Love Rectangle Plus One (Whatever That Is)

Chapter 2: The Best Deceptions

Haley James had never been part of the popular crowd. She was a self-proclaimed nerd and preferred reading books to going out to parties. So when Lucas brought her over to meet his new group of friends, Haley felt a little awkward. The girls were gorgeous and looked perfectly put together. Well the blonde one looked a little more punk, but still amazing. The two guys with brown hair were both cute, and the one she assumed to Lucas's brother Nathan, because they shared the same blue eyes, was absolutely gorgeous. She felt so out of place as she approached them with Lucas.

"Hey guys, this is Haley James," Lucas said introducing them to the girl they had previously thought of as the pretty new girl. A jealous look appeared on Tim's face, unhappy that Lucas had scored the new girl before he had. "She's an old friend of mine, and she just moved back to town."

"If she's an old friend of yours, why didn't you recognize her yesterday?" Peyton said rudely. Peyton didn't trust Lucas. He looked down at her like she was the most horrible person on the planet for betraying Brooke. Like he had never made a mistake or fallen in love, or whatever it was she had with Nathan.

Haley blushed awkwardly, but Lucas just ignored the comment. "This is my brother Nathan, his best friend Tim, his girlfriend Brooke, her best friend Peyton, and my best friend Jake."

Haley smiled at all of them while settling into a seat, but the only one who really gave a warm smile back was Jake. Everyone else seemed to think she was too insignificant to bother their lives. "It's nice to meet you all" she said timidly.

Peyton rolled her eyes before looking at Nathan to see what his response would be. This action didn't escape Haley's notice. Nathan looked at the girl and mumbled something before turning back to talking to Tim about basketball.

"Hey," Brooke said before looking back at herself in the mirror. She put it down satisfied with her appearance, and turned to appraise Haley's. It obviously didn't please her because she sighed and looked at her wrist even though she wasn't wearing a watch. "Boyfriend," she said tugging on Nathan's collar, "We should go. We have to do that thing." She winked at him. Nathan smirked and slid his arm around Brooke.

Peyton watched the retreating couple and if looks could kill Brooke would be dead and buried. Some best friend, Haley thought. "I gotta go," she mumbled before throwing her things in her bag and stomping off. Tim shrugged but brightened as he got up to go chase after some girl who would probably be contemplating suicide after Tim finished with her.

"They sure are friendly," Haley said sarcastically to Lucas raising her eyebrow as if to ask him why he was friends with them. Jake laughed, liking Haley's laid-back attitude. It was refreshing to see considering all the drama their clique had.

Lucas shrugged. "I'm just trying to make an effort with Nathan. I could do without Tim. And Peyton doesn't really like me as you can see."

"You know it's such a shame that there are four of you guys, while there are only two girls and both girls seem to be wrapped up in the same guy," Haley observed.

Jake's jaw almost hit the table but Lucas just chuckled. "Man," Jake said shaking his head, "This girl is something."

Lucas smiled. "Yeah I forgot to mention, she's kind of a genius."

"Wow I can't believe you caught that."

"It wasn't that hard," Haley said, "Peyton kept shooting looks Nathan's way. Kind of like a certain friend of mine with his brother's girlfriend."

It was Jake's turn to laugh as Lucas blushed. "Well so what I like her. It's not like I'm going to try and steal her."

"I doubt you'd have to. Because clearly, there is already something between your hotshot brother and blondie."

"Remind me never to hide my feelings from this girl," Jake said with a laugh.

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Brooke pressed hard on Nathan's lips as she straddled him on the bench in the boys' locker room. He ran his hands up and down her sides as Brooke hands searched his back. He pulled her shirt off and began to kiss her shoulder.

"Whoa slow down, Nathan. Are we seriously going to have sex in school," Brooke sounded worried but her eyes showed that she was excited by the idea.

"Why the hell not?" Nathan asked as he moved his hands to her back to unhook her bra.

"I missed you yesterday," Brooke moaned as Nathan's hands tickled her stomach and began to climb up her ribs

"Me too," he said. Then he smirked remembering what he had been doing yesterday. He couldn't help but feel proud that he was banging the two hottest girls at school, and they were both crazy about him. Even if it was kind of shitty.

"Ahem," an amused sounded behind Nathan. He turned hoping he was blocking Brooke's half-naked body, and saw his Coach standing a few feet in front of him.

"Uh hi Coach," Nathan swallowed nervous of the outcome. "Hey," Brooke said brightly hoping to charm herself out of getting in too much trouble.

"Always a pleasure, Ms. Davis. Now would you care to explain why you two were in here?"

"Umm," was all Nathan could manage before Brooke interrupted him with a smile. She had managed to slide her bra back on during Nathan's fumbling. "Nate got a shirt as a present for me and he was hiding it here. So he took me here to show me and I was going to change into it. I was just thanking him."

"Sure you were, Ms. Davis. Scott, do you have anything to add?"

"No, uhh, Brooke about covered all of it."

"Well next time you buy a present, I suggest jewelry. Easier to put on."

Nathan smiled awkwardly and nodded while Brooke grabbed his hand and led him out. "Thanks Coach," she called happily over her shoulder.

"You're amazing you know that?" Nathan said leaning down to kiss her.

"I know." She smiled up at him deviously. "Let's finish this after practice, k?" she said blowing him a kiss before making her way into the hallway.

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Nathan settled into the seat at his last class of the afternoon stretching his legs out. He grinned and nodded to a few people, before staring out the window. His usual way of spending class. A few minutes into class, a note arrived on his desk. He looked up and saw Tim waving wildly two seats up and one seat over from him. Nathan rolled his eyes and opened the note. The scrawled boyish handwriting spelled out,

'Big rumor that you and Brooke were dancing around wildly, naked in the gym. Details, man!'

Nathan rolled his eyes again. When it came to gossip, Tim was such a girl. Nathan bunched up the note and gave Tim a look that read, I'll tell you after class. Tim nodded and went back to doodling.

Nathan heard a snicker and looked at the girl sitting behind Tim. She raised her right eyebrow up at him, teasing. It was the girl Lucas had introduced them too at lunch. Daly, Hallie, or something like that was her name. Before he could silence her with a glare she looked back down at her notebook and began to take notes. Something about that girl disagreed with him. She looked and acted like she was better than everyone, but she didn't seem to do it consciously. She also seemed incredibly smart and perceptive. What the hell does Lucas want with a girl like that, Nathan thought. Little did Nathan know that the only girl Lucas wanted anything from was his very own girlfriend. But still, Nathan got a creeped out feeling by this new girl.

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Lucas and Jake had arrived early for practice and had changed quickly. They were already in the gym talking while most of the other guys arrived.

"So, Haley seemed really cool."

"Yeah, we were best friends until she moved away. I'm glad she's back."

At the moment Brooke flew into the gm in a rush. She stopped to give both Lucas and Jake kisses on the cheek. "Hi Jakey, Luke. Bye Luke, Jakey," she said running off.

Lucas stared after her. He had heard the rumors about her and Nathan and what they had done that afternoon. He was seething about Nathan but couldn't help thinking how amazing she looked in her little tight workout clothes.

"You got it bad, man," Jake said laughing and taking a shot.

"What does she see in him?" Lucas grumbled.

"No offense Luke but it's kinda obvious. He's the star of the team, and is a shoo-in for captain next year. She's the head of the cheerleaders. It's a status relationship. They're the most beautiful and elite of Tree Hill. They're meant to be together." Jake said the last line dramatically like he was talking about Romeo and Juliet.

"Gag me," Lucas muttered.

"Lucas, you seriously need to chill. She'll have to get over him eventually."

"Yeah, but you see when that happens, she'll also have a breakdown. She'll probably be so pissed that she has a sex-change and beats Nathan up or she becomes a lesbian."

"You're just being a little wee bit melodramatic," Jake said holding up his index finger and thumb to show how much.

Lucas sighed, but then began to laugh. "You're right. I guess I just have to wait and see.

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"So what do you think of new girl?" Brooke asked Peyton as they worked out the kinks of the routine. Brooke thought the girl had potential, but that she was hopelessly devoid of any fashion sense. But there was a chance she could be a full-fledged member of their crowd.

Peyton shrugged and rolled her eyes. "I couldn't care less."

"God, P. Sawyer, always so negative," Brooke teased.

"Well she certainly seems to have Lucas wrapped around her little finger," Peyton said sarcastically.

"Seriously, why do you hate Lucas so much? You're so rude to him like all the time. And I don't know why, since he's a cute single boy and you're a hot single girl. Do I smell sexual tension?"

Peyton sighed feeling way guilty again. And she couldn't very well tell Brooke the real reason she didn't like him, because that would be admitting that she fooling around with Nathan behind Brooke's back. "Not at all," Peyton said wrinkling her nose in disgust. "He just looks down on me like I'm a bad person, and he's just annoying. I know Nathan is trying to make an effort with him because they're brothers, but that doesn't mean I think he fits with our crowd."

"No offense, P. Sawyer, but you barely fit with our crowd. You and Lucas are so alike. You're always brooding and serous and artsy. I think you two should totally go on a date."

"Put some ice on it, Brooke," Peyton said a little bit louder than she should have because most of the other cheerleaders turned to stare at her. "Sorry," she said lowering her voice, "I'm not attracted to Lucas. I don't like him at all."

"Fine but it must suck to not be getting any. Girls can get horny too Peyton."

"Thanks for the memo Brooke." Peyton rolled her eyes and stared at Nathan who was looking at her and Brooke. She gave him a little smile. He gave her a slow sexy deliberate smile back.

Lucas saw the whole exchange and he almost threw his ball at Nathan's head. Brooke was totally oblivious to the situation in front of her and it killed him because he knew how hurt she would be. And he didn't know if she would let him be the one to pick up the pieces.

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"So Nathan, what happened during lunch?" Tim demanded, "Tell me!"

Nathan rolled his eyes. They were in the locker room after practice. He smirked remembering what had happened in that locker room hours earlier and what would soon be making a repeat performance in Brooke's bed.

"Relax Tim. Don't be such a girl. We were just hooking up."

"So did you do the deed?" Tim asked an excited look shining through his eyes imagining it.

Nathan rolled his eyes again. Tim could be so annoying and juvenile like a 13 year old horny boy. "No Whitey came in before we could."

"Dang man that sucks."

"Yeah Tim, that is why you should stop bothering me with your questions, because right now I'm going to go do it."

"You're the man!" Tim squealed behind him as Nathan walked out to find Brooke.