iris | one tree hill

17. spirit in the night

"Yeah." Ethan scratched the tip of his nose. "Next time you want to try to get those two idiots to bond to improve their play on the court, try not to humiliate my skills, Coach."

Ethan turned his back and stormed out of Coach Whitey's office without giving the man a chance to reprimand his speech.

[....]

In the evening, Ethan was with Nathan and Lucas at the River Court. Ethan was sitting on the bench smoking a cigarette, letting the two brothers play basketball.

"Whitey wants you to feel like you're part of the team, fine. I just..." Nathan stopped talking as Lucas moved closer to the boy. "I don't understand why Ethan and I have to babysit you."

"He wants to make sure you're gonna be able to get open." Lucas explained.

"Well, I have been doing and garating that since I entered the team. I'm outta here, you two be my guest and can tell Coach Whitey that." Ethan said, pulling on his helmet and leaving before Luke or Nathan could say anything.

As Ethan was leaving he heard Lucas saying something about the fadeway. Nathan allowed Lucas to try to talk and show more, but Nathan tried to show that he knew how to make baskets. Before turning his back and walking away, Nathan looked Lucas in the eye and said.

"You know, it's kinda fucked up. I don't even have a true bond with Ethan, and I was the one who stood up for him. You just kept quiet."

[....]

"Okay, the way you drive this thing we could have gotten there in 45 minutes and not had to deal with this whole bus mess." Peyton told Larry.

"Yeah, but I got to embarrass you two as much as possible in front of your friends." Larry said to the girls, handing them each their suitcases.

Emma laughed and hugged her father's waist as she walked.

"Impossible. I would never be embarrassed because of you." Emma explained and Peyton slapped the girl on the arm.

"Don't say that. He'll think it's a challenge, Emm's." Peyton said, and Larry laughed.

"I don't mind." Emma muttered.

"Which one are you two dating again?" Larry tried to keep his voice down, Peyton laughed.

"Try no one. But, Emma...." Peyton stopped talking when Emma pushed her.

"I-I... I don't have one." Emma stammered.

"No?" Larry asked laughing at his daughters and Emma denied it.

Emma wanted to sit next to Ethan, but Peyton grabbed her hand before they entered the bus.

"Please, Emm's." Emma nodded, not wanting to leave her sister alone.

On the way, Peyton nudged her sister, who was looking out of the window.

"So you don't have a boyfriend?" Peyton whispered.

"Peyton!" Emma scolded her sister.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know I wasn't supposed to tell Dad." Peyton explained.

"It's okay, it's just that... He's never asked me that, he's never said what we are." Emma explained quietly.

"Emm's, talk to him. I imagine he must be like that too, or maybe he hasn't even noticed." Emma nodded.

"Thanks, wombmate." Emma said laughing.

"Please don't come back with that nickname." Peyton grunted as Emma laughed at her sister words and expression.