Bet you thought I was gone, bet you felt the sting, bet you... okay that's enough, in all seriousness, sorry for not updating and for my excessive use of commas. I haven't been that inspired lately but I want to continue with my writing. I hope you will review this chapter, whether it be good, bad or indifferent.

"Their sudden intimacy was like the explosive combustion that engulfs and consumes a moth that has fluttered too close to a candle flame; a completely unexpected turn of events that took both of them unawares and swept them irresistibly up and out of themselves as it hurled them into each other's arms."
― Jack Whyte, Uther

Song muse: Something just like this by Coldplay

"Don't miss it, tutor girl!"

Haley bolted upright from her slumber, her brows puckered as she felt a migraine begin to form in the wake of her bizarre nightmare where the only good thing was a tan and shirtless Nathan cheering her on "Come on, Hales, you can do it."

She glanced at the tiny clock on her nightstand, it was ten past three. She wished she could call Nathan, like he did when he had a nightmare, but she didn't have the guts to do it at this hour, especially if Dan were to answer the phone, she shuddered at the thought. Anyways her nightmare was just about a grade, a grade that would stand between her and her well-planned future; like that wasn't a big deal.

It was a stupid game. Just a bouncy ball going through a hoop. The only thing she enjoyed about basketball was Nathan looking fine on the court.

Sighing dreamily, Haley threw herself back on the bed, she was all smiles with a racing heart at the thought of Nathan. It was insane, the prospect of her failing and losing her perfect GPA because of gym class was bright and clear and she had Nathan on her mind.

Focus, Haley, focus!

Tutor girl would have to be tutored herself, she needed a basketball coach, someone reliable, someone she liked and trusted. Nathan. Her smile widened. She pictured him running around the river court, shirtless, the muscles in his arms rippling as he showed Haley how to score, then she would mimic his movements, doing exactly as she had seen him done and failing miserably… the picture of Nathan laughing at her invaded her beautiful vision.

Nathan wouldn't make fun of me.

He made fun of your poncho.

That was all just good humor.

You would just embarrass yourself.

Nathan wouldn't care. He likes me for me.

Does he?

Yes, he specifically said he didn't want me to change.

Still, he dated a cheerleader.

He dated Peyton; she would hardly be considered cheery.

Beautiful, popular, desired Peyton

What if she was? Nathan chose me.

Did he though?

Yes, stop that!

What about the countless of other girls he was with?

He wants me!

For now.

Just shut up!

Haley yelled in her head, stopping the series of unfortunate thoughts. She didn't know how he made her feel insecure and confident at the same time, nevertheless she would be too embarrassed to ask for his help.

What about Lucas? Her best friend since childhood. He was pretty wonderful at basketball as well.

Yes, tomorrow she would ask Lucas.

Haley fell back on the bed, reaching out to hold her favorite accessory, it took some minutes for her eyes to adjust to the dark but she could finally make out the colors of the plastic bracelet Nathan had slipped on her wrist in their first session together.

Huffing, she turned to her side. Her studying had been fluctuating lately, while she was still tutor girl and top of her class; Haley would catch herself daydreaming of Nathan in the middle of class, it was a good thing she was ahead of everybody but still.

It frightened her; the speed of which her relationship with Nathan was going. Every thought of him made her head spin and her heart race, and she thought of him all the time. The sight of Nathan was enough to knock the breath right out of her but not seeing him made life meaningless and bland. How was this the same Nathan Scott she had despised just a couple of months ago?

As Haley's thoughts went on, she found herself drifting back to sleep.

Basketball practice had seemed to be going on forever, by the time Nathan was done with the practice his muscles felt like they were on fire; that's what he was used to and ironically, he enjoyed it, the feeling of flame surging through him, the urgency of scoring, the pride he felt on that court. Some days, he loved that game. But there was something he wanted to see more than he wanted to play, Haley. Nathan hadn't seen her around all day, even when he tried the tutor center she wasn't there.

But finally, the busy school day was over, he rushed over to Karen's. She had free period for her final period, and Haley used that to start her shift at the café.

There was a jingle when he entered the café, but surprisingly there was no Haley.

"Mom." Nathan frowned "What are you doing here? Where's Haley?"

"Hi, sweetie!" Deb smiled, it seemed forced. "Haley went over to the river court."

"Are you okay?" he asked slowly.

"Uh huh." Nodded Deb.

"Hmm," Nathan clicked his tongue against his cheek "how did the counselling today go?"

"Same old." She still had a smile on her face, but the sadness was forever in her eyes, Nathan went a little closer to pat her awkwardly on the shoulder. "I guess this is who your father is, Nathan, but he is trying."

He suppressed an eyeroll "trying?"

"Well, he is doing the counselling, isn't he?"

Deb was terribly torn. On the one hand, she wanted to shout at the top of her lungs about how Dan was infuriating her, on the other hand, she didn't want to ruin his image, he was after all the father of her son and she still did feel like she was in love with him, that is what she hated most about herself.

"You said Haley was at the river court, right?" Nathan changed the subject.

Deb snapped back to reality "Ahh, yes, she needed to practice basketball, it was related to a grade."

"Basketball? She didn't tell me."

"Well, from what I could see, she needs all the help she could get." Deb gave him a pointed look, hints of a mischievous smile playing on her lips before handing him the keys to her car.

It wasn't far at all between the café and the river court, and when Nathan arrived, Haley was dribbling Lucas' basketball with both hands in the most adorable way, he walked over to her just in time to catch the ball as she shot it; it missed the hoop pathetically, hit the floor and landed right in his hands.

He smiled crookedly. "Was that your jump shot? Because if that was your jump shot, I can't date you anymore." He teased.

With a hand on her waist, sassily, Haley laughed.

"My mom said you'd be here, something about a grade." He said in a more serious note.

"Yeah, you can't be here right now."

She crossed her arms and her face looked a little flushed.

"Why not?"

"Because I look stupid." She responded pointedly.

"You realize I have seen you in the crochet poncho thing you wear, right?" tried Nathan, handing her back the basketball.

Haley's mouth dropped open, still she was smiling "come on, this is embarrassing, I want you to think I am…" she tried to compose how she looked "…not embarrassing."

"You don't embarrass me, Haley."

"Oh, yeah, okay." she challenged, and attempted to throw the ball clumsily over her head, it shot under the hoop and landed in Nathan's expecting arms again, he sighed.

"Okay, I take that back."

"I can't do it."

"Yes, you can." He went to stand next to her, her head came up to his shoulder barely, and demonstrated as she imitated. "Alright square your shoulders to the basket, put the ball right past your nose like this. Bend your knees a little." He tapped the back of her knees gently, and she bent them.

Moving to stand behind her, Nathan handed Haley the ball and gently slid his hand on her hips, making her belly tingle for a second "just relax your hips, and shoot" he said in her ears.

Haley jumped up, and threw the ball, this time it hit the rim of the basket before falling, she still hadn't scored but the attempt looked much better than before.

"Okay," Nathan smiled proudly at her, "that wasn't perfect, but it also wasn't embarrassing, it was also kinda sexy."

A smile formed on her face, as he went to retrieve the ball, she felt her worries vanish. Maybe this could be a really good thing, she still didn't know how she would feel about them doing all sorts of silly things like the balloon fights she had with Luke but her body was much more relaxed.

He ran back to her, a devilish smile on his face as he tossed her the ball, Haley didn't have time to comprehend before he had lifted her up over his shoulders, she half-screamed and half-laughed. "Nathan, put me down, now."

"Not before you shoot."

Haley tried again and the basket went a little too high, hit the backboard, and landed to the side of the hoop.

"I have officially never seen anyone suck so bad at something before."

"Come on." Said Nathan, putting her down…only physically of course, "that wasn't bad either."

"Says the guy who never misses."

"Well, yeah, but I have been playing since I was two. Don't be so hard on yourself okay." He nudged her playfully.

Haley rolled her eyes, though she smiled.

"I just don't get it? Why do I have to learn this? It's not like I will be needing it at Stanford."

"Why do I need to learn English Lit? It has nothing to do with basketball."

"Yeah, but… fine." Haley grabbed the ball from the floor.

"Stanford, huh?" Nathan's heart sunk a little, he didn't know why exactly, but Stanford meant that Haley would be more than 2000 miles away from him. Would they still be dating by then? Why wouldn't they? Could they make long distance work? Nathan was never really good with absence.

Probably having not noticed the intensely distant look on his face, Haley nodded "Yeah, it's what I have always dreamed." She jumped high and tried to shoot the ball again, it hit the pole and bounced back to her, this snapped Nathan out of his trance.

"Bend your knees, Hales."

"I am trying." She groaned.

"Alright, I will make you a deal, for every basket you make, you get to kiss me." He cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Oh, very humble of you." She laughed "and for the ones I miss?"

"I kiss you."

"Alright," she lifted the ball to her nose, ready to shoot, glanced at him and winked "pucker up, mister."

About 84 kisses and zero baskets later, Haley was seriously considering giving up, but Nathan wouldn't have it. He told her to come by his house tomorrow, before the gym test.

"Again" repeated Nathan.

"Nathan, this is useless."

"Hey! You didn't give up on me when I had trouble with Algebra, I am not giving up on you."

She gave him a little smile.

It was nearly eleven-thirty, and Haley had her test at one-fifteen, standing on the court in Nathan's backyard, she was getting increasingly frustrated and had tried to call it quits several times. Haley had managed to get her ball high enough to hit the backboard of the hoop, but she still couldn't get it inside the hoop itself, they were running out of time.

"Today's the day, I still suck."

"Come on. It's alright. Just keep your elbows in." Nathan pointed out, he wished she would stop self-deprecating, it wasn't doing her any good.

"What's this?" Dan interrupted their practice.

Nathan sighed, good times sure didn't last long "hey, dad. I am just giving Haley some pointers."

"I'll bet. Haley." He acknowledged.

"Mr. Scott." Haley replied politely, even though she turned her back on him. It wasn't anything personal, it's just that she could see the pained expression on Nathan's face and had an urge to punch Dan for it.

"So, Nathan, I thought we'd grill some steaks at the beach house for dinner. Just the two of us." Dan tried.

"That sounds great, dad, but uhh… Haley and I have plans… tonight." He went to stand next to Haley.

"Okay." Dan sounded disappointed.

"Some other time, huh?"

"Sure. I heard you were back on the team. I think that's a good move."

"Yeah." Stated Nathan, trying to cut the conversation short.

"How's my house?" Jabbed Dan before walking away, and Haley's nose flared.

"I am sorry, you should go with your dad tonight, if you wanna." She said softly to Nathan.

"I don't wanna go with my dad, I wanna be with you." He truthfully stated. "Now knock down this shot like I know you can."

"Okay." Whispered Haley, bending down, she leaped up, like a flightless bird; her arms and legs spread open in a cheer-like position as she let go of the ball; it hit the edge of the hoop and fell to the side. She groaned and screamed, her entire body shaking with frustration, this always seemed so easy when Nathan and Lucas did it.

Nathan nodded, he didn't want it to come to this, however, they had no time left, "it's okay, this calls for drastic measures though." He walked closed to her and pulled her in his arms. "You are gonna be fine. Try it granny style."

Feeling silly, Haley held the ball between her thighs, with both arms and shot it. It went up in a rolling motion, headed towards the hoop, and went in.

Haley threw her hands in the air and cheered as Nathan ran towards her and lifted her in his arms, twirling her around "you did it!" he cheered.

"We did it" she smiled widely back "this calls for a celebration."

"Mint chocolate chip ice-cream after you ace the test?" Nathan suggested, winking, and Haley felt that she would melt in his arms.

The ice-cream cups lay empty in the wastepaper basket in Haley's room, Nathan practically had to coax her into finishing hers, she just didn't seem to have the appetite, like she was lost in thought. It was peculiar, seeing as she has aced her gym test, she had thanked him with a tiny kissing session inside library, however, after, when Haley had gone off to look for some things, she returned with a changed demeanor. He wanted to ask her about it, but it seemed like one of those Haley things where she would tell him when she wanted to, so instead he did something he thought he'd never do, he offered they start studying. And so, they sat with the book on her bed. Haley started reading, but after a couple of sentences she stopped.

"Do you think a love like Whitey's and his wife Camilla really exists? Like something so strong that it lasts all those years."

"I'd like to think so, yeah." He nodded, looking at Haley intently "I think it does."

"Is that love worth hurting someone else, though?"

Normally, the word 'love' would've sent him running for the hills but with Haley, he wanted to actually listen.

"Hales." Nathan turned to his side to face her, "what's wrong?" he asked.

She contemplated whether or not to tell him for a second, before deciding on doing it "I had a little disagreement with Lucas."

"About me?"

"No." She said quickly. "Just the way he's been acting, he is really disappointing me."

Nathan snickered, falling back on the pillow, making Haley wonder in confusion "what?"

"Nothing it's just, kind of ironic."

"What's ironic?"

"Lucas being a jerk."

"How is that ironic?" she asked with a small puzzled laugh.

"Well, because that used to be my role, right?" he explained "I mean this whole thing started just because I was tryna mess with Lucas. It's kinda weird, that's all."

The memory of their first meeting hit her, though he truly needed tutoring, Nathan had insisted on Haley to be the one helping him, even though she knew there were others who could've done it, he was persistent. The notion that Nathan has been using her made Haley sick to her stomach, at the time she couldn't understand why it had to be her, but a part of her, a small part wished she could be with him. And it was all for nothing, just a little game he was playing to get Lucas.

Haley's eyes fell on him, Nathan seemed oblivious to everything that was going on in her mind. A small smile was dancing on his lips and she felt nauseous.