"Hey, gorgeous."
"Hey yourself."
As he enveloped Haley in a tight hug, Nathan felt the cool softness of her hair slipping through his fingers like Deb's silk skirts when he was little.
"What's wrong?" Haley's voice was soft, concerned, lips brushing his ear.
She could always do that. Maybe he was selfish, but Nathan Scott never wanted this girl to be saying that to any other guy. The thought of someone's arms wrapped about the tough-yet-fragile figure of Haley James made him tighten his hold.
"Okay, muscle man!" She pushed at his chest gently.
The sheepish tone, "Sorry."
Silence..."I'm just in love with you-"
And then the stillness was shattered, the unspoken declaration irretrievable fragments riding deserted school hallways-
Too late-
Nathan sat up in the darkness, glanced about wildly-for a moment-
Lucas stirred restlessly, the incessant cheeping of cicada's causing him to draw the sleeping bag over the exposed half of his face.
Sleep should have been easy. Under Dan's supervision, most of the tents had gone up, and he only had to share this tent with Nathan.
Why was morning so long in coming? Too many thoughts, in the dark.
The softly swaying pines seemed to meld into hundreds of close-clasped couples, the hushed sighing brought down the mountains with each tendril of summer wind.
Stars. Even though one knew technically they didn't twinkle, it was nice to stare at the heavens and watch the glitter.:
Lucas dodged under Nathan's arm, fingers just brushing the basketball, and missing. He changed his position with a snap, circling around to block his opponent as the dark orange sphere rose-and fell.
"Come on, what kind of a move was that?"
Lucas rested a moment, hands on knees, Nathan slumped beside him.
"I said, what was that? Cat and mouse?"
One could (almost) block Dan Scott quite effectively...Nathan cast his brother a wry sideways glance which Luke returned.
"You two want to buddy up, do it off the court!"
"Dad, it's not a gym."
"Excuse me?"
Nathan shrugged. "It's a basket and a bunch of trees."
"So, because we're not in our pretty Raven uniforms surrounded by cheerleaders, it isn't the real thing? Is that it?"
Lucas met his father's eyes-angry, sweat plastering the dark hair across his arrogant forehead."It's different, here." He straightened, caught a breath and gestured at the close knit team, half of them slipping toward the campground water fountains.
"You want to give me some attitude, too?"
"It's supposed to be fun. And unorganized-" Lucas tried to express himself, that quiet spoken intensity and clarity which normally marked his speech dissolving-
"That's Whitey bull."
"Camp, Dad. It's just a camping trip." Nathan pushed by, his hand on Luke's elbow.
"Hey, Nate. Who the heck made your Dad camp general?"
"I don't know, Tim."
The players seemed to melt back as Nathan strode by, affording him the first place in line.
"They respect you." Lucas studied the scene intently.
"Comes with the territory." He took a long drink, shook his dark head. "People respect money and power. They respect my Dad."
Lucas nodded, not quite looking at him.
"Um-," Nathan coughed. "Our Dad."
"That's a matter of opinion."
Lucas froze, surprised he hadn't sensed Dan behind them.
He hadn't a thing to say.
Scornfully deny any association? That would be an untruth.
Let his hurt show?
Nathan cast a disgusted look in his Dad's general direction, back to Lucas' face, cool and noncommittal.
"Let's get out of here."
"Isn't it cute? Brothers, after all these years."
Dan's voice floated after them, tarnishing the pink-gold sunlight.: