hello my friends. first off, how good was this weeks eppy? also, i'm so sorry for not updating... i'm rubbish i know. and i hate school. i'm writing t&t after getting a bt stuck on how to round it off. i don't want to do an epilogue cause i may do a sequel. but about this story... i've got a few ideas but none too big so that's why it's taking me so long. :)
24. Taking Steps
Haley wiped the small beads of sweat that were forming on her forehead in the hot sun. It was October and still the heat was raging in Tree Hill. She lay back on the bench and closed her eyes in the sun.
'I don't get why you're getting hot, you're not doing any work.' Peyton moaned from the court.
'Well, you love to do this so don't complain.' Haley grinned as Peyton sighed and turned back to her work.
Gently gazing up across the blue sky Haley took a deep breath of the fresh air that surrounded her.
'Why do we need to do this again?' Jakes voice barely touched her ears as Haley closed her eyes.
--
5 Years Ago
'Why do we need to do this again?' Nathan moaned as he paced about the court.
Haley opened one eye and looked at Nathan from her position on the bench.
'Because Lucas is a jackass and I heard his friends talking about him coming to challenge you or something.' She murmured, letting her body soak up the sun.
'Yeah, he is a jackass. And it doesn't look like he's coming.' Nathan shot a basket and walked towards Haley. He looked at her tanned flat stomach as Haley's exposed it to the sun by rolling up shirt. He felt himself get warmer, and he knew it wasn't the heat.
Nathan took a seat on the bench next to Haley's dozing figure.
'I'm bored.' He said gently.
Haley opened her eyes and sat up. 'Well what can we do to pass the time?' she asked happily.
Nathan watched Haley's brown eyes challenge his blue ones playfully. The sunlight struck her hair in a million places and it shone brightly as it flowed in the light breeze. Her flawless skin grew a touch of colour underneath his intense gaze.
'I…I was kind of thinking about kissing you again…' He whispered softly.
Haley almost screamed with happiness. They hadn't spoken much about the party a few weeks ago, but Haley had to admit the feeling had been buzzing around the back of her mind since then. She had seen Nathan completely differently and her racing heart wouldn't settle when she was around him.
Before either of them knew it their faces were moments apart. With a trembling lip Haley closed her eyes and leaned closer. She felt Nathan's lips brush hers and she leant into the kiss, placing one hand on the back of his head in an attempt to deepen it.
A loud clapping was soon heard and the pair jumped apart. Lucas Scott stood in all of his so-called 'glory', and following behind, still clapping, was his faithful sidekick Tim.
'Very beautiful, I almost tasted breakfast again.'
'What?' Tim asked, looking at Lucas confused.
'He means we made him throw up Dim.' Haley snapped, her face now crimson red.
'What do you want Scott?' Nathan called from the bench.
'What do you want man?' Lucas challenged. Nathan stood from the bench and met Lucas on the court. 'Other than my team, my status, my girlfriend.'
'Your girlfriend?' Nathan asked.
'Yeah, sweet cheeks over there.' He spoke quietly. 'Oh, the sweet things I would do to her if I could get my hands on her-'
'You stay away from Haley.'
'Oh but wait, I'm Lucas Scott, I can get anything I want.'
Nathan clenched his fists and his jaw tightened. He hated this guy with a burning passion. The fact that they were related made it worse.
'So, you stay away from my team, and I'll stay away from your girl.' Lucas warned, walking away quickly. Slowing down, he walked over to Haley. Grabbing her face in his hands, he pressed his lips against hers.
Nathan lunged forward but Haley had it under control. She kicked out to hit him where it hurt, then punched him in the jaw.
'What a shame.' Nathan chuckled. 'I don't think I'll need to stay away from the team.' He teased as Lucas walked away shamefully.
'Now where were we?' He asked gently, taking Haley's hand and kissing it gently.
'What did he say to you Nathan?'
'He told me if I joined the team he would go after you.'
'Are you going to join the team?' Haley asked cautiously. In secret she was scared of Lucas, but she wouldn't let Nathan know that. Nathan wouldn't possibly sacrifice her for the team would he?
'Yes.'
He obviously would.
'Don't worry Haley you can take perfect care of yourself. I know you can.' He smiled and leaned in.
'Woah.' Haley put up her hands. 'No touchy, I'm Lucas' girl now.' She snarled, standing up and walking away.
'Haley wait.'
'For what Nathan?' She shouted. 'For you to use me as another bargaining chip? Because I don't want to be thrown about like that, not for a basketball.'
--
'Earth to Haley James.' Brooke giggled. 'I brought muffins.'
'Mmm.' Haley mumbled, sitting up and taking a muffin from Brooke.
'Day dreaming?' She asked gently.
Haley nodded, chewing on her lip.
'Haley, this looks amazing.' Brooke sighed with appreciation.
Haley folded her arms across her chest, nodding with approval. 'Yes, it really does.'
'What gave you this idea?' Jake asked slowly, squinting at her through the sun.
'Oh, it just came to me…' Haley chewed her lip as she thought about her sudden inspiration.
'So you're not going to tell us?' Brooke asked.
'It's personal.' Haley replied softly.
Haley wasn't home. She hadn't been home for the past few days. She always snuck out in the morning before Nathan woke up, and snuck back in late when he was asleep. Well, she thought he was asleep, but he always heard her moving around.
Nathan padded softly through to the kitchen. It was three in the afternoon, and officially the fourth day he had spent without leaving the house. He didn't understand why it was so hard for him to play basketball again. It was as if his head had told him that he could go straight back to being the player he was. That was stupid enough; of course he wouldn't be the same.
So why could he not just deal with that?
He couldn't answer that as his phone rang, indicating a text message. He read it with a confused face, then grabbed his shoes and ran out of the house.
When Nathan reached his destination it was empty and completely unrecognisable.
Was this the river court? It definitely was. Nathan was quite a distance away but he knew where he was. He couldn't quite make out what had happened to it.
Walking closer he gasped at what he saw.
The whole river court was painted with different quotes and pictures, hardly any grey was visible.
Nathan saw a basketball sitting in the middle of a large shape and walked over to it. Picking it up, he realised he was on a heart, with the number 23 in the middle of it.
As Nathan looked up he could tell that he was at the free throw line. Something caught his eye as he realised three sides of the court were blocked off by large stands, covered in large white sheets.
Nathan was extremely confused. Studying the ground, Nathan spotted a few more '23's and his name written in large cursive across the court. He was so confused.
Suddenly Haley appeared from behind one of the large white stands.
'Haley, what is this?' Nathan asked quickly.
Haley walked forward, her expression unchanged. She came to face Nathan and looked into his eyes.
'Do you remember that time you got onto the basketball team?' She asked softly.
'What are you talking about?'
'You were so happy. One of the first freshmen to make it straight to a top position.'
'Haley…' Nathan started.
'And what about that time that you hurt your knee, and you couldn't play for two weeks?'
'I don't understand-'
'You were so angry you locked yourself in your room and wouldn't talk to anyone. You told me you were going to quit.'
Nathan stayed silent as Haley walked around the court.
'Don't you remember that this was our trademark spot? When Lucas vandalised it, we stayed awake for two days straight cleaning it up and sorting it. Then we finally fell asleep together on the grass over there.' Haley pointed to the edge of the court. 'Our parents freaked out completely.'
'I know that Haley.' Nathan sighed. 'But what is this about.'
'Nathan you do get it do you?' Haley sighed, exasperated. 'Basketball is your life! You can't stop it now! You should never have stopped!' Haley started to walk over the Nathan.
Taking his hands in hers, she looked up into his eyes, searching the worried orbs for any reaction. 'You deserve this Nathan. Basketball deserves you. You shouldn't give up on your dream.'
'But what's the point Haley?' Nathan asked, pulling away from her. 'Painting the ground isn't going to help me!'
Haley chuckled softly. 'Nathan.' He turned round. 'Come here.' She led him over to stand in the centre of the court. Taking his face in her hands, she forced him to look at her.
'You need to do this. For yourself. You need to play again. Without basketball there's no Nathan. Nathan Scott is a basketball player.'
'Haley I don't know if I can.'
Haley placed a finger on his lips to silence him. Without saying a word, she walked over to the basketball hoop and pulled on a small rope.
The white sheets flew gracefully off the stands and onto the ground, revealing large canvases. On each canvas were different pictures. The large centre one contained a life-size picture of Nathan slam-dunking a ball. Around the court on the other canvases were articles about Tree Hill's top player, his scoring records and his university scholarship letters. His NBA kids camp acceptance letter and pictures of him and Haley celebrating their wins surrounded him. He felt his mind flood with memories as he studied the many pictures of him playing. Across the canvases a word was spelt in large letters.
'Tree Hill's Hometown Hero'
Speechless, Nathan turned to Haley, who was smiling.
'I believe in you.'
so yeah, i realised i wasn't very clear with the flashback. it was a few weeks after nathan taught haley how to kiss at the party. :)
