Author's Note: I don't own One Tree Hill, just thought I'd put that out there. Also, some of the events are inspired by the series but some are also my own ideas and such. I'm trying not to copy the actual show, so keep that in mind. Also, this takes place when they're all seniors and if you want to know the couples they are: Brucas, Neyton, Jeyton, Naley, and that could all change too. Also italics indicate stressing on words, thoughts, dreams, and flashbacks, it should be either indicated or obvious about which one it is.

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"And five, six, seven, eight," Brooke called out to the Ravens before her in the formation of a 'V' with the point missing and a spot in the second row empty. "One and two, three, four, five, six, and seven and eight," she continued counting, "Again; one and two, three, four, Bevin!" The brunette walked over to the dirty blonde haired girl who had missed the four counts. "It's one and two, three, four; not one and two, three and seven, five, six, and eight or whatever you had in mind. You just did it perfectly, what happened?" Her tone was strict but she wasn't yelling. "Show it to me," she demanded, while counting under her breath. "Four, Bevin, four! One and two, three, four," she went through the motions and then watched the girl do them back. Then the cheerleading captain praised the fellow senior for doing the right moves but in a way that said she was annoyed, "thank you, Bevin. Now was that so difficult?"

She walked back to face them all again, her arms folded over her chest. "Come on you guys," she began her speech, "half of you helped me choreograph this with everyone's abilities in mind so why should is this so damn difficult? Regionals are in two days, two days, and at the rate we're going we're not going to be ready. The Ravens haven't lost this competition in seven years; do you really want to be the ones that ruin it?" She heard grumbles and a few distinct no's while she went through every cheerleader with her eyes, piercing them for truth. Nobody made eye contact; the weight was just put on their shoulders with far more pressure than ever before.

"Together now," she said, hopping in to make the tip of the 'V,' and counting off, "five, six, seven, eight." In unison the girl's began a series of jumps, kicks, 'pops' and other moves that formed a wonderful routine. "Again, this time with the music!" Her voice rang through the gym and her eyes glanced at the clock while she walked to the radio, "we only have ten minutes left so we're going to run it as many times as possible."

In the next ten minutes they faltered and dropped in extremity but then they regained everything and made it look easier than it really was. The routine was run about four to five times before Brooke walked over to the radio and turned it off. "Great job ladies, be back here tomorrow at the exact same time only we're extending the practice a half hour and meeting again from 6:30 to 9 o'clock," she told them as she flipped her hair which was pulled back into a neat half ponytail. Dropping her pom-poms into her bag, she gathered her belongings and turned and headed for the door.

"Hey B. Davis," said a familiar voice. Brooke turned around and smiled at who she saw, a blonde, curly haired girl who was her best friend. "Sorry I couldn't make the practice, I tried but my dad refused to leave the interview."

"Hey P. Sawyer," Brooke answered giving her a hug. "It's alright, we just ran the routine only about a hundred times. People just couldn't get it for some reason. Anyway, how was the interview? 'Think you nailed it?"

Peyton shrugged, "I don't know. One can only hope. If I had my car and my dad not two feet away I probably would've done better." She sighed, "What can you do though, right?"

The cheering captain understood. "How is your baby anyway?" Brooke and Peyton had known each other since practically forever and when Peyton got her 1963 Comet they had begun referring to as her 'baby' (which fit considering the fact that Peyton loved the thing like it was a child in reality). Peyton's 'baby' had to go into the shop for its 'checkup' and a few fix ups. The two could always tell things by reading the other's expression, so Brooke did just that. She tried to read Peyton's expression, see it in her eyes what she was feeling and thinking about her precious comet taking off and landing where she couldn't see it out a window.

"I guess it's doing fine, still in the shop. I hope they don't hurt it," she frowned.

"Oh come on Peyton, it's a car. I know you love it and all, but I don't think they can physically hurt a car."

"You could be right; maybe I'm just over reacting. It's just…it's a constant, unlike me and Nathan… speaking of boyfriends here comes yours…Hey Luke." Peyton waved to one of the star basketball players coming their way. It was time for the guys practice, well; it would be in five minutes. Luke had decided he'd stop by when it was and wasn't obvious, but safe and a bit risky all at the same time. Brooke looked over her shoulder when Peyton waved and gave a sweet smile while Peyton spoke, "Hey, I'll see you around, okay, my place, seven o'clock, movie night?" she asked, turning her attention back to her best friend. "Works?"

Brooke looked back at Peyton and nodded, "Yeah, it works. See you then." She watched as the co-captain of the squad left the gym. She knew that she had wanted to maybe go over some things with Brooke, or at least talk a bit in private that didn't involve cell phones, but Lucas Scott could change everything in the blink of an eye.

"Hey babe," he cooed as he walked over to her and slid his hands around her waist. "How's my favorite Brooke Davis doing today?" He kissed her on the forehead and she blushed. Luke never ceased to work his charm and it always made Brooke feel like he really did put a spell on her.

She smiled and brushed some loose wisps of hair out of her face before running her hand through his dirty blonde hair. "Fine, fine, how's my favorite Lucas Scott doing?" she grinned, unable to contain the happiness he brought her. "Do you think he'd accept a good luck kiss before practice?" Without waiting for a response, she kissed him gently and pulled back searching his eyes for a pleading of more or distaste. She found neither, just laughter reflecting in those beautiful eyes.

"Brooke," he whispered his lips close to her ear, "I don't think I need luck for a practice but, hey, kisses are always welcome and a little extra luck couldn't hurt, what do 'ya' say?"

Brooke could tell that meant he wanted more, so she gave him that. She pressed her lips against his, gently, her hand behind his neck, his behind hers. Then slowly things became a bit more intense, there was more begging and more passion put into the kiss, more force.

A whistle blew and both jumped, separating them by only a few centimeters. Luke turned his head, and Brooke did the same. In the doorway was Coach 'Whitey' Durham, the school's basketball coach. His black whistle was hung loosely around his neck, his clipboard at his side, and a blue cap on his head. "You two break it up, this isn't a love fest," he called, "it's a school gym. And Miss Davis, I believe you told me that you only needed the gym until four for your cheerleading practice not making out with Lucas Scott practice. Scott, run ten laps." Though Durham was demanding, and giving orders, he was smiling after wards.

Brooke put her forehead to Lucas's and then put her hand on his chest. "Run fast, you might get a reward," she grinned mischievously and then as he let go of her hand that she just realized he was holding, she tapped his arm. She watched him begin his run and when she waved her goodbye, he looked over his shoulder and waved a bit too. As she walked down the hallway, she smiled to herself wondering how she got so lucky. Luke was wondering the same thing.

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"Hey man," Luke said after running only two laps out of the ten that he was supposed to run and walking up to his brother, Nathan. The rest of the basketball team had come out of the locker room and it was time for practice. "So listen," he began, while grabbing a basketball from the cart that Whitey had wheeled out. "You know how there's that big cheerleading thing on Friday? Well, I think we should go and throw a huge party after. It could be a chance for you and Peyton to finally…bond." He laughed at his play on words and one look at Nathan's expression; he could tell that he might have said the wrong thing, but they had to get even somehow. After all, the past few years have been the two Scott boys going at it. "Don't tell me you two broke up…again?"

Nathan nodded and also grabbed a basketball, "yeah. Well, that's what you get when you decide to become her boyfriend." He sighed. He had thought he loved Peyton but maybe not as much as he thought. "She didn't break up with me though," he told his older brother. "I broke up with her, just now, in the hall on my way from the locker room." That was a step up for him. He had always waited for the girl to give up; he had always got all he could from the girl before she called it quits.

Luke looked at him from the corner of his eye, and a look of confusion on his face. "And you're upset about that? What happened to your sense of…adventure?" He grinned. He was on a roll with his words today.

"Luke, just stop," Nathan finally said, "Okay? I mean, I thought she'd at least ask me why you know, but she didn't she just agreed to it." He took a free throw because for the first few minutes of practice that's what they always did. "I mean, I thought she'd at least feel a bit hurt."

Lucas could understand how that could be a bummer but then he thought about Nate's words. "Wait, so you only dumped her because you wanted to see if she cared? Well, obviously she's not going to beg you to take her back she broke up with you like, five times already."

Nate nodded, "yeah, well, I thought that this time would be different, not to mention…" He smiled. He wasn't as upset about the breakup as he appeared or was acting to be. "Have you seen that new chick? She's like the hottest smart girl you've ever seen. Her name's something James, I think. I think she just moved here."

Luke shook his head. "First off," he took a free throw and chased after his ball, Nathan on his heels. "She has been going to this school since she was a freshman. Second off, she has a name and it's Haley, she's one of my best friends. She's off limits." He didn't want Nathan after his best friend. He was probably just going after her to get to Luke, and they hadn't actually settled their little battle between them which made Luke suspicious. Besides, why would he want to get to know her now? She had been going to the school for years, out in the open for a while, and yet he only just noticed her. But maybe he did kind of like her. It was possible. Luke wouldn't lie, Haley was a great girl, but for Nathan? It seemed too different, too farfetched.

"Don't tell me you're cheating on Brooke with her?" Nathan grinned. "I mean if you are, you're finally learning."

"Let's get one thing straight," Luke shot back, "I'm not cheating on Brooke, I'd never, I mean I've known Haley forever and I don't like her the way I like Brooke. And what's that supposed to mean?"

"You're too overprotective, Luke," Nate told him as he went up for a layup. When he landed and caught his ball, dribbling it back to his spot, he added, "I know you wouldn't cheat on Brooke, neither would I, she's definitely got it all going for her and I don't think, no, I definitely know I wouldn't put my chance with her in jeopardy…" He watched Luke's expression and chuckled himself. It was true that Brooke was attractive and all, but he didn't like her like that just like Lucas didn't like Haley like that. "I'm kidding, come on, lighten up a bit. I don't think tense guys work too well for the ladies." He laughed once more as he dodged the ball that Luke threw at him in a joking way with just a hint of seriousness in it.

A whistle rang and rattled their eardrums. At the same time, the two boys turned their head to see Durham only about one foot away, his whistle hanging loosely in his mouth before falling around his neck. "Now you two better start getting into the practice or you both will be running laps," he said seriously and both boys knew that he'd make them.

"Yes sir," they said airily like it didn't make much of a difference, but they began to get into the practice anyway. Neither of them was really in the mood to run laps.

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Once practice was over, Nathan hit the showers; he was the last one there. Steam filled the area around him. He liked his showers super hot to the point where the steam was so thick it was like a sauna and you could barely see in front of you. This protected him from the other guys on the team too, because a few of them could get pretty immature and well…one only knows what immature boys would do in the locker room after practice. He didn't need 'protection' from the immature ones though, because they had decided to leave everyone be today, and everyone decided to do the same. Once they were set to go, everyone left, they didn't like sticking around the school too much, who would?

Anyway, it didn't take long for Nate to get himself all presentable and looking normal. Once he had changed he walked down the halls of the school, deciding on which soda machine to stop at and which snack machines to visit. Of course, he had settled on the two the farthest away because they were the only two that handed out 'Funions' and Pepsi instead of Coke.

Rounding the corner and digging in his pocket for a dollar and quarters, he looked up only to find the girl he had been talking about earlier, standing there seemingly deciding what it was she wanted from the soda machine. He stepped beside her at the snack machine, pressed A4 and retrieved his 'Funions,' checking her out from the corner of his eye. She stepped aside graciously for him to use the machine, figuring that was what it was he was looking at. It worked for him and saved him time. He put in his dollar and another quarter. Pressing the button with the word PEPSI and a photo of it on it, he waited until he heard the rumble of the machine before bending over and grabbing his can of Pepsi.

"You're…Haley, right? Haley James," Nathan said to the girl while flashing a charming smile.

She looked at him in a way that said she was shocked he would be talking to her. "Yeah, I'm Haley. You're Luke's brother, Nathan, right?" Okay, so she knew that that was his name, it just so happened that she thought if he wasn't sure, why should she be? Not to mention, she didn't want to freak him out or give him any ideas by the fact that she knew that bit of crucial information.

"Yeah, that's me," Nate said, while opening his bag of 'Funions' and offering the bag to her, "Funion?"

She smiled and he wondered if she was debating laughing or not. "I'm fine thanks," she said looking back to the machine. She still wasn't sure what it was she wanted. "What do you recommend for soda? I don't know what I'm in the mood for," she turned to him, wondering if he'd accept this new step up of conversation. He only held out his Pepsi.

"Need a taste test? I didn't poison it or anything," he grinned. He was curious about the fact if she was catching his drift or not. He was flirting.

"I actually," Haley began, very tempted to take a sip of his drink. It'd satisfy her, and if he wanted her to take a sip, it'd satisfy him. The only problem was though, what if she backwashed without knowing it and he could tell? That'd be embarrassing and probably gross him out, not to mention it'd gross her out. "Need a quarter," she finally finished, realizing that she only had a dollar which she had just fed into the machine.

Nathan dug in his pocket once more and pulled out a shiny quarter. Tossing it up for her to catch, he told her, "I only give the shiny one's to people I like."

Haley blushed at this and let her hair fall so he couldn't see her bright red cheeks slowly go to rosy and then back to normal. "Thanks." She smiled though, even if he couldn't see it, and slid the coin through the slot before pressing the button showing root beer. She bent over, picked it up, opened it and took a sip. "What are you doing here anyway, didn't practice end ten minutes ago?"

"Fifteen actually," Nate corrected her before shooting the question back. "I could ask you the same thing though? What are you doing here anyway?"

Haley always thought that being smart was a good thing, and it was. But she felt stupid saying it, her reason for still being there, to Nathan Scott. He spent more time on the court than worrying about school and it made her think that maybe she should make up something cool to match it and make him think that she wasn't obsessed with books and learning. In a way, she wasn't. "I was actually tutoring someone," she let it slip though, the real reason. "I tutor people sometimes after school and use the school piano sometimes." When she looked at Nathan's face, the first thought she had was, oh lord, I said the wrong thing didn't I? But she hadn't, she had said the perfect thing.

"Really? That's pretty cool," Nathan smiled, showing he was willing to give some support. "I'd love to hear you play sometime."

Haley brushed her auburn-brown hair behind her ear and looked up at him. "Really? No you wouldn't, I'm horrible," she shook her head a bit. How could Nathan Scott want to hear her play assuming that she was good? Well, she was either good and that's why he wanted to hear her, because he thought that, or she was horrible and he knew she would be and he just wanted her to play so he had a reason to humiliate her in the halls and get everyone to make fun of her. Thankfully though, her phone buzzed in her pocket saving her from these thoughts that were corrupting her mind that was happy Nathan was talking to her. The vibrating though, made her pull it out of her pocket pretty fast while taking another sip of Root beer. "Oh, it's Luke," she let him know, while reading the name under the icon that showed she had a text. When she opened the text she saw the question, 'where are you?' across the screen. "I have to go. He's waiting for me." Luke was driving her home.

It shocked her, what she saw. Nate looked a little disappointed, a bit upset, and like he wanted her to stay and talk with him some more. "Well, bye then. You sure you don't want a Funion?" he asked before she began backing away.

"Thanks," she said, finally deciding on grabbing one of them and popping it in her mouth. She gave a little wave while she walked backwards down the hall towards the door the thoughts of how romantic it was to share 'Funions' running through her head.

"Oh hey," he called after her, "since you tutor and all, 'wanna' help me prepare for my chemistry test?"

She nodded, "sure. Be here tomorrow, after practice. Buy some Funions and be ready." She smiled hoping she hadn't set the standard too high for him. There was so much he needed to juggle and balance on what with basketball every day and homework that she didn't know if he even did. Also, she had demanded he buy 'Funions' and she didn't know if one, he'd want to spend his money on 'Funions,' two, he'd want to share his 'Funions' (which she hoped he would), three, if he'd even want 'Funions,' and finally, if he'd even show. Maybe he was just pulling her leg with the whole ordeal.

He nodded, "sure, I'll be here with the 'Funions' and the soda. You'll be in the mood for root beer, right?"

He watched her nod and say, "yeah, I'll be in the mood."

"Okay, bye," he waved, once she was so far away that if they wanted to continue talking they'd probably have to talk very, very loudly. He watched her turn around and practically walk right into the double doors that lead outside. He knew she was blushing because it was something that seemed like something girls would do when they did something embarrassing instead of just laughing about it. He couldn't help it though he snickered a bit, with his hand that was holding the soda, in front of his mouth to muffle it, not that she could hear it. She looked over her shoulder at him, which made him wonder if she had heard him, but she just smiled her goodbye and left. Feeling it was his time to leave too he turned and walked back down the hall, taking the long walk back to his car.

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That night, the Ravens turned off their lights, some of the last lights left shining in Tree Hill, all having something worth turning the lights out for.