1Chapter 16

"Missing the Party"

I sat at the river court watching Lucas and Nathan play with some other guys. It was the only place I knew to go where nobody knew my "situation" and probably didn't care. I guess a part of me wanted him to run out after me, but the other part would have hated him even more if he would have tried consoling me. I didn't need consolation, I needed a father for those 10 years when I didn't have one. And all that he tried to do couldn't bring that back. He couldn't make the painful memories go away. He just couldn't.

"Hi," a squeaky voice said. I turned to see a kid sliding beside me. "I'm Mouth, by the way," he grinned and stuck out his hand.

I smiled and took it, "Haley. It's nice to meet you, Mouth."

"Yeah, you, too, Haley. So... are you new around here or have I just not seen you around before?"

"Oh, I'm new," I smiled. He was a nice kid, probably my age. He was a little dorky looking, but he was still a cutie, "um, I'm David James's daughter," I smiled.

His face lit up, "Oh, yeah, I know Coach Davey, but, I, ugh, didn't know he had a daughter."

"Yeah, everybody around here knows him and nobody knows he has a daughter. Well, surprise," I plastered a fake smile on my face. "He has a daughter," I rolled my eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry, Mouth. I'm just having a rough day. I don't mean to take it out on you."

"Oh, it's fine," he smiled, nodding. "But, it's only 10:30 and your having a rough day?"

I nodded, laughing. "I got in this huge fight with my dad..." I sighed. "I guess I'm just kind of getting used to having one again, you know."

"Not really, but I can begin to understand. Lucas has never had a dad, either. Well, I mean, he has, but Dan thinks he's the scum of the earth, so, his dad sucks. Actually, Dan is really the scum of the earth, but whatever."

"Yeah, he really sounds like he is."

"And Nathan, well, Nathan and Lucas hated each other until they banded together to bring Dan down and both have been acting like actual brothers since then."

"That's horrible," I sighed. As soon as I heard about all of their problems, they all seemed to belittle mine, and the thing was, they acted like everything was fine. "So, who are the other guys. Do they have life stories, too?" I asked, laughing.

"Well..." he looked over the court. "Do you see the high post?" I nodded. "That is Jake Jagelski. He is dating Lucas and Nathan's ex, Peyton, who is..." he looked to the left where two girls were walking towards us. "The blonde," he nodded to a sullen-looking curly blonde walking beside a pretty brunette. "He also has a 3-year-old baby girl, Jenny, but she isn't Peyton's. Peyton is a cheerleader and the beautiful girl walking next to her is Brooke..." I could tell by the way he paused and looked at her that he had a crush. It was actually kind-of cute. I smiled. The first real smile all day. "Well, she is dating Lucas," he said with a faint hint of sadness in his voice. "She is head cheerleader, too."

"Figures," I mumbled.

"And... anyway... do you see the guard on the left wing?" I nodded, looking at the medium-sized brown-headed guy. He needed a haircut, I concluded. "That is Tim Smith. The way he acts sometimes, its as if he wants to be Nathan's girlfriend."

I laughed, "I'm sure Nathan wouldn't have a problem with that."

"Do you know Nathan," he asked, smiling, looking at me curiously.

"Oh, uh, yeah, I played a game with him and Lucas yesterday afternoon," I explained. "Nathan and Lucas put up a good fight, but David and I took it."

"So your pretty good?"

"Fairly decent," I nodded.

He laughed and nodded, "the black guy that just ran past us and waved is Skills, the other black guy is Fergie, and then there is Junk, Matt–"

He was interrupted by my cell phone ringing. "Oh, sorry," I said, grabbing it and looking at the caller ID. It was a number I didn't recognize. "Hold on to those names, ok?" I laughed, opening the phone.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Haley?" I didn't recognize the voice.

"Yeah."

"Hey, I'm Logan, the bartender from the other night at the party."

"Oh, yeah, hey Logan. So, you calling me because I didn't pay for the drinks or something?"

"No, I'm calling to ask you if I could take you up on that offer for sex on the beach..." he laughed, but I could tell he wasn't joking. Well, at least I didn't think he was joking. Brooke and Peyton had now reached the picnic table and were greeting Mouth, but had a suspicious eye on me.

"Oh..." I laughed. "Sex on the beach, right. You do know that I was just talking about the drink, don't you. I mean, Logan, you were fun and all, but I don't date bartenders," I lifted up my hand and slightly waved at the two shocked-looking girls and got up from the table, going to stand over the side a little, out of earshot. I could tell Mouth was telling them who I was just by the way they were nodding and staring me down as he talked.

"Why no bartenders?"

"I much rather date hot frat guys," I joked.

"Oh really?"

"Really."

"Then I guess you are talking to your guy right now," he laughed.

"Oh, you're a frat guy? Oh, well, what a surprise," I said unenthusiastically, mentally kicking myself. "Who would've thought?" I laughed rustily, slapping my forehead for saying the thing about liking hot frat guys.

"Yeah, who would've thought?"

"Um, well, Logan, give me your number and I'll get back to you on that offer, ok? Oh, you know what, never mind. I think it's in the caller ID."

"Yeah, get back to me on that, Haley."

"Uh, I will."

"Anytime."

"Sure. Bye," I hung up the phone, not waiting for him to say anything else. I sighed and shook my head. I couldn't believe he'd gotten my number. Bartenders were only supposed to make your drinks, not date you. Though dating a bartender would probably have its perks, there was no way. And Logan was hot, I'll admit it. But, still.. I thought about Ryan and smiled slightly to myself. I put the phone back in my pocket and made my way over to the picnic table again.

"Hey, I'm sorry about that, Mouth," I smiled.

"Oh, no worries, Haley," he smiled. I laughed and nodded, looking over at the two girls.

"Hi, I'm Haley," I stuck out my hand.

"I'm Brooke," the brunette stuck out her hand. I smiled and nodded at her, taking it, then the blonde.

"Peyton," she nodded. "You have... interesting phone conversations to say the least," she laughed.

"Oh," I laughed, rolling my eyes. "Sorry about that. Um, I went to a party a couple of nights ago with a friend of mine and I told this guy that I was this sorority girl for kicks, you know. Anyway, I got totally wasted and stood by the bar the whole time, so..." I nodded. "It was just a joke. The sex on the beach, thing. Just a drink, you know, but now he has my number, and..." I breathed outward, raising my eyebrows.

They both nodded. "So, Mouth was telling us about you being David James's daughter. You know, it's funny that he has never mentioned you," the Brooke started talking. Brooke and Peyton shared a look to which Brooke just shrugged off and looked back at me.

"Um, I guess it must have slipped his mind."

"And do daughters slip fathers' minds just like that? I mean, it just seems like something happened to make you finally come and live with him now."

"I, uh, yeah, something did happen."

"What?"

"Brooke!" Peyton hissed.

"Hey ladies," Lucas came jogging over, a wide smile on his face. "And Mouth," he laughed, turning to the small, blonde kid watching us with wide eyes.

"Hey Luke," Mouth nodded. Lucas bent over and gave Brooke a kiss, then nodded at the blonde.

"Hey Haley," he smiled at me.

"Hey Lucas," I smiled and then watched as the rest of the guys came over towards us.

"What are you doing here?" Nathan hissed, his eyes slit, as he came over to stand beside me.

I shrugged, "decided to come down and see what you were up to, love."

"Bull," he rolled his eyes. I gave him a pleading look, begging him not to ask anymore questions. He gave me a weird look, but nodded.

"Hey guys," I said to the rest of the group. "I'm Haley." They all nodded and murmured, some even waving. Jake made his way past us to stand beside Peyton.

"So, Haley, Lucas told us that you almost kicked Nathan's manhood out of him," Jake couldn't help himself from busting out laughing, too.

Nathan glared at Lucas, "man, what is your problem?"

"No, I didn't," I shook my head. "It was just that I was going up for a lay-up and Nathan didn't realize how high up in the air I was, and I accidentally kicked in the air, you know, because I thought that he was going to kill me or something," I laughed, patting Nathan's back. "He is still a man, you guys, don't taunt him," I smiled jokingly. Everybody laughed.

"Thanks, Haley," he said sarcastically.

"Don't mention it, Nathan," I pushed him playfully. The group–losing their concentration and not caring anymore–went to talking amongst themselves.

"So, are you going to tell me what your really doing here with that look," he asked quietly. I sighed and shook my head, gently sliding by him and making my way away from the group. "Come on, Haley. I know I'm not the greatest advice guy or whatever, but something is definitely perturbing you."

"Perturbing?" I rolled my eyes. "You mean, besides you?" I laughed.

Nathan just stared at me, "Haley."

"It's David," I finally gave in. "We had this fight about... about life before me coming to Tree Hill and things didn't really go well and... well... this was the only place I could think of to come."

"The river court?"

"Yeah," I nodded.

"And did you come to see me and my fine, sexy self?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes, laughing, "no. I came because basketball is a solace for me... and then you guys just happened to be here."

"So, what's the deal with you, Haley?" Nathan asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, why are you even here? Why now? What really happened back in Charlotte?"

"My–" I started, but was interrupted.

"Am I missing the party?" I whirled around to face Ryan, smiling.