Chapter Six

Brooke Davis had been attending Tree Hill High for just over a week now and was still having a little trouble settling down. It wasn't that she didn't like the place, but at her old school she'd been one of the most popular girls in their year, as well as captain of the cheerleading squad despite the fact that she'd only been a junior. All that had changed when her Dad had announced they were moving and she'd have to start all over again for her senior year, which should have been the best year of her high school life.

At Tree Hill, the cheerleading squad had no free spots left and she wasn't doing too well in the friends department either. There was this one girl, Bevin, who was nice and she liked to hang out with, but Bevin's best friend Rachel, captain of the cheerleaders, hated Brooke and she had no problem with that since she hated her back. It was sort of ironic because she was who Brooke was at her old school, but Brooke tried to ignore that fact.

As Brooke made her way into the auditorium for that morning's assembly she looked for an empty seat rather than a friendly face, but luckily found both.

"Hey, Brooke?" She looked up to see Lucas and Nathan making their way into one of the rows. "You wanna sit with us?" Lucas asked.

She smiled widely at him. She walked up to them and sat with Lucas on her right and Nathan on his right. Surprisingly, she had found herself hanging out with Lucas and Nathan more than anyone else. She had quite a few lessons with them, especially Nathan, but although he was a very good-looking guy she was more attracted to Lucas. It probably had something to do with the fact that he was always so shy around her, even when she wasn't blatantly flirting with him. "Thank you," she whispered to him as the assembly began.

Lucas just nodded, before turning to his right and mouthing, "Thanks," to Nathan for forcing him to call Brooke to come sit with them. Nathan gave him a thumbs-up sign before returning his gaze to the assembly. He had never been very attentive at assemblies when he actually went to school, but here all the teachers had to sit up front on the stage.

For most of the assembly Nathan didn't pay much attention, but at the end a special announcement caught his attention. All students in the senior class were to be assigned one member of faculty who would be their counselor for the rest of the year. Or it might have been mentor. Well, it was something like that. Despite the fact that he never looked anywhere but the stage, Nathan really wasn't paying attention.

Brooke, Lucas and Nathan got up with everyone else to exit the auditorium. Nathan took the usual turn right to go to his class when he was stopped by Brooke.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"My class is this way."

Both Lucas and Brooke looked at him strangely. "Nathan," Lucas told him, "we don't have class. We're getting our first couple of lessons free while everyone meets with their counselor. We're supposed to go down to the principal's office and check the list outside his door."

"Oh. Yeah, I forgot."

"You didn't hear the freaky bio teacher go on about how important it is for us to bond with our counselor?" Brooke wondered.

"He was a little freaky," Lucas agreed.

"And somewhat scary too," Brooke added. "I just hope he's not my counselor."

"So, who do you want to be your counselor?" Lucas asked Brooke as the three of them slowly walked to the principal's office.

"Well, I don't know any of the teachers really well, but I wouldn't mind that hot new history teacher."

"Ja-I mean, Mr. Jagielski?" Nathan said, sharing a look with Lucas above Brooke's head.

Brooke nodded. "Yeah, or I wouldn't mind getting a cool female teacher. Like Miss James or my French teacher."

"Who's your French teacher?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"Well, I couldn't pronounce her name so I forgot it. But she's cool. "

Nathan laughed at Brooke's admission.

"Hey, I think the schedule's here," Lucas guessed, when they saw the mass of students around a notice board.

"There's no way all three of us are gonna make it through that," Brooke observed.

Looking at the scene in front of them, Nathan commented, "It seems kind of weird that they're all so eager to find out anyway."

"Tell you what, I'll go see who we each got assigned to and then come back and tell you."

"Thanks, Lucas," Brooke said as she took his bag from him.

"So…" Nathan began.

"So, how are you and Lucas cousins?" Brooke asked, deciding to start a conversation.

"My Dad and his Dad are brothers."

"So are your Dad's as close as you guys are?"

Nathan gave a half-smile. "Not really. Uncle Keith, Lucas' Dad, hasn't spoken to my Dad since before I was born."

"Oh. I'm sorry," Brooke said quickly.

"It's okay."

"So who do you want to get as your counselor?" Brooke decided to move to a safer subject.

"Um…" Nathan looked like he was thinking, although there was really no thinking involved at all.

"I'm back!" Lucas announced his return.

"Oh, who did I get?" Brooke asked excited.

"Miss James."

"Who did you get?"

"Miss James."

"Who did Nathan get?"

"Chris Keller." The man himself leaned his arm across the desk to shake the hand of the student who he was supposed to mentor or something for the rest of the school year. "But, that's Mr. Keller to you. And your name?"

"Nathan Scott," he said with a grimace.

"So you mind if I call you Nate?"

"Actually, yes –"

"Excellent. So, Nate, do you have any career plans?"

"Well…I think I might join the police force after I finish school," Nathan said sarcastically.

"You're got plans. Great! Makes my job a hell of a lot easier. I like you, Nate," Chris told him.

She's dating him? Him? I mean…

"So, Nate, how about you and Chris Keller talk about music?" he asked.

Did he just refer to himself in the third person?

"What types of music do you listen to?"

"A couple of different types. Mostly rap."

Chris tutted and shook your head. "You're wasting your time there. You should listen to some real music. Wanna hear some?"

"Well, -" Before Nathan could finish Chris reached behind his desk and pulled out a guitar.

"Now would you like to hear a cover or a Chris Keller original?"

Kill me now.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Nathan abruptly turned in his chair to see who it was. The door opened to reveal a slightly older woman, who Nathan vaguely recognized as Principal Durham's secretary. "Mr. Keller?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry, there's been a mix-up. Mr. Scott was supposed to be assigned another tutor."

"Oh. Well, I guess I'll see you around, then, Nate."

I hope not. "I suppose so," Nathan responded with a smile on his face.

"And don't forget your dream of being in the – army, was it?"

"Police force," Nathan corrected him as he walked out. The secretary had a boy standing next to her, who she was now ushering inside Chris Keller's room. "Good luck," Nathan told him.

The boy looked at him somewhat strangely, but then started to understand when he saw the guitar on Chris' lap.

The secretary closed the door and then she handed him a piece of paper. "This is the room you're supposed to go to."

"Thanks. Who's the teacher?" he asked, as she started walking away.

"Oh. I'm not sure. Mr. Durham told me the room number."

Nathan tentatively knocked on the door to the room the secretary had sent him to.

"Come in," a soft voice called.

Nathan opened the door and poked his head inside. He saw a petit young woman bending down to organize a filing cabinet in the corner of the room. Her back was to him so all he could see was her long auburn hair cascading down her back and her ass. No, it couldn't be… "Miss James?" he asked before he could stop himself.

Haley turned around and smiled at him. "Nathan! Come on in."

He went inside and then stood somewhat nervously by the door.

"Well, what are you doing over there?" she asked, laughing. "Come sit down." She gestured to the chair near him. However, unlike in Chris Keller's room the chair was not behind her desk, but to the side of it, and her chair was directly opposite it. As Haley sat down in her chair, Nathan realized that there would be very little space between them and grew more nervous. Still, he couldn't stand there the whole time, especially after she had asked him to sit so he put his bag down by the door and then sat down.

"I don't think I remember reading your name on my list."

"No, there was a mix-up or something. Mr. Durham's secretary came just now and took me out of my session with Mr. Keller," Nathan said before he could stop himself. He observed Haley's face, but her expression seemed to remain the same when he mentioned his name.

"Oh. So did you two gain much ground in discussing your future or college?"

"Not really. We started discussing music though."

Haley laughed. "Did he play you his version of 'When The Stars Go Blue'?"

"Well, he had just taken out his guitar when the secretary came," Nathan said.

She only smiled, but Nathan could tell that the conversation was about to turn to his 'future' and that was something he didn't want. "So – what's 'When The Stars Go Blue'?"

"You've never heard it?" Nathan shook his head. "It's by Ryan Adams."

Nathan paused for a minute. "I've never heard of him either."

"You've never even heard of him? He's so good! I love his work. His latest album; with the Cardinals, 'Jacksonville City Nights' is awesome. You have no idea what I'm talking about do you?" Haley realized.

Nathan grinned at her. Normally he found people who rambled on like that kind of weird, but with Haley it just made her look even cuter. "No. But he sounds like one of those guys who sits around with his guitar writing melancholy songs."

"Well, I don't think that's what the genre is called, but I suppose he could fit into that category. You're not a fan of that type of music?"

"Not so much. I listen to rap mostly. And hip-hop. I guess you don't like that."

"What? You don't know that," Haley said defensively.

"So you listen to Jay-Z?" Nathan asked, trying to picture it in his head.

"Well, not Jay-Z, but I do like Kanye West. As well as Pharrell Williams and N.E.R.D." When Nathan seemed to nod approvingly she smiled at him. "Just because I'm a teacher Nathan, doesn't mean I can't listen to 'cool' music," she said, jokingly.

And there it was. He'd been able to ignore it earlier, but the way she said that last sentence just abruptly reminded him how she thought he was some 18-year-old high school kid. It was times like these when he really wished his case would be wrapped up really soon.

Since Nathan didn't reply, Haley realized they had veered totally off-topic and brought the conversation around. "So, why don't we get back to why we're really here? Have you been thinking about college?"

"Er, I…" He wasn't going to be rude to her like he was with Chris Keller, but he wasn't sure what to say to her either. He decided to go back to how his situation was when he was really in this position as a senior. "I'm not going to college."

"You're not going? You don't want to go…"

"No, it's not that. I just can't. I can't afford it," Nathan replied to Haley's unasked question.

"Oh. Well, did you play any sports in your old school? Because you can get a sports scholarship if –"

"No," Nathan quickly cut Haley off, not wanting to remember what had happened with his potential basketball scholarship. "I, uh…I used to play basketball, but I got injured and I can play for fun, but not with all the training and everything."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Well, have you thought about what you'll do instead after school? Have you talked to your parents about it?"

"It's just me and my mum," Nathan corrected her. "I've never actually met my Dad." The moment he said it, he wondered why he had confided in her, but then the look on her face made him realize why.

"Oh, Nathan, I'm so sorry." She looked at him with sympathy, and although maybe he would have liked to tell himself it was pity like he got from all Aunt Deb's high society friends, he could tell the difference. He had been trying to convince himself that his attraction to her was because she was pretty, but moments like this forced him to see that she was so much more than that.

Haley truly did feel sorry for Nathan, and as she said so her hand started to move, as if of its own accord, from her lap into his on his hand. It was a kind gesture, and Nathan didn't even seem to notice, but the moment Haley realized she had done it she started freaking out.

What are you doing, James? she asked herself. You're touching him! There should be no touching! – But, it doesn't mean anything. That's like a comforting gesture. You're just touching his hand. – Which is on his knee. And everyone knows what it means when someone touches your knee – Oh my God I hope he doesn't think that! I have to move my hand without making it seem weird – Stop it, James! You're reading too much into this. Remember that boy this morning, who started crying because of what had happened with his parents? You hugged him. You didn't think there was anything wrong with that. There's nothing wrong with this! Just relax before you freak him out!

"Er…" Haley decided to open her mouth, but wasn't sure what to say. "You know, if you ever need to talk about it you can always talk to me."

Nathan smiled. He knew he couldn't really go and talk to her about it, but he appreciated the offer."Thanks."

A knock on the door, startled both of them. Before Haley could reply, the handle started to turn. As Nathan turned his head to the door, Haley used the opportunity to move her hand; the loss of its warmth alerted Nathan too late to the fact that it had actually been there in the first place.

Principal Durham stepped half-inside.

"White-Mr. Durham?" Haley said, remembering a student was present.

"Hello Haley. I'm sorry to interrupt, but Nathan's schedule has been mixed up and he's actually supposed to be with someone else for the counseling session."

"Oh?" Haley asked, while Nathan's thoughts were more like, Oh no.

"Was I supposed to stay with Mr. Keller?" he wondered aloud, horrified.

Whitey couldn't help but smile at Nathan's expression. "No, my secretary sent you to the wrong room after she took you out of there. I'll –" Whitey stopped himself when his cell phone started to ring. "Excuse me one second." He went back outside, leaving Haley and Nathan alone again.

"So…" Haley stood up, and Nathan reluctantly did the same. "I guess I'll see you in class tomorrow."

"Yeah." Nathan nodded. As he half-turned to leave, Haley stopped him.

"Um, Nathan? Even though I'm not your counselor anymore, if you ever want to talk about something…well, you know where to find me."

"Thanks."

They both moved, but Haley had forgotten the pile of books she had left right next to the chairs. Her foot knocked into them and she became unsteady, falling backwards.

Nathan realized just in time and reached out to get her before she fell on the ground. His arms wrapped around her waist and instinctively her hands reached for his shoulders to regain her balance. As Nathan's grip around her waist tightened to let her stand, the new position meant her body was pressed up against his.

Both of them were somewhat shocked into silence and they ended up just staring at each other's face for a few moments.

"Are you okay?" Nathan finally asked, not releasing her.

"I think so," she whispered, making no move to break away from him either.

"Sorry about that," Whitey said as he re-entered the room, not noticing Haley and Nathan quickly jerking away from each other. "Nathan shall I take you to your room now or do you need a few more moments to say goodbye to Miss James?" he joked.

"I'll come now." Nathan quickly picked up his bag and put it on his shoulders. Glancing at Haley, she gave him a half-smile, which he returned before following Whitey into the halls.

"I'm sorry to be shuffling you around Nathan like this," Whitey said once they were alone.

"It's okay. What's the problem with the schedule?"

"Nothing. When I found out they had assigned you Keller – as well as feeling very sorry for you – I figured it was just a waste of your time anyway so I asked my secretary to assign you Jake so that you could discuss the case and it gives you a reason to be seen with each other at school, if you ever need to.

That makes sense, Nathan thought. And it's actually a pretty good idea. But that still didn't mean he wasn't slightly disappointed about not having Haley. Especially after he'd had her for just a few minutes there. "So how come I was just with Miss James?"

"Well, apparently my secretary doesn't know the difference between room 201 and 102," Whitey sighed. "I'll show you where Jake's room is."

A few minutes later Nathan was tapping on the door to enter Jake's room. The door opened and a blonde woman exited, after which Nathan went in.

"Hi."

"Hey, Nate," Jake said and after seeing his friend stopped arranging his files, and relaxed back into his seat. "Are you my next student?"

"Mr. Durham thought it would be a good idea to put me with you so that we could discuss the case."

Jake nodded, showing he agreed.

"So, is that, um…Peyton?" Nathan recalled their conversation from the other night.

"Yeah, she wanted to discuss something" Jake said quickly. "But, since about half the session's over we should really talk about the case."

"Okay." Nathan noticed Jake's abruptness, but put it down to stress. "But, don't you even want to know about my brief session with 'the' Chris Keller?"

Here Jake cracked a smile. "I told you!"