Chapter 7:

Sighing, I dug for my cell phone, needing someone to talk to. I scanned the list of numbers and paused at Haley's Cell. The urge to call her was powerful, but I continued to scroll down, finding Tim's Cell.

"'Lo?" He picked up on the third ring. His voice sounded crisp and businesslike, very unlike the Tim I grew up with.

"Hey Man, it's me." I replied. "How are you doing?"

"Not bad, not bad. I just got out of a meeting and have another date tonight." He replied. "How 'bout you?"

"Dude, you should just move back to the states and reunite with Brooke." I laughed, before turning serious. "On a more sour note, I broke up with Lexi this evening."

"Whoa! Didn't see that one coming. What happened?" Tim's voice dropped its casual tone and became concerned.

"I told her that I wanted to go up and see Haley." I groaned. "I need some damn closure from that part of my life because I'm not going to be able to really go forward if I don't. She completely blew up at me, going on and on about how I'm only going up to Boston to get back to together with Haley and I'm going to leave her and I kept telling her that wasn't the case, that I was with her. Then, I cracked. I told her that if she doesn't believe that I need Haley to forgive me so I can move on, then she never trusted me at all, and I can't have a relationship with someone like that. I told her to be out by the end of the week. So, I'm currently in a Motel 6 and anxiously waiting for Monday, when I fly out to Boston."

"Wow." Was Tim's response. "I mean, I sympathize with Lexi, you and Haley were something else entirely, but I knew that you and Lexi wouldn't last. She's too high maintenance and you're right, you need that closure with Haley. Hell, maybe you just plain need Haley. Whatever the case, I've got this feeling that you'll find what you're looking for in Boston; whether it's closure or lost love, I can't say."

"Thanks Man. I really needed to hear that and to vent." I sighed. "Maybe I do need Haley, I don't seem to know anything anymore ever since she called Luke's cell when we were playing b-ball. "

"Sounds like your brain and your heart are scrambled and as usual, Tutorgirl has all the answers you're looking for." Tim laughed. "Some things never change."

"Yeah, and that part gets really annoying." I shook my head. "Why is it that no matter how many mistakes she and Luke make, not that they make that many, they always come out to be so righteous, whereas, we're always the tainted Bad guys."

"Haley seemed to have no problem being with a tainted bad guy in High school and neither did Peyton." Tim replied.

"Haley's special. She's what made me different, she made me better. I was an emotional train wreck and then she bounced into my life like a right little ball of sunshine and I wanted her. She had to be mine." I ran my fingers through my hair. "Then she was and I realized that wasn't enough. I had to be good enough for her. I had to be someone worthy of being with her."

"You were Nate, with the exception of the best friend, Lucas; no one could make Haley smile or laugh like you did. Plus, you got a little more out of her than Luke did." Tim teased.

"Remind me to punch for that next time I see you." I rolled my eyes, even though Tim couldn't see me.

"Will do." Tim chuckled. "Still got the protective instinct in you, good sign."

"Shut up!" I retorted.

"Okay, okay, we'll go to a change of subject. So, what's with Lucas being sold to the Celtics?" Tim asked.

"What?"

"It's on the news. Go to a news station, I believe I'm watching NBC over here."

I did as I was told and flipped the channels until I found what I was looking for. NBC news was just going into its sports news.

"A breaking story for sports fanatics, here. Athlete Lucas Scott, one half of the infamous Scott brother duo from Los Angeles Lakers, might be sold to the Boston Celtics. Represenatives from both teams say that Boston is willing to pay a hefty price for one of the Scott brothers and Los Angeles says they're considering selling Lucas to them. When asked what Lucas himself thinks, Los Angeles say that the athlete doesn't have a real problem with this; he has family in both Boston and Los Angeles. Lucas Scott is in Boston at the moment, visiting a friend and he might meet with the Celtics while he's there. Lakers fans are in an uproar, wondering how Los Angeles can split up the Scott brothers. We'll have more information on the subject when it's released."

"Holy Sh**!" I gaped at the television screen. "They can't just sell Luke! They can't separate us! Why didn't he tell me?!"

"Maybe he just found out!" Tim guessed.

"No! This is wrong! Luke and I are a team, they can't break us up like this!" I fumed.

"Why don't you call him, Nate?" Tim suggested. "Get some answers from him. Maybe he wants to be closer to Haley and his family there, like his mother."

"Tim, coming here was scary enough. I didn't have Haley with me or you or anyone really, except for my brother and his best friend. He can't just leave me behind." I sat down on the bed, defeated.

"Call him, Nate. Let him explain it to you. I bet you he's more in on the details." Tim explained.

"Damn it. If they sell him, they have to sell me too!" I pounded my fist into the bed.

"Are you serious? Nate, there was once a time where you would have done anything to keep Luke off the same team as you and now you refuse to be on separate teams." Tim sounded amused.

"You're damn right, he's my brother." I cursed, getting angry all over again.

"Hate to break it to you, Man, but doubt Los Angeles would be keen on selling you and Lucas. You guys are what make their team great. Plus, if you go, Skills is going to go too." Tim added.

"I don't care. Skills, Lucas and I will remain on the same team, whether it's Boston or LA or anywhere else."

"Some things do change."