4
"Wooo Peyton! Go Ravens!" Brooke yelled. She was trashed. Peyton showed up at the after-party to celebrate the state championship victory about an hour after it started and already everyone was wasted.
"Easy there Tiger," said Peyton as she steadied Brooke on her feet. "Don't go falling all over the place now B.Davis." Peyton disentangled herself from Brooke and started moving through the masses of people looking for a drink for herself. She was standing at the counter looking for a glass when one appeared in front of her over her shoulder.
"Always thinking of you Peyton," It was Nathan. "I figured you'd be a Jack and Coke kinda girl." She took the glass from him and held it up for a toast.
"Congrats Nate. You deserve it." she said as their glasses clinked together. All of a sudden she got butterflies in her stomach and her hands started to shake whenever she was around him. She threw back her head and swallowed the Jack and Coke in one swallow. "Good call." she said and winked at him.
"Hey Peyton, you wanna just get outta here for a while? Go for a walk or something?" Nathan asked.
"With you? Anytime." she smiled at him, and followed him as he lead her through the masses of people.
They quietly slipped out of the party and started down the street, still holding their glasses from the party. The night was nice. A perfect summer night, the temperature had cooled from the sweltering daytime heat, and the stars were shining. There wasn't a breath of wind. The streetlights lit their way as they slowly walked along the road.
"What happened to us Nate?" she asked as they passed house after house. She looked up at him as she said this, her eyes half hidden beneath her curls.
"I dunno, everything just sorta fell apart after Lucas showed up, not that I blame it on him or anything," he added quickly. "I guess I just took you for granted. I treated you like shit and just assumed you'd always be there." he confessed. Peyton just nodded, and stared at the ground. She hugged herself as she tried to warm herself a little. She hadn't thought to bring a jacket and the night air was damp and cool. Nathan took his Ravens Basketball jacket off and hung it over Peyton's shoulders. She looked up at him as if seeing him in a new light before slipping her arms through the sleeves.
"Yeah, ya did Nate." she said softly. "But you redeemed yourself with Haley." she seen the look in his eyes when she mentioned her name so she continued quickly, "You treated her like gold Nate, and I gotta admit I was jealous. I wished you'd treated me like that. She changed you."
"Yeah," said Nathan stopping. "I guess she did."