Chapter 4: Ch4: Cookout, Guide
Ryan talked to her about it and she was more then happy to run to the store and get all they needed for it, she told him to just enjoy the pool and wait for her to come back. He was feeling weird about it but he still agreed and waited, he took a floating chair and sat in it while lounging in the pool relaxing.
He was absorbed in listening to music that he didn't notice her come back either, feeling her stare is what brought him back. He quickly got out to help her carry the things back inside the house, after bringing the charcoal to the back he went back into the pool.
As he went back to relax he could feel another stare on him, well this time it was two to be exact but it wasn't his grandmother. Looking around his eyes caught on two people who were looking at him from the house next door, it was the same house he saw that man drive into earlier.
At the moment two people were looking at him, one was a curly haired blonde girl and the other was a brown haired boy. They both looked at him while he stared right back at them, he saw the guys mouth move with her answering as the three of them all stared at each other.
He raised a brow before closing his eyes again, since they were going to just stare he was going to let them do as they pleased it wasn't hurting him. It wasn't until he felt the sun going down that he got out, going inside he went and grabbed the patties that were bought earlier for burgers.
After seasoning them he went and started the grill, when he went out there he could hear the dribble of a basketball looking over it was the guy from earlier. The blonde girl wasn't with him at the moment but he did look over probably feeling that Ryan was staring at him at that moment.
The two looked at one another before the guy decided to walk over, there was a gate that separated the two houses but they could hear one another talk from the distance. "Hey man you new here? Did the old lady here die or something? I could have sworn I saw her yesterday though." He said with some confusion on his face.
Ryan chuckled a little before answering, "No, I am her grandson Ryan. Just moved here from California to live with her now, so I guess yeah I am new here though."
"Cool. Names Nathan, Nathan Scott. Are you cooking up some burgers?" He asked looking at the plate longingly some drool might have been falling or that could just be sweat from him working out.
"Yeah thought I might make some tonight then chill in the pool some more. Want to join?" Ryan answered before asking awkwardly, there were ten patties so there was more then enough if he wanted to join.
"Yes Nathan why don't you join us." His grandmother said coming out the house while holding two cups of lemonade, "Go on and get showered and dress before coming back over." she handed them both a glass.
Nathan took the glass and gulped it down before handing it back, he nodded before answering, "Alright give me a moment, my dad is out working late tonight anyway so I don't see why not." he backed away before going into the house.
Ryan went to got put the patties on but heard his grandmother speak, "I won't tell you who to be friends with but be careful around him, he is a spoiled kid who thinks he runs things. Try not to get into any trouble with that boy or you will be grounded you hear?"
Ryan was surprised but not to shocked he knew the type, "Sure thing Granny Luna. I don't plan to get into to much trouble anyway, I am over doing all of that."
"Well that is good. I am going to go in here and start cutting up some of the sides and make the fires you focus on those." She patted him arm and smiled before going back inside.
He could only shake his head but what he said was true, he was over trying to get in trouble he didn't want to end up in any sort of place like Trey. All he wanted was to make it through high school then figure out life, this was his fresh start to do all that.
Twenty minutes later Nathan came over, he was in some swimming trunks while also bringing his phone laughing at something that was on it. "I hope you don't mind, I have always wanted to take a dip in this pool but never got the chance." he said as he walked up.
"No go ahead. I was going to get back in after eating later anyway, this is my first time even seeing a pool this big." Ryan said while waving his hand for Nathan to get in, he still had two minutes for the patties to be just right.
Nathan nodded setting his stuff down before jumping in, he started to swim around while Ryan was watching the patties. Right as the minutes were up he took them off setting them on a plate and moving it to the patio table that was in the back.
As he set them down his grandmother came out holding two plates, "Go inside and get the fries, I tried to time them to be done when you were going to be so they are ready. Also make sure to bring out that pitcher of lemonade while you are at it."
Ryan nodded and as he went in he heard her yell for Nathan to get out the pool and go eat, he smile and took everything that she got ready. Going out he saw her slap Nathan's hand away as he reached to make a burger, "The chef eats first here, wait for Ryan to come back then we will dig into it."
Nathan frowned but nodded, Ryan tried not to laugh since he looked like a little boy who just got caught with his hands in the cookie jar. Setting down the other plates and the lemonade he sat down next to his grandmother before making his own plate.
Nathan seeing that he made his went to make his own letting out a sigh of relief since his hand wasn't slapped again, Ryan caught that and shook his head. "So Ryan do you play basketball? Tree Hill has one of the best teams in the state you know, we haven't won a championship in years but I am sure we can do it. We just need some better players."
Ryan went to tell him that he didn't but at that moment he got all the skills and knowledge for basketball and he couldn't help but to chuckle in his heart. "I play for fun not on a team." He answered since he didn't want him to see him play one day and think Ryan was just lying.
Nathan nodded, "Yeah well maybe you should try out, with the skills you have you might be able to help bring something to the team."
"Can't," Ryan said with an awkward smile while getting looks from the both of them, "Since the season has started and I am a new transfer I would need to wait three months but by then the season will be over so there is no point."
They both nodded in understanding after hearing that. "Well you should at least try out next year, what year are you anyway." Nathan asked while popping a fry into his mouth.
"Junior." Ryan replied before he started to dig into his burger, his grandmother was just watching the exchange between the two of them.
"Nice so you will be joining my class year then. I can't really tell you anything to stay away from since there isn't anything bad at the school, just watch who you are friends with I guess." Nathan said before moaning as he finally bit into the burger, his eyes opened wide for a moment before he got absorbed into the burger.
Ryan raised a brow and looked to his grandmother who was eating while also hiding a smile, didn't she just say basically the same thing about Nathan? He could only shake his head and enjoy his food.
The rest of dinner was spent with them making idle chat, it wasn't until Nathan had his third burger that he took off promising to stop by and hang again some time. Ryan cleaned up this time insisting that his Gran should just go to sleep, she smiled and patted his arm before doing just that.
After a shower Ryan also decided to go to bed, he thought about trying to hack a little for the night but he wanted to get some sleep so he didn't do it.
The next day he woke to his alarm which woke him up early, he went to get dress wearing his old leather jacket a black t-shirt with blue jeans and his boots. After he was ready he quietly went downstairs and made himself a lunch along with breakfast.
After eating and packing his lunch he left a note for his Gran leaving the house, he didn't want her to wake up later and wonder why he wasn't in the house. Grabbing his bike he decided to bike to school, as he was leaving he actually caught Nathan leaving too who just nodded at him.
Ryan nodded back not bothering to ask for a ride since if he wanted one he would have just waited at home, he already knew the route after looking it up yesterday. The ride took him twenty minutes and he was there before the first bell, he needed to meet with his guide who was taking him around the school today.
He felt the gazes of some girls as he passed through the halls, but with his looks it wasn't that surprising he already expected this to happen. Going into the office he went straight to the front desk where a typical looking secretary was sitting there messing with papers.
"Umm.... Hi, my name is Ryan Atwood this is my first day." He said while getting the woman's attention.
"Ah, good morning sweetheart," She said with a smile before grabbing a file, "I have all your information right here, luckily your last school already sent over your records. Your guide is already here I will go grab her while you look over your schedule."
Ryan nodded taking the file from her, looking at his new schedule he couldn't really complain about anything that was on it. In Chino he was prone to skipping class so it wasn't a shock that he was in all core classes, even if he was smarter then he showed he wasn't going to fix it.
It wasn't long before the lady was back, following her was a brown haired girl who was wearing a colorful Poncho she was smiling as they came closer to him. "Haley, meet the new student Ryan Atwood. Ryan, Haley here will be showing you around the school."
"Hi, nice to meet you." Haley said with a smile while moving forward to shake his hand.
He took it and tried to smile back but it came off awkwardly, "Nice to meet you too. We should probably get going."
She nodded and they left the office, as they walked the halls she introduced everything to him, "...but around here basketball seems to outshine anything else that happens in the school. Sure the drama club and choir get attention but not as much as basketball."
Along the way she was telling him about everything and showed her obvious dislike for the basketball team, "You really don't like them huh?" he said stopping her in the middle of her rant.
She blushed while looking at him, "No not really. Nothing against them but everyone on the team is an asshole, well some of them there are a couple who are okay."
"I get it. Jocks seem to think they run everything, it doesn't matter the school it is always the same way." Ryan said looking at everyone in the hall, he happened to see the girl who was in Nathan's house yesterday, "Who is that?" he asked nodding at her.
"Ah, smitten by Peyton Sawyer and you haven't even gone through a whole day of school yet huh? Well she is also on the cheer-leading team and is dating star basketball player Nathan Scott." She said while patting him on the shoulder.
"No I am not smitten. I saw her yesterday at Nathan's he is my neighbor, I just forgot to ask him so I was just wondering." Ryan corrected her, he didn't feel a thing seeing Peyton there was no way that he liked her at all.
"You're Nathan's neighbor?! What is that like?" She said surprised looking at him with wide eyes, they had already seen all of the school and were now at his locker so he could put his stuff in it.
"Normal I guess. Only really been living there for a day and a half really so nothing to serious has happened." Ryan shrugged while putting away the books they got earlier, he only kept the history since that was his first period class.
"Make sense then. Well that is the school, anything else you need to know cause I also need to stop by my locker before class." She said while smiling at him.
"Wow, she shows me around then leaves immediately. I feel a little used." Ryan joked looking at her.
"Har Har. If anything I should be the one who felt used since I showed you around the school and got nothing for it." She replied hitting him in the stomach lightly.
Ryan smiled and was about to say something but they were interrupted by a blonde haired kid who walked over to them, "Hales I have been looking for you everywhere, who is this? A new boyfriend? I don't think I have seen you around school though." The kid said while looking between the two of them.
Haley rolled her eyes there was a faint blush on her cheeks as she went to speak, "No Lucas. This is Ryan Atwood a new kid at the school, I was showing him around today."
"Oh what's up man. I am Lucas Scott, welcome to Tree Hill." He said holding out his fist to be bumped.
Ryan bumped his fist, "Thanks, hey Scott any relation to Nathan Scott?"
That seemed to make the area cool off a little as Lucas showed an expression of a mix between hate and awkwardness, Ryan knew he stepped on a land mine there. Seeing that no one wanted to speak about it he was about to change the subject but at that moment the bell rung saving them all.
"Well we should all get to class, Ryan if you want you can join us at lunch. We usually eat outside so find us if you want too." Haley said waving her hand and walking away backwards with a smile on her face.
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