Games, Lies, and Love

Chapter 19

Thank you guys for the feedback. This chapter picks off directly from the last chapter. For the most part, it's alternating view points between Peyton's and Haley's dates. I hope this helps washes away the disdain from last night's episode hehe! On another night, I liked that Peyton was willing to put away her feelings for Lucas. She put his needs in front of her and for that I think was really mature and brave. I'm not as annoyed with Haley any more but Nathan and Lucas need to get their head back in the game. Anyways..

Enjoy and please review!

-- Haley --

Haley looked over and saw a dark haired guy, with tattoos, piercing, and what she could only describe as mascara on his face. Great, I get the goth.. this soo should've been Peyton's guy.

-- Peyton --

Peyton looked over and saw a dirty blone, spiked hair guy, wearing something she'd seen from a bad Las Vegas variety show. Great, I got the emo.. this so should've been Haley's guy.

-- Haley --

"Hi, I'm Pete, you must be Haley." Pete gave a warm smile and stuck out his hand and she shook it. They sat down and started to talk. He seems friendly and harmless enough¸ Haley thought.

-- Peyton --

"Well well." Chris said as he took a seat across from Peyton. "Tonight's your lucky night, Penny .. Chris Keller has arrived."

Peyton immediately rolled her eyes. "It's Peyton you idiot!"

-- Haley --

Pete laughed again as he continued to talk. "So after that whole mess with her going to jail and then getting out the headline on the paper read: Paris Hilton Fallout… and for some reason we all liked it and here are, Hilton Fallout."

Haley laughed. "Hahaha.. that's great. .I still can't believe you named your band after Paris Hilton."

"It was all Chris' idea, our lead singer.. he's like obsessed with her or something… he says that one day he'll marry her and take on her last name."

"This Chris seems to be a character."

"Oh he definitely is."

Haley smiled, she was actually having a better time than she thought.

-- Peyton --

"So then her sister comes over and I'm like .. whoa .. I need to hit the road in a few hours.."

Peyton rolled her eyes, pretending to even care for what this jerk was talking about.

"So I'm like .. well there's plenty of Chris Keller to go around .. why not all 3 of us go over to the hot tub." Chris sighed and had a smile on his face. "That was a great night."

"Yeah.. I bet." Peyton muttered. She was having the most miserable time. She was so going to kill Brooke. Chris Keller was a complete jerk and worse, he referred himself to the third person. But she was going to make the most of the night… by ordering the most expensive thing on the menu.

-- Haley --

Pete smiled. "He seems like a really nice guy… I kinda wish you didn't have a boyfriend."

Haley gave him a nervous look.

"Don't worry, it's all good.. you're a cool girl Haley .. I'm glad you found a good guy."

Haley smiled. Pete was certainly not the guy she expected and they carried a good conversation but then Haley wasn't planning on talking about Nathan but she blurted it out. She was glad that he didn't freak at the mention of her with another guy. It was good to just talk to somebody about her and Nathan with out being judged.

-- Peyton --

"And then I told the judge that.. whoa.. it wasn't mine." Chris continued to talk.

Peyton finished her delicious 8 ounce filet mignon that cost about $30.00. Looking at her watch, she knew it was time.

"That's a really great story, Chris."

"I'm glad you're enjoying the company of Chris Keller, Paige."

Peyton had to bite down on her tongue. "I have to run to the ladies room."

"Is this code for, meet me in the back?" He smirked.

"NO!.. I'll be a quick second." Peyton got up and started heading towards the bathroom and immediately out the back exit. Finally, freedom. She took off.

-- Haley --

"Yeah.. so Nathan's been really great.. I thought he'd be like this big jealous type after I told him about this but he was pretty cool about the whole thing."

Pete just looked at her and she immediately felt embarrassed, she talked way too much about Nathan.

"I'm sorry.. I tend to babble."

"No, it's okay.. but I'm just wondering .. you say Nathan plays basketball."

"Yeah."

"So he must be tall."

"Yeah I guess.. definitely taller than me.

"Black hair.. blue eyes?"

"Yeah.. how do you know?"

"Cuz for the last 45 minutes theres this guy back there that's been giving me the look of death."

Haley turned around and saw Nathan quickly putting a menu to cover his face.

"Oh my God, I am so sorry."

The waitress came by and handed them back their change.

"Haley look.. it's okay. I had fun tonight."

"Me, too."

"And if you want to check us out.. here's a listing of our future gigs." Pete pulled out a flyer and handed it over to him. He stood up and she did the same and their cheeks touched as they said bye to each other.

"Bye Haley."

"Bye Pete." And he took off.

Haley sat back down and Nathan immediately sat down.

"I can't believe you kissed another guy!"

-- Peyton --

Jake opened the door and was surprised to see Peyton back from her date so soon.

"Can I come in?" She asked and he stepped away from the door and she entered.

"I'm sorry." They both muttered.

"Look, I'm sorry, I shouldn't be so mad earlier .. I should've respected your decision to take things slow and when you're ready, I'll be ready too."

Peyton smiled, she really was lucky to find Jake. "You're great you know that." She gave him a hug. "The truth is .. I'm just afraid .. I sort of have issues of letting people in.. I mean after my mom died, my dad has to travel so much for work and I'm afraid that once the world knows how happy I am, then it'll take you away from me… I'm sorry I'm such a head case."

"You're my head case." He gave her a sweet kiss. "You don't have to explain anything .. I get it and like I said, when ever you're ready."

Peyton smiled and kissed him back.

-- Haley --

"Nathan.. it was a goodbye peck.. our lips didn't even touch!"

"Right! And I saw you laughing this whole time and he just gave you his number."

"God Nathan! How long have you been here?"

"Umm.."

"Dammit Nathan.. this whole time I was talking about how a kind trusting boyfriend you are.. and then here you are spying on me this whole time."

"Wait .. you were talking about me?"

"I kinda spent half the night talking about you!! I wish I could take back all the nice things I said."

"Oh… well what did you say?" Nathan's mood now changing.

"Ergh.. dammit Nathan I'm mad at you."

"Why?"

"Cuz you don't trust me."

"I trust you.. I don't trust him!"

"You're unbelievable you know that!" She got up and headed out of the restaurant.

Nathan followed her out.

"Leave me alone."

"Haley.. please."

"You shouldn't be with me.. what if Lucas.." And just like that, he pulled her into a dark alley out of the site of the main street.

"You're ashamed to be seen with me.. is that it!?" He asked.

"What? No."

"Yes you are.. or else you would've told Lucas about us by now.. look I know what an ass I was .. and this whole time I've been trying to be that kind of guy that you deserve but I can't help it if I get jealous."

"Nathan…" She said more softly.

"And especially if you go out with another guy .. I'm afraid." He said the last part in a low voice.

"Afraid of what?" She walked up closer to him and caressed his cheek.

"That, you'll meet a guy that you'd actually be happy to be seen around with… I just love you so much .. it's scares me to think that you'll love someone else."

"Nathan.." She wrapped her arms around him, suddenly not mad at him anymore. "I love you okay.. do you hear me? I love you more each day I'm with you.. sometimes I wonder why you would want to be seen with me?"

"With you?" He looked confused.

"You're Nathan Scott.. I mean at school.. you're sort of a big deal .. hot shot basketball player .. and I'm just .. well.. tutorgirl. .why would you want to be seen with me?"

He looked down and smiled. "I can't believe that your so blind .. you can't see what a beautiful and great person you are.. actually I don't mind this whole sneaking around .. cuz like you said I'm sort of a big deal (he smirked) and if you're with me then you're going to be a big deal and then before I know it, I'd be fighting off all these guys who want to take you away from me."

"I just fed your ego didn't I?"

He nodded simply and bent down to kiss her.

"I'm not ashamed of you.. I'm not.. but you're right .. once people find out we're seeing each other .. I mean I'm not used to that attention."

"You care about how people you don't know see you?"

Haley laughed. "Of course I don't care.. stop twisting my words.. (she laughed) .. no there's only one person who's opinion I care about and its Lucas' and like I said.. I just need some time with him.. he's my best friend and your brother and when he finds out that I've been keeping this from him.. he's going to be mad and probably kill you and then me." She tried to joke.

Nathan smiled. "You're a good friend you know that.. and if Lucas doesn't realize it, I'll gladly beat him up for you." She gave him a light jab. "You'd like that wouldn't you?"

"Maybe." He shrugged as he leaned down to kiss her.

They took off right after and headed for Nathan's house, where Haley spent the night. He was surprised when she stepped out of the bathroom wearing a pair of his boxers and a Ravens t-shirt of his. She looked completely sexy and it took all his strength not to rip those clothes off of her. She snuggled up under the sheets and buried her face against his bare chest.

"I love you." She whispered.

"I love you more." He whispered, kissing the top of her forehead.

--

Brooke and Lucas were hanging out at Tric, but Lucas had to step away for a moment to help his mom in the back. Brooke hung around and saw Pete and Chris. She looked at her watch and realized it was still early. She walked over to them.

"Hey guys, how was the date?"

"Awful! Your bitch of a friend left me with the bill! Chris Keller does not get played!" Chris said before storming off.

"Weird." Brooke commented.

"Don't worry about it Brooke." Pete said. "Chris is a great musician, not the best guy."

"Well, I hope Haley had a better time with you."

"Oh, she was great.. but too bad about her boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?!"

"Crap, I wasn't supposed to say that."

"Pete, talk to me!"

"…"

"PETE!" Brooke glared.

"She has a guy, she's just not ready for her friends to know, don't ask me why she wouldn't say. She went out with me cuz she didn't want to make people suspicious."

"And who's this guy?" Brooke crossed her arms. Who is this guy? Nathan? No.

"…"

"Peeeeteee!!" Brooke was really curious.

"Some guy named Nathan." No it can't be Nathan Scott, especially after that whole sex tape and what Lucas told me about her being heartbroken about it, there's plenty of guys named Nathan. Brooke tried to reason with herself.

"Tall guy, black hair, blue eyes." He added.

Well I know at least two other Nathan's that fit that description.

"And he plays basketball your school.. you probably know him."

Crap.

"Unfortunately, I do… hey Pete thanks."

"Please don't tell Haley, I told you, she seems like a really nice girl."

"Don't worry my lips are sealed." Brooke went back over to her table and sighed. Lucas was now walking over to her. How am I going to explain this? Brooke tried to put a smile on her face.

To Be Continued . . .

So that was the "date." Hoped you enjoyed it. I actually had no clue how this chapter was going to turn out and I was sort of spinning my wheels about it for the past few days especially since I was writing the "date" scene for my other story "Thicker than Blood." I just started typing and I'm happy with how it ended up. I realized that I only mentioned Jeyton but never really showed them. So let me know what you think? PLEASE REVIEW !!!