Chapter Three
The next day, Haley was sitting at the bench at the Rivercourt. Nathan and her had talked about it and decided in the early mornings they would meet at the docks, before school, for his tutoring sessions, mainly because it was the only place Haley felt safe. Nathan had suggested the tutor center, but no way was Haley going to let her friends see her tutoring Nathan, after she said she wasn't. So the docks it was.
The Rivercourt was chosen for Haley's tutoring place, where Nathan would coach her in basketball. This was a mutual decision. Haley had her own reasons for not practicing at the gym and Nathan had his, they were pretty similar in that neither wanted their friends to see them together. So the Rivercourt it was.
Haley glanced at her watch, she had to be home in less than an hour and Nathan Scott was late as usual. She sighed with impatience, some people had lives you know. Nathan snuck up behind her.
"Hi." Haley screams before turning around and seeing Nathan laughing. Haley slaps him on the arm.
"Oww, Haley, what was that for."
Haley says,"That was so not funny Nathan. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
Nathan says,"All right, I'm sorry."
Haley frowns and says,"Fine, now can we start? I have to be home in less than an hour for dinner."
"You acutually eat dinner as a family?" Nathan says shocked.
Haley says,"Yeah. Mom and Daddy insist. We have to eat dinner and breakfast as a family. Peyt and I don't really mind all that much though. Why? Don't you guys eat together?"
Nathan starts laughing and says,"That's a good one. No we don't. See dinners at my house normally consist of Dad at the dealership, Mom working at the cafe and Lucas and I sitting in front of the TV with food Mom saved for us, sometimes Luke and I join her at the cafe. But I don't believe we have eaten together as a whole family in 10 years."
Haley says,"Oh I'm sorry."
Nathan says,"You know even when I said that it sounded depressing. Don't be sorry. It's better this way. Dad is somewhat of a control freak. All he ever does is push Lucas and I to achieve in basketball and be what he's not."
"Is that why you and Lucas are so good at it?"
Nathan says,"I guess, that's part of the reason. The other one is we push each other to achieve, to be the best at basketball, because it's our way out. Out of Tree Hill and out of Dad's life."
Haley frowns at this statement. She would never want to be apart from her family, they were all incredibly close, even her older sister Taylor, who didn't even live at home anymore. But this was something completely new to her, that families could acutually live like that. And it was happening to Nathan, she always thought he was just some jerk and now she was finally seeing the real him, the real Nathan Scott and not the popular, basketball star.
Nathan had no idea what came over him. Why he just spilled all that stuff to Haley, but something about her, just made it so easy to talk to her. He didn't know why, he felt like he could tell her stuff that not even his best friends knew or even Alexia and she didn't judge him and make him feel like he was worthless or just a pretty face. Like he mattered.
Haley smiles slightly at him before glancing at her watch.
Haley says,"We better get started."
Nathan smiles back at her and says,"Yeah."
They walk over to the court, Nathan has his basketball and they walk to the middle.
Nathan says,"Why don't you just try shooting one basket? Then I can see where you're at and see how much practice you need."
Haley takes the ball and tries to make it into the basket, pathetically, it only goes about 3 feet and then lands. Nathan is cracking up.
Nathan says,"Okay you weren't kidding when you said you were going to fail PE. That was pathetic. I've seen 5 year olds shoot better than that."
"Hey, you're suppose to be tutoring me, not making fun of me." Haley says with a smile on her lips.
Nathan says,"I'm sorry, that was just so funny." He walks up behind her. And puts his arms around her.
"You have to push the ball up with the tips of your hands. And then keep your eye on the center of the backboard."
Haley tries it. "Like this?"
Nathan says,"Yeah now shoot."
Haley does and this time she does better, going 3 1/2 feet before falling.
Nathan says,"See that was better. Now try again and put a little more power into it."
Haley does and it still doesn't make it in.
"This sucks Nathan. I can't shoot that way."
Nathan says,"Well there's always the granny style."
Haley says,"What's that?"
Nathan grabs the ball and shows her. Haley laughs.
"Does that amuse you?" Nathan says with a little grin.
Haley says,'It's just you look ridiculous when you do that." Nathan says,"Yeah well, the thing is, do you think you can manage it? If you can, you're not completely helpless, we will still have to work on the other normal shooting, but we can do this for now."
Haley says,"I'll try." She does it granny style and makes it into the basket. Then turns to where Nathan is laughing.
"You think it's funny Pretty Boy?"
Nathan grins and says,"Yeah it is Tutor Girl."
She moves to hug him in a spur of a moment type of thing. She pulls back and says,"Thanks Nathan for helping me. You're seriously the best."
Nathan smiles and says,"You're welcome Hales."
Haley looks at her watch and says,"Oh I have to go, I'm going to be late."
Nathan says,"Okay. 6 tommorrow." Haley says,"Yeah."
She smiles, grabs her bag and leaves. Nathan's eyes following her. Nathan slowly turns and leaves too, heading to his car.
Neither noticing Alexia hidding in the distance. She had watched their whole little "tutoring session" and she wasn't happy. It took every ounce of her, not to go there and interupt or say something, but she couldn't.
Besides she had something deeper in mind, something that was bound to tear Haley and Nathan apart and would make Nathan hers again. But she would play along for now, pretend like she had no idea they were tutoring each other, like normal. And then one day her plan was going to explode and it would be a killer.
Alexia turned to leave. She in turn hadn't noticed Tim, who had watched her, Haley and Nathan.
He had so badly wanted to interupt, say something, but he couldn't. He knew how Nathan could be and he too saw their connection. Secretly, he had habored a crush on Haley for years, since they first met. And he would be damned if he let Nathan Scott hurt her. Haley and him were suppose to be together and he had had to deal with her other countless boyfriends and now that she was single, it was his chance. And he would date her, even if he had to get rid of Nathan in the process.
See Tim acted dumb, but he was acutually really smart and he had formed a plan and he was determined to break up Haley and Nathan too, make sure they stayed far away from each other, so he would have his chance with Haley.
He slowly left and the Rivercourt was empty once more. Haley and Nathan returned to their homes with smiles on their face, neither expecting that two of their best friends were plotting to break the "friendship" they had formed and make sure they stayed far apart from each other. All they focused on was the afternoon they shared together and how special it was.
And there it is. Wow, it's long, I think that's the longest chapter I've written for any of my fan fics. But hopefully you enjoyed it, there was lots of Naley, to make up for the lack of them in the first two chapters. Oh and the Tim thing, that was just something that popped into my head, I did know I wanted him to have a crush on her though.
As for happy Naley, it will be coming up, when, not sure, but it will happen. It is a Naley love story after all, but it wouldn't be complete without the drama and there will be plenty of that before they hook up.
Please read and review. Comments are love.
Love,
Gracie
