1Chapter 6 - "Ruined Lives"

"Haley?" I turned around to face Lucas this time.

I put on a fake, made up smile, "hi, Lucas."

but his face didn't look reassured. It actually looked worried. And this guy had only known me a day... less than a day, actually, and the time he'd spent with me was probably only a couple of hours, "I heard that you fled from English. Nate... do you know him?"

"Not really," I played it off, "I just... well... there was... my stomach was really butterfly-y around being new and all. it happens."

"Is that the real reason?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes. Of course..."

"Well, I heard that Nathan got up and followed you out of the classroom. Now–my being Nathan Scott's half brother and all, I would know–any other new girl that graced the face of our small, little campus–no matter how cute she was–would not have been given the time of day, and he certainly wouldn't run after them. Nathan Scott doesn't run after new girls. Hell, he doesn't run after girls period."

I shrugged, "he just went to use the bathroom or something. I didn't see him while I went to the bathroom."

"Ok, now I've only known you about a day, but I can so call your bullshit"

I let out a deep breath, watching the people as they passed us while looking curiously, wondering what Lucas Scott was doing talking to the new girl, "it's just really complicated and that's all I really want to say abou–"

"Hey, Luke, what's up, man?" a boy, about my height, with relatively long–compared to Lucas's–hair.

"Tim, hey," Lucas hit his fist.

"We gotta talk man. It's about Nate."

"Seems like he's the topic of the day. Sure, I'll talk to you later," he nodded and Tim walked away.

"Look, I–"

we were interrupted again, this time by Nathan himself, "Lucas," he cleared his throat, eyes focused on Lucas, "we really need to talk, man," he said, his face drained.

I tucked a strand of hair and looked away, not wanting to act as if I was hanging on every word Nathan told Lucas... even though I was, "what?" Lucas asked in a low voice.

"Man, we just gotta talk. Now. Let's skip and take a drive."

"Oh..." Lucas's sentence trailed off, "Haley," he turned towards me.

I looked up at Lucas, trying not to let my gaze falter from him to Nathan, even though my eyes were acting like they were having a mind of their own, "yeah?"

"We'll talk later, ok? At the café, maybe? Tonight. Meet me tonight, 7:00, at the café."

"Ok," I nodded. "I'll see you there," and there it was. My gaze shifted and I was staring into Nathan's deep, blue eyes. We held the gaze until I finally tore it apart. What was I doing? I felt my warm, hazel eyes fill with hate and turn cold.

I hated this guy. I had been too vulnerable this morning, that's why I had sunk to the level of indecency as I found comfort in my mother's killer, but who did that? Who went to their mother's killer for comfort? Horrible people like me. I answered my own question. I mentally kicked myself as I started down the hall and towards my next class.

I opened the door to the café, the same little jingle sounding, as Karen and Lucas looked up from the bar. They both gave me the identical, warm smile as I walked over towards them, "hi, Haley," Karen smiled.

"Hey, Karen. It's nice to see you again."

"You, too, Haley. Is there anything I can get for you?"

"Um... a sweet tea and some pie, please," I smiled.

"Coming right up," Karen laughed, moving around to fix the same thing I'd ordered the previous night.

"So, how are things going, Lucas?" I smiled, avoiding his gaze.

"I know, Haley."

I cleared my throat, "what?" I asked stupidly. I had a feeling I knew what he was about to say.

"Please don't play the stupid role with me. Brooke plays that out," he shot back. "I know I don't know you all that much, but... Can we go somewhere and talk."

I rubbed my temples, I hesitated and then looked at Lucas, "we came here to try and get away from everybody that knew about it. I thought we did. I thought we could just start over in this little, hick town... and then I saw Nathan. Who, in a million billion trillion years, would have thought I would have chose the same small, quaint town where the same person had killed my mother lived. I guess it's one of those cases where irony comes kicking you in the ass, huh."

Karen set the saucer down with the piece of delicious-looking cherry pie, as well as the full glass of cold, sweet tea that was making my mouth water looking at it. "Karen, I'm really sorry about thi–"

"Hold the pie, Mom, I'm gonna show Haley around town first. Is that ok?"

"Fine," she smiled nicely, looking at the both of us, trying to figure out what was going on, but Lucas wasn't saying anymore, and I wasn't going to, either.

"Come on," he muttered as he started towards the door.

I looked hesitantly at Karen, not meaning to be so harsh and just leave her with only that crap explanation and a full piece of pie and glass of tea. I grabbed the money out of my pocket, grabbing a five dollar bill and holding it out for her, but Karen shook her head, "I'll eat it," she smiled, laughing, "go on. Go "tour Tree Hill,"

I smiled gratefully and ran out the door to catch up with Lucas who was already starting to walk. "Hey," I called, running towards him, finally catching up. "Hey."

"You know, last year my uncle, Keith, and I were driving to the airport to go pick up my mom–she'd gone to Italy for this cooking course–and, anyways, Keith was turned, talking to me, and he didn't see the car that was barreling through the green light until after the headlights were less than a foot away from the passenger door. The car hit us on the passenger side, which happened to be my side, and it sent both cars flying across the pavement... I was pretty messed up. So was Keith... but I had to have surgery and then afterwards, I was in a coma for a couple days. Now, I know that doesn't even compare to your mom getting killed, but... after my accident, my mom never forgave Keith. They were just starting to get their relationship started–the one my uncle had been wanting to have with my mom since high school–but it never happened. My mom couldn't get past blaming Keith for almost killing me, and Keith sold his auto shop to pay for my medical bills, then he finally left in defeat. It ruined his life."

"Wow, that soliloquy was really touching," I said sarcastically. "I'm loving this whole analogy between my life and yours, but what does this have to do with anything?"

"The point is... Nathan never, ever meant to run that stop sign. He never meant to kill your mother, and... he has a whole life ahead of him, Haley. Don't suppress that hate for him in your heart, because that is just going to eat away at him–and you–more. And now, having to see you everyday, he is going to be reminded of that every day. Please... don't do the same thing my mom did to Keith."

"Oh, so you just want me to let this go because your worried I'll ruin Nathan's life? Do you realize what your saying, Lucas? He killed one of the only people who mattered in my life."

"I know that, Haley. And he feels awful. I've never seen him so bad before."

"I don't think that I can just go up to him and let it all be alright, Lucas."

"I'm not asking you to let it be alright. I'm asking you to just... not suppress your hate."

"So you want me to let out my hate? Maybe snap and start running at him with a bat screaming bloody murder or something, because I really wish–"

"No... I want you to stop hating him."

"I'm sorry, I don't think I can do that," I said, shaking my head, "you don't know anything about it, Lucas, and I would like it if you would mind your own fucking business from now on."

Lucas threw up his hands, backing a step away, "I'm sorry. All I'm saying is that... I've seen somebody get hurt like that once. I don't want Nathan to throw everything away for one mistake he made."

"He killed somebody! I hardly classify that as a mistake. A mistake is if you mark an incorrect answer on a paper or misspell a word. No, he killed my mother."

"It was an accident, Haley."

"It was my mother, Lucas. How many more times do I have to explain this to you?" I paused as an uneasy silence fell over us, "you know what, I'm not fighting with you anymore," I said in a weak voice, defeated. "You act exactly like Bram," I muttered more to myself than Lucas.

"Who?" he asked, his eyes a-blaze.

"Nobody," I shook my head, "forget it, Lucas."

"Nathan is looking at a full ride to NC State. He's only a junior and scouts from all over are interested. He looks like a future NBA draft. Please... please, Haley, don't screw that up for him."

I bit my lip, shaking my head with rage. Not only did I hate his brother, but I hated Lucas now, too, "and I'm sure my life is just going to be a bowl of cherries. Don't worry, Lucas, I'm not going to ruin his life," and with that, I turned around and stormed off in the direction of Drew's Ford truck, driving madly back to the hotel.