In Tree Hill, before the whole 'Lucas joining the team' drama happened, Peyton realized that what her and Nathan had wasn't working, so she broke up with him. Even though weeks had passed, Nathan was still miserable about the whole ordeal. It was starting to affect, not only his attitude, but his playing. This upset Dan very much, so one Friday afternoon, he called Nathan into their den. "Yeah, Dad, what's up?" He noticed his mom in the room as well. "Oh, hey Mom. Is something wrong? I haven't done anything, I swear!"

Deb chuckled as did Dan. "Nathan, sweetheart, you're not in trouble. But we have noticed some unusual behavior for you."

"Oh, so you've been around long enough to notice?" Nathan muttered under his breath, but it was still loud enough for them to hear.

"Nathan, do not speak to your mother like that!"

"Sorry, joke." Nathan directed towards his mother, but it was a forced and fake apology.

Deb said, smiling anxiously. "So, the reason we have called you in here is to discuss your attitude lately."

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Nathan, manners." His mother chided him.

Dan continued, ignoring the both of them. "Ever since you broke up with that girlfriend of yours, your performance in games has suffered too."

"What your father means to say is that you've been rude and discourteous." She shot a glare at Dan.

"Since when have I never been?"

"Nathan! I will not say it again. Speak politely to your mother. You know better. Well, your mother and I have spoken to an old friend of ours and we have come to an agreement."

"Agreement on what?"

"I'm glad you asked." Dan told him, as Deb fidgeted nervously next to him. "The timing of your break-up to Peyton was not welcomed, but fortunate-"

Nathan cut him off. "So, me and Peyton breaking up is a good thing for you?"

"Nathan, we don't mean that we're glad you did, especially under the circumstances of the break-up, but-"

"Your mother is saying that we sympathize with you, but for our deal, it is good timing."

"What the hell is this deal?"

"Watch your language!" Deb yelled.

Nathan muttered a "sorry" and Dan went on. "Our friend has this daughter, who she believes is not doing so well where they are, and she is going to live here."

"So, what does that have to do with me and Peyton breaking up?"

"You're arranged to marry her, Nathan. We think it best and so does her mother. They also need some money and we came up with this deal." Dan told him in a calm voice and Deb braced herself for the outburst expected from Nathan.

Instead, he stared at them with his jaw dropped. "Okay, tell me you're joking. Mom?"

"I'm sorry, Nathan, but I think it best-"

"I can't believe this." He jumped up from the chair he was in. "Come talk to me again when you've regained your sanity." Nathan stormed out.

"She's coming in the morning. Be downstairs and presentable at eight am." Dan yelled.

Once in his room, Nathan threw some of his things around and snuck out. He had to talk to someone.

In California, a girl about Nathan's age was going through her luggage and two girls were watching her. "I can't believe you're really doing this. You're really going." The youngest of the two watching breathed out.

"I have to. You've seen my grandma. We need the money, not just for the medical bills, but for my family in the Philippines."

"But how could you go through with it? Didn't you say that you could never do something like that because you want to be in love when you get married?"

"I do, Lindsey and don't get me wrong, I think that everyone should be in love when they marry, but you have to understand I have to do this."

The oldest girl spoke then. "I understand it. I would do it."

The girl packing turned around to face them. "But that's different. No offence or nothing, Ronnie, but you're the only one here that doesn't object to the whole arranged marriage thing. Under different circumstances, I wouldn't do it, but it's not different, now is it?"

"I know, Marisol. I just don't want you to go. Who am I going to call in the middle of the night?"

"Crazy, you could still call me. It'll just be long-distance. You have metro anyway, so what does it matter?" They laughed and the tension in the room started to fade.

"You know we're going to miss you, Marisol."

Marisol turned back to her luggage. "I know. That's what I'm fighting to leave."

Lindsey perked up. "Then, give in. You know you want to."

"I really want to, but I just can't. Who knows? Maybe it'll be good for me to get away, from my family issues and you know."

"So, you're going to marry Nathan even though you're still in love with, well, you-know-who." Ronnie said this time.

"Again, I have to. How many times do I have to repeat that?" Marisol asked, getting irritated.

"You don't have to tell me twice. That's Lindsey, okay?" Marisol cracked a smile as Lindsey hit Ronnie. "I'm just asking."

"Yeah, well, it's not like he loves me back, right? So, time to move on. It'll help that I'll be, like, two or three thousand miles away." They all laughed.

"Are you going to say good-bye to him?"

"If he's here at my house for the good-bye party that starts in about fifteen minutes, then yes. Otherwise, no."

Lindsey admitted, "That surprises me."

"Why?"

"If it was me and-"

"Winn." Ronnie and Marisol both supplied for her.

"Well, yeah. Well, if it was, then I would say good-bye."

"Okay, big difference between you and me is that if it were you, Winn would for sure go to the good-bye party, him not so much. Besides, you and Winn are, like, inevitable."

"Hey." Lindsay said.

"It's true." Ronnie nodded. "So, what time is your flight again?"

"Ten 'o' clock."

"We are so going. You know that, right?"

"Oh, I demand that you guys do." They laughed and hugged until Marisol's mom called them downstairs because people were starting to arrive.

Back in Tree Hill, Nathan was pacing in front of a door and talking to himself. "Okay, you can do this. Just ring the doorbell and talk to her. You know she's home, so do it. Her car's here, the lights inside are on, and you can hear her music blasting. Just ring the doorbell and wait. That's all you gotta do."

All of a sudden, the door opened and it was Peyton. "Nathan, what are you doing?"

"What? Oh, I was just about to ring the doorbell."

"Really? 'Cause I saw you come here like twenty minutes ago and you've been in front of my door ever since."

"Well, yeah, I…" He trailed off, not sure what to say.

Peyton rolled her eyes. "What do you want, Nathan?"

"I, uh, wanted to talk to you. Something happened and I wanted to talk to you. And I've been outside your door for the last twenty minutes because I didn't think if you'd want to talk to me, but you're the only one I can talk to. You were the first one that came to my mind to. I-"

"Come in." Peyton interrupted him. "You hungry?"

"No, I'm good."

"So, why didn't you go to Tim or someone else?"

"Tim's an idiot. There is no one else, Peyton, and this is more of a thing I want to talk to you about. I actually think I should."

"What is it? What's wrong, Nathan? Is it your dad?"

"No, well, yes. I don't know, sort of."

"What happened, Nathan?" Peyton asked, genuine concern in her voice.

"Well, he thinks my attitude needs some adjustment and he thinks it has something to do with you." Peyton's mouth formed an 'o.' "Yeah, you or having a girlfriend, so he, uh… well, he-"

"He set you up with a girl?"

"In a way. He said we have to get married."

"What?"

"Yeah, you should've seen my reaction. My room's going to be a hell of a lot hard to clean up tomorrow."

Peyton laughed. "So, do you want to marry her?"

"No, I don't know her or her name even and, to tell you the truth, I was still hoping to, um, get back together with you."

"Nathan, I… We can't. You know why. You were a jerk and we're not good together."

"We used to be. We can be."

She shook her head. "No, we can't, Nathan. Things have changed and if your dad wants you to do this, then I think you have to."

"What?"

"I don't think it's right, but you're still a minor, so you have to do what he says."

"I can't believe you agree with them!"

"I don't agree with them, but, legally, you have to. It's not like I'm happy you have to get married!"

"You sure sound like it, Peyton."

She rolled her eyes. "Nathan, you were my boyfriend for how long? And we just broke up. You really think that I would want to see you married to some other girl. I want to be friends at some point with you still. Do you think I'd like to see a friend be forced to marry someone?"

"You still want to be friends?" Nathan asked, unsure and surprised.

"Yeah, we were together for a while and you told me everything, except for the cheating, but everything."

"Peyton, I-"

"Save it. I knew and I still stayed with you, but not anymore or again. Like I said, I'm not mad at you, we're just over."

"But I still-"

"Nathan, don't" Nathan moved closer to her by then and he took her face in his hands. She looked away but Nathan had her face, so she had to look back at him. He kissed her and she gave in for a few seconds before realizing what was happening.

"Nathan! We can't do this! You're engaged now and we're over."

"Peyton, please. I'm sorry."

"You say sorry way too much now, Nathan. Aren't you getting tired of it?"

"I mean it this time. Please don't make me leave. I can't go home."

Peyton's face softened. "I-I… Okay, you can stay." She agreed reluctantly, because she knew what would, most likely, happen if Nathan stayed and it did happen.