Thank you to everyone who keeps reading and reviewing this. I'm aiming for a chapter a week, though I don't know how well that'll work. As always thank you to Naley12, for keeping on me about writing this story. Without her it never would have happened to make sure you thank her for this.
On my first day at Duke, I rolled out of bed and jumped into the shower for a second to wake myself up. I'd had a late practice last night and didn't get into bed until around one, which meant I was going to be tired today. Tired wasn't going to get me anywhere with Haley. I was happy that there were more than just me and her in her group at school. I'd sat through Clay re-introducing me to Haley's group yesterday afternoon. I'd gone to high school with all of them, including Haley. Imagine my surprise to find out the girl that I'm sort of crushing out on was the plain and nerdy best friend of my brother from high school. They looked like two different people, Haley from high school and Haley from college. Haley and Lucas still hang out which is good because maybe he'll have my back when Haley yells at me for not being prepared for today. Lucas is dating my ex-girlfriend Peyton which is good because he's loved her since I dated her. Haley's other best friend is Brooke Davis, who I'd slept with once in high school then we never mentioned it again after that. All these people I was going to see today would be like a flashback to Tree Hill High and I wasn't sure if that was a good thing. I didn't socialize much in high school since I was solely dedicated to basketball. I had a group of friends but they were mostly for show. Basketball was my one and only love. In many ways it still was.
"Are you ready for today?" Clay asked just walking through my front door while I put all my supplies into the bag that Clay had bought me. If it weren't for him I would be so far from being prepared today it would be funny. Clay bought me all of my supplies and my text books since I was so busy with basketball the last couple days. I'd had an away game three days ago, then back to back practices every day since then.
"I'm exhausted but I'm not risking pissing off Haley on my first day. So, I'm going to fight through it and go to my classes." I told him and Clay laughed.
"Good idea. I know I appreciate it. If you pissed her off, then I would have to find you another tutor that will inevitably be not as good as Haley because she's the best." Clay told me and I had to agree.
"The past few weeks have been educational to say the least. She's been giving me a crash course on all the stuff that comes before the courses I'm taking. This way I should be able to walk into class without being completely lost. "I told Clay and he grinned.
"I'm impressed that neither one of you had vowed to kill the other yet. Thank you for that, now Quinn owes me $10." Clay laughed.
"You bet on Haley and me?" I asked and Clay laughed again.
"Oh yeah. Quinn was positive within a couple sessions you were going to piss Haley off bad enough to make her walk away from you." Clay told me and I was surprised that she hadn't walked away either.
"I now I need to keep her around. She's amazing at what she does and if I want to succeed I need to keep her around. It's just the way things are, and you know when she actually opens up she's actually kind of fun to have around." I explained to Clay.
"Oh, my God you have a crush on your tutor." Clay said before bursting out in laughter.
"Are we in high school?" I demanded of Clay.
"No, but the point is still the same. You like Haley. This is great." Clay kept laughing.
"Why is this funny?" I demanded.
"Because she's your tutor and she's so not your usual type. For the record, I totally approve. Haley is a great girl." Clay told me and I nodded because she really is.
"Yeah, but I've got to go. I don't want Haley to kill me on my first day and we both know she will if I make her late to her classes." I told him and Clay opened my front door and walked out with me behind him.
It was harder to find a parking spot than I ever thought it would be. The lot was a sea of beat up cars, with the odd mid-sized sedan that was in decent enough shape. My massive black SUV really stood out as I found a spot in the very back of the lot. I grabbed my bag from the trunk, leaving my gym bag back there not needing it until the end of the day. One of the conditions of my acceptance was helping out the basketball team after class for an hour every day. Apparently, the help of one of the youngest and best players in the NBA was something the dean of admissions couldn't pass up. I was fine with it because the Blue Devils were my team of choice in the college leagues.
"Oh, my God you're Nathan Scott." A couple girls stopped me while I was walking to where Haley told me to meet her.
"Yeah I am." I said to them with the grin I'd perfected over the years. It was a grin designed to make them comfortable with me, I liked being the approachable guy. It was nice to feel the appreciation from the people who loved what I did.
"What are you doing here?" The brunette on the end asked me and I grinned at her.
"I go here now. I figured I needed something to do when I wasn't playing basketball. This way I have a backup plan in case I ever have to stop playing." I told them.
"That's so cool. Maybe we'll see you around sometime." The same girl said again and I nodded before trying to walk past. "Can we get a picture before you wander off?"
"Sure." I said going to stand next to them. The girl handed me her phone so I could snap the selfie of us together since my arms were longer. Once that was done I picked up my bag and kept walking. Thankfully I didn't get interrupted again before finding Haley's table. She wasn't there alone so I knew it was time to get greeting my former classmates out of the way.
"Morning." I greeted when I got close enough. I took the empty seat next to Haley and she offered me a smile.
"Well well, Nathan Scott. I didn't believe Luke when he told me that you were coming back to school." Peyton said when I sat down.
"Well here I am. You look good Peyton." I said and she smiled and thanked me.
"I'm glad you're here Nate. It's always good to have a back up plan." Lucas said and I agreed with him. Everyone lapsed into silence for a couple minutes until we heard arguing coming closer to the table.
"I am not playing a zombie, Julian. It's just not going to happen. I am a beautiful woman, I'm not going to let your makeup people make me ugly." A voice I instantly recognized as Brooke Davis stated.
"Come on, it's a zombie movie. My other cast members are fine with it, why aren't you?" The guy she called Julian asked.
"Because when I agreed to help you, it was some sort of romantic comedy film. I don't understand how you managed to turn it into a zombie movie since last night when we spoke about it." She sighed sitting down on the other side of the table.
"Morning Brooke." Haley greeted her.
"Morning best friend number two. Will you tell me boyfriend to stop being an idiot?" She asked shooting a glare at the guy who sat down beside her.
"In Brooke's defense Julian, you did convince her to do the film by telling her it's a romantic comedy." Haley told her.
"I know but then I went to bed and an idea came to my head. I got up and wrote it all out in one sitting. It's way better than the crap I was trying to use before. This could be the movie that wins me the contest. She only has to be a zombie for a day. It's a fifteen-minute film." He pleaded.
"What do I get out of the deal?" Brooke finally asked him.
"I'd say whatever you want, but last time you said that I ended up getting drunk at a bar, waking up with a tattoo." Julian said dryly which caused Lucas to burst out laughing.
"She did that to you, too?" He asked and Julian nodded, pulling up the sleeve on his shirt to show a tattoo of a film reel. Lucas showed him the Chinese symbol on his arm and everyone laughed again.
"Let's just say you owe me a favour that I can call in whenever I want. I won't take you to get another tattoo." Brooke suggested and Julian nodded.
"Okay, thank God crisis averted. So now who is the new guy?" He asked and I cleared my throat.
"I'm…" I started.
"Holy crap Nathan Scott is back with us." Brooke enthused.
"Nathan Scott." I finished with a roll of my eyes.
"Basketball not treating you right so you're trying school again?" She asked and I shook my head.
"I just want a backup plan for when basketball eventually ends. It's good to see you Brooke." I said and she nodded.
"Of course it is. This is Julian, my boyfriend." She said and I nodded. He didn't seem to be the type of guy the Brooke Davis I knew would ever go for but she seemed happy.
"Julian is in film school. He's doing it via correspondence from LA so he can be here with Brooke. They met last year when she went to LA to visit her parents over spring break. Next thing we know she's coming home with a new boyfriend permanently attached to her side, who says he's doing his classes here from LA because he can't bear to not be with Brooke." Haley explained and now I understood. Brooke had always loved a grand gesture.
"So, do you need help finding your class? Or are you good?" Haley asked me when she'd glanced at her watch to see what time it was.
"I'm good. I came here yesterday to get a lay of things. I shouldn't get too lost." I told her.
"Okay, so when do you want to meet for tutoring today?" She asked me and I had to think about that. I didn't want to screw up her day making her wait for me after basketball, but I also didn't want to miss a day.
"What time do you get out of class?" I asked her.
"3:45, but I have a bit of work to do after class for my professor. What time are you out of class?" She asked.
"3:00 but I have to go to the Blue Devils practice. It was a condition of my acceptance. I have to help them out for an hour every day." I told her and she nodded.
"Okay that works out good then. We can meet at around 4:15 if you want." She suggested.
"Works for me. Where?" I asked.
"Library?" She asked and I agreed.
"I'll see you later." I told her and she smiled at me and nodded. I didn't have to leave for my class quite yet so I remained where I was. But I couldn't deny that I was watching Haley leave or that I couldn't wait until I was with her again.