Chapter Nine
All he could think about was I'm too young for this.
Got my whole life ahead.
Hell I'm just a kid myself.
How'm I gonna raise one.
All he could see were his dreams goin' up in smoke.
So much for ditchin' this town and hangin' out on the coast.
Oh well, those plans are long gone.
And he said,
There goes my life.
There goes my future, my everything.
Might as well kiss it all good-bye.
There goes my life.......
A couple years of up all night and a few thousand diapers later.
That mistake he thought he made covers up the refrigerator.
Oh yeah..........he loves that little girl.
Momma's waiting to tuck her in,
As she fumbles up those stairs.
She smiles back at him dragging that teddy bear.
Sleep tight, blue eyes and bouncin' curls.
He smiles.....
There goes my life.
There goes my future, my everything.
I love you, daddy good-night.
There goes my life.
She had that Honda loaded down.
With Abercrombie clothes and 15 pairs of shoes and his American Express.
He checked the oil and slammed the hood, said your good to go.
She hugged them both and headed off to the West Coast.
And he cried,
There goes my life.
There goes my future, my everything.
I love you.
Baby good-bye.
There goes my life.
There goes my life.
Baby good-bye.
song is There goes my life by Kenny Chesney
Lucas had had a number of surprises in his life in recent months, there was being asked to join the varsity basketball team, Haley and Nathan hooking up, Nathan taking amphetamines, Haley getting pregnant but none of them, not even Haley's pregnancy had shocked him as much as walking into his mother's restaurant and seeing Nathan wiping down tables. He shook his head and blinked, to see if he was seeing things. Nope, he wasn't dreaming.
"Nathan, you're about the last person I expected to find bussing tables here."
"So? I need a job, my mom and your mom thought this would be a good place. Uncle Keith offered too but I know nothing about cars and would probably get the place shit down."
"You're working here? In my mother's restaurant."
"Hey, it's my mom's restaurant now too remember. They way I see it is the baby's going to need a lot of stuff, stuff that costs money. I'm sure not going to let Haley pay for it all, or my parents so the only solution is to get a job. And this sure beats slinging burgers, one of the only other options for someone who's never had a job in his life. So go ahead, make some sort of sarcastic comment, you wouldn't be the first."
"Actually, I'm going to say something I never thought I'd say to you. I'm impressed."
Nathan was taken aback. "You are?"
"Yeah. I mean, I'll admit I've given you less credit than just about everyone. I was sure you'd bail and stick Haley with all the diaper changes and three am feedings but so far, you've proven me wrong. This," he motioned to the tables, "can't be easy on your pride."
"Not so much no but I'll get used to it. Besides, I get to spend time with Haley."
"Speaking of Haley, I talked to her today."
"Oh. So I guess she told you."
"About you quitting the team? Yeah. You don't have to you know."
"Yeah I do. I can't spend hours training, going to practice, and finish high school and hold down a job and raise a baby."
"But you haven't tried--"
"And that's not all either. You saw how the guys on the team reacted. Do you really want Haley to have to put up with that?"
"How's quitting the team going to stop people from talking?"
"Staying on the team sure won't. Look Lucas, I've heard this from Whitey, from Jake and from Haley. There's nothing you can say that I haven't already heard."
Lucas shrugged but still wasn't going to give up. "Okay, I'll make you a deal You and I will play a game of one on one, like we did when you didn't want me joining the team. I win, you keep playing, I lose, I'll never mention basketball to you again."
Nathan thought about it for a minute. He knew Lucas well enough by now to know that he was stubborn and wouldn't back down until he agreed. "Fine. Tonight at 8 on the playground. I'm going to kick your butt."
"Hmm, where have I heard that before." Nathan threw a wet towel at him. "Hey!"
"You deserved it. Now go away, I'm working."
"Uh huh. See you at 8."
***
"So did you talk to him?"
"Tried to. You didn't tell me he was working at the restaurant."
"I didn't know until this afternoon. So?"
"He still thinks quitting is the only option."
"And you did nothing to talk him out of it?"
"Calm down Hales. Nathan won't be quitting the team."
"I don't get it."
"We're going to settle it with a game of one on one. I win, he stays on the team, I lose, he's free to quit."
"What makes you so sure you'll win?"
"Easy. Deep down, Nathan doesn't really want to quit the team. He's convinced himself it's the best thing to do but it's not what he wants. His subconscious will make sure he loses." "You almost sound convincing."
"Just have a little faith Hales. Besides, I beat him the last time didn't I?"
"Yeah. You better win this game Luke."
"Don't worry, I intend to."
***
As they had earlier in the year, dozens of Tree Hill High students gathered at the outdoor basketball court only this time, most people were cheering for Lucas. Everyone was aware what was on the line. If Nathan followed through with quitting the team, they could kiss the State Championship goodbye. The begin reason why the team had been unbeatable was the amazing talent of Lucas and Nathan. They needed them both.
"You ready?" Lucas shook Nathan's hand.
"To kick your butt? I was born ready."
Nathan got the first shot and grinned. He loved the rush of hearing the ball go into the basket. 'I'm gonna miss that feeling' he thought but quickly shook it off. Both Nathan and Lucas played hard, neither was used to giving half an effort. By the end the score was tied. Lucas did a perfect lay-up and watched the ball go, swoosh, into the net. He pumped his fist in the air and the crowd cheered.
"That's it buddy. I win. You're still a Raven."
Nathan shrugged and hid a smile, he admitted to himself that he wasn't very disappointed about losing. Haley came over and gave him an enthusiastic kiss.
"You were cheering against me weren't you?"
"Of course I was. You need basketball Nathan and I don't want you to give it up because of me."
"A deal's a deal but I don't know how we're going to do this."
"It's like everything else, we'll figure it out as we go. And trust me Nathan, I'll be the first to tell you if you start neglecting your family."
"Say that again?"
"What?"
"What you just said."
"Your family."
He smiled. "We are aren't we?"
She squeezed her hand. "That's right Scott, you're stuck with both of us."
He squeezed back. "It's not such a bad thing to be."
All he could think about was I'm too young for this.
Got my whole life ahead.
Hell I'm just a kid myself.
How'm I gonna raise one.
All he could see were his dreams goin' up in smoke.
So much for ditchin' this town and hangin' out on the coast.
Oh well, those plans are long gone.
And he said,
There goes my life.
There goes my future, my everything.
Might as well kiss it all good-bye.
There goes my life.......
A couple years of up all night and a few thousand diapers later.
That mistake he thought he made covers up the refrigerator.
Oh yeah..........he loves that little girl.
Momma's waiting to tuck her in,
As she fumbles up those stairs.
She smiles back at him dragging that teddy bear.
Sleep tight, blue eyes and bouncin' curls.
He smiles.....
There goes my life.
There goes my future, my everything.
I love you, daddy good-night.
There goes my life.
She had that Honda loaded down.
With Abercrombie clothes and 15 pairs of shoes and his American Express.
He checked the oil and slammed the hood, said your good to go.
She hugged them both and headed off to the West Coast.
And he cried,
There goes my life.
There goes my future, my everything.
I love you.
Baby good-bye.
There goes my life.
There goes my life.
Baby good-bye.
song is There goes my life by Kenny Chesney
Lucas had had a number of surprises in his life in recent months, there was being asked to join the varsity basketball team, Haley and Nathan hooking up, Nathan taking amphetamines, Haley getting pregnant but none of them, not even Haley's pregnancy had shocked him as much as walking into his mother's restaurant and seeing Nathan wiping down tables. He shook his head and blinked, to see if he was seeing things. Nope, he wasn't dreaming.
"Nathan, you're about the last person I expected to find bussing tables here."
"So? I need a job, my mom and your mom thought this would be a good place. Uncle Keith offered too but I know nothing about cars and would probably get the place shit down."
"You're working here? In my mother's restaurant."
"Hey, it's my mom's restaurant now too remember. They way I see it is the baby's going to need a lot of stuff, stuff that costs money. I'm sure not going to let Haley pay for it all, or my parents so the only solution is to get a job. And this sure beats slinging burgers, one of the only other options for someone who's never had a job in his life. So go ahead, make some sort of sarcastic comment, you wouldn't be the first."
"Actually, I'm going to say something I never thought I'd say to you. I'm impressed."
Nathan was taken aback. "You are?"
"Yeah. I mean, I'll admit I've given you less credit than just about everyone. I was sure you'd bail and stick Haley with all the diaper changes and three am feedings but so far, you've proven me wrong. This," he motioned to the tables, "can't be easy on your pride."
"Not so much no but I'll get used to it. Besides, I get to spend time with Haley."
"Speaking of Haley, I talked to her today."
"Oh. So I guess she told you."
"About you quitting the team? Yeah. You don't have to you know."
"Yeah I do. I can't spend hours training, going to practice, and finish high school and hold down a job and raise a baby."
"But you haven't tried--"
"And that's not all either. You saw how the guys on the team reacted. Do you really want Haley to have to put up with that?"
"How's quitting the team going to stop people from talking?"
"Staying on the team sure won't. Look Lucas, I've heard this from Whitey, from Jake and from Haley. There's nothing you can say that I haven't already heard."
Lucas shrugged but still wasn't going to give up. "Okay, I'll make you a deal You and I will play a game of one on one, like we did when you didn't want me joining the team. I win, you keep playing, I lose, I'll never mention basketball to you again."
Nathan thought about it for a minute. He knew Lucas well enough by now to know that he was stubborn and wouldn't back down until he agreed. "Fine. Tonight at 8 on the playground. I'm going to kick your butt."
"Hmm, where have I heard that before." Nathan threw a wet towel at him. "Hey!"
"You deserved it. Now go away, I'm working."
"Uh huh. See you at 8."
***
"So did you talk to him?"
"Tried to. You didn't tell me he was working at the restaurant."
"I didn't know until this afternoon. So?"
"He still thinks quitting is the only option."
"And you did nothing to talk him out of it?"
"Calm down Hales. Nathan won't be quitting the team."
"I don't get it."
"We're going to settle it with a game of one on one. I win, he stays on the team, I lose, he's free to quit."
"What makes you so sure you'll win?"
"Easy. Deep down, Nathan doesn't really want to quit the team. He's convinced himself it's the best thing to do but it's not what he wants. His subconscious will make sure he loses." "You almost sound convincing."
"Just have a little faith Hales. Besides, I beat him the last time didn't I?"
"Yeah. You better win this game Luke."
"Don't worry, I intend to."
***
As they had earlier in the year, dozens of Tree Hill High students gathered at the outdoor basketball court only this time, most people were cheering for Lucas. Everyone was aware what was on the line. If Nathan followed through with quitting the team, they could kiss the State Championship goodbye. The begin reason why the team had been unbeatable was the amazing talent of Lucas and Nathan. They needed them both.
"You ready?" Lucas shook Nathan's hand.
"To kick your butt? I was born ready."
Nathan got the first shot and grinned. He loved the rush of hearing the ball go into the basket. 'I'm gonna miss that feeling' he thought but quickly shook it off. Both Nathan and Lucas played hard, neither was used to giving half an effort. By the end the score was tied. Lucas did a perfect lay-up and watched the ball go, swoosh, into the net. He pumped his fist in the air and the crowd cheered.
"That's it buddy. I win. You're still a Raven."
Nathan shrugged and hid a smile, he admitted to himself that he wasn't very disappointed about losing. Haley came over and gave him an enthusiastic kiss.
"You were cheering against me weren't you?"
"Of course I was. You need basketball Nathan and I don't want you to give it up because of me."
"A deal's a deal but I don't know how we're going to do this."
"It's like everything else, we'll figure it out as we go. And trust me Nathan, I'll be the first to tell you if you start neglecting your family."
"Say that again?"
"What?"
"What you just said."
"Your family."
He smiled. "We are aren't we?"
She squeezed her hand. "That's right Scott, you're stuck with both of us."
He squeezed back. "It's not such a bad thing to be."
