I know this love is passing time
Passing through like liquid
I am drunk in my desire...
But I love the way you smile at me
I love the way your hands reach out and hold me near...
I believe
this is heaven to no one else but me
And I'll defend it as long as I can be
Left here to linger in silence
If I choose to
Would you try to understand?

Nathan watched as Lucas drug a drunken Haley up the dock and into the house. He touched his lips with his finger lightly, as a smile crept onto his face. He heard someone coming towards him, and squinted in the dark to see the outline of a girl. "Nate," the girl stammered.

'Brooke,' he thought. 'This is going to be fun.' "Yeah Brooke?"

"What was that?" she said furiously.

"Brooke, what are you talking about?" he said coolly, shrugging off everything that had just happened. Brooke could read him like a book, she could tell everything that was going on in his mind by just looking into his eyes. He turned and looked up at the moon. "Man," he mumbled. "Shit's beautiful."

"Yeah, okay cut the crap, Nathan. We both know something just went on out here," she growled.

Nathan whipped around and looked right into her eyes. "Oh, is that so?" he challenged.

"Yeah, Nathan. It is," she barked.

He knew then that he had struck a cord. A big one, one that was going to dig him his own grave, and he knew it all because she called him Nathan. She only called him Nathan when she was really mad at him. He took a step towards her and grabbed her hand. "Brooke, nothing happened," he mumbled.

"Then how come Lucas was dragging Haley through the house screaming about 'Nathan being an arrogant jerk' and not to worry?" she screamed. She was pissed now, really pissed. Nathan had never seen her like this before, and at this point – he wasn't it was a great idea to stick around, but he was cornered at the end of the dock.

"I have no idea. I was just standing out here, minding my own business on the dock – thinking about some shit – and she comes out here, almost falls into the water, so I sit here laughing – Lucas runs out, all angry, and starts yelling at her for drinking," he lied. "Then, he takes her inside. I don't know what you're talking about," he said. He was still lying to her, and she obviously wasn't buying it.

"Nathan Scott, didn't I already tell you to cut the bullshit? Once Peyton and I saw Tutor Girl coming out here – we decided to watch how you acted towards her. Seemed friendly to me," she growled.

"Look, Brooke – it was just…" he started.

"No Nathan," she interrupted him, screaming at the top of her lungs this time. He could see the lights in the neighboring houses turn on as she screeched at him. "It wasn't just a kiss. You should have seen it from the outside looking in. Poor Peyton ran upstairs and locked herself in the bathroom crying. I can't believe you would do this to her – AGAIN."

"I don't care," he said defiantly as he turned around to face the water again.

"Nathan!" Brooke screamed at him. "I'm not fucking done with you!" she growled.

Nathan turned around with a smirk. "But, Brooke. I'm done with you. And Peyton, too," he said grinning.

"She's gotten to you, hasn't she?" Brooke said stunned. "That little book worm fucking stole your heart – didn't she?"

Nathan shook his head. "Just what ARE you rambling on about now?"

Brooke's face changed from anger to sadness for her best friend, Peyton, who was upstairs crying her eyes out – thinking her boyfriend was just cheating on her, but Brooke knew. Oh, she knew… Nathan had fallen in love with Haley, after just one kiss. "I should have seen the sparks when I saw the kiss, Nathan. Haley is the girl you're meant to be with."

Nathan shook his head once more, before starting to walk past Brooke with a laugh. "No, Brooke. You're wrong…" he lied, but he knew. He felt it when he kissed her. He just couldn't get enough of her. He knew it was wrong to do to Peyton, and he knew Haley would never believe a word of what he was saying – but he knew it, he knew it in his heart. There was something there between he and Haley, and he had to know just what it was.

"No, Nathan… I know you better than anyone else," she murmured. "Go break up with Peyton – its best for both of you."

He kept walking, and laughed. "I'm already one step ahead of you," he called as he headed up the stairs into Tim's house. He walked up the circular flight of steps that lead to the bedrooms and bathroom. He knocked on the bathroom door.

"Go away!" an obviously distraught Peyton called from inside. "Someone's in here."

Nathan knocked one more time before opening the door himself. "Peyt, look…" he started.

Peyton shot up and threw herself at him. She knocked him back out into the hallway, and planted a huge slap across his face. "You bastard," she growled, a low, deep growl that came from her heart. Nathan knew this wasn't going to be easy, for either one of them.

Nathan grabbed her hands and pushed her into the wall lightly. "I want to talk, but not if you're going to proceed to beat the shit out of me," he whispered into her ear.

"Let me go," she screamed as she struggled to break free from his grasp.

"Stop screaming, and stop hitting me – and I will," he said as he held her down more tightly. Peyton stopped struggling and quieted down. "Now, let's just go in here and talk." The two headed into a bedroom, and Peyton sat on the bed. She cried quietly, awaiting the breakup.

"Just do it," she whispered. He looked at her puzzled. "If you're going to break up with me – just fucking do it," she screamed.

"I thought I told you to stop yelling at me," he shook his head. She nodded, and he continued. "Look, we're not working out. You and I both know it. When we're together – it's all about sex. If all I wanted was sex, I could have someone not be called my girlfriend for that, and you know it. I just think… we're better off as friends. I'm sorry if I hurt you…"

"Hurt me?" she interrupted. "You didn't hurt me Nathan – you destroyed my life, and for this I will never forgive you. Have fun with Tutor Girl, Nathan, but as for us – this means war."

She got up and stormed out of the room, angrily, slamming everything in her path. Nathan could have sworn he heard glass shattering, but he was distracted by the vibration of his cell phone ringing in his pocket. He took it out and looked at it. "Private number," he said as he read aloud. "Hello?" he said picking it up.

"Meet me at the courts," a girl whispered into the phone… obviously hiding from someone that she was on the phone.

"Haley?" he asked. He heard her whisper a yes. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"We need to talk," she whispered again. "In twenty minutes, meet me. Please."

"Haley… Haley?" she had hung up. He sighed a deep long sigh. "Oh well, what's there to lose?" he said as he left Tim's house and headed for the courts.

Ten minutes later, Nathan is sitting at the court's waiting for Haley to arrive. He finally sees her walking up the street. He walks over to her, and she looks up at him, and gazes into his eyes… then looks down at her feet. 'Wow,' Nathan thinks to himself. 'She's beautiful… drunk, probably hung over, probably been puking – and she's still beautiful.'

"Hey," Haley says nervously. She motions to the table. "We need to talk."

She walks over and sits down, motioning for Nathan to follow her. He sits down across from her and looks over the table at her with a smile. "What's up?" Nathan reached across and grabbed her hand, enveloping it within his, noticing the warmth he felt at the slight touch of her hand.

"No," Haley said ripping her hand from his grasp. "No," she repeats again, more sternly this time as if she's trying to make the point to, not only Nathan, but herself. A tear trickles down her cheek as she gazes up at him, and then looks back down nervously. "This," she said, indicating she means the two of them, "cannot happen."

"What?" he inquired. He reached up and wiped her stray tear away, and free of her cheek. "Haley, I know you've probably planned for you to do all the talking, but…" he started. He took a deep breath and put it all out in the open. "When I kissed you, I felt something different. Something that I've never experienced in my entire life. It was like magic, like my heart set off these fireworks inside me. I admit, I was just kissing you in the first place to see what your reaction would be – but I didn't know it would have this affect on me… but it has, Haley. It really has."

Haley stared at Nathan, wide eyed and shocked. "Na… Nath… Nathan," she stammered. "No, don't do this, please," she said, crying harder. "I felt something too, but, no – Nathan. No, this can't happen anymore," she almost screamed as she jumped up from the table. "I'm your tutor…" she mumbled, "You have a girlfriend…" she continued.

"No, I –" Nathan started, but Haley quickly cut him off.

"I mean nothing," she said quickly as she ran off and disappeared into the night.

Nathan slammed his fist down into the table. "Fuck," he growled. "I ruined it already."