Big thanks for all the people reading and/or reviewing. I love the Laley friendship, I wished it was showcased more in the show, but eh. What can we do?

I apologize for any spelling or punctuation errors.

Chapter Three

Nervous didn't begin to describe how she felt. Her stomach felt like a big mess, but it was time for her to stop procrastinating.

"Lucas….I have to tell you something."

Lucas turned to face Haley.

"They'll never let me forget, will they Haley? I' will always be part of one the biggest scandals that hit Tree Hill, and not just part of it. I'm on the losing side of the scandal, the one that he didn't want. What do I do with that Hales? Do I just ignore it and pretend it doesn't matter? I can most of the time, but it's a lie. It does matter that my father didn't want me, that he ditched my mother and me for a new family. A better family," Lucas bitterly spat out. "Now, I'm on the team with Nathan, and Dan acts like I'm the biggest threat he's ever seen. The team knows the story, hell the whole school knows it. That's why Mike said what he did, he's just treating me the same way Dan always has, with disdain or just by ignoring me."

"Oh Luca-," Haley started.

"Then there's Nathan, Hales. He's been the biggest surprise in all this. I actually believe, I mean truly believe, that he wants to be my brother. I never thought that one night could make such a difference in the way that two people, who've never talked, treat each other. In this whole situation, it's the best thing that could come from it. Being able to know my brother, find out who he is and not just hear rumors," Turning to look at his friend he flashed a ghost of a grin. "You were right Haley, when you told me to give him a chance."

Haley felt sick, she knew that Lucas had been happy about the way it was going with Nathan, but hearing it like that made the fact that she was going to tell him about Nathan's plan even harder.

They both sat back in the car in silence. After about ten minutes Lucas stirred and turned his head toward her, "Haley? Before, you said that you had to tell me something?"

"Oh, um, it was nothing. Just that I yelled at Mike before I left the house. So I'm sorry if you get teased about it from the other guys."

He reaching over and squeezed her hand, "It'll be painful, but I'll deal with it. Anything for you Hales," he lightly teased. "I'm glad you're my best friend Haley, it helps knowing that you'll have my back."

"I'll always have your back Luke, remember that. I'll always do what I think is best for you."

Haley hadn't been able to go through with it. She couldn't tell Lucas about Nathan and his plan, at least not right now. She would just have to keep an eye on Nathan; hopefully once he got to know Lucas and saw how great he was he would give up the plan he had to get him off the team. If that didn't happen, well she didn't trust Nathan and she would be watching him. She would force to herself to tell Lucas, if she saw that something was going to happen.

Content with her plan of action, she was drying her hands she heard voices coming through the window from the beach.

Recognizing all three voices, she strained to hear what was going on.

"What's the bet?"

"That girl, Haley? I don't know if you caught it, but she's a virgin Nate. I bet you can't get her to sleep with you, then you have to break up with her. For five grand."

"That would hurt Lucas, might even get him off the team."

"Guys..."

Catching part of the conversation she felt her jaw drop in shock. She knew Nathan was an ass, but that was his plan? And it was directed at Haley, not Lucas? He must think that this is the perfect way to get Lucas off the team. Through his girlfri... best fri... whatever she was.

She leaner out closer trying to hear more...

"Peyton..." came from the direction of the bed.

Peyton cursed under her breath, "Just a minute Brooke!"

"Promise?"

"Yes!" Crap, she just needed to hear the rest of this.

"Fine, P. Sawyer but please hurry I want to go."

Finally, silence, but no matter how she tried, she couldn't hear anything else coming from the beach. The she finally heard Nathan's voice.

"The girl I have to get with is Haley right? Luke's hot friend? "

"Fine, we got a bet."

She couldn't believe that Nathan was going to seduce Luke's friend to get him off the team, and he bet 5,000 to do it! She was going to have to tell Haley and Lucas about this next time she saw them.

"Peyton!"

Pushing it out of her mind, she went to see to Brooke.

Five minutes ago, on the beach

Mike finally shuffled out of the house, pissed. He was just doing what Dan had told him to do when they talked after the game, and what does he get for it? First Nathan blows up at him, and in front of everyone. Then the hot new girl he had his eye on all night bitched at him. Once he found out she was a virgin he had anticipated being the first guy to have her, but not anymore. She didn't deserve him, he was going to find a way to get back at that bitch for embarrassing him.

"What the fuck is the matter with you Mike? Are you stupid? I told you not to do anything to Lucas, and what the fuck did you do? You fucking insult him in front of a room full of people. How the fuck is that listening to me," Nathan furiously yelled as he got in his face.

Mike could see that Nathan was drunk, and that he could probably take him in a fight. That wouldn't be smart, though, Nathan would remember and his life would be hell. But damn, this asshole better get out of my face.

"What? Nothing to say? Just going to stand there like a dumbass?"

By now, Tim had gotten closer and started pulling Nathan away, "Hey, man. He just made a mistake. Let's go inside and get some more beer." Tim could be the biggest idiot around, but when he wanted to he knew how to be smart, and he knew how to handle Nathan. Unfortunately, tonight wasn't one of those nights.

"Get off me!" Nathan pushed away from Tim and got back in Mike's face. "Why'd you do it Mike? After I told you to leave him alone! Why?"

"Because your father told me to! After the game, he came up to me and gave me hell for passing the ball to Lucas and for not trying to get him off the team. What the hell was I supposed to do Nathan? He's going to come back and he's going to ask me what I've done, and when I say nothing do you think that he's going to be okay with that? Christ Nathan, you live with him. You know how he is."

Maybe if Nathan had been a bit more sober he would have understood why Mike did it, but he wasn't, so he didn't. "So what? I told you what to do and you didn't do it? How the hell am I going to be able to rely on you if you listen to the devil instead of me?"

"Listen to you? What the fuck, Nathan. I'm not your servant, I'm your friend. I do things when you ask because that's what friends do, not because you tell me to! Crap, you and your father are two of a kind. You look at everyone else and don't see them, you see what they can do for you! Well fuck your father and fuck you too, Nathan!"

Nathan opened his mouth to reply, when Tim interrupted, "This is getting really heated dudes. Come on, you know what an ass Dan could be, Nate. Let's just forget this and Mike wont do anything else to Luca-"

Mike was beyond caring, "So what if I did do something to Lucas, Nate? So what? There was a time that you would be right there next to me, hazing the shit out of him and anyone else that caused a problem for us. Jesus Nathan, when the hell did you get so soft?"

"He's my brother! I have told you this, just leave him alone, I don't care what you do to anyone else."

Mike suddenly got an idea, the perfect way to get back at Nathan, Lucas, and that little bitch Haley.

"Me? What do I have to prove. Hell I'm willing to do anything. You Nate, dude, you've become weak. You wont do shit to anyone, you probably wouldn't even take a bet."

For a moment, he forgot that he was 'The Nathan Scott', and he didn't have anything to prove to anybody. So he did something stupid, "With one exception, nothing that's going to screw up Lucas, and I'll take any bet you have to offer."

"For money?" Both were so rich that money didn't have a big significance to them, it was just a token.

"Hell, fine. What's the bet?"

"That girl, Haley? I don't know ...

Peyton helped Brooke down the stairs and saw that Nathan was passed out on the couch. Asshole prick, no way is he going to win that bet. I'm telling Haley the next time I see her. She kicked Nathan in the ankle as she walked by and he twitched, apparently too drunk to do more.

With Brooke leaning against her, she unlocked her car door, and got Brooke settled in the front seat. As she rounded the rear of the car she saw Mike walking past her. She turned around and hissed, "You fuckhead! I heard you talking on the beach!"

Mike eyed her warily, "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Don't be an idiot, I know Mike!"

"Um, well crap Peyton. It's just a bet, don't get so bent out of shape. Is this because you are still into Nathan? Because that's just pathetic." Mike smirked at a furious Peyton. Hell, why not? He didn't care if word of the bet got out; maybe it would be better before it caused too much damage. He was sobering up and he was regreting making the bet in the first place. Nate had been one of his best friends since forever, he wasn't even mad anymore.

"Hell no I don't want him. What you are doing is going to hurt Lucas! You and Nathan are such selfish pricks! Not to mention what it's going to do to Haley, if he succeeds!"

"Lucas again? Shit what is he, made out of solid gold?" Mike looked at her flushed face and smirked again, "Does little Peyton Sawyer have a crush on her ex-boyfriends brother? Little kinky there, aren't you? Keeping it all in the family."

Peyton slapped him, "How I feel about Lucas or Nathan is none of your concern. You should be worried about what Lucas and Haley are going to say when I tell them that Nathan is going to try and seduce Haley for five grand!"

Mike startled Peyton when he started laughing, he was laughing so hard that he had to bend over and rest his hands on his knees to keep upright. She was sure that she heard he mumble something about this being just perfect. Well, so not the reaction I expected. Maybe I heard wrong? No I heard Nathan agree to the bet. Peyton kicked Mike and turned to walk away. Mike grabbed her elbow and pulled her to a stop.

"Hold on blondie. We have to talk about what you heard."

"Nothing to talk about, idiot. By Monday everyone in school will know what a sleazy bastard you are."

"Hmm, well, here's the thing. You aren't going to mention it. Not to Lucas, not to Haley, not even to your best friend passed out in the car over there."

Peyton gave a bark of sarcastic laughter, "The HELL I'm not. I might even go to his house right now and tell him."

Mike put on a mock sympathetic look, "Well, if you do that, then I'm going to have to retaliate. Yeah, I'm going to have to. So, go ahead, tell about the bet, I really don't give a damn. Just know that if you do I'll tell everyone about how Ms. Peyton Sawyer thought that it would be fun to try drugs, maybe smoke a little weed, do some lines of coke."

Shocked, Peyton stared at him, "How...when...what?"

Still looking sympathetic Mike patted her shoulder, "Poor naive Peyton, I was at the same party, I saw everything. You're lucky I didn't tell Nathan that I saw you going into the bedroom with Rick. You bitch so much about how you know he has cheated on you, and I catch you in the act and I don't say anything. That was nice of me right? Too bad I can't be nice anymore, so you just picture innocent Lucas Scott's face, picture it how it's going to look when he finds out that the blond cheerleader is a druggie!"

"It was just that one time, it didn't mean anything. He wont care!" Peyton desperately tried to convince herself, forgetting for a minute that she didn't want a relationship.

Dropping the sympathetic act he gave her a hard look, "Don't be stupid. You've seen his best friend haven't you? Doesn't get much more innocent or sweeter than that. That is the kind of person that he wants to be around, not a messed up head case like you. Don't fool yourself on what kind of reaction he is going to have when he finds out, and he will find out. I'll make sure of that... unless, you agree to keep the bet a secret."

Peyton kept quiet, lost at what to do except to keep wringing her hands, and biting her lip.

"No, that's okay. Go ahead, tell, and then let's see who the school talks about more on Monday, Peyton."

Mike gave a two fingered wave and started walking away. When he reached his car he heard Peyton whisper, "Wait."

Turning and raising an eyebrow, he waited.

"I wont tell anyone about the bet, if you wont tell anyone about what you saw. Okay?"

Mike nodded, "Just remember; you tell and then I tell."

Mike watched as Peyton got in her car and drove down the street like demons were chasing her car.

This chapter was going to include the next scenes, but I decided to split them up since this was a nice stopping point :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing; not OTH or its characters.