A/N--I know some of you guys we're looking for chapters about the vacation, but I'm cutting to when they get back because the main plot of the story takes place when everyone gets back together and they start their senior year.—

"Can we go back…please…I wanna go back"

"I know you do…but we can't"

"Please"

"No"

"Pretty please"

"No"

"What if I said you were my favoritist person in the whole world"

"Aww that's sweet…but we're not going back...in a week we're going back to school"

"But I'd rather go back to beaches and parties and sunshine and my car"

"Nathan…we are not going back…and you couldn't keep that car forever anyway" She looked over at him with her hand rested firmly against her hip.

"I don't like you very much" He stuck his tongue out at her.

"God I wish I was that mature" She tilted her head and glared at him before rolling her eyes.

"I'm very mature" He lifted himself from her bed and stood only inches away from her.

"Really…" She countered leaning closer to him.

"Yeah" he too leaned closer…his voice lowering.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night" she rolled her eyes before walking back towards her closet. Her back was turned so she missed the pained look that flashed across his eyes. He closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath. He didn't know what he was feeling but he had been feeling it a lot over the last two weeks.

"Listen…I gotta go take care of some stuff" he mumbled as he walked over to her. She turned around to face him, a sad smile playing on her lips.

"Okay...am I gunna see you later" she could feel that growing distance between them. Things hadn't been the same since they got back to Tree Hill.

"Yeah…I'll call you later on…don't make any plans for tonight" he pointed his finger at her and she laughed lightly.

"I won't" he leaned down and kissed her lightly on the cheek before walking away. He turned just on time to miss the solitary tears that slid down her face. He was right there in front of her but she missed him.

Peyton collapsed on her bed and let the tears slide silently from her eyes. Nathan was all she had right now and she felt like she was losing him. A knock on her door woke her…she hand't realized she had fallen asleep. She turned her head to look at her doorway.

"Hey…"

"What do you want" she sat up quickly and glared at the blonde lingering in her doorway.

"To talk" he shoved his hands in his pockets as he stepped closer to her.

"What could we possibly have to talk about Lucas" She stood up, her eyes never leaving his.

"Maybe why you just stopped talking to me. I mean we spent the entire night on the beach and the next day I see you and say hi and all you do is brush past me."

"Why don't you try figuring it out on your own because I don't want or need you here…now or ever."

"Peyton…what did I do" he looked at her hopelessly...waiting for her to give him some kid of hint as to what he did wrong.

"Look…Lucas just go…Brooke will be back soon so you really should leave before you make another mistake"

"What…" genuine confusion was written in his features as he watched tears escape her eyes.

"Get out…" she muttered as she shook her head and shoved past him.

"Peyton…I thought we were friends" he followed her into the hall as he called her name. She stopped and spun around.

"How dare you come into my house and propose friendship to me. I don't want your friendship Lucas and you sure as hell don't deserve mine."

"Whatever I did…I'm sorry…okay"

"Don't apologize to me…your apology isn't worth shit Lucas."

"Peyt… please"

"You have no right to call me that…as a matter of fact…do us both a favor and forget you ever knew me"

"Peyton…" he'd do anything to know what he did wrong…anything to fix it.

"I think you should leave" Lucas turned around to find his brother behind him.

"And I think you're an ass" the older Scott countered back. He had been the one to help Haley through he first real heartbreak and now he wanted to kill Nathan….he wanted him to hurt the same way Haley did every time she saw him with Peyton.

"And I think you're a self-righteous prick…so now that we all know what the other thinks…you can get the hell out of my house"

"Despite what you think Peyton…I do" he began but she cut him off with a bitter laugh.

"What…you care…yeah…about yourself" Lucas shook his head and gave he one last glance before brushing past his brother and downstairs to leave.

"Are you okay" Nathan took a step closer to her and she fell into his arms.

"No…I hate him…I hate myself for getting upset over him." She admitted into his chest.

"I'm sorry" Nathan kissed the top of her head lightly as he spoke.

"And I feel like I'm losing you" she whispered. He pulled away from her and held her back at arms length. It was his fault she felt like that and he knew it. He had distanced himself from her lately because of how confused he was becoming.

"You are not losing me" He leaned his forehead against hers. "I've just had a lot on my mind lately…I'm sorry I let it affect us"

"So we're okay" she looked into his eyes and smiled as he nodded in response.

"Are you up for a movie…we can go out or stay in, as long as I get pizza." He was glad he made her laugh. She pushed him lightly and rolled her eyes.

"I swear all you do is eat" her voice was still weak from crying but the tears had stopped.

"I'm a guy…its what I do" he shrugged as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "So what'll it be"

"We order a pie and watch a movie on my couch…then we get ice cream" They walked downstairs and into the kitchen.

"You want ice cream and you're complaining about my eating habits." He joked and earned a hit in the chest.

"Fine…I'll just go get ice cream by myself"

"Hey…I never said I didn't want ice cream…I was merely pointing out facts."

"Whatever…go order the pie and I'll pick a movie."

"No chick flicks" they both said at the same time. They laughed lightly before going back to what they we're doing.