Chapter 36

"I've got it all planned out."

"Uh-huh."

"I mean, this is one of the most important nights of our lives. We've got to get the details down pat now."

"I guess."

"And I've got to call the limo company. I think it won't be too expensive if everyone chips in, right?"

"Sure."

"Tutor Girl, are you even listening to me?

"Uh-huh."

"I plan on going to prom naked."

"Great."

"Haley!" Brooke exclaimed.

Haley jumped and dropped the phone in her hands. She quickly picked it back up. "What?"

"I knew you weren't listening to me."

She sighed. "I'm sorry, Brooke. I'm just a little preoccupied right now."

"Haley, senior prom is only four weeks away. Don't you care?"

"Honestly, not really."

"How can you say that?"

Probably because Nathan, Lucas, and I have spent the last week trying to get into Dan's safe without any success. And if we can't get into the safe, then we can't get the ledger. And if we can't get the ledger, then Nathan can pretty much kiss his basketball career goodbye, she thought. After all of that, would senior prom really matter?

"It's not like Nathan and I will be able to go together anyway," Haley replied, skirting around the real issue.

"So? It doesn't mean that you can't make the most of it."

"Brooke, I really just don't want to talk about this right now."

"Tutor Girl, what is the matter with you?" Brooke questioned. Her voice instantly went from annoyed to concerned. "You've been acting really weird all week. Is something wrong?"

"Everything already is wrong."

"Besides that."

Haley closed her eyes and rubbed her temple. She could feel a headache coming on. She hated lying to Brooke. "No."

"Tutor Girl, you really are an atrocious liar. Don't think that Peyton and I haven't noticed your mood lately. And the same goes for Lucas and Nathan. We've all noticed something is up."

"Brooke—"

"There's something you're not telling us, and I want to know what it is," she demanded.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because it's complicated."

"Try me."

"Brooke," she groaned.

"Haley," she retorted.

Haley checked the clock on her nightstand and realized that she better get her butt in gear. She couldn't be late. "Tigger, I've got to go."

"Don't you Tigger me, Tutor Girl. What is—"

"I'll talk to you later," she quickly interjected. "Bye."

"But—"

Haley hung up the phone and went to her bedroom door. She listened for noise. When she didn't hear anything but snoring coming from down the hall, she knew that her parents were officially asleep.

Afterward, Haley went to her window and opened it. She carefully climbed out and made her way down the tree. The first time she'd done this she'd been terrified. But after practicing a few times with the help of Nathan, she finally got it. If only she could just go out the front door without being caught. It was too risky, though. Her parents would surely hear her when she came back in. Then she'd be in a whole world of trouble and have to give them some sort of explanation as to why she had to sneak out late at night in the first place.

Once her feet touched the ground, Haley headed toward the Mustang parked next to the curb off to the side of her house. She got in the front seat and shut the door behind her.

"Hey," she greeted them.

Nathan and Lucas responded in return. Then they were off.

"We're on channel three tonight," Nathan told Haley as they turned on their walkie talkies.

She nodded. "Okay." She and Lucas used to play with them as kids.

Who knew they'd come in handy eight years later? The thought made a chill go up Haley's spine.

"You okay?" Lucas questioned.

"Yeah. Just try to hurry up. This place gives me the creeps." Haley had always hated the dark. Needless to say, being at the dealership unable to turn on the lights wasn't exactly her first choice for a Saturday night.

Nathan caressed her cheek. "We will. Just keep an eye out. Okay?"

"Sure. Go."

Lucas and Nathan took off toward Dan's office. Meanwhile, Haley took her usual spot near the window. She never went too close, because she didn't want anyone to see her from the outside. She was close enough, though, to see if anyone drove into the parking lot or was approaching the building.

Like usual, the coast appeared to be clear. It kind of sucked being the lookout. There wasn't really much to do other than stare into the darkness. She really wished that she could be in the office with Nathan and Lucas. That's where the action was. In theory, anyway. They still could not figure out Dan's password. Most of the time, Nathan and Lucas were in there brainstorming and trying to find the right code.

Haley hoped that tonight would be different. So much was depending on this. After tonight, they would have only one more chance to get into that safe. Then all hell would break loose. Nathan wasn't going to confirm his spot in the fall at Duke. Haley had pleaded with him to just do it. She knew how badly he wanted to go there despite Dan's threats.

Nathan refused. He said that he wasn't going to give into his father's bullying. Not this time.

It wasn't hard to see that her boyfriend had reached his limit. Nathan had been stressed and frustrated many times this year. But this was it. He'd had enough. And even if he ruined his future, Nathan was going to break away from Dan for good. He said he'd prefer to lose basketball and gain his freedom rather than the other way around. In a way, Haley understood his decision. She'd never had to live with Dan Scott all her life. She'd only gotten a taste of the kind of havoc he could wreak on someone's life.

However, Haley thought that Nathan was giving up a lot. He may finally get out from under Dan's control, but the sacrifice would be great. She wasn't sure if he'd truly thought about what his life would be like if he lost basketball. Sure, Nathan was smart. And he had other skills, despite what he thought, but basketball was his passion. His drive. His dream. Dan Scott was a prime example of how twisted and bitter a person could become when their dreams didn't come true or had been taken from them.

Haley didn't want that for Nathan. She didn't think he'd ever be that bad, but a part of her knew that he'd be devastated and angry eventually. She couldn't bear to see him become like that. It would break her heart that much more.

Haley rubbed her eyes and looked out the window once more. Still clear.

"Haley."

She jumped at the voice behind her. "God, Luke, don't sneak up on me like that," she admonished. "You're lucky I didn't scream or punch you or something."

"Sorry," he replied sheepishly.

"What do you need?" As annoyed as she was, Haley knew that he wouldn't have approached her without a purpose.

"You should go in the office and see Nathan. I'll keep an eye on things out here."

Something in his voice worried her. "Is he okay?"

He shook his head. "No, not really."

Without another word, Haley headed toward the office. She opened the door and shut it behind her. Nathan was punching in a code with his back to her. The safe beeped a few times, signaling that the password was incorrect. She heard him curse under his breath.

Haley jumped a moment later when his fist hit the wall.

"Damn it," he muttered in defeat and buried his face in his hands.

She approached him cautiously. "Nathan," she said softly.

He didn't answer. He didn't even turn around.

Haley placed a hand on his shoulder. "Nathan."

"Can I ask you something?" he muttered after a quiet moment.

"Sure."

"If I don't go to Duke…if I don't play college basketball…" He finally faced her. "If the championship is the best it ever gets for me, will that be enough?"

"Why are you saying this?" she questioned, despite already knowing the answer.

"I can't figure it out. The password," Nathan clarified. "I've tried every damn combination I can think of. I've tried birthdays, game stats, game dates, and a hundred other things and still nothing."

"Well, we still have more time. And tomorrow night—"

"What's the point, Haley? It's no use. I'm never going to get it. It's over."

"Nathan—"

"It's over," he declared forcefully. "It's over." His voice cracked the second time. He looked like he was seconds away from falling apart.

Haley pulled him into a hug and held him tightly. He was so lost and defeated. It made her want to cry.

Nathan buried his face in her neck. "You never answered my question. Is it enough?"

"Of course it is," Haley whispered into his ear. She gently and soothingly ran her hands over his back and through his hair. "I love you for you. Not basketball."

"Thank you."

Haley kissed his cheek and pulled back a little bit to meet his gaze. "But the real question isn't is it enough for me? The real question is is it enough for you?"

Nathan frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Nathan, I know how badly you want to get away from Dan. And I don't blame you. These past several months have been complete hell. But as awful and painful as it's been, I think it'll only get worse."

He stared at her, still confused.

"Nathan, I think you should just go to Duke."

"No."

"Nathan, please listen to me," she pleaded, taking his face in her hands. "You love basketball. It makes you happy. I see it every time you step onto a court and play. But if you let Dan take that away from you, you're going to live your whole life wondering what might have been."

"Hales—" Nathan started to protest.

"I'm serious, Nathan. You're going to regret it. And I can guarantee that you'll hate your father that much more if you do. You may even end up resenting yourself," she stated. He opened his mouth to interrupt but she kept on going. "You may not feel that way at first, but eventually you'll start to think about it and wonder."

"So I'm just supposed to do what he says yet again and give up. Is that what you're telling me?" he challenged.

"No. I'm telling you to go after your dream. Things will change for you when you go to Duke. You'll have so many opportunities. Eventually, when people see how great you are, that stupid test that he's holding over your head will mean nothing," she explained. "There will be nothing holding you to him then. And most importantly, you'll still have basketball."

"What about us, Hales?" Nathan questioned. "We still won't be able to be together. You know we can't go on like this forever. I'm sick of pretending like you're nothing to me."

"That will get better, too."

"After how long? Whether we go to the same school or different ones, we'll still have to pretend. We'll always have to look over our shoulders to make sure nothing gets back to my dad. Can you honestly live like that?" he questioned. "Because I can't."

"Nathan, I will not let you give up your future for me," Haley said in a stern voice.

"It's not for you. It's for us."

"Think about what you're saying."

"I have, Haley! Okay!" he exclaimed. "And I'm telling you that I can't do this anymore! I've had it!"

"Nathan—"

"Basketball isn't the only great thing that I have in my life. Maybe at one point it was, but it's not anymore. Not since I met you. And if I have to tell my father to shove it and give up basketball so that I can be with you and actually live my own life, then so be it!"

"But don't you understand? It doesn't have to be that way!" Haley argued.

"You make it sound like it's so simple, but it's not. I know my dad. He's never going to stop! And if I'm going to get away from him, I have to do it now. While I still have a chance."

"God, why do you have to be so damn stubborn!" she exclaimed.

"Maybe I want to go to Stanford instead," he retorted.

"But you don't. We both know you don't. You want to go to Duke. Why can't you just go?"

"Why can't you see my side of it?" he shouted back. "Yeah, I want to go to Duke, but who put that idea in my head in the first place, Haley? I'll tell you. My dad!"

"So? You can still want it despite Dan. You have a mind of your own, Nathan. If you truly didn't want to go to Duke, you'd be against it no matter what your father said."

"Do you not want to be with me, Haley? Because you're trying awfully hard to push me away!"

"God, of course I want to be with you! I don't want to be separated from you. I hate it. But I'm trying to get you to see past the moment and really think about this," Haley proclaimed.

"I have thought about it."

"Well think harder!"

"Haley, I—"

The office door suddenly opened, and Lucas walked in. "Okay, I hate to break up the love fest but if you guys get any louder, someone outside is going to hear."

Nathan and Haley continued to stare angrily at each other.

"Guys," Lucas spoke up again after another minute.

"We should go," Haley finally said.

Lucas shot a look to Nathan, who was still staring at Haley. "Are you sure?"

Haley nodded. "Yeah. We're wasting our time. Nathan's giving up anyway."

She turned on her heels and walked out.

"So, are you going to tell me what that was all about?"

Nathan kept his eyes on the road. He'd just dropped Haley off. She'd barely said two words to him as she got out of the car. If that wasn't a sign that she was pissed, the slamming of the door confirmed it. Now they were on their way to Lucas's house.

"Why should I? You heard the whole thing, remember?"

"She's just worried about you, Nate. You know that, right?" Lucas muttered.

"What? Are you taking her side now?" Nathan questioned, irritated. The last thing he needed was Lucas ganging up on him, too.

"No. I get where both of you are coming from."

"But…"

"But I'd also hate to see you compromise your future because of Dan. I know that you don't want to hear this, but basketball is a part of you."

"It's not—"

"Maybe not as big a part as before, but still…it'll hurt like hell to lose it," Lucas stated. "And we both know where that road can lead."

Nathan sat back in the leather chair and stared at the wall. The safe was mocking him. It was telling him that he wouldn't win. It was telling him that he had no way out. It was right, and he hated that.

Tonight was it. It was his last chance to try and get it open. It was his last chance to fix the mess that his life had become. Nathan was exhausted. He'd barely gotten any sleep the previous night. He just kept replaying his fight with Haley over and over again in his head. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Nathan knew that some of the things that she'd said were right.

When Nathan thought about it—really thought about it—he couldn't imagine his life without basketball. It had been his dream for so long. Lucas was right. It was a part of him. It wasn't everything, but it was enough. Enough for him to feel the emptiness if it were to be taken from him.

That's why Nathan was sitting in Dan's office. Originally, he wasn't going to come. He was just going to throw caution to the wind and let the chips fall where they may. Nathan had thought that he'd be ready to challenge Dan despite the consequences. But as he sat in bed wide awake last night and tried to picture his future, it was blank. Sure, there was Haley and his friends. But his life couldn't just be about them. He had to have something for himself, too. He had to have some type of goal to work toward, just like they did.

Basketball was pretty much his shot at everything. No school would take him based on his grades. And it's not like he could afford college if he didn't have an athletic scholarship. His father sure as hell wouldn't pay for it. Maybe his mom could, but she was still getting back on her feet from the divorce. He didn't want to drain her finances any more than he had to.

But more important than college and the money was the fact that Nathan's reputation, his honor, would be tarnished. He would be labeled a cheater and a disgrace. People would see him as this person who had betrayed the game. And all for what? To settle some petty score between him and his father?

No, Nathan couldn't let that happen. He'd learned from his mistakes. He couldn't let something he'd worked so hard for just disappear. Nathan had to fight for it. Fight for it until he couldn't fight anymore.

Nathan wracked his brain for anything else Dan could've used as a password. Something had to open that damn safe. It couldn't just be random. It had to be something important. Something Dan thought nobody else knew but himself. It was a long shot to guess what it was, but Nathan had to try. If he gave up, he'd be no better than his father. He refused to be anything like him.

Nathan turned and looked over his father's desk, hoping to find a clue. He opened up a couple of drawers and glanced inside. Nothing but paperwork was in the first one. Nathan vaguely wondered if they were more forged documents before moving onto the top drawer on the right.

There were office supplies in that one. However, just as he was about to shut the drawer, he noticed a metal box toward the back. Nathan picked it up and examined it. There was a lock, preventing him from opening it. It had to contain something important, right? Why else would it be locked?

Now if only he knew where to find the key. Nathan thought for a moment. When he was a few years younger, a freshman, he remembered sneaking into his father's liquor cabinet. His father always kept bottles of the good stuff. Nathan had thought that it would impress his older teammates if he brought the alcohol to a party. He'd been eager to be accepted by them back then—before he outshined them all and took over the team himself.

Dan had kept the key to the cabinet, taped under the drawer of his desk in his study. It was a long shot, but Nathan figured it was worth a try. He reached under the drawer and felt around on the bottom. A huge smile formed on his face when he felt it. Nathan quickly tore the tape off and grabbed the key. He placed it into the lock. It opened instantly. He lifted the lid off of the box. A second later, his eyes widened in absolute shock. It didn't contain important documents or money. The box contained childhood pictures. But not just any childhood pictures. They were of Lucas.

The whole thing was filled with them. Nathan sat back in the seat for a minute, letting it sink in. His father never mentioned Lucas—at least in a good way. He was always referred to as the bastard or some stranger. Dan had acted like Lucas was nothing to him. Hell, he'd even encouraged Nathan to hate him. And he had until last summer when he actually got to know him. But after seeing these photos, Nathan found himself floored.

What did they mean? Did Dan, despite his constant cold and callous demeanor, actually have a heart? If he did, he sure had a hell of a way of showing it. Nathan looked from the pictures of Lucas over to the shelves on the left side of the office. There were all pictures of Nathan and Dan. Most of them having to do with basketball. Some even included his mom. Nathan was surprised that Dan kept them considering the nasty divorce they'd gone through. Nathan looked back at the pictures of Lucas. He glanced back at the pictures on the shelves.

It was then that something popped into his head. It was crazy and most likely a long shot, but it was worth a try. Nathan stood up and walked over to the safe. He typed in Lucas's birthday on the keypad and waited.

"Crap," he mumbled when it didn't work. He looked at his basketball pictures on the shelves. He glanced at Lucas's basketball pictures from when he was in Junior Leagues.

"Maybe. Just maybe…" Nathan trailed off. He punched in his father's jersey number. Then his own. Then Lucas's.

The keypad beeped once. The tiny red light changed to green, and the safe door open.

Nathan smiled. "Well, what do you know."