Best Of Both Worlds (Brooke Davis / OC)

Chapter 16

Life goes on and we have to go back to school. I'm walking with Nathan who seems very happy.

"You look happy, Nate." I look at him suspiciously.

"Is that bad?" He chuckles.

"No, but what is going on?" I raise my eyebrow.

"I kissed Haley and she kissed back." I high five him.

"Best news in weeks." I smile.

"What about you? Your mom and all." He wonders.

"She wants us to leave Tree Hill for Washington." I state.

"Are you going to do so?" He frowns.

"No way in hell, Nate." I reassure him. "I'm not leaving, and mainly if it's to follow her."

"Did you talk to her already?"

"No, I don't think I need to." I frown.

"She is your mom, Tay. Talk to her even if it doesn't end well, you will have tried at least." He pats my shoulder, and we walk to class.

After class, Peyton runs to me and stops me.

"Hey, saver." The blonde girl chuckles.

"Hey, sleepy girl." I tease.

"Jerk." She glares at me playfully. "I just wanted to say thank you. Lucas and Brooke told me you took care of me."

"Just like they did." I state.

"You weren't forced to help after what Brooke did at the party and all."

"Yes, but you were in trouble and I couldn't let you die alone. What your father would have thought of me after that?" I wink and she smiles.

"For sure. Since when are you worried about what my dad is thinking?" She chuckles.

"Easy. Since I'm eight and he told me he would be proud of me if I make the National Team." I point at Peyton and she remembers.

"You remember?" She seems surprised.

"Trust me, I do." I smile. "Never wanted to make the National Team so badly."

"He'll be pleased to hear about it." Peyton puts her arm around my shoulder, and we walk to our next class.

A couple days later, Lucas and Haley manage to corner me in a hallway between two classes. They absolutely want to talk about Nathan and something being weird with him.

"Look, he is acting strange." Haley says not wanting to tell me more.

"What did he do?" I try to listen to them.

"First, he stormed out of training." Lucas starts.

"Then, he is shaking and being very weird." Haley looks at the ground.

"After that, he talked to me like crap." Lucas continues making me chuckle. "Worse than usual, T."

"And he tried to have sex with me and left madly when I said no." Haley whispers.

"He did what?" Lucas and I both look at her madly.

"Don't freak out, guys." Haley calms us down.

"Is there anything else?" I ask and they shake their head. "I'm going to talk to him."

I try to see Nathan before his game, but he wasn't home, so I just go straight to the locker room. Nathan arrives first as always, and I hide to see if he is acting bizarre. He walks to his locker, open it and takes some pills.

"Tell me that's not what I'm thinking it is." I glare at him.

"Tay?" He frowns. "What are you doing here?"

"Wanting to see you, but I've got my answer. What is it, Nate? Amphetamine?" I accuse him.

"I don't know, tell me." He smirks viciously. "Your mom used to take those; you should know what it looks like."

"Are you even seriously talking about that now?" I tighten my jaw trying to stay calm.

"Yes, I am because you have nothing to tell me about it." He points at me angrily.

"Side effects..." I groan knowingly. "Why are you taking those?"

"Beating Dan's record." Nathan admits.

"He managed to push you to this point?" I sadly look at my best friend.

"It's just for one game, Tay. I need that to beat him and never hear him talk to me about his fucking record."

"I understand your needs, but this is not good for you, Nate. You could..." I start.

"Play the greatest game of my life, yes, I know." He completes cockily.

"No, you could die, Nathan. Look at my mother and what happened to her." I spit.

"Let me be, Tay. And leave me alone before I say something you won't forgive me for saying."

I sigh but leave knowing those fucking pills just make the ones who take them angry and talking shit even if they don't think a silly thing they say.

I sit in the bleachers and glare at Dan who seems happy. What a jerk. The game starts and Nathan is doing great. Too great to be normal. He is acting selfish and aggressive. He even talks shit to the referee. During the fourth quarter, I can see him shaking and judging by Lucas' face, he sees it too. The game restarts, Lucas gives the ball to Nathan who seems to fall slowly asleep.