Chapter 3
And then they were 4... waiting for Lucas to catch up.
Nathan was still trying to slow down the party frenzy that was quickly catching up with the group's spirit. Mouth was talking with TJ about some video game that was supposed to be in stores next week, while Biggy... well, Biggy was still trying to figure out how to keep his shirt buttoned, because it was hot out there, still hot for a late August night. No buttons will do, the whifebeater is enough cover, he thought.
So that was the Rat Pack, all walking down the campus street. Actually that wasn't the whole gang. It was missing two. Lucas Scott and Jake Jagielski, Senior year's finest. Or at least, that's what they wanted to be called in the gang. Funny, because they were really fine, actually. Every girl around the campus thought so, while fantasizing about them every now and then. Almost everyday. Actually every second.
The six of them were known as Duke's Rat Pack, the only rat pack that lasted this long, actually, the only rat pack that didn't went through the madness of being a Duke student, or a Blue Devil's player, or a popular sports commentator mostly know for his grandfather's reputation.
Lucas and Nathan were the only relatives in the group, they were the Bros. Nathan was the youngest, he was 19, while Lucas was 21. Then there was Jake, Lucas' best friend. He was also 21. They were the elders of the group - him and Lucas - or, how did they called them? Yeah, Senior Citizens, Mouth claimed. „Hah, Senior Citizens who kicked ass after a Win," completed Lucas.
Then, there were the PDAs, as Lucas called them, or TJ, Mouth, Biggy and, of course, Nathan. They were all 19, now sophomores. From the whole gang, Mouth was actually the only one that didn't play basketball. He was the Special one, or that was what he said to himself. At Duke, basketball players were everywhere, while sports commentators, not. Funny, but true.
And pretty funny how the whole gand actually got together, in the first place. Their connection didn't come through basketball, as everyone thought it did. Their connection was a teacher. The English teacher, as a matter of fact.
Last year, first day of scholl, detention. How they did it? Being late for classes.
Lucas and Nathan were the only ones who hadn't managed to arrive in time at Duke's for the first day of school, they didn't check in until 8 in the morning, after a long drive from Boston to Durham.
Nathan was a freshman and he also didn't have his schedule so the late arriving, the late checking in the dorm room, the late coming to English class while the teacher was trying to explain the course program didn't help, at all. For Lucas, it was the same story, but in the afternoon, he did get to have a 3 hours nap, though, after their arrival.
Mouth was known for his late night spirit during high-school, so that was actually an everyday problem when it came to the morning classes and that morning was the English class problem.
As for TJ and Biggy, hmm, how to put it softly. 9 am, dark hallway, two crancky and lost freshmen one way, one hands-full teacher the other way, an accident about to happen, that was for sure. And it did, sending the English teacher to the ground, with all the books and notes flying around. The impact was hard and nasty.
But the consequences as well, because TJ and Biggy were already 10 minutes late for Political Science and the English teacher didn't quite enjoyed that. Yeah, can you tell why? First day of school was never good to her, never. Why was today any better, she asked herself?
Detention.
So there they were, Nathan, Lucas, Mouth, TJ and Biggy, the new-formed fan club of Mrs Blasko, the English teacher.
The last one to arrive was Jake, after 20 minutes. He was amazed, because the room was quiet and he thought that he was the only one to have detention. But he soon found himself being wrong, there they were, five other victims of the system, he laught to himself. At least he knew some of them. Actually just Lucas. And he thought he recognised Nathan too, but he wasn't sure. He hadn't seen him in a few years, he thought.
And that's where all begin, for them. Their friendship, their partnership, their story.
---
Lucas managed to catch up with them, just as they arrived at the party, still grumpy for the wake-up call. He still didn't like it to be waken up, even for a party. He was so tired from the road trip to Duke and he needed sleep. And party, too, who was he kidding. This was the beginning of his senior year and the end of an era. The Duke era. For him and for Jake. Talking about Jake, he still didn't knew where he was.
„Finally, sleeping beauty! Or not...", joked TJ.
„Yeah, thanks for the wake up, lucious lips. Having you whispering in my ear just how hot you were did great to my fantasies about you and Biggy there. I can't wait to tell Becky about it.", Lucas said back.
„Oh, you know she'll love it. She's into it, you know?", added JT, with a wink to Lucas and Biggy.
„Really?", asked Lucas, teasing JT. „I might call her up on it."
„Yeah, yeah, only in my dreams you'll see her like that, and since you rarelly appear in them, you'll grow old waiting for that call.", joked TJ while the others where laughing at their banter and bikering.
„Oh, Luke, don't worry, you still have Jake, remember? Your part-time girlfriend...", Nathan reminded him playfully, while entering the house where the party was in full action.
Everyone was inside and scanning the room for their other friends.
It still amaized Nathan, this house, the parties, the people. In the beginning, he was in it for a real shock. Everyone knew how college parties were. Alcohol for free, girls all over the place and all over the freshmen, music louder than life and no neighbours to complain about it. He expected that and more, he thought while remembering the first time he went to a party at Rick's.
He was a freshman, a scared one, actually, and unwilling to take this college thing for granted. He really needed to focus on one thing and one thing only, though. Basketball. The parties, the fun, the drunken behaviour didn't go well with college basketball. At least that was his outlook. And he stuck with it through everything. And going to the party, the first week of Duke, scared him, but he kinda trusted his brother's judgement and now he was happy he did. The chill out, the music, the light fun, the games, the people, everything seemed so different from what he thought and that's what made him give the place a chance, that's what made him to come back after that. He liked it and he liked that his friends liked it, too. Now was no exception... well, almost none.
He was still tired after the long trip back to college but he knew better than to fight it, with Mouth especially, who loooooooved this. In fact, more then anyone. And Nathan kinda knew why was that. Because of a little quircky brunette who was willing to host this every Friday since he could remember.
Ricky Adams. Nathan knew Ricky from English class, Mouth too. But he didn't knew her as Mouth was trying to know her. Nor did he looked at or talked to her like Mouth would do everytime he saw her. But he was friends with her. He liked her because she was dorkish and funny and really infatuated with Mouth too.
But none of them would ever admite it. And that's what Nathan was trying to make them do since last winter. But, with no use. They where really stubburn. „Or really really scared?", he asked himself. Maybe that too, but he was willing to do everything to make both of them happy. Even come to the party, though he was half asleep on the inside.
„God, I need a drink!", Nathan groaned to the gang. „If I don't get one, I might fall asleep just standing here listening to you guys."
„I second that.", agreed Lucas. „Let's check the bar. Come on, Mouth! You know you want to, so let's...", he said more to Mouth than everyone. Mouth imediatly agreed and was already half way to were the bar was.
„Hey, Lucas!", he shot back, turning to where Lucas and Nathan were still standing. „Have you two already fallen asleep?"
Nathan was eager to get to the bar, get his drink and enjoy the party but he too was stoped by Lucas' behaviour. He didn't move. He just stared at the bar. A light shock on his face. His eyes were expreshionless, his mouth was in awe, though.
Nathan followed Lucas' gaze curious about what was going on, what was making him so... stunned?
„Hales...", was all Nathan could get out of his mouth.
The room was spinning. He felt weak, he felt like he was about to faint, he didn't feel his legs, his hands were actually trembling. Shivers, that's all he felt through his whole body. His mind was blank, no activity there anymore. He just looked at the bar, in shock. What was going on?
After a few seconds, he felt like his blood was starting to circulate again, his breathing still heavy, his mind still swirling.
His heart. His heart was speeding and stoping, speeding and stoping again.
„Nathan?", asked a scared Lucas, eyeing his brother. „Nathan?", tried again, this time with more force.
At the sound of his name being called, he flinched. His mind was traveling so fast, his heart was speeding again, he didn't see or hear anyone else in the room but her.
Her. She was there. Was she? Or was it just an illusion? Maybe his mind was playing tricks on him, maybe it wasn't her. But Lucas saw her too, he too was shocked, so it must be her.
Her. Standing there, at the bar, talking with someone.
He swallowed hard as he watched her. Her caramel, light blonde hair swept up in a high ponytail that kept swinging wildly behind her. At first, she was fidgeting with one stray of her hair that kept falling down in her face, and after that, she just fidgeted with her clothes. First it was the hem of her black halter top, then quickly followed by the right pocket zipper of her cargo pants.
She couldn't keep her hands still. And now she was dancing around the bar to that song. What song was that, anyway?
Breath in for luck, breath in so deep. This air is blessed, you share it with me. This night is wild, so calm and dull, these hearts they race from self control... Stay quiet, stay near, stay crystal clear here.
Dancing. Yes, she was dancing, moving around with the beat like the music came from her body, from her hips, from her shoulders, from her moving hands. She couldn't stand still. Why she couldn't just stand still for a second so he can get a good look at her? And why was everyone around her, behind her, in front of her. Now he couldn't see her anymore.
„What?", asked a confused Nathan, still in awe. Turning around to face his brother, he noticed that everyone was staring at him like he was a freak or something.
„Nathan... are you ok? What's wrong?", asked Lucas.
„What? What's wrong? Hmm, let me see..." begin Nathan, turning to Lucas „Did you just see what I saw or is your mind playing tricks on you, as mine is?"
„Nathan...", tried Lucas.
„What?", barked Nathan while trying to get out from that room. He was trying to find the terrace. Now he couldn't breathe anymore. The air was dry again, he felt his lungs stopping again from functioning.
„Wait. Just wait.", tried Lucas as he began walking with his brother to the terrace, leaving the boys behind them, and Mouth still stunned and confussed about what had just happened.
Thank God the terrace was empty and the lights were turned off. He didn't need noise, nor bright lights. He just needed air... and silence. But, damn, Lucas had followed him.
„Nathan, I don't understand. What had just happened? Cause I'm confussed as hell. I think I just saw...", tried Lucas, more calm now.
„Don't say it.", said Nathan as he turned to face his brother.
„Haley, Nathan. I think that was Haley. And you do too. You saw her too, admite it!", Lucas continued, ignoring Nathan's protest.
„Yeah...", Nathan responded, sounding out of breath.
„Look, I don't understand what's goin on. But let's just think about it a little. Maybe..." Lucas started slowly, then continued with more force „maybe it's not her. I mean, maybe is someone who looks like her. We saw her from a distance and, you know, it's kind of dark in there too. I'm sure it's not her!", Lucas tried to reason.
„I don't know, Luke.", responded Nathan, as if trying to ponder his brother's words and convince himself. „Yeah," he breathed heavily „Maybe your right. I mean, what will she be doing here, anyway? She can't be here. She's like on the other half of the planet, right?", Nathan said.
He was beginning to feel better now. His breathing was calming, finally, his mind wasn't racing anymore. He could feel the soft air of the night calming him.
„Right. Yeah, she must be in Europe or something. That's what Jake told me...", tryied Lucas.
„Yeah...", Nathan added, while taking a seat on the bench that was placed just at the end of the terrace. Lucas followed him slowly, not sure what to do. He knew his brother, he knew he didn't like to much company when something like this would affect him. But, seeing that „something like this" didn't appear to be affecting him any longer, he took the seat next to him.
This was going to be a long night.