Ok, This chapter is kinda long so... sorry. Anyway... here's chapter 21!

Nathan POV

"Hey Brooke!" I yelled out before she could walk into the locker room with Peyton and Mercedes.

She turned around and signaled the other girls to go ahead without her. I ran over to her and stopped.

"What's up?" She asked putting her hands on her hips.

"I was gonna ask you what you were doing tonight."

"Tonight? Nothing, why?"

"You wanna hang out and watch a movie or something? I mean...If Q doesn't mind."

"Actually... Q went back to LA." She said sadly

"He did?"

"He had to go take care of some clients. He'll be back on Friday though."

"Oh. Well, what do you say then?"

"Sure... a movie sounds like fun. Can I pick the movie?" She asked sweetly.

"Sure." I said chuckling.

"Ok, How bout my place, 7:30? Sound good?"

"Perfect."

"Ok, I'll see you later."

"Alright."

We walked together until we had to separate to go into the locker rooms. By the time I was done getting all my things ready and taking a shower all the guys had already left. I walked into the gym and to my surprise Mercedes was also making her way to the parking lot. I ran to catch up to her.

"Good practice." I said as I reached her.

"Yeah right. I sucked out there." She said looking up at me.

"No you didn't. You did a great job. You're just not used to the way we do it here. But.. You will."

"I guess."

"So... you excited to go on your date with Tim?" I asked nudging her lightly with my elbow.

"If one more person calls it a date..." I laughed and she looked up at me. "Nathan, it's not funny!"

"You're right it's not funny... It's hilarious."

"Thanks for the support Nathan, but I don't know how you can find this situation funny."

"He's all excited about it. He was telling all the guys in the locker room."

"He was?"

"Yeah, he was going on about how he was going to be the first one to go on a date with Mercedes Davis."

"Oh Lord. I don't know what the hell I'm gonna tell him."

"Just tell him the truth."

"Yeah... Hey you don't happen to have my cal book do you?" She said changing the subject completely.

"Oh yeah. I do." I opened my backpack and pulled it out. She took it and hugged it against her.

"Thanks."

"Sorry. I guess I forgot I had it when you left."

"And I thought you were gonna do my homework." She said smiling.

"I wish. I barley understand my geometry. You really think I can do your calculus homework?"

"Hey if you need help let me know."

"Yeah?"

"It's the least I can do after everything you've done for me."

"Ok, I'll let you know then."

"Good."

We reached her car and she opened the door and got in. She turned her car on and rolled down the window. I closed the door and leaned against it.

"I'll see you later?" She said

"Ok."

"Ok."

"Good luck with Tim."

"Thanks."

I backed away from the car and she backed out.

"Bye." She said waving.

"Bye."

She left the parking lot and I walked back to my car. I got in and looked down at my watch. 6:45 I still had time to go get a pizza before going over to Brookes. I bought the pizza and drove over to Brookes. I got out of my car and walked up to her door, and knocked.

"Hey Nathan. Come in." Brooke said opening the door.

"Thanks." I said coming in. "I brought pizza."

"Ooh...yummy." She said closing the door. "You want something to drink?"

"Sure."

"K, come with me please."

She laughed and led me into the kitchen. She walked to a cabinet and pulled out two plates. And then headed to the fridge. I set the pizza on the kitchen island and sat down on a stool.

"Is Mercedes gone?" I asked

"Yeah, she left like 10 minutes ago actually."

She walked over to me and handed me a soda can.

"Thanks."

"Come on, lets go."

"So... what movie are we watching?" I asked sitting on the couch.

"Guess Who."

"Guess Who? I've never seen it."

"What do you mean you've never seen it! Mercedes would kill you."

"Does she like this movie?"

"She loves it. She actually went to the premiere of this movie."

"Did she really?"

"Yep, she's friends with Ashton Kutcher."

"She knows a lot of people doesn't she."

"Oh, yeah! She has a photo album of all the famous people she's met or the people that she's friends with. I swear... you can name anyone and their probably in that book." She said sitting on the couch with me.

"Wow."

She started the movie and we sat back watching for about an hour before I reached over and grabbed the control and paused the movie.

"What are you doing?" She asked sitting up.

"Let's talk Brooke."

"Ok. What's up?"

"What's up with you lately Brooke?"

"What do you mean?"

"You just seem different."

"A good different or a bad different?"

"Defiantly a good different. I'm just wondering what changed."

"Umm... well I did."

"What made you change?"

"Let's just say my stay with Mercedes in LA changed my whole perception on life."

"How?"

"Look Nathan... this is something that I'm not proud of. It's something that I wish I could take back..."

"What is it Brooke?"

"When Mercedes and I first met... we didn't get along. But then we started talking and we realized we had so much in common, and we became really good friends. It had been at least a month after I had gotten there and she started telling me where she came from. Some of the situations she had been through. I don't know why but... I wanted to know what it was like to live there. I bugged her and bugged her to take me. She said no so many times. But... me being me I finally broke her down and she agreed to take me. She took me into her neighborhood, and showed me around. We stopped at the 7-11 around the corner from Ciaras and as we were about to leave 2 guys and a few girls got out of a dark blue Cadillac."

Nathan had a flashback to the night they had followed Mercedes and they found her with Jose.

"Jose." He whispered.

"Yeah." Brooke said her eyes beginning to water. "They got out of the car and walked over to us. Mercedes immediately pulled me behind her. The guys started arguing with Q and D, and the girls started calling Mercedes names in spanish."

Brookes cheeks were now stained with tears as the memories re-entered her mind. Nathan sat closer to her and put his hand on her knee.

"Brooke."

"I'm guessing D got fed up and threw the first punch. The guys were fighting each other and the girls were walking closer to us. Mercedes turned around to face me and pulled out her car keys. She handed them to me and put her hand on my shoulders. She told me that if something went down to get in the car and not look back. I looked over her shoulder and saw one of the girls pull out a pocket knife. Mercedes turned around and she was hit in the stomach."

"What!"

"They all stood there in shock for a second. Then Jose and his friend grabbed the girls and took off. Mercedes was slouched over and had her hand over her stomach and the knife in the other. She had to take the knife out herself. Q ran over to her and pulled her hand off her stomach. Her shirt was soaked in blood and so was her hand. He picked her up and ran her over to the car. We got in the back and D drove. She wouldn't stop bleeding so Q took his shirt off and held it against her. She was starting to get drowsy and pale. Q was telling her she had to stay awake. She tried so hard to keep her eyes open... I told Q we had to get her to a hospital, and she said no."

"She said no!"

"She said that if she went to the hospital they would kick her out of school. That's the only thing that Mercedes wouldn't lose. I couldn't understand it at the time, how she could risk her life in order to keep her education. But I do now... she told me after it all happened and she was better that when she was a little girl she wanted to go to school so bad but she couldn't because they didn't have enough money for it. But when she was 10 and Ciara moved there... Uncle Johnny took care of it all. He got her into school and she promised him she would graduate with the best education she could get. That's why she didn't go to the hospital."

I didn't know what to say to her. It amazed me that she didn't go to the hospital.

"I did that to her Nathan. It's my fault that she got hurt."

"Brooke... I don't know what to tell you."

"When we took her home... my dad was doing some work in the kitchen and he ran out when he heard us come in. By that time Q was already taking Mercedes up to her room and there were drops of blood all over the carpet. He asked me what was going on and I didn't answer ans ran up to her room with D. I don't know how but Q got her to stop bleeding and she was starting to get better. I sat next to her and told her it was all my fault that all of that had happened to her. She told me that it wasn't and that she was just happy that I was ok. My dad came in and demanded to know what was going on. I was about to tell him what happened when Mercedes told him it was her fault and that she had started some fight with a bunch of stupid girls."

"She didn't tell her it was because of you?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because when I first got there my dad told me that if I did anything stupid while I was there that he wouldn't let me come back to Tree Hill. She knew how much I missed home and she wasn't gonna let that ruin it. So she told him it was her fault and he bought it. If it wasn't because of her I wouldn't have been able to come back."

"So that's what made you change?"

"She's... she's like no one I've ever known."

"I know what you mean." I said taking her into my arms and hugging her tightly.

We heard a car drive up and saw the light flash through the window.

"She's home. Come on." Brooke said getting up and taking me to the window next to the door.

There it is... do you like it? Please tell me you do... anyways the next chapter is my favorite! So as soon as I get some reviews I'll post it up! Ok, I'm out! Thanks again to Newyorkchicka for your last review!