Author's Note: I know Vegas must be hated, he's such a jackass! lol

flashback in italics

Lucas was worried about his younger brother. He didn't chase after Nathan when he stormed off, he knew to give him some breathing space before trying to tackle the problem. He didn't look too happy, why would he? The guy probably screwed all his chances of getting together with the girl he longed for since the day they met, all because of some bastard who broke her heart in the first place. Now he has to ruin it for both of them.

Picking up his cell phone, he hit five on speed dial; Nathan's cell. He was glad he picked up.

"Yo Nate you okay?"

"What do you think?" His tone of voice spoke for itself.

"Calm down man, no need to get angry at me. I'm just trying to help."

Nathan's voice cooled down a bit realizing the reality of it all.

"I know. it's just I'm so fucking pissed off right now."

"I can imagine, did you look for her?"

"Yeah I did."

"What happened?"

----------------

He climbed up the metal ladder of the water tower feeling the rust of the steps. Looking up he hoped she'd be there. It was her place to release which is why this was the first place he came to check. They had come up there a couple of times when both were having problems and needed a shoulder to lean on.

Grabbing the top rail he pulled himself up making sure he had support because it was a long ways down. The fall leaves had fallen making things a bit slippery but not too much. Jill always pushed the leaves off the edge to keep the floor from getting dingy. He sighed sadly to find her not there, but he knew she visited earlier for the leaves were cleared. Another sign of her presence was a white folded note that was stuffed in betwen a metal sheet and a bolt. He pulled it out, it was jammed up there quite a bit. Unfolding it he read it...

'Nathan just leave it be...-Jill...'

----------------

He sighed replaying the words in his mind.

"She wasn't there."

"Oh," he could tell he was hurting from the sound of his voice, "you going to call her later?"

"I'm gonna try," he walked to the door, "Uhh listen Luke I'll talk to you tomorrow. I'm going to figure some things out before I call and apologize."

"Yeah cool I'll see you at school," he paused, "it'll be fine okay, don't stress."

"Yeah," he looked at the street, "later man."

Pulling out his keys he opened the front door. Once inside he hung up his jacket on the rack before walking towards the staircase passing the living room. Too caught up in his thoughts he was startled by the sound of his father calling his name.

"Shit dad you got to stop surprising people like that. Do you want us to join to heart attack club with you?"

"It looked like you had a heart attack with the way you were playing on the court tonight. Care to explain?"

Not another problem on his hands. First what happened with Jill now this. He didn't need his father's badgering.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I think we should Nathan. Your game was weak today on and off the court. You could have dodged that hit to the face by faking to the right, but you didn't. You decided to be an idiot and turn left where you practically begged for his elbow to brutalize your face."

"I did good dad. I carried the team with 26 points and 8 assists. What more do you want?"

"A hell of a lot more, if you want to get that basketball scholarship. You think getting those petty points will get you to the top? Think again pipsqueack. You've got a lot to learn if that's the case. You barely carried you're team tonight, it was pathetic."

"I followed Whitey's play, it was a great plan."

"I followed Whitey'e play," he mimicked Nathan, "how many times do I have to tell you that old blind man can't tell what's right and what's wrong. Didn't I tell you if you want to win you have to make it happen?"

"I did that."

"No you didn't. You pranced around the court like some ballerina. You're skills were amateur, your shots weak, and the overall appearance has a whole lot to be reckoned with."

Nathan was burning with anger. Why'd his father always have to make a bad situation even worse. He always managed to belittle him, even back when he was just a toddler.

"This is my life dad, why don't you mind your own damn business?"

"Because you're ruining your life with the way your handling things. You're destroying your basketball record and you even managed to screw up with Jill."

He hit rock bottom when his dad brought up Jill's name. How dare he meddle in his personal life and use it against him? He had enough.

"You know I left you once, I'll do it again. Just throw another shit ass comment in my face and I'm gone. This time mom will agree with me. She'll leave your ass too," he picked up his bag and stormed out towards the staircase.

Dan couldn't help but snicker.

"We'll see about that."

Nathan continued up the staircase cringing at the sound of his father's laugh. Every encounter with that man brings nothing but anger and ill tempers.