𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐄𝐗𝐂𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍¹ ⁿᵃᵗʰᵃⁿ ˢᶜᵒᵗᵗ • ᵒⁿᵉ ᵗʳᵉᵉ ʰⁱˡˡ

the blame game

Chapter thirty six

Nathan and Laney hadn't spoken - not the night of Brooke's party, and not since.
At this point, she didn't even know if their marriage was still a thing, or if her own darkness - Haley leaving - had ruined it all.

Was this all her fault?
Nathan Scott, her husband, wasn't even speaking to her. He wasn't holding her. He was sleeping on the couch.
Maybe getting married so young was a mistake.

Laney walked into the kitchen, watching as he grabbed his jacket.
"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Me and Lucas are heading to the racetrack with my uncle," he replied - not even a glance, not a touch, just cold distance.

"Oh, that's good... you and Lucas must be good now?"

"Yeah, funny how that happened," Nathan said bitterly. "My wife left me and my brother in a jail cell - and we sorted it out. Thanks, babe. We owe it all to you."

Laney blinked, hurt flashing across her face. "You said you'd find someone else!"

He let out a low laugh. "No, I said I understand why guys go find someone else. Didn't mean I was going to."

"So... it's my fault?" she said, voice trembling. She hated how he twisted everything to make her the villain.
"You could care for me a little more, you know! The vows said no matter what. Seems like you've been breaking that rule. Dan had to bail us out because of you!"

Nathan's jaw clenched.

"Guess Nathan Scott is - and will always be - a jerk. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten married," she said quietly.

"Yeah, maybe we shouldn't have," he shot back. "After all, you were just a bet, right baby?"
He didn't mean it - but the anger was louder than his heart.

"Right. Because when Nathan doesn't get sex, he acts out. Gets mad. Blames me," Laney snapped.

"It's not about the sex, Laney - you know that!" he fired back. "It's the fact you don't share anything with me anymore! Your sister left, yeah, we get it - boohoo. But I'm your husband, and you don't come to me. You don't come to me!"

"Yeah, well neither do you, Nathan!"

"I'm not the one turning into the Laney from before we got married - like I'm poison! I needed you the other night, and you didn't come."

He turned for the door, his voice cracking.
Laney stood frozen, the silence between them louder than any argument they'd ever had.

Laney, Brooke and Peyton sat at the bar in Tric that afternoon. What the hell was happening right now "I don't want to end our marriage, i said we shouldn't have gotten married! And then he said-" Brooke cut Laney off

"You, both said that in the moment. Nathan Scott, loves.. we all know that..."

"What if, he wants a divorce? I mean, clearly he has a thought of getting close with someone else.." Laney said whining

"His Nathan Scott, if he wanted to get it, he would go and get it- but he isn't that's why it's so frustrating for him he's acting out, because the love of his life, is elsewhere and not with him in his bed..." Brooke said to Laney

"And his probably just worried, you don't love him anymore!" Brooke continued

"Well that's just stupid..I married him didn't I. Anyways moving on- how's Jake?" Laney said changing the subject, asking Peyton

"Same!" Peyton sighed
"Is there anything I can do for you?" Kateen asked

"Sure! You can tell Laney and Brooke, that I'm fine!" She said, playfully glaring at the girls causing both girls to stick their tongues out.

"Okay, I love you guys, I really do... For caring. But what's wrong with a little misery now and then..? This whole thing sucks for Jake and why can't I be bummed for little bit ..you know?" Peyton rambled

"You can totally be bummed, you just have to do it with us, and have really fun staff whole you're bumming" Brooke said smiling the girls turned around and heard the door open, Deb walked in

"How you doing, boozy?" Karen asked Deb.
"Great, actually..." Deb replied cheerily "as a matter of fact. I'm turning a new leaf. From now looking on the bright side of things. Staying positive."

"Oh, Dan paid Jules to suduce Keith" Karen informed her unhindered
"Life sucks, I need a drink!" Deb sighed, her mood quickly changing as she slumped on the bar. Karen made her a drink sliding it over as

as Deb started messing with the cocktail stick in the drink - "I miss Nathan"

"I miss him too" Laney said, Deb looked at her slightly pouting

"I miss Keith" Karen said sadly

"I miss Jake"

"I don't really miss Felix, at all" Brooke said shrugging "or my parents that much. But I miss my money and my brother, I miss him so much"

"You know what I do when I need to feel better?" Deb spoke

"Drink?" Brooke replied tactiessly, as Karen Peyton, Laney all gave her a look that said what?

"No dance" deb smiled, standing up. She giggled as she ran off to the CD player grabbed a CD and put it in, dancing to the music. The girls all laughed when Deb started dancing by herself - before running over to Laney and pulling her off the stool to dance with her, both giggling.

Brooke, got up and joined Laney and Deb. Peyton then followed joining in the four girls, while Karen watched with amusement.

"Come on, Karen. Dance to my divorce!" Deb cheered as the other girls summoned Karen over.
Karen sighed and defeated, making her way "oh I can dance to that"

Brooke was having a sleepover at Laney and Nathan's house, while he was away, having a sleepover at Laney - who said, she can stay here as long as she wants because, her best friend will not be homeless. - but there sleepover over was soon disreputed with a phone call that had Laney feel like her world was ending.

"We were race car driving with Cooper...and and, Nate's car got outta control and he crushed against the wall...it's bad, Laney, like....really bad!" Lucas said through the phone

"I'm on my way!"