Chapter 3

The boys agreed to watch Jenny and Megan while the girls picked out a centerpiece for the wedding. Jake needed to stop by work and see if the basketballs had been delivered.

"Jake, they probably won't deliver them until school starts." Lucas said agitated, he really just wanted to shoot around at the Rivercourt.

"They were supposed to deliver them a week before school let out. I need those basketballs. How can my student and players play with worn out equipment? It just isn't right!" Jake said heatedly. He is the Phys. Ed teacher at the High School, and took over Whitey's coaching job when he retired. He loved working at the High School, he was near Haley all day, so he could always drop in and say hi, and he loved teaching, and coaching, and playing basketball, of course. They walked through the gym and Lucas looked around while Jake checked the status of the delivery. He saw the trophy case in the halls and that was weird, but being in the gym, where he had ups and downs, brought back so many memories.

"They should be here in a week." Jake said, jerking Lucas out of his trance. Lucas was so predictable, he was always brooding about something, now he was just reminiscing. "Brings back memories doesn't it?" Jake said with a smile.

"Yeah, it sure does. Don't you wish we could relive this? Ya know, the hype of the crowd, the game winning shots?" Luke asked.

"Well, duh! That was half the reason I agreed to coach, but in a way I think I'll leave all the High School stuff to the teenage punks I teach."

"Dang. When did that happen?"

"When did what happen?"

"When did we become non-teenage punks?"

"I don't know. Man. Time flies. Who would have thought we would wind up back here? When all we wanted to do back then was leave? But do I regret growing up? Hell freaking no! Life is good now Luke."

"Yeah, so damn true, my friend. So damn true." Luke sighed, staring at the little girls running widely through the vast gym.

"Oh! I really like this one!" Haley said pointing out a centerpiece in a catalog.

"OOO! Me too! Put that in the 'yes' pile." Brooke instructed.

"Brooke! There are 12 yeses and we've looked through the catalogs twice, you need to chose one!" Peyton reprimanded.

"You know Peyton, you are getting pretty good at the party pooper attitude! I am glad! 'Bout time you got more bitchy. Now if we could only get tutorgirl to play along!" Brooke laughed. No one had called Haley tutorgirl in a long time. She was afraid to admit she missed it.

"Okay, Brookie, whatever, I just think that you should start narrowing it down." Haley laughed, she couldn't help it, she knew that they could say anything that they wanted to each other and none would stay mad, it was funny how they had gotten there since High School, but they were more like family now then best friends.

Haley's cell rang at about 5, the boys decided their babysitting shift was over.

"The guys want us to meet them at the Rivercourt."

"Okay, well, now I have to chose between just to so it won't be as painful. We can go." Brooke said, as if that impacted wether or not they left.

"You could probably get Lucas to help you decide, I mean he doesn't care either way, but maybe he'll say which he likes better." Peyton says.

"Yeah, maybe." Brooke replies, sounding doubtful.

They have a stereo cranked up loudly as they shoot around and a cooler filled with juice boxes for the girls and Coke for themselves. The girls are picking dandelions and making necklaces from the them.

"Typical boys." Peyton teased as they arrive.

Jake and Lucas stopped playing and Lucas kissed Brooke and Jake kissed Peyton. Haley rolled her eyes. 'Whatever happened to keeping their P.D.A's to a minimum' She thought.

"Eww.. Stop it already!" Haley complained.

"You're just ticked off because you haven't gotten laid since you had Megan!" Brooke shot back, annoyed at her disturbing her make out time. But she soon regretted it, not nice words to say when you know the exact reason why.

Haley didn't seem to bothered, it was just Brooke.

"Mommy!" Megan shouted running toward her. "Look what we've made!" Showing Haley the dandelion necklace that was draped around her neck.

"That's great. I think that is the prettiest piece of jewelry I have ever seen." Haley replied. Brooke loved that about Haley, she always made everyone around her feel good, and she was a great mother, even when everyone knew that she was having trouble, Haley always kept it together. Brooke admired that.

Suddenly 'Man I Feel Like a Woman' came on the radio and Brooke was pulling Haley and Peyton toward the middle of the court, and started to dance. Haley picked up Megan and danced around Brooke, Jenny, and Peyton who were dancing in a circle. Jake and Lucas sat and watched on the bleachers. 'Jake was right, life is good.' Luke thought.

The next few days flew by, with all the wedding plans, it felt absolutely insane to Lucas that it was already Friday. Nathan was coming home tomorrow. His plane was going to land at two in the morning and Luke was the only one that would wake up that early to get him. But Lucas was determined to find someone. He didn't want to go alone. Brooke had said no twice, but she had an early morning class to get her masters degree in designing. Karen had a doctor's appointment in Charleston and Keith had to drive her, and she needed her sleep. Dan and Deb, both chickened out, not sure if they should go to him, or let him come to them. Peyton and Jake didn't want to wake up. Haley, was his last choice. She was a shoo in. She was bad at coming up with excuses, or lying, and Lucas could get her to do anything.

"Hales, I am coming over." Lucas said into his cell phone.

"Okay, but be quiet, Megan is napping, thank god."

"Sure. I will."

Haley wondered why he said it so demandingly, almost as an order than telling her. Her thought were jerked away as Lucas pounded into the kitchen.

"Shh!" Haley whispered.

"Sorry, I need to ask a favor from my best friend in the whole world, whom I have know since forever, and love to death and-"

"And you need me to do what?" Haley asked. This wasn't any normal 'wash my car' kind of favor.

"I need you to take me to the airport tomorrow. To pick up Nathan."

"Ha! His plane lands at two meaning we have to be there at like one. No way!" She looked into Luke's eyes and knew already she would say yes. He could get her to do anything. But it was fun seeing him plead.

"Please! Hales! Come on! I don't want to go alone! With my luck I would end up falling asleep and some hobo would pickpocket me or something!" Haley laughed at that thought.

"Argh! What time are we leaving?" Haley surrendered. She had a headache already.

"Thanks Hales!"Lucas said brightly. "I'll pick you up at like 1:15."

"What am I going to do with Megan, she be too crabby to take."

"I'll take care of that. Thanks Hales!" Lucas said on his way out the door.

Lucas pulled out his cell phone again. He scrolled down to the name 'Peyt' in his phone book and pressed enter.

"Hey! Nap time! What were you thinking!" Peyton yells as she answers the phone and sees that it is Lucas.

"Sorry. I don't think it helps that you're yelling though."

"Good point, besides she's watching T.V.. Jake gave her candy that had way to much sugar in it."

"Oh."

"So why did the Great Luke grace me with his voice?"

"Favor."

"Should've guessed." Peyton said dully.

"Yeah, probably. Look Haley is coming with me tonight and she needs someone to watch Megan sleep, basically."

"Oh. Easy Favor. She can just sleep over here."

"Thanks Peyton."

"No, prob, and Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Make sure Nathan doesn't kill Haley. Or vice versa. It might be hard to explain to Meg, or the insurance companies." Peyton half-joked.

"Yeah, okay."

So the time had come. It was almost one. Haley had been avoiding the whole thing since Tuesday. Now her house was silent, Megan was at Peyton's.

'This was bad. Or good. No, defiantly bad. Extremely bad. He hadn't seen her in 5 years. Was he going to be happy to see her? Did he still love her? Oh, god! What if he had a girlfriend, or worse! I mean, this is Nathan! He had so many 'admirers' back in Tree Hill it'd make your head spin. But he's in the NBA now, there were thousands more 'admirers' to NBA players than high school players.. Oh lord! Why the hell did she let herself do this? But seriously, how could Nathan do this to her, when no one else could?' She was ripped from her thoughts as Lucas came in the kitchen door behind her.

"You ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

THANKS TO ALL THAT REVIEW! I'll keep updating as long as u keep replying...

katie