Hi! So I'm back again with another chapter, I've definitely got the writing bug at the moment! Thank you again to all of those that reviewed and followed, I'm so glad you're all enjoying it, it makes it worth writing! I've gotten a few responses about the pairings and I think I know which direction I'm going to go in, hopefully you all like it when I eventually post it. I'm sorry if some of you feel as though its taking a little long getting to the point of where Naley first starts, but I promise it will be worth it, just a few more chapters to go! But for now, here's Chapter 5 & I hope you enjoy it! :)
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Chapter 5.
The various conversations continued around the table as they finished the last of their food. Lydia rose from her chair, reaching for both the coffee pot and jug of juice.
"I suppose we'd better have a refill." She said, removing both and proceeding to top them both up.
"You know Karen, you really do have a talent for cooking! The food was great as usual!" Jimmy praised, while wiping his mouth with his napkin. "You should give Lydia some lessons on how to cook pancakes, she's useless at it" he said, laughing and looking over at his wife.
"Maybe you should learn to cook at all" she shot back, also beginning to laugh.
Haley smiled, she loved the relationship her parents had. They were always so loving towards each other, even their insults had an air of affection within them. She knew that what her parents had was special, that it was true love and only hoped that she could one day have the same. She continued smiling, becoming lost in her thoughts about the night before, unaware that it appeared as if she was smiling at her juice.
"That juice sure is making you happy Hales" Nathan pointed out, breaking the strained silence that had been present throughout breakfast amongst the three teenagers.
"Or maybe it's something else" Lucas shot back, giving his older brother a dirty look.
Haley blushed at Luke's comment and fidgeted in her seat. Nathan had only been trying to break the tension and make it not so obvious to the parents that something was wrong, but Lucas was making it hard for him to do so. She sensed that the parents would pick up on this, which they did.
"Luke, don't look at your brother like that, he was only having a joke with Haley" Karen scolded.
"I'm sure whatever's gone on between the two of you it's nothing you can't sort out" chipped in Keith. "Trust me, I know all about fights between brothers and I'm sure it's nothing."
"Probably sulking because I beat him at hoops last night, yet again" Nathan announced smugly, pouring himself another mug of coffee from the fresh pot.
"The only reason you won was because you cheated!" Lucas argued back, glaring once again across the table at Nathan. He noticed Haley entwining her fingers with the bottom of her shirt, something she did when she was anxious. He knew deep down it wasn't fair to take it out on them both like this, but he was still annoyed and disappointed, and it overpowered any other emotions he had.
"Lucas, what has gotten into you this morning?" Karen questioned, which a tone of shock in her voice. "This sort of behaviour is not acceptable, Lydia and Jimmy have kindly invited us to stay and on the third day, here you are, starting arguments across the table at breakfast!"
"I'm sorry Mom, I didn't mean to be rude, but…"
"No buts Lucas, just stop it, both of you!" She looked back and forth between the pair, Nathan still looking rather smug and Lucas pouting, looking down at his coffee. "Now then" she continued, the tension hanging heavily in the room, "maybe we should discuss the plans for tonight's party?"
"Ooh yes!" exclaimed Lydia, eagerly diverting the conversation from the boy's argument. "I was hoping that maybe you wouldn't mind cooking some light finger food while the gents perhaps did a barbeque outside?" she suggested, pausing momentarily to look from Karen to the two men.
"Of course you don't have to, we could always buy a couple of bits from that lovely little bakery in town later if you fancy having the night off from cooking" she quickly added.
"I really don't mind, I could do a few savoury bits for the finger buffet, but maybe we could buy a couple of cakes and a trifle from the bakery?" Karen suggested, sipping her mug of coffee.
"That's a great idea, that way we can spend more time getting ready and decorating the place before everyone arrives!" Lydia replied, the excitement obvious in her tone. "I've had a cake commissioned for Quinn at the bakery anyway so we'll have to collect that anyway. Deb's bringing Nic's cake from that new cake shop that's just opened in Tree Hill."
"Okay, we should definitely write a list before we go. Keith, could you get Lily ready to go please, while I write a list with Lydia?" asked Karen, smiling sweetly at Keith.
"Sure thing. Come on princess, let's go find your coat and shoes." He picked Lily up from her seat and carried out of the kitchen and into the hallway.
The two mothers began to write a list of everything they needed to get from the shops in the nearby town. Haley began browsing the celeb pages of the paper Keith had left on the table, while Lucas still sulked and continued to stir his coffee. Jimmy turned to Nathan, "So then kiddo, what time's your Dad getting here?"
"No idea, he said something last night about getting here late this afternoon, but knowing him he'll work late and probably end up getting here about ten" Nathan replied, his smug expression changing rather quickly. His relationship with his father had been slowly improving since his parents had finally filed for divorce and Deb had forced Dan to move out of the family home, but Dan was still the same guy deep down; dedicated to his job, controlling and often very little time for his two sons, except for when it involved basketball. Jimmy placed a hand on Nathan's shoulder, gently squeezing it, and smiled.
"It'll be okay kid, I'm sure he'll be on his best behaviour tonight."
"I sure do hope so." Nathan replied, almost at a whisper, before swigging the remainder of his coffee.
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So that's Chapter 5! As usual please leave me a review and let me know what you all thought, and if you do want to see certain pairings or have anything that you'd like to see written into the story then please let me know and I'll try my best!