"Nathan?' Haley called, jogging up beside him as he walked towards the school "Wait up"
"Hey Hales" Nathan nodded with a small smile
"Where were you last night?" She asked with a smile "I tried calling you?"
"Sorry" he shrugged "I meant to tell you that I had a dinner with your parents"
"oh.. that's okay " She smiled and took his hand "I missed you though"
"I missed you to" he gave a soft kiss on the cheek "Hey, do you think maybe we could hang out tonight?"
"Sure" she nodded "walk me to my locker?'
He nodded and headed hand in hand with Haley into the school, not noticing Peyton watching from her position on the school steps. She sighed and knew that Haley was Nathan's girlfriend and hand holding came with that position and that soon Haley and Nathan would no longer be a couple but she still felt jealous. It had been her hand they he had been holding only a few hours ago. She felt a presence above her and looked up to see Lucas frowning down at her "Can we talk?"
"Lucas I'm not the mood to fight with you" she sighed, collecting her books and starting to walk into the school
"And I'm not in the mood for you to fight with me, can we just talk though?" He looked so sad that she uncertainly nodded
"Thanks" he gave her a small smile and held the main door open for her "I just wanted to apologize for yesterday, I shouldn't have acted that way"
"Its okay" she shrugged "For what it's worth I'm sorry"
"Sorry? What are you sorry for?" He asked stopping in front of her locker
"For running away at Nathan's that time" she shrugged and opened her lock "For everything I guess"
"Start over?" he suggested with a smile
"Sure" she nodded "Friends"
"Friends" He agreed "So I'll be seein ya?"
"You'll be seein me all weekend; The Classic is upon us once again" She laughed and laid some books in her locker "Bye Lucas"
"Bye Peyt." He watched as she walked down the hall to class and smiled. He would have all weekend to convince Peyton that they could be good together, that maybe that could have a second chance.
"Hi Brooke" Peyton nodded, slipping into her desk in English class
"P Sawyer" Brooke looked up in surprise "hi!"
"Listen .. umm .. about the other day I think maybe I was a little to harsh"
"Yah?" Brooke asked her face lighting up
"I think we should try to get back to where we were. Ho's over Bro's?"
"I've missed us P Sawyer"
"I've missed us to B Davis" Peyton grinned. With Brooke back in her life and a possible reunion with Nathan her life would go back to normal.
"Hang out after school?" Brooke asked nudging her arm
Peyton nodded and opened her book as the teacher walked in the room
--
"So" Brooke cried dramatically throwing herself on Peyton's bed "The Classic"
"The classic" Peyton nodded
"Two of us are single, and there are many basketball teams going to be there"
"Brooke I need to tell you something" Peyton's voice grew serious and she sat down in her chair across from Brooke
"What is it Peyton?" Brooke grew worried "Is this about Lucas?"
"No" Peyton shook her head "You might not believe this .. but it's about Nathan"
"What about him?'
" Well.. the thing is .."
"You still love him!" Brooke cried leaping from the bed
"How did you know?" Peyton cried
"When did this happen?" Brooke asked, ignoring the question "it's been months since you guys broke up!'
"It just kind of happened. Well I mean it's been there all along , but now I guess it's all sort of out in the open"
"Does he know? What about Haley? Ohhh P Sawyer"
"He knows, his breaking up with her" She shrugged "This is such a mess"
"I don't know what to say .. " Brooke mumbled sitting back down on the bed
"That's a first" Peyton snorted
"Hey!" she cried throwing a pillow at her friend "This is a lot to process"
"Tell me about it" Peyton sighed moving from her chair to the bed next to Brooke "These have been the most confusing few days of my life"
"So what exactly happened?"
"Well it all started the other day after school.."
"Hi you" Haley smiled coming up behind Nathan and bending down to kiss him "What's up?'
"Can we talk Hales" Nathan's face was serious, which really worried Haley
"What's wrong Nathan?"
He took a deep breathe and began "Listen Haley, I really care about you.."
"I care about you to "she smiled, cutting in
He nodded, she was really making this hard for him "I don't know how to really say this" he mumbled
"I love you" she blurted out
"What?" he asked, taken back by her out burst
"I love you Nathan" she smiled "you mean the world to me"
"I don't know what to say" he mumbled, avoiding her eyes
"You don't have to say it back, I just wanted you to know" he started rambling "Really it's okay. On to a different subject, the Classic is this weekend. Lucas asked me to go watch, so I think im going to"
"That's nice, I like the sound of that" he nodded "Listen I should go. But call me later"
"Nathan I thought we were supposed to hang out. Listen I'm sorry if I scared you with this whole I love you thing. I'm not expecting anything from you Nate, I just want things to be the same"
"Sure" he nodded and kissed her before standing up "it's just that you mentioning the Classic made me remember that I have to practice my foul shots. I'll try and catch up with you later. Bye Hales". He bolted from the café so fast that she didn't even have time to get a word in. Her eyes welled with tears, she had hoped that to go much better then that. But Nathan was her boyfriend, and hopefully someday he would return her feelings.
--
Nathan paced the River court while waiting for Peyton. He had called her as soon as he left the café, they really needed to talk. He heard her foot steps before he saw her
"Hi" she nervously waved coming up beside him "What's up?"
"I couldn't do it Peyton"
"Couldn't do what?"
"Break up with her"
"Oh" she whispered sadly "okay then. It's probably for the best anyways right"
"No!, that's not what I mean. I still want to be with you Peyton, god more then ever, but it's so hard to hurt her. But she's going to the Classic this weekend so I'm going to do it there"
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"I have to, I can't lead her on"
She nodded and took his hand "It'll be okay Nathan"
"God" he whispered, pulling her close to him "This is all so hard"
"I know" she agreed, rubbing his back with her free hand "But it will soon be over"
He cupped her cheek with his hand and tilted her face upwards and slowly leaned down. There lips touched and for that moment everything disappeared. "We cant" she whispered.
"I know", but instead of pulling away he kissed her more passionate then before
"Seriously" she tried not to smile and moved her face
"Um hmm" he murmured kissing her again
"Nate" she giggled and started to run away, only to be swept up in his arms moments later. They both laughed and enjoyed there brief moments together, not aware that they were being watched.