Title: Friday night fun

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

A/N: Sorry for the delay. It's been a rough week.

23.

Nathan watched Hailey and Lucas sit under a tree in the courtyard at their school. They were each reading in their own little worlds. Hailey was seated between Luke's legs and was happily leaning back on him. Every once in a while they would comment to each other bringing forth a laugh or smirk. They fit together so easily.

Tim had been trying to cheer Nathan up but his parents' divorce was getting ugly and he wished things were different. Brooke sat down next to him with a thump, "Ya know, I really hope we can distract each other tonight or we're going to keep mooning over people we can't have."

"Thanks Brooke," he said with a smile. "I'm glad we're going together too."

"Why don't we move slowly to the old married couple? Proximity might be good to just get comfortable with," the brunette offered.

"You're right...It's just still weird."

"It'll stay weird with no practice...Let's go."

Peyton sat next to Jake, who was lying down with a book over his head, at one of the tables in the courtyard. "Hey...ya want to quiet down...I'm trying to sleep," Jake snipped at Hailey and Lucas who were tickling one another. Peyton just laughed at the pitiful expression each made.

"Sorry Jake," Hailey said softly. "Rough night?"

"Teething..." Peyton whispered.

Lucas made a face, "That's bad right?"

"Right," the blonde explained.

"Hello all," Brooke said pulling Nathan down next to her.

He looked really uncomfortable to Lucas. The older Scott gave him a brief nod. "Hey man...y'all coming over to the cafŽ before the formal?"

Nathan's eyes went big...Brooke sat there nodding her head a bit. Nate took her lead and said, "Yah...sure... What time?"

"Peyton?" Hailey asked.

"What? Why am I part of this discussion? Jake and I are going to hang at his place tonight," the blonde questioned.

Lucas chuckled, "Ah...no...You and Jake said you would come have dinner with us...Remember nice and special...We're shutting down the cafŽ for the night. Any of this ringing any bells?"

From under the book Jake mumbled, "Free food, remember?"

"Right...um...The dance starts at 8 so dinner at 6:30?"

"Okay, 6:30 at Karen's cafŽ. We'll be there," Nate responded.

Hailey swallowed slightly uncomfortably. She hated being with Nathan these days. He just stared at her with his heart on his sleeve and all she could do was ignore it. Nathan's tutoring sessions were very stressed because she was there as his supposed friend and he was there as the ex-boyfriend still desperately in love. Earlier that same week Nathan had done well on an English assignment...well enough that she gave him a 'good job' hug only to find he was reticent to let her go. Since then they hadn't spoken.

Brooke broke the lull in conversation by smirking at Peyton, "So how's playing mommy these days?"

"I am still awake Brooke," Jake fussed.

She chuckled, "Come on...lighten up. What's going to be on tap tonight?"

Peyton shrugged hadn't really decided on anything in particular. "I figured you and Hailey could come over to get your selves ready at my place and we could all go over to the cafŽ together."

"I'm up for it. Hailey?"

Tutor girl looked up quickly, "Yah...sure...no problem. Girl bonding and all."

Lucas chuckled and kissed her temple. "Lunch is almost up...Come on sweets. I'll walk you to class."

With that everyone started to move around to get going. Hailey could still feel Nathan staring at her. She quickly wrapped her arms around Lucas's waist. She started to feel better when the blonde wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"He'll get over it," Lucas whispered.

Hailey just nodded a little and stared straight ahead. This was going to be an awesome night with her boyfriend. Nathan Scott was not going to screw that up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peyton watched as Hailey and Brooke primped getting ready for the evening. She and Jake had decided to get a little dressed up since it was their first official date even though they spent every day since the night he had stopped by her house together.

The way Jake saw it when pictures were taken of the group they wouldn't look completely out of place. Peyton had to agree and enjoyed dressing up for her new boyfriend. And the idea of seeing Jake dressed up for her was kinda cool.

Brooke touched up her lipstick before standing up right. She had opted for a less risquŽ dress for the evening. In her mind she knew that she really didn't want to go back to just being a bimbo. "So...how do I look?" she said murmured flitting her hair.

Haley looked over and whistled, "Looking good." In the dress that really started her relationship with Lucas was beautiful on her.

"Yeah Brooke you look hot," Peyton teased laying on her bed in a lilac silk skirt and matching top.

"Hey...not all of us have boyfriends and have to still rely on our beauty," Brooke observed.

Peyton shook her head, "I just got lucky..."

"Yeah and I grew up with mine," Hailey chimed in.

Peyton shrugged "Besides, you and Nathan are really getting along so just go have fun. Maybe you'll meet your prince at the ball."

"Yeah, maybe a handsome Carolina basketball player will be there," Hailey offered putting on her earrings.

"Okay, okay...lets hit it," Brooke stated simply gathering her belongings. .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mom...thanks for doing this," Lucas said kissing Karen's brow.

"No problem sweets... Oh Deb wants to come by if possible to take some pictures?"

Lucas shrugged, "That's fine with me. I would think Nathan is really the one to ask."

"Hello," Jake called carrying Jenny in her carrier. "I know this isn't ideal but is that crib you mentioned still up for use?"

Karen smiled, "Yeah sure...Lucas go get it for him while I check the food."

"Be right back," Luke called.

"She's beautiful ya know?" Karen said from the pot she was stirring.

"Thanks," Jake said with a half smile.

Karen looked on thoughtfully, "If you don't mind me asking...what? I mean her mother?"

Jake sighed, "We agreed to have the baby...but then her mother didn't want her but was too far along." He shrugged, "She said she would put Jenny up for adoption. I talked to my parents and we agreed to take her. After Jenny was born her mother took off. Jenny's always been with us; she's never known her mother."

Karen nodded, "I understand...Dan wouldn't even acknowledge Lucas...still won't."

"Here we go," Lucas said bringing in the crib. The blond basketball player scooped the little girl up in his arms. "You ready to lie down little one." She cooed at him. "You are going to break hearts."

"I keep telling him that but he won't believe me," Peyton informed Lucas as the girls came in the door.

"Hey all," Brooke called.

Lucas set Jenny in the crib then turned kissing Hailey's lips lightly. Jake went to Peyton and took her hand before giving her temple a kiss.

Brooke rolled her eyes, "So where is my date? He didn't stand me up did he?"

"No Brooke," Nathan called from behind her. Everyone turned to see Nathan in a black suit and his mother at his side. "She was unable to find the camera."

"Sorry Brooke," Deb apologized. "I just wanted to document the event."

"Of course. Who wouldn't want to see me?" the brunette joked. Everyone chuckled amiably.

Nathan caught Hailey's gaze and held it longingly before seeing the discomfort in her eyes. Hailey turned toward Lucas away from the loving eyes of the dark haired boy.

Lucas put his arm around Hailey and looked at Nathan sympathetically who promptly dropped his gaze. The older brother sighed, "Come on; lets eat. We have a dance to get to." It was going to be a long night for everyone.

Tbc...

A/N: Couple more chapters. I'll try to get them to you quicker.

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