I had to do it, and I just loved the reviews on how Nathan was a complete idiot. But, yeah, I had to do it, so that I can do this. Yeah, you have to read it to find out, cause I'm not going to say anything. I know, the suspense is killing ya'll cause you're reading this… well okay… I'm done.

Austyn

Leaving Town

Chapter 10- A Score That Does Not Lie

It was another night of Tree Hill High Basketball. Excitement in the air, people crowded the stands. It was amazing how one game could bring people out like this, even though their team, well, sucked. The Tree Hill Ravens hadn't been very good in years. The players were good, just not the plays, and they were started to blame the coach.

The coach, however, was Nathan Scott, and his ass was on the line here, the game hadn't started out well, with his best player on the bench with an injury. Then his team's cheerleaders were banned from the gym because the ref was tired of telling them to keep their poms off of the court, to stay behind the line, and they just wouldn't listen.

The newspapers were there, all ready to catch the story after Coach Nathan Scott lost his last game as Coach of Tree Hill High, taking pictures of the scoreboard, with dramatically low scores, or Nathan, or refs, or players, or the fans, they were just all around, waiting for Nathan to loose the game.

Nathan was ready to loose the game. It was only five minutes into the game and they were starting their deep hole to be buried in, and that was just discouraging, Every time the other team scored a basket, he got more and more discouraged and depressed, and it just kept getting worse.

Peyton and Brooke were sitting in the stands behind him, Brooke gabbing on about the cheerleaders, and how they were all sluts, and stupid , and was extremely outraged that they couldn't stay behind a line, were they really that fat, and Peyton was trying to calm her down about how good her squad was, and that they never did that, and that she should really be quiet, cause Nathan could hear her, and needed to concentrate.

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From a side door, close to the back of the gym she walked in. Nobody really noticed her, she looked just like a student anyways. She always was short, and decked out in school colors, blue and white, of course she blended in.

She walked up to him, and grabbed him by the collar, dragging him to the back corner of the gym, so quickly, he didn't know what was going on, and before he could figure it out, she was kissing him, then whispered in his ear, "More later if you win." That's when he looked at her.

It was Haley, is Haley, the Haley he was so scared to call, that it would be the wrong time, that he let two years pass. She looked at him, almost impatiently, "Well, aren't you going back to your game, I hear your job depends on it, and you're pretty far into the hole, might want to go fix it," she smiled.

That shook him back into reality. He had a game to win. He had to win, if he didn't want to loose her again, or his job, the job he loved. Plus, he would love to see the shocked look on the reporters faces when he won, and the school board. Oh, to see their jaws drop. He walked back to the game, with Haley a little behind him, and she took a seat just behind the bench.

"Nathan, who's that?" Haley asked, pointing to the person on the far end of the bench.

"Katie, she's a freshman, awesome player."

"So, why isn't she in?"

"She's a girl."

"Nathan! I mean, you said yourself, she's an awesome player, and I see a guy out there who keeps traveling. I suggest you make a switch. Now!"

"But…"

"Nathan…"

"Fine," he looked down on the bench, "Carter, come here." The girl quickly got up and ran over to him.

"Yes coach?"

"Yeah, I need you to go in for Johnson, or Mr. I have superglue all over my fingers and can't seem to let go of a damn ball. You've got on hell of a jump shot, use it, because you're a girl, they'll be aftraid to block you, and the Gerther twins will back you up, tell them coach's orders, now go."

"You're seriously going to put me in?"

"Yes, now move, before I change my mind." She girl squealed with delight and ran in. What Nathan had as was true. Guys didn't want to cover a girl, either their egos wouldn't let them, or their girlfriends.

By halftime, they were tied. 60-60. With Haley there, something changed, he realized that he had been putting in some bad players, and that was going to change. His regular starting line was now his bench warmers, and most of his benchwarmers, were, well, out there playing, and doing a heck of a job.

When they came back out from halftime, the crowd was cheering for them, something that hadn't happened since, well, a longtime, and it felt good. It felt good to have the crowd on their side. It felt good to have everything.

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They won, not by much, but they won nonetheless. Everyone was shocked, but at least his job was saved, for another day. This was going to make the front page of the newspapers, and headlines on the evening news.

He looked around for her. Haley. His Haley. She helped him win, but he couldn't see her in the crowds. He is face fell.

"Hey, what's wrong, you won, you should be happy."

He turned around and hew her, "Hey, I thought you left."

"Why, we made a deal. You win, you get more of this," she kissed him, "If you didn't, I would have left," Haley said, taking his hand, and kissing him again, this time flashes went off around them. The reporters were taking pictures of them.

"Come on," Nathan said, as they ran out of there, "Sorry about that, big day, the Tree Hill Ravens won, well, thanks to your help."

"Hey, it's nothing, besides, you had a girl play on your team, and she was good, did you see her face, you made her so happy."

"Yeah, I guess I did, hey… I just noticed something, where's Meredith?"

"She's at home with Taylor, kindergarten already. Five years old, I still can't believe it."

"You mean she's not with your brother, her dad."

"No, he, he, he died overseas, a couple months ago. He was scheduled to come home a week after he died. Hey, things just turn out that way. I'm actually in town to meet with a lawyer to sign full custody of her over to me, and I heard that there was a basketball game tonight, and well, I came, and I saw you, and well, the score didn't lie, you were single, and you didn't call me, so, I decided to work my magic again, for you," Haley said, and smiled.

"I'm sorry, about your brother, and thanks, that saved my job, they were all ready to fire me, and then, well, thanks."

"Hey, anytime. So, are you still on for that make-out session?"

"How about dinner first, you can join Peyton, Brooke, Luke, Jake and I for dinner at Karen's after every game."

"Um, okay, yeah, I guess."

"Good, cause we're probably going to be partying tonight."

He took her hand and they walked there, hand in hand, Nathan looking down at the beautiful woman at his side. They walked into the café, where the party was in full swing, but when they saw who was accompanying Nathan, they all froze.

"What happened, I thought we were having a party," Nathan said, looking at everyone.

Brooke bounced over, "Hales, you're, you're back!" she said, giving her a big hug.

"Brooke… I… can't… breathe…" Haley gasped out, trying to free herself from her friend's grip.

"Sorry," Brooke said, backing away.

"It's okay."

"Are… are you back for good?"

"I don't really know. Right now I'm meeting with my lawyers in this custody thing with Meredith, her dad, my brother, he died a couple months ago. Now I'm trying to make it really official that she's mine. I was supposed to meet with my lawyer tonight, actually, but last minute he cancelled it on account of a Tree Hill High basketball game, so I decided to come and watch a game, help Coach Scott win a game and keep his job."

"OMG! That was you! Peyton! You so owe me five bucks!"

"Wait… you two placed bets on my love life," Nathan interjected.

"It's only five dollars Nate… jeez."

"Like that makes me feel better."

"Well, the fifty dollar bet is if you get married before the new year, and it looks like Peyton's gonna win that, considering."

"Considering what?"

"Well, today is December 30th, tomorrow is the last day of the year, and on January first, I will owe Peyton fifty dollars, thanks Nate, really, I could have really used that money," Brooke pouted, and walked over to Lucas.

"Thanks Brooke, now he can choose who he likes better, me or you, to win the bet," Peyton pouted back, sitting on the counter next to Jake.

"What… it was your idea to bet on his love life."

"No it wasn't… it was so yours."

"Well… you went along with it."

"Real good comeback Brooke," Peyton said as they both started cracking up.

"Hey, ya'll still bet on my love life."

Brooke and Peyton looked at each other, "We're sorry, we won't do it again," Brooke said, holding back laughter.

"You better not."

"Nate, come on, let it go, they didn't mean any harm," Haley said, running her fingers up his arm to his shoulder, then placing a firm hand on it.

He looked at her, "I guess you're right."

She shook her head, "I know I'm right, and you do to, now come on, you won a game remember, so now we get to celebrate!"