Chapter 6

Summary: Things continue to heat up.

"So what you doing tonight?" Lucas asked.

"Oh I'm working tonight." Haley said, trying to not look at Lucas and not look at Nathan, who they were fast approaching.

"I know that .." Lucas stopped speaking as they passed Nathan.

"You okay?" Haley asked.

"Yeah, just Nathan looking at us funny… we'll I'd rather get looks than another night in the field."

"What?"

"Nothing, forget about it."

"What're you talking about?"

"Just that a couple of weeks ago, Nathan and his hoodlums kinda kidnapped me and left me out in a muddy field." Lucas said, mustering as much sarcasm as he could.

"What?" Haley said in disbelief. "I can't believe you never told me."

"Yeah, well it wasn't one of those things that I didn't want to dwell on but I think Nathan realized that was kinda low… even for him .. cuz ever since then he hasn't done anything… newaiz.. enough about him.. what do you say about a movie tonight?" They stopped when they reached Haley's classroom.

"Umm.. I don't know.. I'll call you if anything. Later Luke." Haley said as she quickly went inside the classroom.

--

"What's that look?" Tim asked.

"What're you talking about?" Nathan shot back.

"Just now when Lucas walked by."

"Dude, you're imagining things. I could care less about him."

"And what about that Haley chick."

"What about her? And her name is Haley not Haley chick." Nathan corrected.

"Have you.." Just then Tim simulated him riding a horse.

"You need to find yourself a girl.. or better lotion." Nathan replied annoyed.

"What's taking so long Nate? By now, you normally would've sealed the deal."

"She's tutoring me.. as in helping me pass my classes or else I flunk out of the team." Nathan slammed the locker shut and walking away.

"Hey man, whatever."

--

Haley sat in class but couldn't concentrate. She kept thinking about Nathan. She forgot what an ass Nathan was to Lucas. It bothered her the way he treated him. She thought Lucas told her everything, but I guess he held back details. She wondered what else did he do. But Lucas did say he was backing down. At least she knew, Nathan was keeping his end of the bargain but it still didn't sit well with her though. But she had enough on her plate as it is, dodging questions from Lucas and meeting up later with Nathan.

They were actually going to go out, with out their text books. What was she getting into, she thought to herself. She didn't deny her feelings for him, but she was still nervous. Most people would think that Nathan does in fact like her. But Haley is not most people and she just thought that they were just going out, not like it was a date. "Date" the word came screaming at her and it wouldn't shut up.

--

"Psst."

Haley looked around.

"Haley"

She looked around again and then saw Nathan in another empty classroom. She went inside.

"Well, I'm glad your not grabbing me this time." Haley joked.

Nathan smiled. "So what time your shift ends?"

"8ish."

"Good, I'll pick you around then."

"About that .. Lucas asked me to go to a movie tonight."

The words hit him like an arrow through his heart. She was going to back out from their date. Nathan didn't know what to do, this couldn't be happening. He desperately wanted to hang out with her, just the two of them with tutoring out of the picture.

Sensing his disappoint, Haley quickly added. "So I'll make sure I'll leave a little bit early like around quarter to 8 so I can avoid him."

Nathan smiled. "For a minute, you had me there James."

"So I'll come get you at 7:45."

"No.. umm .. too risky.. how about we meet up at the docks where I tutor you."

"Sounds good to me." Nathan said with the biggest smile on his face which made Haley flush. "I'll see you tonight, Hales. I can't wait." He said as the bell rang and he left to go to his next class. Haley stayed in there for a moment to catch her breath. She realized that Nathan's smile was like a venom, which paralyzed her and made her heart stopped. She smiled to herself, with the word "date" not sounding so bad anymore.

Haley was at the door about to leave when she heard Tim. She heard Nathan's name and so she stopped there to listen. His locker was right at the corner from the doorway, which was in earshot to Haley but they wouldn't know.

"So yeah, count Nathan out tonight." Tim said.

"What? Why not.. it's like I don't even know the guy anymore." Said Michael, another guy from the team whose voice Haley recognized.

"Oh don't worry about it.. he's just working on a project."

"A project?"

"Yeah, can't really say."

"Dude, spill."

"Well, I can't say much.. cuz frankly Nathan hasn't said much about it either but lets just say he's working on a way to finally get Lucas off the team."

"What? That sucks, Lucas is actually kind of good."

"Yeah, but oh well .. for all you know he won't quit the team."

"He's not going to throw him out in the middle of another field is he?"

"No, nothing like that. It involves a girl.. that's all I can say."

"Who?"

"Look I already said too much as it is .. she's not important but maybe you'll recognize her when she comes into school with a limp, if you know what I mean." Tim said perversely.

The two guys walked off. Haley stood there, unable to breath. "This couldn't be true." She thought to herself. "No this was a mistake." That wasn't the Nathan she knew. This wasn't the guy who would smile at her, would tell her about his problems, who listened to her talk about music and how annoying her older sister was when she came to visit. No this was definitely some sick joke, but there was only one way to find out.

--

Knock knock.

"Come in." Coach Whitey Durham responded. Haley walked in.

"Miss James, what can I do for you?"

"Hi coach, I just wanted to talk to you about one of your players that I'm tutoring."

"Nathan."

"Yeah." She said nervously.

"I'm pretty sure that boy would've flunked his way out of the team if it wasn't for you.. I'm so glad he picked you to be his tutor.."

"What? Me?"

"Yeah, I wanted him to go to Carl, you know the one from track. I figure he might listen better to another guy, especially an athlete who won't bow down to his charms and end up doing his homework for him"

Haley gave him a weird look.

"I was hesitant to sign off on you.. no offense I heard good things about you .. but Nathan insisted, practically begged.. but I guess his guts were right. I just read the latest reports from his teachers. I have you to thank."

"Um.. no problem."

"So what can I do for you? Name it?"

"Nothing.. I mean.. I just wanted to tell you how good he's been doing. .. I'm going to be late for class, I'll see you later coach."

Haley got out of there as fast as she could. She ran outside, she needed air. For someone as smart as her, she couldn't believe she was such an idiot. This was the second time in her life when she let a boy play her out, she vowed to herself that there wouldn't be a third. She couldn't go back to school, she was too upset. Nathan was just using her to get to Lucas and he was succeeding. Everything he had done was an act, she couldn't believe it. She took a deep breath, she wanted to cry, but she forced herself not to. Nathan Scott did not deserve her tears and he was certainly not worth anything to her anymore.

And the drama continues ….

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