Chapter 5: In places no one will find, all your feelings so deep inside.

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The next morning Haley woke up and quickly got ready in order to meet Lucas down at the piers for breakfast. As continued down the pier in search of Lucas she couldn't help but think if she was making the right decision. I mean, she wasn't sure how he was going to react to her feelings for Nathan. Actually, scratch that, Haley knew exactly how Lucas would react and it wouldn't be pretty, but she had to tell him. Lucas needed to hear it from her before he found out from someone else.

After about five minutes of searching Haley decided to just sit at a table and wait for Lucas, however her plan was soon ended as she felt a giant weight on her back and someone screaming "Hey Buddy!"

"Gah, Luke! Get off me!" Haley screamed before laughing at her best friend.

"Sorry Hales, you looked a little tired, I had to wake you up!" Lucas replied.

"Oh your so kind," Haley said while rolling her eyes. "So I'm starving you want to go grab a coffee and then find a table?"

"Sure," Lucas said, pulling his friend into his shoulder and walking her over to the little café down the pier. After getting some coffee and donuts, the two sat at a table and began chitchatting. Haley kept the mindless chatter going for as long as possible while she worked up the courage to get down to business. Lucas had just finished talking about how basketball was going and started to take a sip of his coffee. Haley decided now was her chance.

"Hey uh Luke, can I ask you something?" she questioned timidly.

"Haley, you know you can ask me anything," Lucas replied.

"Well, uh, okay this may seem really random, but uh, well, what happened between you and Nathan last summer?" Lucas looked at his friend in shock; he was not expecting that. Sure, Haley had asked him a couple times about what happened between him and Nathan when she had gotten back from vacation the previous summer, but he had thought she maybe forgotten about it, or at least wasn't curious anymore.

"Wow uh, wasn't expecting that one. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know. I've just been spending a lot of time lately with Nathan because of tutoring and it has made me think about what exactly happened between you two. I mean I leave for vacation and you guys are best friends, come back a week later and you tell me to stay away from him. It's not like we were ever close in the first place, I never fit into that crowd, but I always wondered why you cut him off like that."

"Thanks Hales for reminding me about you tutoring him, really appreciate it. I still can't believe your doing that by the way, the kid is no good."

"Lucas stop trying to avoid my question," Haley stated.

"I'm not. Okay, maybe I am, but Hales, it's a really long story that I don't feel like going into," Lucas replied. "Besides, what happened won't exactly sit right with you."

"Well Luke, I think that's for me to decide. Please tell me, I'm your best friend. You'd think I deserve to know," Haley scoffed, obviously getting upset that Lucas would not tell her.

"Fine Hales, I'll tell you. Just, please, don't say I didn't warn you." With that Lucas reached back into his memory and began telling her the truth about what happened between him and Nathan last summer.

i FLASHBACK

It was the first week in August and Haley has just left for her aunt's house. Lucas wouldn't see her for a week, so he decided he'd spend most of his time with his other best friend Nathan. Lucas never really got to hang out with him as much as he wanted too, because Haley was his top priority and she did not fit into Nathan's crowd; hence he took this opportunity to hang out with the guys.

Lucas walked down to the river court, knowing they would be down there. That's where the pretty much hung out, shooting hoops and hanging around. When Lucas got there only Tim and Nathan were there, playing a game of one on one.

"Yo, Nathan!" Lucas called.

"Hey man, what up?" Nathan replied.

"Nothing, I see you guys are playing some b-ball, can I play?"

"Actually, we were just about to finished, but Tim's brother is throwing this massive party over at their beach house tonight, you game?" Nathan inquired.

"Definitely, I haven't been to a good party in a while." Lucas replied.

"Yo man, this is def going to be a par-tay to remember. Dawg, it's going to be off the chain." Tim said, chiming in.

"Dude, just say the party is going to rock," Nathan retorted, as Lucas laughed at Tim's stupidity. "And Lucas, come to my house before, we can go over together."

"Cool man, I'll be there by seven." Lucas said, walking off to his house to get ready. Once he got to his house he called Haley, wanted to see how she was doing. After ringing a coupled time she picked up. "Luke!" she exclaimed.

"Hey Hales! Just wanted to see how you're doing. How is your aunt's?"

"Great! What are you up to?" Haley questioned.

"Well actually, tonight I'm going to a party at Tim's beach house with Nathan. And you know what I think I'm going to do?" Lucas stated.

"What?" Haley inquired.

"I think I'm going to finally make a move for Peyton." Lucas replied.

"Luke that wonderful!" Haley cheered. "Good luck! I know she'll love ya!" She had known Lucas had been pining over Peyton for the past year, and now he was finally going to tell her.

"Thanks Hales. We'll I have to go get ready, I'll call you tomorrow and tell you how things went."

"Okay, Luke, have fun." Haley replied.

"Bye Hales," Lucas stated before hanging up the phone. He began getting ready and couldn't help but feel nervous for what he was about to do. The only statement going through he head was, 'I hope she likes me too.'

LATER THAT NIGHT

Lucas had just arrived to Nathan's and let himself in. He walked into the living room to see Nathan playing some NBA Live.

"Yo man, want to play a game before Tim's?" Nathan asked.

"I'm never one deny a game of NBA live," Lucas joked, "get ready to be schooled."

"Whatever you say man," Nathan laughed. After playing two games, Nathan confirmed once again that he was the champion and Lucas was nothing but talk.

"So Luke, looks like I schooled you once again. When are you finally going to cave and let the world know you suck." Nathan joked.

"Whatever man, it was just a bad day," Lucas replied. "But uh, there's something I've got to tell you."

"Sure, what is it?" Nathan questioned.

"You know that artsy chick Peyton Sawyer. Well, only Haley knows this but, I've had my eye on her for quite some time. I don't know there just something about her."

"Cool man, she's pretty hot. But one thing, you let that tutor girl know before me?" Nathan asked.

"Well yeah Nate. She's been my best friend since forever. And don't call her tutor girl, her name is Haley."

"Alright whatever. Let's just go, I'm ready to get this party started!" Nathan cheered as him and Lucas walked several blocks to Tim's beach house.

Once they got there, Lucas walked in the door and spotted Peyton right away, her golden locks shimmering in the light. "Nate, I'm going to go take care of business." Lucas stated, walking over to Peyton. "Hey."

"Hey," she replied. "Lucas right?"

"Yeah, we have English together." Lucas replied.

"I know, just wanted to make sure. I've noticed you. You seem to really be into the literature," she said, looking to the floor.

"That's because I am. I love reading; it may sound geeky, but it's what I like to do." Lucas said sheepishly.

"No, that's refreshing actually, I'm a lover of literature myself." Peyton stated, becoming increasingly more interested in the boy sitting next to her. And with that Lucas became even more engaged in conversation with the one girl he had been eyeing for the past year.

Meanwhile Nathan was over with Tim, getting his drink on and eyeing all the beautiful girls around him. "Which to choose from…" Nathan thought while looking over the girls. He has become increasingly arrogant lately since Tim had crowned him "Big Man on Campus." By this time, he had already swung back a few beers and was working on his fourth, causing him to become a little tipsy.

"Yo Nathan, check this out," Tim stated, grabbing something out of his pocket.

"Dude, if you're about to whip your little friend out then put that sucker away," Nathan retorted.

"No man, look," Tim said, showing Nathan a baggie full of pills, "I can put them in all the girls drinks and they won't even know what hit them. They'll be all over us."

"Tim, where the hell did you get those?" Nathan stated, he was becoming drunker by the minute, but he was not stupid.

"My brother, he said they come of great use," Tim replied.

"Man, I'm not desperate, put those things away," Nathan stated as he sucked down another beer. He looked around the house and saw across from him in the great room, Lucas talking to that girl. They had been over there for what seemed like the past hour.

"Hey uh, will you excuse me for a minute. I think I'm going to go use the bathroom," Lucas stated.

"No problem," Peyton said as Lucas walked off. She had gotten thirsty from all the talking and decided to go get a drink. She was about to pour one for herself when a hand reached out to her, "Here you go pretty lady," someone stated.

"Thanks," she replied, not noticing the little pill dissolving at the bottom of her cup. She walked over to where she and Lucas had been seated and waited for him. She continued to chug down her drink to till her cup was empty, while Lucas continued to wait on the bathroom line. "Gosh, couldn't Tim have another bathroom," Lucas thought as he continued to wait, but after another ten minutes he decided he could hold it and went back over to where Peyton was.

Peyton began to feel a little woozy and was sick of waiting for Lucas. "I guess he ditched me," she thought sadly to herself. She was about to get up when a tall boy with dark hair and piercing blue eyes came over. "Peyton right?" he breathed.

"Yeah," she said, focusing on his icy, glazed over eyes.

"Hey, I'm a friend of Lucas. He's a...," Nathan began to speak, 'crap, what was I going to say,' he thought, to drunk to remember what he come over for. "Oh yea, he's a great guy. You should give him a chance."

"Whatever," Peyton said, angry at the fact Lucas had ditched her, or so she thought. Then unable to place why, Peyton's head began to ache in excruciating pain. She put her hand to her head as the room began to spin. "Ugh," she moaned.

"Uh, Peyton?" Nathan questioned. He was drunk to say the least, but he could tell something was wrong. "I think you should lay down," and with that he helped her up and into one of the Smith's bedrooms. As he helped her onto the bed, he sat down next to her about to check for a temperature or something, but instead as he got closer to her face he was met by a pair of lips.

As soon as this happened, Nathan tried to pull away but Peyton squeezed him closer. If he were sober, he would have tried to pull back again, but seeing as he'd been long gone at the moment, Nathan just advanced her kiss. This however, stopped short when the door opened and a small scrawny kid peered in at them.

"Uh, uh. Sorry Nathan," the boy said.

"Mouth, what the? Wait, this isn't what it looks like," Nathan stated, coming to a realization of what was happening.

"It's okay man, uh bye," Mouth said, closing the door and searching for Lucas.

Lucas had arrived back to the couch where he had been chatting with Peyton before but couldn't find her anywhere. That's when Mouth approached him.

"Hey Luke," Mouth said, "I've got something to tell you."

"What is it man?" Lucas questioned, Mouth was one of his oldest friends, he could tell what was about to be said was serious.

"It's about Peyton."

"What? Wait, how, you know don't you?" Lucas said.

"About your feelings for her? Of course, it's a little obvious Luke, but it's not that. I just walked in on her and Nathan having a pretty steamy session in one of the back bedrooms," Mouth stated.

"WHAT?" Lucas said. "I told him about my feelings for Peyton, and what does he go and do? Stabs my back!"

"I'm sorry Luke."

"No Mouth, thanks for telling me. Which bedroom was it?" Lucas questioned.

"The one on the end," but before he could finish Lucas was already bolting toward the hallway. He was about to walk down it when he bumped into someone… Nathan.

"Hey man," Nathan said, still completely buzzed.

"Don't hey man me. What the hell do you think your doing with Peyton? I told you I liked her and then you have to go and use your little 'I'm Nathan Scott' routine and woo her."

"No, Luke it wasn't like that. Let me explain, she meant nothing," he said. "Wait that's not what it sounds like. Just please let me explain."

"Nathan, I don't really give a crap right now. You're a jerk. I'm want to go find Peyton you ass," Lucas replied, running down to the bedroom to find Peyton knocked out on the bed. He tried to wake her but she wouldn't stir. 'She needs help, and fast,' Lucas thought to himself. 'This is definitely not from alcohol.'

As Lucas picked up Peyton to bring her to the emergency room, Nathan was in a drunken rage. He scouted the house until he found the one person he could take it out on, Mouth.

"Yo nerd," Nathan stated.

"My name's Mouth," he replied.

"I know that retard, but I really don't care. You're a nerd and what the hell do you think gives you the right to tell Lucas about something you know nothing about."

"Uh, well you know he is one of my best friends and we both know he had a thing for Peyton so I figured he should know," Mouth replied. "I was trying to be a good friend unlike you."

"What's that?" Nathan replied, still extremely enraged.

"I said, I was trying to be a good friend, UNLIKE YOU," he stated, raising his voice at the last words.

"That's it, you've crossed the line. You know nothing about what happened back there between me and Peyton. I was trying to help her contrary to what you told Lucas and maybe if you mind your own damn business I wouldn't have to cream you right now."

"Uh Nate, please don't." Mouth whimpered, but it was too late. Nathan in his drunken rage had Mouth pinned on the floor already taking several punches. Once people realized what was happening, a fellow teammate tugged Nathan off Mouth and walked him outside as Tim followed.

"Nate, what was that about?" Tim inquired.

"Kid was talking crap about me, I had to teach him a lesson," Nathan replied.

"Look Nate, I think you need to go home. You're pretty out of it and I don't want the neighbors calling the cops because of loud noises," Time stated.

"Whatever man," Nathan stated, "this party was lame anyway." Nathan replied as he stalked off down road.

Lucas had arrived at the hospital about an hour ago and the doctors immediately took Peyton into the ER. Once Larry Sawyer, her father, arrived, the doctors notified them that she would be fine, however they did find drugs in her system, one commonly known as the date rape drug. Lucas couldn't believe his ears. Nathan was supposed to be one of his best friends, and yet he drugs the girl Lucas has been pining over. This was so not Nathan, he had done stupid things, but drugs? What was he thinking? Lucas had been willing before to forgive Nathan, I mean, he was pretty drunk when he saw him so maybe he didn't realize the girl was Peyton. But drugs, that crosses the line of no return. Lucas could not forgive Nathan, to him that was a jackass move which deserved no remorse.

END FLASHBACK /i

"Hales, he drugged her and then he beat up Mouth," Lucas stated looking over at Haley. She looked so confused, almost hurt. Lucas couldn't help but wonder why Haley looked so distraught, I mean it was a shock to Lucas, but Haley was never close with Nathan.

"Wow, I guess it's my turn to say I was not expecting that," Haley stated. "Well now I know why you never told me what happened with Peyton. I just thought things what really bad."

"Nope, this happened. I didn't expect that of Nathan. I mean, even though we were best friends I still knew he could be an obnoxious jerk, but drugging someone?" Lucas stated. "I didn't want to tell you because I know how you feel about these things. You believe everyone is good and I just didn't want to bring you into the reality of what an ass he is. I guess he is like his dad."

"I can't believe Nathan. I mean, we were never close, he's popular as are you, but still I never thought Nathan was capable of something so cruel," Haley replied. "Not only did he betray you, but he put Peyton's life at risk and beat up poor innocent Mouth. I mean, who lacks so much heart that they could do that."

Haley was in a state of shock, nothing this extreme ever happened in Tree Hill, especially not to people she knew. 'I definitely cannot tell Lucas about my feelings for Nathan now, besides I have a new perspective for him now. No matter how much sweet talk he dishes, he is nothing more than a jerk,' Haley thought to herself.

"Luke, uh, I'm sorry I continued to tutor Nathan after you asked me not to. If I had known what he did, I would have never continued. I can find him a new tutor now if you want me to. I don't really want to be associated with him anymore," Haley stated after sitting in silence for five minutes. Even though she was enraged at the story Lucas just shared with her, she couldn't help but still feel like she has this connection with Nathan in the back of her mind. She quickly shook herself from is though as Lucas began speaking again.

"That's your decision Hales. You know my story; you see why we're not friends anymore. It's up to you; just keep in mind how I feel."

"Okay Luke, we should probably get to school. We need to be there in fifteen minutes," Haley said, still shocked at what Lucas had just shared at her. "Oh and uh Luke. Thanks for sharing this with me. I'm sure it wasn't the best feeling to relive it."

"It's okay. It actually feels better to talk about it. I've kind of been having it bottle up inside since then."

"Oh Lucas, just remember you can talk to me about whatever," Haley replied, giving him a hug.

"And same goes for you Hales. You know you can talk to me about i anything /i ," Lucas stated.

Haley couldn't help but automatically think about her feelings for Nathan, but quickly pushed that thought aside. With that, the two friends walked arm in arm to school, Lucas thinking about what Haley would decide about the tutoring, and Haley still trying to absorb what Lucas had just shared with her. She couldn't help but think, 'Would Nathan really drug a girl? That's so not him,' as they walking into the school.

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