''Morning, Bro.'' Lucas greeted tiredly as he entered the kitchen.
Nathan looked up from his cereal. ''Hey.'' he muttered, and brought the spoon to his mouth. He smiled slightly at the tastiness. Slightly, he was still in to much pain to enjoy the amazing-ness which is cereal.
''Where's that girl? Tina? Tara?'' he asked half-heartedly as he looked through the fridge for something that would be easy to make, they're already running a little late for their second day at school, he doesn't waste his getting-ready-time cooking breakfast.
His brother shrugged. ''I sent her home before anything happened.''
Lucas chuckled. ''Good one, Nate. Like you would actually send a girl home.''
Nathan glared at Lucas. ''I'm serious.''
All laughter had dissapeared, and was replaced with confusion. ''Why?'' he asked.
''I heard what Haley said about me last night.'' he admitted and looked back down.
Stupid. That was all Nathan felt. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He feels that everything was right there, everything could have been right there. But it wasn't, because he wasn't thinking with his mind. Because he's stupid. If he wouldn't have been like that, if he wouldn't have been a jerk to all those girls, if he would have been a nice guy, then Haley could have fallen for him. But she didn't, and it's all his fault.
Stupid was all Nathan felt. Some hurt and hope were thrown in there too. Hurt that she felt that way, his best friend felt that how he acted was disgusting, she was ashamed of him. And it hurts more than anything.
But there's hope. There's always hope.
''And how do you feel about that?'' Lucas asked. In that second he turned onto therapist mode, which he and Haley regulary do.
''Hopeful.'' he admitted with a small smile.
Brooke sighed as she walked through the main doors of Tree Hill High. She saw people smile at her, and say hello. She didn't deserve their words or smiles, she didn't feel worthy of their niceness. But that's going to change, she's going to change.
Peyton wrapped her arm around Brooke's shoulders. ''Text me if you need anything, I'm just going to be in the art room. Okay?'' Peyton hadn't left her alone since yesterday. And Brooke was completely grateful for her friends, but she also felt guilty that she kept Peyton away from Jake.
She nodded. ''I'm fine, I probably wont bump into him anyway, I almost didn't yesterday.'' she tried to joke.
Peyton smiled and read her new text message on her phone. ''Haley's nearly here, she said she'll meet you at your locker, just wait there.''
''Peyton, I'm fine! Just get out of here and draw me an amazing picture.'' she commanded teasingly.
''I'll see you later, Brooke.'' Peyton gave Brooke a quick hug and hurried down the corridor.
Brooke walked to her locker and leaned against it, waiting for Haley to arrive. She noticed Julian walking down the corridor, he looked at her but looked away quickly, and continued on his journey. Brooke sighed, he can't ignore me forever.
''What the hell was that?'' Alex shouted as she stormed over to Brooke.
She sighed at the sight of Alex, she just wanted to avoid bad people like that. Alex was always a bad influence on her, she always made Brooke want to be bitchier than her. She needs to stay away from these people if she's going to change back. It's not like she's going to quit cheerleading, she'll never do that, but she just needs to stay away from the cheerleaders.
''What the hell was what, Alex?''
''Mathletes have five people on a team, we only egged four. What happened? It would have been nice to get another one, considering your stupid friends stopped it.'' Alex said quickly, she definitely wanted answers.
Brooke glared at Alex and stepped forward. ''One of the mathletes quit, so that's why there was only four.'' she said calmy. Don't slap her. Don't slap her.
''Where were you then? Why did you walk out?'' Alex smirked, desperately trying to catch her out.
''I left, my mom called.'' she lied.
Brooke was not bringing Julian into this, no way. He said that he didn't want to be part of it, so she wasn't going to make him. He pretty much hates her right now, it's not going to help things if Alex starts getting involved.
''Well that means you weren't part of the egging, so you should be off the squad.''
''I got them out of the school!'' Brooke exclaimed, she took a deep breath then continued more calmly. ''I'm sick of you, and you're stupid little threats. I kept you on the squad because you're good, but it's not worth it anymore. It's not worth me and my friends getting hurt because of you. You're cold, and rude. You're off the squad Alex.''
Alex saw red, no one throws her off the squad, it was practically hers. ''It's my squad.''
Brooke giggled, this girl really was crazy. ''Nope. It's my squad, when Quinn James left two years ago she gave it to me. So it's up to me who is or isn't on the squad. And you're not.''
Alex took a step towards Brooke, so they were only inches apart. ''Don't mess with me bitch.''
''I just did, oh wait-'' her hand collided with Alex's cheek, causing her to fly backwards and touch her cheek in pain. She grabbed Alex's chin and brought her face to her own. ''if you ever touch Haley again, you'll get much worse.'' she warned.
Brooke let go of her and stormed away.
So much for changing.
''So, Nate. Luke told me you were with a girl last night, who was the lucky lady?'' Haley asked dissaprovingly as she climbed out of his car with the Scott brothers, clearing hinting that she doesn't like what he does, which he normally doesn't notice. Normally.
''Nope, no girl. Lucas must have got it wrong.'' Nathan lied as they walked through the carpark, quickly glaring at his brother.
Haley smiled proudly, ''That's good.''
Just then, Tim Smith decided to approach. ''Hey Nate, I saw that cheerleader you went home with last night after the egging. Nice.''
She looked at her best friend in hurt. ''You tryin' to be classy now, Nate? It's enough that you use this girl in the first place, but now you're ashamed. It's perfectic.'' she said angrily. Ever since she spoke to Lucas about how she feels yesterday, she's been thinking about it more and more, and she can't seem to get rid of this anger. But what's making her even more angry, is that she doesn't actually know why she's so angry about this.
''Hales-'' he tried to explain.
''You know I hate liars.'' she stated in hurt and walked away. She just couldn't stand to look at his face for a moment longer, for a second she actually thought her best friend was becoming a good guy, but then he ripped the carpet from underneath her.
So much for hope.
He's been ignoring her all day.
All frickin' day.
It was completely frustrating her. Everytime she attempted to talk to him, he'd either ignore her, or someone would come up to her and ask her what happened with her and Alex Depre this morning. But he wont even give her a chance, she wants to prove that she's changing, and she wont be that girl who cares about popularity, but he just wont listen.
She walked into the classroom, just like yesterday, but this time she didn't just barge in like she owned the place. She said, ''Can I come in?''
Julian looked up in surprise. What is she doing here?
''Why? Have you got any eggs?'' Michael asked rudely, but she didn't blame him, she'd be much worse.
''No, I just wanna talk. So can I?''
Everyone looked at her blanky, but Mouth spoke up, ''Guys, just give her a chance.'' he knew how bad Haley and Lucas felt, it was clear that Brooke felt the exact same way.
Chase sighed. ''Fine.''
Brooke coughed awkwardly. ''I'm so sorry for what I did, I was just so shocked to see Julian I just wanted to make sure he didn't get hurt. I wasn't thinking properly, I wasn't think at all really.'' he voice started to tremble. ''I just really wanted you to know how sorry I am, and I really hope you forgive me.'' she pleaded, with tears in her eyes. ''I just really wanted you to know that.''
Afraid that she was going to cry infront of everyone, she ran out of the room and into the corridor, when a tear finally escaped.
Haley stood on one of the mats at the side of the gym by the bleachers, she was stretching before the practice, so she wouldn't get injured. Brooke was running late for cheer practice, and she already knew it was going to be brutal, Alex had been kicked out, and not the pressure's going to be on.
Nathan walked over to her, he had to sort this out, he couldn't stand the fact that she wasn't talking to him. She'd ignored him in the lessons they had together, and at lunch. He really couldn't stand it, but it just made him more determined to change, he's going to do this for real, not just lie about it. He loved the proud smile she got on her face when he said that he didn't sleep with that girl, he'd do anything to see it again.
''Hales,'' he started as he approached. ''can I talk to you? Please.''
She knew what he wanted, she knew the most important thing to Nathan was his best friends, he couldn't not talk to them for over a day. She looked up at him and nodded silently, she took his hand as he lead her up to the steps and they sat at the top seats at the bleachers.
''Isn't Whitey going to kill you?'' she asked awkwardly.
''Nah, he's running late.''
She nodded, and the silence took over once again.
''Hales, I'm really sorry that I lied.'' he apologised.
''Then why did you? You know I hate liars Nate, why would you even lie over a stupid thing like that?''
''I heard what you said to Luke yesterday.'' he admitted. ''And knowing that how I treat girls sickens you, it just made me feel so awful Hales. And then I sat back and thought about it, and I remember when you used to look at me with so much pride in your eyes, it made me the happiest man in the world. But then I used to brag about the girls I'd slept with, and you'd stop congratulating me on a grade, or basketball. I know now that those girls don't mean anything, and I imagined what I'd do if anyone ever did that to you, I'd want to kill them. I lied because I want to see that pride again, I want to be good in your eyes again Hales. But I'm not gonna lie again, I'm just not going to hurt people anymore, because I don't wanna lose you.''
Haley looked at him with tears in her eyes. ''You'll never lose my Nate.'' she whispered.
He pulled her into him and held her tight. ''I'm not riskin' it.''
''You'd really do that? Give up all those girls so I'll still be your friend?'' she mumbled against his chest.
He nodded. ''I'd do anything for you Hales.'' he promised.
''I love you, Nate.''
His heart swelled, litterally swelled. Even though he knew she didn't mean it in the same way he did, maybe he could just hope. ''I love you too, more than anything.''
Hope, that was the only thing that was keeping him together right now.
''Brooke.'' Julian shouted as he ran out of the clasroom, he spotted her leaning against one of the lockers, wiping her tears.
She plastered a fake smile onto her face and looked at him. ''Hey, aren't you supposed to be doing sums or something?'' she asked jokingly, trying to ease some tention. Is it hot in here? she wondered.
''Why did you do that?'' he asked, ignoring her 'joke'.
She shrugged nonchalantly. ''You might think you know me Julian, but I don't just care about popularity and cheerleading. I used to, but I don't anymore, not today, and not everyday after that. I care about you, and how much I hurt you guys. And I needed you guys to know how sorry I am. And I want you to know that I'm not going to be that person anymore, and it's all because of you. So, thank you.''
He smiled, and his heart began to race. ''You're welcome... I guess. I'll see you around Brooke Davis.'' he smirked.
She smiled a huge smile, something that she's not done since their fight. ''I'll see you around Julian Baker.''
And they felt something they hadn't felt all day.
Hope.
AN: HOPE YOU LIKED IT. THIS CHAPTER WAS VERY NALEY, I FEEL LIKE I'M STARTING TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING. NOW WE JUST HAVE TO GET RID OF CHRIS (MUWHAHAAHAHA). I GOT PRETTY CARRIED AWAY WITH THE NALEY, I'VE NOT WROTE MUCH IN OALN EITHER, SO IT ALL CAME POURING OUT (GROSS).
SO I'M REALLY SORRY FOR THE LACK OF BRULIAN, BUT WE'RE GETTING THERE. SHE JUST HAS TO PROVE HERSELF A BIT MORE, AND HE NOT HAS TO DO SOMETHING FOR HER, HE JUST CAN'T SIT BACK AND CHILL OUT WHILE SHE DOES ALL THE CHANGING, HE HAS TO PUT IN EFFORT TO. I ALSO REALLY WANT TO WRITE SOME SYLVIA SOON, BECAUSE SHE'S COMING IN THE SHOW THIS WEEK (YAY!)
WOW, THOSE REVIEWS BLOWN ME AWAY. I ACTUALLY WROTE THIS CHAPTER REALLY FAST BECAUSE I WAS SO HAPPY WITH ALL THOSE REVIEWS. PLEASE CONTINNUE TO INSPIRE ME WITH THEM:-).