Bevin spread her pom poms on the floor in front of her as she stretched her long tanned arms and legs. It was cheerleading practice and the girls were warming up waiting for their fearless leaders, Brooke and Rachel to come in with the coach. For Bevin life had been pretty uneventful since the humiliating event at TRIC. She had tried to maintain a low key image and stay to herself. Evan was a jerk and she couldn't believe she had ever been in to him in the first place. Once upon a time she thought he had been a prince, a real gentleman. But boys like that didn't exist anymore.

Leaning over and using her right hand to grab the toe of her left sneaker, she watched as the basketball players filed in for their own practice. She'd known most of them pretty much all her life, all except one. There was a new guy on the squad, one of Lucas' best friends from the River Court. Bevin had never paid much attention before but she had begun to take notice of the unlikely hero who had defended her honor in the club. From the corner of her eye, the gym door opened and in waddled a very pregnant Haley Scott. Bevin had become friends with her but she could remember a time when Haley was just some weird tutor girl with no chance in hell of dating a hot jock like Nathan Scott. But everything had changed. Who knew the quirky girl with the ugly ponchos would be the one to tame Tree Hill High's most infamous basketball playing bad boy? And tame him, she had. Bevin had never seen Nathan more settled or happy.

"Sweetie, you forgot your bag," she handed it to him.

"Thanks," he gave her a kiss before putting his hand on her stomach. "How's my boy?"

It was something about the way he said it and the way he looked at her when he said it, the way she looked back. It was beautiful, magical. Who wouldn't want that kind of love? For Bevin it seemed sadly out of reach but she was still happy for her friends. The married couple spoke a few minutes longer before Haley gave him another kiss and made her way to the exit.

"Hey Bev, how's it going?" she smiled as she stopped to talk.

"Good. How are you? How's the baby?"

Haley grinned.

"Active. Nathan has basketball plans for him already but it feels like I've got a soccer player inside me."

"That's sweet. I'm so happy for you guys. You must be excited."

"Thanks but what about you?"

"What about me?"

Haley shrugged.

"I don't know. I've been meaning to talk to you. I heard about what happened the other night at TRIC."

Bevin rolled her eyes.

"Who hasn't? You know word travels faster than wildfire in Tree Hill."

"Sorry."

"It's okay. It's Evan's fault for being a jerk and my fault for not realizing it sooner."

"Don't beat yourself up for it. You don't want a guy like that. He doesn't deserve you. I'm just glad Skills was there to help you before anything got out of hand."

Bevin glanced over at the young man who had dashed to her aid.

"That was pretty nice of him."

"He's a nice guy but he does have a temper. Evan got wind of that from what I hear."

"Oh Evan is such a little punk. He was totally scared but you know how stupid guys can be. He was trying to act all hard in front of his boys. So he kept saying mean things to me and acting like he wasn't afraid of Skills. All that got him was a punch."

"Good. Serves his ass right."

Bevin kept looking.

"Yeah…so um, this Skills guy, he's one of your friends, right?"

Haley nodded.

"Yeah. I grew up with him. He's one of Lucas' best friends. He was always over at the River Court or the café or the house."

"He's pretty nice, huh?"

"He's a real sweetheart but I don't have to tell you that. Skills is a really good person. He's a good friend. He can be a tough guy but only when he has to be and he is extremely loyal to his friends and the people he cares about. He's smart and he's a great listener and funny as hell. Seriously. He makes me laugh every time I see him."

"Yeah…um, that's good to know."

"Well, I have to go. I have someone waiting on me at the Tutor Center so I guess I'll see you around later?"

"Sure."

"Take care, Bev."

"Yeah…you, too."

She couldn't keep her eyes off of Skills. Why hadn't she noticed him before? He had quite a presence as he bounced that basketball on the court. Arm muscles bulged and his legs weren't too bad, either. And there was something appetizing about that bald head. He was cute and that butt! He did wonders for those Ravens basketball shorts.

"Ten minutes, girls!" Rachel and Brooke announced as they entered the gym.

The guys had a few minutes before their practice as well. Smoothing her hair into a neat ponytail, Bevin stood up and walked over to the bench where he was sipping Gatorade.

"Hi," she smiled.

He took a swig, looked at her and took another drink.

"What up?"

"I'm Bevin."

"I know. Skills."

"Yeah, um, I know. Do you remember me?"

He gave her a smirk.

"How could I not? Didn't I have to get medieval all over your man the other night?"

"He's not my man. Well, he used to be but not really. Anyway, it's over. He's a real jerk, Evan, I mean."

"Yeah."

"Anyway, that was very nice of you what you did."

"It's cool."

"Because you didn't have to do it."

"I know."

"But you did and I appreciate it."

"No problem."

"So I just wanted to say thanks and I wanted to introduce myself."

"Alright."

"Maybe, maybe we'll see each other again sometime."

Her heart skipped a little and she felt butterflies inside her stomach. She knew her skin was flushed as well although she didn't understand why. It's not like she liked the guy or anything.

"No doubt."

"Alright girls," Coach Whitey Durham half teased his male players as he entered the gymnasium. "And not the ones with the pom poms, I'm talking to the ones bouncing the balls. Line up! Time for suicides."

"That's me," Skills told her.

"Yeah. Uh, I have to go too."

"Cool. I'll catch you later."

"Yeah," she smiled. "Later. I'll be cheering at the game tomorrow night."

Skills frowned.

"But you always cheer at the games."

"I know. This time I'll be cheering for you."

She gave him a wink and then she was off. She didn't know what had come over her but it made her feel giddy and light headed and she kind of liked it. She could feel his eyes on her as she walked away. She was praying that he wasn't watching but when she turned around and gave him a quick glance, sure enough he was, looking right at her while those sexy lips drank from his water bottle. Feeling nervous, Bevin put an extra pep in her step, goofy grin on her face as she made her way back to her spot and pom poms.

"You got something stuck up your ass?"

Bevin gasped and jumped. But it was just Rachel.

"Rach, you scared me half to death, girlie. What are you talking about?"

"That hideous walk you were just doing."

Bevin made a face.

"It wasn't hideous…was it?"

"Totally."

"Well, I was going for sexy, like Marilyn Monroe."

Rachel laughed.

"Try again. Anyway, what's got you all giddy?"

"I am not giddy."

"Need a mirror? Because you are giddy."

"Really?"

"Really. If I didn't know better, I'd think it was a boy," Rachel's eyes twinkled with mischief.

"A boy? Yeah right. Not me. Evan was enough to last me for quite a while."

"He was an ass and you should have known that by looking at him. But whatever. No use in crying over spilled milk, right? You made a mistake but don't let his crap spoil you for the next guy."

"Trust me, it'll be a long time before there is a next guy."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah."

Rachel shrugged.

"Could have fooled me the way you were just drooling over Skills Taylor."

"I was not!"

"Were too. You don't have to deny it to me. He's cute and he's a nice guy. Besides, that was very gallant and regal of him to come to the rescue the other night."

A dreamy look spread across Bevin's face.

"Yeah, it was."

"See what I'm saying? Giddy."

"Rach!"

"Go for it. You should totally try to talk to him."

"Me? Him? No way."

"Why not?"

Bevin shrugged.

"I don't know. We're just not a good match. We are so not each other's type."

Rachel leaned in and put her arm around her friend.

"I get it but hey, don't knock it til you try it."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Bevin asked as Rachel walked away.

Rachel gave her a playful grin.

"Oh you'll figure it out soon enough. You might not know what I'm talking about now, but you will. Trust me, Bevin, you will."