Chapter Two: It's Just A Friend Thing

Summary: When Lucas finds out about Haley and Nathan's relationship, will he try to break them apart or reveal his true feelings to Peyton?

* * * *

Basketball practice. That long grueling activity that Lucas Scott had to do every afternoon, it wasn't like he didn't like it. It was actually nice to be playing with people other than yourself. It was just that Nathan didn't make it any easier for him at all. Nathan entered the gym dribbling on a basketball. For once he didn't have a blank look on his face, it seemed like he was thinking of something, and he was.

He couldn't keep his mind off the fact that Haley was writing about him. He also read Peyton's name and Luca's too. But she wrote that he needed to change, and that he was playing games. But he wasn't, at lease not to her.

"Alright gather over here." Coach Whitey yelled over. He was carrying a clipboard and had a whistle around his neck. "We're playing a very tough team his weekend, the Hawks. They came here to win and they've been undefeated… until now." He added with a small smile. They were instructed to do a few drills and then play a quick scrimmage.

Lucas got the basketball and did a perfect lay up, he then looked to the back of the gym to see Peyton and Brooke talking with another bunch of cheerleaders. Brooke noticed him staring and began to smile and whisper in Peyton's ear.

* * * *

"Nice work in basketball practice." Brooke called out to Lucas flirtatiously afterwards. She bent down to pick up her pompoms, "I mean it was a little hard to play basketball and continuously stare at Peyton the entire time." She added with a smirk.

Lucas shook his head, ignored her and continued to walk out of the gym. He found Haley sitting on one of the benches. She was diligently scribbling on a piece of paper.

I lost it. My other confidential writing about what happened at the party. I looked back at study hall and saw that it wasn't there. Someone picked it up. Someone read it. Someone knew, and I think I know who that someone is… Nathan Scott.

"Isn't it a little too early to be doing homework? Even for someone like you?" Lucas smirked from behind her. Haley was startled and she quickly put the paper in her binder, securing it this time.

"It wasn't homework, just something else." Haley explained. She grabbed her backpack from the ground and put it on. "Ready to go?"

Lucas checked to see if he had everything and nodded, "Yeah let's get out of here. I'm sick of it."

Haley grinned, "You're always sick of school."

Before Lucas can answer, Nathan came storming up to Haley carrying a piece of paper. "I need to talk to Haley." He began, then he turned to Lucas, "Alone."

Lucas backed off, trying not to start a fight.

--

"So? What's up?" Haley asked.

Nathan pulled out a folded up piece of paper and handed it to her. Confused, Haley took it and unfolded it, "Where… did you get this?"

"When you left at study hall." Nathan responded. They shared an awkward silence for a moment. Haley was mad at Nathan for not telling her that he found her paper, and Nathan was mad at Haley for writing about him.

"Well thanks for giving it back." Haley finally said. As she turned to leave, Nathan stopped her. She spun around and faced him, "What?"

"Listen even though you're mad at me, I wanted to invite you to a little victory dinner, you know for my test?"

"And who else is going to be at this little "victory party"?"

"Just you and me… but only as friends."

Haley thought about it for a minute, she didn't want to do anything that she was going to regret in the future, like going to the party. But then a little dinner wouldn't hurt… right?

"Fine," she whispered quietly, "just don't tell Lucas. I don't want him to be mad."

"It'll be our little secret okay?" Nathan smiled.

--

"You guys were talking for quite a while." Lucas commented. They were in his truck heading to the café. Haley hadn't mentioned her conversation to him – yet.

"Yeah you know, just tutoring stuff."

"Then why was he so defensive about me being there when you two were talking?" he asked.

"He just doesn't want people from the basketball team to know that he's being tutored," she responded.

"Yeah… okay." Lucas didn't believe her story. Nathan knew that at lease half the team knew already that Haley had been tutoring him. So what was the real story?

--

"Finally!" Karen said, "We're packed. Haley I think I need you to do an extra shift tonight."

"I can't." Haley said. Karen looked at her suspiciously, "I have plans."

"A date?" Karen asked.

"You can say that." Haley said. She smiled; she looked over at Lucas who was looking at her funny too. Haley turned to Lucas, "Stop thinking whatever you're thinking cause I'm not telling you who I'm going with."

"I have an idea on who is taking you out on your little "date"." Lucas said, "He's on the basketball team, his name starts with a N and his last name starts with a S. Right?"

"Nathan is taking you out to dinner? As a date?" Karen asked, grinning.

"No, not a date. A little friend thing, and plus it's nothing. Just a little victory dinner thing to help celebrate him getting an A on his test." Haley explained. She had a feeling no one was going to buy her story, "Seriously."

"Okay then, well have a good time. I guess I'll just have to bribe Lucas into doing your shift for you." Karen said, walking away.

"I don't get how you can tell my mom all about you and Nathan and then get all secretive with me." Lucas said, "I mean I thought we can trust each other."

"We can, it's just that…" Haley stopped. He never told her about him and Peyton. Their kiss. And everything else. "… And it's alright for you not to tell me about Peyton?"

"You knew about her, I told you!" Lucas said, "Listen from now on, and let's just promise each other – no more secrets?"

"Fine. No more secrets." Haley repeated.

--

"Lucas is so into you." Brooke commented to Peyton. They were in Peyton's room. But she didn't listen; Peyton was sketching something in her pad. "I mean look at the way he was staring at you,"

"Can you pass me that pencil?" Brooke stared at her sighing and passed her the pencil.

"Thanks," Peyton sighed under her breath.

"Haven't you listened to anything I've said?" Brooke asked, sounding annoyed.

"Yeah you were talking about Lucas, as always."

"Yeah and you, I mean he pays more attention to you then he does to anything else."

"Okay, whatever you say. You're the one that likes him, so I don't know why you're making me stress."

"Well I'm not the one that locked lips with him, and had a little run in, in the bedroom with him either."

Peyton shot her a look and returned back to her sketch, it was of a girl and a boy looking at each other from different sides of the basketball court. It reminded her ever so much of Lucas Scott.

--

Funny. I don't even get this stressed on what to wear when I'm going to school. And I'm supposed to be going on a date – err dinner thing? I mean come on here Haley you gotta calm down here. Haley thought. She was standing in front of her mirror with various articles of clothing scattered all over the floor. She hated to be stressed, especially about clothes. She finally decided on a denim skirt with a light blue tanktop and a denim jacket. Oh great now I look like one of those cheerleaders… she began to think again.

"Haley sweetie, Nathan's here." Mrs. James called out from the stairs.

Oh great… he's here…

--

I'm so sorry for the lack of updates, so busy with school these days. Anyway, hope you liked this chapter, it's not lengthy and but the next few chapters probably will be. I'm trying to get a new chapter up within the interval of two days, but that's pretty hard too. Anyway, thanks for the reviews, they mean the world to me!!

~Happy Reading