AN: Hey guys, sorry for the wait! Thanks so much for the fantastic reviews! They really make me happy! Thanks to: jeyton4ever, xXxOutsideOfYurWidowWithMyRadioxXx, jacqueline22393, sugary sweet, and jeytonlover (I seriously don't know what happened to me last time to forget thanking you, I must have been seriously out of it! I'm SO sorry! Your reviews are always so sweet, thanks so much!)

Chapter 13

Ten minutes later, Jake was still standing in the same spot, still wondering what the hell Peyton was talking about. He would never say he wanted her out of his life because he would never feel that. What made her think that? He wondered if any of his notes had even done anything to help her consider to give him another shot. He was just glad Nikki was gone and could no longer do any more harm. Jake started walking off, with unlikely chances of getting Peyton to talk to him.

"Oh no you don't!" Brooke yelled as he saw Jake approaching the corner where Haley, Peyton and her were sitting. Peyton wasn't crying, but she had just told her two best friends about that last letter she had found in her mailbox the day before and they were outraged! Brooke mostly. She got up and started forcing Jake to turn around.

"Brooke, just let me talk to her!" Jake protested.

"No, Jake, just leave, I think you've done enough harm! Beat it!" She yelled.

"Look, just let me explain. I don't even know what she's talking about! I never said I wanted her out of my life!" Jake said, trying to be loud enough for Peyton to hear.

"Well, you better get your story straight." Brooke considered the situation for a second. Jake did seem pretty innocent for a bad guy, and in his eyes all she could see was honesty. "You have five minutes. And if when I get back, I regret having given you this opportunity... " She didn't finish her sentence, guessing that Jake would get the picture. He nodded.

"Thanks," he said as Brooke left, followed by Haley. Peyton looked around, avoiding his eyes. They just stood there for what seemed like a very long time to Jake. He didn't want to waste any of his five minutes Brooke had promised him, so he started the conversation, deciding to get right to the point.

"Peyton, tell me what's going on. Did you get my notes?"

"Yeah, I got your notes." Peyton said, starting to get a little mad. Why was Jake playing dumb? she thought.

"Well, did you read them?" Jake asked. Peyton just glared at him and gave him a sarcastic look. "Right, sorry, stupid question. Look, I meant what I said. I can't believe I was so stupid. I made a reckless mistake. OK? And I admit it. But I promise it won't happen again. You mean so much to me Peyton, you have no idea. I don't want to lose you." Jake said. And Peyton knew he was being honest. She could just... tell... somehow. But she couldn't get over everything. Why was he being all two-faced? Did he only have the guts to say what he really thought on paper? Or was it that he wrote that note, not meaning it? All the other relationships she had been in were so easy. What was wrong with this one? It seemed to her that it was always Jake who screwed up. HE is the one who broke up with HER. HE is the one who hooked-up with someone just the day after and HE is the one who sent that awful note to her.

"You won't lose me, Jake. Because you won't have another chance to..." Peyton said sadly. She couldn't believe she was saying these words to the only guy she had ever felt this way about, but it was just to... hard? complicated? She didn't know, but all she knew was that she couldn't take it anymore. "I'm already gone." And with that she walked away leaving a Jake, on the verge of tears.

"Dude, what happened?" Lucas said approaching Jake, accompanied by Nathan.

"I lost her, man." Jake said, shaking his head. "For real this time."

"I can't believe it, man." Nathan said. "I really thought you guys could work through anything. Maybe there's still hope?"

"I doubt it." Jake said.

"You know..." Lucas said, starting a thought, not sure if he should finish it.

"What?" Jake and Nathan both said at the same time.

"Well, you know there's going to be a party, at Brooke's house on Friday. Maybe it's the right opportunity to... I don't know, work things out?" Lucas suggested.

Jake thought for a bit. "I don't know. Remember what happened at the last party?" He said, not wanting to remember what had happened.

"Well yeah, but I was thinking, maybe this time you could be sober." Lucas laughed a little. "I don't know. You can talk things out. Any grand, romantic gestures you got up your sleeve, Jegelski?" Lucas asked.

Jake nodded. "Actually... I think I can think of something." He said. Nathan and Lucas both looked at him as if to ask 'what?'. "Thanks guys. I guess I will go to this party." He said as the bell rang and the gang had to go to class.

"So, don't tell anyone, but it looks like Jake has something planed to get Peyton back at the party." Nathan whispered to Haley. Haley couldn't help but squeal, pretty loudly too, forgetting she was in the middle of class. The teacher stopped in his lecture.

"Something amusing you, Ms. James?" He asked.

"No, Mr. Turner, I'm sorry." She said. Since she was a straight A student, the teachers liked her and she got off easy, Mr. Turner just went on with the class. Haley scribbled a note to Nathan and threw it on his lap, which accidentally landed on his crotch. Haley had to control herself to stop herself from laughing out loud.

"Oopps." she whispered. "Sorry."

"As if you weren't aiming!" Nathan whispered back laughing. He opened the note:

-- What's Jake going to do? It better be good.

Nathan scribbled a note back:

-- He wouldn't tell us. But knowing Jake, it'll probably be romantic.

Haley smiled. Jake and Peyton just had a ... connection, and EVERYONE could see it. She wondered if people thought that about her and Nathan. It sure didn't seem like they had such a great connection. She couldn't even tell him how she felt for Christ's sake! She scribbled back a note:

--This party is going to be SO fun!

AN: I know that may not have been that good. But it's just building up for what's to come! But I have a feeling the Party chapters are going to be good! OK please Review and tell me what you thought! thanks so much for reading!

NEXT:
PARTY!
What's Jake romantic gesture?

Will Naley ever say 'I love you'?