A Lot Can Happen At Boarding School (One Tree Hill FF)

Chapter 24

Chapter 24: A Tree Hill Raven always knows, what you don't say hurts the most. And, tequila.

The group watches Nathan run off, Brooke makes a move to follow him, but Lucas and Haley cry out in unison, "Stop!"

Brooke turns, surprised to find the twosome in agreement.

"Lucas, he needs us," Brooke says, holding back a sob.

"He needs to process," Lucas says. "And so do I."

Lucas walks over to Haley with grave concern. "We need to talk."

Haley nods, looking at the group – Peyton's anger, Jake's shock, and Brooke's pain.

"I'm sorry," she whispers, before following Lucas back out of the woods.

...

As soon as he reaches the edge of the woods, Nathan starts to jog, keeping a brisk pace around the lake, and by the time he's on the path up to campus, he's running. Sprinting. His calves burn. His lungs ache. His eyes brim with emotion as he pushes his way across campus and into the Alumni Residence Hall.

When he reaches his room, he closes the thick oak door behind him, and slides against it onto the floor. It is in this moment, he lets out the first cry, a guttural sound, before allowing the tears to fall. He'd gone over every reason Haley could have left. Every possibility, and he'd be lying if he said he'd never thought his father was involved, but a pay-off? It was too much. He wasn't prepared. It was the most callous thing he could think of, and it broke his heart.

"Nathan?"

Nathan looks up from his place on the floor to find Rachel standing in the bathroom doorway – her face refreshed, her clothes adjusted. She looked nice. He sits up immediately, wiping the tears away with the back of his hand; a much-too-late attempt at composure.

"Rachel, hey."

She takes a few steps forward, sitting on the end of the bed. "You want to talk about it?"

Nathan shakes his head. "Not really."

Rachel scoots over on the bed, hovering over Nathan on his place on the floor. "You want to not talk about it?"

Nathan eyes her, considering the offer. It would be so easy to fall into this distraction. God knows he has time and time again over the last ten years. But as much as he wants to forget, as much as a part of him wants to hurt Haley in this very moment, he knows sleeping with Rachel won't change anything. In fact, it could even make it worse.

"Nah," Nathan says, smiling small-y. "I'm –"

"Too good for her," Rachel says matter-of-factly. It's a statement, not a jab. It's what she believes, which has always been a sweet surprise to Nathan.

"You always say that," he laughs.

"It's the truth."

"Definitely not," Nathan says, coming to a stand. "But I appreciate the sentiment."

"Well, I was actually on my way back down to the fields," Rachel says.

"Me too," Nathan says. "I just needed a minute."

Rachel gets up, walking around him to the door. "Want to head out?"

Nathan shakes his head, emotion bubbling back up before he can speak again, "I still need a minute."

Rachel eyes Nathan, a rare moment of empathy radiating through her. "You know, I'll never understand this connection you feel. I've been jealous of it ever since Haley stepped foot at Tree Hill Prep. But, it's obviously there."