Author's Note: Guys, feel free to PM me with questions if you're confused but a lot of confusion can be avoided if you pay attention to the dates and locations posted at the top of every chapter. Thanks...
2008
Manhattan, New York
Haley Scott straightened her cream colored skirt and matching brown top. Her hair had been curled and her make up applied perfectly. She was a nervous beauty, twiddling her thumbs as she paced back and forth backstage at Madison Square Garden.
"Haley?"
She looked in the direction of where she had heard someone call her name. When she saw who it was, she smiled and embraced the bundle of energy bounding towards her.
"Brooke! Hey. Oh, thank God, you're here. I was beginning to think you weren't gonna make it."
"Please? And miss Superstar Boy Toy's big day?"
"Is Luke with you?"
"Yeah. He's walking around looking for Nathan probably."
Haley rolled her eyes.
"Good luck. There are so many agents and press around, it feels like I need a microphone and a camera guy to stand next to my own husband."
Brooke draped a sympathetic arm around her sister in law.
"Look at it this way. After today, you guys are gonna be super rich."
Haley sighed.
"I know. But money isn't everything."
"No but it sure as hell helps."
"I don't know, Brooke. These past two years in Virginia have been the happiest of our married lives. Financially there have been more struggles than not but we got through them together and it's been great. It's been normal. I mean, I am so happy and excited for this day because I know it's what he wants more than anything but at the same time it's really scary. Everything is about to change."
Change was an understatement. Their young lives would never be the same again depending on what was about to happen in that arena when the press conference went live in 20 minutes. It was June 28, 2008, the day of the NBA draft. Shocking fans, media, family and most of all everyone at the University of Virginia, Nathan Scott had forfeited further college eligibility to enter his name for a chance to turn pro two years early, the summer before what was supposed to be his junior year.
"Hey", Lucas jogged towards the girls, kissing Haley's forehead and taking Brooke's hand. "I didn't miss anything yet, did I?"
Haley shook her head.
"He's giving interviews right now. Nothing has started yet. When it does, they are gonna let all of us in the press box."
Lucas nodded.
"Aren't you excited, Hales? I mean, this is it."
"Yeah", she said softly. "This is it."
"You okay, Buddy?"
She buried her head in the shoulder of the young man who had been her best friend through thick and thin.
"I'm just scared out of my mind. Terrified."
"It's gonna be okay."
"I hope so. I just can't stop worrying. What if he doesn't get drafted at all? What's that going to do to him? How will that affect his career and his future eligibilities? And then what if he does get drafted? That changes everything. Nathan will be in the NBA getting paid a lot of money, traveling all over the country all of the time. It's a lot of new pressure and responsibility. It'll be different than college, that's for sure. And God forbid, if he ever gets hurt and he can't play anymore, then he won't have a college education to fall back on and…"
"Hales. Whoa! Calm down", Lucas smiled. "Breathe. You're getting way ahead of yourself. Look, I know you're nervous and scared for him. So am I. So are Brooke and Deb and Royal and Mae and Keith and everybody else who cares about Nathan. But he's a grown man and he has to make his own decisions. He has thought long and hard about this and I know as a couple you've talked about it but this is what he wants. And I don't think it's necessarily an all bad thing. We just have to support him and have faith that whatever happens, it's for a reason and it's all going to work out."
She relaxed a little bit hearing his speech and smiled as she saw her beloved round the corner looking so handsome in his suit. Haley smiled, feeling quite proud of herself that she had bought and picked out that blue tie for him. Blue was his color. It brought out his eyes.
"Everybody made it", Nathan grinned as he knocked fists with Lucas and hugged and kissed Brooke.
"We wouldn't miss this for the world, Nate, and afterwards, Luke and I are taking you two out to celebrate at the 21 Club. I already reserved a private dining room and everything", Brooke smiled.
"I don't know, babe", Lucas joked. "Looks like my little brother here is gonna be the big millionaire. Maybe he and Hales should be treating us."
"You wish, you cheap fucker", Nathan laughed. "Anyway, we'll have plenty of time to argue over who's gonna pay for what because as far as I'm concerned, we're partying all night. Now if you two will excuse us, I just need to talk to my wife in private for a minute."
He pulled Haley into a corner and they kissed before she straightened the blue tie.
"You ready, babe?" she asked. "It's your big moment."
"Our big moment", Nathan corrected.
"Yeah…"
He stroked her cheek.
"You look sad. Is everything alright? Are you okay?"
Haley shrugged.
"Yeah. I mean, of course I am. It's just…"
"Everything is about to change for both of us. I know. Look, it's scary but we're gonna be okay."
"Are you sure giving up college is what you want?"
Nathan nodded.
"I'm sure, babe. Look, I know you don't agree but it's for the best. Everything I've ever done on that court, every shot, every rebound, every steal or assist led up to this day. This is what's it about, Haley, what it's always been about. The plan always led to the NBA. This is my chance, a real shot. Basketball is what I do. I'm great at it and it makes me happy. I was never gonna be a lawyer or a doctor or anything like that. I'm not cut out for school. This is what was meant for me."
"I know. And I am proud of you. I'm your wife, Nathan and I love you. If this is what you want, then it's what I want, too."
He smiled.
"Great. Because I think I'm a sure draw for the number one or number two picks. The Supersonics won the draft lottery and The Raptors will go second. So either we'll be house hunting in Seattle or Toronto."
"I was thinking. Wouldn't it make more sense for you to get an apartment wherever you end up? Something nice but practical."
Nathan frowned.
"Why? Hales, I'm gonna be making real money, our money. We can live nice for a change and the best part is, it has nothing to do with Dan Scott."
"I know but with you on the road most of the time and me back in Virginia at the house and…"
"What?"
"Nathan, I said…"
"I heard what you said, Haley. Now what's all this crap about you staying in Virginia?"
"How else am I going to finish school?"
Nathan laughed out loud.
"You're kidding, right?"
She looked him in the eye.
"No. Nathan…"
"Haley, that's stupid."
"Nathan!"
"No. I mean it. It's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
She folded her arms.
"Your wife wanting to earn her college degree is all of a sudden a bad thing?"
"No, it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Haley, I am going to be playing for the NBA. I am going to make millions of dollars from playing ball, not to mention endorsements and all that other stuff. We don't need college or degrees. Why? You're gonna be living in mansions, driving luxury sports cars, flying around in our own private jet eventually. With all that, who is gonna give a shit if you don't finish college?"
"I will", she protested. "I give a shit. It'll bother me. Nathan, this is my life we're talking about here."
"Hales…"
"Basketball, the NBA has always been your dream. I have always tried to respect that and support you on it even when it didn't make a lot of sense to me, even when I saw it taking over your life and basically destroying you. But regardless of how I felt, I would never try to squash your dreams. So why are you trying to squash mine?"
"I'm just trying to keep my family together."
"But you're gonna be gone most of the time anyway. When you're not flying or on a bus, you'll be at practice or playing in home games. You won't be around anyway. I could stay on in Charlottesville and finish up my degree. We can visit each other all the time, and we'll totally be inseparable come the off season."
"It's not the same."
"Nathan…"
"I just can't believe you're being so selfish about this."
Haley's eyes widened.
"Selfish? Me?"
"This is supposed to be one of the greatest days of my life and somehow you're finding a way to ruin it."
"Nathan! How can you say that?" tears threatened.
"We talked about this and we knew I was gonna go pro and…"
"From the jump I said I intended to finish school."
He threw his hands up in exasperation.
"Fine! Hales, whatever. If that's your thing, go for it but UVA isn't the only school in the world. You could transfer to wherever I'll be and then there's always online courses."
"It's not the same thing."
"I don't get it. Why are you being so stubborn?"
"Because", she bit her lip. "I love you and I'm proud of you and all this NBA business is just fine and dandy but at the end of the day, I want to be more than Nathan Scott's wife. I want my own identity. I don't want to lose myself. I want to be Haley Scott with her own hopes and goals and dreams."
"I'm not saying you can't, Hales. But why can't you do it with me?"
"Nathan, this is what I want and it's how I feel. I won't compromise on this."
He nodded.
"Fine. It's your life, your decision. But just think about what you're doing."
"Is that a threat? An ultimatum?"
He shrugged.
"Take it however you want to. It should be a reminder though. I love you, Haley. I want us to be together forever, that's why I married you. Husbands and wives are supposed to be together. That's what a marriage is. It doesn't work when two people want separate things. That just creates a house divided. That's no good. Remember what happened last time you left?"
She rolled her eyes.
"Don't throw the tour or Chris Keller in my face, please."
"I'm not throwing anything in your face, Hales. But I want a wife, not some chick thousands of miles away that I see once every two weeks and talk to whenever our schedules allow it. And I want a real home. Not some empty house to parade in and out of."
"Nathan…"
"I love you and I know you love me but this is who I am. You married a basketball player. And like it or not, this is our life now, our new world. You knew all along it was coming so you may as well get used to it. If not, if you can't handle my career or how things are gonna change and how it's all gonna be from now on, then maybe you need to sit back and reevaluate whether or not you even want to be with me."
A tear slid down her cheek.
"Of course I want to be with you."
He shrugged.
"Then I don't know what to tell you, Haley", he whispered.
"Scott! It's time", came a voice from the media coordinators.
Nathan held his wife's hand in his own before kissing it and heading to the designated spot. Lucas and Brooke, who had overheard everything, followed her inside. There was already a buzz about the room as cameras flashed on and off in their faces.
"Are you okay?" Brooke asked.
Haley wiped at her eyes, trying to hide all signs that she had been crying.
"I'm fine", she said softly.
The press conference began and the trio tried to remain pleasant as the live video feed often zeroed right in on the faces of the wife, superstar college playing brother, and sister in law of the most talked about draft entry.
"Haley…"
She squeezed Lucas' hand.
"It's okay", she whispered.
"No, it's not okay. Brooke and I heard everything."
"It doesn't matter", she quietly insisted.
"I'd say that's about all that does matter right about now. I mean, what are you gonna do?"
She shrugged and held her breath just in time to hear the announcement heard round the entire sports world.
"…In Round One, the Seattle Supersonics choose at number one, from the University of Virginia, Nathan Scott!"
The crowd erupted as a grinning Nathan stood and approached the podium. He shook hands with the coaches and various league officials associated with that franchise as they put the official Sonics cap on Nathan's head and they posed for pictures. Of course ESPN, Sports Illustrated and the sports announcing team from TNT would all be clamoring to get the first interview and reactions. Eventually, they'd want to speak with the wife and brother as well. Haley, Lucas and Brooke stood to their feet and applauded, smiles on their faces.
"You asked what I'm going to do, Luke?" she whispered.
Lucas and Brooke looked at her with concern as Haley exhaled a deep breath.
"Hope my hair can hold up in the weather because it looks like I'll be house hunting in the Rainy City", she answered with a sad sigh.
