Disclaimer: Don't own any of 'em
A/N: Thank you all sooooooo much for the reviews. They are much appreciated believe me.
Chapter Five
After the guys had left the locker room, Brooke crept out of her hiding place behind the door. She'd entered the boys' locker room in the first place on a quest to know once and for all which basketball star was the hottest. It was a matter of public interest, what girl didn't want to know. She'd had no idea she'd be treated to such an earful of juicy gossip.
"Well what do you know, Nathan got Ms Goody-Two-Shoes tutor girl preggers." She said to herself. "Tsk tsk Nathan, following in your father's footsteps are we. Now.who should I tell first." After the incident with Peyton getting drugged at a party she'd vowed to change her ways. Then Lucas had dumped her after only a week, saying they were too different and he was still into Peyton. The nerve! No one EVER dumped Brooke. So she was pissed at Lucas for that and she was pissed at Nathan for dating socially un- remarkable Haley when he could have had any girl in school, specifically, any cheerleader. The basketball star always dated a cheerleader; that was just how it was done. So while a month ago she might have at least considered keeping this information to herself, spreading it around like wildfire would handily get back at them both. She stepped out into the hall, spotted some of her fellow cheerleaders milling around and walked over.
"Hey girls! Have I got some news for you."
"What is it Brooke? You finally going to fess up to your nose job?"
"Ha ha, very funny. This is so much better. Gather round ladies. It has just come to my attention that one of our fellow students is pregnant. And you'll never guess who."
They all looked around at each other, trying to see if it was one of them. "You?" She shook her head. "Nope."
"Peyton?"
"Uh uh. Forget it, you'll be at this for hours. The mother-to-be is Haley."
"Haley? Like tutor girl Haley?"
"That's the one. And I don't suppose I need to tell you who the father is."
"Nathan?"
"The one and only. Looks like history repeats itself."
"I don't believe it." One of the girls said. "Where did you hear this?"
"Straight from the horse's mouth."
"Nathan told you? I have a hard time believing that."
"Not exactly. I overheard him and Lucas talking about it."
"Nathan and Lucas?"
"Shush. That part's not important. We have more pressing matters at hand. Now go forth and spread the news."
They dispersed, telling anyone who was still on campus and calling those who weren't. Cell phone are such handy devices for such things. By the following morning, most of Tree Hill High was talking about Nathan and Haley and their upcoming bundle of joy.
When Haley walked into her chem. Class the next morning she couldn't ignore the fact that everyone was looking at her. She sat in her usual seat at the front of the room, painfully aware that her classmates were whispering to each other and glancing at her. She was grateful when her teacher entered the room and called the class to order.
It was worse an hour later when she left class. As she waked down the hall, people were pointing and staring. She didn't need to wonder what had suddenly made her so interesting. Not feeling ready to deal with it, she fled out the nearest door.
Lucas overheard some people talking about it at lunch and went looking for Haley. Instead he found Nathan, who was also looking for her.
"Have you seen Haley?" They asked in unison.
"No." Lucas answered. "People are talking."
"I know." Nathan replied. "I heard a few people discussing it as I left class this morning. I've been looking for Haley but I can't find her."
"Yeah. Do you think she knows?"
"How could she not? When I walked into class every pair of eyes in th room was instantly on me. It had to have been the same for her."
Lucas ran his hand through his hair in a futile attempt to alleviate some of the tension building in his head. "She must be freaking out right about now."
"Yeah."
"Maybe she left campus."
An idea entered Nathan's head. "I think I know where she might have gone."
"Let's go then."
The got in Nathan's car and drove off in silence. Lucas was puzzled when he realized where they were going. "The docks?"
Nathan nodded. "It's our spot. She goes there when she needs to be alone." He parked the car and spotted Haley sitting in the same place where they'd held their first tutoring session. "There she is."
He got out of the car and stopped Lucas from following him over to her. "No, I'm the one who has to fix this." He handed Lucas his car keys. "Here. Give us about an hour. Go get her some food from the restaurant. She's probably starving.
"Okay," Lucas said reluctantly, taking the keys. "I'll be back in one hour."
"Thanks Lucas." Nathan watched his car drive off. "Never though I'd see the day when I'd let Lucas drive my car."
He approached Haley quietly, laid a hand on her shoulder. She looked up in surprise. "Hey, I thought I might find you here."
"Everyone knows Nathan. They're all talking about it. I couldn't stay there."
"I know. That's why I came looking for you."
"How do they know? The only people who know are you, me, Lucas, our parents and Karen and none of us would have said anything."
"All I can think of is that someone must have overheard me and Lucas talking yesterday."
She looked at him, surprised. "You and Lucas talked?"
"Yeah. We called a truce. We're a long way from being best friends but I don't think you need to worry about us killing each other any more."
That made her smile. "Thanks."
"He came looking for you with me. I sent him to get you some lunch."
"You didn't have to do that."
"I figured you'd be hungry."
"Yea I kind of am. Wait a second, how is Lucas getting food?"
"I lent him my car." "You lent him your car! Wow, you guys really did make progress. You never let anyone drive your car."
"And it's not going to become a habit either but you're worth it." He saw a tear fall down her cheek and brushed it away. "You okay?"
"Not really. I've always been pretty much invisible at school. Before I knew you, most people knew me only as tutor-girl and now they know me as Nathan's girlfriend. I was okay with that. I liked my anonymity. Now everyone's talking about me and they're going to keep talking about me. I don't know if I can handle all the whispers and the stares." She started sobbing.
He pulled her into a hug. "Shh. Yes you can handle it, we can handle it. Hey, we knew this wasn't going to be easy right. This is just one of those things that we're going to have to deal with."
"I guess."
"And they won't keep talking forever. I've been the subject of plenty of gossip, that's the price you pay for popularity, so take it from me, even the hottest gossip gets old eventually. Sure everyone's talking about this now but by next week there will be something new to talk about."
"I don't know."
He kissed her hair. "Trust me. Besides, they can't say anything true that we don't already know and what's false can't hurt us."
"I guess."
"There's Lucas."
"Hey." He pulled Haley into a tight hug. "You okay?"
"Yea. Nathan made me feel a little better."
"Well here's lunch, soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. I figured you'd be hungry too Nathan so I brought some for everyone."
"Thanks."
"I can go if you guys want some privacy. It's not that far a walk."
"No, stay." Nathan said.
"All right." For a minute there was silence. Lucas broke it first. "So Hales.do you need me and Nathan to beat anyone up for you? Good, made you smile."
"No, I think I'm good. We can't stop people from talking. I'm going to have to get used to it."
"They're saying some pretty nasty stuff about you Nathan."
"About my dad? I kind of figured that's where everyone's mind would go. I guess I can't really blame them though. I earned my reputation as a jerk; I shouldn't be surprised that people think I'll act like one."
"I'm sorry for jumping to the same conclusion."
"You of all people have the right to jump to it. I sure acted like my father when you joined the team, why wouldn't I act like him now?"
"Let's not talk about it now." He saw Haley hadn't touched her food. "Eat up Hales or I'm going to tell me mom you hate her cooking."
"You wouldn't."
"Want to chance it?"
"No." They sat in silence as she finished eating.
Lucas looked at his watch. "Uh oh."
"What?"
"We're going to be late for practice."
"Shit. Coach is gonna be pissed."
"Then we better go." Haley said.
"Yeah. We'll drop you off at home."
"No, that's way out of your way. You'll be even later. I'll just watch you practice."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Can't hide forever."
By the time Lucas and Nathan had gotten changed and entered the gym, the other guys were nearly finished warming up. "Lucas! Nathan! You're late!" Whitey yelled.
"Sorry Coach," they mumbled.
"You better be sorry. I want twenty laps around the gym. Go."
As the two boys set off, Whitey noticed that the other team members were all looking up in the stands and talking. "Boys! We practice on the court not in the stands! Now finish warming up."
Several minutes later Lucas and Nathan rejoined the team. For the most part, practice was uneventful, until Coach left to take a phone call.
"See you brought the little woman out to practice with you." Matt Dawson, one of the players, said with a smirk. "You know, I still don't see why you chose her over a cheerleader, though she does have that innocent thing going. She must be good in bed, why else would you be with her. Bet she's easy too.'
"Jerk!" Nathan lunged at Matt, knocking him to the ground. "Don't you dare say shit like that about her or I swear to God I'll kill you!"
He punched Matt in the face, causing his nose to bleed. Matt retaliated, kicking Nathan hard in the stomach, sending him flying.
"Nathan!" Haley screamed. "Stop it."
Nathan picked himself up and resumed punching Matt. Lucas tried to pull the two players apart and Jake stepped in to help but the other guys just stood by and watched. They heard the door open and jumped apart. Coach Whitey walked back in and looked at the two bloody players. "Okay, which one of you's going to tell me what the hell is going on here."
A/N: Thank you all sooooooo much for the reviews. They are much appreciated believe me.
Chapter Five
After the guys had left the locker room, Brooke crept out of her hiding place behind the door. She'd entered the boys' locker room in the first place on a quest to know once and for all which basketball star was the hottest. It was a matter of public interest, what girl didn't want to know. She'd had no idea she'd be treated to such an earful of juicy gossip.
"Well what do you know, Nathan got Ms Goody-Two-Shoes tutor girl preggers." She said to herself. "Tsk tsk Nathan, following in your father's footsteps are we. Now.who should I tell first." After the incident with Peyton getting drugged at a party she'd vowed to change her ways. Then Lucas had dumped her after only a week, saying they were too different and he was still into Peyton. The nerve! No one EVER dumped Brooke. So she was pissed at Lucas for that and she was pissed at Nathan for dating socially un- remarkable Haley when he could have had any girl in school, specifically, any cheerleader. The basketball star always dated a cheerleader; that was just how it was done. So while a month ago she might have at least considered keeping this information to herself, spreading it around like wildfire would handily get back at them both. She stepped out into the hall, spotted some of her fellow cheerleaders milling around and walked over.
"Hey girls! Have I got some news for you."
"What is it Brooke? You finally going to fess up to your nose job?"
"Ha ha, very funny. This is so much better. Gather round ladies. It has just come to my attention that one of our fellow students is pregnant. And you'll never guess who."
They all looked around at each other, trying to see if it was one of them. "You?" She shook her head. "Nope."
"Peyton?"
"Uh uh. Forget it, you'll be at this for hours. The mother-to-be is Haley."
"Haley? Like tutor girl Haley?"
"That's the one. And I don't suppose I need to tell you who the father is."
"Nathan?"
"The one and only. Looks like history repeats itself."
"I don't believe it." One of the girls said. "Where did you hear this?"
"Straight from the horse's mouth."
"Nathan told you? I have a hard time believing that."
"Not exactly. I overheard him and Lucas talking about it."
"Nathan and Lucas?"
"Shush. That part's not important. We have more pressing matters at hand. Now go forth and spread the news."
They dispersed, telling anyone who was still on campus and calling those who weren't. Cell phone are such handy devices for such things. By the following morning, most of Tree Hill High was talking about Nathan and Haley and their upcoming bundle of joy.
When Haley walked into her chem. Class the next morning she couldn't ignore the fact that everyone was looking at her. She sat in her usual seat at the front of the room, painfully aware that her classmates were whispering to each other and glancing at her. She was grateful when her teacher entered the room and called the class to order.
It was worse an hour later when she left class. As she waked down the hall, people were pointing and staring. She didn't need to wonder what had suddenly made her so interesting. Not feeling ready to deal with it, she fled out the nearest door.
Lucas overheard some people talking about it at lunch and went looking for Haley. Instead he found Nathan, who was also looking for her.
"Have you seen Haley?" They asked in unison.
"No." Lucas answered. "People are talking."
"I know." Nathan replied. "I heard a few people discussing it as I left class this morning. I've been looking for Haley but I can't find her."
"Yeah. Do you think she knows?"
"How could she not? When I walked into class every pair of eyes in th room was instantly on me. It had to have been the same for her."
Lucas ran his hand through his hair in a futile attempt to alleviate some of the tension building in his head. "She must be freaking out right about now."
"Yeah."
"Maybe she left campus."
An idea entered Nathan's head. "I think I know where she might have gone."
"Let's go then."
The got in Nathan's car and drove off in silence. Lucas was puzzled when he realized where they were going. "The docks?"
Nathan nodded. "It's our spot. She goes there when she needs to be alone." He parked the car and spotted Haley sitting in the same place where they'd held their first tutoring session. "There she is."
He got out of the car and stopped Lucas from following him over to her. "No, I'm the one who has to fix this." He handed Lucas his car keys. "Here. Give us about an hour. Go get her some food from the restaurant. She's probably starving.
"Okay," Lucas said reluctantly, taking the keys. "I'll be back in one hour."
"Thanks Lucas." Nathan watched his car drive off. "Never though I'd see the day when I'd let Lucas drive my car."
He approached Haley quietly, laid a hand on her shoulder. She looked up in surprise. "Hey, I thought I might find you here."
"Everyone knows Nathan. They're all talking about it. I couldn't stay there."
"I know. That's why I came looking for you."
"How do they know? The only people who know are you, me, Lucas, our parents and Karen and none of us would have said anything."
"All I can think of is that someone must have overheard me and Lucas talking yesterday."
She looked at him, surprised. "You and Lucas talked?"
"Yeah. We called a truce. We're a long way from being best friends but I don't think you need to worry about us killing each other any more."
That made her smile. "Thanks."
"He came looking for you with me. I sent him to get you some lunch."
"You didn't have to do that."
"I figured you'd be hungry."
"Yea I kind of am. Wait a second, how is Lucas getting food?"
"I lent him my car." "You lent him your car! Wow, you guys really did make progress. You never let anyone drive your car."
"And it's not going to become a habit either but you're worth it." He saw a tear fall down her cheek and brushed it away. "You okay?"
"Not really. I've always been pretty much invisible at school. Before I knew you, most people knew me only as tutor-girl and now they know me as Nathan's girlfriend. I was okay with that. I liked my anonymity. Now everyone's talking about me and they're going to keep talking about me. I don't know if I can handle all the whispers and the stares." She started sobbing.
He pulled her into a hug. "Shh. Yes you can handle it, we can handle it. Hey, we knew this wasn't going to be easy right. This is just one of those things that we're going to have to deal with."
"I guess."
"And they won't keep talking forever. I've been the subject of plenty of gossip, that's the price you pay for popularity, so take it from me, even the hottest gossip gets old eventually. Sure everyone's talking about this now but by next week there will be something new to talk about."
"I don't know."
He kissed her hair. "Trust me. Besides, they can't say anything true that we don't already know and what's false can't hurt us."
"I guess."
"There's Lucas."
"Hey." He pulled Haley into a tight hug. "You okay?"
"Yea. Nathan made me feel a little better."
"Well here's lunch, soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. I figured you'd be hungry too Nathan so I brought some for everyone."
"Thanks."
"I can go if you guys want some privacy. It's not that far a walk."
"No, stay." Nathan said.
"All right." For a minute there was silence. Lucas broke it first. "So Hales.do you need me and Nathan to beat anyone up for you? Good, made you smile."
"No, I think I'm good. We can't stop people from talking. I'm going to have to get used to it."
"They're saying some pretty nasty stuff about you Nathan."
"About my dad? I kind of figured that's where everyone's mind would go. I guess I can't really blame them though. I earned my reputation as a jerk; I shouldn't be surprised that people think I'll act like one."
"I'm sorry for jumping to the same conclusion."
"You of all people have the right to jump to it. I sure acted like my father when you joined the team, why wouldn't I act like him now?"
"Let's not talk about it now." He saw Haley hadn't touched her food. "Eat up Hales or I'm going to tell me mom you hate her cooking."
"You wouldn't."
"Want to chance it?"
"No." They sat in silence as she finished eating.
Lucas looked at his watch. "Uh oh."
"What?"
"We're going to be late for practice."
"Shit. Coach is gonna be pissed."
"Then we better go." Haley said.
"Yeah. We'll drop you off at home."
"No, that's way out of your way. You'll be even later. I'll just watch you practice."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Can't hide forever."
By the time Lucas and Nathan had gotten changed and entered the gym, the other guys were nearly finished warming up. "Lucas! Nathan! You're late!" Whitey yelled.
"Sorry Coach," they mumbled.
"You better be sorry. I want twenty laps around the gym. Go."
As the two boys set off, Whitey noticed that the other team members were all looking up in the stands and talking. "Boys! We practice on the court not in the stands! Now finish warming up."
Several minutes later Lucas and Nathan rejoined the team. For the most part, practice was uneventful, until Coach left to take a phone call.
"See you brought the little woman out to practice with you." Matt Dawson, one of the players, said with a smirk. "You know, I still don't see why you chose her over a cheerleader, though she does have that innocent thing going. She must be good in bed, why else would you be with her. Bet she's easy too.'
"Jerk!" Nathan lunged at Matt, knocking him to the ground. "Don't you dare say shit like that about her or I swear to God I'll kill you!"
He punched Matt in the face, causing his nose to bleed. Matt retaliated, kicking Nathan hard in the stomach, sending him flying.
"Nathan!" Haley screamed. "Stop it."
Nathan picked himself up and resumed punching Matt. Lucas tried to pull the two players apart and Jake stepped in to help but the other guys just stood by and watched. They heard the door open and jumped apart. Coach Whitey walked back in and looked at the two bloody players. "Okay, which one of you's going to tell me what the hell is going on here."
