When Two Worlds Collide

Chapter Four: Not A Pretty Picture

Note: In this story Lucas started out not playing well for the Ravens, and then improved. Haley and him have never gone to Nathan's house or his beach house. Both Deb and Dan's parents/family are different from the show.

Thanks: Thank you Ladyschumi for the feedback! And thanks to everyone who has this story on alert and to anyone reading. I appreciate it all!

Chapter Warnings: Some language in this one and a lot of tension /I have to warn too, I go for realism as much as possible in this story, with drama of course, lol. But that means you're not always going to like characters actions. This one has some of that.

Ah, and I found out finally how to make breaks work. Yay!

O****O

Onto the story…

Debra Danielle Neville Scott stood at the water's edge silently. She had first come to this town, Tree Hill with reservations, doubts, worries and regrets. After all, it had only been the previous year when she had packed up and left home, ready to start the exciting venture of going away to school. She had been so full of hopes and dreams then…and…well, a lot of naivety. Nothing could ever happen to her. She was invincible. She knew what she wanted to be. She had gone through high school smoothly with grades that had made her parents proud. She was popular with plenty of friends. Life was just…great.

Then she met Dan Scott…and life entered a roller coaster full of more twists and turns than she could ever imagine. He was good looking, smart, and…very convincing. It hadn't been long before their fun carefree relationship had went from the living spaces of the dorms to the bedroom. It wasn't long before she found herself in a predicament that she had sworn always she would never allow herself to fall into.

Dan did the honorable thing and proposed marriage. He had already charmed her parents from the first meeting and even after confessing their blunder he had still been able to stay in their good graces enough to get them to help him financially with his business aspirations. He was the perfect match, attentive and caring. He was admitting his mistakes and taking responsibility. He was…

A liar.

Deb pushed back a blonde lock of hair while she remained standing, looking out at the water. Tree Hill was a town she hadn't known about at first. But its physical beauty was appealing and a nice distraction to any newcomer. The water nearby the grass lined banks was in evidence throughout town. And here at the beach, it was at its most gorgeous. After the car dealership had started to really take off, her father had helped buy this place for them. It included a summer cottage that was more like an actual house, and full ownership rights to one small section of the beach. It was a dream come true.

And it wasn't that much of a surprise to Deb why her father had invested in buying a place like this for them. He knew the love his daughter shared with him for the great outdoors and the beautiful night sky…and what could be better a place to view that fantastic night sky full of stars than at the water's edge?

Later she would wish that this place had been there for them when she had first found out the truth, the things he had kept from her. She had felt so alone during that time. She was living in a new town with a baby along the way and she was married to a man that had not only managed to get her pregnant, but months previous had done the same thing to another girl, someone he had abandoned.

Deb had been so young then, so inexperienced, and so insecure that she had deliberately avoided this other girl. It was so ridiculous to call her a woman then. They were the same age and she had barely considered herself a woman. She hadn't wanted to think about this girl and why she and Dan hadn't worked out. She wanted to act like she didn't exist…she wanted…she wanted her old life back…the safe one…the right one.

But as much as Deb had wanted to go back, she hadn't been raised to be a quitter or a coward. Facing her husband, she let him know what she thought of his past mistakes, that they were married now and she believed they could learn to deal with those mistakes…and that if he ever lied to her again…she would leave him forever.

She had been at the advantage then and Deb fully took it. She was young and naïve yes, but she was no fool. She made certain her husband understood that and that he had every intention of giving her and her unborn child a good life…that he intended for them to be a family.

With time the wounds healed. Soon there was a new baby, a bouncy little healthy boy. Her pregnancy had actually been a better time than Deb had at first thought it would be. Dan proved to be there for her when she had needed him. And during that time she ended up bonding with her husband more than she had believed possible, after the revelation of before. And now this new baby made things even better. Dan resolved to stay away from the other child…and Deb…

She had welcomed that decision.

Deb sighed now, thinking how selfish she had been then. That time, she now knew, hadn't been easy for her friend Karen. She had battled through a lack of money and the absence of an actual father for her son. She had dealt with hospital bills while trying to keep a job. She had dealt with so much. Thankfully, Keith had been there for her. Deb could only imagine how much worse it could have been without his support. But even still, Deb, now in her more mature wisdom, knew that period of time could not have been easy, not at all for Karen. And yet at the same time Deb had been wrapped up too much in her own life and problems to want to help…to be able to accept that Dan had another child on the way…one he should be involved with…one he should provide for at least.

Then she had only cared about herself, Dan and their baby. And maybe that had been for the best for Nathan, at least for a while, because it meant she devoted herself to him and to her husband.

And Dan…well he learned then to work hard too…to hold onto both of them. She saw in him a caring devotion along with some growth. There were the vulnerable nights when he would reveal to her his unhappiness sometimes he had experienced while growing up. There were the times when she would wake up in the middle of the night and make her way to their son to see if he was all right, for as a baby Nathan had been fussy and woke up during the middle of the night often screaming for attention. When she'd find an empty room she would get concerned until she heard a soft sound. Quietly entering the living room, she would find the two of them there, Nathan in Dan's arms listening quietly as his Daddy sang to him his old high school songs. Deb would just smile in the background and then as she saw their son's eyes tiredly start to close, for yes he was fussy, but he also got bored easily, she would sit down next to her husband and embrace them both.

Deb looked up at the clear almost cloudless sky now, hearing the morning tides crash against the rocks. Yes, Dan Scott was not what most would call a saint. And yes it still was such an unhappy way to begin their marriage, finding out about his past relationship with Karen, and yes she had a hard time justifying now what he had done, after getting to know Karen herself. But she couldn't deny it… the truth of her feelings for this man…

She loved Dan Scott. She loved the inner boy inside him, the caring man he tried to be, the attentive father he wanted to be, and the ridiculous sense of humor he sometimes had. She loved that he had tried so hard…that he had done his best to make them both happy.

Deb closed her eyes now, tears at the edges of her lashes. She loved him. She loved them both. She loved them so much.

And she was so scared now…she felt so alone. Even with her special friend…the person she had been so scared of at first…even with her loving and caring parents…her family…she felt still…alone.

"How…how do I tell you both…my son who is still growing up…the man I love…how….how do I tell you…" She looked up to the skies, praying for guidance….and the wetness the golden lashes had held…fell down her face.

****Days Later****

Ahh…rain.

Haley Scott hurried across the sidewalk wishing she had brought an umbrella with her as some unannounced morning rain began to pound the pavement. Her jeans, red long sleeved shirt and burgundy jacket weren't really much help. Pushing away her gradually dampening hair, she rushed for the school's entrance, blindly.

"Hey…"

Haley gasped. In her rush to get inside and out of the rain, she had come dangerously close to running into someone…someone like Nathan Scott. She looked up at him now, taking in his Ravens sweatshirt, blue jeans, dark blue jacket, combed back hair, and…ah…umbrella.

Nathan just laughed at the sight of a dripping Haley. Man, she looked like a drenched rat, but even so, the attentive brown deer like eyes were still brightly shining…staring at him…underneath cinnamon waves of wet hair.

Seeing her visibly shake from the cold and wetness, he pulled at her arm with a grimace, bringing her underneath his black umbrella's cover. Feeling her resist at first, he spoke with annoyance. "Hey, stop fighting me. You look like a drowned cat."

Haley retorted dryly. "Wow…I bet that line works all the time…must be why the girls can't resist you."

Nathan didn't even bat an eyelash before replying in kind. "Yeah…that and my amazing aquamarine eyes." Seeing her immediate laughter at that comment, Nathan smiled and brought the umbrella over her head even more. "Come on…let me do my gentleman routine and get you into the school before you drown out here in the rain."

"It's not that-

Haley found herself being cut off as he held onto her arm and nearly dragged her into the opening hallway of the school. She frowned as he finally let go, both of them now inside. Watching as he closed his dark monster of an umbrella, her frown grew.

Seeing the discontent in her face, Nathan shook his head back and forth with irritation. "Okay…what you going to complain about now?"

"I do not like being dragged around Nathan Scott."

He retorted dryly. "Would you rather be dripping wet then…because in the future I can be a rude uncaring ass and leave you out in the storm if you want."

"It wasn't that bad."

"Oh no, having the rain soak your clothes and hair isn't bad at all."

She spoke with annoyance. "I was fine." Scowling as a wet hair fell over her forehead, she furiously pushed it away, only to have it promptly fall back into her eyes again.

"Fine…seems like you're just always fine." His voice was brusque, but his touch was gentle as he moved his fingers over her face, catching a hold of the wet strand, and slowly pushing it back away from her face… away from her eyes. "Fine Haley…ABSOLUTELY…fine."

Seeing those bluish green eyes staring right into hers with firm meaning, Haley shivered. Was he flirting with her…was he…

Before she could say anything, he laughed softly and walked away…away from her…away from that space in the hallway. Like an elusive animal, Nathan Scott was gone.

But not forever…oh no…he was the snake…a sneaky snake…

And she absolutely HATED snakes.

O****O

Continuing down the hallway, taking a turn to the left, Nathan found himself suddenly face to face with his girlfriend. "Hello…hello…"

Shaking out her wet navy blue umbrella, Peyton touched her boyfriend's face, bringing him in close for a kiss. As it came to a quick end on his part, she frowned. That wasn't the reaction she wanted.

Nathan swallowed as Peyton placed her hands on either side of her short cheerleading skirt with displeasure. Oh brother. "Hey…"

"Don't hey me. What's wrong with you now?"

Nathan frowned, moving his umbrella to his other hand. As he looked away from Peyton he was surprised to see Haley walk by as she made her way to class. Watching her for a moment, he heard his girlfriend make a sound of dissatisfaction. He turned back to her quickly. "Nothing." But his answer was obviously too late.

Peyton's look was ticked. "Okay, what the heck are you planning now? Charming your brother's best friend just so you can piss him off? Don't you think that's a little juvenile? And isn't it a bit crude to use the girl just to get your way?"

Nathan reeled on Peyton furiously. "Who the heck said anything about me using anyone?!"

"Whoa…am I interrupting a family feud here…Mr. and Mrs. Scott?"

Both Nathan and Peyton turned to face the interrupting Tim with glares on their faces. "Shut up Tim."

Tim put his hands up in defense, moving backward. "Hey…just trying to be friendly. Sorry."

Peyton waved her hand at him in dismissal. "Oh forget it. I've got to go find Brooke." She turned to Nathan shortly, touching him on his shoulder. "I guess I'll see you later…Bye."

"Peyton…" Nathan started calling after her, still wanting to talk to her. But she was already halfway down the hallway.

Tim put his hands in the pockets of his black jeans sheepishly. "Uh…well I guess I did interrupt something there. You and Peyton on the rocks right now?"

Nathan turned away from his friend and made his way to his locker, opening it up. "Why the heck should I tell you? With all the stupid ideas you come up with…man I swear…"

"Ahh…are you still sore with me for what I did with Haley?"

Taking out his books, Nathan slammed his locker shut and turned back to his friend with a less than happy face. "You KNOCKED her down in the hallway Tim!"

"I already told you…I didn't mean to knock her down. But hey…it kind of worked…right? You got to do your knight in shining armor act."

"Whatever…it was a stupid asinine thing to do."

"Well our little surprise for Lucas today is going to make that look tame anyway. This one's going to be a whole helluva lot of fun."

Nathan's fists tightened anxiously. "What surprise Tim?"

Tim looked at Nathan with shock. "Come on Nate…you know what I'm talking about. Our pre-game present."

Thinking for a minute, Nathan closed his eyes. THAT present. He had forgotten all about it after the altercation earlier in the week with Haley and truthfully now…he was starting to wonder…tonight's game was an important one, at least according to his father and Whitey. He himself didn't see it as that dire, or that much more a big deal than any other game, but anyway…might not be such a good idea to make things too ugly…

"Look Tim…I don't know…"

"What do you mean you don't know? You were the one who came up with this idea…it's classic. And it's already in the works anyway. He'll be getting it just hours before game time."

Thinking of some of Haley's comments about him, Nathan frowned. Weeks ago, before their meeting by the water, before the incident in the hallway…before getting her out of the rain today, this had seemed right…perfect…

But now…

"Tim…"

"What Nathan…you getting cold feet? You having second thoughts…you ready to just accept it? Let your brother take your spot…your girlfriend"

"He's NOT taking my girlfriend."

Tim smiled. "Really…so it's no big deal that he's over there talking to Peyton right now, laughing with her?"

Nathan looked over in the direction Tim was pointing at, indeed seeing Peyton and Lucas laughing over something. He clenched his fists with scorn. One thing Nathan Scott had inherited from his father was his hot temper. But that temper could be an even more dangerous thing when it worked like it was now…when he used it in a calculated way. This wasn't the time to get excited and explode. This was the time to get revenge. "You said that everything's planned to go this afternoon?" Even though Nathan had planned a lot of the little pranks pulled on newbies, he usually let Tim take care of the details.

Tim nodded his head, noticing the cold look now in his friend's eyes. "Yeah."

Nathan smiled cruelly. "Good, because it's time my bastard brother learned his place. Time he start getting the rules…no one messes with me. And no one messes with my girlfriend."

Tim slapped his friend's back. It was good to have the real Nathan Scott once again. "Just what I wanted to hear."

O****O

Peyton moved back a ringlet of curls from her face, smiling at Lucas. "Okay…so just make sure you don't knock down the entire squad tonight."

Lucas shook his head, laughing and resting a hand against his faded denim jeans. "Never going to let me live that one down, huh Peyton? I apologized. I didn't mean to make you fall at that first game. In fact, I never meant to play that badly. I was having a first off night."

"Yeah, so off that you nearly scored a point for the other team."

"Ohhh…" Lucas made a fake hurt expression, hearing the sound of unaccustomed laughter come from Peyton. It was a rarity to see her in a jovial mood. She seemed to prefer maintaining those darker moods…kind of like him he guessed. Haley always accused him of being too dark and brooding.

"Wellll…isn't this cozy?"

Peyton and Lucas both turned to the girl who had just come up from behind.

"Hey Brooke…"

Brooke returned Luke's meek smile with a stronger more convincing one. "Hey yourself…and you…" She turned to Peyton now. "You know Nate's watching right now…and he don't look too happy to me."

Turning away from her friend, who was dressed similar to her in their customary cheerleading outfit, Peyton noticed Nathan and Tim...watching them…and then quickly turning away.

Whatever, she thought. They acted like such juvenile brats sometimes anyway.

She turned back to Brooke, determined to not let her boyfriend's stupidity get to her. "You know what Brooke…I don't even care. And we need to get to class." She reached for her friend's arm. "Come on." Then she turned back to Lucas. "Hey…we'll see you later."

Brooke regarded Peyton with some surprise, but allowed herself to be led away anyway. Later…later she could talk to Lukie by herself…might even be able to convince him to give her some of those basketball lessons. "Okay…see you later Lucas…be watching you tonight..."

Lucas laughed a bit uneasily. Peyton…Brooke…man…this could get interesting. And a bit hairy.

Smiling back at the girls, he felt a pair of eyes on him. Turning…noticing his brother…with a fixed glare on his face…Lucas shook his head and saluted…surprised now to see Nathan smiling…and saluting back.

Turning away, Lucas quickly headed to class.

O****O

Sitting down in his office, Dan Scott thought about the upcoming game tonight. It was against one of the better teams, one of the more influential ones. He hoped Nathan was ready. His son was a great player, the best, not as good as he had been, but hey….that had to be expected. Nathan was still young and it wouldn't be easy to break his father's record anyway. Dan didn't at all feel like he was bragging when he said that he had been the best player Tree Hill ever had.

Of course Whitey would disagree. Dan frowned. Whitey had always insisted on playing so carefully, on making sure you were a team player. The man had no idea how to deal with a star player like himself, like Nathan could be…if only Whitey hadn't put that kid on the team.

Thinking of the kid for a minute, that last play he had made the other night, getting the winning shot …Dan's expression was a glaring one. Keith would say that he should be proud of him. But Dan felt like he barely knew the kid anyway. Why should he be proud? Yes, he had to admit, he was good. But he'd never be better than Nathan. His son had been so much better in the position Lucas had stolen from him.

Lucas…Dan rarely thought of the boy by his name. He hardly ever focused on the reason why Karen had picked that name…Lucas…even though he had a bit of an idea why. And after years of focusing on his own life he had stopped wondering, most of the time anyway, about whether or not it had been a mistake that night, to just leave them…to expect her to have the baby on her own…and then raise it on her own…

Most men would have regrets, and yes it was possible that Dan had some, but he wasn't a fool enough to waste his time focusing on them…dwelling on them. There was nothing he could do now anyway. That boy would soon be on his own. He didn't need Dan in his life…and Dan didn't really feel he needed to be in his life. His family was Deb and Nathan. They were what mattered.

And as for tonight…

Only one thing mattered…

That Nathan prove he was a star. Keith could keep his soft lovey dovey approach for his weak nephew…let him prove the loser he was. And let Nathan prove he was the best…force Whitey to give him back his rightful position.

And let Karen's son lose what he had never deserved anyway.

However, even as that hard uncaring man focused on victory and selfish thoughts, the vulnerable little boy and softer side of his personality battled with that rougher uncaring side. For there was the part of Dan Scott that knew his decision that night had been selfish, had hurt the girl he had claimed to love…and there was that part of him that wondered…wondered about the child he had abandoned…

The one who because of his decision…was now a stranger to him…a kid who had gone so far as tearing off his last name from his jersey…a name Dan surmised that the boy hated…for it belonged to the man who had left his mother.

O****O

"Yes…I'd like to reserve a table for three…for dinner yes…Saturday night…"

Hearing the reservation request repeated to her, Deb confirmed it. Saturday night…they'd go out to dinner as a family…and then afterwards, after they got back home…she'd tell them.

O****O

"So like I was saying, Judy's taking over for your mom, meaning I can attend the game with her and Keith."

Haley's words made Lucas smile. The Ravens had an away game tonight. In fact the whole team would be boarding the bus in less than an hour. And it was some of their biggest competition, so it would be nice having some support from his three favorite people. "Good. And we can go out and celebrate later. I heard that they have some cool hang outs in town."

Haley's brown eyebrows came up in surprise. "You don't know if you guys are going to win."

"Well…we've been working hard. Even Nathan was okay in practice today." It surprised Lucas in fact how Nathan had been acting earlier while the team practiced for the upcoming game. He had been almost civil. Of course it might have had to do with Whitey being in charge.

Haley peered at Lucas curiously. "You mean Nathan was being nice?"

Lucas laughed shortly. "Nice…please Hales! I meant he was civil. And it had to do with tonight's game, I'm sure. The whole team's kind of on edge about this one. The Sentinels are one of the best teams out there. And a big rival for the Ravens."

"You're really getting into this…playing with the Ravens now!"

"I don't know about that Hales. I've just decided I'm going to play my best and leave it at that…I'm sure Nathan Scott will continue being an ass so let him…I'm just going to play well and have fun."

Haley smiled at her friend, even though she was wondering about some of Lucas's earlier comments about Nathan. Was he changing…was he-

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a rush of commotion down the hallway. She turned to Lucas questioningly, receiving a blank look. He was confused too about what was going on.

Lucas turned away from Haley to witness the continuing scene in the hallway. All he could see though from the distance he was at was a bunch of people crowded around, talking, laughing, and shaking their heads. Turing to Haley one more time quickly, Lucas started to walk faster, the walk turning into a run as he got closer to the sight of the commotion, his locker.

"Oh man, that is so wild!"…"Hey, you got to see what's going on down the hallway"…"Talk about sad!"
Haley ran too, coming to a dead halt as she finally saw clearly what everyone was making such a fuss about. Oh God…Lucas…

All around him people were talking, laughing and pointing, others murmuring under their breaths, some just staring, but his mind wasn't focusing on any of it…his brain was forever sickeningly instilled with the images before him…of his mother…

"Oh my gosh…that is too funny!"… "Look how they dressed!"… "Look at that title!"

There posted to a small section of the wall were pictures of his mother as she had been before, as she had looked when in school. It appeared that they had come from the yearbook because along with them were some quoted thoughts from Karen Rowe…where she saw herself years from now…her dreams…the future she had planned with Daniel Thomas Scott…

And on one large oversized picture that had been taped to his locker and enlarged to poster size, the caption read…"Karen Rowe…most likely to be dumped…to be an unwed mother…of a bastard son…"

Haley looked at the caption with shock, her eyes wild with fury and disbelief. How…how could somebody do this…how…

And then she saw him…smiling at his brother's reaction…smiling like a slippery snake. It took so much for her to turn away from that sickeningly satisfied expression on his face, to focus on the back of her now devastated friend.

Lucas just stared at the picture one more time, not realizing now how quiet the hallway had gotten, before rushing at it and the rest of the photos, furiously ripping them off the walls and flinging them at the smiling figure. Never before had he felt it as wildly as he did now, never before had he loathed and despised anyone more…other than the man who had caused all this…until now.

Taking the last one, the vile poster that had been plastered to the wall, he smothered his brother's face with it, shoving him violently against the wall. "You want to mess with me, I don't care. But you stay the hell away from my mother! You got me? You want some stupid kind of war…you got it! Look at your girlfriend! Look at how she's looking at you now with such disgust because she knows what a dick you are!" Lucas wanted to say more, but the tears were threatening at the edges of his eyes, so he just pushed one more time, before hurrying out of the hallway like a passing hurricane.

"LUCAS!" Haley screamed out and then turned to a wide eyed Nathan. Her face was one of pain and revulsion. She had known that he was a jerk, but for him to do this…

Silently she walked over to the wall that he was still leaning against. The smug smile he had been wearing on his face earlier was now gone. Making her way to him, she raised her hand and firmly slapped his cheek. Then with tears in her eyes she ran down the hallway, out the doors to find her best friend.

Peyton turned to Nathan, from where she had been standing near him since this had all started, with a glaring expression etched on her face. "Well I guess she beat me to it." Peyton remarked, referring to Haley. "But she left out some of the verbal part. Why don't I give you the 411?" Peyton came in close to her boyfriend's face, her tone sparked with anger. "You are a Jackass and what you just did is utterly sickening. And honestly…I don't even know why I tolerate you because right now I find the sight of you utterly disgusting."

And then he was left alone. Nathan didn't even try to call her back.

O****O

"Luke…Hey Lucas!" Haley ran out to the front yard of the school towards the departing form of her best friend. "Lucas!" She called out breathlessly one more time, trying to get him to stop.

Hearing the voice of his best friend, Lucas finally stopped moving and waited underneath the overhang of the school. It was still raining; angry storm clouds filled the sky wherever you looked.

Haley ran up to him, her face edged with worry. "Lucas…"

Lucas put up one hand, the other wiping furiously at his face, not wanting to allow those beginning tears to fall anymore. He wouldn't give that bastard the advantage or satisfaction of making him anymore upset. "I'm okay Hales. I just…"

His voice was shaking with anger and pain. "I…I don't care what he does to me, all right? But…my mom…everything she's gone through because of that asshole and now to have his son…I swear, I was going to try…but not now, not anymore. He started this. Now he…"

Hearing his voice come close to breaking, Haley reached forward and hugged her best friend, holding him close to her. She loved him. Their friendship was full of so many memories. He taught her how to rollerblade. She taught him how to rock climb, thanks to the earlier teaching of her big brother Brandon. He taught her how to balance a basketball on her finger. She taught him how to juggle more than two apples. Teaching and learning from each other had made up their relationship from the start. Then with time had come confiding in each other and confessing their problems. She knew if it was her in pain, he would be there for her. He already had been. He knew how hard it had been for her when her brother had moved away. He had even been there to comfort her at the airport, holding her back after Brandon said goodbye at the gate. And now…now all she could do was hold him as he had held her then. Now she could only hope that her arms would lend him the comfort he needed…for she loved him.

Sighing, Lucas hugged Haley back, feeling her arms tightly wrapped around him. "Hales…I'm okay…" He tried to convince her, barely convincing himself.

His mother…if his brother had been looking for the one most vulnerable spot of him, he had found it. His mother was everything to him and to have her insulted, to see what her life had been like before, and how it was now because of Dan Scott…was enough to make his mind a raging conflagration.

Quiet now, Lucas pulled back, disengaging Haley's arms from their hold around him gently. "It's okay…I told you I'll be fine."

"Lucas…"

"Shh…" Lucas touched Haley's arm. "I'm okay Hales. But Nathan Scott…trust me…Nathan Scott will be sorry he started this…very sorry."

Seeing the cold determination in Lucas's eyes, Haley thought wryly how it was so similar to the same kind of cold determination…

In his brother's eyes.

O****O

"He is such an ass! Such a jerk!"

"And you're surprised by that still Peyton?"

Peyton looked up at the figure now standing in front of her with shock at first and then a dry smile. "Nice of you to come to school today Jake."

Jake smiled back in a similar way. "Well you know…running a little late today."

And Peyton knew why, knew more than probably a lot of people did. "Yeah…well, you were lucky to get here just in time for the show, huh?"

Jake wiped at his slightly wet brown hair. He had forgotten his umbrella and even running from his last class to the hallway that his locker was in had made him wet. "I got here after lunch. I wasn't that late. And I wouldn't call what just happened here entertaining, simply pathetic."

Peyton grimaced in agreement. "Me too."

Fixing the collar of his striped brown flannel shirt, Jake asked Peyton a simple question…simple and to the point. "Then why do you stay with him Peyton?

"Look"

He cut her off. "You deserve better."

Peyton blinked, closing her eyes and getting ready to ask him what he meant, but when she opened them up again Jake had already walked away.

O****O

He stood at the door now, holding it slightly ajar, watching as the scene outside ended, as she stood there and hugged herself against the cold.

"Well I'd say that worked well."

Nathan closed his eyes, swallowing hard. Well? Maybe too well.

"Nate…"

"Just leave me alone."

"Nate-

Nathan reeled on Tim, his words coming out viciously and quick. "Yeah, it worked, okay? Now just leave it."

Tim shook his head with exasperation. "You know Nate…YOU were the one who suggested this just weeks ago. And when I came to you this morning you hesitated a bit, but you seemed all right after a while. In fact you seemed to think it was the perfect idea. At least I admit I like pulling the pranks. But you…I swear…ever since…what…is it her?" Tim pointed to the figure still standing outside the school, only partially protected from the falling rain.

Nathan's next words were spoken in a low dangerous tone. "Just let it go Tim."

Tim laughed quietly. "You are NOT starting to feel something for her…are you? You're not falling for Lucas's little go-behind?"

It took all of his willpower to not shove his friend against the wall, his anger building despite himself. "SHUT UP TIM."

Tim laughed shortly one more time, putting his hands up. "Oh man…maybe you are. Whatever…it'll just be interesting to see how Peyton reacts to this. And she'll be a great girlfriend I'm sure…Miss James…already hit and shoved you now more than once…nice way to start things."

Nathan got ready to say something else, but Tim was already walking away. Turning back to the vulnerable looking figure outside, he let the door go.

O****O

Wrapping her arms even more tightly around herself, Haley simply stood in the same place, getting wet where there was no covering above her. But she didn't care about the rain. All she cared about now was her best friend. She wanted to help him, but she didn't know how. She didn't know what to do to make it better. She had hugged him, but then he had walked away after a bit, simply asking her not to tell his mom anything.

Remembering Nathan Scott's smirking face, she clenched her fists with fury. That cold hearted…

"Haley…"

For one second she had thought it was Lucas and got ready to embrace him, but when the voice signaled a different person, the eyes a peculiar color, and the hair all wrong for her best friend, she felt her fury return in spades. "You…you stupid-

"Haley…wait…just…"

Haley viciously tore her arm from the hand that had tried to grip it. "Get away from me!"

"Haley…" Nathan pulled on her arm one more time, attempting to get her to listen, not liking the look of contempt in her eyes as the rain fell down furiously, soaking them both quickly.

"Let go of me." Her voice was quiet, yet with clear intent.

"Just listen-

"No." Haley tried to wriggle free of his grip, but he had both hands fixed around her arms and he seemed determined to make her listen as he backed them up so they would both be entirely out of the rain now. She looked up at him with disgust after he managed to get them to a more sheltering place. "Have to manhandle everything and everyone to get your way always, huh Nathan Scott? Have to manipulate, connive and slink your way through everything because you're so damn scared of people ever seeing the truth…that you're a cold jackass coward!"

Nathan's eyes closed and then came open again, something in them that was too revealing, but he couldn't hold it in even if he tried. That morning, a few weeks ago…the idea had seemed perfect before he really thought it through…before...

He hadn't been ready for the bitter taste that would be left in his mouth. He hadn't been ready for the regret he would feel after witnessing Lucas's reaction and FEELING it…as he furiously shoved him against that wall. He hadn't understood just how sick the images would become when people all around were laughing, murmuring…or just staring…how some had just stared…in shock. He hadn't thought of just how disgusted his girlfriend would feel about him afterwards. And one of the most surprising things was how Haley had made him feel… he hadn't been ready for the sorrow he would feel after witnessing Haley's anguished face, after watching her comfort Lucas, and after hearing the scorn in her voice.

Sure, he had smiled in that hallway, acted like it hadn't mattered, that he was having fun. But almost from the start, when he had first seen the plan he had inspired in his friend…what Tim had come up with because of his own idea…he regretted it.

But it was like Tim had said earlier. It was too late to go back, and later that afternoon there was definitely no time to go back. The pictures were already up and Lucas was making his way to his locker. So he had acted smug…he didn't really like Lucas anyway, still …he knew even then…that this was one prank he would regret.

Realizing he was showing too much vulnerability now though, Nathan buried the revealing look and pleaded his case…to make it look to his own advantage of course. He wasn't ready to let go of too much. "Look…he stole my position on the team, okay? He's trying to get my girl…the stupid guy wants my life! I just want things to go back to the way they were before this whole mess with him got started!"

"And Lucas just wants to LIVE his life! Don't flatter yourself by saying he wants a part of you! He doesn't want ANYTHING to do with you. All he's been trying to do is make a bad situation livable. All you've done is everything you can to make his life a living hell." She waved her arms at him now with sarcastic exaggeration. "You Nathan Scott with your grand house, money and shallow popularity…so damn egotistical, vain and scared of losing all that pitiful existence that you have to resort to stupid pranks and"

Nathan cut her off. "I screwed up okay?! I admit it. It was stupid...and wrong…"

Haley took a step back. Even though his hands continued to hold her arms in their grip, his touch was light enough that if she wanted to get away she could. What he was saying was holding her paralyzed now. Not so much the words…but the raw catch in his voice.

Seeing her eyes looking straight into his, brown eyes of a protective deer that insisted on more if he was going to be convincing, Nathan went on. He knew he could do what he had done before with so many others, lie and make it look like it had been all Tim's doing, but he didn't want to do that…not with her. "I know…I know what I did was wrong. I'm not saying I feel any differently about him because I don't. And I don't like him…I don't want him on the team…I don't want him talking to my girlfriend or anything else, but still…what I did…well it was just wrong."

Haley swallowed, not knowing how to react to what he was saying, except…"Lucas…it's him you should be telling this to…not me. You should be apologizing to him."

Nathan smiled a little. "Uh…well…it's easier I think doing it with you…except for the tiny fear that you might hit me again. Nice little slap there by the way…very effective." He hoped she'd laugh.

Haley didn't. She felt no reason for any joviality now. She still was disgusted by what Lucas had gone through and furious with the guy standing across from her for acting so repulsively. "You're quite the charmer aren't you Nathan Scott… and quite the coward…so easy for you to hurt people…but so hard to just say something as simple as I'm sorry…a total coward."

Those words made him angry now. "Shut up."

Haley laughed dryly, bitterly. It definitely wasn't the laugh he wanted to hear. "Looks like I found your weak spot…well just one of many...not nice huh?" She deliberately moved forward now, staring straight into his bluish green eyes which were dark with anger now. "Having someone expose the rawest part of you…rip open your wounds? It's so easy to see now though, how scared you are of losing the only things you have, your popularity, inherited talent on the court, and your ability to charm people into believing all the B.S. you utter out of your lying lips!"

Nathan was now seething with anger, but he had no time to respond for Haley forced herself out of his arms…quite easily in fact since his hold had lessened even more with each insulting word she had thrown at him. And soon his anger faded, as he watched her walk back into the school, turning her back on him; soon it was him being half covered with rain…as her words hit him hard.

How could someone he barely know…know him so well?

To be continued…