Peyton opened Nathan's door to see him pulling his shirt over his body, and setting it on the floor.

"Hey," Peyton said softly with a smile.

Nathan looked up at her and gave her a weak one in return, "Hey."

Peyton shut the door and walked over towards his bed to sit on the edge.

Nathan sat next to her and Peyton rested her head on his shoulder, and she laced her fingers through his.

"It's going to be okay, Nate. It will. Your mom's right, it's just after school. And, if you want, you can come hang at my house after school. No big deal I--"

Peyton was cut off as Nathan's lips attacked hers, suprising her slightly. Peyton placed her hand on his face and relaxed on to the bed. His hands were placed firmly on her hips as he adjusted his position so she was more comfortable.

"I love you," he murmured as he began to suck on her neck.

Peyton pulled away slightly, "Don't say that," she said softly, her voice breaking.

Nathan continued to kiss her until it registered in his mind what she had just said, "What?"

Peyton swallowed slowly, "Nothing. Forget it."

Peyton grabbed his face and pulled it down to hers, yet he pulled away.

Nathan firmly, "Peyton…"

Peyton sighed, "Just don't say it, okay?"

Nathan stared at her slightly angry, "Would you like to tell me why?"

Peyton pushed him off of her and sat up against his headboard.

Peyton looked up at him and sighed, "…I take that seriously Nathan, and I don't want you to say it if you don't mean it."

Nathan smiled softly, "I've said it before, Pey."

Peyton rolled her eyes, " I know. You always say it before we have sex, Nathan. And that hur-"

Nathan stood up from the bed, and stared at her, now extremely angry, " What the hell are you talking about?"

Peyton rolled her eyes, "It's fine, okay? Just forget I said it."

Nathan rolled his eyes as he shook his head, and walked towards the window in his room, "Forget that you said that? You just told me how I felt. How do you know how I feel? You just told me I was a bad boyfriend, Peyton. Should I just forget that?"

Peyton walked towards him trying to grab his hand, but he pulled it away, "I didn't say that. Nathan, I love you. And, you know that. But, sometimes I wonder if you mean it if you say it. Do you even remember the last time you said 'I love you' to me?"

Nathan stared at her, the same amount of anger in his eyes, yet stayed silent.

Peyton nodded, " I don't want you to feel obligated to say it if you don't feel that way. You don't have to say it to have me have sex with you. It's not like we're making love or anything…"

Peyton's eyes widened slightly at what she had just said, she had definitely not intended for that to come out even though she was thinking it.

Nathan shook his head, "Oh. Okay, Peyton. You don't want me to say it."

Peyton's jaw clenched, "Well, you obviously don't feel that way, so what's the point of lying to me? What's the point of lying to yourself?"

Nathan ignored her last comment, and decided to ignore her altogether.

"Act like you're two years old, Nathan. It's really working for you," Peyton said as she slammed his door shut and walked down the stairs.

Nathan grabbed the ball he found on his desk and threw it across the room, so it shattered a picture of him and his mother.

Peyton bit back the tears as she walked down the stairs and in to the kitchen. She had brought it upon herself and she knew it too. It just hurt, that he always did that.

She wiped the tears with the back of her hand and finished the rest of her soda. She heard the doorbell ring and looked towards the stairs to see if Nathan was coming down. She answered the door and saw a blonde boy with a petite bruette at his side.

"Hey," Peyton said, hoping her mascara hadn't ran.

Lucas looked at Haley and then Peyton, slightly shocked that Peyton answered the door, "Um. Hi."

Peyton nodded slowly, thinking about how awkward this was.

"I should probably go get Nathan. Just come inside," Peyton said as she opened the door wider.

Haley smirked at Lucas as he glanced at her before pulling his two large suitcases through the door.

"Nice house," Haley said loudly.

Peyton shrugged, "It's my boyfriend's."

Haley rolled her eyes without looking at her, "Yeah. We know. Who doesn't?"

Peyton noted the tension and rubbed her lips together, "…Okay. Um. Just wait here."

Haley raised her eyebrows and nodded.

She walked in to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water, and felt a hand on her hip.

"Hey. Peyton, i'm sorry. I didn't realize I was doing it. I…I know it must hurt you," Nathan whispered in to her ear.

Peyton brushed him off gently, "That's the thing, Nathan. It comes so naturally to you, that you don't realize you're doing it."

Nathan attempted to touch her again, and placed his hand in hers, "I love you. I do. And, I mean it."

Peyton looked at him trying hard not to smile, yet she couldn't help it. She grinned and threw her arms around his neck before kissing him hard on the lips.

…

"Trouble in paradise, I suppose," Haley said as she relaxed on to the comfortable couch.

Lucas shook his head at her, "Why were you so mean to her? What did she say to you?"

Haley rolled he reyes, "She expected us to treat her like she's royalty…"

Peyton glared at the girl whose back was facing her, "Um…No. I definitely didn't."

Haley stood up and turned around quickly, her jaw almost hitting the floor. Peyton wasn't supposed to hear that last comment.

She saw Peyton staring at her with an incredibly annoyed yet slightly amused expressión on her face, and Nathan's arm wrapped tightly around her waist.

Haley grinned, "Kidding. I was kidding."

Peyton nodded, "Yeah. Okay. Um…I'm Peyton. But, you seem to know that already. And, this is Nathan. Do you know that already, too?"

Haley noted the bitchiness in her voice, yet understood why it was there, "Um. Yeah."

Peyton stared at her, "Who are you?"

Haley glared at her. She knew that she had been out of line, and maybe Peyton was angry, but she was definitely acting like a popular bitch now.

"Haley. James. I'm Lucas' friend."

Nathan smirked as his eyes fell upon Lucas, "Here to crash the everlasting party, huh?"

Lucas stared at him, "Listen i'm sorry i'm here. Your mom insisted, and my mom did too. So…if you want, i'll just stay out of your way."

Nathan grinned, "You know, man, this may work out great. You already know exactly what I want. So, stay out of my way, don't talk to me, and don't bother including yourself in whatever I have planned. Whenever."

Lucas sighed, "Yeah. Because I want to hang out with you so bad, Nathan."

Nathan shrugged, "Who doesn't?"

Peyton sighed as she turned around to face Nathan, "How bout' I call Brooke and Tim? They can come over for…Thai food…."

Nathan nodded, as he leaned in to kiss her sweetly, " Yeah. I'll come."

Peyton grabbed his hand and led him towards the kitchen, hoping he wouldn't say anything else.

Nathan smirked as he turned around one last time, "Try not to touch anything."