Chapter Twenty Four
Take It As It Comes
Nathan
Haley wasn't in American Lit today, and I haven't seen her at all since the incident in Homeroom.
I'll admit, the whole 'proclaim-my-love-for-the-school-geek' thing wasn't the most original thing I've ever done, but I wasn't doing it to earn brownie points, or even to come across as some kind of cheesy hero, I was doing it because I meant every word. I do like Haley James. I like her a lot.
I feel like I've only known her for a short while (which I guess I have, as I was too closed and arrogant to get to know her before that), but it's enough. She's let me see the real her and she's the most special person I've ever met.
Rob still hasn't shown. Whitey almost had a hernia in practise. Apparently he got a note this morning saying how he was going to be missing practise and school for a while because he'd sprained his ankle.
Sprained his ankle my ass. Or maybe he did, in his hurry to do a runner like the wimp he so clearly is. I can't believe I ever called him my friend.
Of course, Dad played hell about the whole defiance thing. Seeing it from the 'good' Scott son is clearly a new and unfamiliar experience with the old man, and he sure as hell made me pay for it. I need to get up early tomorrow, he's dragging me around town for a 'power run' which basically means I'll run until I puke.
And then, the jury is out on whether I'll see Haley or not. Here's hoping I don't push her away even more than I already have.
LINE
"Haley James?"
"Present."
I can't stop looking at her. No one on the team has been giving me any stick about me liking Haley – they wouldn't, I'm Nathan Scott, I can like who the hell I want – but even Tim is raising his eyes at me every time I turn to look at her. Her eyes, however, are fixed firmly on the desk in front of her. I can't say anything to her, can't risk her running away again.
LINE
She's already sat down when I walk into our American Lit. class. Brooke is talking to her, and says something when I enter.
Well, at least they're kind of talking about me.
"Hey Nate," Brooke greets as I sit down. I watch as Haley throws an annoyed glance at her, but what does she expect? Brooke was my friend first.
And that Ladies and Gentleman, was the incredibly mature thought of Nathan Scott.
I'm about to say hi back to both of them, when Cody Brice, one of the 'smokers' who hangs around at the front of school smoking cigarettes and dope makes his way over to us.
"Haley, I heard you're doing tutoring again," he says. My mind briefly switches back to last year when Brooke made up Haley's nickname of Tutor Girl, and Me and the team teased Lucas about his dorky tutor girlfriend.
"Um, yeah," she answers softly, so quiet I have to strain to hear without looking like I'm bothered. "I have a lot of time on my hands."
"Cool," Cody says, making me kind of lean away because the smell of smoke is so strong. "You helped me get an A last year. I'll be seeing you."
Haley nods politely as Cody walks away. When she sees me watching her she throws me a look of pure venom.
The teacher starts handing a test paper back, and the bright red scrawling letter on the front makes me smile.
"Why are you smiling Mr Scott? You got an F," he tells me like I'm stupid. And I am.
And it's perfect.
Looks like Haley's got a new tutor student.
LINE
The Tutor Centre is an unfamiliar place to me. It's way smarter than I thought it was. I thought it was going to be a dank dark and depressing place with peeling walls and brown carpet. Oh, okay so that was a slight exaggeration on my part because I never wanted to go when my English teacher tried to force me, but still…
It's nothing like that anyway. White walls, blue carpet, tables and chairs. Simple, no fuss.
Now if only my relationship with Haley was like that.
She's sat there now, clearing the table she's sat at, a look of determination in her eyes. I decided to wait until the end of dinner when I knew she'd be in there on her own. Come on, she's Haley James.
I knock softly on the open door, and her head shoots up. As soon as she sees that it's me she narrows her eyes in a pretty scowl.
Yeah, she's even pretty when she scowls.
"What are you doing here," she asks in a voice that, I've got to admit, is kind of low on charm.
"Nice to see you too," I say. Damn, I meant to be charming myself and I came out like… well, like Nathan Scott. Great way to make an impression, huh?
"Ugh, don't mess about with me Nathan, I am not in the mood. If you want to walk out of this room unharmed, I suggest you go right now."
Wow, she's threatening me. I'd laugh if I didn't like her so much. "Look, Hales…"
"Haley," she corrects me promptly.
I can't help but smirk. "That's what I said, Hales."
She groans in frustration but doesn't say anything else. I think I've annoyed her.
"Look," I say, trying to make my voice sound as serious as I feel. "I'm not here to apologise or to annoy you, I swear."
She narrows her eyes again, but not in a scowl this time. She just looks confused. "You're not?"
"No, actually. I'm here on strictly business."
Now she looks suspicious. She looks around the tutor room as if reminding herself she's actually here, and then something seems to dawn in her eyes. "No," she says firmly.
"You don't even know what I'm going to ask!" I say, even though she obviously does.
"Oh, I do Nathan. You're… God! You're just so…"
"Handsome," I cut in. I mean, I could spend all of my time grovelling and begging here, but that's just not me, and the problem I have with Haley is that she doesn't think I'm being me. So here I am, and I am going to make her like me if it is the last thing I do. I mean, it's not like I put on a complete act for her. I was me when we were together, she just doesn't realise that.
Oh God, I don't even know what I'm talking about.
"Uh, no. Infuriating, predictable, annoying, cocky, arrogant – I don't know! Take your pick Nathan!" Haley yells. She actually yells it too, not just a whisper-yell but a real yell. A really loud one.
God, she looks so cute.
"Look, whether you like it or not, I need a tutor. And you… you're the best."
"Yeah, your attempt at flattery is not working, get someone else."
"I'm not trying to flatter you. I went to Mr Smith, you know, the teacher who supervises the Tutor Centre…"
"I know who Mr Smith is Nathan," Haley cuts in.
"Oh, well I told him that I really needed help an he recommended you. He said you're the best."
Haley continues to look grouchy. "I can refuse to tutor you."
I shrug. Damn, I was expecting her to grab onto a new student like… actually that's as far as I can get. I've never been very good at metaphors, or similes or whatever they are. See, that's why I need a tutor! "Yeah, you could. But do you really want to live with the guilt of me failing and getting kicked off the basketball team, the one thing I'm good at?"
Haley's eyes soften a little. "If you got kicked off the team you wouldn't be giving Lucas such a hard time."
Ouch.
"Uh, I guess but…"
"I'll make you a deal," Haley cuts in again. She does that a lot. It would really annoy me if it wasn't for the fact that… well, that I like her. I guess. "If you stop being such a jerk to Lucas, I'll tutor you."
Uh, what now? "I…"
"Because I may not be dating him anymore, but Lucas is still someone I care about, and you and your asshole of a father make life hell for him."
"I think my 'asshole of a father' kind of makes life harder for me than for Lucas…" I don't know why I just said that. I fully did not intend to say anything like that. Not to Haley. I want her to see me as a strong guy, not a whiny little freak who gets picked on by his dad.
Not that I'm whiny. Or little. Or a freak, for that matter, but you get the picture.
I look up and Haley's staring at me with this unfathomable expression in her eyes. Oh great. I may as well give up now.
"I'll see you tomorrow at 7 here in the tutor centre," she says after a pause.
Whoa, she's giving me a chance?
Whoa, at 7? "Seven, is the school even open that early?" I ask.
"Yeah, and you better not be late."
Oh, I won't be.
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