The Search for Who He Was, and Is

By Emily Carol

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill, just the CDs and DVDs and my obsession with James Lafferty (who by the way is the sexiest 21 year old according to People magazine…I totally agree).

Yeah, life is hectic. Finals are coming up and so is the huge winter concert at my school (and when I say huge I mean I'm going to be doing stuff for it every night starting tomorrow until Saturday…that's an entire week and two of those nights are when we have our four performances), but anyways…updates might be few and far between until January. Since after concert is finals and after finals is Christmas and after Christmas is the removal of wisdom teeth and the pain medications. So enjoy one last chapter (maybe…I do have chapter 5 written but I need to revise) before my winter break.

Enjoy!

-Emily Carol

Chapter 4: Game Time

"Hey hotshot," Brooke yelled down the hall. The tall, dark haired boy didn't look back as he continued his lonely way down the halls of Tree Hill High. "Nathan!" Brooke yelled. This time he stopped and turned. Brooke half jogged her way up to his side. "You didn't think I remembered who you were did you?"

"Not really," Nathan said, unsure of what to do now.

"So you're in my Chemistry class," Brooke said.

"Didn't think you had noticed, but yeah."

"Did you take notes yesterday?" Brooke asked sweetly.

"What's it to you?" Nathan was wary of this girl. They'd met his first day at Tree Hill High and she hadn't spoken to him since, despite the fact that they shared Chemistry and English together. It had been a month since Nathan had arrived in Tree Hill looking for Dan and since he had fallen into his usual pattern. Hung out with guys at practice, well as much as he could with Lucas seemingly wanting to sabotage his spot on the team After practice he just went home and talked with Keith and watched sports on T.V., while making frequent calls back home to his mom and Cooper.

"Well I was kinda busy during that period yesterday and didn't show up so…" Brooke trailed off, sensing he got the idea.

"You need my notes?" Nathan finished.

"Pretty please?"

"Do people here only talk to you if they need something?" Nathan asked as he fished around in his backpack for his chemistry notebook.

"Haven't made too many friends here at Tree Hill huh?" Brooke commented.

"Try none," Nathan said.

"What about the team?"

"Not exactly open to me being there," Nathan said. "That Lucas kid has them all under his control and he's decided he doesn't like me so nobody does."

"That's good old Lucas for you," Brooke said, graciously taking Nathan's notebook.

"What do you mean?" Nathan asked.

"Come on, let's walk to English together," Brooke said with a smile; pitying this kid who had no friends. He was a sweet guy for lending her his notebook even though she hadn't spoken to him since she'd vanished on his first day at Tree Hill High. Nathan followed her as she started to talk.

"Lucas used to be one of my best friends. Along with Peyton and Haley, those two bitches you met your first day here who wouldn't tell you how to get to your class. The four of us always hung out, all through elementary school and middle school. Peyton and I were friends from since we were three and then Haley joined, followed by Lucas.

"Now, my dad was one of the richest men in Tree Hill, and then his company failed and we lost all our money. Suddenly, at the age of thirteen, I was shuffled over to the other side of Tree Hill from where I'd grown up with Peyton, Haley, and Lucas, to a different middle school as well. And when I ended up here for high school, like everybody who lives in this tiny little town, I'd hoped we would all be friends again.

"Instead they had become the fearsome threesome during the last year of middle school and Lucas was already star player of the basketball team, first freshman to make varsity since his dad, and Haley and Peyton were cheerleaders. For awhile I tried to fit in, joining cheerleading and everything, but eventually, I just gave up trying to be their friend again."

"Wow," Nathan said. By this time they had reached their English class and were sitting in seats next to each other. There was no assigned seating so Nathan wouldn't get in trouble for moving seats. "But you're still a cheerleader," he pointed out.

"Yeah, well, I enjoy it. Except for the whole Peyton and Haley hating me thing," Brooke said. "But basically, Lucas hates you, you've got no friends here. Well, except for the other Lucas Scott rejects," she smiled.

"Huh?" Nathan asked.

"Wow, seriously dumb jock," Brooke said. "I'm offering to be your friend. I don't see why you haven't made any yet, you seem like a great guy." Nathan just shrugged. "You're not going to become some psycho killer are you?"

"No," Nathan laughed.

"Good," Brooke said. "'Cause then I might have to leave you friendless."

And with one conversation, Nathan Lee made his first real friend in Tree Hill.

"So tomorrow is our first game," Whitey announced to the team at the end of practice. Every boy's head looked up eagerly. "And I expect a win to start out this season. We should have made the semi-finals last year of the state tournament, but instead, we didn't. So this year, I'm expecting us to go all the way to finals. Now, tonight's starting line-up has one small change, Nathan Lee will now be our starting shooting guard."

"What?" Lucas half-exploded. "That's my position!"

"No, now your position is small forward," Whitey said a matter-of-factly.

"No, forget it," Lucas said, standing up. "I'm the shooting guard, this is my team and I'm shooting guard."

"No, it's my team," Whitey said. "And now you're the small forward. Now watch that ego, don't want to end up like dear old dad, now do you?" Lucas just glared at Whitey for another minute before storming out of the gym. "Now, now, don't wanna give any of the cheerleaders a run for their title of best hissy fit," Whitey yelled after him. "Practice over," he announced. Everybody filed out of the gym and back into the locker room except for Nathan.

"Coach Durham," Nathan said, jogging up next to the coach as he was making his way back to the office. "Maybe it is best if you just leave Lucas in his position." Nathan certainly didn't want Lucas to have any more reason to hate him.

"Your mom must be a really good person," Whitey commented vaguely.

"What's that have to do with this?"

"If you'd been raised by Danny like Lucas was, you'd be a whole hell of a lot more into taking over somebody's spot, it's like a power struggle for the two of them. Dan pushes Lucas and Lucas acts like the pushing doesn't bother him. You get pushed slightly by me to become a better player, and here you are trying to resist," Whitey said. "And you can thank your mom for that, for getting you away from Dan." Nathan nodded, not sure of what to say. Slowly he turned around and headed towards the locker room.

"You think you're so great don't you," Lucas hissed at Nathan as they left the locker room. Nathan's eyes opened in surprise at the comment. "You come here trying to ruin my dad's life and now you're ruining mine in the process. Just go back to where you came from." Nathan said nothing. Peyton and Haley were waiting for Lucas a few feet off and Lucas began to walk towards them. "Oh," he said, turning back towards Nathan. "Saw you with that slut of a Brooke today. Nice taste, if you like trash that is." Nathan gaped as Lucas walked off with his two best friends.

Behind him Nathan heard a stifled sob. Turning around he noticed Brooke standing just a little farther down the hallway, tears running down her face. She'd heard what Lucas had said. Nathan walked up to her and wordlessly he put his arm around her.

"I try to say I don't care what they say," Brooke sobbed into Nathan's shoulder. "But it still hurts." Nathan nodded, unsure of what else to say he just comfortingly rubbed her arm. "Thanks," Brooke said.

"For what?" Nathan asked.

"Being my friend," Brooke replied through her sobs. Sure, it had only been a day but, for the two of them, that one friend meant everything.

"Ready for the big game?" Dan asked his son as he started to head out of the house.

"Sure," Lucas said, pulling his iPod out of his sweatshirt pocket at putting the headphones into his ears, hoping to drown out what he knew was coming next.

"So I heard some interesting news," Dan said. Lucas pretended not to hear him. Dan stepped forward and pulled an earphone out of Lucas's ear. "Apparently that Lee kid has taken your spot on the team."

"I'm still on the team," Lucas said, continuing towards the door. "I'm still starting, don't worry, your little dreams are safe." Dan scowled as his son left the house without another word.

All of Tree Hill was in the gym and they had all risen to their feet. Early in the fourth quarter and some newcomer had already scored thirty points, seven points up from the number on the back of his jersey. The cheerleaders were going crazy, Brooke most of all, her newfound friend being the mysterious star of the basketball team. Peyton and Haley were also so excited to be winning by so much, the opposing team only sporting six points to Tree Hill's forty-two that they didn't even seem to notice that Lucas was doing barely anything on the court, only having scored eight points all night, two of which were free throws.

Well, it would actually be more accurate to say that almost all of Tree Hill was on their feet. Dan Scott remained seated behind the bench, watching as Nathan stole the game away from Lucas, his points more than tripling Lucas's. Halfway through the fourth quarter, Nathan having scored four more points, he had a realization. He had been wrong.

"Congrats!" Brooke shrieked as she hugged her friend.

"Thanks," Nathan laughed.

"Yeah, good job," Keith said, walking up to the pair.

"Keith, this is Brooke," Nathan said. "Brooke, this is my uncle Keith."

"Keith Scott is your uncle?" Brooke asked. Nathan almost hit himself on the head, he hadn't told Brooke why he was in Tree Hill.

"Yeah," Nathan said.

"That means your dad is…" Brooke trailed off. Before Nathan could confirm it though, Lucas walked up behind the group.

"Just leave town," Lucas hissed at Nathan. "You and your stupid scam against my family is over and the team doesn't want you here. I don't care how many points you scored, you're never going to belong here."

"Wow," Brooke breathed as Lucas walked away.

"Kind of why he hates me," Nathan lowered his head, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"But, what does he mean 'your stupid scam'?" Brooke asked.

"Dan's convinced his ex-girlfriend from college, who happens to be Nathan's mother Deb, is just trying to get back at him," Keith filled in. "But Nathan's unlucky that that particular bastard is his father."

"I'm pretty lucky to have a good uncle though," Nathan said. "Keith believed me; I'm staying with him now."

Brooke nodded, unsure of what to make of this. "Well, I better be going," she said finally. "An empty house and a cold dinner are waiting for me."

"What don't you join us?" Keith asked. "We're going out for pizza."

"I don't want to intrude," Brooke insisted.

"You wouldn't be intruding," Nathan said. "You're my friend."

Brooke smiled and nodded before following Nathan and Keith out of the field house.