Chapter Twenty Nine
Better do Better
Nathan
God, I hate these type of things.
My dad is walking around like he owns the damn place, and my mom is hanging onto my arm with a vice grip. I don't know why, it's not like she hasn't got any friends. She's just… I don't know actually. I don't get what's been up with her lately. And I haven't exactly been a great son.
"Are you okay?" I ask, lowering my voice so no-one hears me sounding kind of mushy.
Mom's eyes widen in surprise at my question, and I feel about twenty times worse. "Um… yes, why do you ask?"
I shrug. "I don't know, you just don't really seem like yourself."
Mom smiles and puts her free hand on my other arm. "Look, Nathan… things have been a little… frantic lately. With your father. I don't want you to worry about it though, okay?"
"Are you getting divorced?" I ask. I don't feel angry, or disappointed. Not even relieved. I just feel… detached.
Mom looks down at her hands and doesn't say anything. "Don't worry about it," I say, throwing in a smile. I look up and see Haley sat in a yellow tent by herself.
"Uh, Mom, do you mind if I go… for a walk?"
Mom gives a weak smile and shrugs. "Go ahead. I can't imagine it's much fun being stuck with your mother…"
Oh great, a guilt trip. I look up at Haley again and sigh. Out of my grasp, yet again. "It's okay. I'll stay here if you want."
As soon as the words come out of my mouth I feel weird. Like my insides are twisting. My God, I think I might be changing.
"No," Mom says with firmness. She lets go of my arms and gives me a little shove towards the tent. She looks over at Haley and gives me a knowing smile. "You have somewhere you'd rather be, and I'm not holding you back." She paused and looked thoughtful. "After all, I'm not Dan Scott, am I?"
I smile and give her a hug.
"What was that for?" she asks when I pull away.
I shrug and give her a smile. I'm not going to turn into a complete Mommy's boy, but she's feeling down and it's not really going to hurt me to be a little nicer to her. Besides, she's my mom for God's sake. "Just because," I say, before heading towards Haley.
She's got her brows furrowed and she's staring off into the distance.
"You shouldn't do that, you'll get wrinkles," I say. Haley curses when she sees me, which isn't exactly encouraging, but hey, I'll take what I can get.
"What are you doing here?" she asks. I raise my eyebrows. It's the Tree Hill Tri-centennial, everybody's here. She seems to realise this and shrugs. "I see you're actually talking to me?" she says.
I sit down next to her and sing a silent hallelujah when she doesn't move away in disgust. "I had a touch of the dramatic, I guess," I say, referring to my outcry in the Tutor Centre. I haven't been since that morning. I wasn't really mad, just pissed off that I was having to work so hard.
Actually, to be honest, I'd completely forgotten about it when I sat down. Guess I can't have been that upset.
"Oh, just a touch," Haley smiles. She nudges me and I almost faint in shock. She's acting like nothing has ever happened between us. "Are you going to that charity ball tonight?"
"Of course. Do you think Brooke would ever forgive me if I didn't?" I ask.
"Seaking of Brooke, she has a thing for Lucas!"
"I know," I say. I immediately realise what a faux pas I've made. "Um… I mean, I thought so… Not that I would keep that from you or anything…"
Haley laughs. "Leave it Nathan. I'm not bothered, really. It's not like I have any romantic feelings for Lucas anymore."
Oh? Well this is a development. I lick my lips, but my mouth is suddenly very dry. "Oh? And… and is there anyone you do have romantic feelings for?"
I know its stupid, but I feel like I have to ask. Haley bites her lip and looks at the floor. She opens her mouth to speak when we're cut off by a loud shriek.
"Haley!"
We both look up and see a blonde girl approaching us. "Haley James, I thought you'd only be a minute, do you have any idea how boring it is with Christina and Lucy cooing over little Charlie? Jeez, they've turned into right… oh, hello."
She directs the last part at me, giving me a definite flirty smile. "I'm Taylor, Haley's older sister."
I didn't even know Haley had any siblings, but I'm not about to tell her that. She'll just throw in my face that we don't know each other. I hid my annoyance at her cutting into a potentially important conversation and give her a friendly smile.
"I'm Nathan," I greet.
"Nathan! Oh!" Taylor says, turning to Haley with raised eyebrows. Oh, so she's been talking about me? I feel a cocky smirk cover my face.
"You've heard about me?" I ask. Haley glares at me, but she can't hide her flushed cheeks. I must admit, I'm getting serious pleasure out of this conversation.
"Yeah, I told her what a jerk you've been," Haley says with an even tone in her voice. Damn, that doesn't sound like the tone of someone who was just about to admit her feelings for me.
Taylor laughs and sits down in between us. Seriously, why is this girl even here? "You're Luke's brother, right?"
"Unfortunately."
"So, is he still single?"
"Highly doubtful, Brooke Davis has her eyes on him."
Taylor bites her lip. "Hmm… but there's nothing definite going on?"
"If I tell you no, will you go away?" I ask. It sounds mean, I know, but I really want to talk to Haley.
"Whoa, hint noted," Taylor says, raising her eyebrows and throwing a look at Haley that I can't see. Luckily Haley is laughing into her sleeve. "Fine, I'll leave you two lovebirds alone."
"Taylor!" Haley yells, her laughing stopped and her eyes reading annoyance.
Taylor raises her hands and walks away.
"You were saying..?" I probe.
Haley bites her lip and continues staring down at the ground. "I… I don't know Nathan. I mean, I'm me, and you're you…"
"Exactly. Me and you, it could really work Hales."
Haley looks at me and smiles, a sweet smile. Full of sorrow. I think I know where this is going.
"It wouldn't work. I'd like to believe it would, but this is only going to hurt us in the long run. I'm sorry Nathan, but I think we should be just friends."
Just friends. The kiss of death.
Lucas comes to find me by the corn dog start, where I'm kind of gorging out. Comfort food, see?
"Hey," he says, like we actually get on or something. I raise my eyebrow at him and don't reply.
"Look, I get that you're an arrogant prick, but do you think you could put your hate for me on the back burner for a moment?" Lucas says. I look at him, finish of my corndog and shrug.
"What?" I say, in a kind of petulant tone. What can I say? I'm pissed off. I just got the 'just friends'. I've never been given that, especially not by someone I actually like as more than a friend.
"I found Rob Klein"
