Part Two
Part Two.
The basketball game was a disaster. Duke won by five, but the girls that Skills' friend Fergie had introduced them to were just like Haley. They were smart, and pretty, and he couldn't believe he was stuck talking to them. Now, don't get him wrong -- they were great, but they weren't exactly why he went to the game. Especially since he may or may not have been able to stop thinking about what Brooke had mentioned earlier.
One of the girls was smiling at him and trying to get his attention, but he brought his attention back toward Skills and Fergie and sighed. ''Hey guys, the game was great...but I think I'm gonna leave.'' He said his goodbyes to the girls as well, starting toward his car in the parking lot just as his cell phone started to go off inside his pants pocket, causing him to wonder who'd be calling at 10:30 on a Monday night?
When he realized it was Peyton, he felt his hands start to shake. ''Hey, Peyton...''
Peyton sensed his nervousness and figured Brooke had talked to him. She sighed. ''So Brookie mentioned it to you, did she? Good ole' Brooke,'' she responded sarcastically. Nathan laughed and tried to reassure her. ''It's no big deal, Peyt. We've been best friends since we were five...actually, six since Brooke met you first; that first year we were in Tree Hill nobody had managed to steal you away from my little sister,'' he reminised with a smile. He knew Peyton was smiling on the other end. ''Wanna know something, though, Peyt?''
''What?'' Peyton asked, wandering around her small apartment still in L.A. She'd just gotten home from work a couple hours ago, having just finished watching The Holiday with Cameron Diaz, she'd decided to call him and sort some things out.
Nathan sighed and slipped into his car, starting the engine as he started to leave back toward campus. He fumbled over the right words. ''Well, my roommate Skills, he invited me to see the Duke beat South Carolina, right? And there were these girls...granted, that's why I thought I went, to get my head away from Haley and Lucas, but the whole night I couldn't think of anything but the conversation I'd had with Brooke earlier about you. I miss you a lot, Peyt.'' A beat. ''You're still coming this weekend, right?''
Peyton, having been shocked at his statement, found herself nodding before her mouth would work properly.
''Uh yeah, tomorrow night I'll be there. Why, do you not want me to come?''
Nathan shook his head. ''What? Oh God no, Peyton, I want you here! I need my best friend...''
Peyton sighed, still unsure where they stood. ''Who's coming down to pose as your girlfriend,'' she added importantly. ''I'm not sure it's going to be so easy to convince people we're dating, Nate. Plus if this guy is such a creep as you say he is, he'll probably try and hit on me and that's the last thing I want when I'm down there...''
''No, Peyton,'' Nathan replied sympathetically. He started across campus towards the male dorms, hoping he wouldn't see Haley or Lucas around. ''I swear it'll just be you and me this weekend, and if we run into either of them, I'll do everything in my power to convince them I'm head over heels in love with you, which isn't as hard as it looks, Peyt...''
Peyton felt her heart race when he said that, willing herself to relax. Yeah, posing as your best friend's girlfriend when you're secretly in love with them isn't hard, she thought bitterly. She just had to survive the weekend...
''Yeah, okay, Nate,'' She disagreed easily. She was harder on herself than anyone and both Nathan and Brooke knew that better than anyone. When it suddenly got awkward, she forced herself to get to bed early. ''Well I better get some rest. I'll be there tomorrow night, okay? Sweet dreams Nate...''
Nathan sensed something was wrong but decided he'd talk to her in person about it. ''Okay, Peyt. Sweet dreams, love you.''
You have no idea, Peyton thought sadly before she just nodded and hung up, leaving Nathan with his thoughts.
The next day:
Nathan awoke to his cell phone going off, and he regretfully rolled over to answer it.
''Hello?'' He answered groggily. Brooke was practically fuming on the other end. ''You idiot!!,'' she responded angrily.
''Nice to hear from you too,'' He greeted sarcastically, causing her to continue to rip him a new one.
''Peyton's on her way there right now and you told her you loved her?'' Brooke asked, full of rage.
Nathan recalled the moment, sitting up in his bed as he was careful not to wake Skills. ''God, what's so wrong with that, Brooke? You tell Peyton you love her all the time and so does Jake and I can't say anything?''
Beyond his knowledge, Brooke rolled her eyes. Her brother was so dense sometimes. ''Yeah, we do Nate, but she's not in love with us, you idiot. She loves you and you telling her that was almost like tutorgirl telling you she still loves you! Do you get it?!''
''God, Brooke, please quit reminding me of Haley,'' He replied, starting to get angry. ''I love Peyton. She's the only girl next to you that I'd take a bullet for and I don't care what anyone thinks. I do, however, care what she thinks and for that, I'm sorry. But you have to let us work this out, Brooke. I can't take calls like this and then have practices and/or games with Lucas and expect to sleep well at night. You understand?''
Just then Skills woke and nodded his greeting toward Nathan, who decided it was time to get his impending basketball practice over with. ''Brooke, listen my roommate just got up so can I call you back?'' He paused to listen to her response before adding, ''I don't know, maybe around noon? Okay, I love you too...call you later...okay bye...''
''Damn Dawg,'' Skills responded teasingly, and Nathan threw a pillow at him. He laughed, catching it, before he threw it back. ''Your friend's coming in tonight. Want me to come with you tonight to pick her up?''
Nathan appreciated the offer, but realized he'd have to do it alone. ''No, man, it's cool. We need to figure things out, and it might be a little weird with someone she doesn't know. But we can all go out to breakfast tomorrow morning if you want?''
Skills nodded. He got up and gathered his things together to go shower, leaving Nathan to fend for himself for awhile. Nathan got dressed and was getting things together for class when he heard a knock on the door, surprised to see Lucas standing there with a smirk on his face. ''So I heard a little rumor that your girlfriend's coming to town tonight...''
Nathan froze, hating the other guy's voice already but with mention of Peyton he felt himself almost getting into overreaction mode. There was no way that loser was taking Peyton from him. ''My girlfriend's none of your business, Roe,'' He shot back as he shoved some more books into his backpack and an extra pair of clothes. ''It's bad enough you took Haley from me...''
''I didn't take anything, Scott,'' The blonde male replied, leaning against the door of his dorm with a smirk on his face that Nathan just wanted to knock off. ''She realized you weren't good enough so she came to me. And, as far as I'm concerned, this little girlfriend of yours is bound to repeat history, too, once she gets to know me. I'm better than you, Scott. It's just sick both your girlfriends have noticed before you...''
The brunette male stormed out of his closet, instantly dropping his bag onto his bed before he picked up Lucas by the throat and shoved him against the door.
''Okay, Lucas, we're gonna settle this right now,'' Nathan voiced angrily. Lucas squirmed in his hold, but he didn't let up. ''Haley doesn't deserve some a womanizing pig like you, and I'll be damned if I ever hear from anyone that you laid one finger on her inappropriately, you hear me?! I'm here on a scholarship, Roe, meaning I earned my spot on this team and in this school, and everyone I love from here on out is none of your business! My girlfriend is the best thing that's happened to me and if I even hear you touched her, I'll kill you!''
Skills took the moment to return to the dorm, surprised to see Nathan holding Lucas by his throat.
''Oh Damn, whoa man,'' Skills interjected quickly, automatically pulling the brunette off the blonde male. Nathan's face was seething with anger and Skills realized Lucas had said something he shouldn't. Quietly he held Nathan back and returned his attention to Lucas. ''You better get to steppin' before I let him finish you right here, right now, Roe. Whatever you did, you better undo unless you want to end up on the news somewhere...''
Lucas chuckled sadistically, loving that he got Nathan so angry. He felt blood running from his nose and quickly wiped it away.
''Sorry Skills, but I can't do that. You see, I'm going to prove I'm better than Nathan and win the heart of both his girlfriends in the process. He'll be begging me to take mercy on him when it's over!''
Skills groaned. Nathan still looked like he wanted to destroy Lucas and he wanted nothing more than to let him. ''It's bad enough you've got Haley James, you idiot. Get out of here -- now -- or I'll make you go. Now!''
Lucas finally disappeared, and Nathan ran to the door, slamming it shut. ''Damn it, Skills, he's after Peyton now too and I just now got over Haley!!''
''Shh man,'' Skills soothed his friend. ''Roe's insane...but he's not stupid. He won't get your girl.''
''Why not?'' Nathan responded weakly, not realizing that he and Peyton were still just friends at this point, and he didn't realize the door was opening behind him.
''Because,'' Skills replied easily, spotting the person hovering behind Nathan, ''she's right behind you, and by the way she's looking at you man, there's no one else she's interested in...''
End Part Two.
(A/N: Ooh! Peyton came early!! What'll happen? ;) )