Nathan dribbled the basketball not noticing or caring that he was wide open for the steal. Always there to capitalize on an opponent's weakness, Lucas went up to block his younger brother's shot. Nathan, a million miles away, never saw it coming until it was too late. The ball was long gone and he was headed for pavement. Breaking a potentially nasty fall with his hands, Nathan fell to the court covered asphalt and cursed out loud.

"You okay, man?" Lucas asked as he ran over to check on his brother.

"I'm alright."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. I didn't see your block coming, I guess."

"I don't know, Nate. You've been kind of off all day. Is everything alright? It's like your mind is on vacation, dude. I just don't want you to get hurt, bro."

Nathan sighed as he wiped his sweaty face and hair on a towel.

"Luke, can we take a break? I need to talk to you."

Sensing the urgency in Nathan's voice, Lucas immediately complied, leading his young brother to a bench that sat between his private basketball court and pool area. It had been a nice touch added by Brooke, who was ever the little decorator.

"What's the deal, Nate? Tell me what's going on."

"It's Haley."

"What about her? Is she okay? How did court go?"

"They're gonna have Ricky's trial in a few months. It's pretty safe to say that bastard won't be making bail anytime soon."

"That's good to know. I just hope she's okay."

"It's what happened after court, Luke. Hales was pretty upset and we talked after dinner. I just want her to be okay, I only wanted to comfort her, you know? Poor thing's been having the hardest time with all this. Anyway, one thing led to another and I swear to God I didn't mean to but it sort of happened."

"It?"

"Yeah. I...I slept with her."

Lucas took a large gulp from his water bottle. "Damn, man. Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"That's pretty heavy. Dude, I don't know what to say. I know you mean well and you just want to help but Jesus. I don't want to be a Brooke and get all over your case, but was that smartest thing to do?"

"No."

"How are things now? What about afterwards? Do you love her?"

So many questions. The same things Nathan had asked himself a hundred times over ever since that night. Questions that seemingly had no apparent answer.

"This has really been messing with me. I don't know what I was thinking, Lucas. The problem is, we weren't thinking. It just sort of happened but it was definitely my fault more than hers. Afterwards, I felt really weird and guilty and stuff. I didn't want to be more of an asshole and leave her so I held her. She was shaking and crying. She, uh...she was a virgin."

"Oh shit", Lucas sighed. "Man!"

"I know, I know. The next day, we tried to be cool but how can you after that? It was awkward but still emotional. We didn't talk about it or anything and then I left for the game in New Orleans then I stopped by here on the way home."

"Do you love her?"

"No", Nathan sighed. "Not the way I am supposed to if we did something like that. I feel terrible for it. I feel like I cheated on Peyton."

"You didn't man. Peyton's gone. She's just a memory, a beautiful and special and wonderful memory but still a memory. Haley is a flesh and blood person. She's here and alive. You can say what you want but I know you. I know you really care about her. You wouldn't have helped her out so much if you didn't. There is nothing wrong with that. You have to move on, man. If your heart isn't ready yet, then fine, but be fair to Haley... and yourself. You owe her that much."

Haley turned the TV on to Chappelle's Show, her new favorite guilty pleasure. Although it was one of the funniest programs on television, it was hard to concentrate and enjoy Dave's wacky antics. There was something else weighing in on her mind. She couldn't stop thinking about Nathan and their beautiful night together. He had taken her virginity and it was every bit as magical as she had envisioned. She loved him, she always had. He was her soul, her only friend, her very lifeline and now her lover. True, it had been awkward for them right after but maybe because it had been such an unexpected event. She loved him with every fiber of her being and she knew he must have felt the same. The passion and feeling with which he made love to her proved that. The night had been so much more than physical. In any event, she had to know the truth. More importantly, it was time to confess her feelings to him.