting along."
"And what do you think," Lucas asked as he turned his head, shaking it slightly with annoyance. Haley noticed this and huffed.
"Look, Lucas. I told him to lay off you. But you've gotta make an effort. I know he's not the nicest of people but if you just try to see him through my eyes for just a moment you'll see he's not such a bad guy."
"Haley, you just don't get it, do you? Nathan and I will never get along, period. Aside from the game we have absolutely nothing in common and we can't stand to be in the same town with one another let alone a basketball team. And he's a fucking addict, too," Lucas remarked.
Haley stopped dead in her tracks at this remark. "What is that supposed to mean, Lucas?"
Lucas stopped a few steps ahead of her and turned to face her, his thumbs underneath the strap of his backpack. "You know what I mean, Hales," Lucas replied, "The guy's a lush. He took steroids to beef up his game and got addicted. For God's sake, he collapsed on the court but still took them anyway before his mom, the only person that actually gives a damn about him..."
"I give a damn about him, Lucas," Haley exclaimed.
"But apparently he doesn't care so much about you," Lucas replied, "Remember, he tried to take out his frustrations on you. If I hadn't..."
"He wouldn't have hurt me, I know he wouldn't," Haley said, "You being there wouldn't have made a difference in that."
"Haley, please. You've got to..."
"No! Lucas just please shut up about him!" Haley cried suddenly, silencing Lucas' words, "Just...stop."
Lucas shook his head, a mix of anger and hurt in his eyes, but deciding against retaliatory words he sighed and rubbed his temples. "Look, Hales...I'm sorry, all right? I shouldn't go off on rants like this especially when..."
But Haley did not allow Lucas to finish. "Lucas...I'm so tired of your apologies."
Lucas was stunned silent by her sudden words.
"I...I don't know how many times we've had this same argument and how many times I've just...let it go; let you make empty apologies for your hurtful words against someone I love. But...not today..." Haley said quietly but with firmness and brimming anger in her voice. "Don't bother talking to me today," Haley said after a tense silence between them and she passed him as she made her way to her class.
"Hales!" Lucas called, "Haley!"
But the young woman ignored his calls, distancing herself from him then turning a corner, an expression of anger on her face.
Lucas sighed and with a balled fist hit a locker door that was close by. "Dammit," Lucas cursed.
* * *
Peyton Sawyer sat at a table alone during lunch making sketches in a notebook. Sighing, she made small scribbles of various people she knew: Brooke, Haley, Lucas, her father...her mother. Peyton sighed as she brought back her mother's memory then immediately groaned at her thoughts. She tore the page out of her notebook and threw it on the tabletop.
"Hey," a familiar voice said and Peyton made a short smile, glad to hear his voice. She turned to find Lucas standing behind her, looking like a dork with his brown bag lunch in hand. "Can I sit here?"
"As long as you don't dork up the place with that brown bag, sure," Peyton joked and watched as Lucas sat across from her at the table.
"So," Lucas asked as he began digging his lunch from the bag. A sandwich, potato chips, and a soft drink were soon produced from the wrinkled brown bag.
" 'So'...what?" Peyton said, not looking up from her sketches.
"What were you drawing?" Lucas asked as he began to unwrap the thin layer of plastic wrap to get to the meaty sandwich, "I saw you...tearing that piece of paper out of your book at the last minute."
"Are you never concerned about your own problems," Peyton asked as she looked up at him for a moment, her blonde curls almost hiding her sharp blue eyes, "Or are all your problems coincidentally my problems, too?"
Lucas smiled and replied, "No, I just want to know. Whatever you draw is important to me."
Peyton smiled at this remark. "Well, I was drawing things...people that I know. Brooke, the cheerleaders, my dad, YOU," she said with more emphasis but then she stopped smiling, "...my mom."
Lucas looked at Peyton for a while. "Peyton..."
"You know," Peyton interrupted as she closed her sketchbook and slid it to the side and brought the remainder of her lunch back in front of her, "Let's talk less about my drawings and my life and more about you. So, how's the team?"
Lucas sighed inwardly but allowed Peyton to have her way, "It's going...not all that it's cracked up to be but at least I'm doing something I love. And Whitey's pretty cool."
"Good," Peyton said, "Nathan giving you any grief?"
"When is he not?" Lucas said with a bit of anger in his tone, "And now he's messing around with Haley...I just can't stand it."
The mention of Haley ruffled Peyton a bit and she shifted in her seat. "Haley, huh," she asked, "She's really special to you, isn't she?"
Lucas looked up at Peyton after he took a bite of his sandwich. He promptly swallowed after a few chews, "Well, yeah. She is my best friend. We've known each other since we were babies."
A silence reigned over the table as Lucas continued to eat. Peyton was aching to ask a question that she was afraid to pose but felt it was justifiable.
"Do you love her?" Peyton asked suddenly just as Lucas was about to take another bite of his sandwich.
"As a friend, yes. We went out for a time but it wasn't anything serious. I...hey, Peyton why did you ask that?"
"Like I said, we're talking about you now," Peyton said, "And I want to know. Are you just screwing around with me, trying to get in my pants even though you like that girl Haley?"
"What!? Peyton, no!" Lucas said with a mix of shock and disgust in his voice, "Where the hell is this coming from?"
"Lucas, I would rather you not lie to me right now, all right?" Peyton said in a kind of pleading tone, "Please, just...be honest."
"I am being honest," Lucas replied, throwing down his sandwich, "God, what is with you today?"
"I talked to Haley and she told me what happened between you two this morning," Peyton exclaimed, "Now I'm sorry if my concern about this whole thing seems a bit out of place to you but after dealing for three years with an asshole like Nathan I want to know whether I'm being screwed over!"
Some of the kids in the lunchroom turned to watch the heating argument between them, pointing and staring.
"For future reference," Lucas said in a lower tone, "Remember who's been screwing around with whom. You've tugged me back and forth for months, saying all sorts of things that made me think we had a chance for a friendship, maybe something more, and then you dropped me like I was nothing. But I stayed with it. Now you want to ruin it all because of your jealousy? I thought we were going somewhere!"
"We are, Luke," Peyton protested, "It's just that I want to be sure! You can understand, can't you?"
"Yeah, I understand, Peyton," Lucas said as he began to stand up packing away his lunch, "I understand that no matter what I do and no matter how hard I try I will NEVER be what you want!" With that statement, Lucas walked away from the table.
"Lucas, wait a minute!" Peyton said standing up from her chair but the young man had already left the cafeteria. Peyton fell back to her chair, disregarding the laughs and incoherent taunts of the students around her. Sighing deeply, she picked up her sketchbook and her lunch tray and left as well.
* * *
It was later that afternoon when Lucas had finished with practice when Nathan intentionally rammed into his half-brother, knocking his slightly older sibling back.
"What the hell is your problem," Lucas said as he stepped up to Nathan, their faces so close together they were almost touching.
"I want you to stay away from Haley, you bastard," Nathan said as he pushed Lucas away from him. This time Lucas stayed back. "It's bad enough she's had to deal with me being an asshole these last few months but now her so-called best friend is on her case? Jesus, man what's your deal?"
"She had no reason to be upset in my opinion. We were only talking about you," Lucas countered, "And about everything that you've done to her. Deep down I know she believes everything I said to her. She's just not ready to admit it."
"And who are you," Nathan asked throwing his arms up in the air, "Are you the one that makes her choices? Are you going to tell her what to do? Huh?"
"Of course not," Lucas replied, "But..."
"Then I don't want to hear it," Nathan snapped, cutting Lucas off, "Haley has a mind of her own. If she wants to stay with me, she'll stay with me! If she wants to drop me like the sack of garbage that I probably am, then she will! But it's her decision to make. Not mine and sure as hell not yours!"
Lucas was suddenly feeling very remorseful for his remarks to Haley earlier.
"You know..." Nathan started, "I almost thought that we were getting along. I know, we still don't agree on things and we have our fights but...I try to be as nice as I can."
"What about what you said at the playground," Lucas shot back, "You call that being 'nice'?"
"Wha...oh, God. I can't even remember what I said. But whatever it was I was just being an ass. I'm like that with all of my friends. But what you're saying to Haley...you're ruining her happiness."
"And you're ruining her life by staying with her!" Lucas exclaimed.
Nathan scowled at Lucas for his remark but backed down, remembering the promise he made to Haley, "I like to think of myself as a work in progress, ya know? It's because of Haley that I've been able to pick up some of the slack and be a better person. She's showing me things about myself that I never knew were there. Doesn't she do that for you?"
Lucas remained quiet, refusing to discuss matters of his best friend to his worst enemy.
Nathan shook his head and became angry once again, "Fine! I've tried my best and now I'm not trying anymore! You're a loser and I'm glad Haley finally sees that!"
Lucas shook his head and turned his back to the door, his face burning with anger.
* * *
Lucas drove into work unhappy and discontent with the day. But, as usual, whatever problems he had would have to wait until after his shift as Keith was busy with so many customers and would not be fully accessible until things slowed down. Of course, with the winter season closing in, the garage was bustling with more people than usual, with both Lucas and Keith running around trying to fix everything including people's malcontent with their wait.
Eventually the busy day wore on to a busy evening with Lucas taking a short break to go and pick up a couple of sandwiches from his mother's diner for both him and Keith. Finally, when nine o'clock rolled around, the garage finally began to see a decrease in traffic until it was just the same regulars-old men with long shaggy beards and greasy overalls-popping in to chew the fat with Keith. Soon, Keith flipped over the sign to the closed side and sighed, sitting down at a massive worktable that Lucas had spread a couple of long towels across.
"So what did you get for us today," Keith asked.
"Hope you like hoagies," Lucas called from the back room as he retrieved two sandwiches massive in his right hand and two canned sodas in his left.
"Love em'," Keith replied as he took a sandwich and a can from Lucas' hands and sat them on the table. Lucas sat down at the table and unwrapped his sandwich and began to eat. The two men were silent for a while until Keith sparked up a conversation. "So, how was school today," he said after swallowing a portion of his sandwich.
"Sucked. Don't want to talk about it," Lucas replied in a low tone as he quietly chewed his food.
"Why? Aren't you supposed to be Mr. Popular now that you're on varsity?" Keith asked as he took a swig of his grape soda.
"You wouldn't think so with all the people that have been ragging on me today," Lucas replied.
"What did you do," Keith asked knowingly.
Lucas turned his head and gave his uncle an expression of disbelief, "Why is it that you always think it's my fault?" Lucas asked.
"Because it usually is, Luke," Keith answered after taking another bite from his sandwich. He took time to chew before finally swallowing his food. "You either say or do something that's out of line and then you end up paying for it later. At least, that's how it usually is."
Lucas sighed, "It's like everyone is against me," he mumbled.
"Oh, now you know that's not true, boy," Keith said, "So tell me what happened."
"Well, I was talking to Haley about Nathan and..." Lucas began but was cut off by Keith's light chuckle followed by a snort as he chewed on his sandwich.
Swallowing again he replied, "You never, EVER judge your best friend's choice in men. Especially when you went out with said friend years ago. What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking about my best friend and how much better she can do!" Lucas exclaimed, "I was thinking about how Nathan is scum and how Haley is pure and kind and generous and..."
"You were thinking about yourself, that's what you were thinking about," Keith interrupted as he took another swig from the soda can, "You were thinking about all the little things you could say to get Haley back to yourself."
"What? I don't like Haley that way, Keith," Lucas protested.
"Yeah, I know you don't. But it looks like you're not willing to share her with anyone else, either. Despite the fact that she has a mind of her own, that she's not your girlfriend, and that she's chosen to associate with my asshole of a brother's son."
Lucas laughed at that last remark but was still reeling from the rest of his statement. "But really, Keith. It's Nathan. Nathan! We're talking about the mirror image of Dan. What if he..." Lucas fell silent.
"What if he what? Does what Dan did? Knocks her up and leaves her high and dry? Well then you'll have the right to say 'I told you so'," Keith replied bluntly.
"That's not what I meant," Lucas replied quietly as he took another bite of his sandwich.
"Maybe it's something that you would never say but I know you think about it," Keith remarked, "What if Haley becomes the town's next outcast all because she got involved with the wrong guy? We can't know for sure if that'll ever happen. Personally, I don't think Haley is dumb enough fall into that trap. But even if she was and she did...what would you do about it?"
Lucas looked up at his uncle, noticing that the older man was looking back at him. He knew his uncle expected an answer from him. "...I would do everything I could to protect her."
Keith chuckled, "Spoken like a true hero, son. Just remember: not all people need saving and sometimes...well, sometimes you just have to let things go." After a time of silence, Keith asked, "Anything else you want to talk about?"
Lucas looked at his uncle for a moment longer, thinking about the situation he had with Peyton but he decided it would be better if he settled that problem on his own. Lucas returned his gaze to his sandwich. "No. Thanks, Uncle Keith," he said quietly as he took another bite of the hoagie.
"It's what I'm here for," Keith said and took a final swig of his soda before getting up. "I'm gonna go straighten up outside, make sure everything's locked down for the evening, you know the usual. I want you to put all the parts away, wipe down the tables, and then open the garage door and spray down the floor as soon as you finish eating."
"All right," Lucas said and made a slight smile to Keith.
Keith returned the smile and walked out of the garage, closing the slightly ajar door behind him.
* * *
The splatter of water across the concrete floor of the garage was soothing to Lucas, lulling him into a trance like state as he tried to forget the day's worries and conflicts. It was odd to him that he could feel so at peace while doing something as time-consuming as spraying down an oily floor. Sighing deeply, he thought about his uncle's words and how they rang true on so many levels it wasn't even funny. The man was intelligent if nothing else and could read people like he could build an auto engine: very easily. Lucas was once again amazed by his uncle's talents and was thankful that at least one member of the Scott family wasn't a complete and total waste of real estate.
Lucas suddenly noticed movement from the corner of his eye and looked up from the floor to find a tall, skinny white man with receding gray hair wearing an oversized blue T-shirt and raggedy black jeans making his way toward the garage, his cherry red, Ford pickup, a '93 model, parked illegally along the curb. The man shuffled toward the garage, unsure at first but then with a bit more beat in his step as he made his way closer.
"I'm sorry, sir, but we're closed for the evening," Lucas said with a slight smile although he knew not to get too comfortable with this stranger around, "If you come back tomorrow Keith will be able to check you out."
The man's eyes scanned the garage that he was surrounded by, darting from a table, to the floor, to a toolbox, and then finally focusing on the source of the voice that was addressing him. "I came here to ask something," the man said in clear yet slightly slow speech.
"Well that's different," Lucas said as he walked backward with the hose in his hand and while looking very natural, turned off the running water all while maintaining eye contact with the man. "Ask away. I'll try to help."
"I want to know," the man began, "Why you think it's right to steal people's things from their car. Huh?"
Lucas was suddenly becoming very alarmed, his smile fading ever so slightly. "Excuse me, sir?" Lucas said in a calm manner.
"You heard me," the man snapped, "I want to know why you people...you Scott's think you're entitled to take what's not yours, God dammit!"
Lucas' smile suddenly faded and he became aware of the situation, knowing that it was time to boot this guy out. As he walked toward the man, pointing toward the garage door he said politely yet firmly, "Sir, I have no idea what you're talking about but I suggest you leave. Now let me just..."
But Lucas was stopped dead in his tracks when the man revealed a gun from his back pocket, the teen immediately raising his arms to show that he would not come any closer or do anything to harm the crazed man.
"You stay the hell away!" the man shouted, "I've got a gun! I'm not afraid to use it!"
"Sir, please put the gun away," Lucas said calmly although his voice was trembling with fear, "I'm not going to hurt you. Just put the gun away."
The man made a sort of groaning sound as he rubbed his eyes; bloodshot eyes, trying desperately to focus, stared into the fearful blue eyes of Lucas. "You stole it from me, didn't you? You took it out of my car and kept it for yourself! Didn't you!?"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Lucas cried, "I don't know what you're talking about! Please...just put the gun away. Let's talk about this. Maybe...I don't know, maybe w-we can find it. Just put the gun away, please."
"But I looked everywhere," the man said and groaned again, "Just...just give it back and...and I won't bother you again."
"What? What!? I don't have it, man!" Lucas protested, "I don't have what you're talking about!"
"Stop LYING!!" the man screamed and pointed the gun at Lucas and in one split second the gun went off, an odd echo resonating inside the garage that flowed out into the quiet darkness of the evening.
Lucas had covered his head in an attempt to protect himself from the bullet but when he realized nothing seemed wrong he immediately charged at the man, bringing him down to the floor. Taking his gun away, Lucas got back up although he suddenly felt extraordinarily weary, the distinct odor of alcohol and marijuana emanating from the man was clouding his senses. He noticed that the man had blood all over his blue shirt, which was odd considering that Lucas did nothing to draw blood from the man as much as he wanted to.
For some reason, maybe because it felt so warm, Lucas drew his hand over his left side in an attempt to see what was amiss.
"I'll get you," the man screamed as he gathered himself up, "I'll get you!"
Keith had made his way back around to the garage door only to immediately collide into the fleeing man. "Hey!!" Keith yelled but the man did not stop, running all the way to his pickup. The truck started up and skidded away in only a few moments time.
"Lucas are you..." Keith's words halted as he turned back around to look at his nephew. He made a gasp then a deep groan, saying quietly, "Oh, Lucas, no."
Lucas was sitting on the wet, concrete floor, his right hand pressed against his left side in a feeble attempt to stop the wound from bleeding profusely. Lucas was shivering, his breathing ragged as he tried desperately to aid himself.
"Lucas!!" Keith screamed and ran to his nephew's side, pulling off his shirt and balling it up, placing it over Lucas' hand. "God, Lucas, no..." Keith cried, "Please hang on! Just hang on, dammit! I'm gonna get you help!"
Lucas only shuddered as he began to cry, his tears freely flowing down his face as he looked at his uncle. Through his ragged breathing, Lucas managed to speak with fear ever present in his eyes and his voice, "N-no, no! P-please, Keith...d-don't l-leave me h-here!"
"Lucas," Keith pleaded but he suddenly realized that his nephew's eyes were closing and that the convulsions and the ragged breathing and the pulsing blood were slowly fading away into nothingness. "No...no!" Keith yelled as he grabbed his nephew's shoulder with his free hand, "Wake up! You're not going to do this to me! You're not going to do this to your mother! You hear me, boy! Wake up!!"
But Lucas would no longer open his eyes. As his final breath escaped his slightly parted lips, Lucas' hand, which had so diligently stayed firm against his wound, suddenly fell limp against Keith's.
"No..." Keith whispered, his eyes burning with tears, "No, you can't...no. You jus...Lucas..." It was all that Keith could get out before falling into a fit of body racking sobs as he roughly embraced his nephew's body, his head upturned to the ceiling, eyes closed tightly, his mouth open in a silent sob as his neck strained with veins trying desperately to contain emotion. Then all of it was released into another sob as Keith buried his head into Lucas', kissing the tear soaked, stubbly cheek gently, as any grieving father would have done.
At that moment, Keith felt like he had lost his own flesh and blood.
"So tired," Lucas mumbled to himself as he placed the greasy rag he was working with on a tool chest and began to gather the water hose in his hands. The young man had a more strenuous day than usual. He had started his day by practicing his game in the playground. Lately he had been practicing alone, wanting to improve his shot without all of the commentary and playful taunts of his friends. They were good guys but sometimes Lucas needed to be alone. Those mornings were just the time where he could shoot and think about everything that he would do for the day and everything he would do in the future.
He would think about high school and how much more interesting it was becoming. He would think about what college he wanted to get into if he did well on the upcoming SATs. But then he began to think again about the game and lo and behold thoughts of Nathan Scott, his arrogant half-brother, crept into his mind and sank their claws into his emotions. He missed a three-pointer and silently cursed himself as he ran over to retrieve the ball from the dew covered grass. Standing erect once again, he remembered the most recent words that his asshole of a brother had said to him:
"You're game's tired, kid," Nathan had called from the sideline, "Why don't you just accept the fact that you just can't deal?"
To which Lucas quietly replied, "And why don't you just piss off?"
Of course, Nathan made a scoffing sound and turned around walking back to his gas-guzzling SUV. "See you at practice, loser," he called from his car door before slamming it and driving away from the playground.
That little exchange of words was only a couple of days ago but they still rang fresh in Lucas' mind. He couldn't understand why Nathan hated him so much. Correction, he couldn't understand why Dan hated him so much. Lucas always knew that as selfish, arrogant, and ego-driven Nathan was he had only gotten that way mainly because of his father...their father.
Lucas shuddered at this thought and began his game again, dribbling the ball for a moment before sinking several three-pointers and a two-pointer to make up for his missed shot.
"Don't worry about that man," Karen, his mother, had always told him, "When you see him, don't address him. Act as if...he's the last person you would ever speak to."
"Mom, I know what to do," Lucas had always replied with slight exasperation.
"Yes, I know. It's just that I want you to know that you are not Dan and even though he's..."
Lucas looked up at his mother and frowned slightly, not wanting her to say what he knew she was going to say. Instead, she rephrased her sentence accordingly.
"Even though you two have a connection, rest assure you will never be like him," Karen said and smiled, flattening a stray lock of dirty blonde hair on her son's head.
"I'll never be like him," Lucas repeated quietly as he sank another basket in the hoop, the morning sun's rays shining more vividly above the buildings in the distance, "I'll never be like him...I'll never be like him."
* * *
Lucas finally drove to school after almost an hour's worth of practicing. With little time to fix himself up, he reapplied deodorant under his arms, ran his hands through his hair a couple of times, grabbed his backpack and stepped out of the truck that he parked in a roadside parking space in front of the school.
He prepared to face the new day, one that was not so ordinary anymore. With his recent inception into the high school's varsity team, Lucas had become something of an icon amongst many of the students, especially those that used to think of him only as the car salesman's illegitimate son. He was especially lusted after by the girls of Tree Hill High School, constantly getting wolf whistles and "Hi, Luke" from some of the hottest girls around, something that didn't occur as often when he was relatively a nobody.
"What's up, Luke," a young guy, a teammate of his, called as he ran toward the door.
"Hey," Lucas responded half-heartedly as the guy made his way into the building without receiving Lucas' reply.
As Lucas made his way into the building, he noticed that the floods of kids were beginning to file into their classrooms. But he wasn't paying much attention to anyone else. He was trying to find her...
"Luke!" a familiar voice called.
Lucas smiled and walked over to the short, auburn haired young woman that he knew as Haley James, his best friend and closest confidant. He stopped in front of her, leaning against a locker as she sifted through her own.
"Practicing again," Haley asked as she looked over to Lucas and smiled before returning her attention back to her locker.
"Of course," Lucas said as he placed his arm on the door of the locker, "I've gotta keep my game fresh. And practicing every morning is the way to do it."
"Huh. And I suppose showering is not as important," Haley remarked as she pulled out a thick hardback book labeled "The American History".
"Is it that bad?" Lucas inquired, worry clearly in his eyes.
"Only if you stand about three yards away it is," Haley said as she closed the locker door, forcing Lucas to remove his arm quickly. She smiled, "I'm just kidding. But seriously, you look a mess. Why not practice later in the day?"
"I've got my reasons," Lucas said as the two began to walk toward her first class as was their daily ritual for many years.
"Oh, well excuse me for trying to learn more about my best friend," Haley said with slight sarcasm as she gripped the heavy history book across her chest, "...it doesn't have anything to do with Nathan, does it?" she asked after a moments silence.
"Haley..." Lucas started, very exasperated with the fact that she should bring up Nathan now of all times.
"Look, I'm just wondering, all right," Haley protested as they continued to walk at their slow pace, "We're getting more serious every week and you're my best friend. I have a right to know if you two are getting along."
"And what do you think," Lucas asked as he turned his head, shaking it slightly with annoyance. Haley noticed this and huffed.
"Look, Lucas. I told him to lay off you. But you've gotta make an effort. I know he's not the nicest of people but if you just try to see him through my eyes for just a moment you'll see he's not such a bad guy."
"Haley, you just don't get it, do you? Nathan and I will never get along, period. Aside from the game we have absolutely nothing in common and we can't stand to be in the same town with one another let alone a basketball team. And he's a fucking addict, too," Lucas remarked.
Haley stopped dead in her tracks at this remark. "What is that supposed to mean, Lucas?"
Lucas stopped a few steps ahead of her and turned to face her, his thumbs underneath the strap of his backpack. "You know what I mean, Hales," Lucas replied, "The guy's a lush. He took steroids to beef up his game and got addicted. For God's sake, he collapsed on the court but still took them anyway before his mom, the only person that actually gives a damn about him..."
"I give a damn about him, Lucas," Haley exclaimed.
"But apparently he doesn't care so much about you," Lucas replied, "Remember, he tried to take out his frustrations on you. If I hadn't..."
"He wouldn't have hurt me, I know he wouldn't," Haley said, "You being there wouldn't have made a difference in that."
"Haley, please. You've got to..."
"No! Lucas just please shut up about him!" Haley cried suddenly, silencing Lucas' words, "Just...stop."
Lucas shook his head, a mix of anger and hurt in his eyes, but deciding against retaliatory words he sighed and rubbed his temples. "Look, Hales...I'm sorry, all right? I shouldn't go off on rants like this especially when..."
But Haley did not allow Lucas to finish. "Lucas...I'm so tired of your apologies."
Lucas was stunned silent by her sudden words.
"I...I don't know how many times we've had this same argument and how many times I've just...let it go; let you make empty apologies for your hurtful words against someone I love. But...not today..." Haley said quietly but with firmness and brimming anger in her voice. "Don't bother talking to me today," Haley said after a tense silence between them and she passed him as she made her way to her class.
"Hales!" Lucas called, "Haley!"
But the young woman ignored his calls, distancing herself from him then turning a corner, an expression of anger on her face.
Lucas sighed and with a balled fist hit a locker door that was close by. "Dammit," Lucas cursed.
* * *
Peyton Sawyer sat at a table alone during lunch making sketches in a notebook. Sighing, she made small scribbles of various people she knew: Brooke, Haley, Lucas, her father...her mother. Peyton sighed as she brought back her mother's memory then immediately groaned at her thoughts. She tore the page out of her notebook and threw it on the tabletop.
"Hey," a familiar voice said and Peyton made a short smile, glad to hear his voice. She turned to find Lucas standing behind her, looking like a dork with his brown bag lunch in hand. "Can I sit here?"
"As long as you don't dork up the place with that brown bag, sure," Peyton joked and watched as Lucas sat across from her at the table.
"So," Lucas asked as he began digging his lunch from the bag. A sandwich, potato chips, and a soft drink were soon produced from the wrinkled brown bag.
" 'So'...what?" Peyton said, not looking up from her sketches.
"What were you drawing?" Lucas asked as he began to unwrap the thin layer of plastic wrap to get to the meaty sandwich, "I saw you...tearing that piece of paper out of your book at the last minute."
"Are you never concerned about your own problems," Peyton asked as she looked up at him for a moment, her blonde curls almost hiding her sharp blue eyes, "Or are all your problems coincidentally my problems, too?"
Lucas smiled and replied, "No, I just want to know. Whatever you draw is important to me."
Peyton smiled at this remark. "Well, I was drawing things...people that I know. Brooke, the cheerleaders, my dad, YOU," she said with more emphasis but then she stopped smiling, "...my mom."
Lucas looked at Peyton for a while. "Peyton..."
"You know," Peyton interrupted as she closed her sketchbook and slid it to the side and brought the remainder of her lunch back in front of her, "Let's talk less about my drawings and my life and more about you. So, how's the team?"
Lucas sighed inwardly but allowed Peyton to have her way, "It's going...not all that it's cracked up to be but at least I'm doing something I love. And Whitey's pretty cool."
"Good," Peyton said, "Nathan giving you any grief?"
"When is he not?" Lucas said with a bit of anger in his tone, "And now he's messing around with Haley...I just can't stand it."
The mention of Haley ruffled Peyton a bit and she shifted in her seat. "Haley, huh," she asked, "She's really special to you, isn't she?"
Lucas looked up at Peyton after he took a bite of his sandwich. He promptly swallowed after a few chews, "Well, yeah. She is my best friend. We've known each other since we were babies."
A silence reigned over the table as Lucas continued to eat. Peyton was aching to ask a question that she was afraid to pose but felt it was justifiable.
"Do you love her?" Peyton asked suddenly just as Lucas was about to take another bite of his sandwich.
"As a friend, yes. We went out for a time but it wasn't anything serious. I...hey, Peyton why did you ask that?"
"Like I said, we're talking about you now," Peyton said, "And I want to know. Are you just screwing around with me, trying to get in my pants even though you like that girl Haley?"
"What!? Peyton, no!" Lucas said with a mix of shock and disgust in his voice, "Where the hell is this coming from?"
"Lucas, I would rather you not lie to me right now, all right?" Peyton said in a kind of pleading tone, "Please, just...be honest."
"I am being honest," Lucas replied, throwing down his sandwich, "God, what is with you today?"
"I talked to Haley and she told me what happened between you two this morning," Peyton exclaimed, "Now I'm sorry if my concern about this whole thing seems a bit out of place to you but after dealing for three years with an asshole like Nathan I want to know whether I'm being screwed over!"
Some of the kids in the lunchroom turned to watch the heating argument between them, pointing and staring.
"For future reference," Lucas said in a lower tone, "Remember who's been screwing around with whom. You've tugged me back and forth for months, saying all sorts of things that made me think we had a chance for a friendship, maybe something more, and then you dropped me like I was nothing. But I stayed with it. Now you want to ruin it all because of your jealousy? I thought we were going somewhere!"
"We are, Luke," Peyton protested, "It's just that I want to be sure! You can understand, can't you?"
"Yeah, I understand, Peyton," Lucas said as he began to stand up packing away his lunch, "I understand that no matter what I do and no matter how hard I try I will NEVER be what you want!" With that statement, Lucas walked away from the table.
"Lucas, wait a minute!" Peyton said standing up from her chair but the young man had already left the cafeteria. Peyton fell back to her chair, disregarding the laughs and incoherent taunts of the students around her. Sighing deeply, she picked up her sketchbook and her lunch tray and left as well.
* * *
It was later that afternoon when Lucas had finished with practice when Nathan intentionally rammed into his half-brother, knocking his slightly older sibling back.
"What the hell is your problem," Lucas said as he stepped up to Nathan, their faces so close together they were almost touching.
"I want you to stay away from Haley, you bastard," Nathan said as he pushed Lucas away from him. This time Lucas stayed back. "It's bad enough she's had to deal with me being an asshole these last few months but now her so-called best friend is on her case? Jesus, man what's your deal?"
"She had no reason to be upset in my opinion. We were only talking about you," Lucas countered, "And about everything that you've done to her. Deep down I know she believes everything I said to her. She's just not ready to admit it."
"And who are you," Nathan asked throwing his arms up in the air, "Are you the one that makes her choices? Are you going to tell her what to do? Huh?"
"Of course not," Lucas replied, "But..."
"Then I don't want to hear it," Nathan snapped, cutting Lucas off, "Haley has a mind of her own. If she wants to stay with me, she'll stay with me! If she wants to drop me like the sack of garbage that I probably am, then she will! But it's her decision to make. Not mine and sure as hell not yours!"
Lucas was suddenly feeling very remorseful for his remarks to Haley earlier.
"You know..." Nathan started, "I almost thought that we were getting along. I know, we still don't agree on things and we have our fights but...I try to be as nice as I can."
"What about what you said at the playground," Lucas shot back, "You call that being 'nice'?"
"Wha...oh, God. I can't even remember what I said. But whatever it was I was just being an ass. I'm like that with all of my friends. But what you're saying to Haley...you're ruining her happiness."
"And you're ruining her life by staying with her!" Lucas exclaimed.
Nathan scowled at Lucas for his remark but backed down, remembering the promise he made to Haley, "I like to think of myself as a work in progress, ya know? It's because of Haley that I've been able to pick up some of the slack and be a better person. She's showing me things about myself that I never knew were there. Doesn't she do that for you?"
Lucas remained quiet, refusing to discuss matters of his best friend to his worst enemy.
Nathan shook his head and became angry once again, "Fine! I've tried my best and now I'm not trying anymore! You're a loser and I'm glad Haley finally sees that!"
Lucas shook his head and turned his back to the door, his face burning with anger.
* * *
Lucas drove into work unhappy and discontent with the day. But, as usual, whatever problems he had would have to wait until after his shift as Keith was busy with so many customers and would not be fully accessible until things slowed down. Of course, with the winter season closing in, the garage was bustling with more people than usual, with both Lucas and Keith running around trying to fix everything including people's malcontent with their wait.
Eventually the busy day wore on to a busy evening with Lucas taking a short break to go and pick up a couple of sandwiches from his mother's diner for both him and Keith. Finally, when nine o'clock rolled around, the garage finally began to see a decrease in traffic until it was just the same regulars-old men with long shaggy beards and greasy overalls-popping in to chew the fat with Keith. Soon, Keith flipped over the sign to the closed side and sighed, sitting down at a massive worktable that Lucas had spread a couple of long towels across.
"So what did you get for us today," Keith asked.
"Hope you like hoagies," Lucas called from the back room as he retrieved two sandwiches massive in his right hand and two canned sodas in his left.
"Love em'," Keith replied as he took a sandwich and a can from Lucas' hands and sat them on the table. Lucas sat down at the table and unwrapped his sandwich and began to eat. The two men were silent for a while until Keith sparked up a conversation. "So, how was school today," he said after swallowing a portion of his sandwich.
"Sucked. Don't want to talk about it," Lucas replied in a low tone as he quietly chewed his food.
"Why? Aren't you supposed to be Mr. Popular now that you're on varsity?" Keith asked as he took a swig of his grape soda.
"You wouldn't think so with all the people that have been ragging on me today," Lucas replied.
"What did you do," Keith asked knowingly.
Lucas turned his head and gave his uncle an expression of disbelief, "Why is it that you always think it's my fault?" Lucas asked.
"Because it usually is, Luke," Keith answered after taking another bite from his sandwich. He took time to chew before finally swallowing his food. "You either say or do something that's out of line and then you end up paying for it later. At least, that's how it usually is."
Lucas sighed, "It's like everyone is against me," he mumbled.
"Oh, now you know that's not true, boy," Keith said, "So tell me what happened."
"Well, I was talking to Haley about Nathan and..." Lucas began but was cut off by Keith's light chuckle followed by a snort as he chewed on his sandwich.
Swallowing again he replied, "You never, EVER judge your best friend's choice in men. Especially when you went out with said friend years ago. What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking about my best friend and how much better she can do!" Lucas exclaimed, "I was thinking about how Nathan is scum and how Haley is pure and kind and generous and..."
"You were thinking about yourself, that's what you were thinking about," Keith interrupted as he took another swig from the soda can, "You were thinking about all the little things you could say to get Haley back to yourself."
"What? I don't like Haley that way, Keith," Lucas protested.
"Yeah, I know you don't. But it looks like you're not willing to share her with anyone else, either. Despite the fact that she has a mind of her own, that she's not your girlfriend, and that she's chosen to associate with my asshole of a brother's son."
Lucas laughed at that last remark but was still reeling from the rest of his statement. "But really, Keith. It's Nathan. Nathan! We're talking about the mirror image of Dan. What if he..." Lucas fell silent.
"What if he what? Does what Dan did? Knocks her up and leaves her high and dry? Well then you'll have the right to say 'I told you so'," Keith replied bluntly.
"That's not what I meant," Lucas replied quietly as he took another bite of his sandwich.
"Maybe it's something that you would never say but I know you think about it," Keith remarked, "What if Haley becomes the town's next outcast all because she got involved with the wrong guy? We can't know for sure if that'll ever happen. Personally, I don't think Haley is dumb enough fall into that trap. But even if she was and she did...what would you do about it?"
Lucas looked up at his uncle, noticing that the older man was looking back at him. He knew his uncle expected an answer from him. "...I would do everything I could to protect her."
Keith chuckled, "Spoken like a true hero, son. Just remember: not all people need saving and sometimes...well, sometimes you just have to let things go." After a time of silence, Keith asked, "Anything else you want to talk about?"
Lucas looked at his uncle for a moment longer, thinking about the situation he had with Peyton but he decided it would be better if he settled that problem on his own. Lucas returned his gaze to his sandwich. "No. Thanks, Uncle Keith," he said quietly as he took another bite of the hoagie.
"It's what I'm here for," Keith said and took a final swig of his soda before getting up. "I'm gonna go straighten up outside, make sure everything's locked down for the evening, you know the usual. I want you to put all the parts away, wipe down the tables, and then open the garage door and spray down the floor as soon as you finish eating."
"All right," Lucas said and made a slight smile to Keith.
Keith returned the smile and walked out of the garage, closing the slightly ajar door behind him.
* * *
The splatter of water across the concrete floor of the garage was soothing to Lucas, lulling him into a trance like state as he tried to forget the day's worries and conflicts. It was odd to him that he could feel so at peace while doing something as time-consuming as spraying down an oily floor. Sighing deeply, he thought about his uncle's words and how they rang true on so many levels it wasn't even funny. The man was intelligent if nothing else and could read people like he could build an auto engine: very easily. Lucas was once again amazed by his uncle's talents and was thankful that at least one member of the Scott family wasn't a complete and total waste of real estate.
Lucas suddenly noticed movement from the corner of his eye and looked up from the floor to find a tall, skinny white man with receding gray hair wearing an oversized blue T-shirt and raggedy black jeans making his way toward the garage, his cherry red, Ford pickup, a '93 model, parked illegally along the curb. The man shuffled toward the garage, unsure at first but then with a bit more beat in his step as he made his way closer.
"I'm sorry, sir, but we're closed for the evening," Lucas said with a slight smile although he knew not to get too comfortable with this stranger around, "If you come back tomorrow Keith will be able to check you out."
The man's eyes scanned the garage that he was surrounded by, darting from a table, to the floor, to a toolbox, and then finally focusing on the source of the voice that was addressing him. "I came here to ask something," the man said in clear yet slightly slow speech.
"Well that's different," Lucas said as he walked backward with the hose in his hand and while looking very natural, turned off the running water all while maintaining eye contact with the man. "Ask away. I'll try to help."
"I want to know," the man began, "Why you think it's right to steal people's things from their car. Huh?"
Lucas was suddenly becoming very alarmed, his smile fading ever so slightly. "Excuse me, sir?" Lucas said in a calm manner.
"You heard me," the man snapped, "I want to know why you people...you Scott's think you're entitled to take what's not yours, God dammit!"
Lucas' smile suddenly faded and he became aware of the situation, knowing that it was time to boot this guy out. As he walked toward the man, pointing toward the garage door he said politely yet firmly, "Sir, I have no idea what you're talking about but I suggest you leave. Now let me just..."
But Lucas was stopped dead in his tracks when the man revealed a gun from his back pocket, the teen immediately raising his arms to show that he would not come any closer or do anything to harm the crazed man.
"You stay the hell away!" the man shouted, "I've got a gun! I'm not afraid to use it!"
"Sir, please put the gun away," Lucas said calmly although his voice was trembling with fear, "I'm not going to hurt you. Just put the gun away."
The man made a sort of groaning sound as he rubbed his eyes; bloodshot eyes, trying desperately to focus, stared into the fearful blue eyes of Lucas. "You stole it from me, didn't you? You took it out of my car and kept it for yourself! Didn't you!?"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Lucas cried, "I don't know what you're talking about! Please...just put the gun away. Let's talk about this. Maybe...I don't know, maybe w-we can find it. Just put the gun away, please."
"But I looked everywhere," the man said and groaned again, "Just...just give it back and...and I won't bother you again."
"What? What!? I don't have it, man!" Lucas protested, "I don't have what you're talking about!"
"Stop LYING!!" the man screamed and pointed the gun at Lucas and in one split second the gun went off, an odd echo resonating inside the garage that flowed out into the quiet darkness of the evening.
Lucas had covered his head in an attempt to protect himself from the bullet but when he realized nothing seemed wrong he immediately charged at the man, bringing him down to the floor. Taking his gun away, Lucas got back up although he suddenly felt extraordinarily weary, the distinct odor of alcohol and marijuana emanating from the man was clouding his senses. He noticed that the man had blood all over his blue shirt, which was odd considering that Lucas did nothing to draw blood from the man as much as he wanted to.
For some reason, maybe because it felt so warm, Lucas drew his hand over his left side in an attempt to see what was amiss.
"I'll get you," the man screamed as he gathered himself up, "I'll get you!"
Keith had made his way back around to the garage door only to immediately collide into the fleeing man. "Hey!!" Keith yelled but the man did not stop, running all the way to his pickup. The truck started up and skidded away in only a few moments time.
"Lucas are you..." Keith's words halted as he turned back around to look at his nephew. He made a gasp then a deep groan, saying quietly, "Oh, Lucas, no."
Lucas was sitting on the wet, concrete floor, his right hand pressed against his left side in a feeble attempt to stop the wound from bleeding profusely. Lucas was shivering, his breathing ragged as he tried desperately to aid himself.
"Lucas!!" Keith screamed and ran to his nephew's side, pulling off his shirt and balling it up, placing it over Lucas' hand. "God, Lucas, no..." Keith cried, "Please hang on! Just hang on, dammit! I'm gonna get you help!"
Lucas only shuddered as he began to cry, his tears freely flowing down his face as he looked at his uncle. Through his ragged breathing, Lucas managed to speak with fear ever present in his eyes and his voice, "N-no, no! P-please, Keith...d-don't l-leave me h-here!"
"Lucas," Keith pleaded but he suddenly realized that his nephew's eyes were closing and that the convulsions and the ragged breathing and the pulsing blood were slowly fading away into nothingness. "No...no!" Keith yelled as he grabbed his nephew's shoulder with his free hand, "Wake up! You're not going to do this to me! You're not going to do this to your mother! You hear me, boy! Wake up!!"
But Lucas would no longer open his eyes. As his final breath escaped his slightly parted lips, Lucas' hand, which had so diligently stayed firm against his wound, suddenly fell limp against Keith's.
"No..." Keith whispered, his eyes burning with tears, "No, you can't...no. You jus...Lucas..." It was all that Keith could get out before falling into a fit of body racking sobs as he roughly embraced his nephew's body, his head upturned to the ceiling, eyes closed tightly, his mouth open in a silent sob as his neck strained with veins trying desperately to contain emotion. Then all of it was released into another sob as Keith buried his head into Lucas', kissing the tear soaked, stubbly cheek gently, as any grieving father would have done.
At that moment, Keith felt like he had lost his own flesh and blood.