Hey, everyone. I'm finally back with my new story. :) Hope you like it and enjoy it. Let me know what you think. :)
Sunday Night Poker
Chapter 1
"A poker night, Lucas?"
"Yeah, tonight at 8."
"Who's coming?"
"Me, Jake, Peyton, Brooke and cough Nathan cough."
"Did you say Nathan?"
"Yeah, well it's at his apartment."
"Luke-"
"Hales, I know you don't like the guy but please just come and have fun with us. It's been forever since we hung out."
"And whose fault is that? Every time I call you you're either making out with Brooke or playing ball with your asshole brother."
"I know I've been busy. That's why I wanna hang out with you tonight."
"I'd love to hang out with you too but a poker night?"
"You make it sound like it's the worst idea ever."
"Gee, maybe because it is?"
"What are you talking about, Hales? You love poker."
"Yeah, Luke, I love poker. Just not when he's there."
"Don't you think it's time to forgive Nathan?"
"Why should I? Just because you forgave him for hazing you and treating you like shit, doesn't mean I have to."
"He never treated you badly. Why do you still hate him?"
"The guy's an asshole. And I don't like assholes."
"I think you're wrong but I know I can't change your mind. But please just come to the poker night."
"I don't know..."
"We would get to hang out."
"I just don't think it's a good idea. It's enough that I have to stand his presence at school."
"I promise you that if it's awful, we'll both leave and just hang out the two of us."
"Why don't we just do it anyways?"
"I already promised everyone that I'd be there."
"I really don't think I should come."
"You could win all of Nathan's money."
"8 o'clock at Nathan's?"
"8 o'clock at Nathan's."
Haley James hung up the phone with a smirk. Winning Nathan's money was motivation enough for her.
Ever since she could remember she had hated Nathan Scott. It used to be her and Lucas against him and his crew. The two groups used to just avoid each other and throw angry glares but it all changed when Lucas decided to join the basketball team during their junior year.
Nathan and his little posse did their best to get Lucas to quit the team. Nathan even went as far as trying to get Haley to tutor him so he could mess up with Lucas' head. Haley declined after Lucas convinced her that Nathan would eventually get tired of hazing him.
And Lucas was right.
Nathan finally left him alone. Somewhere during the season Nathan and Lucas came to an understanding when they realized their mutual hatred towards their father. They started to bond when Lucas helped Nathan emancipate from his parents and by the end of their junior year, they were not only team mates and friends. They were also brothers.
Lucas introduced Haley to Nathan's group and soon they all became one big group. Haley quickly befriended Peyton and Brooke and would've joined the cheerleading team with them had she not already promised to tutor.
Haley fit in the group like a glove. There was only one person she didn't get along with. Nathan Scott.
She never forgave Nathan for treating her best friend so poorly and Nathan never got over the fact that Haley refused to tutor him. It was a major blow on his ego since all his life he had always gotten what he wanted. Especially when it came to girls.
By the start of their senior year the sextet was inseparable. Even though Haley and Nathan couldn't stand each other, they both wanted to hang out with their friends, even if it meant they would have to see each other at school every day. On their free time they tried to avoid each other but usually ended up hanging out with the entire group.
Lucas, Brooke, Peyton and Jake found Haley and Nathan's bickering amusing. It hadn't taken them long to see that it was a love-hate relationship. They had even made bets on when those two would finally skip the fine line between hate and love.
Yes, even a blind person could see that behind the insults was something much stronger than hate. But it seemed that only Nathan and Haley were unaware of that.
So it was up to faith to make them find the right path.
"Where's your brother's better half a.k.a my best friend?"
"Nice to see you too, Peyton." Nathan said and held the door open for her and Jake. They were in Nathan's apartment waiting for the others to arrive so they could start their poker night.
"Luke's picking up Brooke and the bitch." Nathan said and went back to the couch to continue his game of NBA Live with Tim.
"Don't call her a bitch, Nathan." Peyton said.
"Whatever, she is." Nathan said and cheered when he made a basket.
"Just try to behave tonight, ok?" Peyton asked.
"Not gonna happen and you know it."
"So, tonight should be interesting." Brooke said grinning. They were in Lucas' truck on their way to pick up Haley from Karen's café where she worked.
"I hope they could just spend one night without fighting."
"Are you kidding?" Brooke asked. "Their fighting is the funniest thing! He's always mean to her and vice versa. The best thing is that both of their comebacks are getting better and better. It's like watching stand up comedy."
"What about when they try to make you choose a side?" Lucas challenged. Brooke's face fell.
"Yeah, you're right about that. It sucks when they try to ask our opinions and they just end up pulling us in the argument. It's much more fun to be audience instead a participant." She said smiling.
"I never know what to do when they fight. It's such an awkward situation. I mean, Nathan's my brother and brothers stick together, right?" Lucas said.
"But Haley's your best friend." Brooke said.
"And I'd beat anyone to death who tried to hurt her in any way or make her feel bad, you know."
"They should just hook up and get over with it." Brooke said.
"Eew, stop it. Nathan's my brother and Haley's like my sister." Lucas said disgusted.
"The only reason you don't want them to hook up is 'cause you bet your money on spring break." Brooke said referring to the bet on when Nathan and Haley would finally get together.
"And the only reason you want them to get together now is 'cause your money's on by the end of the basketball season. Which is in 2 weeks." He said smirking. Brooke rolled her eyes smiling and looked outside the window at the Karen's café sign. She saw Haley open the door and walk towards the car.
"Oh, here she comes. Shut up about the bet. You know she hates it when we tease her about it." Brooke whispered right before Haley opened the door and got on the back seat.
"Hello, people!" Haley said grinning.
"You're in a good mood." Brooke said while turning around on the seat to look at Haley who was grinning madly.
"Well spotted, B. Davis." She said. "I'm gonna win some serious cash tonight." Haley said excited.
"Hope you do." Lucas said smirking.
"I'm telling you, I'm so gonna win tonight." She said grinning. "I don't have to worry about homework since I did it at work,-" she said and pointed at the bag next to her that had her school books.
"-I brought my lucky ring-" she said and looked at the small golden ring on her finger.
"-and I've drank over 5 cups of coffee today." She said. Her face then turned into a scowl.
"And since that cheap little bitch doesn't own a coffee maker, I just made a fresh pot before leaving." She said hugging the warm thermos bottle like it was her most priced possession. She then took a huge sip from the top.
"Haley, you gotta stop drinking so much coffee." Lucas said. "It's bad for you."
"This amazing liquid is the only thing that can keep me for strangling that jackass long enough to win all of his money." She said.
"Ok, just remember that tomorrow's Monday which means school. So don't whine tomorrow morning when you haven't slept enough because of all the caffeine in your system." Lucas said.
"Not gonna happen and you know why? Cause by then I've already had my morning coffee and I'm wide awake and grinning because I've won all of he-who-shall-not-be-named's money." She said smiling.
"Nice plan. Hope it works." Brooke said.
They all stayed quiet for the rest of the drive to Nathan's all in their thoughts. Lucas was thinking about the upcoming basketball game while Brooke was thinking of everything she and Lucas had done just 15 minutes ago. Haley was thinking about all the different ways to say 'Nathan sucks' while wondering why Brooke was blushing so much.
"Here we go..." Lucas mumbled while parking the car. They all got out and walked towards apartment 11. Haley opened the door without knocking and walked inside.
"Oh, thank god you're both here!" Peyton said loudly and hugged Haley and Brooke. She then turned towards the couch where Tim, Nathan and Jake were yelling at the TV loudly while playing the basketball game.
"They've been doing that for the past hour!" she exclaimed and hugged them harder.
"Ok, ok. Take a deep breath, Peyt. We're here now. I promise there will be no more of that." Brooke said while talking slowly and coherently so she would hear every word.
"Good 'cause I swear to god I'll go crazy if I have to look at that for one more minute." Peyton said. Haley patted her on the head before turning to look at the guys.
"Alright, boys and jackass!" Haley announced and got an angry glare from Nathan. "Let's play some poker!" she said excited.
"Anxious to lose your money, ho?" Nathan asked while getting up.
"Oh, I could ask the same from you, loser." She said while taking her thermos bottle out of her bag and choosing a spot around the table. The rest followed her and took their spots.
"Everyone ready?" Haley asked excited.
"Let the games begin..." Peyton mumbled while dealing the cards.
"I see your 5 bucks and raise you another 5." Nathan said. Peyton, and Jake had already lost all their money and moved on to the couch to concentrate on each other's mouths.
"Fold." Lucas said and threw his cards on the table.
"Me too." Brooke said.
"Whatcha gonna do, Hale? You-"
"Don't call me Hale!" Haley snapped.
"-gonna fold, call, check or raise?" Nathan ignored her comment. He knew she hated when people called her 'Hale'.
"Check." Haley said while looking at her hole cards on her hands. Two jacks.
Tim, who had become the dealer since he lost his money, turned the fourth card, the turn, so there were 4 cards on the table. Haley looked at the 3, 5, queen and king on the table.
"Raising." Nathan said and put a bunch of chips in the center of the table. Haley looked at him suspiciously trying to figure out if he was bluffing or not. Haley smirked a little when she added the same amount to the center and nodded for Tim to reveal the final fifth card, the river. He did so.
Haley's eyes twinkled when she saw that it was a jack.
"Call."
"Call."
Nathan showed his cards, a pair of kings. Haley threw her cards on the table with a smirk.
"Three jacks and a queen high. Loser." She said while collecting her chips. Nathan glared at her and looked at the amount of chips he had which wasn't much. He knew he needed to do something fast to not lose all the remaining chips he had.
Nathan won a big pot on the next round with only a jack high. Haley had folded early and Lucas and Brooke didn't realize he was bluffing. Haley had looked at him furiously while swearing that she would never let him win the game.
Brooke and Lucas both lost all their money during the next few rounds so it was only Haley and Nathan left.
"And another win." Haley said proudly while collecting even more chips to her pile. "How much does it suck to lose to a girl?" Haley asked while looking at Nathan.
"Oh, it probably would. Too bad there is no more girls left to play." He said insulting her.
"Are, retard." Haley corrected.
"Go tutor someone, geek."
"Oh, I might be a geek. Unlike you who's about to fail math. So think about that when you can't graduate, dumbass."
"Oh, I'm not gonna fail. Trust me." He said smirking.
"And why's that?" Haley asked bored and uninterested.
"He banged Miss Roberts." Tim grinned while shuffling the cards. Haley looked at Nathan surprised.
"Really?"
"Yep." He said proudly.
"Man-whore." Haley said while arranging her chips.
"You say it like it's a bad thing." Nathan smirked while arranging his chips too. They both quickly counted their chips and realized they were pretty much even.
They played about 10 more minutes both winning and losing equally. Brooke and Lucas joined Jake and Peyton on the coach when they got bored of watching the game.
Haley had played that game for almost two hours now. Her coffee was long gone and she was more than anxious to beat Nathan but they were both playing too carefully. Haley decided that the moment she got a good hand, she would bet big.
Few hands later, Haley finally got was she was waiting for. With two kings as her hole cards and a third king on the table along with two queens, she decided on her strategy. She couldn't bet big right at the beginning because she didn't want to scare Nathan. She needed to play carefully, raising but not too much at a time so he would keep on calling.
After the turn and the river card, Haley was ready to make her big move. There were now 5 cards on the table. A king, two queens, an ace and a six. She had two kings on her hands which gave her a full house with 3 kings and 2 queens.
"Whatcha gonna do, James?" Nathan asked bored while playing with his chips. Haley looked at him wanting to savor his look when he heard her move.
"All in." She said and pushed all of her chips to the center of the table.
Nathan dropped the chips he was holding and looked at her with his mouth open in shock. Brooke, Lucas, Jake and Peyton all went quiet and stared at Haley.
"Wow." Tim just said.
Brooke, Peyton, Jake and Lucas gathered around the table to their original seats. Nathan and Haley both kept their cards upside down on the table and wouldn't show them to their friends in fear that their faces would reveal something to the other.
Nathan knew he couldn't back out now so he finally pushed his chips slowly to the center too. Haley let a small smirk.
For over a minute they both just stared at each without saying anything and ignoring their friends. Both were trying to get the slightest sign if the other was bluffing.
"Oh, this is so awesome!" Tim said breaking the silence. "This is so great!"
They all knew what he was talking about. It wasn't just about winning the money anymore. It was about beating the other for good. In a game where there was only Nathan and Haley left with both betting their all, it had to be something much more than just a poker game.
"You both realize that with the starting bets and the chips, there's 400 bucks in that pot." Lucas said making sure they were both aware of how much was at stake.
Neither Haley nor Nathan made any sound. Just a small nod without breaking eye contact with each other.
Nathan took a deep breath and was about to turn his hole cards over, when Tim put his hand on top of Nathan's to stop him.
"What? You're just gonna turn them around now?"
"That's usually what you do, Tim." Nathan said irritated breaking his eye contact with Haley.
"No, but this can't be it." he said disappointed.
"What are you talking about?" Haley finally asked looking at him.
"This can't be it! This is like the biggest game of all time. The biggest competition between you two."
"And?" Haley asked.
"You need to spice this up! Add something more to the bet."
"Like what?" Nathan said.
"Be creative! For example the loser has to run through the cafeteria naked or something as cool as that." Tim said grinning.
"Yeah, cause streaking is so cool." She mumbled.
"So you're afraid of losing?" Nathan asked grinning.
"No, I just don't get any pleasure seeing you naked in my school's cafeteria."
"So, you pick something else." Tim said excited.
"More money?" Brooke suggested. Lucas glared at her for encouraging Tim.
"What? I think it could be fun." She said smiling.
"Boring. Besides, the winner already gets 400 bucks." Nathan said.
"You scared, Natalie?" Haley asked looking at Nathan.
"Natalie?" Nathan asked.
"Since you're acting like a girl, might as well call you one."
"Ooh, burn!" Tim said laughing while Nathan did his best to keep himself calm.
"So, how about that bet?" Haley asked.
"How about the loser has to carry the other's books for a week?" Lucas suggested changing the subject. If they were gonna do it, he might as well try to make the extra bet as painless as possible for both of them.
"Lame." Haley said.
"Why?" Lucas asked. He was desperately trying to get them to accept the easy choice where no one would get hurt. "You'd be the other's book slave for week. How cool is that?" he tried but ended up sounding pathetic.
"That's it! Slave! The loser has to be the other's slave at school for a week!" Tim said excited.
"No, no, no. I didn't mean that-" Lucas tried.
"Are you serious?" Haley asked from Tim. For being dumb, the guy had a good idea, for once.
"What are you, scared?" Nathan asked smirking.
"Dream on, Katie." Haley huffed annoyed while continuing calling him girl names.
"Then why not except it?" Nathan asked. "If you're so sure you're winning then wouldn't you like to see me carry your books for a week?" Nathan challenged her. Haley didn't answer anything at first.
"Chicken." Nathan said. That was it for Haley. No one called her chicken.
"How about two weeks?" she shot back.
"No, no, no! Don't be stupid-" Lucas tried again but Nathan and Haley ignored him again.
"How about not just school? How about a 24/7 slave?" Nathan challenged.
"For two weeks?" Haley asked and waited for Nathan's nod. "Deal." She said and offered her hand over the table. Nathan shook it with a small smirk.
Nathan took a golden chain that was hanging around his neck and put it in the center of the table on top of all the chips to represent his part in the bet. Haley took her small ring out of her pinky finger and set in on the center of the table too.
Lucas groaned out load and rubbed his forehead. It was too late now.
"This idea sucks, just for the record." Lucas announced.
"It was your idea." Haley said.
"No! It was so not my idea! Didn't you hear me try to stop you?" Lucas asked.
"No." Haley and Nathan said at the same time.
"So, what does this whole slave thing include?" Peyton asked.
"When he loses, he will be my chef, maid, chauffeur… That includes cooking, cleaning, laundry, yard work, shopping, driving, et cetera." Haley listed.
"So, just to make this clear for all." Jake started. "You're both agreeing that whoever loses will not only lose the money, but also agree to be the other's slave for the next two weeks?"
"Yep." Nathan said.
"Yes." Haley said and checked the clock. "It's now 10 pm. Starting from the moment we turn the cards, two weeks."
"Wait! What if the loser won't do it?" Brooke asked.
"Yeah, Jessica. When you lose and you decide to be a coward, what's gonna happen?" Haley taunted.
"I never go back on a bet. You saw me steal that school bus in junior year right?"
"Yeah, another proof of your idiocy."
"Maybe, but it's also a proof that I keep my promise." He said.
"Me too." Haley said.
"Alright! Let's do this then!" Tim said. "No backing down!"
"Let's do this! Haley, cards?" Tim asked. Haley grinned while turning around her two cards. Everyone ooh-ed when they saw her cards.
"Oh!" Tim yelled. "Full house with kings and queens!"
"Let's see yours." Haley said. Nathan looked at Haley's cards and slowly turned his own cards.
The whole room went silent when they saw his cards. It was something no one had expected, something that completely shocked everyone. Something no one had never even seen before, just heard rumors about.
"It can't be…" Brooke whispered.
"I didn't know those even existed…" Peyton said quietly.
"A royal flush." Haley whispered while looking at his cards devastated. He had a jack and a ten of hearts. Together with the queen, king and ace of hearts that were on the table, he had a royal flush.
Nathan had been watching Haley the entire time and seeing her face go from confident to devastated was something he would always remember.
Without a word Nathan pulled all the chips in front of him. He took his gold chain back but before putting it around his neck, he slipped Haley's ring so it was hanging from it.
Haley stared at the ring, her favourite ring that was now hanging around Nathan's neck. That's when she snapped out of her shock and realized what had just happened.
"Oh, this is so not happening!" Haley yelled breaking the silence. Nathan just sat back with a satisfied smirk.
"Oh, believe me it is. This is almost better than a hot morning shower." Nathan said. Everyone knew he loved nothing more than hot, long morning showers. He couldn't wake up without that, just like Haley couldn't wake up before her morning coffee.
"This is the dumbest thing ever!"
"Too bad, loser." He said smirking.
"Aargh!" she yelled and lunged towards him wanting to strangle the bastard. Lucas caught her before she could harm his brother.
"Haley-" Lucas tried but stopped when Haley turned around in his arms and glared at him.
"You! This is all your fault!" she yelled and started to swat him on the arm.
"What?" Lucas asked while trying to shield himself from Haley's attacks.
"You made me come here! You said it wouldn't be awful! You promised me I'd have fun! Does it look like I'm having fun!" she yelled.
"Hales, please calm-"
"Oh, I will so not calm down." she said through gritted teeth. "And on top of it all, this whole slave thing was your idea."
"No, how many times do I have to say that! The book-slave was my idea but not this 24/7 slave. That was Tim!" he said desperately and pointed at Tim. Haley turned to glare at Tim who took a step back and went to stand closer to Nathan.
"Well, whoever's idea it was, you agreed to it." Nathan said while playing with the ring around his neck. Haley looked like she was ready to rip the chain off along with his whole throat.
"I hate to say this but he's got a point." Haley turned to glare at Peyton.
"I'm sorry, but he does! You know I was rooting for you." Peyton said. "But the thing is that you lost, Haley." Peyton wrapped one arm around her. "And you knew what could happen and now you just have to face the consequences." she ended.
Haley turned to look at the smirking Nathan. She swallowed and had to use all her energy to not attack him and slowly kill him.
"So, two weeks, huh?"
"Yep." he said the smirk never leaving his face.
"Fine, I'll do it." she finally said.
"Great." Nathan said. "You can call me Master Scott or sir from now on." he added. Lucas immediately took a hold of Haley, who tried to attack Nathan again.
Brooke suddenly started to laugh out loud.
"What's so funny?" Haley asked annoyed. Lucas was still holding her so she couldn't attack Nathan.
Brooke laughed a while longer and then turned to look at Nathan and Haley while wiping some tears away. What Brooke was about to say, made Tim laugh his ass off, Haley slump on the ground and Nathan's smirk disappear.
"You do realize that you're gonna be living together for the next two weeks?"
So, any thoughts? How was it:)
-Fes-