AN: Wow, thankyou for all of the lovely reviews, they made my... week! Yay! Anyway, moving on, can I have a show of hands please (or reviews) telling me whether I should do Leyton or Brucas because I am totally torn. I love both Brooke and Peyton, and although I think Brooke and Lucas have more chemistry, I really like Peyton too and I think that they are so cute. The pairing with the most reviews will win – on with it...

Chapter 2

Tutoring

Nathan waited impatiently for Haley to show up. She was ten minutes late, and the other people in the tutoring session were giving him strange looks like he actually wanted to be here. He clicked his pen impatiently. In, out, in, out. He received a couple of dirty looks but that wasn't his problem.

Finally she came in, taking all the time in the world like it wasn't important.

"You're late," he stated simply.

"No shit. I didn't think you'd be here," she replied, taking her jacket off and sitting down.

"Well, I wouldn't, but I got a hot date tonight and I need sometime to study for a Geography quiz tomorrow". Haley looked at him in amazement.

"You know what Nathan, how can you have the audacity to come swanning in here like it doesn't matter what you said to Lucas last night? That was low Nate, real low".

"Look, I don't give a shit about what I said to that Mommy's boy, and I can't believe that you're bringing this up during my tutoring session, it has nothing to do with this".

"You know what," Haley said, tilting her head to one side, "You're right it doesn't. And right now, I want nothing to do with you".

"What do you mean?"

"I think maybe you should find a new tutor". Nathan stared at her, one eyebrow lowering like it always did when he was annoyed, angry or sad. She couldn't tell which one it was.

"Haley, wait" he tried, grabbing her arm. Haley looked down at where is hand was and frowned at the bruising round his wrist. He tried to cover it up but he was too late.

"What was that Nathan?" she asked seriously. Nathan smiled his little smirk and shrugged.

"The biggest injury off that jerk last night". Haley couldn't tell whether he was telling the truth. It seemed reasonable enough, but she couldn't imagine getting that type of bruise off a sucker punch. "Look Haley, I need you to be my tutor ok? I just, I don't want to fail Geography, Principle Wilmer (I don't know the principle's name, please just pretend for a while) said that I needed it to stay on his good side about this whole 'getting kicked off the team business'. Hell, I won't even go on that date tonight"

Haley looked up at him. He was playing the 'sorry-I-was-an-arrogant-jerk-please-forgive-me-while-I-look-all-forlorn card. And she was totally going to fall for it.

"Fine, you know what, just fine," she sighed, pulling out a textbook. "Have you got your stuff?"

"Um yeah, listen, don't you kind of want to supervise me tonight. Make sure I study?" he said, cocky grin in place. Haley looked up at him.

"Got plans"

"Oh, well then how do you know that I won't go on the date? You do know that if I fail you lose points or whatever"

"Nathan, are you actually trying to get a new tutor?"

"Nah, I'm trying to get you in my bedroom". Haley felt her cheeks redden as he smiled at her.

"God Nathan, you are unbelievable"

"Is that a yes?"

"Only to study right?"

"Fine, if that's the way you want it".

"Whatever. Look, you better be damned grateful for this. Lucas is going to blow a fuse". He replied with a grin.


Haley rang the doorbell nervously, fiddling with her hands and biting her lip. A silhouette showed from behind the glass partition in the front of Nathan's huge house.

"Yeah?" said Dan Scott brusquely, the second he opened the door. Haley opened her eyes wide and took a deep breath.

"Um, hello Mr. Scott. I'm, er... I'm Haley James and I'm Nathan's tutor," she stuttered. Dan frowned.

"Nate's got a tutor?"

"It would appear so," said Haley jokily, shutting up as Dan's eyes narrowed.

"Hey Dad, who is it?" asked Nathan somewhat nervously from behind Dan.

"Some girl called Haley, she claims to be your tutor," answered Dan, his expression softening as he talked to the 'prodigal' son. The son who could do as he pleased and cause havoc, but still be forgiven by his father. Haley had always empathised with that sibling in childhood, now she felt more towards the jealous son. In essence, Luke.

"Oh Haley," said Nathan, appearing beside his dad. "Come on in". Haley stepped around Dan and followed Nathan up to his bedroom. Once inside she got a funny sensation in the pit of her stomach and goose pimples on her arms.

"Wow," she mused, "Never thought I'd be in Nathan Scott's bedroom". Nathan looked at her and laughed, pulling up some textbooks from his desk and setting them on the bed. He patted a space beside him and smirked.

"Bet you never thought you'd be on my bed either," he grinned.

"Oh no, it's always been my life's ambition to be on the same bed as Nathan Scott," she laughed sarcastically. She went and sat on the bed and picked up one of his books. "Okay, let's get started"


Lucas kicked the curb with his sneakers. He was stood outside Haley's house, waiting for her to respond to the stones being thrown at her window. It was 7:15 and Lucas was severely bored.

"Hey there stalker boy," came a familiar voice from behind him. He smiled and turned towards the source of the voice.

"Hey Peyton," he smirked, walking over.

"So, is it a hobby of yours to throw stones at girl's windows?" she asked, recalling the time that he'd done it to her.

"Only the really pretty ones," he teased, causing Peyton to blush a little.

"Why don't you just, oh I don't know, knock at the door or something?"

"Mr James got off his nightshift tonight and he scares me," whispered Luke.

"Aw, is Luke scared of the big bad daddy?"

"Petrified". Peyton laughed and looked down at her own sneakers.

"Would you like to..." started Peyton, but was cut off by the voice of her best friend.

"Hey Pey," yelled Brooke, crossing the road towards them. "And Luke," she added with a seductive pout.

"Hey Brooke," replied Peyton with a half-hearted shrug.

"You will never believe what I have to tell you," teased Brooke.

"Well then, you'd better just tell me"

"You know you like that new band, Rooney, and I just adore the singer?"

"Robert Carmine, Brooke, for the sixtieth time," laughed Peyton, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, whatever. Anyway, I got us tickets!" Peyton let out a small scream.

"What, how? I thought them tickets were like gold dust or something"

"What can I say Pey, I have connections".

"When is it?"

"Saturday night. I have a third ticket and I just don't know who to give it to," she said, waving the ticket in front of Luke.

"I'll have it if you're offering," laughed Lucas.

"Brooke, you don't even like Rooney," said Peyton incredulously.

"Well you do, and we just haven't been spending enough time together lately. And besides, I get to look at the talent," with the last statement, Brooke shot a cheeky wink at Luke.