A/N~ Thank you all for reviewing! You guys are so awesome! :) Anyway, here's the next chapter. I have some extra time to update because we got TONS of snow up north and we have no school, so I can write some :) Well, here it is!
Chapter Four- Reality Check
Nathan awoke with a painful throbbing in his head. He was lying flat on his stomach on the sand of some kind of island, it seemed. The bright sun was beating heavily on him and the crashing of the waves echoed in his ears.
"What the hell happened?" Nathan asked himself slowly sitting up and grasping his throbbing forehead. He suddenly remembered the storm, the wave and the blackout. But now the question was where were they? He looked around at his surroundings. He was on a sandy beach with palm trees and a forest in back of him.
"Haley", he instantly thought and his instinct took over. He had to find her, he couldn't lose her, not now, not ever. She had to be okay.
Nathan saw her lying face down in the sand about a hundred yards away from him. He ran over to his girlfriend as fast as he could, with his sustained injuries.
Nathan turned Haley over onto her back. All of her clothes were still damp from the storm and her brown hair was stringy with sand.
"Haley, Haley talk to me", Nathan pleaded tears forming in his eyes. "Come on baby, wake up. Please."
Haley's eyes slowly fluttered open. "Nathan?" She whispered in a small voice.
"Haley", he said drawing her into a tight embrace, tears streaming down his face. He kissed her forehead softly. He couldn't remember a time when he'd been so worried or so scared as the moment when he saw Haley lying on the sand.
"What happened?" She asked trying to stand up with Nathan's support. She winced in pain and let out a cry. "My ankle." She said.
"It's okay", Nathan said as he picked Haley up and carried her in his arms. Haley rested her head against Nathan's shoulder and he carried her over to Lucas and Peyton who were lying a few yards away from Haley. They were just starting to wake up.
"Luke? Peyton?" Nathan said setting Haley down softly. "You guys okay?"
"Yeah", Lucas said sitting up slowly. He helped Peyton up into a sitting position.
"You okay?" He asked her touching her forehead were a bruise a formed.
"I'm fine", Peyton said brushing her matted hair out of her face.
"Are you and Haley okay?" Lucas said putting his arm around Peyton.
"I'm fine", Nathan said. "Haley hurt her ankle though."
"Are you okay Hales?" Lucas asked his best friend.
"I'm fine", Haley said meekly. "Just a little freaked out, is all."
Lucas held his best friend rocking her back and forth.
"What about Tim and Brooke?" Peyton asked.
"We're okay", Tim said approaching the rest of the group, holding Brooke up with his right arm.
"Peyton", Brooke said rushing over to give her best friend a hug.
"Hey man you okay?" Tim asked Nathan.
"Yeah bro, I'm fine", Nathan said.
"What on Earth happened?" Brooke asked sitting down next to Peyton.
"Well", Nathan began glancing around. "It looks like we're on some kind of island."
"Yeah but where?" Haley asked wincing from the pain in her ankle.
"I don't know", Nathan said. "The hurricane must've washed us up on this island."
"Well how do we get off?" Brooke asked rolling her eyes. Apparently the storm had not changed her less-than-pleasant attitude.
"Let's worry about that later", Lucas said standing up. "First let's see if anything else washed up from the wreck."
"He's right", Nathan said. "Girls, you three stay here while we go look around."
"You can't leave us here!" Brooke stated.
"Listen", Nathan said. "Haley can't walk and I need you guys to stay here and look after her."
"We will", Peyton said. "Won't we Brooke?"
"Whatever", Brooke replied falling back on the sand.
"Thank you", Nathan said to Peyton. "Come on guys let's go." The three guys wandered down the beach.
"Brooke", Peyton said getting up. "You stay here with Haley while I go get some firewood."
"Fine", Brooke stated plainly. Her brow furrowed when she saw Haley's face. The girl looked in serious pain. Brooke sort of even felt bad for her…just a little.
"You okay?" Brooke asked Haley.
"Yeah", Haley said. "Thanks. My ankle just hurts a little and I just…I really want Nathan to come back soon." She said looking down at her right hand. The ring, miraculously, was still on her finger. Haley smiled.
A few minutes later Peyton returned with firewood. "Okay", she stated throwing the sticks down on the sand. "Now we'll have firewood for later tonight."
Just then the guys returned with a few bags and boxes in their hands.
"Okay", Nathan said. "Brooke's suitcase and Tim's duffel washed up on shore, as well as the first aid kit." He said as they threw the bags down on the ground.
"Thank God!" Brooke yelled rushing to her suitcase. "At least now I can get out of these wet clothes!"
"Hey baby", Nathan said leaning down where Haley was sitting. "How you feeling?"
Haley pulled him into a hug. "I just want you to stay with me."
"Okay", Nathan said not quite wondering where Haley's sudden insecurity came from. "Let me see that ankle." He took the first aid kit and took out the necessary items to bandage an ankle.
"You know what you're doing Nate?" Haley asked her boyfriend skeptically.
"Yep", he stated beginning to bandage the ankle. "I took a sports med. class my sophomore year."
Brooke retreated into the forest to change while Lucas bandaged Peyton's forehead. "Sports med." Lucas stated.
"Oh. Thanks", she said to him with a smile.
"No problem", Lucas said as he kissed Peyton softly on the lips.
Once they had all returned to the beach they discussed what they should do next. They all argued furiously about what to do. No one had an even semi-good idea.
"Nathan!" Haley yelled. The arguing continued. "NATHAN!"
Everyone turned to look at her.
"Your phone!" She said. "What about your phone?"
"Why didn't I think of that?" Nathan said pulling his phone out of his pocket. He opened his flip phone and then slammed it shut. "It's gone. Waterlogged." He stated throwing the phone angrily into the forest.
"Sorry", Haley said meekly. "I thought it might…"
Nathan sighed and walked over to Haley, taking her hand. "I'm sorry. We're all just really frustrated, you know?" He drew her in close and rocked her back and forth.
"Well", Lucas said. "What are we gonna do?"
"Wait", Nathan said. "We're gonna wait. Wait until our parents get worried enough to send out the Coast Guard looking for us."
"What?" Brooke cried. "Wait here? On this God forsaken island in the middle of no where!"
"Well we can't very well swim to the mainland now can we Brooke?" Nathan screamed.
"Take it easy man", Tim said putting a protective arm around his girlfriend.
Nathan shook his head and walked down the beach. Lucas ran after him.
"Nathan!" Lucas called trying to catch up. "Nathan!"
"What?" Nathan yelled turning around.
"Listen, you know how Brooke is", Lucas said. "She's Brooke. Rash and impulsive. Sarcastic and bitchy. But, you really should give her a break. She's been through just as much as we have."
Nathan sighed. "I know", he stated walking his way back to the group. "I'm just frustrated you know? It's not like I know survival skills for living on an island."
"I don't think any of us do", Lucas stated.
"I should get back to Haley", Nathan said. "She's been really…I dunno…clingy ever since we got on the island. Do you know anything about that?"
Lucas nodded. "When Haley was eight she and her older cousin were driving home from the movies. Haley and Jessa were really close, they were like sisters. Anyway, they were driving home and there was a really bad storm going on. Jessa was driving, Haley was in the back. I guess she didn't see the other car coming head on. Jessa was killed instantly. Haley escaped with a few scrapes and bruises and a broken wrist, but when Jessa died it was really hard on Haley. She's always been afraid she's gonna lose someone else she loves during a storm."
"So that's why she wanted to be around me so much today", Nathan said.
"Yeah."
"I gotta let Haley know that I'm not going anywhere", Nathan said.
"Talk to her man", Lucas said as they approached the others.
"I will."
Later that evening, they had gotten a fire going, thanks to Lucas. The guys had all changed into some clothes of Tim's and the girls had changed into Brooke's. They sat by the fire chatting and sipping some beer that Tim had stuffed in his duffel.
"Okay", Brooke said slightly drunk. "Let's play truth or dare."
Everyone groaned.
"That's okay Brooke", Peyton said. "I don't think anyone really wants to play."
"Come on guys!" She said standing up.
"Not now Brooke, we're too tired", Nathan stated. "We've all had a rough day. Let's just get some sleep. We'll sleep on the sand tonight and then we'll look for some food and stuff tomorrow."
"He's right", Lucas said standing up.
"Ooookkaaayyyy", Brooke slurred.
"Come on babe", Tim said slinging an arm around Brooke. "You'll be out right when you hit the sand." The two walked off finding a comfy place to sleep in the sand, Luke and Peyton did the same, while Haley and Nathan stayed by the fire for a moment. Haley was snuggled up in Nathan's arms.
"Haley", Nathan started. "Lucas told me about your cousin and the accident."
Haley sighed. "I guess you've figured out why I've been so freaked out and clingy today then."
"Yeah", Nathan said. "I'm really sorry you had to go through all that. But, I'm not going anywhere Haley. You're not going to lose me."
Haley hugged her boyfriend and placed a tender kiss on his lips. "I just want to go to sleep and have you hold me."
"I think I can do that", Nathan said as he and Haley laid back on the sand and were soon sleeping in a peaceful slumber.
The next morning Peyton and Lucas were the first ones up. Brooke and Tim were still sleeping off the effects of the drunken night before and Haley and Nathan were sleeping peacefully a few feet away in each other's arms.
"Aren't they cute?" Peyton said elbowing Lucas and pointing at Nathan and Haley.
Lucas laughed. "Yeah they are."
"You wanna take a walk?" Peyton asked.
"Sure", Lucas said slipping his hand into Peyton's.
Peyton smiled and the two walked off into the forest. "Oddly enough, this island is really pretty", Peyton stated as they walked deeper into the forest.
"Yeah, it's not the most horrible place to be stranded", Lucas stated with a smile.
Peyton laughed. Suddenly they heard a noise up ahead, a rustling in the bushes.
"Stay behind me", Lucas said cautiously moving toward the noise. He picked up a large branch with both his hands and hoisted it above his head, ready to strike whatever was behind the bush. A figure stepped out from behind as Lucas readied the branch to attack.
"Ahhhhh!" The figure screamed.
"What the…" Lucas said lowering the branch. Before him stood a petite, blond-haired girl about his age, with a creeped-out look on her face. "Who the hell are you?" Lucas asked drawing Peyton closer to him.
"Who are you?" The girl retorted with her hands on her hips.
"Lucas", he stated. "And this is Peyton. The storm washed us and four of our friends up here."
The girl's expression softened. "I'm Amy", she stated brushing a piece of hair from her blond bob out of her face. "Me and my friends were on a boat trip down to Florida and with the storm our boat capsized and we ended up here!" The girl named Amy stated.
"That's basically what happened to us", Peyton said.
"Hey Amy, what's going…" Another girl about the same age said as she came up behind Amy, with another one in tow.
"Carly", Amy stated. "This is Lucas and Peyton. Their friends and they got stranded here too."
"Oh", the brown-haired one named Carly stated. "Hi, I'm Carly."
"Hey", Lucas said.
"Hey", Peyton stated.
"And I'm Cailey", the one that had ran in behind Carly stated. "It's really weird that we all wound up here."
"Tell me about it", Peyton said. "Luke, why don't they come back with us? We gotta be getting back anyway, the others will be worried."
"Good idea. Do you guys have any stuff on the other side of the island?" Lucas asked.
"No", Amy said. "This is it." She said motioning to the clothes they were wearing.
"Okay come on", Lucas stated as the five of them began to walk back.
"Thanks you two", Carly stated. "This is really nice of you guys."
"We stranded ones have to stick together", Peyton said.
"Don't we know it", Cailey stated.
The approached the end of the forest and walked onto the beach where Nathan, Haley, Brooke and Tim were already up trying to get the fire going again.
"Lucas!" Haley said rushing up to her best friend. "Where were you guys?" She asked hugging him. She saw the other three girls. "Who are they?" She asked pulling away.
"Guys", Peyton said. "Meet Amy, Carly and Cailey. They got stranded by the storm, just like us."
Haley stared at the three girls unsurely.
"They're cool Hales", Lucas stated.
"Okay", she said knowing that her best friend wouldn't lie. "Hi, I'm Haley. This is my boyfriend Nathan", she said motioning to Nathan who was walking up to her, "and Brooke and Tim", she finished as Brooke and Tim approached the rest of the group.
"Hey, I'm Amy", the blond-haired one said. She had a cute, short blond bob and a pair of cut-off jean shorts on and a bright pink tank top. She looked about their age.
"Where are you guys from?" The one named Cailey asked. She looked about the same age and had mid-back length, blond-brown hair with honey-blond and almond highlights. She wore a pair of khaki capris and red v-neck baby tee, with the straps of her bathing suit peeking out at the top of her shirt.
"Tree Hill, North Carolina", Nathan said as they returned to the fire and sat in a circle around it. "What about you guys?"
"We're from Cape Cod", the girl named Carly stated. She had dark brown hair and wore a pair of flare jeans and a blue baby tee.
"Wow!" Brooke stated. "You guys traveled a long way then!"
"Yeah, it was gonna be this big summer boat trip before we all go off to separate colleges next year." Cailey said. "Are you guys in college?"
"No", Nathan stated as Haley snuggled into his arms. "We're gonna be seniors in the fall."
"That is if we ever get off this island!" Brooke stated.
"We're gonna get off, chill!" Tim stated.
"Whatever!" Brooke yelled.
"I so agree with you!" Carly yelled. This girl was so like Brooke. "We're on a friggin' island in the middle of no where!"
"Thank you!" Brooke said. "At least someone can face reality!"
Everyone rolled their eyes. This was going to be interesting.
A/N~ Hey all! I have been having serious writer's block so if you all have any ideas for future let me know. I'm open to ideas! :) Remember to review! Spoilers for next chapter are…
-Amy, Carly and Cailey start to seduce the guys.
-The girls are fighting back.
(Don't worry NH, LP, AND BT will all be together in the end lol)
