+6

Recap:

Lucas watched this exchange felt like he was going to be sick. Why did she have to find good in the one person he didn't want to think differently about? He shook his head. Lucas looked back into the bleachers, and noticed Haley smiling at him this time. He smiled back at her and took a shot. Swoosh; A perfect basket.

'What.is that.that Haley's holding?' Lucas asked himself.

Part 6

Lucas stared at Haley, well at what she was holding.

'No,' he thought. 'It looks like a.Ravens jacket.'

Lucas looked down at the ground. 'I wonder if he's given her his class ring yet,' he thought bitterly. He had this sinking feeling that Haley was going to be the one to get hurt. And worse yet, probably get hurt because of him. 'If that's all Nathan was using her for.' Lucas thought, anger rising inside him. He promised Haley, but he thought she was just tutoring him. Lucas didn't really think she could ever like him, really like him.

The referee blew this whistle, breaking Luke from his thoughts. The two teams took their respective sides on the court and they started the game. Nathan went head to head with the member from the other team. They jumped for the ball, and Nathan hit towards his fellow Raven's.

Tim got the ball, and dribbled before passing it to an open Lucas. Lucas dribbled the ball a few times before sinking a three point basket.

The Ravens took their positions again. Lucas looked back at Peyton, who smirked at him.

"He is so fine," Brooke said, practically drooling.

"What's with you?" Peyton asked. "Shouldn't you be moving on by now?"

Brooke looked at her. "Maybe I like him."

"Even though, he wouldn't do anything with a half naked you in his back seat?"

Brooke shrugged smiling at Lucas, as she followed him around the court with her eyes. "That intrigued me. I'm not generally turned down." Brooke looked at Peyton, as if she was looking through her. "Is that jealousy I sense?" Brooke asked, raising her eyebrows.

Peyton couldn't form a coherent thought. "No, no," she said. "I don't know what I like anymore."

Brooke left it at that and Peyton was thankful for that. She didn't think Brooke had picked up on her stealing glances at Lucas from the sidelines. Maybe she didn't. But whatever the case, she didn't like people trying to figure her out. That was when she had to mix things up and confuse people and what they thought about her.

Truth be told, Peyton was not sure what she wanted, and she didn't want to hurt Lucas because she was confused; especially not after last week. She was having an absolutely horrible week, and her best friend didn't even notice. But he did. Lucas noticed her running red lights. He noticed her being upset. Most important, he noticed her.

Peyton watched him, but he didn't seem to be playing his best game. Not that him or Nathan had a best game lately. Since this feuding, which basically started the moment Lucas joined the team, both were concentrating more on each other than on winning.

The Tigers got the ball.

Peyton, Brooke and the other cheerleaders started a cheer.

"Knock 'em down, roll 'em around, come on defense work. Work!!"

"What's with you?" Nathan demanded from Lucas. "You're getting sloppy out there. You're going to cost us the game!"

Lucas bit back his snide remark, as his anger was seething inside him. Lucas was dribbling the ball, and one of the Tigers stole the ball from him.

"Maybe you'd like to do more than stand out there and look pretty," Nathan commented. "Keep playing like this and I'll get everything you took from me back."

Nathan turned around to head back to his spot.

Lucas went to go after him, and almost ran into someone.

"Don't do it man," Jake intervened.

Lucas shook his head, trying to clear it. The game was almost over. Another ten minutes. They were up by seven.

'Concentrate on the game,' Lucas willed himself. The other team coach called a time out and Lucas used that time to talk with Peyton.

As Lucas approached the cheerleaders, Peyton stepped towards him. "You ok out there? You're looking a little off tonight."

"I'm fine," he sighed.

Peyton played with her pom poms a little. "How about we get some coffee after the game? You helped me last week." Peyton felt a little strange about this, but he did help her out.

The game restarted. "Thanks. I'll meet you outside then," he agreed, taking her up on her offer. The girl he's been watching and wanting for sometime now, was in a way asking him out. He had to jump at the chance.

Lucas returned to the game, a little calmer, but his mind still drifted to that damn jacket. The last ten minutes went by in a blur. Ravens win again. The crowd cheered and the Ravens retreated to their locker room; Nathan and Lucas both to shower and get ready for their so called 'dates.' Peyton went into the girl's locker room to change into her normal clothing.

Haley hung around on the bleachers in the now empty gym waiting for Nathan.

END PART 6