A/N: Well I wish I could say this was well researched but it totally wasn't. I started this a while back during one of my night shifts so I really couldn't go back to the episode and make it correlate very well. But I tried my best and again I'm tired of having the papers this short is written on laying around. So here it is. CHAPTER 3 or whatever. Thanks for the reviews! Lol like there's sooo many of them. Oh well it's not like I deserve them. Read and enjoy. Until next time! Believe me there's tons of other crap written in countless notebooks just waiting for me to type them out!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

We're playing the Pickerington Pirates. This really shouldn't even be considered a game. It's an embarrassment. I dribble and try to ignore the sweat in my eyes. Where's your open man, Nate? Dan may not have been there physically but he was certainly there vocally, if only in Nathan's head.

Luke is open; forget that. I'll do it myself. First I have to get rid of this double team. Jake is in the perimeter guarding and holding his position. I can use him as a screen. He catches my signal and I race to get around him. He's effective and now I'm free to rush into the paint and score.

I soak up the moment and the praise from the crowd as they inbound the ball. I take a moment to look up into the stands, hoping she saw it. Sitting next to Mouth, she's smiling and clapping. She did see…I can't help the smile or the rush of adrenaline. Concentrate on the game, Nate! Lost my head for a second. Like I care if she saw.

I'm putting up numbers, that's it. There are no scouts here. For shit's sake, Dan's not even here. They are just points for my records, a right to brag. For me. Maybe for my dad, too. Not for a smart, sometimes smart-ass, doe-eyed brunette who may or may not be looking up from some obscure magazine in the stands. I mean, she barely even responded to 'the nod'. Seriously, why do I even try?

One of the hicks is taking advantage of my wandering mind and going for a breakaway. Well I refuse to give it to him! I push in front of him and set up. Set your feet, Nate. Draw the foul! He comes right at me. A whistle is blown and he gets called for a charge. I resist the urge to pump my fist, mostly because I'm sure I'll get a technical for unsportsmanlike conduct or something. The teams set up and Billy Bob steps to the line. I smirk and pick at his supposed skill. He makes the first one despite it. He misses the second one and we all race for the rebound. They have Sasquatch on their team and they get it.

These guys are so bad that the ball makes it back into our hands faster than you can say hillbillies. Tim's resetting the offense. It's Tim. I take my position and it isn't long before the ball is in my hands. I try to push my way inside and a good crossover makes it that much easier. I see one of the hicks waiting for me to charge him. I wipe the smug look of his face with a no look pass to a blue and white jersey to my left.

Oh come on, Nate! You just gave away a perfectly good shot! And to Luke of all people. I'll make sure he hears it for a while if he misses the shot.

He doesn't. But he does shoot a smile towards the cheerleaders. The he looks up into the stands and smiles at an applauding, shrieking Haley. I roll my eyes and I can't even hide the disgusted grunt that bubbles out of me. It's not like I did it out of jealousy. I mean there's nothing between them…right?

Even if there was, it's not like I would care. I don't care. I just don't think that's fair or right, on both ends. Why does she get so hyped for him anyway? She was his second look. Not that it means anything that she's my first look.

FUCK!

Concentrate. Concentrate. The game. One of the molesters of sheep makes a sloppy pass. I let him know it was the easiest steal of my life as I run to the opposite side of the court. It's a fast break and I sprint towards the goal. No! Slow it down…slow. I set up behind the 3 point line to show off my range and up my numbers. Their defense shows up so I fake and jump back to shoot. You can't watch JJ in anything and not take some notes. I hear the crowd fade as his voice takes over in my head. Take it to the hole! Big players make big plays! What an asshole. Wish I could keep the crowd and have his voice fade away. "Wooo! 23!"

A new voice. I feel soothed as I run backwards. No. Got to keep an eye on where everyone in a jersey is located. I would look; try to find the person, but I know who it is. I know it as soon as I hear it. Felt it, even. As I pass her, I lose my cool and smile up at her. But she's moved on and she's talking to that loser from the Rivercourt. Stupid! Shouldn't have even looked up. Ugh whatever…Just concentrate, Nate.

Defense. Don't reach in! Patience, just stay with him. I can't force it so I slow down. Too late. I hear the whistle. Shit!!

"Oh, come on ref! Are ya blind?"

I look up into the stands smiling. The dumbest, goofiest grin you could possibly think of, right here on my face. Who cares about the call?! She's there, on her feet. I see her throw her hands in the air, looking irritated. I dial back on my nerdiness in time and manage a normal smile by the time she looks over to me. It's enough to make her head go down and a blush flare up. I no longer care that Whitey's pulled me out of the game. I mean what is 3 minutes after seeing Haley James both defend you and blush for you?

Nod. Apologize. Get your minutes! I do what the voice says. I throw my best apologetic faces at Whitey. And I think it worked because it doesn't take long before I'm back in the game. I could have sworn that for a second I saw sympathy in coach's eyes.

I feel re-energized. I practically lunge back to the court. As soon as I get back into the game, defense is thick and pushing at me hard. Who can get it in? I can't and that's admitting a lot. Zach? No, he's too far away and his 3 is for shit. Tim? I shouldn't have even considered him. Luke? It's going to have to be Luke. I push and swivel until I'm rushing the basket. I throw him a no-look pass. He seems a little shocked but shoots anyway. SHIT. He misses and I want to explode at him. The rebound makes it and I feel my anger die a bit. Besides, the smile on her face after the pass made it a little worth it.

Your points! Assists are for the weak. What the heck does that even mean? Ignoring him seems like something I'll never be able to do. Oh crap, pay attention! Watch number 24…he's running hard. I'm too slow, too late. He jumps up and so do I. I don't jump high enough though and he scores on me. Ok. One. One basket. Two points. It's nothing, doesn't matter. A drop in the ocean, ha. That's a good one.

The ball is getting inbound and I put myself back into the game. I want that ball. And I get it. I'm dribbling waiting to decide my next move. I hear her throw out a confusing "Go Scott!" I scoff at that, and refuse to even acknowledge her or her cheer. Yeah, play us both. Wish I had my own name…Oh wait! I do! Anger…wow that's a little surprising considering how happy I was with her just minutes ago. Happy? No I was just…ok with her. Not particularly joyous. Whatever. I'll show her. I let the anger take me and boil over as I attack the basket. I feel the air rushing around me as I rage into a two handed dunk. I want the rim to shake like I'm shaking. And it does. I don't think jealousy suits me, but it has its perks during a game I guess.

Jealousy? Stupid, stupid. "Woooo! Go Nathan!" And just as easily as it came, the anger is gone. Why can't I shake it off? Why can't I shake her off? A second ago I didn't even want to look at her. Now? A little praise from a girl I hardly know and she's instantly forgiven. Like a fool I'm grinning while running to keep up with a blundering moron who couldn't get open if he was being covered by a blind amputee.

I'm thinking of how maybe it's ok that she was cheering for both of us because at least I'm included when it happens. I saw an opening but I mess it up and there's the foul. I see her reaction out of the corner of my eye. So does Pucas. He glares, does that squinting thing he's so fond of.

Apparently she's only allowed to pine, cheer, mope, breathe, for him. There's that anger again. I feel it as it takes over. It makes my mouth form stupid words…"Haley's looking pretty hot."

Oh, hell. Well, Nate, you don't ever go at anything half-way. Might as well finish this…