A/N: Before I submit the next chapter, I was hoping just to give a personal thank you to everyone who's reviewed MIAB. You have no idea how grateful I am for the great reviews!!
Tamarindo, Justawritier, Maurie1297, GoSal114444, PSawyer2514, trublonde18, RaeRaeRaeLiz, SpotSunshine, Thenslowlygrows, Othfan07, Cabot007, Audiegayle, and Jamillajo Thank you soo soo much! You guys are great readers and I love that you keep checking back for more!! :) Okay, and without further adieu, I give you part 4...enjoy!! :)
Part Four. (Oh my GOSH, there's a part four MIAB readers rule!)
Previously:
Nathan
found himself sighing and letting a loose laugh emerge from his lips
at that remark. ''Yeah, yeah they are.'' He noticed Lucas's bruising
in more detail, an eyebrow raising in appreciation of Peyton even
more and he felt his heart clash against his ribs at just the thought
of her. ''She really did all that?'' He asked in awe.
Lucas
nodded, wincing at the pain. ''Oh yeah, every last bit. And on all
records, I deserved all of it...'' He heard the bell ring for next
class, and as bravely as he could, he placed his backpack onto his
shoulder, awaiting Nathan to speak. ''Class...but see you in practice
later?'' He asked.
Nathan just nodded and watched the other male
hobble off, internally debating the power of women as he made his way
to Anatomy 101.
Nathan had an a relatively easier day, and he had no doubt that Peyton giving Lucas the beating of a lifetime yesterday was the reason. Peyton, he thought longingly. He hadn't talked to her since he and Lucas had finished talking the other day, and he figured she'd gone back to LA if she hadn't already. He was down the hallway heading toward his dorm when he noticed Haley approaching, his walls going up a little at the sight of her. ''Haley,'' he started in warning, but she shook her head and just waved her hand at him to let herself speak. ''C-Can I just...say something? Please?''
Nathan groaned and readjusted his backpack, obviously not in the mood. ''You just did, James,'' He shot back as he reached for the door handle and headed inside his dorm. Haley followed and wasn't surprised to see Peyton there, though Nathan was, and another girl next to her. ''Nathan...please just listen for one second,--''
''No,'' said the girl next to Peyton, her brown hair and green eyes full of rage. Haley expected this but she wasn't sure who exactly was directing it at her. Peyton shot up after the brunette and kept a tight grasp around her waist, trying to pull her back. ''Brooke,'' she heard the blonde whisper into her ear, trying to calm her down. ''C'mon, Brookie, it's OK...''
''This is ridiculous, Nate, and we all know it,'' Brooke replied angrily. She pointed a finger at Haley who backed into a corner, fearing her, and Peyton chuckled behind the brunette's back at the power she held over people. ''She needs to get over you already so you and Peyt can figure out just what the hell is going on and I can go back home! I still have a few weeks of production left before the store is moved down here, and if I keep having to come back down and fix your problems, brother, then I'll never get it relocated here and a pissed off Brooke is a Brooke worth fearing, got it?!''
Haley spoke shyly, but still spoke. ''Y-You're his sister?'' She asked Brooke shyly. She silently wondered if all the Scott family was good looking...
Brooke nodded, letting go of Peyton to pull her older brother into a bearhug and a kiss on his forehead. ''Yes, yes I am,'' She replied, her voice still holding an edge to it. ''And you,'' She continued, this time going to face the petite brunette in cowering, ''need to leave him alone. Forever. You've not only dragged your jerk of a ex boyfriend into your plan of making my brother's life hell, but you're continually telling Nathan you're not over him when it's very obvious he's with my dear Peyton here,'' she turned around to face Peyton, giving the other girl a wink before she continued to face the petite brunette. ''And I swear if I have to come back down here, Haley, both you and your ex will regret it. Now do you get that?''
Haley looked about like she was going to have an accident right then and there, and both Nathan and Peyton couldn't stifle their chuckles. Brooke had a very good fear factor about her -- she could scare anyone into doing anything. Haley just nodded and automatically fled the small dorm room while the three got re-aquainted. An hour later Skills entered the dorm, his eyes surprised when he saw the brunette laughing with Nathan and Peyton. ''Damn Scott!'' He yelled in greeting, and Nathan quickly introduced Brooke to his roommate. ''I swear man, living with you just keeps getting better...'' Skills said appreciatively.
Peyton chuckled and Brooke thanked Skills for his comments. Wanting to check out the university, Brooke asked Peyton to show her around before she leaned in and kissed Nathan's cheek again, telling him she'd be back soon. The two girls disappeared and Nathan and Skills hung out and chatted for awhile. ''So that's Brooke?'' Skills asked happily. Nathan nodded and realized it was going to one heck of a weekend...
''God, Peyt, I've been here ten minutes and UNC guys keep checking me out,'' Brooke complained, annoyed. Peyton had showed her the inside of the campus and now they were walking around the outside of it, just catching up. Brooke looked bored, and Peyton was honestly surprised that her friend wasn't flirting with half the male body, but she realized her friend had grown up a lot since she left for New York. ''Well, don't blame yourself, Brooke,'' She replied a minute later, ''you and Nate just have great genetics...''
''Yeah, I know, I know,'' Brooke replied, poking her friend who laughed back. ''So how's things on the Nate front goin'?''
Peyton sighed. ''I'm...not sure, Brooke,'' She replied honestly. ''I came here the other day and he kissed me and all was going okay until I got up to find him, we'd spent the day cuddling and watching movies, and I ran into Haley's ex who likes me now and I'm completely lost. I ended up beating him up, though, and Nathan found out and beat him up again...''
''Go P.Sawyer!!'' Brooke replied appreciatively, rooting on her bestest friend and her big brother. Peyton chuckled and continued.
''Yeah, thanks, but Skills had come with me to find Nate before and when he checked the men's bathroom Haley was in there...making out with Nate...'' she elaborated sadly. Her heart broke a little and Brooke automatically hugged her best friend close. She stroked her hair, feeling some anger coming back at the mention of the petite brunette. ''I swear I'll give her the beating of a lifetime, Peyt...''
Peyton groaned. ''Oh, God no, please!'' She responded tiredly. ''All I've done since I got here is fight, Brooke, and I'm so tired of it. I don't know if Nate and I are meant to be...and maybe we're just supposed to be friends...''
Brooke frowned down at her friend. ''No, Peyt! It can't end like that! How did it feel when he kissed you?''
Peyton thought back to it and felt happier than she had in a long time. ''Magical,'' she replied when she couldn't think of anything else. ''He's amazing, Brooke. And you're amazing; I swear your family's like my second home...''
Brooke smirked at that and kissed her friend's forehead. ''Hey, I like that. You are family to me and Nate, P.Sawyer. Jake's like a distant cousin, but he fits too.''
Peyton laughed. Her friend always knew how to back her feel better. She got to her feet, and was suddenly upset when she saw Lucas approaching her. ''God, will he just leave us alone?!'' She voiced in a bitter whisper. Brooke looked up to see a blonde with a black eye approaching her friend, unable to hide the need to protect the blonde beside her. ''Uh, hello? And who are you now?''
Lucas smirked at the brunette, but his eyes landed on Peyton's green and he felt helpless. ''L-Lucas, Lucas Roe,'' He said. ''I'm here for Peyton...c-can I talk to you?''
Peyton shook her head and grabbing Brooke's hand, she got to her feet and they started toward Nathan's dorm again. ''No,'' She said. Lucas continued following and she felt herself getting a headache. ''You cheated on Haley and made my boyfriend's life a living hell and now you think since you and Nathan are chatting now, I'm gonna be into you? Forget it...''
Lucas ran in front of the blonde, sighing. ''I get that I'm horrible, but I really like you and I know you're dating Nathan, but I won't break you two up...you know, if there's nothing there...'' he added a minute later, and when Peyton glared at him, he backed down.
Brooke watched Lucas and Peyton and tightened her grip on Peyton's hand, still guiding her toward Nathan's dorm. Lucas kept following. ''C'mon, please, I need to stop thinking about you...'' He said.
Peyton groaned. ''I'm in love with Nathan, you idiot,'' She shot over her shoulder, still crossing the field and approaching the various classrooms, she started cutting past them, remembering how Nathan had showed her how to get back to his dorm the first night she'd been there and she'd needed to use the bathroom, again. ''I've been in love with him since I was seventeen.''
Lucas watched the two girls, hating the fact she wouldn't let him in. ''Oh, okay,'' He replied sadly, stopping when they reached the dorms. He excused himself and left for his dorm, and Brooke turned to the blonde with a raised eyebrow.
''What, Brooke?'' She asked tiredly. ''You've been here a day and you've got two rival basketball stars fighting over you, Peyt. But just fyi - I'd stay with Nate. That Lucas guy just gives me the creeps...''
''Thanks for the tip, hun,'' Peyton replied. Nathan was her only choice anyway. She'd hadn't flown across country for Lucas, but for Nathan. NathanNathanNathan, she thought repeatedly before she knocked softly on his dorm room and Skills answered the door. ''Hey girls,'' he greeted happily, and Brooke just winked at him before they re-entered the dorm, noting a very important person missing. ''Nate?'' She asked, looking around. Peyton followed her, so confused at the moment, before Nate's roommate replied his whereabouts and she plopped down on his bed, feeling so tired at the moment. All this drama was wearing her out...
''He's at the gym, practicing,'' Skills explained. ''He has a game comin' up so he wanted to focus. And hey, I saw Roe with ya'll earlier, was he bugging you?''
Brooke shoved Peyton over and sat down next to her, emailing Millicent back on business. ''No, but he was confessing his undying love for her. God, so that's Haley's ex, huh? The cheating, cocky little geek that's been making Nate's life a living hell?''
Skills laughed. ''Yeah, that's him. He's horrible at practice, but lately he's loosened up. Guess Peyton's beatin' straightened him up!''
Peyton chuckled and shook her head. ''No, no, it wasn't just mine, Skills. It was Nate's, too, remember?''
''Remember?'' He asked. ''How could I forget? That guy's lucky he has just a black eye...''
The three of them caught up as Nathan was off practicing his shots, and Lucas and Haley remained in their dorms, unsure of how to proceed. Haley still wanted Nathan but he loved Peyton, and his sister would kill him. Seriously. And Lucas wanted Peyton but he knew she was happy with Nathan and that was obvious. And Brooke was just along for the ride ;). What would happen? Who would end up together?
A/N: Yes this is a short chapter...but I'll continue it later! :)