Chapter 25

Haley James was a girl who always had a plan and tonight was no different. She had everything she wanted to tell Jake mapped out in her mind. She was going to tell him that she got into Stanford and that she was in love with him.

"Haley?" Jake said through a yawn as tiredly rubbed the back of his head, "What are you doing here?"

"I um, just wanted to see you,"

Haley stepped into the dark house, letting Jake close the door behind her. He motioned for her to be quiet and pointed up the stairs to where his parents where sleeping. Quietly, he then led her to his bedroom where they could have complete privacy.

"I thought you were…" Haley rushed his lips with hers, not letting him finish his sentence. "…at the party," Jake finished when their lips parted.

"I um…I thought that we could…um have a party of our own," Haley tried to sound as seductive as possible, but it all came out in a nervous ramble.

Haley James was also a girl who would throw her plans out the window when she got scared.

Jake looked at her and had to question her strange behavior, "Are you drunk?"

"No," Haley sighed. She didn't have much experience at seducing boys and this moment proved it. "I just want to be with you Jake. Right now. Right here,"

"Really?" Jake grinned, "Well why didn't you just say so?"

He brought his lips down on to her surprised lips. It took a moment for her to respond and by the time she did, he was guiding her to his bed. Maybe she did know what she was doing after all.

Back at Nathan's party at the beach house, Lucas and Peyton had gotten separated for the second time that night. Alone, Lucas started to look for her again. Just as Lucas entered the lively living room, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his body. Interested, he turned around but quickly frowned when he saw that the arms belonged to Rachel.

"You know, most girls would be pissed off at being stood up. But I'm not most girls," Rachel whispered into his ear, "And I know just how you can make it up to me,"

Lucas removed her arms from him and stepped back.

"Luke you owe me…"

"No actually, I don't owe you anything,"

"Come on, just one…"

He was more than upset with Rachel for lying to him and wanted more than anything to give her what she had coming, but he didn't want to make a scene and decided that walking away would be the best, "I'm busy at the moment,"

"Lucas…" she said as she stepped in front of his path.

"I think he already said no,"

His shy smiled crept across his face when he heard her voice. He didn't even after to turn around to know that it was Peyton saving him.

Rachel put on a smile for the glaring Peyton.

"Hi, Peyton," she said sweetly.

"Whatever," Peyton rolled her eyes, "Come on, Luke," She pulled Lucas by the hand and led him far away from the conniving red head.

"Are you sure about this?"

Haley nodded and met Jake's lips again. Her hands were shaking as she tried to untie his drawstring. A simple tug at the string was all that was needed, but for some reason, her hands just wouldn't co-operate. Jake could feel her trembling hands.

"Mmm…wait," Jake opened his eyes and looked at her, "You're shaking,"

"Just nerves…It's ok," Haley went in for another kiss but Jake sat up instead. He helped her up.

"Haley, when we do this, you shouldn't be so nervous,"

"What's wrong with being nervous? Isn't it normal?"

"Well, yeah, but…"

"But what? You don't want to?"

"No. Yes," he sighed. "Yes I want to, but I don't know. This just feels unexpected, you know. A little out of left field, you know?"

"Jake, we've been together for four and half months now. It's not really left field, is it?"

"It is when we've never talked about it,"

"Look, I…"

"You what?"

"I'm just tired of taking things slow. I want to take things…take us to the next level,"

He reached out and touched her cheek. There was something else. He could feel it. "I do too. But you have to tell me why,"

Haley shrugged, "I just want to,"

Jake sighed, "Well, we'll still have to wait anyways. I um…I don't have any condoms,"

"Oh,"

He laid down and pulled her down beside him. He wasn't disappointed that they didn't have sex. He was just disappointed that she was keeping something from him. Regardless of that feeling, he still cared for her. Jake wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him.

"Ok, are you mad at me or at Rachel?" Lucas asked as he followed Peyton into her bedroom. "Cause you haven't said a word since we left,"

Peyton looked at him a sighed. She walked over to him and collapsed into his arms. She could feel his body relax as he embraced her. "I missed this. Just being here, alone, with you,"

"I missed you too. But Peyton, you're not going to change the subject,"

"No, I'm not mad," she pecked his lips with a kiss, "I could careless about Rachel and I'm not going to spend any time on her. She's not worth it and I think we've wasted enough time, don't you think?"

Lucas nodded in agreement.

"All that matters is that I have you,"

"And I have you," Lucas replied.

As she looked into his eyes, her heart sped up. A warmth, growing in her chest and spreading throughout her body. Her lips slowly drew closer to his. She could feel the heat from his mouth on hers. She could barely breathe. The urge inside her was beginning to build and Peyton couldn't hold it in any longer. Peyton closed the centimeter gap that was separating them and kissed him passionately.

He could feel her hunger for him in her kiss. Lucas returned the same hunger. It had been too long since he last kissed her like this. He felt like he was floating on air as she blindly led him to her bed. His strong arms eased her onto the bed as his body climbed over hers. Their lips never broke.

His boyish hands roamed her body, stopping only to massage certain areas that made her moan. Her hands made their way to his shirt, unbuttoning them one by one until the last one was unfastened. He lifted his torso up, just enough for Peyton to slide her hands under his undershirt where she usually let her hands wander but he was more than surprised to feel them roaming some place else. Her hands quickly unbuckled his belt and started to play with button of his pants. Lucas broke away breathless.

"Peyton," he looked down at her, with confusion written on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"I thought…"

"We agreed that we'd wait till the time was right…and the time is right now,"

"Are you sure?"

Without any hesitation Peyton nodded and guided his hand to her heart, "Feel that?"

"Yeah, it's racing,"

"It does that every time you're close or when I think about you. It's never done that with anyone else. And this feels right. Lucas, I love you,"

He was surprised. He had always wanted to be the one to say it first, but at that exact moment, it didn't matter except that she loved him. "I love you, too, Peyton,"

They smiled and took in the moment, but her smile was the first to fade.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he whispered.

"Nothing,"

"Peyt…"

She closed her eyes, hoping to hide her embarrassment, "I'm scared too,"

"It's ok. You're not ready, then,"

"No, I am. It's not the sex I'm scared of…it's what's going to happen afterwards," Peyton nervously fidgeted with her fingers, "I don't exactly have the greatest track record when it comes to relationships after sex. And I'm scared that it'll change us too and I don't want it to change. I don't want to lose you again, Luke,"

With one hand, Lucas covered her playing hands. There wasn't any reason for her to worry and he wanted her to know that. "No matter what happens, Peyton, whether we do this now or later, I'm not going to leave you. I know what it's like not to have you in my life and I'll do anything to make sure it doesn't happen again. I promise,"

"You promise?"

"Yes. I promise,"

"You do know that a promise is forever?"

Lucas laughed and nodded, "Than I guess it means that you'll just have to put up with me, forever,"

"I think I can handle that," Peyton smiled and took Lucas by his shirt. She pulled him down to her, continuing where they left off.

A/N: I scrapped the Rachel drama and went with LP fluff instead. I think I'm gonna do the college talk for all couples in the next couple of chapters and then after that a chapter or two of the gang doing fun senior year stuff like the bball championship, spring break, prom and then finally graduation which will wrap the story up.