micktrex @ 2008-06-11T21:07:00

2008-06-12T02:10:56Z

Title: Lessons In Love
Fandom: One tree hill
Pairing: Brooke/Haley
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or the rights to them. Don't sue me.
Rating: PG - R
Summary: This is somewhat AU and also has the writer/narrator of the fic communicating with the characters in the show. It sounds more complicated than it is...the fanfiction.net guys loved the concept so lets hope you do too! Based around season 3 with some slight adaptions. Nathan doesn't take Haley back after her tour. See, very slight.

Lessons in love

Chapter 1

The clocks ticked away painfully slow for the students of tree hill high school. It was the first term back after the summer holidays and September seemed to be dragging along slower than what was humanely possible.

The students in Mrs Seller’s English class didn’t even feign interest in whatever the hell she was trying to teach, some blatantly ignored her, doodling on their books for some kind of escape from the boredom that was high school. It wasn’t just the fact that it was the first term back that had lead to this behaviour but Mrs Seller was a substitute for the class’s usual teacher, who had sadly caught a summer cold.

So of course it was only fair that everyone didn’t have to give a crap what the substitute said because they could cook up any story they liked of how badly she had taught them.

But one student in particular sat rapt to attention as the teacher explained the objectives of the lesson. Haley James was trying to pay attention, but struggled in the stiff post-summer air that filled the stuffy classroom. Yes, Haley was your typical goody-two-shoes nerd, who loved to read, learn stuff and err read, but as big a nerd as she is-

“Hey!”

What?

“Do you mind? You’re making me sound like some boring dork”

And you’re not?

Haley glares daggers at the writer and throws a pencil at him.

Ow! That was sharpened! No don’t throw another one; I’ll be nice I’ll be nice!

Haley settles back down trying to summarise the mindless babble coming from the substitute teacher. Her hazel orbs shimmer majestically as she stares dumbfounded yet elegantly. She sucks on the nib of her pen, her lips a wonderful pink, so soft velvet would envy her, but her smooth unhindered skin, so delicate, so alluring, making her look as gentle as a deer in the wilderness-

“Dude. Seriously, are you taking the piss now?”

Hey you wanted to sound less dorky, Miss I’m-too-good-for-what-the-writer-thinks.

“Yeah but I wanted to sound more normal not like Sherah, goddess off the magical pixy forest.”

Oh I can see the sarcasm dripping off you. Want a towel?

“Just write me as a normal high school girl, please!”

Women…..So Haley sat there sucking away on her pen, wondering when the hell this lesson ended. She felt bad because she usually loved English but it was a Monday and this was the lesson before lunch, her stomach had confirmed this several times with her with its pleading growls for food.

She was also beginning to feel nerdier than usual as she appeared to be the only one listening in class and from what she could tell she would have been able to teach the lesson three times better than this sorry excuse for a teacher of the English language. Haley sighed inwardly.

Sometimes being all-knowing tutor girl sucks, she thought to herself finally giving up on being the teacher’s pet and letting her mind roam free. She looked over at the rest of the class all of whom were in their own little dream worlds. Her eyes settled upon Brooke, one of her now good friends who sat a few desks from her. It had been a bumpy start when they first met but that was in the past and now they got along like a house on fire. Minus the burning.

Brooke was regarding her nails with immense scrutiny as if they displeased her. Haley would never tell her, but she thought Brooke was perfect when it came down to appearances. Describing her as hot was nowhere near the heat that radiated off that girl, calling her beautiful was an understatement and calling her drop dead gorgeous was…..pretty much spot on, Haley thought with a small smile.

“Oh I don’t sound like a raving lesbian one bit.”

Again with the sarcasm, at this rate you’ll fill a bath with your drippings

“Eew,”

Trying to put that disturbing mental image behind her Haley watched Brooke frown and rest her head sullenly on the palm of her hand that was propped up by her elbow. She stifled her laugh when she saw Brooke perfectly mouth “I need a manicure”. Haley seriously doubted she needed anything as she was after all her object of perfection.

Brooke, feeling eyes upon her, turned her head on her hand to find Haley starring at her with glazed over eyes and a small smile. Haley’s heart missed a beat at her terror of being found ogling her and a blush began to creep up her neck subconsciously as she gave Brooke an awkward wave.

Brooke raised one eyebrow in amusement and cocked her devilish grin, her trademark. Feeling like embarrassing Haley even further she pressed her lips against the hand that held her chin up and then blew a kiss in Haley’s direction. Haley’s cheeks flushed as Brooke gave her a cheeky wink and a smile.

“Gah.” Haley said stupidly and a lot louder than she would have wished. Brooke’s actions had fogged her brain completely and now she was finding it hard to hold back her laughter as the teacher looked over at Haley.

“Is there a problem Ms James?”

“Oh no Miss Sellers I just err, sneezed.” Haley replied as innocently as she could, wishing her cheeks weren’t so damn red.

The teacher went back to droning uselessly to her uncaring audience. Haley sighed with relief and gave Brooke a fake sad look for getting her in trouble. Brooke just flashed her her puppy dog eyes and mouthed “I’m sorry Haley-bub.”

“You will be.” she mouthed back with a grin.

Ugh, out of all the students this brain-dead teacher notices me, Haley thought in annoyance. I mean the whole class isn’t even looking at her and…oh my god Lucas is asleep! She is so just picking on me because…..because she sucks, Haley finished happy with her conclusion on the matter. She couldn’t really blame her best friend for being asleep; she would be too if she had the guts. She shook her head in amazement as Lucas snored softly on his desk near the back of the classroom.

Wow he’s really out for the count you think he was doing the dirty with Brooke all last night?

“Hey! I can hear you too you know!”

Oh...right….hello!

“Grr, I was not “doing the dirty” with Lucas last night, we are just friends simple as.”

Sure Brooke and I am the pope of Brazil…

Brooke and Haley were brought back to the room by the sound of the teacher’s voice which had changed its monotonous pace.

“Okay, I think you’ve heard me talk long enough,” she ignored the student that said, “Oh god I thought the bitch would never end!” and carried on, “ I want you to get into pairs and discuss the different ways in which authors convey emotion in their characters.”

She received a room of blank looks.

“It’s what I’ve been talking about for the last forty minutes,” she said looking rather exasperated. The class all seemed to respond with a collective “oh”. “You have twenty minutes; please try to discuss what I asked.” The teacher finished looking rather defeated as she planted herself behind her desk, pinching the bridge of her nose.

The sound of scraping chairs was heard as friends got in pairs together. The noise awoke Lucas with a start who shouted, “The ravens stole my basketball!” When he looked around groggily, saw where he was and groaned wishing it was all a bad dream.

Haley felt someone sit down beside her and her eyes widened when she heard a husky voice say, “Enjoy perving over me did you?”

She turned to meet the smirk of Brooke who was sitting happily beside her.

Haley laughed uneasily and replied, “It wasn’t perving….it was admiring from a distance.” Smooth Haley, realll smooth.

“Oh admiring is that what it was? Cus you starring at me with glazed over eyes that wasn’t stalker-esque one bit,” Brookes grin getting bigger by the second.

“Fine! You caught me out; I was totally perving on you. Lock me away and throw away the key,” Haley said trying to keep a straight face. Brooke laughed.

“Nooo! I can’t do that all the butch lesbians will make mince meat of you in prison. They’ll see this adorable lil cutie walk in and you’ll be every psycho Jane’s bitch by the end of the day.”

“Thanks Brooke….for that enlightening description of how my life in federal prison would be,” she said stunned yet amused. She called me an adorable lil cutie…..oh god don’t blush again for the love of god don’t.

“You’re welcome, now what are we meant to be doing cus I didn’t hear a word that woman said,” Brooke asked looking at the cover of her book to see if it would hold the answers.

“Discuss the way authors convey emotion in their characters,” Haley said dryly. She loved English but even this seemed too boring to do on a Monday morning.

Brooke seemed to agree as she grimaced at her words and hid her face in her hands groaning.

“Don’t worry Brooke if she asks us anything I’ll make up some intellectual mumbo-jumbo to keep her happy.” Haley said sympathetically.

“Aww Hales, what would I do without my adorable tutor girl buddy huh?” she said perkily, giving her a small hug and laying back in her seat.

Haley’s stomach gave another rude growl and she told it to shush, catching the attention of Brooke. “Hungry?”

“You could say that,” she laughed, “My stomach refuses to be oppressed its rights to digest.”

“Well I might just have a chocolate bar with your name on it in my bag.” Brooke said slyly with her trademark grin.

“You have a Haley bar!”

Brooke snorted with laughter, “Oh you seriously are adorable Hales,” she reached into her bag and pulled out an average chocolate bar sending Haley’s stomach into mad convulsions of hunger. She handed her the bar and Haley thanked her graciously.

She took one a bite and was in heaven instantly, “Mmm chocolate, my ever loyal companion,” she said airily. Brooke giggled at the look of pleasure on Haley’s face and was pleased she’d made her that way.

“Brooke you’re a life saver I could kiss you.” Haley blurted not really registering her own words because of the chocolate dream land she was in. She didn’t see Brooke tense ever so slightly.

“Well don’t let me stop you,” Brooke said in that same husky voice from earlier.

Haley looked at her in confusion then laughed, “Consider this a down payment,” she replied giving her two pieces of the chocolate bar and smiling like a little school girl.

Brooke laughed back. Great, could you be any more subtle? Jeez Brooke it’s lucky she finds the whole idea of her kissing me funny.

Fifteen minutes later the bell rang and everyone rushed hastily from the English cage and into the corridor.

Haley was still packing her bag and was left with Brooke beside her.

“Hey Haley, ill meet you outside at one of the benches I have this kinda favour I need to ask you.” Brooke said as she made her way out of the classroom.

“Oh okay, sure.” Haley replied, Brooke seemed very happy by her reply and waved goodbye as she left.

Haley couldn’t help but admire the way Brooke’s hips moved as she walked and mentally hit herself for blatantly starring at her body. Bad Haley, very bad.

You so wish you had her ass.

“There’s nothing wrong with my ass.” she said though gritted teeth.

Well…..hers is better

“Murder is a sin, murder is a sin, murder is a sin…”

Haley continued her mantra as she left, cursing the writer for his crude nature.

Lucas slept like a baby at the back of the class unawares to anything and everything.

OH MY GOD PEYTON AND BROOKE ARE NAKED AND COVERED IN WHIPPED CREAM DANCING ON YOUR DESK LUCAS!

“Whitey watched me in the shower!” Lucas sat bolt right up and realised he was alone and that the bell had rung minutes ago. He quickly scooped up his belongings and headed for the cafeteria.

He had no idea why but he had the strangest craving for whipped cream…

Haley sat beneath a sheltered bench outside the main school building as she rummaged through the packed lunch her sister Taylor had “lovingly” prepared for her.

The only love that’s gonna go into this lunch is if cupid shoots it with an arrow, Haley thought as she regarded her meal with a raised eyebrow. What the hell is in this sandwich?...yellow, floppy…crap! Well at least she made an effort….

She searched through the brown paper bag in front of her trying to find something a bit more appetising.

“Ah ha! An apple! Now apple’s I can do” Haley declared happily to herself as she sank her teeth into the green fruit and sighed in relief when it didn’t cause her to drop down dead instantly or explode. Taylor couldn’t possibly screw up putting an apple in her lunch bag, but then again…..

I know a secret

“What now you annoying son of a b-“

Language Ms James! Tut tut that Nathan rubbed off on you I can see

“YOU! HE! I! GRRRR”

Hehe driving you insane is fun and oh yeah I know a secret

“What. Secret”

Hmmm guess!

“How about you just tell me...”

Guessssssssssssss!

“Tell me!”

Guess

“Tell me!”

GUESS GUESS GUESS!

“TELL ME NOW!”

Everyone nearby gives Haley a weird look as her outburst rings through the school courtyard. “Err, sorry guys,” she says to the benches nearest her and sits back down feeling her face heat up.

“Ok….would you tell me now please?”

Say pretty please

“…..Pretty please”

Well I know you like someone hehe

“Oh really goody for you,” Haley dead pans, “And who might that be all-knowing asshole?”

Well I was going to tell you but that asshole comment hurt my feelings. But I will tell you this….the boys are gonna be totally gutted you’re batting for the other team now…..

“Other team? Batting? Wha?”

Oh you’re so naive it’s cute…or retarded

“Ugh that’s it mister I’ve had enough of your uber-crap, go eat freaky yellow sandwich!”

Haley throws one of her dodgy sandwiches at the writer.

Ahh! My eye! I’m blinnnnnd!

Haley returned to her apple and sighed, thinking about what batting for a team meant. Baseball?

“Boo!”

The lips that belonged to the person who said that had been an inch from Haley’s ear, so she jumped in surprise and twirled around on her seat to be greeted by a shit eating grin.

“Brooke! God ya trying to give me a heart attack?”

Brooke smirked even more as she sat down opposite Haley with her cafeteria tray, Haley noticing even the Cafeteria food looked tastier than her packed lunch.

“Sorry Hales, you know me I get guys heart’s racing all the time I guess that means you’re just another guy who finds me hot.” she explained sticking out her tongue. Haley huffed and threw her other sandwich at Brooke.

“You wish Tigger.” Haley retorted as Brooke pulled a grossed out face at the contents of the sandwich.

“What’s in this thing? Cheese strings?”

“I have no idea but Taylor made it so it’s fair to say eating them could cause me to die very soon as in now,” Brooke gasped in mock horror and put her hand to her mouth.

“Nooo you can’t die without you all I’ll have is broody Peyton and squinty Lucas!”

Haley snorted with laughter at Brooke’s name for Lucas. “Squinty?”

“Yeah his eyes are never fully open, like he’s got a bright light in his face 24/7.”Brooke explained and even pulled a face trying to show what she meant causing Haley to double over on her bench laughing.

“Oh you’re mean. But it’s true.” Haley sniggered. Brooke laughed as she ate her fries. A silence fell between them as Haley finished her apple and Brooke took a sip from her drink. Her eyes fell on Haley watching her thoughtfully. Haley shifted uncomfortably under her gaze and tried to break the silence.

“Soo, you wanted some kind of favour from me?”

“Oh yeah,” Brooke put down her drink and straightened up as if she were an executive at an important business meeting and she had an announcement to make. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth to talk but hesitated. She tried again and still couldn’t find the words, frowning slightly. “Ugh sorry this is stupid.”

Brooke stood up and sat right next to Haley turning her so she was facing her directly. She placed her hands within hers and took a deep breathe. Haley’s mind raced as she wondered what the hell she was about to say, it couldn’t be what she thought it was could it?

“I’ve been thinking about this for a long time and well I needed to ask you this…”

Haley’s heart thumped loudly in her chest and everything around her seemed to fade away apart from Brooke.

“…and it would mean so much to me if you said yes…”

Haley’s heart was trying to break her ribcage and run down the street, her breathing hitched as Brooke starred longingly into her eyes.

“..so what I’m asking is would you…”

Haley had stopped breathing altogether now.

“..be..”

She was turning blue from the lack of oxygen.

“..my tutor?”

Haley finally breathed out feeling relieved but felt a pang of disappointment that irritated her because she knew it shouldn’t be there.

“Your tutor?”

“Yeah cus I know you’re not just a cutie and that you have a humungous brain in that pretty noggin’ of yours,” Haley smiled weakly at her compliment, “And well my grades…haven’t been the best this year. Heck! They haven’t been good any year!” she said rolling her eyes but still smiling perkily. “I was hoping you could give me some tutoring sessions, I mean I know we’re seniors now and we have to be more independent but…I really need your help if I’m gonna get the grades to support me in the big tough world”

Haley grinned like an idiot and looked down at her crossed legs on the bench shyly. She wants my help? Wow, the popular girl needs me, I feel special!

“So yes...no? Or are you looking for the answer on your shoes?” Brooke joked but sounded uncharacteristically nervous.

Haley snapped out of her thoughts and looked up, “Yes. Of course I’ll tutor you Brooke.”

A squeak of joy escaped Brooke’s lips as she hugged Haley madly and planted kisses all over her cheek. Haley giggled like a little girl at her reaction and tucked a piece of her own hair behind her ear in a shy reflex.

“Why were you so nervous to ask me?” Haley asked once Brooke had settled down.

“Oh well you know, I know you’re busy a lot of the time with your own life and school and tutoring and I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to fit me into your crazy schedule.” she explained drifting off.

“Oh don’t be silly Brooke I’ve always got time for you.” Haley said sincerely as she poked her in the nose like she was a little five year old.

“Well good! Because I, Brooke Davies, will be you’re most attentive student” Brooke said proudly puffing out her chest and grinning.

Haley just laughed and groaned when her stomach gave an angry growl. Apparently one apple would not suffice its beastly appetite.

“Okay ill tutor you on one condition.”

“Anything.” Brooke said.

“Let me have some of your fries I’m starving!” Haley moaned putting on her cutest face.

“My fries are your fries Hales,” she handed the tray over to her and Haley engulfed several fries in one go, savouring the taste of food that wouldn’t physically harm internal organs.

“So do I get to call u Miss now?” Brooke asked cheekily.

Haley swallowed quickly and said, “Haley will do just fine.” There was a pause. “Or Miss James.”

The girls giggled together and heard the bell ring signally the end of lunch.

“Oh I have to go Hales, I’ve got maths now and if I wanna improve my grades I best get there early to make a good impression.” Brooke said brightly.

“That’s my number one student.” Haley quipped. Brooke leaned in and hugged Haley again.

“Thanks for this, it means a lot it really does” Then she picked up her bag and said goodbye as she set off to the main building. Haley finished the last of Brooke’s fries as she watched her go. She was full of a strange warmth that she couldn’t explain.

Starting to see what I meant?

“No. I don’t like anyone and you are a deluded writer.”

Maybe but I’m not as blind as you are from seeing THE TRUTH

“Right...”

All in good time, you’ll see it sooner or later

Haley tried to shrug off the warm feeling as she gathered her stuff and set off towards her next lesson.

Her mind was plagued of thoughts about who she could possibly like and what she was so blind from. If THE TRUTH was out there she doubted it was tiny grey men coming to probe her.

But most importantly, if she was “batting for the other team” then who the hell was her baseball?

End of chapter 1

The Journal of a Magical Madman

micktrex @ 2008-06-11T21:07:00