Hey! Thank You SO much for the reviews... SO MUCH! I LOOVE REVIEWS! Im sure everyone does! lol.. anyways... here's chapter 21... I think i called the last chapter 21.. woops lol.. sorry.. this is chapter 21... read and review please...

Michelley P.

Chapter 21: True Colors

"It's okay, Peyton, don't move." The doctor said as he did some tests on Peyton. Move? Peyton thought. It hurts too much to move. She glanced at her side as she laid on the examining bed, and saw Jake there smiling. She smiled back and sniffed away some stranded tears. He winked at her, like he was trying to tell her it would be fine. She laid there like the, while the doctor felt around and finally left the room, writing in his book viciously. She sat up and stared at Jake, who came over and sat next to her.

"I think that went pretty good, don't you?" He smiled, trying to reassure her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his chest. She nodded and took a long nervous breath. "Treatment will start tomorrow..." He continued. "Are you okay with that?" She nodded. She couldn't find her voice anymore, she just resorted to nodding and agreeing with everyone, even if she wasn't okay with it.

"There's something I need to do... right away, we'd have to drive all night, can you please come with me?" She whispered at last. He looked down at her, getting ready to argue, getting ready to say she needed her rest, but the need to do whatever it was swam in her eyes, so he nodded and smiled a nervous smile.

"Good job Rice." The teacher smiled as he continued to pass back the exams from the week before. The guy smiled and nodded, then stared down at his exam.

"You could do better, Langdon" He said to another guy. The guy laughed as he took the exam and crumbled up the paper into a ball. He then posed as she had seen Nathan do many times, arms straight out in front of him as if he were making a face away, and he threw it into the garbage can.

"Ms. James?" The teacher said again. As she had been so caught up in looking at the guy with his exam, she hadn't seen the teacher holding her test out to her as well. "Partying much lately?" He asked, putting her on the spot. The class went quiet and they all stared at her.

"No, not really." Haley lied. Yes, she said to herself.

"Well, it said on your transcript that you were an excellent student, one of the best. This grade isn't reflecting that very well, is it?" He handed Haley the paper and she stared. "Though you did pass, it was just barely. This was an easy exam Ms. James. Maybe you should take your head out of the clouds and start studying? What do you think?" Haley couldn't believe she was here, she had become the student that she had watched in high school, get humiliated by the teacher. Now, she was being humiliated. Maybe she had been partying more with Mark then she had realized. He did throw a few wild parties at their dorm. She sighed and nodded sadly, then the teacher went on and handed out the rest of the exams.

Haley leaned against Mark's shoulder as she made her way into the party, his arm around her. She was smiling brightly and everyone could see how happy they were. Haley herself couldn't believe it. She was smiling. And she was happy, for the first time in months, she was happy. Mark smiled brightly as people stared at him, as if he were holding a trophy. She had been blocking out the events from earlier that day, with the professor in the classroom. And she didn't dare to tell Mark that his wild parties were bringing her down. He was too amazing to ruin such a thing. He treated her better then she thought she deserved.

"I just have to run outside with the guys for a second, Ill be back, okay?" He whispered in her ear. His breath was warm on the side of her face and made shivers go down her spine. She smiled and nodded as he leaned down and gave her a quick, yet time stopping kiss. Soon she was standing alone as he went and "did business."

She had been standing up against a wall, arms folded and nervously watching everyone pass her by, no one here knew her, which was the main reason she came. But now she felt lonely, as she watched everyone act as though she didn't exist. Except for one guy.

"That was pretty rude of the professor today in class." A deep voice spoke. Haley looked to her side to see someone leaning against the wall, arms folding, mimicking her posture. She smiled at him, trying to figure out who he was. He was a good looking guy, he had soft, ginger brown hair and the deepest, darkest eyes that she had ever seen. She couldn't tear her gaze from him, when he finally spoke up, startling her.

"Mitchell." He smiled, holding out a hand to her. She smiled and took his hand while he continued. "Mitchell Langdon." he smiled bright and once again she was fascinated by how amazing he looked.

"Haley James." She smiled back.

"I know who you are." He laughed. He ran his fingers through his hair and smiled again. He was full of smiles, and she couldn't help but wonder if it was all he knew how to do. "I hear you're supposed to be a brain..." He started to say something else, as he laughed. But he was then looking over her shoulder and his face went pale. Haley turned to look around, but her face became crushed against a strong chest. Before she knew it, a strong hand gripped around her wrist and pulled her along.

"What the hell!" She yelled at him. She ripped her hand from his tight grip once they got near the car. "What was that all about?" She asked. She expected his face to be angry and twisted, just like his hold on her.

"Im sorry." He sighed. And he was, she could see that he was truly sorry for the way he acted. "I know Mitchell, he's a really bad guy." he started to say, covering up his behavior.

"He seemed nice to me..." Haley said, still trying to contemplate the way he had pulled her out of the party.

"Well He's Not!" Mark yelled again. Haley gave him a stern look, and then once again he calmed down. She stared at him, his pupils were dilated and his face flushed. "Haley, sweety, listen." He said in a sweet tone, making her forget why she was angry with him as he lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm. "He's not a good person. Stay away from him. Please." He pleaded. She smiled and nodded, she couldn't help but notice how when he spoke, his words were thick and jumbled. He leaned in and kissed her mouth, making these thoughts leave her once again.

"Come somewhere with me?" He smiled as he pulled out from her kiss. Her hands were cupping his face as she too pulled away. For a second, her eyes were still closed, and she could almost feel her heart jumping into her throat. She couldn't believe how amazing it felt to be with him. It was like for so long a part of her had been missing, and he found it and put it back in her.

"Anywhere..." She whispered through her smile.

"Good. " He smiled.

"Nathan?" Damien called as he walked into the dorm room. Nathan walked out of the bathroom and yawned. Damien smirked as he glanced over at Nathan's bed, then at a tired Nathan.

"You just getting in?" Nathan asked in a whisper. He searched around, yawned again, and finally found the jeans he was looking for.

"Yeah, Sarah, that girl from the party, well, we had our own party!" Damien laughed.

"Just like every other night. Different night. Different girl. Same party!" Nathan laughed as he pulled on his t shirt.

"Yeah, same goes for you, except, you tend to stick to one girl." Damien laughed as he nodded over at Cara, sleeping soundly in Nathan's bed. Nathan blushed and laughed. "It's a good thing I introduced you two at the party." Damien laughed.

"Yeah," Nathan smiled as he watched Cara roll over and fall back to sleep again. "Im glad you did."

"Brooke!" A snobby voice yelled. "Your arms look weak, keep them straight and firm!" She ordered. Brooke sighed and tried again, lifting her arms straight in the air "I thought you were a cheerleader at your old school?" Stacey asked in a disgusted voice.

"I was!" Brooke defended herself. "Captain to be specific!"

"Well, your team must have sucked!" She snapped at her. Brooke dropped her arms which were still in the air. They were aching from holding them so long. Brooke couldn't believe the world she had stepped into. It was nothing like highschool. She tried to grasp onto cheerleading for a small ounce of familiarity, but it was so much harder then before, that she worried if she would ever be able to be the Brooke she used to be again.

"Your posture sucks!" Stacey yelled. "Why don't you sit out for awhile and watch how the pros do it?" She smirked raising one eyebrow. Brooke knew that Stacey wasn't simply asking her to, she was demanding her to.

"I thought you said we were going somewhere!" Haley whined and laughed as they pulled outside their familiar building.

"We are!" Mark laughed as he got out and opened her door for her.

"But we live here! I think I've been here before!" Haley laughed. She was actually a little disappointed, she had thought he was taking her somewhere special. He led her to their door, and placed his hands over her eyes as he slid the door open. She opened her eyes to see their table set beautifully, complete with candles and a bouquet of flowers laying on Haley's plate. She could smell something delicious on the stove and couldn't help but smile brightly at the sight, her disappointment melting away.

"Mark..." She breathed, looking around in amazement.

"Listen, Haley." He started. He walked in front of her and lifted her hands to kiss them. "I know those guys hurt you before. And, I want you to know, That you can trust me. I need you to let me in, and trust that Im not going to hurt you, ever. I promise." He smiled. She smiled bright then launched herself up to him, kissing her hungrily, her eyes teary from his words.

Digging a hole and the walls are caving in
Behind me air's getting thin but I'm trying
I'm breathing in
Come find me
It hasn't felt like this before
It hasn't felt like home before you
And I know it's easy to say but it's harder to feel
This way
And I miss you more than I should
Than I thought I could
Can't get my mind off of you
I know you're scared that I'll soon be over it
That's part of it all
Part of the beauty of falling in love with you is the fear you won't fall
It hasn't felt like this before
It hasn't felt like home before you
And I know it's easy to say but it's harder to feel
This way
And I miss you more than I should than I thought I could
Can't get my mind off of you
And I hate the phone
But I wish you'd call
Thought being alone
Was better than was better than
And I know it's easy to say but it's harder to feel this way
And I miss you more than I should
Than I thought I could
Can't get my mind off of you
Can't get my mind off of you
And I know it's easy to say but it's harder to feel
This way
And I miss you more than I should
Than I thought I could
Can't get my mind off of you

There you go... let me know what you think... Im going out of town in a few days... for a week... i may or may not get an update in... but i doubt it... ill s ee what I can do though... so anyways... review please!

Michelley P.

p.s. Changing Tides!... i noticed ( rather Britt noticed) that it said rated M... well it isn't... i didn't even notice that lol.. it's rated T... so check it out please! Thank You!