Hi Everyone!
Hope you had a good weekend
For those of you confused about the whole Dylan or Damien thingy…It's Dylan actually…not Damien…sorry for the mistake…
So…here's another Update…
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Don't own One Tree Hill. There…Happy Now?
45. Throw Me a Rope
Haley would like to tell people that she loved her job…really. She would like to tell people she was crazy about it but that would be a lie. She liked her job but love was such a strong word to describe her feelings towards it.
Teaching a bunch of smarty pants eleven year olds was a pain in the ass. It was a pain in anyone's ass. Anyone who was actually anyone brought their children to the school. And the only reason she actually got the job was due to the fact that she as an alumni. Yes, Haley James was a teacher now. This is all in the process of starting afresh. Haley knew that somewhere along her life, she'd sworn never to return to the hell hole ever again but here she was…teaching music.
She wanted to crawl into a hole and die as she walked through the school hall. How did she end up here? She was in LA, she had her friends…she was in love…still is, actually…but that was a thought for another time. She paused outside her classroom and almost groaned. She didn't want to be here. It wasn't that she didn't love children, because she did! She loved them just as much as she loved chocolate. But, these set of children weren't even children. They were arrogant, self-centred, self-absorbed…
Quinn has called them 'Mini-Sociopaths," which from Haley's observation, wasn't far from the truth. Six months ago, when she had come to New York to stay with Quinn, she'd though she'd be in and out before anyone knew what was going on. But then she loved New York and so she decided it would be her new home. When she got settled, which didn't take long, her next step was finding a job. Quinn had bulked at the thought of Haley working for someone, when they both knew it shouldn't be so, since she inherited so much from their grandfather. Haley understood where Quinn was coming from because the James family had always had issue with authority of any kind. She supposed her siblings had done something useful with their inheritance.
Matt saved his and got himself a hockey team, Brian, like Haley and Taylor, didn't know what to do with his, Vivian quit her job and now runs she own law firm, while Quinn runs her own very successful gallery. She, on the other hand, barely remembered the money was there…or somewhere.
In terms of looking for a job, she knew one thing for sure; she wasn't going to be a personal assistant of any kind to anyone. The past year with Nathan has taught her all she needed to know. The Do's and Don'ts. The only difference being she ended up doing all the don'ts and never really figured out the do's. So that occupation was pretty much scratched out. But then, she had been reading the newspaper and her eyes came across an Ad that stated that a music teacher was needed at the St. Andrew's Elementary School. She had screamed with excitement …it was her former school! Okay, maybe she's only stayed for like a year due to the whole authority thing, it was still her school. This was the change she needed. She could be a teacher.
Now it's been five months into the job and she wanted to shoot herself…in the face. Maybe not the face but somewhere…around her body…not sure where yet….
"Miss James!" A voice, so controlled, so calm…so Mr Carpenter, Head Master of St. Andrew, boomed from across the hall. All Haley could do was to suppress a groan. "Is there a problem?" He asked once he got to where she was standing.
"No, Mr Carpenter," she said with a tight smile. Mr Carpenter was a man in his late forties who didn't like Haley James very much. She knew this, of course, but she didn't care and as good-looking as he was, he was still a smug looking douche who walked around like he had a pole stuck up his ass. "How was your weekend? Catch the game?"
"Miss James, how many times do I have to emphasis on how important it is for you to make it early for your class? It isn't proper for the students to get to class before their supposed teacher!"
"Sorry, Mr Carpenter," Really, there was nothing else she could say under the circumstances. "It'll never happen again,"
"You said that the last time," He sneered
"I did, didn't I? But hey! This time I'm wearing a yellow dress!" she said enthusiastically.
He, on the other hand, looked like he was going to explode. "What does wearing a yellow dress have to do with you being tardy, Miss James?"
"Oh! Look at the time!" Haley opened the door to her classroom. "I have to go now Head Master Carpenter…don't want to keep the children waiting,"
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The teacher's lounge was as quiet as it usually is. Everyone sat at their appropriate desk, going on with their business. Haley had half the mind to break out a Sheryl Crow song from her PC speakers just to liven the place up…a bit. Her desk was situated at the far end of the room, which kept her far away from any observation. She was sited besides her new best friends, Amisha Patel, who Haley called Isha, who taught advanced literature, and to her other side was the school beau Tristan Gareth, who taught American History. Amisha was half Indian, half British and a little bit of Irish…so she tells everyone who bothered to ask. She had very striking features with her dark silky hair, brown eyes; model-like body and of course, her ever so comforting sunny disposition. Tristan, on the other hand, was all American and a breathing talking Adonis. Everybody, except Haley and Isha, wanted a piece of him. In fact, ever since Tristan began at St. Andrew, the PTA meetings have had a high turnout than it ever had…ever.
They were the youngest of the bunch, which automatically made them open for criticism by the entire staff.
Haley and Tristan couldn't be bothered but it was Isha who always took it personal and it didn't help that her father was on the board of directors. Unlike the others, Isha was placed on a pedestal that she was begging to be brought down from.
"Will you cover for me tomorrow?" Isha had whispered to Haley during one of Carpenter's morning meeting at the teacher's lounge.
"Why? Anything I should be worried about?"
"Oh…nothing serious. Just going to use the free time to kill myself,"
Haley smiled. "Oh…okay," she said. "So how are you going to do it?"
"Uh?" Isha was trying to understand why the meeting had yet to end.
"How are you planning to kill yourself?"
"Oh…that?" Isha looked around before turning back to Haley. "I thought about popping some pills but I know myself…I'd get confused about which one to take and which one not to,"
"But isn't that the point of popping pills…it doesn't really matter which ones…so long as it kills you!"
"Yeah but it's risky, though, don't you think?" Isha reasoned. "Think about it, yeah…what if I take the pills but it doesn't kill me, it just leaves me with a bad…or better yet, a damaged organ that puts me on an organ transplant list…that is not a good suicide now, is it?"
Haley and Isha almost always ended up having weird conversations like this. Haley feigned seriousness. "When you put it like that…I guess not," They smiled at each other. "Look at it this way, if Carpenter doesn't kill you with his speech…nothing else will,"
"Tell me about it! He doesn't realise no one gives a posh-tosh about anything he says!" Isha said and Haley gave out a loud unlady-like snort that had a few glares directed her way. Isha pecked up. "What…have I said something funny? Oh do tell!"
Haley got a hold of herself. "You are the only one I know who can say a word like 'posh-tosh' and still get away with it,"
"That's cos I'm British, Darling," She with a cheeky grin.
"Yeah…I don't think so, Love," Haley said in a British accent that had Isha giving her a thumb up.
They gave out a sigh of relief when the meeting was over and headed for their desk but not before getting the evil eyes from Heather Baizen, Carpenter's personal assistant.
"I'd like to say she give me the creeps but…" Haley said as she made herself comfortable behind her desk. "But she just comes out looking like a fat Chihuahua,"
"I bet he's shagging her," Isha said as she sat behind her own desk.
"Who? Carpenter? But he's married,"
"And that has stopped men from being absolute wankers," Isha said deadpanned. "Yup, they are shagging, alright,"
"Wow,"
"Anyways…a couple of us are hanging out tonight," Haley let out a wimpy groan because she should have seen this coming. "Don't do that! You never want to hang out!"
"Goes to show you, doesn't it?"
"Come on! We could meet some great guys, you know," Isha couldn't understand why Haley wouldn't want to live a little. She thought Haley to be extremely beautiful, with her wavy sandy blond hair, a body to die for, brilliant mind and a great sense of humour. Really! Haley was going to waste! "Okay…I give up," she said dramatically. "I didn't want to ask before but now I have to," she sighed. "What's his name?"
Haley head shot up from her computer. "What?"
Isha smiled. "So, there is a guy, after all,"
"There's no guy," Haley said as she averted her eyes from Isha's curious gaze. "Stop looking at me like that!"
"What's his name?"
"There's no guy!"
"Haley!"
"His name is Nathan, okay?" Isha would never believe it's the Nathan Scott and she wasn't in the right frame of mind to make herself look like a fool. "His name is Nathan…and that's all I'm going to say,"
Isha paused for a minute. "Fair enough," and just when Haley thought she was free and clear, she got hit again. "So what happened?"
"No,"
"No…what? That isn't even an answer!"
"Forget it, Isha! I'm not telling you a thing!"
"Why not? I would tell you!"
"Not like I have much control over that!"
"That's being unfair and you know it!"
"Look! If I answer this question…it'll lead to another and another and I don't want to talk about it!"
Isha raised her left hand. "I solemnly swear that I, Isha Patel, will never ask, Haley James, another question after this," she dropped her hand. "There…I swore," Haley arced an eyebrow at her. "I don't swear lightly,"
"Uh huh,"
"Haley, come on…it can't be that bad!"
"He asked me to marry him and I said No, okay?" she said quietly.
Isha blinked. "Oh," She blinked again. "Oh," She blinked again. "Oh,"
"Are you going to keep doing that?"
"Did he by any chance snore?" Isha asked seriously.
"What? No…" Haley did look confused.
"Cos I once dated this bloke that could wake the dead when he slept…"
"No…Nathan never snored…he's kill himself if it ever happened,"
"I see…was he a jerk, then?"
"No…Yes...I mean, in the beginning he was…but not till I got to know him,"
"Was he fat and ugly…like extremely,"
"No,"
"Did he hit you?"
"Absolutely not,"
"Liked it all kinky, did he? All leather and whips…"
"Isha are you still here?"
"Was he poor?" Haley shook her head as she watched Isha tap her chin lightly with finger as she thought. "Okay…what does he look like?"
"That's like the hundredth question!"
"What does he look like?" Isha demanded. "Was he was a cross between Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp?"
"No,"
"Then what?"
Haley gave up and gave Isha her full attention. "He looked like Nathan Scott,"
Isha blinked impulsively. "What…like the basketball player? Nathan Scott?" Haley nodded. "So let me get this straight. Your Boyfriend's name is Nathan, who happens to look somewhat like NBA superstar Nathan Scott, who doesn't snore, isn't a jerk, definitely not fat and ugly, IF! He actually looks like Nathan Scott, and who isn't poor! Asked you to marry him…and you said no?"
"I also ran away,"
Isha stared at Haley for what seemed like for forever. "You're mental," she finally said.
Haley sighed sadly. "Yes…I'm dumb like that,"
"Bloody mental! Is what you are! Dumb doesn't cut it…"
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AN: Please Review…
Steph!
