Hey guys! Thanks for your reviews! Seriously, they're the reason why this story continues, I owe you guys so much. Here's the one more chapter of fluff I promised Maggie before we dive back in…

NOTE: I recently started a new story (even though I have absolutely no business doing so, because I currently have three stories running as it is lol) and you will be my bestest friend if you read and review it lol. It's an OTH fic called Beyond Good and Evil and its very AU. It was started as a challenge for the Writers411 group, but I'd love to know what you guys think of it, because your opinions really matter to me.

I also have something special in this chapter for Jeytonlover, because you've stuck with my story this whole time even though I totally destroyed them lol.

At the Heart of It All

Chapter Twenty-Six

You Were Meant For Me

"Have you seen Brooke?" he asked in a rush. Haley's head shot up to look into the clear blue eyes of a boy she had become fast friends with. He was currently red-faced and out of breath, clearly having run all the way down the hall to talk to her.

"Hi. Nice to see you too, Luke. Yep, I'm fine. Brooke's not though. She's sick. Flu, or something," Haley shrugged. Immediately, his forehead creased in worry.

"She's sick again?"

"Yep. Tigger hasn't been feeling well for a while, you know that Luke."

"I know... I was just hoping she was getting better…" he pondered aloud, his eyes seeming to lose focus, just as he was lost in thought. It was as if a light bulb went off over his head as his beautiful eyes snapped back into focus.

"Okay, thanks Hales," he shouted over his shoulder.

"Where are you going, Luke? Class starts in two minutes!" she called back to him, not caring that they were making a scene in the school corridor.

"Are you kidding? I can't go to class when my girl is sick!" he yelled, the door swinging closed behind him, causing just about every girl in the hallway to swoon. Haley just smiled fondly.

"Hopeless romantic, don't you think?" a deep voice said in her ear. She shivered slightly before turning a little to lock her honey brown eyes with a pair of light blue ones.

"I would say so. But it's cute," she said, and he nodded in agreement.

"Walk me to class?" she asked, and he nodded again. Haley James and Nathan Scott linked arms and took off towards class, leaving a buzzing gossip mill behind them.

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The crimson red nail polish was a nice contrast to the stark white of the sheets. And of her skin. Sometimes she seemed so pale that she was also blue, in a luminous way that he just couldn't tear his eyes away from her. The vision of perfection stretched languidly across his bed, and Jake Jagelski had to wonder how he had ever gotten so lucky.

This was almost his favorite time to observe her. The one time where she wasn't brooding over art, or cheering, or her parents, or any of the other worries that taint her. The only time she didn't have up her walls. She looked calm and peaceful; her blonde curls sprawled about her head like a halo, the white sheet lying haphazardly across her body.

One sleepy hazel eye opened slowly, and a tiny grin stole across her pale, pretty face.

"Hey," she croaked, clearing the sleep from her eyes.

"Hey," he whispered back.

"What are you doing?" Peyton asked, rolling onto her stomach and gathering the sheet around her. He smiled fondly at this action. It was the same every time.

"Nothing. Just thinking…"

"About me?" she asked with a cheeky grin.

"Who else?" he smiled back, softly stroking her curls.

"There better not be anybody else," Peyton pouted.

It's now or never, Jake.

"Peyton, I—"he choked out, trying both to find the words and force them down at the same time.

"You what, Jake?" her eyebrows furrowed, anticipation in her eyes.

He mumbled something incoherent, prompting her to ask again what he said.

"I love you, Peyton," Jake said quickly, but much louder this time. His warm eyes didn't look at her, but out the window, and her pink lips fell open a little bit. She gaped openly for a moment, before remembering herself.

"Jake," she whispered softly. "Jake, look at me," she instructed, using her delicate artist's hands to tip his chin towards her. "I love you, too."

Both were in shock for a moment. Did this really just happen? Realization set in as both their eyes sparkled and grins spread across their faces. Their lips met in the middle as the familiar spark passed through them. How could they have ever thought they were meant for someone else?

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Knock, knock.

He was freezing, and beginning to grow slightly impatient, but he knew deep down that he would stand on that doorstep until the end of time waiting for her. After ten knocks on the big red door, he was beginning to wonder if he was going to have to. Finally, the door swung open to reveal a watery-eyed Brooke Davis dressed in an olive green Juicy sweat suit with a skin tone to match. Nevertheless, she looked thrilled to see him.

"Broody Boyfriend!" she squealed, jumping into his arms unexpectedly, almost causing him to drop the bags he was holding.

"Feeling any better, Cheery?" he whispered, caressing her hair.

"Now that you're here," she whispered against his neck, giving him goose bumps that had nothing to do with the weather. "Speaking of, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at school?"

"I had to come see you," he admitted sheepishly, and she grinned.

"That's adorable! Man, I love this whole dating thing. Do you want to come in?"

"No Brooke, I'd really like to stand out here on your doorstep in the snow. But please, take my coat and gloves first," he deadpanned. She giggled a little.

"Fine, be that way," she stepped back, starting to close the door, but he blocked it, swooping in and placing a little kiss on her lips.

"Luke! You'll get sick!"

"If it's your illness, I don't mind," he murmured, causing her to blush a little. Brooke didn't bother trying to come up with a retort, merely pulled him inside.

"So what's in the bags?"

"Ahh… this is the Make Cheery Cheery Emergency Kit. It's got soup, your favorite movies, and that Disney Princesses coloring book that you claim you don't like anymore, but we both know that isn't true," Lucas responded matter-of-factly.

Brooke gasped. "I do not!"

"And I brought colored pencils too," he added.

"Ooh. Okay. Whatever, you win, give me the coloring book."

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"Haley? We need to talk," his deep voice interrupted the silence of the Tutoring Center. The petite brunette looked up from her desk.

"Geez! You startled me! Why does everybody keep sneaking up on me today?" she asked with a little laugh.

He said nothing, just gave a tiny smile, and the air in the Tutoring Center seemed to get heavier.

"What's up, Jake?" she asked, concern marking her pretty face.

"Eh... um… I'm really sorry Haley, but I can't take you to prom."

Her expression crumbled, and the basketball player thought that he would never feel guiltier than at that moment. But he knew it was for the best.

"Oh… um, okay… can I ask why not?" she asked, the normally articulate girl choking on her words a little. Haley took a sip of water to calm herself down. All her planning, dreaming, and all that time she had spent looking forward to going to prom just totally washed away.

"This isn't easy for me to say, Haley, but… I'm in love with Peyton."

The water making its way down the tutor's throat changed it's mouth and rocketed with force out onto the table.

"You're what?" she asked.

"I'm in love with Peyton. I know that you don't like her much, so you won't be able to understand this, but I hope we can still be friends."

"Yeah. Don't worry about it. I'm used to disappointment when it comes to you," she snapped, slamming her book shut and walking briskly out of the room. She could hear him calling her from inside the center, but she didn't care. She sped up, if anything. Tears began to blur her vision until she had no idea where she was going, just blindly running as far as her legs would take her. Haley James, tutor extraordinaire, ran smack into a muscular chest.

"Haley! Oh my… Haley, what's wrong?" she looked up into the concerned eyes of Nathan Scott. Trying to swallow the lump in her throat and force away her ridiculous tears, she attempted to form some words that would make this make sense again.

"Jeyton," was all she could come up with, become collapsing against him, overcome by her tears. He said nothing about her habit of nicknaming this time though, just held her, drying her tears and whispering sweet nothings into her ear.

Neither noticed heavy footsteps from down the hall, so neither took note when the basketball player making them stopped short. He watched their emotional exchange silently and wondered if it was really him and Peyton who were meant for each other.

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Humm… that didn't come out as fluffy as I thought it would. At least, I don't think so. Please review and let me know what you think. Reviews mean the world to me. And don't forget to read Beyond Good and Evil lol! Thanks for reading!

Xo Sam