Chapter Ten

"After the Party"

On the back porch, Brooke was sitting the steps. Nathan walked up behind her. "You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah."

Nathan sat next to her. "He's lying. He cares for you, he always has."

She said, "Sure. That's why she is with him right now."

Nathan put his arm around her. "You definitely pissed him off tonight. Did you see how he was looking at us?"

Brooke nodded, not saying a word.

Lucas walked to the back door and saw Nathan and Brooke sitting together, their arms around each other. He watched as she rested her head on Nathan's shoulders and he rested his chin on top of her head, rubbing her back.

Carson walked up behind him. "Nathan really pisses me off."

Lucas jumped. He hadn't heard her walk up. "Yeah same."

"He pisses me off because I just broke things off yesterday, and tonight... the next day... he is with that whore."

"Stop!" Lucas barked. He hated when Carson called Brooke names. "Don't call her that."

"I'm sorry, its just that she is so horrible to me when I have done nothing to her," she said pitifully.

"I know."

Carson held up her head. "Why does Nathan piss you off?"

Lucas didn't feel like talking to Carson anymore. He needed someone else to vent to. "Listen, I'll catch you later okay?"

She puffed her bottom lip out. "If that's what you want."

Lucas walked into the living room. Haley was sitting on the couch. He sat down next to her. "I'm sorry about what happened in the car."

"Its okay. Don't worry about it."

Lucas paused. "Is it hard seeing Nathan with Brooke?"

She shrugged. "Yeah, but at least its not Carson."

"Why?"

"I trust Brooke. She isn't flaunting Nathan around in front of me. Carson was all over him, it made me sick. Brooke and Nathan aren't anything more than friends right now."

Lucas scoffed, "Doesn't seem that way right now. They are on the back porch together."

"So?"

"Does that not bother you?"

"Yeah Luke it does, but I'm trying not to let it show. You knew going into that relationship Brooke loved guys and they loved her. She and Nathan could use each other right now. We broke up with them remember?"

"How could I forget?"

Haley sighed. "I will never understand you Luke."

"What?"

"You and Brooke had a great thing going."

"Can we please stop talking about this?"

"Sorry. Listen I'm going in the kitchen for awhile." Haley stood up and left, and Peyton walked in.

"You seen Jake?" She asked Lucas.

"Nope." He looked off to the side, upset with Peyton just as she was upset with him.

She sat down where Haley had been sitting. "Sorry about the game."

"That seems to be popular tonight."

"What?"

"Apologizing."

Peyton smiled. "Well, I know I put you on the spot like that."

He shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Just a game right?"

Peyton nodded. "Yeah I guess." Jake walked into the room. "Jake!" Peyton stood up and said to Lucas, "See you later."

Lucas got up and went into the kitchen. Nathan was the only one in there at the moment. Lucas grabbed a coke from the refrigerator. He was about to leave again but instead he demanded, "Dude what are you trying to prove?"

Nathan looked up. "Excuse me?"

"You coming to this party tonight. With Brooke. Are you just trying to piss me off or something?"

"Is it working?"

"Yeah it is."

"Well, those weren't my intentions but what the hell. I don't understand why you care. You and Brooke are over."

"It has been like four days!"

"So? Did it ever occur to you I may have feelings for Brooke?"

Lucas wanted to punch him. "Shut up."

Nathan stood up, face to face with Lucas. "Or what?"

"Shut up."

"Come on big brother, what are you going to do? You afraid Brooke and I are going to sleep together? You know, I heard she was real good in bed..."

Lucas took his fist and punched Nathan's face. Haley and Brooke walked in just as Nathan fell on the ground, hand over his nose. Brooke knelt beside him. "LUKE! What the hell is your problem?"

Lucas rubbed his face, glaring at Nathan. Haley got a bag of ice from the freezer. "Here," she said, shoving it in Nathan's face. She turned to Lucas. "What was that?"

Brooke asked Nathan, "Are you okay?" She glared at Lucas. "I don't know what your problem is, but you went too far."

Nathan sat up. "I'm fine." He looked at Lucas. "Don't worry about me."

Brooke shook her head. "Luke I can't believe you. Come on Nathan, can you stand?"

Lucas hated seeing Brooke helping Nathan. Carson ran in. "What happened?! She exclaimed."

Brooke shot a glare at Lucas. "Your little crush over there punched Nathan!"

Carson looked at Lucas. "Is that true?" He nodded. "Why?"

Lucas turned and walked out of the house. Haley ran after him. Carson stayed, staring at Nathan.

"Brooke he'll be fine."

"Whatever. Get out of here. Go chase Luke."

"I think I've done enough chasing tonight."

Nathan said, "Carson get out of here."

She laughed. "Whatever. See you losers later."

Brooke glared at her as she left before turning her attention back to Nathan. "You sure you are okay?"

Outside, Lucas was getting into his truck when Haley ran up. "Lucas! Stop!"

He looked at her. "What do you want?"

"A ride home," she said. "And some explanations."

Lucas waited until she got in the car. "About?"

"Don't give me that crap. What did Nathan say to make you hit him?"

"He was talking about sleeping with Brooke," Lucas whispered angrily.

The sentence hit Haley like a ton of bricks. She stared out the window. This was the second week in a row a fight had gone on at a party, and she had a feeling it wasn't ending any time soon.

Author's Note: WOW i got online and had sooo many reviews! thanks so much! i will update again tomorrow, I am so happy you guys like this story. i am having fun writing it!

-Em-