Author's Note: Sorry about the wait. Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy! And for those of you who might be a bit confused. Flashbacks will always we done in italics, and present time will always be done in regular font. For the next few chapters you might still be a little left in dark, but that's ok, you're not supposed to know exactly what's going on just yet. But you will soon enough ;)

Chapter 4

She Spins Around In Circles In My Head

Thursdays are just like any other day of the week in the Scott household, and Nathan is used to coming home from practice to see a dark empty house. He doesn't ask where his father goes after he leaves work. He doesn't ask his mother where she's going when she disappears for days, sometimes weeks on end. They leave little post it notes on the refrigerator for him. They slip him half sheets of ripped off notebook paper under his door telling him when they'll be home that night. They never talk to each other. Not really. Not how most people associate conversations to be.

Nathan can hardly remember the last time the three of them were even in the same room together at the same time. His entire family is constructed of passing notes and leaving voice-mails. Most of which he doesn't even bother to return.

Which is why, when he gets home that night from shooting hoops at The Rivercourt, he's surprised to see not only his father's Blazer, but also his mother's Lexus in their drive way. Part of him considers pulling his own car back out and trying to flee the scene before anyone even sees him, not ready to deal with whatever avalanche of crap his parents have concocted this time. His curiosity gets the better of him, despite himself however, and he goes inside.

"Hi, sweetie," his mother comes up to him the second he's through the door. Her mouth curved up into a disingenuous smile, the kind she uses for the cancer recipients and homeless children she spends her days with

"Hey," he says and drops his backpack and gym bag on the floor beside him, moves out of her arm reach before she can hug him. A flicker of hurt flashes over her eyes for a quick second before she covers it up, that professional facade back in place before anyone can notice a difference.

"Did you have a good day at school?" She follows Nathan as he walks into the family room where his father is standing, pouring himself a glass of scotch.

"I guess," he shrugs and looks at his father expectantly. "What's going on?"

Dan turns around from the bar and Nathan sees that he's dressed in a suit and tie. His mother's in some kind of black cocktail dress, and a plate of cheese and caviar appetizers are sitting on the cherry wood table in the middle of the room.

Whatever it is they have planned is going to involve him, that much he can tell. Suddenly his thoughts go from confusion to anger to Haley to anger again.

"What's going Dad," he repeats himself with a little more heat.

Dan sets his drink on the bar and cracks his knuckles. "I have an old friend on mine from High school coming over to visit. Now go get changed. He should be here soon."

In the span of Nathan's life, Dan Scott has never been a man of many words. At least not unless it involved talking about himself. But this entire situation doesn't fit. Why, Nathan wonders why he needs to be there, if it's an old friend of his father's.

"I can't," Nathan objects quickly. "I've got plans."

"Cancel them," his father whips back, and Nathan has the immediate urge to throw the porcelain lamp sitting beside him at his Dad's head. Hard.

"No."

"Excuse me," Dan turns a sharp eye on his only son, and that makes Nathan turn away.

He clenches his jaw together tightly, feels it twitch in sharp juts that reverrbate through his head. He can feel his mothers eyes shooting back between them frantically, trying to figure out a way to avert an argument if possible. What she doesn't know, is that Nathan and Dan Scott do not fight. They don't even talk.

Dan tells Nathan what to do, Nathan tries to refuse, and ends up following through anyway. What other choice does he have? He could disobey his tyrant of a father if he really wanted to, it's not like he's scared to make him mad. He's done that enough through getting in trouble at school and with the town police.

"Nothing," he grumbles, and starts to stalk out of the room to the stairs. He half hears his mother say something like 'it won't that long', as he walks up to his room, and he simply spits back at her, "Whatever."

........

Nathan stares down at right hand on his watch and reads the time again. He looks up and glares at Richard Hask, who sits across the room from him. Richard holds a martini, Dan made for him in his hand, he periodically dips his head down and takes a drink out of it. He tells Nathan and his parents about his career as a coach for Penn. Sate, and the great benefits he incurs working for such a great University. His parents have the decency to look awed by this. Nathan wonders how much longer he'll have to sit in suit pants and tie before his father just comes out and asks the question they've been waiting all night for.

"So I hear you play point guard for the Tree Hill Ravens, Nathan, am I right?"

"Yeah," he mumbles and nods his head. He feels disoriented and tired. His left leg has fallen asleep from sitting in the same position for too long and he's tired. The dim lights in the room make his eyes feel heavy. He doesn't want to talk about basketball with this guy anymore.

"I've heard a lot of good things about you and the team from your old man here. Did he tell you we used to play together?"

Nathan can't tell if the man's being nice to him for his father's benefit or his own. He doesn't want to shmooze for this guy like his father is expecting him too. He doesn't want to pretend to be awed by his 'oh so spectacular' coaching record, or the $75,000 Jag in the driveway. Mostly he just doesn't want to be nice back.

"No, I didn't," he smiles tightly and leans back into the couch. His eyelids grow heavier, but he knows he won't fall asleep.

"Yeah, me and Danny used to be kings of the court back in our day. What was our scoring average?"

"Twenty-seven for me, Twenty-four for you," his father answers with a grin. He's enjoying every second of this torture, Nathan's sure.

"Oh you're too generous Danny. I think it was more like twenty-seven for you, and Twenty-two for me," Richard replies and they both laugh.

Nathan tries to appear amused by their homage to the old days, but he doesn't much care. Regardless, he smiles anyway.

"Nathan's averaging about twenty-five a game these days, aren't you son?"

He wants to tell his father it's actually twenty-six, but doesn't. If it makes his father feel better to be two points ahead of him, rather than one, then he can go ahead and have it. Nathan knows the truth.

He nods and smiles graciously, and his father continues.

"You know Rich, Nathan's actually looking into Penn for next fall."

The other man turns toward him at this. "That's fantastic Nathan. Penn State really is a great university. It has high standards for academic excellence and a great social environment. The large alumni association and the many connections that you can make there will be a benefit when you graduate as well. From a basketball standpoint, there is intense national exposure at PSU and if you end up deciding that's where you want to be, you can rest assured that you will definitely be playing in front of those enthusiastic Big Ten crowds."

"Well that sounds . . . good," Nathan manages to shoot out. He sees his father is pleased by his compliance and his mother is just as bored as he is, but she's putting on a good show as well.

The older men in the room seem to continue on with the conversation, even though Nathan decidesto check out. He looks at his watch again and wants to know if this little meeting of theirs is going to end any time soon. His mind is filled with images of Haley, and he tries to remember a time when all there was, was basketball. Life was easier back then, when all he worried about was himself.

Easier, but not better.

..........

When he was a little boy he used to come to The Rivercourt all the time, with his friends. It was where the older boys played, so despite its grungy exterior and ratty hoops, it was cool by default. He would go there in the afternoons during the summer, and in the early evening during the school year.

Sometimes the older kids would even let him and Tim get in on a few games. He learned how to be aggressive on that court. He learned how to steal the ball, and make three pointers when someone twice your height was in front of you. His father thought he learned that in camp. He thought he learned it from him.

It was around Nathan's twelfth birthday that Dan discovered where his son went after dinner every evening. He was driving by late after work, when he saw him and Vegas and a few guys that were Juniors from THH, playing a game of PIG.

Well needless to say, he was never allowed back at the court after that. One of very few limitations Dan actually put on his son. Nathan thought it ridiculous at the time, and still does to this day, although he never says it.

It's a Saturday morning when he finally found his way back there again after so many years. His head was still full of thoughts he didn't want to think about. About a girl he didn't want to think about. A girl he didn't even know.

Nathan isn't the kind of guy who got hooked up on girls. Sports, basketball, material things like his car. Yes, but not women. What was the point in wasting your time on one, when there where millions out there yet to be explored. At least that used to be his theory

It had been months seen he'd or talk to this girl, and she was still buzzing around in his head. Plaguing him. It was to the point of annoyance now. He couldn't get rid of her.

He'd gotten up unusually early that morning, the first image in his mind was of her smile. The way her lips curled delicately up in the corner of her mouth, and her eyes grew big. Even as he showered he found himself thinking about her and trying hard not to touch himself. It was absurd. It was the sixth time this month that is had happened. Every time he would try different things to distract himself: watching television, listening to music, taking naps, shooting hoops in the back yard. It wasn't working.

So instead of doing the same this morning he got in his car and road aimlessly around town for a half and hour. He considered calling some people up to hang out, but it was still to early in the day. Everyone else he knew was probably still sleeping in.

By chance, or maybe a little of his own curiosity at work, Nathan found himself driving past The Rivercourt.. Nobody was there, as he expected, so he decided it wouldn't hurt to practice a little by himself. He actually found it was sort of peaceful out in the open like this, with no one around. It made him feel less alone.

It was when he'd almost wiped her completely from his mind, gotten to a point where he was in the zone, the ball the only things he was focusing on, that she seemed to appear out of thin air.

He saw her out of the corner of his peripheral vision. She was standing at the edge of the river, taking pictures of the Ferry as it drifted by. Her camera was big and bulky compared to her small hands, but she held it with a certain amount of ease. Taking pictures quickly and accurately.

Nathan stopped bouncing the ball to watch her. Interested. Intrigued. Irritated that he was either.

She finished her role, and began moving back further up on the grass ledge when she saw him looking at her.

They both paused, not sure what to do.

A first for him.

"Hey," he said nonchalantly, like they met this way often.

"Hey," she chimed back, and let her arms fall to her sides. He could tell she wanted to fidget with the object that dangled from her neck, but was forcing herself not to. She was really rather quirky, he thought.

"So what's with the camera," he asked, bouncing the ball up and down at his side, without even looking at. Like it was just another appendage from his body.

She glanced down at her chest and then back up at him, like she had forgotten it was even there."Oh, uh, it's for the Layout."

"The Layout?"

He gave her a questioning look, not sure what she was talking about and that caused her to smile.

"Sorry, occupational hazard. Um, I'm taking pictures for the Yearbook. It's for Mr. Bauer. He wants all of the editors to pick a few places that we think would look nice for the cover shot of this year's Yearbook and where we would like our Senior class picture taken. So I'm just scouting out some locations for him."

Nathan glanced down at his wrist watch. "At seven o'clock in the morning?"

Nobody he knew would ever be up this early on Saturday. Not for alcohol, or parties or probably even sex, and least of all, after school activities. Something about the way this girl held the camera in her hand, the way she looked so concentrated as she took those pictures, told him that she considered this more than a hobby. More than just something you do to get though High School.

Nathan found, he could see where she was coming from on that.

Haley laughed nervously and chewed on her bottom lip. She was definitely jittery and nervous alright. Nathan wasn't positive, but he was pretty sure that river boats didn't cause this kind of anxiety in people. And it gave him no small amount of satisfaction to think that the girl that had been refusing to leave his head, might not be quite as put off by him as he had previously imagined. Which now gave him power.

"Yeah, well I'm one of those early to rise, early to shine kind of people, you know?"

"No, I don't know actually," he smirked back at her. He didn't want to be such an asshat to her, that wasn't his intention when he'd first said hello, but somehow, the part of him that had been aggravated by her relentless presence in his mind, couldn't help but leak through it's only possible outlet: his mouth.

She was taken off guard by his change in attitude and his words. They'd gone from friendly conversation to something else entirely in a matter of seconds, and she couldn't figure out why.

For a moment she just stood staring at him in silence, not sure what to say to that kind of comment. Nathan watched the changing emotions through her eyes. He stared back at her, waiting for her next move, wanting to see how far he could push.

"I'll see ya later," she finally managed to get out. The sky above her was becoming cloudy and light gray and she felt a shiver run up her spine.

"What's the rush? You got anywhere else better to be?"

"I should really just . . . go," she turned to leave then, and Nathan figured that maybe being the asshole this time around wasn't going to grab her attention like it did with so many of the other girls he hung around with. But that was the kicker, wasn't it? He didn't know why he even cared. This girl, this strange intriguing girl, who he'd spent a minuscule amount of time with, had managed to worm her way into his brain. And whatever this was that he was feeling for her, had to be extinguished.

He didn't like it. He didn't want it. He didn't need it. But he couldn't get rid of it.

"Where are you going," he let the basketball fall from his hand, as he jogged up beside her.

"Home," she spit out, and he saw the distaste in her words. It made him want to laugh.

Nathan glanced around and saw no car insight, except for his own. But he hadn't really expected to see one anyway. "You're going to walk all that way?"

"I've done it a million times," she defended and picked up some speed. "It's not that far."

He found himself quickening his steps with hers and wanting to bitch slap himself for following her like a god damn lovesick puppy. What was this? Some elementary-school crush? He did not get those. He could have practically any girl he wanted and he was chasing after some nobody? No. He knew if he could watch himself right now he'd give himself a good hard kick in the balls. Nathan Scott did not chase after girls. This . . . this fascination or whatever it was he'd suddenly attained for her, was just because she didn't want him back. It was the oldest story in the book. Guy sees girl. Guys meets girl. Girl pretends she doesn't want guy, so guy feels he must have girl. It was all a bunch of crap.

What he really needed was just to sleep with her and get it over with. Have one meaningless night full of meaningless sex that would erase her from his mind completely.

Nathan often got bored with things once he played with them enough, and he knew she would be no exception. It was all about playing the game.

"Well let me make it easy for you. I'll give you a ride."

She kept her steps hurried, but turned her head toward him. "No. Thank you."

"Why not?"

"I would prefer to walk," was her excuse, and Nathan laughed.

"No one prefers to walk. Now come on. Let me give you a ride," he said and placed his arm around her shoulder to draw her back toward his car.

She tensed at his touch and shrugged off his arm. " I said no."

Never to be out done, Nathan let her little brush off slide over. He kept his smile tight and precise.

"Are you always this hostile to everyone? Or just the people you don't know?"

She started to scoff at him, but held herself back. "Just the people I don't know and don't trust."

Nathan's smile widened. Who knew she was full of such fire?

"Ok fair enough," he brought his hands up in defense. "But I wasn't asking for your social security number. I just want to give you a ride home."

Haley shook her head and turned to look at him again. There was an intensity in her eyes he hadn't seen before, and fueled him."Why? Because you want to be nice to me? I bet you don't even know my name."

"I know your name," he threw back at her, meeting her challenge.

"Really? Ok, tell what it is?"

She'd stopped walking, her body a foot a way from his, her hands folded around her body, trying to keep herself warm from the cool breeze.

Nathan racked his brain for an answer. "It's-It's um It's . . . "

"It's Haley," she spit out and turned back around. "Goodbye."

Nathan paused, not sure what to do. He hated that this girl made him feel this way. He hated not knowing how to act. He knew his chances of getting her out of his mind let alone sleeping with her were slipping away from him as the seconds passed. If he let her walk away, if he didn't try to salvage his mistake then she probably wouldn't ever talk to him again. And as much as he wanted to say, screw it, he also didn't want to spend the next few months with the image of her smile in his head when he woke up every morning.

"Haley! Haley wait! Hold up," he called, running up next to her, and grabbing her hand to stop her. She glared at him contempt and he pulled his hand away.

"You got me ok. I didn't know your name. But that doesn't mean I didn't want too. I know that sounds like some lame pick up line, but it's the truth. I was just too afraid to ask. I know I was being a jackass back their a few minutes ago. And you'll have to forgive. I'm not really used to this whole nice guy routine. But I do want to hangout with you sometime. And I'd really like to give you a ride home, if you'd let me."

He could literally see the ice melt from her eyes as he spoke. He saw her brow crinkle up and smooth out, her big doe eyes staring up at him, questioning him, wanting to believe him. And that's when he knew he had her.

"Haley," he said softly, his face innocent.

"Okay," she relented with reluctance, and followed him back to his car.

The ride to her house was completely silent, minus the formal directions. Haley continually glanced out the side window and Nathan kept his eyes mostly on the road. His mind was full.

When they pulled up into her driveway, she sat still, waiting for him to say something, ready to jump out, yet not wanting to.

Nathan turned to her, ready to pull out all his charm. Ready to do what he had to, to get what he needed.

Which was why, even he was surprised when the words, "So I'll see ya at school on Monday," spilled out of his mouth, without a second thought.

Haley saw him smiling at her, leaning toward. "Yeah, I guess so," she breathed out, worn out by their entire encounter. She half-expected him to try and kiss her again, the way he was smirk at her like she was some kind of meat.

"I'll look for you," he reached over her and Haley waited for the kiss. Not sure what she would do or how she would handle it. Instead if feeling his lips against hers, however, she felt his arm slide across her stomach and reach to unlock her door for her, pulling up on the latch and pushing it open.

Somewhat relieved, but more so disappointed Haley smiled and nodded, and slid out of the car and into her house. Nathan sat in his car, and thought about why he didn't kiss her.

He couldn't come up with an answer.

.........

It's midnight when Rich finally leaves, and Nathan thinks he can hear a collective sigh front him and his mother when his father shuts the door. He doesn't even waste time messing with the pleasantries once it's just him and his family again.

"I'm going to bed," he says, and stalks up to his room. He can hear his mother call 'goodnight' to him, hears his father mumble something about not staying up too late watching tv, but he doesn't really pay attention.

Once he's in the confines of his room, he pulls out his cell-phone and pushes number one on his speed dial. He waits a couple seconds and then hears a groggy voice pickup from the other end.

"Hello," she answers in nothing more than a whisper, and Nathan wonders why he hasn't noticed before that Haley's voice soothes him like a hit of Valium. He listens and his body is warm and sleepy. All through that meeting he's been restless and tense, about to start throwing things.

"Hey, it's me. You awake?"

"Now I am," she answers and her voice is smooth and gravely all at the same time. She seems a little irritated, and Nathan thinks that makes her sound even more sexy.

"I'm gonna come over, alright," it's more of a demand than a request, and usually she would just say no, but something in his voice tells her she shouldn't.

"Alright," she says, and goes to change out of her pajamas.

He parks on the street in front of her house. He doesn't even worry about her parents waking up and catching them anymore. Usually they aren't there, or if they are, they never wake up. Dead people don't sleep as heavy as they do.

Haley comes out the front door when she sees him pull up, and he thinks that just goes to prove his point more.

He has the front door open for her, and his stereo is turned down low. It's not something Haley recognizes from his collection, it's soft and mournful, pretty. Nathan catches her by the arm roughly and pulls her in. Haley stumbles into the car, falls onto Nathan and Nathan mumbles "c'mere" and somehow they both fit in the passenger seat. Haley left knee bangs against something hard and her right foot skids on the asphalt outside.

"Hey, are you ok," she asks, when she sees a darkness pass over his eyes. It's not lust, or want, or need. It's something else entirely.

Nathan slumps his head back against his seat, Haley still in his lap. "Yeah. I'm fine. Just the same crap as always."

She doesn't attempt to move, likes how his hands feel wrapped around her body, in even her uncomfortable position. "Did your Dad bring over another scout?"

He puffs out a laugh and closes his eyes. Opens them again and refocuses them on her. "No, but close. An actual coach this time. From Penn State no less."

Haley can see that Dan Scott's exceedingly high standards for his son are wearing thin. Nathan wants to be perfect for his Dad, just as much as Dan wants Nathan to be perfect. But it's a false utopia, Haley knows this. Yet she also knows Nathan doesn't always appreciate what he has either.

"He just wants to make sure you get to play in a good school next year Nathan."

"No, he wants to make sure I play in the school's he likes Haley. It's different."

"At least he cares enough to try," she retorts and Nathan just shrugs. She just doesn't get it. And he doesn't have the energy to explain it to her.

"Yeah, maybe," he takes a long breath in and brushes her hairs away from face, leans forward and rests his head against her neck.

Haley runs her hands over his back and rests her head against his. She feels his body try to relax around her. They sit that way for awhile. Neither of them moving.

"Tomorrow," Nathan says before he leaves, and Haley stands in the yard and watches him drive away. The cool spring night air seeps into her body and takes away all the heat he left behind. She's freezing when she slips back into bed.