Chapter Three

Author's note: This story is dedicated to Ange.

Lucas paced impatiently in the hall, waiting for Haley to come out of her last period class. In their latest time together, he'd begun to get the sickening impression that he was not being the boyfriend he could be, that if he kept it up he would not be a boyfriend at all.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't notice the door he'd been staring intently at only moments ago. Didn't notice when a girl came out of the open door, smashed directly into him and sent her supplies scattering throughout the hall.

Lucas cursed when the other students began to stream out, and fell down to his knees before helping her gather all the pens.

"Lucas?" he heard her say. He looked up in surprise and met eyes that were brown and startled.

"Brooke?" he said.

"In the flesh," she said slowly.

"Sorry… I didn't mean it," he said, indicating her widespread school supplies.

Brooke Davis almost snorted. "Right."

"I don't have anything against you, Brooke," he said. She appeared startled when she heard him say her name, but he didn't understand why. Not then he didn't.

They stared at each other for a moment longer. Lucas was not surprised, though Brooke was, when a shock of electricity vibrated through her as he accidentally grazed her hand. And grazed it again, though perhaps not accidentally.

"Wow, most guys would have at least sprung for a motel," said Haley, her voice slicing through the moment. Before she could see her face, Brooke heard tears on her half-sister's voice and instantly felt remorseful. Lucas sprang to his feet.

"Hales…" he said, but she was already gone. Brooke took one step down the hall before he caught her arm and instantly released it.

"Better if I go," he said tactfully. She nodded slowly and offered a half smile before he sped of.

Nathan came up behind Brooke and spoke to her, but she didn't notice him. He tapped her shoulder and spoke again:

"What was that all about?" he asked. Brooke stared at him for a moment.

"Honestly? I have no idea," she said wistfully.

XXXXXXX

"Haley?" he said, once he'd caught up to her. Haley angrily whipped her head around to face him, her light brown hair flying everywhere.

"What's going on?" she demanded.

"I knocked into her. I was helping her pick up her supplies," he said, honestly amazed.

"That's not what I meant. You've wanted her for weeks, Luke. I've seen it," said Haley sadly. He opened his mouth to deny it.

"I…" he began.

"You can tell me you love me all you want, but the fact is that I'm never going to believe it, not after everything that's happened," she said sadly. Surprising him, she reached up, placed a hand on the back of his neck and pulled him down for a deep kiss.

"I'm not giving up on this," he said.

Haley nodded silently, praying he'd go away again. With a kiss on her forehead, he satisfied her wish. Almost instantly her look hardened-no one flirted with her boyfriend and got away with it, least of all Brooke Davis. And for that, her sister-half sister-would pay…

XXXXXXX

They had taken Haley's car again that day, so being unable to drive it home, Lucas decided to walk.

He paused when he passed his favourite coffee place and saw Brooke inside it, drinking a mug of coffee by herself, apparently staring at the wall. Innocently he entered and sat down next to her.

"Hey," he greeted, with apparent surprise.

"Hey," she said, staring at the steam coming up from the mug.

"Look, I'm sorry about all that. She's afraid of being lonely," he explained.

"Not what I heard," she mumbled.

"What did you hear?" he asked. He was surprised when she pointed her face back up and looked directly at him.

"That you cheated on her," she said distinctly.

"I…" he began.

"Whatever. It doesn't bother me, I wouldn't care if she got run over by a truck," said Brooke coolly. Lucas almost laughed-for the first time in his life, he'd noticed the similarities between the two sisters.

XXXXXXXX

After she was certain that Lucas had left the building, Haley re-entered it. Instantly she was enveloped in her crowd of friends, most of whom were rich, all of which were beautiful. She smiled to the few that she was actually close to-Jake, Peyton, amongst others.

Haley's eagle eyes set to work when she saw Nathan Lee, that no-name friend of her no-name sister, run out of the gym in basketball clothes, head into the shower room and reappear, five minutes later and disappear into the tutoring center. The whole thing was wrong on so many levels. Nathan wasn't on the team, and what kind of low life actually tutored? Besides, he didn't look like a tutor. Haley wasn't exactly sure what a tutor looked like, or what Nathan looked like in her own eyes, but she was fairly sure the two did not match up. As she put the pieces of his puzzle together, a plan formulated in her head. A plan devious and underhand, even for her.

"A plan," thought Haley, "that would put Brooke right back in her place."