Chapter Six: Worlds Colliding

Author's note: In a review, someone thought I'd made a mistake in referring to Nathan as the elder brother. This is NOT a mistake. It is important to the plot, you'll understand why later.

"Did you have a good time?" asked Chris. Haley reflected that he was a little bit drunk and therefore liable to get them both killed.

"Yeah, it was fun. Did you?" she asked.

"The same as always," said Chris.

"Yeah, right. The same as always. Not worth our time. Then why do you bother, Chris? Is status really so important to you?" said Haley to herself. She shook her head to shake away the rebellious thought. What was wrong with her lately?

"What are you doing tomorrow?" she says instead.

"I have a gig out in Charlotte," he said. She frowned.

"Were you even going to tell me?"

"I just did, didn't I?" said Chris.

"Yeah. I'm going shopping. With Peyton and Brooke and Davis," said Haley.

"Is Davis staying the whole summer?" he asked.

"If Nathan doesn't get bored before then," said Haley, rolling her eyes. She looked sideways to see if he had reacted to Nathan's name.

He hadn't.

XxxxxxX

Peyton clutched Jake's arm as they walked up the front steps of her house and giggled nervously. Alcohol took a long time to enter her system. It was a known fact about her that she forgot a lot.

"How much further?" she asked, stumbling as she took a step. He instinctively tightened his grip on her arm.

"Just a few feet. Come on," he said soothingly. She leaned against him as he fumbled around in her purse and uncovered her house key.

"Why is it so dark?" she asked in surprise, when they entered.

"Because it's nighttime. Come on, let's go upstairs," he said.

"Nope, not happening. Can I sleep here?" she asked, as they reached the first step. He sighed inaudibly, hooked his arm around her knees and scooped her up. She giggled.

"Thank you, Jakey," she said into his ear.

Feeling guilty and intrusive, he took off her shoes when he placed her one her bed and she let her eyes close.

"Sleep well," he said. He stood up and let himself ache for her.

"I will. Goodnight," she said, her words slurred and irregular. He leaned down and brushed a kiss on her forehead.

"Good night, baby," he whispered to her. He didn't hear her. Even if she had, she would never remember it. This was how it always was.

Brooke smirked as the last car left from her driveway. Her house was practically empty-all her best friends had left, all her not so close friends, all the kids she'd never even met. There was only one guest left over-a tall blonde boy, asleep on the couch. Exactly where she wanted him.

She wandered around the house impatiently while she waited for him to awaken. She freshened her lipgloss, tugged her shirt down to expose more of her breast. Seduction was an intricate, dangerous game. A game she knew how to play.

Lucas shook his head to clear it as he came to. Slowly he sat up and examined his surroundings: a large, elegant house with obvious evidence of a wild party. He shut his eyes tightly and opened them again before he remembered that he'd come with Nathan, that Nathan was nowhere to be seen.

"Hello?" he said, into the apparent emptiness. He blinked rapidly as a light clicked on.

"Hey, superstar," said Brooke. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he looked over to her. Slowly, bits of her were revealed to him: her long, slim, bare legs, the brief jean skirt she was wearing, her flat, toned stomach, and her lace covered breasts. With smooth, catlike movements, she made her way over to him.

"What are you doing?" he said, his voice shaking as he sat up and planted his feet on the floor.

"Whatever you want me to do, Scott," she said, putting her arms around his neck before sitting down on his lap and wrapping her legs around his waist. His hands automatically wound around her.

"Oh, so you do know my last name," he said. She leaned forward and gently kissed his neck before whispering into his ear.

"I know a lot about you. But I'd like to know a whole lot more," she said. Brooke kissed the corner of his mouth, and as the sexual desires in Lucas awakened he had to force himself to hold back.

Sensing his unwillingness, she moved her lips slightly until they covered his. He immediately responded, and they kissed passionately. Underneath her, as his hands gripped her back tightly, she felt him harden.

"Stop. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't want to. But I'm not going to sleep with you tonight," said Lucas firmly.

"Well, then you're in luck. Because what I had planned didn't involve much sleep," she said. He firmly grasped her waist and lifted her onto him and safely onto the couch beside him.

"I'm going to be around all summer, Brooke. This would just make things awkward," he said. For a fleeting instant, she wondered what he would have done had Peyton made the same advances.

"I should have gotten you drunker," said Brooke in resentment. The house was completely silent for a while, before it was filled with his genuine full throated laugh.

"Maybe you should have. You know no guy that you throw yourself at is ever going to respect you," said Lucas.

"Please. You're an underwear model in LA. You're not supposed to care," she said.

"I just acknowledged that there just might be more to Brooke Davis than popularity and beauty. How about you do the same?" he suggested.

"Fine. You, Lucas Scott, are deep and soulful and brooding. Sorry I sent your ride home without you," she said. He laughed again.

"No biggie. Davis probably wasn't hard to convince," said Lucas, smiling to himself.

"You know, I read somewhere that you're secretly in love with her," said Brook, evaluating his reaction.

"Davis is the hardest person in the world to love. I don't know if anyone truly does, and I think that's the way she wants it," said Lucas simply.

"That's mean."

"That's true. And it doesn't come accidentally. You know that," he said. She nodded reluctantly and smiled sideways at him.

"Maybe that's why Nathan wants Haley so badly," suggested Brooke.

"Actually, I can't make anything out of that one," admitted Lucas.

"Or maybe it's the whole unattainable thing. Because she is. Even to Chris," said Brooke.

"This really disturbs you, doesn't it?" observed Lucas.

"Chris? Hell yes. Have you seen the guy?" asked Brooke.

"He's tall. Do you want to hang out tomorrow?" asked Lucas. Brooke smirked to herself.

"Depends on what hanging out entails," she said, pulling his face toward hers and kissing him again.