"Nathan, we have to talk." Brooke said, standing at Nathan's front door.
"I've heard that one before. You don't need to say anything else, I get it. It's not working out, we're going in different directions, whatever else makes you feel better." He said angrily.
"No, Nathan, it's not like that."
"That what is it like?"
Brooke looked at him, pleading him with her eyes to just listen to her, "I talked to Haley."
"Oh."
"Yeah. I had a good time with you, I really did, but this isn't going anywhere. It can't go anywhere. Haley's my friend, and…I can't do this to her. You know, she compared this to Peyton and Lucas, and at first, I didn't agree, but now that I think about it, it's the same. I hated Peyton for doing that, and since I know how much that hurt me, I don't want to do that to someone else. Do you understand?" She wrung her hands and glanced at him hopefully.
Nathan swallowed, "No, it's fine. I mean, yeah, I understand. It's not like we really had a relationship anyway."
"Of course we did. You're my friend, and I don't want to ever lose you."
"The friends speech. Great. Now I know how Mouth feels."
"Would you rather be friends or nothing at all?"
"I don't know anymore. Everything seems to have a dead end lately."
"You'll find who you're supposed to be with one day." Brooke stepped off the front porch, and turned and gave him a little wave.
Nathan hesitated for a minute, then called, "Brooke!"
"What?"
"What if…what if I already found that person? And they're about to leave, and I don't want them to."
"Don't do this Nathan…"
"No! I have to. I'm not going to let you leave with saying this." With that, Nathan took two big steps toward her, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her. When he drew back, her eyes were still closed. Brooke opened them, and said,
"What are you doing? We can't just do…" Nathan kissed her again. "Ok, you're a good kisser, but that doesn't mean I'm going to…"
"Brooke!" Nathan interrupted.
"Hmmm?"
"Shut up."
"Ok." She reached for him, and they kissed again, standing on Nathan's driveway.