Make It All Better A OTH ficlet!
Disclaimer: I don't own OTH, Mark Schawn does. (Is that the right spelling? Anyway...) I love it, so here's yet another ficlet to support it.
Summary: 5 years after graduation. Nathan runs into Haley and her fiancee, Lucas Roe, at UNC. He asks Peyton, his best friend, to come up from LA to pretend to be his girlfriend to finally get over Haley. Pathan/Laley.
Part One.
Nathan had just left practice when he came face to face with his ex girlfriend and first love, Haley James. He felt his breath hitch in his throat just at the sight out of her and realized it wouldn't ever get easier, them not being together like they were for almost 2 years. The sight of her on some other guy's arm made the hairs on his neck stand up, and all he wanted to do was throw down the other male and mark the petite brunette as his. Too bad humans didn't respond like that...
''So she's your old lady,'' asked someone coming up behind him. Nathan spun and noticed that it was his roommate and teammate, Antwone ''Skills'' Tanner, that had spoken and he shook his head, automatically correcting his new friend.
''No,'' he explained sadly. ''She's my ex...''
Skills noted the sadness in his friend's voice and sighed, patting his shoulder. ''Aw, hey man, it'll be OK. We just need to get you a new girl, that's all. How about you meet up with me tonight? My friend Fergie told me about a local rival team scoring off against Duke tonight. Figure there'll be cute girls there...you game, Scott?''
Nathan thought it over, his blue eyes still unable to part from Haley, and realized he needed to get over her sooner or later. Eventually, he looked toward Skills and nodded. Skills smirked back and giving him an address and a phone number, he hurried off across campus to his next class. Nathan had a free period so he jogged down to the gym to get a few free shots in, not realizing Haley's new boyfriend -- and his rival for captain, would be already there.
''Scott, nice to see you still need practice,'' Lucas snapped as he lined up a shot and nailed it.
Nathan shook his head, getting frustrated, and reached for a ball off the cart. ''Nice to see you still suck, Roe,'' he quipped back. He lined up his shot and it sailed in with a swoosh!. Lucas smirked at him, but he felt like leaving before the other male started something. Too late, he thought a second later when he heard the blonde approaching.
''So,'' Lucas said a minute later as the two of them competitively shot baskets easily. ''I heard you used to date Haley James. Too bad she realized what she was missing early on, huh?''
Haley's name made Nathan miss the shot and he silently cursed under his breath. Lucas smirked behind him, easily making his shot. ''Oh, I didn't realize I brought up a sore spot with you, Scott. But you know, Haley's pretty special...she's talented, beautiful, and she's got great taste because she's with me...''
''All right Roe,'' Nathan interrupted, whipping around to face him. His handsome face was all screwed up in anger. ''You shut up about Haley, right now, or I'll make your life here a living hell. Yes, Haley and I broke up but she's an amazing girl and what she sees in you, I sure as hell don't know, but if you hurt her I'll make you disappear!''
Lucas smirked at his rival's anger. Obviously he still loved Haley or else he wouldn't be threatening him so badly. ''You know, you wouldn't be still hurting if you were with someone else, Scott,'' he replied, thinking he was so smart. Nathan continued to stare him down. ''I mean, you're Nathan Scott, big shot basketball player and you're having problems getting girls? Now that's pretty weak, if I do say so myself...''
''I have no problem getting girls,'' Nathan replied just as quick. Ever since he'd arrived at UNC a couple weeks ago, he'd been hit on a lot, but no one understood him like Peyton. Peyton, he thought suddenly, and it was as if a lightbulb went off in his head. ''In fact, my girlfriend is coming to visit this weekend from L.A., and you know she's hot.''
Lucas raised an eyebrow, intrigued. ''Oh, so that's how you play it, Scott? Making up invisible girlfriends now?'' He shook his head and laughed. Nathan growled from his position not too far from the blonde male, lining up a shot and sinking it in. At the surprise in Lucas's eyes, the brunette male turned to face him and smirked. ''No way man, she's real and she's amazing. And I know she's got great taste because she's with me!'' He shot back the blonde's words and made his way out of the gym, automatically dialing Peyton's cell.
His sister, Brooke, was off in New York working on her clothing line and his best friends Peyton and Jake, were in Los Angeles and New York pursuing their dreams of music.
At her voicemail, he quickly left her a message and ran across campus to make his next few classes of the day.
--
After his last class, he saw that he had two new voicemails and a smile light up his handsome face.
Message One: 2:30 P.M.: ''Nate Scott! You really need to start answering your cell. It's not right to ignore family like this, brother o' mine. Big dramatic sigh Anyway, good news -- wait, who am I kidding? GREAT news!! My clothing line is getting picked up in Tree Hill so I might be coming back sooner than you think! I've been selling out like hotcakes here, bro! Oh my God Nate, this is SOO awesome. I feel so proud of myself! But anyway, call me...I miss you...and tell Pey to answer her damn phone, too! Love you!!''
Nathan chuckled and mentally reminded himself to call her, already proud of his little sister. He knew she'd accomplish great things one day. Sighing, he clicked 'Next!' and paused to listen to his next message. Probably from Mom, he thought easily. He was wrong, though.
Message Two: 3:40 P.M.: ''Nate! It's Peyton, hey I got your message. I'm kind of struggling with my boss lately, basically he takes me for granted and it sucks but whatever, and so I can officially tell you I'll come down this weekend and be your knight in shining...band tees. Hope you're doing okay other than those jerks Lucas and Haley! Oh, and tell Brooke I did receive her messages...and fully intend to call her back tonight. Hell, if I get there before Saturday we can both call her back! Love you!''
YES! Nathan thought suddenly. He started grinning like a chesire cat, knowing that with Peyton there, there'd be no way Lucas would give him anymore trouble. He did a quick fist pump in the air, not caring who saw him. Just then Skills ran into him and smirked. ''Hey dawg, good to see you're in a good mood,'' he commented happily.
''I am,'' Nathan replied with a smile of his own. The two started their way back to the dorms to get ready for the basketball game Duke. ''My best friend in the whole world is coming down this weekend and I've missed her like crazy, you have no idea!''
Skills raised an eyebrow. ''Oh, so that's how it works,'' he said, much to Nathan's dismay. ''You're still hung up over your ex, who just happens to be with your rival, but you hire your best friend to replace her for a weekend to get said rival off your back? Nice moves, Scott. No wonder you got a scholarship...''
Nathan laughed. ''No, man. I mean, yeah I did ask her to come down and pose as my girlfriend, but we've been friends since we were neighbors growing up. Over the years, we've owed each other several crazy favors. Besides, she was there when I was with Haley...she knows how I feel about her...''
Skills listened, still unsure. ''I don't know, dawg,'' he replied. He explained so Nathan would stop glaring at him. ''I...just mean, you don't want to get your friend's hopes up or whatever, man. I've done stuff like that before, and I damn near got my heart broken 'cause of it. She might be your best friend, but what if she secretly wants more than that and tries to see how this 'crazy favor' of yours goes, huh?''
Nathan didn't think of it like that, and suddenly all he could think of was Peyton. He opened his mouth to speak, but his cell phone interrupted him, and he quickly excused himself to slip out into the hall to take it. ''Hey Brooke, listen I get I didn't call and I'm really sorry but it's crazy over here...''
Brooke shrugged over the phone. ''I get it, Nate, college stuff. But listen -- I'm coming back to Tree Hill next month to open another store! Isn't that fantastic!''
Nathan laughed and genuinely was glad to be able to worry about something that mattered. ''God yes, Brooke, that's amazing!'' He lowered his voice and she knew he was ecstatic for her. ''I'm so incredibly proud of you, little sis...''
''Why thank you, big brother,'' Brooke quipped happily. She grinned. ''So Pey tells me you're hiring her to stand in for that tutorgirl you used to date this weekend! Is this true, and if so, Nate you should know better!''
Nathan groaned. ''Aw, Brooke, it's not like that and she knows that. This guy Lucas Roe, he's made my life hell on the basketball court since I got here, and now he's dating my ex and making whatever was good in my life even worse! I loved Haley, Brooke! We dated for almost two years and no, I can't just get over her dumping me so quickly. Peyton knows that. You know that. I just don't get why you girls are ganging up on me all of a sudden...''
Brooke sighed. '''Cause, Nathan, you know how Peyton gets. She dated that one guy in high school for years before they broke up, and then even before then, you knew she'd always liked you in a more-than-friends kind of way. That just intensified when you started dating...tutorgirl and rubbing it in her face that you wouldn't even look at her like that.'' She sighed, unable to figure out a way to fix things for her brother and best friend. ''God, Nate, I just don't even know...''
''Well, neither do I!'' Nathan shot back. He saw Haley pass by on her way to a class, their eyes locking briefly before she looked away, and he slumped against the wall.
''Damn it, Brooke, she just passed and this pain is still so real that I need something to take the edge off...some kind of diversion so I can move on finally. I-I thought Peyton would be good at helping me since she knows me so well, but I guess I overshot...''
Brooke felt for her brother, she really did. ''No, Nate, it's OK. Peyton loves you, she does, and so do I. We'd do anything to make our favorite b-ball star feel better, you know that.'' She imagined him smiling then. ''But you gotta let go...and besides, if this Lucas is as good at basketball as he thinks he is, then he's worth you acting like a cocky jerk 'cause you owned Tree Hill, next to me of course.'' Nathan couldn't stifle a laugh at the thought of high school. Yes; he and Brooke owned Tree Hill...but that had been high school, not college.
''Just...let it all sink in, and I'm sure Pey will make it all better when she gets there. Oh, did you tell her I called?''
Just like his sister to pry, Nathan thought with another chuckle. ''Yeah, she says she's been dealing with a boss that's taking her for granted and that she fully intends to call you back tonight. She'll be here Friday night.''
''Good!'' Brooke replied happily. ''But she really needs to open her own label. She's so talented and that guy's just horrible! I can't wait till I get to see you and Pey again in a month!! Oh and I heard from Jake. He's been headlining a tour around the states...I've easily heard two of his songs on the radio this week. God, maybe Pey could sign him?!''
Nathan really laughed this time. He missed his baby sister like crazy. ''Thanks for making me feel better, sis. I can't wait to see you either; it's been way too long...''
Brooke nodded, smiling. ''Yes, it has. Ugh, I've got Millicent telling me something's wrong with an order so I better scoot but please tell Mom and Pey I love them and that I can't wait to see them. And tell Pey my cell's on...I don't know why I keep missing her calls...but oh well. Love you Nate, please take care of yourself and don't let tutorgirl bother you anymore?''
Nathan nodded. ''K, Brooke. Be careful in New York. Miss you a lot, love you, bye...''
He sighed and walked back into the dorm, noticing Skill's raised eyebrow and smirk. He automatically dismissed it. ''No, man, Brooke's my sister!''
Skills chuckled and figured out what to wear. He rolled his eyes. ''Whatever man, all I'm saying is that if Roe thinks he's got game, he's obviously missing something 'cause you're the man!''
Nathan rolled his eyes this time and shoved a clean shirt in Skill's face. ''Just get dressed! We're gonna be late!''
TBC: Should I continue? Tell me what you think! Reviewsawesome! :)