Thanks for all the feedback guys! Using a month time jump to set some things up! :) Keep reviewing!
A month, and Nathan and Haley were sitting in the cafe, going over some english essay questions. Well, Nathan had finished, Haley was marking them
"Yes Nathan!" she cheered, as she marked another answer as correct "im going to be so pissed if I find that your plagarising these off the internet" she laughed
"Always the doubt and never the benefit" Nathan laughed, and Haley looked up at him
"Look whose getting all wordy all of a sudden, I bet Brooke loves it!" Haley laughed, wondering if his relationship with her best friend had improved at all
"To be honest I don't really talk to Brooke.." Nathan said, and suddenly realised how strange this sounded
"She is your girlfriend right?" Haley asked, with a sarcastic grin, she had sort of got used to Nathan, his strange ways. But sometimes, he showed promise of being a really good guy..he just needed a push. Or in Haleys case, a metaphorical shove.
"Yeah but..we sorta just say hi..make out..say what we have planned for the weekend.." Nathan started
"So you need to try a bit harder?" Haley decided
"Not just me! Its the way we like it!" Nathan defended
"Its not a very good relationship.." Haley commented. She had never had a proper relationship, but she had always imagined it to be about love, falling in love, exploring..
"Its kept us afloat" he smiled, although he knew that to Haley, he was the most see through person ever, even after a month of talking to him properly. He didn't know why he felt he could talk to Haley, she was the only one who just seemed different. She wasn't harsh for no reason, she always gave her opinion, and most of all, she always told the truth.
"Thats only because in arguments she always backs down because she doesn't wanna loose you.." Haley started, then realized that she had now said too much, and involved herself
"Did she say something to you?" Nathan asked, frowning
"No, its just a impression I get" Haley knitted her eyebrows together, wondering why she had to open her mouth. She observed the facial expression that was currently worn by Nathan. It looked not worried, not annoyed, just distant
"Nathan?" Haley asked, waving a hand in front of him
"I don't love Brooke" he simply said..she didn't know who he was speaking to
"Nathan.." Haley started
"I cant help it Haley, Im not in love with her" Nathan stated again, knowing what he needed to do, and talking almost robotically
"I need to break it off, before someone gets hurt" Nathan decided, sliding off his chair. Haley had made him think, and from the look on her face, she regretted it
Peyton and Brooke grinned as they settled in front of the tv for a movie, it was a Thursday night, and none of them could be bothered to do anything else
"So, Peyton, please tell me, are you and Luke ever gonna get it on?" Brooke asked
"So Brooke, please tell me, are you ever going to dump Nathan the asshole?" Peyton retorted
"Fair point" Brooke laughed, used to Peytons way of saying things as subtly as throwing a brick through the window
"You could do so much better Brooke!" Peyton rolled her eyes, and Brooke looked at her
"Julian, Skills, Clay, they're all nice guys, they'd treat you right..just not Nathan!" Peyton said in frustration, why didn't she see that she deserved better
"Anyway where Haley?" Brooke asked, changing the subject quickly
"Shes tutoring..whoever shes tutoring at the moment seems to really inspire her, she only does overtime for the ones she thinks deserve it.." Peyton mused
"Or its a hot guy" Brooke waggled her eyebrows
"Oh come on, Haleys not like that" Peyton laughed
"Its never too late" Brooke winked, and they both giggled
Clay and Julian were at Clays, playing the xbox as usual
"Im so beating your ass" Clay grinned, as Julian rolled his eyes
"Im a dark horse" he reasoned
"Thats what you've said about every game, at least the dark horse wins something" he laughed, and Julian grinned
"One of these days im going to win!" he said, and shot off one of his team mates head in the process
"Oh damn" he said, and Clay laughed
"Dude were you even aware you were shooting your team mate?" Clay grinned, and Julian shook his head and laughed
"Oh shut up" Julian laughed, and carried on
"So you and Brooke seem pretty..friendly of lately?" Julian grinned, changing the topic, and Clay laughed
"Shes a nice girl, one of my good friends around here" Clay answered simply
"Nothing more?" Julian asked, sounding like a quizmaster or something
"Nothing more..shes with Nathan, and shes my friend" Clay smiled, and then turned the tables on Julian
"I do think Juju has a crush on Haley though!" Clay laughed
"As if" Julian grunted
"That means yes" smirked Clay, and Julian took his non movement as a opportunity to kill him
"That was just below the belt" Clay said in shock
"Nobody said it matter how you win the game" Julian grinned, and soon enough they were both enticed in the game again
Nathan stood outside of Brookes door..he knew what he needed to do, and he knew he had to do it. He didn't have feelings for Brooke apart from the fact that she was hot, she was a easy lay, and he was not into that anymore.
"Brooke" he said, as her door swung open, and Peyton looked at Nathan, shuffled off the sofa and left, grunting a "hello" to Nathan
"Whats up?" she asked him, pulling him inside and giving him a kiss, smiling at the surprise of seeing him. He had been distant lately.
"Im here to break up with you" Nathan said..he didn't mean to be so simple to the point, he didn't mean to be so harsh, it had just come oit
"Oh" Brooke simply said, stepping back from Nathan, looking a bit hurt, but it hadn't hit her yet
"its not you its me" Nathan started, biting his lip, knowing how lame this was going to sound, especially to Brooke
"Oh what an excuse" Brooke frowned, and her eyebrows knitted together, pacing around a little bit
"Seriously Brooke...I just don't think its working" Nathan suggested again, putting his hands together, he didn't want to hurt her
"Theres someone else isnt there" Brooke decided, crossing her arms over her chest, there was no way he was just breaking up with her because it wasn't working..no way
"No" Nathan started, and Brooke started to push him out
"Is that all?" she asked, looking into his eyes, annoyed and hurt
"Im sorry" Nathan simply replied
Brooke pushed him out of the door "Whatever Nate..I thought we had something..whatever" Brooke started to say, she saw it coming, she already had the alcohol in the fridge, she knew Nate wouldn't stay with her, not now, not ever. She knew from the bored look in his eyes when she was with him lately. He was changing..so a shot for Nathan, a shot for the whore who changed him, a shot for everything. And a couple of shots later, there was no longer any reason to take a shot, apart from the reason that she wasn't good enough..
Clay stood at Brookes doorstep, he didn't know why he was checking in with her, but he just felt he needed to, she was one of his best friends in Tree Hill, and he pretty much saw her most days now.
They were both alone in their houses, and they both liked eachothers company. He rang the doorbell, and he saw a figure immediately appear in the doorway, opening the door
"Brooke?" he asked, watching her form, something looked different
"Clay" She muttered, very clearly intoxicated, as she turned around and stumbled and started to walk off, letting him in, not even caring about shutting the door
Clay followed her, watching her, closing the door softly behind him
"Whats up Brooke?" he asked, taking in how shaken and upset she looked, as well as the fact she was again using drinking as a way to stem her problems, he had seen it in her at the very first party he was with her at, and the way she would hang out with him and Julian, pouring glass after glass of wine
Brooke turned around with him, with that signature fierce glare, the glare that she gave when she was trying not to show anyone any emotion
"Brooke?" he asked, putting a concerned arm on her shoulder, taking in how she couldn't really stand up that well, it was all the drink.
"Nathan broke up with me" she slowly said, a tear slipping down her face, not voluntarily, she tried to bat it away, and sniffed heavily
"Oh Brooke im sorry" he said to her, taking a deep breath and placing another hand on her arm, while she simply leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him tightly, finally breaking down with a small sob..it was over..
"Its ok.." he started, rubbing her back and holding her, pulling her onto a sofa and covering her with a blanket
"He likes someone else Clay..he almost said it..he just said I didn't work" she sniffed, and Clay pulled her closer to his chest
"He never deserved you anyway Brooke" he rubbed her arms and gave her head a kiss
"Things were good the way it was with Nate" Brooke simply said..she had not always felt good, but she knew she was secure..she didn't know what was going anymore
"And things will be good again, I promise" Clay said, pressing another kiss to her head, and watching her as her drunken eyes shut suddenly, and a soft snore filled the room
He pulled the blanket over them even more, and put his arms around her, watching as she softly slept and watching as her head was slowly leaning towards his..Nathan the ass had broken up with her..what was his game?