N. Royal Scott

“Hey. Not to make this weird, but do you think a seven year old girl would prefer this,” He held up the box showcasing the doll with pink riding gear and a brown horse. “or this one more?” He held up another box with the exact same thing in it, but this doll had purple riding gear and a black horse with white splotches. 

Growing up going to his grandparents in North Carolina over Christmas breaks, Nathan wasn’t a typical Californian getting all freaked out about the “storm”. It wasn’t a storm, but he wasn’t going to waste any breath arguing with the dumb asses who thought it was. He had more pressing things to take of before his drive to North Carolina. It was a consistent thing back in the day, but since graduating high school he could count on one hand the times he’d been back to North Carolina for Christmas. 

He was on his way to the mall to start crossing the items on the list he and his mom concocted together when his car started to sputter. He hadn’t had a car stall out on him since the piece of shit starter car his parents bought him to “humble him”. But you didn’t need to be a mechanic to understand what was happening. He was able to pull onto a residential street before it totally crapped the bed. He slammed his hands on his steering wheel. Great. Just fucking great! He shoved the list in his coat pocket and pulled out his cell phone. Dead. He took in and let out a long winded breath, tightly closing his eyes before opening them and getting out to walk up to the house he broke down in front of. 

He knocked on the door and heard a woman holler. There was a few moments of time before the door opened in front of him, but it wasn’t a woman who answered it. It was a kid. Nathan cleared his throat looking down at the boy. “Hey, are your parents home? I kind of got myself in a situation.” He motioned to his dead car. 

“Oh that’s  complicated question, the lines are blurred there.” Peyton chuckled lightly. It was beyond true, her passion and love for music was what drove her to find artists to join her label. Her work and play often blended together and she was more than okay with that. “It is really hard for me to not enjoy my work, it’s like I was always meant to do this, be interested in music, and that love would ultimately help me find the perfect job for myself.” She stated simply. 

Peyton watched Nathan as he sipped his beer. It was difficult seeing him from time to time, he reminded her of Lucas and that was always a tough pill to swallow because of how much she missed him. She was always trying her hardest to forget about him, but there were days that were more tough for her to forget him. Today was one of them. “So… What brings you out here to Andromeda? You almost never come out here.” 

Nathan continued to nurse his beer as he nodded at the blonde’s explanation. “I wish I could say the same for myself.” He shrugged. He was far from struggling of course, but his love for basketball had left him a long while ago. If he was being honest with himself that was one of the main things he was looking to get back by taking the coaching position here. His love for basketball. High school is the last time he could really remember loving the game. 

The coach shrugged at the woman’s question. “I was offered a job and I took it. Not much more to say than that.” Nathan adverted his gaze. 

Nathan was having a good day. It was a Friday and it was already halfway through the day with nothing bad happening, but of course it couldn’t stay that way. Justin, a gangling, tall, blonde mop-head, came to his office door with a forlorn look on his face. “Terriault? What’s wrong?” It was written all over his player’s that it was bad. The blonde exhaled a loud sigh before tossing a piece of paper to him.”Don’t worry - I handle this.” The coach said with an eye roll. 

He waited until the end of the day before he made his move to the English department - which he had to look up because apparently the only words this woman could say to him were questioning his motives and insults. That was the main reason he stayed far away from the English/Lit. department on his normal day to day. Today he wasn’t so lucky, obviously. 

He walked with purpose to Ms. James’ classroom and, seeing the door ajar, let himself in. “Ms. James?”

She snorted her derision, nodding along with his words. Despite her initial appearance of not knowing him, her opinion had been formed many moons ago and although she had never met him up until now, resentment lingered within her for her far away best friend. “Sure, because of course, despite claiming your help it’s still all about you, hmm? Typical Nathan Scott behaviour, I’m not even surprised.” she commented, relinquishing the key and pocketing her own. 

At his dismissal, she welcomed it and squared her shoulders once more. “You’re right, I do have better things to do. Agnes will give you your class roster and information- enjoy your time here, I’m sure it will feed that ego just the way you want it.”

She turned on her heel to leave, thinking that the rest of the day would reflect her mood and she only hoped her new class was enough to distract her. 

Nathan took in a long breath of air through his nose. “Yeah. If all the rest of the staff are as peachy, warm and welcoming as you are I’m sure I’ll enjoy it. Enjoy it like a root canal.” Nathan said the last part under his breath.

Sebastian found himself at Tsunami enjoying a few beers. It was a great way to spend his Friday evening. He didn’t have any exams or papers to study for, and he didn’t have any cases, for once he was free and wanted to find a guy or girl to enjoy that evening. Sitting across the bar was a man who definitely caught his eye. He’d recognize this household name anywhere, it was Nathan Scott, the former point guard for the LA Lakers. Holy shit, he was even hotter in person. Sebastian licked his lips as he slid down and plopped next to the other man. “Nathan Scott…” He hummed. “To what do we owe the pleasure?” 

Nathan smirked at the other guy. With the way he’d been eyeing him Nathan expected him to come over. It was only a matter of time. “It was you who sat next to me, so I guess the question is more for you than me. To what do I owe this pleasure of a guy with far too much gel in his hair to grace me with his presence?” Nathan chuckled and took a swig off of his beer just taking the guy in. 

It wasn’t his first time being hit on by a guy, nor did he think it’d be his last. But he wasn’t a guy to take it a certain way or make fun of them. That was who he was in high school, but ever since his best friend on his team came out to him his perspective on the subject did a complete one-eighty. Plus, Nathan was completely comfortable in his own sexuality so a compliment was a compliment in his book. He’d take it. 

“Oh that’s  complicated question, the lines are blurred there.” Peyton chuckled lightly. It was beyond true, her passion and love for music was what drove her to find artists to join her label. Her work and play often blended together and she was more than okay with that. “It is really hard for me to not enjoy my work, it’s like I was always meant to do this, be interested in music, and that love would ultimately help me find the perfect job for myself.” She stated simply. 

Peyton watched Nathan as he sipped his beer. It was difficult seeing him from time to time, he reminded her of Lucas and that was always a tough pill to swallow because of how much she missed him. She was always trying her hardest to forget about him, but there were days that were more tough for her to forget him. Today was one of them. “So… What brings you out here to Andromeda? You almost never come out here.” 

That was the million dollar question - quite literally. What brought him to Andromeda? A job? A want to escape? A need for change? The answer was all of the above and more. “Oh. I just took a job as head coach for the high school basketball team. I started a little over a week ago.” Nathan took another long swig from his beer. He of course knew Peyton was still hung up on his brother. He could see it written all over her face. He definitely wasn’t the Scott she wanted to be talking to. Lucas was more than a decent brother, but with women he had a thing or two to learn, but who was Nathan to judge? It’s not like he had a girlfriend or anything close.

“Your passion for your job reminds me of me for mine, funny enough.” Nathan chuckled at the irony. “If you would’ve told me this is where I’d turn up just three years ago, or better yet I’d actually like it I’d have laughed in your face. But I’m actually liking the feel of this place.” Nathan answered honestly.

His switch was quick, although she hadn’t intended to offend clearly something was off with him as a whole and she appraised him with a raised brow as he launched into a tirade. She wanted an explanation, not a life story and it seemed his was a deep one. 

“As astounding as your ego appears to be, I have no intention of going to any tabloids. I don’t care for press nor the leeches that work for them. So please don’t insult me as some crass desperate woman.” she commented, folding her arms defiantly. 

“And second, I asked why you came here specifically, not for your ‘realism enlightenment’. ‘Dromeda’s a small town, people talk and this school struggles enough at times for the students not so well looked after so excuse my worry that funds which could be put to better use funneled down to get you because once again, football and basketball and whatever thing requires balls takes precedence. You could’ve gone anywhere, why here?” 

Nathan was taken aback for a second time at this woman’s attitude toward him. He was sure he had never met or even seen her before. So, it’s not like he’d burned some kind of bridge. Maybe she really didn’t like sports. Regardless of the reason, it was kind of grinding down Nathan’s patience. 

“I know about the struggles of the school, okay?” Nathan grumbled. “You think the school’s paying me?” Nathan could help but let out a humorless laugh out. “The school isn’t paying me a cent.” Nathan wiped a hand down his face. He really shouldn’t say anything more. “I’m making the school money if you must know.” Nathan sighed. Who was he kidding? This woman was going to hate him regardless of what he said. He wasn’t going to waste his breath. 

“Thanks for your help, Ms. James. But I think it’s clear to the both of us that you would rather be anywhere else but here. So, I think I’ll find the janitor’s closet myself to clean up this mess.”

She’d simply rolled her eyes at seeing him make the shot with the discarded piece of paper. There was no way she’d fuel a already clearly inflated ego. She looked back as he continued to speak, demonstrating the ‘granny’ comment. “I never really was one for sport.” was all she said, continuing to lead him through the hallways to the gymnasium. A permanent wrinkle in her nose was clear as her heels clacked on the slowly peeling waxed floor and into the locker rooms towards the coach’s office. 

She kept her distance as Nathan figured out the lock and matched his look of disgust as the wave of BO surrounded them. God, she hated sports. “No, he was a pig. And that’s the politest term I can come up with.” she replied, grimacing. “And most of that is in custodial, I have a key-” she dug into her pocket, removing one from a set and handing it over. “Although something tells me you’re better off just demolishing it.” 

She had no idea why he was here, it wasn’t as if Andromeda High was in the big leagues. She can only imagine how much of a big chunk it had taken out of the school budget. The budget she heavily relied on herself to make sure all the kids got good opportunities. “Why did you come here?” it was rude, but Haley never really did beat around the bush. 

“I just might.” Nathan commented under his breath. “More team building activities for the team, right?” He let out a breathy chuckle. He crouched down to look at another anomaly that he hoped wasn’t black mold, only rising back to his full height when he noticed her tone had changed. No longer was it cordial, but it had a bit of a attitude behind it. Nathan looked at the teacher for a moment. “Did I do something to offend you?” He asked candidly. He couldn’t help, but take the attitude personally. 

“But if you’re really curious - you can tell the tabloids, right - achieving the dreams I’d always thrived for hadn’t been all I’d imagined it. I got the money, the fame, the girls, but all of that was conditional on me being this big star and that just felt hollow as fuck. Like everything in my life before it.” Nathan sighed. “Sorry, you probably meant nothing by your question.” He dusted off his pants and leaned on his new desk

She’d received the memo, all of the faculty had been CC’ed in the email detailing a new appointed coach. Haley didn’t really follow sports. It wasn’t her thing but she knew he was a supposed big shot and how Andromeda mananged to get him she had no idea. But she hadn’t expected to see him so early. She took the offered sticky note, seeing her name scrawled and she wrinkled her nose slightly. 

Freaking Agnes. Of course she’d foisted him onto her. She’d never liked her, even since her own school days. “Well, apparently I’m your tour guide. How lucky.” she replied, screwing the paper up and throwing it towards the wastepaper bin. Unsurprisingly, it missed it’s target and fell to the floor. It wasn’t as if she didn’t have her own things to do. “I’ll show you where it all is, although if I were you I’d get new things in, Coach J was a unhygienic letch so-” she added, not overly impressed with catching Nathan looking her up and down. “-but that’s clearly a coach thing.” 

She placed down her papers, pausing the copier and took the offered hand and shaking it with her own. “Welcome to Andromeda High. Follow me.” she dropped the hand just as quickly and went to move past him. 

Nathan’s eyes crinkled in amusement at what she tried to make a dig. It easily rolled of his shoulders. He’s had much worse said about him and to him. His eyes went from her to the paper wad she tried and failed to get into the garbage can. He bent down and picked it up successfully shooting it without looking, but knowing it made it just by the feeling of his form and the sound it made hitting the bottom of the can. They may call him cocky - they being news articles, reporters, magazines, etc. - but he’d disagree. Was he overly confident? Sure, at times. But he knew his shit. It was beaten into him at a young age. And old habits die hard. 

“Let me guess; you were a grandma shooter in gym class?” He mimicked squatting down and taking both hands from below his front and tossing the imaginary basketball. He smirked to let her know that he was joking. I appeared to him that this woman took her life way too seriously. 

She moved past him pretty quickly. Nathan turned to follow behind. He definitely felt like she’d prefer to be anywhere but here helping him. “What subject do you teach?” Nathan hated small talk, but completely silence was something her hated more. 

It was a short walk to the gym and through there was his new office. It wasn’t anything to bask at, nothing compared to the NBA’s gyms or locker rooms for sure, but it was a high school so he didn’t expect perfection. He did however expect work and effort. He knew as soon as they stepped foot into the gym the first thing he’d “punish” his team with if they were to act up. Who was he kidding, when they acted up. The gym floor needed a new waxing. It wouldn’t kill some young in-shape guys to do it instead of the older janitorial staff. 

When they approached his office he dug out the gold-plated key the secretary - Agnes - gave him. It took a few wiggles and adjustments, but he got the door open. He was immediately hit with the stench of stale BO. His face scrunched up and he looked to Haley. “Did the old coach not know how to bath or clean?” Nonetheless, he proceeded further into the small office. The desk he could wash and keep. The chair he made note to get rid of immediately. The rest of the office was manageable. There were only a few usable balls though, so he’d have to order more of them soon. He turned to face Haley.

“You wouldn’t know where I could get some sanitary wipes or disinfectant, do you?”

Full Name: Nathan Royal Scott  Age: 28 DOB: August 11th (Leo) Residency: Andromeda, California Birthplace:  Los Angeles, California Occupation: Former Point Guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, Current High School Basketball Coach Sexuality: Heterosexual Martial Status: Single Height: 6′2″ Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: Blue