Disclaimer: No, I don't own One Tree Hill. This is probably a bad idea, but this story has been bouncing around in my brain for the last few weeks and I just had to get it out. I may just get this chapter out and posted and then really start to work on it after I finish Heal Me. But I just really really like this idea and I'm not quite sure if that will be possible. So, here's to the beginning of Keeping Up With the Jameses.
"94," Haley said, handing the paper back to the boy sitting across the table from her. "Great job, Stuart. I'm really proud of you."
"Thanks, Haley," Stuart said, looking over his paper. "I never could have done this without you."
"Hey, it was all you," she said, starting to pack up a few of her books that there littered across the table. "Don't underestimate yourself. You can totally get this."
"I still say I couldn't have done it without you," Stuart said, putting the practice test down in his bag. "How about you let me take you out to dinner to celebrate?"
Haley looked down at the table and blushed a little. Stuart was a nice guy. He was funny and smart, but she just couldn't go out with him. As much fun as it might be, it just wasn't possible. She brushed a stray lock of her dark brown hair out of her face and sighed heavily before answering.
"That's really nice of you, Stuart," she said with a faint smile. "But I can't."
"You have a boyfriend?" he said with a frown. "I've never seen him around."
"Something like that," she replied, slinging the strap of her messenger bag over her shoulder. "Let me know how you do on your calc test next week though."
"Sure," he said. "I'll call you. And if that boyfriend of yours ever breaks up with you, call me."
"Stuart…"
"I'm just throwing it out there," he said, holding his hands up as he walked towards the door of the tutoring center.
Haley sighed heavily and sank down in her chair. In another lifetime, she would have let him take her to dinner. They probably would have gone to that little Italian place on the edge of town. He would have held her hand as they walked to the car after dinner was over. Maybe he would have even kissed her lightly on the cheek as he dropped her off at her front door. But, it would have to be in another lifetime, because in this one that just wasn't happening.
"Hey, James," she heard a voice call out.
Her boss, Mr. Jenner, was standing in the doorway to his office, beckoning her towards him. Mr. Jenner was nice most of the time. He was always willing to let her pick up extra clients when she needed some more cash. Haley looked over at him and nodded in acknowledgement before gathering up the last of her stuff and making her way over to his office.
The most distinguishing thing about the older man was that he was a huge basketball fan. The walls of his office were absolutely covered in posters and other sports paraphernalia. He'd said on more than one occasion that his most prized possession was the autographed basketball that sat in a glass display case on the top of his filing cabinet. The room was so cluttered it made Haley feel a little claustrophobic every time she went inside.
"Have a seat, Haley," he said, gesturing to a seat next to his desk. "I have a new pupil for you."
"Mr. Jenner," she said. "I don't think I can really pick up another pupil right now. I'm swamped with school work and…"
"I know you're busy," he said. "But you're the best tutor we have."
"But I barely get to spend any time with Timmy as it is…"
"It's Nathan Scott, Haley." Mr. Jenner said. "He's not going to be eligible to play if he doesn't get his grades up."
"Who?"
"Nathan Scott, star shooting guard for the basketball team," he said, staring at her incredulously.
"Oh," she said, mostly just pretending to know who he was talking about. "Still, I'm really swamped right now. I've got five other people I'm already tutoring…"
"I'm not asking you here, Haley," he said. "I'll reassign a few of your other pupils so you can make time for him. You're tutoring Nathan Scott and that's the end of it."
"Fine," she said, brushing a stray blond curl out of her face as she stood up. "I have to go pick Timmy up from day care."
"He'll be here tomorrow at four," Mr. Jenner said. "You're going to start with pre calc and go from there. Here's his file that Coach K sent over for us."
Haley sighed and stuffed the manila folder in her bag without even looking at it. The last thing she needed was to start tutoring some prima donna athlete who would expect her to cater to his every whim. She'd done basketball players in the past and they were never her favorite people to tutor. They would constantly expect her to bend over backwards for them, like she didn't have a life of her own.
She was thankful for her dark blue Duke sweatshirt as soon as she made her way out into the November afternoon. The days were getting shorter and the sun was already starting to set. She stuffed her hands into the front pocket of her hoodie as she made her way across campus. She was going to have to walk home after the sun went down again. She hated doing that. She loved Duke, but it tended to get creepy at night. She snuggled further into her sweatshirt and quickened her pace. She had a stop to make before she could head home.
"I'm so sorry I'm late, Hannah" she said as she walked into the small building about half a mile from the tutoring center. "My boss kept me late after my last appointment."
"It's okay, Haley," Hannah said. "We never mind. He's in the back. Maggie's getting him in his coat for you."
"Thanks, you two are the best," Haley said, making her way towards the back room. "Hey buddy. I missed you today."
"Mama!" her two year old son, Timmy, yelled, squirming away from Maggie and running to Haley.
She immediately knelt down and scooped him up in her arms. He buried his little face in her neck and Haley held him tight against her, breathing him in. She knew he must have been panicking when she was late. Hannah and Maggie never said it, but she knew all the time he spent in day care was hard on him. She hated having to leave him there every day, but she didn't have much choice. It didn't help that he was usually the last kid to get picked up either.
"Are you ready to go home, baby?" she asked and her only reply was him nodding against her neck.
Maggie handed her his bag and Haley bounced him up higher on her hip as she struggled to get a handle on everything. There was no chance of putting him down and getting him to walk part of the way home that night. He was extra clingy when she was late. Still, he was her whole world. His big brown eyes that were nearly exact replicas of her own were the keys to her undoing. One look and she melted. Her life might not be anything like she'd expected it to be when she was 21, but Timmy had made it so much better.
…
"Coach, I don't need a tutor," Nathan said, crossing his arms over his chest.
He hadn't known what Coach K had wanted when Nathan had been called to his office. He was kind of hoping it was because the coach wanted to make him a captain a year early or something. Instead it was because the coach wanted to chew his ass out over his grades. Nathan sat in the padded chair on the other side of Coach K's desk as the older man yelled at him about how he was on the edge of being academically ineligible to play the next season.
"Your last test score tells me otherwise," Coach K said, sliding a paper across the desk towards him.
Nathan just barely flinched when he took a look at the test with a large F written across the top. The thing was, he'd actually studied for that test. Well, he'd tried to anyway. He'd looked over his book for a couple of hours. Then he'd gotten a call about a really awesome party at one of the frat houses. He couldn't just not make an appearance. Or have a few drinks. Or hook up with that blonde.
"I'll do better," he said.
"Your right," Coach K replied. "You will. Because you're going to tutoring. I've been assured that the girl who's going to be your tutor is the best they have to offer."
"Girl?" Nathan said, finally expressing some interest.
"Nathan, I'm going to be honest with you," the older man said. "If you don't get at least a B on your next two tests, you will not be academically eligible to play this season. You won't just be on the bench. You won't be on the team."
"Coach…"
"I'm serious, Scott," Coach K said. "You're a great player, but if you don't get your grades up, there's nothing I can do."
"Yes sir," Nathan said, nodding his head.
"Your first session is tomorrow at 4," Coach K said. "Don't be late."
"Yes sir," Nathan said, standing up and grabbing his backpack.
"You're dismissed, Scott," Coach K said. "Go home and study or something."
Nathan quickly made his way out of Coach K's office and sighed heavily as soon as he got outside. He would be in such deep shit if his dad heard about the conversation he'd just had. Not being able to play basketball that fall would probably be the worst thing that could happen. It was his junior year. The scouts were already watching him and Duke was favored to at least go to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament. It was supposed to be his year and he was only a junior.
The sun had almost fully set by the time he got outside and the temperature had decreased dramatically. He mentally cursed himself for not taking his car and set off at a brisk pace towards his apartment building. Thankfully he lived close enough to campus that it wasn't too far of a walk. There weren't very many people around campus as he walked. He saw a girl with dark brown hair walk out of the campus daycare center, but didn't pay much attention. Nathan Scott did not do children.
"Hey, man," his half brother, Lucas, called out as Nathan walked through the door. "What did Coach K want?"
"He's making me get tutoring," Nathan said, immediately going over to the fridge and grabbing a beer.
Beer happened to be the only thing in the fridge at the moment. That wasn't exactly a rare occurrence for the Scott brothers. Sometimes there were a couple of slices of pizza or a takeout box. The only time there was actually food was when Lucas's mom came for a visit or after Lucas went home for the weekend.
The apartment the two of them shared was probably a typical college apartment. The furniture was sparse and all straight from IKEA. The fridge was almost always empty, minus alcohol of course, and the stove had never been touched. Sneakers were left in a heap by the door and school books and clothing were tossed haphazardly across all flat surfaces. Most of the books belonged to Lucas. Most of the clothes belonged to Nathan. Oh, and of course a large flat screen TV dominated the wall across from the sofa.
"I told you that you need to spend more time studying," Lucas said as Nathan took a seat next to him on the couch.
"Shut up."
"Did he say who your tutor is?" Lucas asked.
"Some chick named Haley," Nathan shrugged, taking a swig of his beer.
"Sounds hot," Lucas said.
"She's probably a total nerd," Nathan replied. "Coach said she's the best tutor the center has to offer."
"You never know, man," Lucas said, flipping channels on the TV. "You might be surprised."
"I highly doubt it," Nathan said. "Dude, there's nothing on."
"Dude, we have 700 channels," Lucas replied. "There's got to be something on. And you should be studying anyways."
"Shut up," Nathan said, snatching the remote control away from his brother.
He started flipping through channels in the same manner Lucas had for a few minutes before giving up and turning the TV off. He tossed the remote down on the coffee table and then stood up. He could feel Lucas's eyes on him as he made his way back towards his room, but he didn't owe him any explanations. Honestly, the whole day had just been shitty and he was just glad that it was over.
He went over to the plain pine and metal desk that had come with the apartment and picked up his pre calc book. He was pretty sure the professor had said something about chapter 7 during the last class, so he flipped there. He tried to read how to do the problems, but it was hopeless. He didn't even know why he had to learn it. He wasn't going to need any of that shit in the NBA anyway. Nathan tossed to book on the floor in frustration and then flopped down on his bed. He watched the blades of his ceiling fan spin and sighed heavily. Without even bothering to undress or turn off the light, he closed his eyes and went to sleep.
…
Haley checked her watch again. It was 4:10. He was late. She knew he was going to be late. All the athletes were. Then they got pissed when she cut their sessions short. She drummed her fingers impatiently against the table and stared out the window. The tutoring center really did have a beautiful view. They were on the second floor, level with the tops of most of the trees. Duke was ablaze with color thanks to the current cold snap. The leaves in almost all the trees were different shades of red and orange. She loved the view, but wondered how effective it was for tutoring. It was all she could do to keep some of her pupil's attention sometimes.
"Haley James?" she heard someone ask.
Her head snapped forward and hers eyes locked with the most startling pair of blue eyes she'd ever seen. They were dark, like the ocean when you were really far out to sea. They were the kind of eyes that got written about in sleazy romance novels. Not that she'd ever read a sleazy romance novel. Her older sister, Taylor, loved to fill her in on what she was missing though.
"Nathan Scott," she said with a clipped tone. "You're late."
"Yeah," he said, taking a seat across the table from her. "Sorry about that. I didn't realize how long it would take me to get here."
"It's your loss," she shrugged. "Our session is still going to end at five."
"You can't make an exception this once?" he asked, flashing her a grin that she knew pretty much got him whatever he wanted.
Haley James was not the kind of girl who gave a boy whatever he wanted because he had a nice smile. Not anymore anyway. She'd done that once. It wasn't happening again.
"No, I can't," she said. "So, you're having problems with your pre calc class. I have your latest test here and I figured we could start with going over what you seemed to have the most problems with."
"We can't start with me getting to know you a little better?"
It was all Haley could do not to slap that cheesy grin off his face. She had so many better things to do than sit there and let him try to hit on her. She wasn't giving in. She'd done the whole basketball star thing before and it had gotten her a teenage pregnancy and a broken heart. She sighed angrily and brushed her hair out of her face before reaching across the table for his math book.
"Do you see this book? Because this book is me. I am math," she said, pointing to a random page.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It's supposed to mean that you can work your whole 'I'm Nathan Scott, Mr. Big Shot, scoring my touchdowns' on somebody else, because…"
"I don't even play football," he said with a slightly nervous laugh.
"Whatever," she said, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face. "The point is, at the end of the day all your bluster and BS don't mean anything to math because math don't care, and neither do I."
"Well, does English care?" he asked. "Cause I really suck at that, too."
"Please don't waste my time," Haley said. "There are a lot of people I could be tutoring right now who actually want my help."
"Okay," he said, looking down at the table. "I do need it… Your help, I mean."
"Okay," she said. "So listen, here are the rules: 1) You're on time. Every minute after 4 you're late is a minute off your time, not mine. That's just how it is. 2) You do your homework for the class and the homework I assign you. I can't help you if you don't do the work. And 3) Our relationship is tutor/pupil. That's it. Don't bother trying to ask me out. I won't say yes."
"I think I can manage that last one," he said with a smirk.
"Good," she said, turning the book back towards her and checking her notes before flipping to a specific page. "So, the thing you seem to be having the biggest problem with is synthetic division. Why don't we get started there?"
Haley was shocked at how attentive Nathan was as she patiently went over the problems on his test that he'd gotten wrong. It turned out he wasn't as clueless as she'd thought he would be. He mostly had the generally concepts down. He was just sloppy with his execution or second guessed himself into getting the wrong answer. She might even consider reevaluating her original opinion of him. But it was only the first session. He was probably an irresponsible asshole just like all of the other jocks she'd tutored.
"Did I do this right?" he asked, pushing the worksheet she'd had him working on towards her.
Haley took the piece of paper from him and quickly scanned over his answers. He'd gotten all but two of the ten problems right. As she searched his two wrong problems for his mistake, she could feel his eyes on her. The feeling made her spine tingle in a way that wasn't entirely bad. She quickly squashed that feeling. Haley James did not do tingly spines, no matter how gorgeous the boy's eyes were.
Nathan didn't quite know what to make of the petite brunette sitting across from him. Her long chocolaty brown hair was pulled back in a low side ponytail that hung over her shoulder. Her hair looked soft. He'd never paid that much attention to a girl's hair before. When she looked at him, her huge brown eyes seemed to look straight into his soul. God, he was starting to sound like Lucas. He wanted to say she was hot, but hot didn't even begin to cover it. The most amazing thing about her though was the fact that she seemed completely unaffected by him. Every other girl on the Duke campus would have swooned at least once by then. He'd even smiled at her and she hadn't paid him any attention.
"Five o'clock," Haley said, looking down at her watch. "Times up. Read pages 205 through 224 for tomorrow and do the even numbered problems on page 225. I want to see all of your work."
"Wow, that was fast," he said, looking at his own watch. "So, listen, there's this party tonight…"
"What did I say about asking me out?" she said, gathering up her belongings and stuffing them down in her bag.
"That wasn't me asking you out," Nathan said, slipping his math book into his blue Duke backpack. "That was me trying to be polite. Believe me, Haley James, if I was asking you out, you would know it. I wouldn't just invite you to some party that I was already going to anyway."
"Have fun at your party," she said, slinging the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "I've got places to be."
"So that's a no to the party?"
"Yeah, she said, pausing at the door. "That's a no."
"So what does Haley James do for fun?"
"Goodbye, Nathan," she said. "Four o'clock tomorrow. Don't be late."
…
"God, Peyton," Haley said, setting a plate of French fries down in front of her best friend. "I was actually flirting with him. What the hell is wrong with me?"
"Haley," Peyton said, squirting ketchup onto the plate. "You flirted with a hot guy. I'm pretty sure it's not against the law."
Peyton Sawyer and Haley James had been best friends since their freshman year of high school. They'd both been new in Oak Lake and had trouble fitting in, so they'd banded together. Peyton often came into the bar while Haley worked to keep her company. She looked a little out of place in her beat up leather jacket and dark eye liner, but she'd become a regularly over the last two years.
"But he's a basketball player," Haley said, leaning against the counter. "I swore off basketball players. Especially hot ones."
"Not every basketball player is like your ex," Peyton said, shaking salt over her fries.
"Your sodium levels should be through the roof with how much salt you put on your fries," Haley said, taking the salt shaker.
"God, you sound like a mom," Peyton said.
"I am a mom," Haley laughed. "Which is why I'm not allowed to flirt with hot basketball players who are probably just jerks anyway. I mean, it's Nathan Scott. Everyone knows about his reputation. I'm an idiot. I should have learned my lesson the first time."
"Haley, it's been almost three years," Peyton said. "I think it's time that you maybe just sort of started considering not being alone for the rest of your life."
Haley sighed heavily and brushed her bangs away from her face. Almost as soon as she'd picked Timmy up from daycare she'd had to get to the sports bar she worked to wait tables. Thankfully the owner, Janna, was willing to let Timmy hang out in her office during Haley's shifts. It was a Tuesday and basketball season hadn't started yet, so the place was nearly empty, giving Haley a chance to hang out at the bar and talk to Peyton.
The place was pretty small for a sports bar in a college town. It was more popular among the residents of Durham rather than the college students. The walls were dark wood paneling and covered in Duke sports paraphernalia. Above the bar was a large flat screen TV that was permanently on ESPN unless Duke was playing on a different channel. The tables were the same polished wood as the walls and the chairs matched. There were a few men sitting in the booths over in the corner, but the place was mostly deserted.
"I just…" Haley sighed. "I just want to do what's best for Timmy."
"You're a great mom, Hales," Peyton said. "Timmy adores you. You going on a date isn't going to change that. Besides, he could use a dad in his life. Other than Damien, I mean."
"Excuse me, Haley," one of the men called. "Can we get another round?"
"Coming right up," she called, pasting a smile on her face.
The men were all regulars who had been coming to the bar longer than Haley had been working there. They were all retired veterans who sat around every Tuesday night and told the same old stories about the Vietnam War and gossiped about their wives. Joe Richards was the leader of the group and smiled at her as she set down the brown glass bottle in front of him.
"Now, I don't want you to think we were eves dropping, Haley," Joe said. "But you're friend is right. A pretty girl like you shouldn't have to be alone."
"I'll keep that in mind, Joe," Haley said with a chuckle.
"Any guy would be crazy to let you and that little boy of yours get away," another one of the men, Richard, said.
"Haley," Janna called, poking her head out of the kitchen. "Timmy's calling for you."
"I'll be right there," Haley said, setting the lost of the bottles down.
She quickly made her way back to Janna's office where she had a play pen set up for Timmy. He was getting too big for it. She would have to think of something else for him soon. He smiled at her as soon as she walked in and reached his arms up for her. Haley quickly lifted him up and settled him against her hip as she made her way back out into the main area of the bar. Timmy stuck his thumb in his mouth and snuggled his head against her shoulder. Haley softly kissed the top of his head.
"Can you say hi to Aunt Peyton?" she asked.
Timmy shook his head and buried his face against her neck. Haley shifted him against her hip and rubbed his back softly. He grasped a handful of Haley's shirt and she felt him learn further against her. It was almost his bed time and she could feel him getting tired.
"You don't want to come see me, buddy?" Peyton said, pouting.
"Mama," Timmy said sleepily.
"All the boys just seem to want you today," Peyton laughed.
"Well, this one right here is the only one I want," Haley said, kissing Timmy's forehead.
"So that's why you were flirting with Nathan Scott earlier," Peyton said.
"Enough about Nathan Scott," Haley said. "I'm tutoring him, Peyton. That's it."
"If he asks you out you're going."
"That's not going to happen," Haley said, bouncing Timmy up higher on her hip. "I already made that perfectly clear."
"But you were flirting with him," Peyton said, dousing another French fry in ketchup and popping it in her mouth.
"Would you just stop saying that?" Haley said.
"You said it first," Peyton relied.
"I say a lot of things," Haley said. "That doesn't mean you have to keep repeating them."
"Look, Haley," Peyton said, squirting more ketchup onto her plate. "I know you got burned in the past, but that doesn't mean that all guys are jerks. Look at Jake. I'm not saying you have to date Nathan Scott. He's probably just like your ex. I'm saying you should be open to the idea of dating in general."
"I'll think about it," Haley said after a pause, shifting Timmy on her hip.
"That's all I'm asking," Peyton replied, dousing a fry in ketchup.
"I just don't want Timmy to get attached to some boyfriend of mine just to have us break up," Haley said, smoothing Timmy's blond hair back away from his face. "It wouldn't be fair to him."
"So don't introduce them to him right away," Peyton said. "Wait a while. See how things go. I'm not saying that you shouldn't mention that you have a son, but it doesn't have to be the conversation starter."
"They can't just love me, Peyton," Haley said. "They have to love him too."
"The right guy will, Hales," Peyton replied. "Timmy's a great kid. Some guy is going to realize how lucky he is to have the two of you in his life. You'll see."
Haley nodded and kissed the top of Timmy's head again. Maybe Peyton was right. Maybe it was time for her to start dating again. Timmy was nearly two. She'd punished herself for her sins long enough. Not that she regretted having Timmy. He was hands down the best thing that had ever happened to her. He just made her life far more complicated than that of the average 21 year old. She couldn't just date whoever she wanted. She had her son to think about. Nathan Scott might be incredibly attractive, but she highly doubted he wanted to be a dad. He was probably more interested in beer and partying than apple juice and bedtime stories. Haley James was all about apple juice and bedtime stories.