A/N: Pretty please review guys! I love this chapter and I want to know what you guys think. About Nathan and Brooke as well as Lucas and the other characters. x

Chapter 21- BBQ pt 2

BPOV

"Lucas! Seriously! You are being ridiculous!" I told him. We were standing at the separate refreshment and buffet table set up for the kids by the picnic tables.

"Why? I might like Alex," he said shrugging, adding a piece of quiche to his plate.

"Lucas, you know as well as I do that you're doing this for all the wrong reasons, and even though you're mad at him right now, Chase is still your friend, and you still care about him, and in the long run this isn't a good idea—"before I could carry on, he picked up a cocktail sausage on a stick and pushed it into my mouth. I pulled the stick out and chewed the sausage, whacking him on the arm.

"I'm just saying, I'm sure going out with your friend's girlfriend is against the guy code too," I finished, pretty pleased with myself for relating the ending to his own speech from this morning.

"B, I get how you're trying to look out for me, but I can deal with this by myself." he said stubbornly. I was just about to start all over again, but out of the corner of my eye I saw Nathan. I froze and just watched him. He was sitting at a picnic table surrounded by all of his friends, with Rachel on his lap. Now I saw why I didn't get any calls this morning. He was too busy with Rachel to remember me. Even though I was mad at him and I didn't want to get back together with him, seeing him with Rachel annoyed me even more.

"What're you looking at?" Lucas asked me. He looked over to where I was looking. "Ugh, him. what an ass. I can't believe I have to be civil to him today."

He started walking back to our table and turned back. "You coming?"

I was about to follow him but my Mother came up to us, "Brooke, there you are! There are a few people I want you to meet," she said and I shrugged at Luke and followed her.

I soon realised by 'meet' she meant show off all about the business merger. Felix had already been collected by his mother and they were both waiting for us. They spent the next few minutes talking to many people about how it was so lucky we both fell in love, and how we want to go to Yale together and then run the company. My Mother kept nudging me closer to Felix, until I eventually had to stand there with his arm around my waist, without pulling a face while our mothers told people about our relationship, and casually throwing in the fact that our businesses were soon to be linked.

After the latest couple they were talking to went to refill their drinks, Felix's mother turned to us.

"You two make such a beautiful couple, and Brooke, I'm so happy you and Felix have gotten together! In fact next summer before Yale, it would be wonderful for you to be at our family summer house, where you can meet all the family."

"That would be magnificent wouldn't it darling?" my Mother said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

"Can I get any of you anything?" Nathan's Mom said coming up to us.

"I think we're all fine, don't fret just let the staff do it." Felix's Mother said, "So tell us Karen, how have you been? How's business?"

"We're all wonderful, we thought it would be nice to move back to our roots for a while," she said, I could practically hear my mother thinking why anybody would want to do that. "And business is great at the moment." Her attention was averted for a second. "Oh Nathan, sweetie, come here, there are some people I want you to meet,"

Nathan walked past at that second and his Mom pulled him over. He was looking at everybody but me.

"This is Mrs Taggaro and Mrs Davis and their kids, Brooke and Felix." She told him. He muttered a hello, but still remained pretty distant.

"So what have you been doing, have I missed a lot?" Mrs Scott said.

"Well our businesses have plans to merge," My mother finally got to say, "And as icing on the cake, our two little ones have been seeing each other for a long time now, and they're in love, and they've decided to go to Yale together in the fall. Then they can run the company together when we need some time off," she said.

As much as I hoped she wouldn't mention anything about me and Felix, I knew it was inevitable as the whole drama was purely for the Scotts's sake. When she was talking about me and Felix, Nathan looked at me suddenly with a shocked expression. Both our eyes were locked onto each other, both unable to read what the other was thinking.

Our parent's voices were drowned out and it felt like it was just me and Nathan in the garden. Of course half the things my Mother was saying, like us falling in love, wasn't true, but saying 'our children have been forced together' just doesn't sound as good. But for once I didn't care whether Nathan believed it or not, because as far as I was concerned I didn't owe him anything if he could move on to Rachel that quickly.

"Yes, it's great really," I heard Felix say, as he pulled me in front of him and put both his hands on my waist. Nathan had stopped looking at me and he was now glaring at Felix.

"I got to go, Dad's calling me," Nathan said and I could tell her was lying because I could see Mr Scott from here and he was facing the other way. He squeezed his Mom's arm and walked away.

"See how he's all big in front of his friends but he's all quiet when he's in front of Mommy now," Felix whispered in my ear as he walked away. I wanted to defend Nathan but stopped myself.

X x x x x x x x

BPOV

Soon it was getting dark and the garden lights and candles placed all around the garden were all lit. The Scotts's also had brought a band in and people had begun to dance in the gap between starters and dinner. I was sitting at the picnic table feeling sorry for myself when my Mother came over and suggested it might be 'appropriate' for me and Felix to dance. Felix, who had been asking for the last fifteen minutes gladly agreed with her. A few minutes after she left I finally gave in and took his hand, and he led me over to the dance floor. The band was playing 'better together' by Jack Johnson. Just my luck to get a slow song. Felix held one of my hands and put the other on my waist. There was still a considerable amount of space between us. We had been swaying without talking for about thirty seconds when I noticed Nathan staring at us from his table. I was still mad at him and didn't think twice about pulling Felix closer. Felix stumbled, clearly surprised at my change of heart.

"I knew you couldn't resist me," Felix said grinned, and I rolled my eyes, resisting the urge to bring up my dinner.

X x x x x x x x x

NPOV

As much as I tried not to, I couldn't help glancing over at Brooke, who looked content with Taggaro, who was dressed like a preppy douche by the way! I still could not believe she had been dating him while we had been together. After trying to get in touch with her all week, she now probably thought I was a sad little boy who was pining for her.

Before long I saw her get up to go and dance with Felix. I couldn't help but stare at him holding onto her moving in time to the music.

She looked over his shoulder and saw me watching her. I know she only pulled him closer to spite me but two could play at this game.

Rachel was talking to Bevin and Mia, and I pulled at her elbow.

"Do you wanna dance?"

"Sure, how about in a few—"before she could finish I pulled her up and started dragging her to the dance floor.

I heard her mumble "ok, I guess now would be good too."

I picked a spot far enough from Brooke but close enough to still be in her line of vision.

And I pulled Rachel close.

I looked up and just like I thought she would be, she was watching us dance. She pulled Felix even closer if that was possible, and rearranged her hands behind his neck. I could see the fronts of their bodies were touching now, and I was unable to stop myself growling out loud, as Rachel heard and smiled thinking it was in reaction to her.

I swirled Rachel around, and dipped her. She giggled, "I didn't know you were such a good dancer Nate!"

The band changed the music to a slightly faster Latino track, and I began to dance with her salsa style. I raised her arms and trailed my fingers down her arms in slow motion, like I had seen in Dirty Dancing, one of my Mom's 80's movies.

Brooke turned so her back was to Felix and began to dance slowly with her back touching his chest. Her hands were behind her, still around his neck. Then she stopped and took her arms down. She saw me looking at her, and just walked off the dance floor, leaving Felix there confused.

X x x x x x x x x

BPOV

About an hour later, I was seated at the picnic table, while we were all eating. I hadn't really been listening to the group conversation, and I couldn't stop myself and I was busy watching Nathan at his table eating, all while sitting next to Rachel.

Felix was constantly trying to talk to me and I realised I had probably encouraged him with my style of dancing. Now he was convinced I 'wanted him' and was just shy.

After trying to have one better on Nathan while we were dancing, I suddenly felt ridiculous and realised what I was doing with Felix of all people and stopped disgusted with myself.

Nathan got up from his table and walked over to the buffet. "I'll be back," I said getting up. I walked over to the buffet table too and began adding some salad to my plate while standing next to him.

"So I guess congratulations are in order," he said in a cold voice.

"And why is that?" I said in an equally defensive tone.

"You and Taggaro, you're practically getting married," he said laughing meanly.

"And what's it to you? You seem pretty busy with Rachel yourself," I said shrugging. I walked around to the other side of the buffet and added some potatoes to my plate. He followed me over and took some food from the platter next to mine.

"Oh please, don't act so righteous, like your Mom said; you've been with him for a while, which means you were with him at the same time as me, I was never with Rachel when we were dating."

I was happy to have him think I had moved onto Felix, but I wasn't happy to have him thinking I was the sort of girl that would go out with two guys at the same time.

"But hey, I'm not judging you, I get how some girls in this town role, I just don't believe you actually love him because it's impossible to fall in love that quickly."

"I cannot believe after all that time we spent together you don't know me well enough to know I would never do that, but I guess I could be wrong because just when I thought I knew you, I obviously got told otherwise. And just for the record, yes it is possible to be falling in love in just a few weeks," I said focusing on him, since the first time we came to the buffet, as we had to pretend we weren't talking. I threw the tongs back in the bowl and stormed away from him.

I was pretty sure he picked up on the fact that the last comment wasn't about Felix but about him, but I didn't care, because on top of how mad I already was, I was even more mad now that he thought I was 'that kind of girl'

X x x x x x x x

RPOV

After implying that Brooke was basically a slut, I had immediately regretted it after seeing the hurt look on her face. But seeing her with Felix Taggaro and hearing their parents talk about their plans and then seeing Felix with his hands around her waist while they had been dancing had just gotten me all riled up. Partly because I wanted to be the one in his place.

At least I knew now, that she wasn't going out with Felix while she was with me, and even though I told her otherwise, deep down I did know she wasn't the type of person to do that, but for some reason when I had heard her Mom say it I had believed her at first.

I was pretty sure she was also saying that she was falling in love with me and I would be lying if I said I didn't feel the same way, but it was never part of the plan. The plan. I had nearly forgotten about that. Maybe for the sake of not wanting to hurt Brooke, it was a good thing that we're not together anymore so I would never get the chance to hurt her. And as much as the rational side of me was saying this, the stronger side didn't want to stay away.

After sitting back at my table for a few minutes I realised I was probably the one who should have taken that opportunity to talk to her to apologise about the beach, and explain, but after hearing her Mother talk about her and Felix, and after all the dancing, I had forgotten all about that. I mentally kicked myself for not using the opportunity to talk to her in a better way.

X x x x x x x x x

NPOV

Dessert was soon being served and I hadn't seen Brooke since dinner, when she had walked off. After I got back to the table, I was expecting to see her back in her spot but she wasn't there. I had been hoping to find an opportunity to get her on her own so I could apologise.

I walked in the direction of the house, when I saw my Dad talking to someone he did business with. He waved me over I walked over to them.

"Steve, this is my son Nathan, and Nate, this is Steve Mcgowen. He's the CEO of Merchents and Centrino. We do a lot of business together."

"Hello," I said shaking his hand.

"Carl, I have to say, he has grown into quite a young man, before you know it he'll be working with us. Say, have you chosen your college yet young man?" he said.

Before I could speak, my Dad got there first. "It's between Harvard and Brown, I personally like Harvard. It was my Alma mater you know?"

I could not believe he lied just to save himself from the embarrassment of his son not going to college next year. I walked away in the middle of the conversation, not caring if it was rude.

I went into the kitchen to get some peace but it was bustling with waitresses and waiters, but I saw Izzie sitting at the kitchen table eating chocolate cake, talking to the waitresses.

"Hey Iz, got bored of the party?"

"Yeah, there isn't really anyone my age," she said shrugging. My Mom had told her to invite some friends but she still wasn't doing too well in the friend's compartment.

"Have you seen Brooke anywhere?" I asked her.

"Sure, she's I saw her climb up to our balcony about twenty minutes ago," she said sweetly.

"Thanks Iz, you rock!" I kissed her on the top of her head, and picked up two plates of chocolate cake which were waiting to be served and took them up to my room. I opened my balcony door, and sure enough there she was sitting against Izzie's bedroom door on the floor. The balcony was overlooking the whole party, from up here we could see everyone but they couldn't see us unless they looked up.

I silently sat down beside her and put the plate of cake in front of her, but she didn't make a move to react.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"For what?" she asked innocently. She was not going to make this easy for me.

"For everything. I know you're not the kind of person to date two people at the same time, and I'm also sorry for what happened at the beach, it wasn't what it looked like."

"So you didn't sleep with Rachel when Lucas was going out with her?" she asked still looking ahead.

I didn't answer her.

"So I guess I just got my answer." Brooke sat up to leave, but I put my hand on her arm.

"Ok yes, but only three times."

Brooke snorted, "That's not exactly better, because you shouldn't have done it in the first place! Why would you then lie about it in front of everyone and say it was a lot more times?"

"I didn't mean to, it just happened, Lucas made me mad about something, and Jake was pushing me and it just came out!"

"I'm sorry but that's not good enough! You don't just say things to hurt people because someone was provoking you," she said looking at me disapprovingly.

"I know, and I'm really sorry, I feel really bad about it!"

"Ok then what was your excuse about saying the things you did to me at the buffet table?"

"I just got mad because you're going out with Felix, and I guess I just really care about you and I couldn't believe you would move on so fast." I said, my voice getting quieter towards the end.

"I'm not going out with Felix."

"You're not?" I said smiling inside, "Then why—"

"Half of what she said was crap. We aren't going out, we aren't in love. They just want us to be. The part about them wanting us to go to Yale together was true though, despite the fact that I can't stand him," she said sighing.

Even though I was slightly annoyed to hear about her getting pushed to be with Felix, I was even more ecstatic that she wasn't with him and didn't like him.

"And talking about moving on too fast, what about Rachel?" she asked with her arms crossed.

"We're not together, we never were, I was just using her to make you jealous," I said being totally honest with her, feeling bad since she had never been with Felix in the first place.

"What do you say we just forget the last week?" I asked, hoping she would say yes.

"Nathan, it's not as easy as that! I can't just forget what happened at the beach! I didn't know you could be that person, and I didn't like what I saw! I thought I knew you."

"But that's not me, and you do know me! Look Brooke I'm really sorry, and I really want to be with you."

She picked up the plate of chocolate cake and took a bite. I smiled, taking it as a peace gesture.

"Then apologise to Lucas and tell him the truth," She said calmly.

"Yeah right!" I said. She raised her eyebrows at me and put the plate of cake back on the floor, and re-crossed her arms.

"Dee!" I whined, "It not that easy, it goes back a long way with us, and Lucas said stuff to me too, I can't just go up to him and apologise out of the blue" I said sounding like a little kid.

"Well then you can forget it," she said.

I got up slowly and sighed. I made my way back to the stairs going back to the garden. Even though I wanted to be with her, and I also fully understood where she was coming from, there was no way I could just wonder up to Lucas and say sorry. For one he would know something was up, and even with Brooke out of the picture, me and Lucas went back a long way, there was no way we could be friends again, it went further than just me sleeping with Rachel. This wasn't some movie or story, where everything would be ok in the end.

"Brooke?"

"Yeah?" she said.

"I was falling in love with you too," I said honestly, taking a chance. She was completely unreactive to my revelation and I sighed, feeling slightly hurt inside. I walked slowly down the stairs back to the party, but she never came after me.

A/N: Hope you liked it! Review!

Have any of you read this fic: I'm looking for it and I have no idea what it's called! It a Naley story: She leaves after having the baby because she isn't ready to be a mother and she goes on tour and never comes back, leaving Nathan with their daughter. He brings her up and Haley comes back when the girl is like 15/16 ish and wants back in their lives…..any idea what it's called? Its complete…?