Authors note
WOW. Well I bet most of you have totally given up on this story but as I always stated in my profile, I will finish it one day and I'm feeling like that day is sometime in the near future. Some people find writing therapeutic; when their life is going shitty it helps. Well I'm the opposite; I got a confused for a while back there and when my heads fussy I can't write. But I've found my centre again and my creative juices are once again flowing so after an insanely long wait I'm back. I hope at least one of you absolutely wonderful readers is still interested in this fic. I can only thank you for your amazing reviews and support so far K X
Chapter 9-Change is a good thing, right?
Nathan sat outside Principal Turner's office tapping his foot impatiently. Believe it or not this was not the first time he had been in this position. Waiting indefinitely on the hard plastic chair with no idea or indication as to why he had been unceremoniously pulled from his 5th period math class. That's not to suggest he cared a great deal about missing out on valuable learning time, it was just that after 10 minutes staring at the same notice bored that hung opposite the principals office he was beginning to get a little bored. Just as he began to read the poster advertising the next clean teens meeting for the fourth time, the door of the office opened.
"Mr Scott. Sorry to keep you waiting, if you'd like to come in now…"
Nathan turned his head, slightly surprised. Instead of the 45 year old black man he was expecting to see he was greeted by Mrs Harper, the vice principal. Obediently he stood and entered the office where Mrs Harper had returned to. Closing the door behind him he slumped down into the chair opposite the main desk.
"Where's Principal Turner?" Nathan asked gruffly.
"He's taking a leave of absence, so until further notice I will be acting as principal. Nathan I called you here today because I thought it was about time we discussed your grades…" Mrs Harper began. Nathan let out a sigh, here we go again. He was sure Mrs Harper had it in for him; whenever the occasion rose she would use it to her full advantage. She was one of the many teachers that didn't approve of the preferential treatment the Scott's and the Roe's received, using every given opportunity to try and return the feuding families to their correct place. Nathan had a bad feeling that Principal Turner's absence would bring about an unfortunate string of events for him.
"Mrs Harper, with all due respect, my grades aren't really my top priority as long as I'm passing that's all that matters" Nathan answered leaning back into his chair smugly, knowing his father couldn't care less what his grades were as long as his scoring average continued to stay in the top three in the state.
"That's just it Mr Scott, your not. Passing that is. If you carry on this way you will in fact fail math by the end of the semester." She said getting up from her seat and walking over to her filing cabinet she pulled out a bundle of papers and dropped them on to her desk loudly. Upon hearing this Nathan's smirk fell off his face immediately. Looking down at the papers on the table in front of him, he saw copies of his last 6 pop quizzes all marked with a big fat 'F' in incriminating red ink. How the hell had that happened? So he wasn't exactly the brightest bulb in the box but he had never had trouble passing before. What made the whole situation worse was that hadn't even noticed he was flunking out.
"Don't worry Mr. Scott I have a solution to solve all your problems. I have assigned you a tutor…"
"Mrs Harper that's really not necessary. I can handle this myself …" Nathan pleaded a hint of desperation slipping into his tone.
"Clearly you can't; otherwise we wouldn't be in this situation now would we? It's pretty simple Mr Scott; no math, no basketball. You know the rule." The straight laced woman said taking a seat behind her desk. She clasped her hands together and leant back in her chair.
"Fine. Whatever." Nathan grunted giving in.
"Wonderful. You will meet up twice a week for two hours. If she deems it necessary and both your schedules permit, extra study sessions will be arranged, but that is at her discretion"
"Her?" Nathan asked raising his eyebrow, maybe this wouldn't be so bad he thought to himself.
"Yes herMr Scott. In fact…" Mrs Harper leant forward and pushed the intercom button on her phone
"…Julia could you send in Miss James" before Nathan could process what Mrs Harper had said Haley James came striding through the door. Seeing Nathan slumped in the chair she stopped short.
"Uhh Sorry Mrs Harper I didn't realise you were busy Ms. Jones said to go on in, I can come back later…" Haley said signalling to the door.
"Why would I want you to do that? Mr Scott is the reason I asked you here today! Please Haley take a seat."
"Uhh… okay" Haley said clearly confused.
"Nathan, meet your new tutor. Haley James" Mrs Harper said beaming, evidently she was enjoying this.
"What!?" both Nathan and Haley said at the same time.
"I'm sorry was I not speaking clearly?" Mrs Harper asked in mock naivety.
"Oh no I heard you loud and clear. I'm sorry Mrs Harper I understand that I have a responsibility to provide a service to the school and don't get me wrong I really enjoy tutoring but ultimately I tutor out of choice. I do not choose to tutor him…" Haley said looking across at Nathan glaring.
"There is no way I'm having her tutor me. Seriously she'd probably sabotage my learning, teach me how to fail, not pass" Nathan spat aggressively.
"Doesn't seem like you need many tips in that department" Haley said picking up Nathan's test results up from the table.
"What can I say; we can't all be natural born nerds…" Nathan said his lips quirking into vicious smile.
"You see Mrs Harper this is what I'm talking about! How am I supposed to teach this… this…imbecile! He's ignorant, pig headed, rude…"
"Yeah that's right I'm the rude one. You need your head checked." Nathan muttered to him self.
"Okay that's enough. Haley you will be tutoring Nathan. There is no room for compromise." Mrs Harper watched Haley's face fall, not quite understanding why she was being punished for Nathan's laziness.
"I know you may think this is highly unfair but there is a condition to this deal. Haley the guidance counsellor tells me you intend to apply to some Ivy League schools next year?"
Nathan snorted in disapproval after sending a glare in his direction Haley nodded in response.
"I fully support you. There's no denying that your academic achievements stand you in good stead but it is my place to inform you that without a wider variety of extra curricular activities, you application is unlikely to be successful."
"What do you suggest?" Haley asked nervously.
"Can I go now? This clearly has nothing to do with me" Nathan interrupted.
"On the contrary Mr Scott. Miss James requires a sporting activity for her college transcripts"
"You want me to get her on the team? Hate to break it to you Mrs Harper but it's an all boys team I don't really see Miss James fitting in all that well. She kind of lacks the key requirements" Nathan said glancing over at Haley running his eyes up and down her body suggestively.
"Pig" Haley muttered.
"Thank you for that revelation Mr Scott but Basketball wasn't exactly what I had in mind. Cheer leading. It's safe to say you and the Captain are quite close is it not?" Mrs Harper asked raising her brow.
Haley looked mortified; Nathan on the other hand was positively amused. There was no way Brooke would go for this.
"Wow. Looking pretty hot broody" Brooke said letting out a whistle as she extended a long bare leg out of her slick car. Her eyes travelled over his bare glistening torso, it must have been around 7pm yet his ripped muscles still dripped with perspiration like they always did after an afternoon on the deserted river court. He smirked lifting his eyes from the ground to take in her appearance through hooded eyelids. She looked effortlessly beautiful in tight green summer dress and stilettos.
"You look stunning, though, if I may say a little overdressed for the river court" he said smiling, tucking the ball under his arm.
"Ha ha. I just came from the leukaemia benefit or whatever it was this time…they all mesh into one after a while" she said tiredly, taking a seat on the picnic bench.
"Remind me again why you go to these things? I barely get to see you these days…" He asked straddling the end of the bench.
"Because if I didn't I would be stuck in that prison of a house where my dad can watch my every move. I wouldn't get to see you period. I no it's hard but its better this way. Anyway think positively not long now, only a little over a week until the election. Once that's out the way we can focus on us." She said shimmying towards him.
"Hmm that sounds good. I miss you" he said meeting her emerald eyes. She smiled across at him before turning around and snuggling her back into his chest, the chill of the air setting in a little. He wrapped his arms around her instinctively.
"I know broody. I take it you've heard about this fucked up tutoring situation? Nathan's been chewing my ear bout it all evening…like he actually expects sympathy from me about it! It's as though he's totally forgotten the fact I have to compromise my squad in order to fit your clumsy excuse of a cousin into my routines all for the sake of his education…. " Brooke ranted freely.
"Hey. You haven't even seen her cheer yet. You know she did gymnastics for years when we were younger. She might surprise you…" Lucas said defending Haley weakly.
"Well that's something I guess…maybe she won't be totally hopeless..." she said burying her head into Lucas' chest.
"If you ask me, it's Haley who got the raw deal. Forced leisure time with your brother attempting to teach him trigonometry however much he resists…I'd rather become the perfect son in my dads campaign then attempt that." Lucas said honestly, shaking his head.
"You have a point. My brother is probably the most stubborn person I've ever met. That is after my father…I wonder where he gets it from?" Brooke muttered sarcastically closing her eyes and relaxing fully into Lucas' embrace.
"Enough of this. I haven't seen you in days let's not waste our time together talking about our families okay?" Lucas said running his hand lazily up and down her thigh.
"You're right. So….had any more anonymous parcels delivered recently?" she asked raising her eyebrow.
"No, thank god. I guess it was just a messed up practical joke. Nothing to worry about." He said closing his eyes.
"Pretty unfunny joke" Brooke muttered, unable to act as unperturbed as her boyfriend.
"Enough talking I just want to sit with you. You know, I can't ever imagine a time when we'll get to just be together. No sneaking around, no excuses, no family to argue about. It just seems so far away" She confessed sighing.
"It'll come cheery. You just gotta have faith" Lucas said sweeping a lock of long curly hair out of her face. Call him naive but he truly believed that.
Hayley sat by the dock, drumming her fingers on the bench impatiently. She checked her watch for the like the fiftieth time that morning. He was over 20 minutes late. That's it. She gathered up her books and began walking towards the Roe mansion. She couldn't believe she actually thought he would show. She had given him too much credit. Not only had she had to get up extra early to fit in their first tutoring session before school, thus making her exhausted the whole day, she had spent the whole previous week preparing for it. And by preparing she meant endless hours over analysing, pointless speculation and generally dreading it. What a waste of time.
"Hey, how did your date with the devils spawn go?" Lucas asked sinking into an empty seat next to his cousin, placing his lunch tray down on the table in front of him.
"It didn't. Go that is." Haley said picking up a fry.
"He bailed? Typical." Lucas said shaking his head.
"He was a no show. I don't know why I'm surprised. I guess I just thought the threat of losing his precious basketball would be enough to get him there. He really is a dumbass. I just feel stupid for even giving him a chance." Haley said pushing her unfinished food away from her.
"Don't sweat it hales. It's his funeral, I doubt Mrs. Harper will be that forgiving." Lucas said finishing his lunch, he began picking at Haley's discarded tray.
"Dude stop. I swear you should be 200lbs the amount of food you put away. Have you never heard of counting calories?" She asked scanning the lunch room for signs of Nathan.
"Hey I have a fast metabolism! Don't turn the wrath of Haley onto me, you know too well who deserves that." Lucas said collecting his stuff from the floor heading towards his locker.
"I'll see you at practice." Lucas said laughing at the look of dread on his cousin's face.
"Don't remind me" she muttered. Finally giving up on tracking Nathan down in the quad she too picked up her books and headed towards class. Glancing back at the table she realised that she had left one behind. Steinbeck. No, that defiantly wasn't hers. Opening the cover she saw L.R penned into the right hand corner. Lucas Roe. She threw it on top of her pile and began walking to class. As she did so a folded piece of paper fluttered out of the book and landed on the floor.
"Oh for god's sake Lucas." She muttered frustrated as she struggled to pick up the paper and keep a hold of her own stack of books.
She scanned it quickly expecting to see a library fine, or study notes of some sort. The unfamiliar handwriting caught her eye. Big and loopy the complete opposite of Lucas' scrawling style. Intrigued she began to read the few lines before her.
Hey Broody,
I just wanted to say thank you for last night. I don't know what I'd do without you-that's the truth!
I love you. Whatever happens know that.
I'll see you tonight xxx
Something about the simplicity and blatant honesty in this message shocked Haley. It wasn't uncommon for Lucas to have girls on the go without her knowledge, in fact often she preferred it that way. What was the point in getting to know someone when next week they would be but a distant memory in her cousin's colourful dating history? But something about the choice of words or the familiar tone this note had, made her suspect that this wasn't just a love letter from some adoring bimbo. There were no convoluted slushy nicknames. No 'baby', 'sexy' or any other trashy language that those dummies threw around. Just that one word. Broody.
I love you. Whatever happens know that. There was no loose 'love ya', there was nothing casual about it. It was almost a promise. There was something heartfelt there.
She carefully slotted the paper back inside the worn pages of the book. Hmm, so Lucas had a mystery girl. If there was one thing Haley liked, that was solving a mystery.
"Nice job today ladies. See you Wednesday" Brooke shouted as the noise of the Basketball team dispersing sounded through the large space. Today's practice had gone well, in fact as much as she hated to admit, it was the best one in weeks. For once Peyton was on point; Rachel wasn't PMSing and their newest recruit Haley James was far from the colossal disaster Brooke was expecting. Who would have guessed the girl had moves, not that she'd ever share that with anyone else. Well maybe Lucas. She glanced over to where he stood chatting to his cousin. She felt her heart beat a little faster as she saw him smile and break out into laughter. God he was cute when he did that. Hell he was cute all the time. She was one lucky girl.
"Before I forget. You and I Lucas Roe, need to have a serious talk…" Haley said seizing her cousin's good mood as the perfect opportunity to dig a little deeper into his love life.
"As terrifying as that sounds we're gonna have to pick this up another time" Lucas said turning towards the locker room. Practice had gone well plus he had a date with Brooke tonight, by the sound of it Haley meant business and there was no way she was raining on his perfect day.
"Lucas come on! What is going on with you? These past few months you're permanently MIA! What's your excuse this time?" Haley asked furrowing her brow. She was getting sick of this; Lucas had never kept secrets from her before. Recently it was though every time she tried to get him one on one he always found some way of worming out of it.
"Well it looks like you're about to have a run in with Prince Nathan. Guess he just remembered you had tutoring this morning. Better late than never, hey?" Lucas said laughing as Nathan made his way across the gym towards Haley, for once he was happy to see Nathan Scott's face.
"Nice work today. Didn't peg you for a cheerleader, but gotta give props where it's due. You didn't suck" Nathan said clutching a ball under his left arm casually.
"Well gee thanks. But no amount of backhanded complements will make me forget the fact that you didn't turn up for our tutoring session this morning. So you cut the crap and get down to what you came over here to do. Grovel" Haley said grabbing her stuff off the bleachers.
"Fine. I didn't actually notice whether you were any good. The fact I didn't hear my sister screeching told me you couldn't have been too bad. Never one to suffer in silence, our Brooke." Nathan said sighing.
"Ahh there he is ladies and gentlemen, the Nathan Scott we all know and hate…" Haley said sarcastically.
"…now if that's everything. I've got stuff to do. Have fun explaining your absence to Miss Harper" she said spitefully turning towards the exit.
"Wait. Haley. I really am sorry about this morning…I had stuff to do"
"That's your great excuse? That's pretty pathetic even for you Nathan" She replied shaking her head.
"Haley please. It was important there's no way i could have got out of it..." he persisted, following her around the gym as she gathered her belongings.
"And I'm just supposed to believe you am I?" Haley asked, she desperately wanted to believe him but years of lies, spite and humiliation had her doubting him. There was an unusual tone to his voice and if she didn't know better she would have labelled it sincerity.
"Well yeah you are" he replied arrogantly. That's more like it, his persona returning to its usual state.
"Give me one good reason Nathan!" god he was so frustrating it made her blood boil.
"Because it's the truth! If you must know I uh…I went to go see my mom in rehab. She's not been doing to good" Nathan confessed. And for once Nathan Scott was actually telling the truth. Since his mother had checked into rehab she had become almost solely dependant on him, Brooke was never around these days and his father was far too busy with his campaign. He would be lying if he said he wasn't having trouble juggling his mom, basketball and school but he was only too aware if he didn't sort this tutoring mess out soon he would be off the team all together.
"Do you think I like doing this? Wasting my time on someone who clearly couldn't give a damn! You know a little part of me actually thought you might prove my preconceptions wrong about you. Guess we all have a few dud brain cells." She scoffed.
"Haley please. I know the act of even sharing the same oxygen with me is a struggle and believe me the feelings mutual. But I'm begging you for the sake of my future can we just put that aside for a couple of hours a week? Just give me another chance. I'll work I promise" He pleaded pathetically.
She paused by the edge of the gym so close to storming out of that place and not looking back.
"Fine. But this is your last chance. I'm serious. Let's get to it, I don't have all day" she said holding the door open for him. He picked his sports bag up off the bleacher and followed her out the gym.
Damn her good nature.
Brooke sat in the centre of her bedroom at Rachel's house overwhelmed by the sight before her. Every last one of her worldly possessions was strung out across the room. It had been ransacked. She looked up at where her best friend sat cross legged on the un made bed.
"How did this happen Rachel?" she asked in disbelief. The whole room had been turned over, clothes everywhere, bed sheets ripped off, closet emptied. They'd even split the mattress.
"That I don't know. What I do know is you have one scary ass stalker in your hands" she replied switching position to lay on her stomach. Before Brooke could reply they were interrupted by Lucas' entering.
"Ok what is so urgent you had me leave my game early? Whoa…love what you've done with the place babe. What do they call this? Hobo chic?" Lucas joked stepping into the room, picking up discarded pieces of underwear of the mirror.
"This so isn't funny Lucas. Someone has broken into our house and out of every room they choose to destroy mine! Why would anyone do that!" Brooke said collapsing back onto a pile of clothes.
"Okay Brooke chill. First things first, is anything missing?" he said taking a seat at her dressing table.
"No! And that's the strangest part, everything's here. My jewellery, my ipod, I even had $200 dollars in cash in my vanity and it's still there. It just doesn't make any sense!" she exclaimed getting more worked up by the minute.
"Well maybe they got disturbed?" he said trying his hardest to put her mind at rest.
"Or maybe they just didn't find what they were looking for" Rachel chipped in making herself heard for the first time since Lucas arrived.
"Oh yeah and what would that be? You heard what Brooke said they left everything of value…" Lucas snapped frustrated by Rachel's unhelpful comment. Brooke was already acting irrationally she didn't needed Rachel's wacko theory's adding to her anxiety.
"What do I look like? Columbo? I was merely suggesting that maybe they weren't looking for money…" she said jumping up from the bed. As much as he hated to admit it, he himself had been thinking the very same thing.
"Don't worry about the mess B, I'll have the maid sort it" she said heading towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Brooke asked sitting up suddenly, afraid of the prospect of being in this house alone.
"I'm staying at your place tonight. Don't worry I can hardly see tall, fair and broody leaving your side this evening. Why don't you two take the guest room, this one's not exactly that homey at the moment…" Brooke felt a smile grace her face even in light of the current situation. It was gestures like that, that made her love Rachel more than anyone. She was still clearly uncomfortable with the whole Lucas thing but she recognised that right now Brooke needed him. Something that the students of Tree Hill would probably never know about her was that when it came down to it, Rachel Gattina was truly selfless.
"Thanks Rach." Brooke said sincerely, looking across at Lucas who looked genuinely shocked at Rachel's behaviour.
"Don't mention it…but oh just so you know b, those sheets are Egyptian cotton, one stain and my mother will have the excuse she's been looking for all those years to finally disown me. Play safe children!" with that she was gone.
"You know for a minute there I thought Rachel was actually a normal person" Lucas said a smile grazing his face.
"Nothing about that girl is normal. You know what, I wouldn't have her any other way." Brooke said laughing and collapsing back into the pile of clothes.
They sat in silence as Nathan completed the last question on his mock quiz. She watched as he chewed the end of his Biro, his face clouded with concentration. This was the third time they had met this week. Every afternoon she had arrived exactly on time to find him already there reading over last session's notes. As much as she struggled to understand it, he was actually a turning out to be an ok student. He came, he listened, he did what she asked. He was focused and for the first time in, well ever, she managed to be in his presence without having the overwhelming urge to smother him.
"Done" he said throwing the pen down and leaning back into his chair.
"You still have 10 minutes. Are you sure you don't want to check it over?"She asked looking up from her book.
"Already have. Take a look" he said handing her the paper.
She scanned over the first few questions. He was improving that was for sure.
"It looks pretty good. I'll grade it ready for next time." She said slipping it in her bag.
"Cool. I'll see you same time Monday then?" Nathan said as he gathered his stuff and walked out the door.
"Uhh yeah I guess so" Haley said as she watched him leave the tutoring centre and join his bunch of followers in the quad.
To be completely honest, this whole situation had her a bit thrown. Her whole life she had despised this boy. Literally plotted against him, laughed at his misfortune, but here she was spending numerous hours a week with him and she had realised something. It wasn't the torturous nightmare she had predicted. He was actually kind of tolerable. She glanced back out the tall glass window to see Nathan and Rachel laughing as Bevin tried unsuccessfully to through M&Ms into Tim's mouth, looking across to the other side of the quad she spotted Lucas spinning a basketball on his finger as he joked around with Mouth and Skills.
As she closed the filing cabinet she tried to process this new found information. That's when something occurred to her. What if they weren't the enemy anymore? Was it possible that everything their life was based on; the roles that they played out every day had somehow changed without anyone realising it. Maybe they had all just grown up; maybe they weren't the same people they used to be? Maybe they never really were in the first place.
That thought scared her half to death, because if they didn't have their roles, their battle, their life, well what did they have?
So what did you think? All opinions, ideas etc welcome. K X