Ok, I think I'm spoiling you guys...I've been in a writing mood lately...but don't get too used to updates coming this quick. I have other things going on, like school for example. Also, every pairing except for Brucas is up in the air...
Something Crazy
Chapter Seven-Mostly Memories
"I cannot believe you went on a date with Peyton on Monday?" Haley angrily folded the basket of warm, just retrieved from the dryer, clothes, "did you not think I would find out?"Nathan rolled his eyes, "I told you, it wasn't a date…it was two friends catching up."
"Two friends who used to date!"
He paused his NBA street game and tossed the controller to his side, "why do you have to make a big deal about every single one of my actions?" he jumped up and took the long way to the refrigerator just to avoid her, "I'm seriously beginning to think this was a mistake."
Haley bit her bottom lip as she slowly folded one of Nathan's shirts and placed it neatly in the basket, "you think that you and I being together is a mistake?" she questioned, her voice shaking.
He shook his head, "I'm beginning to think us living together is a mistake." He sighed, trying to figure out how to rightly word his feelings without pissing her off even more, "I just….with the situation between Luke and Brooke and how they're being forced to grow up so fast…" He ran a hand through his dark hair, "I guess what I'm trying to say is maybe we should enjoy our youth while we can…and not live together anymore."
"I had no place to go! My parents' had put their house up for sale and the next thing I know you're suggesting we should move in together."
He threw his hands up, "you practically forced me to ask you! I know how girls work! They drop a million freaking hints and give you looks until guys do what they want them to do!"
She nodded and began shuffling through the basket, pulling out all of her clothes, "fine, I'll find some place else to live."
"No, Hales, don't do that…I should be the one to leave." He came up behind her and pulled her clothes from her arms and placed them carefully back in the basket, "It's not fair to make you leave." He shrugged, as he frowned down at her, "I think this could be good for us…you know, act like every other teen couple."
She crossed her arms and refused to glance his way, "maybe you're right."
It only took him five minutes to stuff his gym back with the necessities, he walked out of the bedroom he shared with her and grabbed his book bag. Stopping at the door, he glanced at her one last time, "see you at school tomorrow?"
She nodded, still refusing to look at him, "yeah."
Lucas watched as the ball flew easily from his hands and into the net. He rubbed his shoulder a bit before retrieving the ball that had landed on the court. His shoulder still hurt at times but he was definitely beginning to get his rhythm back.
"Nice shot." Lucas ignored the voice he held so much hatred for and went to retrieve the ball. "How's your shoulder?" he ignored his father. "You can't ignore me forever, Lucas."
Lucas turned around, "my goal is just to beat your record of seventeen years and go for eighteen."
Dan nodded, "is this how it's going to be? I save your life and you return the favor by ignoring me?"
The teen stopped bouncing the ball and propped it on his side, "just because you saved my life doesn't make you my hero." He shook his head, "the only reason you're coming around here is because Nathan isn't taking your shit anymore and you can't stand it. So you try to come after me…thinking I'm still that little boy who yearns for his father's love and attention." He threw the ball to Dan, catching him by surprise, "I have a father who loves me, and his name is Keith Scott."
"He'll never be your biological father, Lucas."
"As far as I'm concerned, Dan, you're just the sperm donor." Lucas noticed Nathan's figure as he stepped beneath the lone street light that lit up the river court, "there's the son you were looking for."
Nathan raised a brow as he studied his father, who was now facing him, "what brings you to this part of town?"
"Is it so wrong of me to see how my sons' are doing?"
Lucas laughed bitterly as he glanced up at the night sky, "leave me out of this."
Dan turned back to Lucas, "you know, I would think with your ex-girlfriend now pregnant with your child you'd be a little bit more understanding of where I'm coming from."
"Don't compare my situation to yours…because unlike you, I'm actually going to be there for Brooke and my child…I will not abandon them!"
Dan smirked, "really? Because last I heard, Brooke wasn't talking to you…so how exactly do you plan to be there every step of the way for them?"
"Maybe by being a man." Both Dan and Luke turned to Nathan as he continued, "see Dad…you and Luke both fucked up. But unlike you, Luke is taking responsibility for his actions and being a man about it."
Dan glared at Nathan, "you have no right to talk to me like that!"
Nathan shrugged, "I barely passed American Government, but please, correct me if I'm wrong…isn't there a little something called Freedom of Speech?"
Lucas laughed and Dan glared at him before turning back to Nathan, "one of these days, you two are going to need me for something…" he smirked, trying to gain back some dignity, "but I won't be there for you." With one last glare at each of his sons, he stalked off the river court.
For a minute, the two brothers were silent…it had been a while since their last meaningful conversation, Nathan looked down at the ground, "so how are things going with Brooke?"
"Not too good." Lucas shook his head, "I haven't talked to her since Monday…" he sighed, "I fucked up so bad, Nate."
Nathan shrugged, he and Brooke weren't the best of friends, but they had known each other since they were four. There had been a point in time when their parents' did everything together. "Just give her time, she'll come around…she always does." He reached for the ball that Dan had let fall to the court, "in the mean time, how about a little rematch?"
Lucas laughed, "Maybe some other time, I'm beat."
"What's the matter big brother, you scared?"
"Never…it's just no fun when there isn't a crowd to see me beat your ass, again."
It was Nathan's turn to laugh, "yeah, whatever." He playfully shoved the basketball back at Lucas, "excuses aren't cool, man."
The two began walking off the court and for the first time, Lucas noticed the two bags Nathan was carrying, "you leaving town in the middle of basketball season?"
Nathan sighed and shook his, "no…just leaving the apartment…Haley and I kinda decided we shouldn't live together anymore."
"Does this decision have anything to do with you and Peyton having a little dinner at Cosmo's in town on Monday?"
"Dude! It was two friends catching up!" Nathan shook his head, "that's not the point, the point is I need someplace to stay…I can't go back home, so…" he looked at Lucas hopefully.
Lucas laughed, "Let me get this straight, you want me, your older brother that you treated like shit...to let you stay at my place?"
"I thought we had gotten past that?" he shook his head, "nevermind, I'll just head to Tim's."
"I didn't say no, I just wanted to see if I was hearing you right…not too long ago you were cracking rotten eggs in my book bag." He shrugged, "I don't have a problem with it…I doubt my ma would either."
Nathan smiled, "thanks man…and I'm sorry about the whole egg incident…and all the other shitty things I did."
The two began to cross the abandoned rail road tracks as they took the short cut back to Lucas' house, "don't worry about…I mean, you're role model was Dan."
"You gotta a point, there."
Haley stabbed the extra large spoon into the carton of chocolate chip cookie dough ice-cream. Maybe Nathan was right, maybe the move would help their relationship. After all, most teenage couples didn't spontaneously rent an apartment and move in together. She laughed bitterly, she really had no right to be drowning her sorrows in ice-cream; worse things in the world were going on.
Nathan sighed exhaustedly as he tried to get comfortable in the guest bedroom. Karen had been great, she didn't even ask any questions she just showed him the way to the guest room and told him to not be afraid to ask for anything.
He wasn't sure what the hell he was doing. He enjoyed being with Haley, she was like a breath of fresh air when it came to the other girls at Tree Hill High. But sometimes he felt like she just didn't understand him…like Peyton did. He groaned and rubbed his eyes, why couldn't he just be happy with Haley? She was beautiful, smart, sort of funny and a great person...but was she the right person for him?
Peyton turned her web cam off as she sat at her computer, she didn't feel like being watched tonight. It had been two nights ago, but she still couldn't kick the non-date with Nathan from her thoughts. She bit her lip in a pondering way and searched through her computer until she came across the well hidden album of pictures from her relationship with Nathan.
They had never had the best relationship, he was always sleeping around and she was always yelling at him. But they had understood each other. She shook her head. No. the events from Monday meant nothing…she was just lonely and looking for anybody that would look her way. She had already broken up one wonderful relationship and she wasn't going to do it again.
She was going to stay as far away from Nathan Scott as she possibly could.
Her fingers shook as she flipped through the week by week pregnancy booklet she had been given at the clinic. "Week seven," she whispered, placing one hand on her still very flat stomach, "you're about the size of a grain of rice…and your brain is forming." She bit her bottom lip, trying to keep it from trembling, "I hope you can't understand what mommy and daddy are arguing about." The tears began to blur her vision and she stuffed the booklet in her night stand drawer and turned off her lamp before pulling the covers over her tired self.
Lucas sighed uneasily as he closed his current choice of reading, My Boys Can Swim: The Official Guys' Guide To Pregnancy. Yeah, he knew things were going to be hard and challenging…but he didn't realize how hard it would be. He sat the book on his nightstand and turned off the basketball themed lamp next to him.
He continued to sit with his back against the headboard. He couldn't help but wonder what Brooke was doing this exact moment. Was she hunched over her toilet trying to deal with the constant morning sickness? Maybe she was actually getting a good nights sleep, she needed it.
Closing his eyes, he hoped to God what Nathan said was true, "Just give her time, she'll come around…she always does."
