Hey everyone, thank you all so much for the reviews! I'm sorry I couldn't update sooner. The semester for me is almost over so I've been weighed down with a lot of school work. Luckily, I found some time to write this chapter. Thanks again for the responses and please continue to review!

Chapter 3

"How awesome is this?" Brooke questioned as she searched through the clothing racks. It was Wednesday afternoon and Haley and Brooke were at the mall. They would be graduating next week and needed to find the perfect dresses for the ceremony and after party.

"What is?" Haley asked as she put another dress back. It was way too slinky and bright for her taste.

"That we are officially done with school and the other poor suckers still have classes right now," she elaborated. That was one of the perks of being seniors. They got out at least two weeks before the other students did. Haley was certainly enjoying her long-awaited freedom. As much as she loved school, she'd about had enough by the end of the year. College applications, senior projects, tutoring, and exams had taken their toll on her. She was officially wiped.

"Yeah, it is. But I still have to finish writing my valedictorian speech," Haley stated. She'd be glad once that was over with.

"How's it coming?"

"Pretty good. I still have a lot to do, though."

"I'm sure it'll be great," Brooke assured her. "Now, what about this dress?"

"It's ok," Haley replied. The dress seemed a little too showy for graduation. But then again, that's how Brooke was. She loved outfits that stood out.

"So, you don't like it?"

"I don't know. I'd have to see it on you first." Brooke nodded before adding it to the pile of dresses she already had in her hand. "Aren't you going to try on at least one?"

"I will when I find one that I actually like," Haley stated. Finding the right dress was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

"Well, let's see what they have over here." Brooke walked to another rack and began to search through it. She pulled out a few dresses and handed them to Haley. "Try those. Especially that top one." Haley looked them over before nodding in agreement. They then headed toward the fitting room. Haley took a seat while Brooke went to try on her selections first.

"Ok, so now what do you think of this one?" Brooke asked as she stepped out of the changing stall. It was that same flashy dress she'd shown Haley before.

"I don't like it," Haley replied honestly. There was way too much going on with that ensemble. "It's a little overkill. Try the red one, instead." A couple of minutes later, Brooke came out again. Haley looked over the dress and smiled approvingly. "That's so much better."

"You think so?" Brooke asked as she stared at herself in the full-length mirror on the wall.

"Definitely," she answered. "It's sexy but elegant. And it looks amazing on you."

"Yeah, it does," Brooke declared with a smile after another minute of looking at herself. "Well, I'm done. This is perfect. Nice choice, Tutor Girl."

"Thank you, Tigger." Brooke went back to change into her normal clothes before coming back out. Haley then went into the stall.

"Brooke, I am not wearing this," Haley declared once she'd gotten the first dress on.

"Let me see." Haley then opened the door and came out to show her.

"Ooh, I like it."

"It's skin tight and my breasts are all out," Haley replied.

"And your point?" Brooke laughed.

"It's not appropriate."

"Come on, Haley, live a little," her best friend urged. "I think it's great. Besides, I'm sure Nathan will bust a gasket when he sees you in that. It's just what you need to get him to see you differently. That hott dress coupled with the fact that you're still an 'innocent' virgin ready for the taking is like a total aphrodisiac for guys."

"Brooke!" Haley admonished as she felt her face getting slightly red from embarrassment. She still couldn't believe what had happened last Saturday at the party. All she did was take one little sip out of her cup during I Never and then suddenly the whole group knew her business. Haley had thought she'd done it quickly and inconspicuously enough so that Matt and Taylor wouldn't pick up on it. But unfortunately, she wasn't that lucky.

After everything had been straightened out and Matt was convinced that she hadn't, in fact, slept with some guy, the game ended and everyone began to do their own separate things. Haley had remained quiet and tried to act like she wasn't completely furious with him for blowing everything so out of proportion. She then tried to talk to Nathan again but it was difficult when Matt insisted on never leaving her side. It was "for her safety" as he termed it. It wasn't until they got back home that night did she let him have it. It was a huge argument that her parents, ultimately, had to break up. As for Taylor and Brooke, she'd made them promise to never "help" her in a situation like that again.

"What?"

"I want to look older. Not like a slut," Haley retorted. "Plus, my parents, grandparents, and other relatives are going to be there. Not to mention Matt. You know he'd never let me out of the house in this thing."

"Who cares what Matt thinks? Do what you want."

"I wish it were that simple," Haley muttered.

"Are you two still not talking to one another?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah," Haley sighed. "I just…I'm so sick of him babying me. I could understand my dad doing stuff like that. But Matt's my brother. I know that he wants to make sure I'm ok but he just takes it too far. He doesn't give a damn about all the crazy stuff Taylor does."

"Have you told him that?"

"More times than I can count," she said. "And did you know that he tried to talk my parents out of letting me go to California with you?"

"He did not!" Brooke exclaimed outraged.

"He did. He said that it was a big mistake since we'll be across the country with no supervision."

"But my parents are going to be there—sort of," Brooke added. Both girls knew that Brooke's parents would be so busy doing their own things that they wouldn't even really check in on them. But it's not like Haley and Brooke were planning to go crazy this summer or anything. They were just two best friends who wanted to spend time with each other and relax before their first semester of college.

"What did your parents say?" Brooke questioned a second later.

"They told him to relax and that I would be perfectly fine. At least they know that I'm responsible." Haley had practically jumped for joy when she heard her parents' response.

"Thank God. You seriously scared me for a minute there," Brooke retorted.

"Yeah, well, imagine my reaction," Haley retorted as she went back to try on another dress. With her brother being so overbearing, it just made Haley want to go to California even more. She really wanted to get away and maybe meet some new people. It would be nice to start over—even if it was just for a little while. Haley tried on a few more dresses. Each one was either too flashy or conservative. What she really needed was something in between.

"Was that the last one?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah," Haley answered as she put the dresses she didn't want on the rack nearby. She was just about to turn around when another dress caught her eye. She walked closer to it to get a better look. The dress was all white with a thin halter strap. It had a nice spring/summer appearance. The material looked rumpled in the front but was made to be stylish. Overall, the dress seemed to have a nice flare and shape. Haley pulled it off the rack and was happy to see that it was the size she needed.

"I'm going to try this last one on," Haley told Brooke. She changed again and walked back out to show her. "What do you think?" Brooke stared at her for a minute or so before a huge grin formed on her face.

"That is absolutely gorgeous!" Brooke complimented as she stood up and walked around Haley to get a better look. "I love it. You have to get this dress." Haley glanced at herself in the full-length mirror and couldn't help but agree. It showed some skin but in a tasteful manner. She could definitely wear it in front of her relatives. The material also seemed to hug and accent her curves perfectly, giving off a somewhat sexy vibe. This is definitely the one.

"I'm getting it," Haley declared.

"Good," Brooke commented happily. "Now let's go. We still have to buy shoes and accessories." Haley then quickly changed back into her normal clothes. Afterward, the two paid for their dresses and headed to a few other stores. Although Haley usually hated shopping, she didn't mind spending another hour at the mall with Brooke. She was really excited about graduation and her chosen outfit. So even if she did manage to screw up her valedictorian speech, at least she would look good while doing it.

"Luke, where's my box with all of my playbooks and everything?" Nathan asked as he searched around their dorm room. The place was a complete mess as they packed their things to move out. The semester had officially ended yesterday. Research papers and final exams were finally over and done with. Nathan was beyond relieved. He'd been so stressed out lately. He couldn't wait to go home and just relax—assuming he and Lucas ever finished packing. They were supposed to have been done an hour ago. But they both seemed to have acquired more unnecessary junk over the school year than they'd realized.

"It's already in my truck. Why?" Lucas replied.

"I have to drop by Whitey's office and give him some of the new plays I've been working on for next season," he explained.

"Then why did you pack them?"

"Because I was afraid that if I left them hanging around, they'd get lost in this mess."

"Well, they're somewhere in the back of the truck. You'll have to look for them," Lucas stated as he picked up another box. Nathan sighed before following him out the door. Once outside, he walked over to Lucas' truck parked next to the curb and started to search through the various boxes. Why the hell didn't I label anything? It took him several minutes but he was eventually able to find it.

"I'm gonna head over to the office. I'll be back in about fifteen minutes," Nathan said.

"Alright," Lucas replied with a brief nod. Nathan then made his way to the gym. Once he reached Whitey's office, he knocked on the door frame before entering.

"Hey, Coach," he greeted.

"Nathan, I thought that you'd left campus already," Whitey said as he looked up from the newspaper he was reading.

"Lucas and I are still getting our stuff together. I just dropped by to give this to you," Nathan explained while handing him the playbook. Whitey took it and started to look through the contents.

"This is really good," Whitey commented after a minute or so.

"Thanks."

"I noticed that you didn't put Quentin in a few of these plays, though," he pointed out.

"I know," Nathan answered. "After the stunts he pulled last season, I thought it would be best to have a few backup plans in case he gets thrown out of the game again." He wasn't about to let some punk screw up their chances of going to the championship next season. If Quentin wanted to be a hot-headed jerk, then so be it. But Nathan was hell bent on not letting the rest of the team suffer for it.

"It couldn't hurt," Whitey agreed. "Thanks for dropping it off."

"No problem."

"I'll call you and Lucas in a couple of weeks and then we can start planning some more things for next season."

"Yeah, that's fine," Nathan responded. "Well, I'll see you, Whitey. I have to get back."

"Alright. Enjoy your time off. You're going to need it."

"Believe me, I know," he laughed before turning around and making his way out of the office. He left the building and started walking along the sidewalk back to his dorm. Nathan was glad to see that the weather was starting to clear up. It had been raining for the last few days. There had been a slight chill in the air, also. Usually, it was much hotter by mid May. But Nathan wouldn't complain. The longer the intense heat held off the better. As Nathan continued walking, he heard his cell phone ring. He quickly reached into his pocket.

"Hey, Mom," he answered after checking the caller ID screen.

"Hi, sweetie," Deb replied. "I just wanted to call and make sure that you're ok. I thought you would be home already. I'm making your favorite dinner tonight." Nathan's stomach automatically growled at the thought of his mom's recipe for prime rib. He practically inhaled her cooking.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just taking a little longer for Lucas and me to move out," he explained. "I'll be home by dinner."

"Ok," she replied. "Well, I have to go and get the food in the oven so it'll be ready on time. I just wanted to check in. I'll see you later, Nathan."

"Bye, Mom." Nathan hung up as he rounded the corner of a building. Not looking where he was going, he ended up banging into someone forcefully. Nathan glanced up to see the girl almost go flying backwards. Quickly, he reached out and managed to grab her arm to keep her from falling.

"I'm so sorry. Are you ok?" Nathan asked while steadying her.

"Um, yeah," she replied as she tried to regain her balance. She then glanced up at him. Once he'd gotten a good look at her, the first thing that struck Nathan was how attractive she was. Her hazel eyes and curly blonde hair definitely stuck out. He gave the rest of her a once over and wasn't disappointed. She was a little on the thin side but her figure was still shapely.

"You're sure?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah, don't worry about it. I wasn't really looking where I was going either," she added while holding up something in her hand. Nathan took a closer look and saw that it was a map of the campus.

"Are you lost?" he questioned.

"No, I'm just…I mean I'm…yes," she admitted sheepishly.

"Well, where are you going? I'm sure I could point you in the right direction," Nathan offered.

"I, um, I don't exactly know. I was with a tour group but the guide was walking and talking so fast that I kind of just tuned her out. The next thing I knew, everyone was gone. So I'm not really sure where they are now."

"Well, they all head back to the Union when it's done. If you go there you'll be able to meet up with them again," Nathan explained. "Do you know where that is?" She twirled the map around and started reading it over.

"You know what, how about I just take you?" Nathan suggested after another minute. She definitely had no idea where she was going. He didn't want her to get even more lost than she already was. The campus could be a little confusing to newcomers. Plus, she was hott. Nathan Scott was never one to miss an opportunity to help out a girl of her caliber.

"Oh, you don't have to. If you're busy…"

"No, it's fine," Nathan interrupted. I'm sure Lucas can handle a few extra boxes by himself, he thought. He knew his brother would most likely kill him later but Nathan didn't care. Hott girls definitely took precedence over packing.

"Ok, then. Thanks."

"No problem. I'm Nathan, by the way," he introduced himself.

"I'm Peyton," the girl replied while shaking his hand.

"So, are you a transfer student?" Nathan questioned as he started to lead her towards the Union.

"No, I'm going to be a freshman here next semester," Peyton answered. "I just wanted to take another look at the campus." Nathan nodded as they continued walking.

"Where are you from?"

"I'm from here—Tree Hill."

"Really?" he asked surprised. "Did you go to Tree Hill High?"

"No, I was enrolled in a private school."

"Oh, that explains it," he commented.

"Explains what?" Peyton asked while furrowing her brow.

"I went to Tree Hill High and I pretty much knew everybody. I'd be surprised if you went there, too, and I didn't notice you."

"And why would you notice me?" she inquired with a kinked eyebrow.

"Well, someone as pretty as you would certainly be hard to ignore," he stated with his trademark, charming smile. That usually got them.

"Really?" Peyton questioned.

"Definitely."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"You just did," he teased. Peyton rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"Do lines like that actually work?"

"Always," he smirked. Peyton looked at him for another minute until her eyes widened.

"I knew I recognized you!" she exclaimed. Nathan gave her a quizzical look. "Your last name is Scott, right?"

"Yeah, how did you…"

"I remember seeing you at a several of the basketball games. I knew you looked somewhat familiar. I just couldn't place it."

"Do you like basketball?" Nathan asked hopeful. Most girls he dated hated sports. They just liked him for his status. But Peyton already seemed like she was different. If she said "yes," he would definitely take a chance and ask her out.

"It's ok. I was just a cheerleader, though." Nathan nodded. That was at least something.

"What school did you go to again?" Nathan asked.

"Werther's Academy," she answered.

"Oh yeah, I remember a few of those games."

"I always hated it when we played you guys."

"Because you lost every time?" That school's team was horrible. Nathan and his teammates barely had to work for those wins.

"Well, yes. But it was also annoying hearing all of my squad members gushing about just how cute you were?"

"Cute?" Nathan questioned. I don't think a girl has ever really called me cute.

"Ok, they might've mentioned the words 'hott' and 'total fox' a few times," Peyton mentioned offhandedly. That's more like it!

"And did you agree?" he prodded while looking over at her.

"Maybe," Peyton said with a shrug. "But I also heard that you can be a smooth talker. Hence your cheesy pickup line from before."

"Hey, that wasn't cheesy. I meant it," Nathan defended.

"Sure," she laughed.

"I did," he argued.

"Then if I'm so eye-catching, why didn't you notice me when you were at my school?" Peyton challenged.

"I was concentrating on basketball. Glancing at the cheerleaders during games doesn't exactly help you win."

"I guess you have a point," Peyton said. A second later, they finally arrived in front of the Union.

"Well, this is it," Nathan declared. "Your group should be on the first floor when they're done."

"Thanks for your help," Peyton stated. "I probably would've been lost for another hour."

"You're welcome. And sorry about the 'cheesy' pickup line," he added jokingly.

"Don't worry about it," she laughed. "But next time, I might not be so forgiving."

"Next time?" Nathan questioned with a smirk. Peyton's coy smile widened before she pulled a pen out of her purse. She wrote something down on the map and ripped the scrap of paper off. Afterward, she handed it to him.

"Let's just say that I did agree with my fellow squad members," she commented. She then gave him a small wink before turning around and heading into the Union. Nathan looked at the scrap of paper and saw a phone number. His smirk automatically widened. If he wasn't intrigued before, he definitely was now.