Author's Note: Okay I'd like to say thanks to all the reviewers you guys totally make my day! I also want to thank you guys for being so patient with me, I will really, really, really, really try to update sooner and faster!

Disclaimer: My birthday is coming up so there is still hope! But until then…no I don't own anything.

Sooo…

On to my greatly awesome, awesome-tastic story…

CHAPTER 9

Haley was determined to find Lucas. She needed him right now. She needed comfort. She was so hurt. She couldn't believe that Brooke and Nathan did that to her. Brooke was her best friend, I mean there was Lucas, but that was totally different. Lucas was a guy, he didn't understand her the way Brooke did. And Nathan was her boyfriend. Yes, she is with Jake now, but that doesn't stop the hurt she feels at the fact that Nathan cheated on her.

Haley cleared her thoughts as she spotted Lucas at a lunch table with a girl, who she assumed was Peyton.

She quickly made her way towards them. And Lucas noticed her coming his way and smiled.

"Hey!" Lucas exclaimed as she stood before him.

Haley smiled sadly and was tempted to answer him with her 'hay is for horses' bit, but thought against it.

"Hi Lucas…look I hate to interrupt, but I need to talk to you," Haley said sadly.

Lucas stopped smiling. "Why? What's wrong?" he asked.

Haley looked over at Peyton who was suddenly very interested with the food in her tray.

"Peyton?" Haley asked to get her attention, but still unsure of the girls name.

Peyton's head shot up, surprised that the girl knew her name. "Yeah? You want me to leave right? That's cool I'll just get out of your hair," she said quickly, already picking her stuff up, but stopped when Haley spoke.

"Don't. I actually need some feminine help too," Haley said nicely.

Peyton smiled lightly and sat back down.

Lucas was confused. "What about Brooke?"

"She is the reason I wanted to talk to you. Actually it's more like she and Nathan," Haley said angrily.

"What happened?" Lucas asked, though he feared that he already knew the answer.

"They told me they had a drunken night together," Haley exclaimed.

"Haley…uh…don't hate me for asking this…but…why do care? I mean…you and Nathan broke up, so it's all the same right?" Lucas asked nervously.

Haley glared at him. "That's not the point Lucas! It's the fact that they betrayed me!"

"But your not together anymore," Lucas explained slowly.

"You are such an airhead Lucas! You're supposed to be helping me!" Haley exclaimed.

Lucas shrugged helplessly, sometimes Haley wondered if the boy was good for anything.

Peyton shook her head at Lucas's antics and decided to help Haley out.

"Lucas, whether you think so or not, Haley does have a right to be upset," Peyton said as she stood up and walked towards Haley.

"Come on Haley, let's blow this joint. We could go to my place and talk," Peyton suggested.

"Sounds good," Haley nodded, she may have just met her, but she felt like she could trust Peyton.

Haley looked at Lucas, walked over to him and smacked him on the back of the head.

"Thanks for nothing butthead," Haley said.

And with that she and Peyton left leaving Lucas.

He just rubbed the back of his head and watched the two walk away.

That's the last time I try to help you Nathan, Lucas thought angrily and shook his head.

(With Brooke and Nathan)

They both stepped out of their car and walked towards the beach.

Brooke thought it was peaceful enough for them to collect their thoughts, and Nathan just didn't want to argue with her.

They started walking along the shore in silence as they let their thoughts consume them.

I hope Haley forgives us, I mean we did tell her; we didn't keep it a secret, well not for that long anyway, but we did tell her, that should count for something, Nathan thought.

Haley has every right to be upset with us, but I hope she forgives us, I can't imagine my life without my best friend. What if she completely shuns us? What if she never does forgive us? What if I lose my best friend? Brooke thought as silent tears began to smear down her face.

Nathan saw her tears and stopped walking to pull her over to him.

Brooke looked up at him and closed her eyes as he used his thumb to wipe her tears away.

So they just stood there holding each other by the shore in silence.

No words were needed, because they knew they had each other.

(With Peyton and Haley)

Peyton has just walked into her room with Haley in tow.

"So you want to talk about it now?" Peyton asked her as she sat down on her computer chair.

"Yeah," Haley answered as she sat down on Peyton's bed.

"So what exactly happened?" Peyton asked.

"Well what exactly do you know?" Haley asked, she was confused as to what Peyton already knew since she was new. Plus she wasn't sure if Lucas had told her about Brooke and Nathan.

"Lets see…I know that Nathan and Lucas are half brothers, that Brooke is the captain of the cheerleading squad, that you and Nathan used to date, but you're now dating Jake, I know that you and Brooke are best friends, or used to be anyway, I know that Brooke and Nathan 'had a drunken night together' as you put it earlier, I know that you are hurting right now, and I know that you need help to cope with this," Peyton said all in one breath.

Haley just stared at Peyton with her jaw dropped.

Peyton just shrugged, and stood up as she heard someone at the door.

"Wait here, I'll be right back," Peyton said as she walked out of her room and down the stairs to open the door.

"Lucas?" Peyton asked.

"Yeah, look I came to apologize to Haley, I know I was being an ass," Lucas explained.

"Wait…how do you know where I live?" Peyton asked suspiciously.

"I looked you up in the school records," Lucas admitted sheepishly.

Peyton rolled her eyes and let him in.

"She's upstairs, first door to the right," Peyton explained.

Lucas nodded and ran up the staircase, and into her room.

Haley was too busy looking at Peyton's drawings to notice him though; even as he sat down next to her she was still oblivious of his presence.

"Hales," Lucas said causing her to jump and clasp her hand to her chest.

"Dammit Lucas! You trying to kill me or something!" Haley exclaimed as her breath began to even out.

"I came to tell you that I'm sorry for the way I acted back at school," Lucas explained.

Haley sighed. "It's okay Lucas, you're a guy, I don't expect you to understand."

"And I'm sorry for that, it's just that…I don't want you to cut them out of your life for a mistake they made," Lucas reasoned.

"But they lied to me," Haley said quietly.

"And they had the guts to tell you the truth," Lucas said.

Haley sighed.

"Look I'm not saying that you have to forgive them right now, but promise me that you won't hold this against them forever," Lucas pleaded.

"I promise," Haley answered quietly.

"Thank you," Lucas said before he kissed her on the forehead and stood up. "I'll leave you and Peyton to your 'girly' stuff."

Haley laughed. "You know…maybe you should stay for the 'girly' stuff its been awhile since I last put makeup on you."

Lucas's eyes widened. "Haley we agreed never to bring that up again."

"Oh come on Lukey, you looked so pretty," Haley said in a baby voice.

"Really? Cause I always thought it was a bit – what the hell am I saying? Look I'll get of your hair while I go do some 'manly' things," Lucas said as he flexed his arms as he tried to show off his muscles.

"Yeah whatever you say," Haley laughed.

"It is whatever I say," Lucas said cockily.

"Get out of here weirdo," Haley said playfully.

"Fine. Besides I have to get ready for tomorrow anyways," Lucas smirked.

"What's tomorrow?" Haley asked confused.

"Taylor's coming duh, so I'm gonna get out of here and practice my flirting, for hope of a little something, something," Lucas said as he wagged his eyebrows suggestively.

"Ew! Dude that's my sister! That's it! Get outta here!" Haley said playfully as she got up and pushed Lucas out of the room.

She kept pushing him until they were downstairs and she was pushing him out the door.

"Don't worry Haley! I'll tape it for you!" Lucas exclaimed playfully as she closed the door in his face.

All Haley heard was his laughter and she shook her head.

"Perv," Haley muttered with a smile.

Just then Peyton walked out of her kitchen.

"Still want to talk about it?" Peyton asked.

"Nah," Haley said with a smile. "Let's just hang out, and get to know each other better."

"Sounds like a plan," Peyton said with a smile, she was just so glad that she actually made friends on her first day.

Yes, she had a feeling there was gonna be more drama in the future, but she had new friends!

Anything else was gonna have to wait.

(At the beach)

Nathan and Brooke ended up sitting on the sand with Brooke in between Nathan's legs, and Nathan with his arms around her.

They were just staring out at the water in a peaceful silence.

That was until Brooke decided to speak.

"Hey Nathan," Brooke said quietly.

"What?" Nathan asked.

"Do you think she will forgive us?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah I do," Nathan answered honestly. "But until then, lets just not think about it."

Brooke nodded, but she wanted to talk about something, she couldn't take the silence anymore.

"Hey what's our thing?" Brooke asked suddenly.

"What?" Nathan asked with a laugh.

"All corny couples have a thing…you know, like some have their 'spots' or their 'song'…so what's our thing?" Brooke asked.

"But we aren't a corny couple," Nathan explained.

"But I want us to have a thing," Brooke whined.

Nathan shook his head and stared at the water as he tried to think of a 'thing' that he and Brooke could share.

Then he noticed that the sun was setting.

"That's it!" Nathan exclaimed.

"What?" Brooke asked confusedly.

"The sunset could be our thing," Nathan exclaimed.

Brooke looked at the sunset and smiled. "The sunset is perfect."

Then she looked up at Nathan. "Now everytime I see a sunset I'll think of you."

Nathan looked down at her and smiled. "And I'll think of you."

They shared a gentle kiss, and settled back to their previous positions to watch the rest of the sunset.

They both had a content feeling.

And they both felt like everything was gonna be okay.

The end of chapter 9

A.N: Okay I'm not good with the sappy stuff, but I tried. So please reward me with a review! They are greatly appreciated, and they keep me alive! Please review! Pleeeaaseee! I beg you!

Okay enough of my groveling just please review.

Please.

Damn I write 'please' so much that it looks foreign even to me.

Oh well one more won't hurt.

Please review!

:D