This chapter is steamy. Maybe.

Disclaimer: I do not own this. Which sucks.

"Becoming One of Them"

Audrey, Lucas, and Haley stopped by the cafe after school. Lucas and Audrey sat down at the counter as Haley headed back towards the kitchen. Karen greeted her son and her neice.

"Hey! How was school?" She asked, wiping up the counter. Lucas rolled his eyes.

"Normal and sucky."

"Oh contraire cousin of mine. Jake and I are going out tonight." Karen and Lucas both looked at her in shock.

"Jake?" Lucas asked.

"Jake Jageskli?" Karen said, confused. "I thought you guys were just barley friends again." Audrey smiled.

"Well yeah. We're going out as friends." She shook her head. "I'm not going to fall for Jake again, I mean I won't." Karen and Lucas looked happy.

"Well good." Lucas said. "I can't stand to see you upset like that again." He rubbed her shoulder and Audrey smiled.

"Thanks." Karen placed her rag down and got out 3 glasses and filled them with water.

"So where are you guys going?"

"That new fast food place. Um, Kat's Diner or something."

"Oh!" Karen said. "I wanted to try it. Let me know if it's good." Audrey smiled and looked down at her watch.

"Sure. Ooh, I gotta go. I've got Dance for like 4 hours!" She said her goodbyes and walked out of Karen's Cafe.

Jake arrived at Madamoiselle's Kliene's Studio for the Arts at 7:00 sharp. He walked into the lobby and towards the secretary.

"Can you tell me where Advanced Ballet 3-4 is?" He asked the receptionist. She pointed down the hall.

"Room 6." He thanked her and walked towards room 6. The door was open, and he stood in the corner. Audrey was in the middle of the floor performing her most recent piece. She's so beautiful, Jake thought. No reason I fell in love with her. She finished and everyone in the room clapped. She smiled when she saw Jake, and ran over to him.

"Hey!" She hugged him.

"You're great!" He said enthusiastically. She thanked him.

"Um, I'll be right out, I just need to change."

"Ok." He agreed, and went out to the lobby to wait. She emerged about 5 minutes later, talking to a very muscular guy a bit older than her. Jake stood up and waited for her to finish. Audrey finally hugged the guy and said goodbye. Jake walked towards her, and they headed out of the studio.

"Who was that guy?" He asked, trying to to sound bitter. Audrey laughed.

"He's my dance partner for our next performance. Scouts are coming to it you know. From Juliard!" She said as she climbed into his car. "Also, reps from this Traveling Ballet Company are coming, and Madamoiselle is putting in a recommendation!" Jake gave a weak smile.

"That's awesome!" He said. Awesome? More like awful. She can't leave!

"Ok dumbass, whatcha thinkin'?" He laughed as he started the car.

"Nothing. Now let's go, I'm hungry!" He said.

"Here Here!"

Jake and Audrey sat for an hour eating and talking. Audrey noticed that Jake seemed a bit jumpy and smiley. What's up with him tonight? She thought curiously.

"Well that was good." He said, clearing away his trash.

"Yep." Agreed Audrey. They got up and walked back towards the car. Jake stood at the hood as Audrey turned to get in.

"Hey Audrey?" She turned around.

"Yeah?" Jake kissed her. Audrey was in so much shock she just stood there. Finally, they broke away.

"Um..." She said, startled. Jake looked very gulity.

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have.." Audrey just shook her head and got into the car. What was he thinking? I can't get into that again...no matter how much I want to.

Jake pulled up to her apartment building at about 8:15. Audrey started to get out, but Jake stopped her.

"Audrey, wait!" She turned to him. "I-I'm sorry! I want to stay friends, I just..."

"Jake, stop. Ok? I love hanging out with you, and being with you, but when you left me for Nikki, I lost it. I can't go there again. I don't know if I can trust you like that again. Bye, Jake." She got out of the car and headed up to her's and Keith's apartment. When she unlocked the door and went in, she noticed no one was home, but there was a note on the counter.

Aud-

I've gone out with Whitey. Probably be back at about 9:30.

Love, Dad

"Humph." She said, discontent. Now she had nothing to do. She hated being alone.

The next morning rolled around, and Audrey treated it same as always. Lucas had walked to school with Haley today, so she was on her own. She had arrived at Tree Hill High a bit early, so she decided to check the bulletin board for possible jobs, team openings and whatnot.

"Burger Barn-yeah right...Varsity Basketball Openings, blah blah...Needed: Varsity Basketball Cheerleaders...Hmm..that's great!" Audrey laughed and took the flier. "Go to the Gym anytime before or after school." Audrey shrugged and headed towards the gym.

She walked up to about 8 girls with Pom-Poms.

"Excuse me?" A thin brunette girl turned around.

"Yes?" Audrey was taken aback by her attitude.

"You need another cheerleader?"

"Yeah? And?" Audrey took a couple steps back, a did triple backflip ending in the splits. Several girls, and basketball players, cheered. She stood up and offered her hand.

"Audrey Scott." The girl shook it and smiled.

"Brooke Davis. Welcome to the squad!" Audrey smiled and turned to leave for her first class. "Practice is today right after school!" Audrey nodded and left the gym as the bell rang.

Later that day, Whitey led Lucas into the gym.

"Some people like their gyms loud. This is how I like mine. Quiet." He said. "Like a church. Well a lot of praying goes on here anyways." He passed Lucas a ball. "What do you say?"

Lucas looked down at the ball. "I say the people who pray here are wasting their time. God doesn't watch sports." He dropped it, and walked out. Whitey watched him, and as Lucas left, he swore loudly. Audrey walked in, towards the Girl's Locker Room.

"She-Scott!" He called to her. Audrey laughed and turned around.

"What's up Whitey?"

"Whatcha doin' here?" He asked her.

"I'm the new cheerleader." Whitey groaned.

"Cheerleader? Didn't your daddy raise you better than that?" Audrey laughed again.

"It sounded like fun. So was it me, or was Luke just in here?" Whitey nodded.

"Yeah, but it was nothin'. So where ya goin'?"

"Cheer Storage Closet, Brooke's waiting for me to try on the extra uniforms. So I gotta go. Later Whitey!" At that, she turned and went into the locker room.

Audrey was back in the gym for the third time that day for cheer practice. She was a bit on the late side, and had to run to make it.

"Sorry guys, my Chem teacher kept me."

"No problem Aud." said Brooke, smiling. "Here's your Poms, now, let me get you up to date on the choreography." She noticed a lot of the other cheerleaders looked extremely confused. "Oh, sorry! Girls, this is Audrey Scott."

"Are you related to Nathan?" One of the girls asked. Audrey smiled.

"Yeah, actually, he's my cousin."

"Oh!" Several girls said. Just then, Nathan ran into the gym, followed by Jake. Nathan noticed her first.

"Hey Audrey!" Nathan called. She turned around.

"Audrey?" Jake said to himself.

"Yeah Nate?" He came over to her.

"What are you doing here?"

"Um, cheerleading?"

"Ok, if that's your thing." Audrey rolled her eyes at him and turned back around. Nathan left, as a curly blonde-haired girl ran in.

"God, Sorry for being so late." She looked at Audrey. "Who's the new girl?" She asked.

"Peyton Sawyer, this is Audrey Scott, your boyfriend's cousin."

"Oh, your going out with Lucas?" Peyton looked confused.

"Who's Lucas? I'm dating Nathan."

"Oh, right." Duh! Nobody here knows Lucas!

"Ok girls, let's start." Brooke said, talking charge.

After practice, Jake jogged over to Audrey.

"Hey, um, what are you doing here?" He asked, a little apprehensive. Audrey acted like nothing was wrong between them.

"Oh, I joined the cheer squad." Jake nodded.

"Uh huh.." Audrey looked down at her watch.

"Uh, I have to go. Dance class." She began walking towards the locker room. "Oh, Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't tell Luke." Jake nodded again, and they both left.