Love Rectangle Plus One (Whatever That Is)

Chapter 6: You Don't Know Me

The next day, Lucas was shooting hoops at the River Court, when Jake walked over to him. He gave him a high five and passed him the ball. Jake sank the shot before handing the ball back to Lucas.

"How'd it go last night?" he asked curiously.

"Eh, we had fun, but we're not right for each other."

"Oh that sucks," Lucas said thinking about how much Jake had liked her.

"Yeah whatever. We're better off as friends."

"Well as long as you're both ok with it."

"Yeah we are. Thanks though."

"No problem man."

"So what's new with you?" Jake asked.

"Well I decided that I have to tell Brooke how I feel," he said nonchalantly.

"What?" Jake's jaw dropped open.

"Yeah," Lucas said laughing at his face, 'I think it's the best way for Brooke to realize that maybe there's some guy that actually cares about her that wants to be with her."

"Are you going to tell her about Peyton and Nathan?" Jake asked concerned.

Lucas looked torn. 'I want to because if I lie it could show that I really don't care about her, but I also don't want to hurt her and make her just be with me because of that. I want her to realize that she wants to be with me for me."

"Well I hope it works out man."

'Thanks," Lucas said smiling, "I hope so too."

-------------------

Nathan showed up early to school on Monday, because Coach had said he needed to talk to him. Nathan couldn't imagine what it could be about, but he went. He yawned as he settled into the seat facing Whitey.

"Hello to you too Mr. Scott," Whitey said amused.

Nathan refrained from rolling his eyes. "Coach," he said back in greeting.

"Well, Nathan the reason I brought you here is because as you know you are a very important asset to this team."

Hopefully this would just be a praising meeting, but Nathan knew that when Whitey said stuff like that it was usually because Nathan wouldn't like what was coming next.

"And as you may know or probably not considering your current grades, you must have a C average to participate on any sports team, which you do not have. Principal Turner has generously allowed you to continue on the team because we have made it to the play-offs this year, but you must get your grades up which is why you're being assigned a tutor."

"A what?" Nathan exclaimed.

"A tutor from our very own tutoring center."

"Do I have to?" Nathan said angrily, "I can get my grades up myself."

"These are Principal Turner's stipulations. If you don't want one then you can just play for the team next year."

"You're joking right?" Nathan asked holding his breath.

Whitey shook his head no.

"Fine," Nathan said standing up, "Whatever."

"Good. Your first meeting is after school. You'll go to the tutoring center. Here's your information," Whitey said handing him some papers.

Nathan grabbed them and walked out. He made a fist with his hand, balling up the papers and tossed them into a wastebasket. He smiled as they went in. At least he was still the best at basketball.

-------------------

"Hey Hales," Lucas called over to her as she sat at one of the tables in the quad finishing up some homework.

"Oh hey Lucas," she said looking up and smiling, "What's up?"

"I heard about you and Jake," he said carefully hoping not to upset her.

"Oh yeah. I'm glad there are no hard feelings."

"So you're ok with it?"

"Totally. I think we're much better as friends."

"That's good," Lucas said and Haley nodded. "So you were right" he said.

"I was?" Haley asked.

"Yeah I decided to tell Brooke how I feel."

"Whoa, when?"

"After school I think."

"Wow well I'll call you after I'm done with tutoring to see how that went."

"Thanks Hales."

"Lucas for the record, I think you're doing the right thing. You can't hide forever."

"Yeah I know. That's why I said you were right," he teased.

Haley smiled. "I usually am," she said dreamily before coming back down to reality as Lucas punched her arm.

-------------------

After school Lucas collected his books from his locker and made is way to the parking lot. Haley shot him a good luck grin as she hurried off to the tutoring center. Lucas grinned back for a second before the nerves took over. But he knew what he had to do.

"Hey Brooke," he called.

"Oh hey Luke," she called smiling at him. Seeing that he was just standing there she asked him, "Do you need a ride?"

"Yeah, that'd be great," Lucas said smiling back at her.

"Hop in," Brooke said motioning to the passenger seat.

"Thanks," he said opening the door and sitting down.

They rode in silence for a while before Brooke broke it. She felt a little creeped out. Lucas seemed to be acting unlike him self. "Are you ok, Luke?"

"Yeah," he said and they rode for a minute longer completely quiet.

"Actually Brooke, I need to talk to you," he said as they pulled in front of his house.

"Sure."

"I don't know how to say this, but I really like you."

"I like you too," she said a little flattered.

"No, I mean as more than a friend."

Brooke's face turned purple and she swallowed hard absorbing what he had said. "Are you serious?" she asked choking on the words.

He nodded afraid to speak. Brooke stared at him for a second before slapping him across the face.

"I'm sorry Brooke," he said getting out holding a hand to his stinging cheek.

"You should be," she cried. "I can't believe you Lucas. You know I'm with Nathan. Your own brother!" Brooke shook her head and quickly hit the gas speeding away down the street. Lucas stared after her, a hollow feeling in his heart. What had he been thinking, that Brooke Davis might actually want to be with him.

-------------------

Nathan walked down the halls toward the tutoring center bopping his head to his I-pod. He finally stopped in front of the door and pulled it open. The only person in the room was that new girl, Lucas was friends with. She sat at a table a smile playing on her lips, reading a book. The sun spilled in through the windows and illuminated her face. She looked so breathtakingly beautiful that Nathan had to take a step back which caused him to bang into the door, the racket alerting Haley from her reading.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly but more for himself. Girls never had this effect on him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked a bit coldly.

"Um I'm supposed to be tutored."

"Do you know who you're tutor is? Do you have your papers?"

Nathan shook his head feeling a bit intimidated which didn't happen a lot. Haley rolled her eyes, clearly already exasperated by him.

"Fine, since I'm here today and no one else is, I guess it must be me."

"Don't do me any favors," Nathan said regaining his composure and sliding into a seat.

Haley glared at him. "Do you want a tutor or not?"

"Not," he said turning the volume up louder.

Haley ripped the headphones from his ears and stared at him sharply. "Listen to me because I'm only going to say this once. I'm guessing you were forced to be here, so you can win some stupid championship game and score your little touchdowns,"

"I play basketball," Nathan interrupted with a grin on his face.

"Whatever. As I was saying," she said glaring at him for interrupting her, "You don't want to be here. Fine. I don't want to be tutoring you either. I think you're an ass. But I take this seriously. So you better bet your ass of your ass self that you will too. Got it?"

Nathan nodded, thinking how cute she looked when she was so feisty and angry.

"What are you smiling at?" she growled, although she had to admit he had an amazing smile.

"Nothing," he said pulling himself together. God Nathan, she's just some girl. Get over it.

-------------------

Peyton hadn't gone outside in days and she had skipped school today. She felt like complete crap. She couldn't do anything without thinking of Brooke or Nathan. She just wanted to stay in bed all day and finally just disappear. She had completely messed up everything, and she felt like shit. Worst of all, she had no one to talk to. Nathan was certainly not an option, especially after she had completely humiliated herself in front of him. Talking to Brooke would ruin her friendship, and she was still mad at Jake because he had been right and she didn't want to hear 'I told you so' even though she knew he wouldn't rub it in. The rest of her friends weren't real friends. She felt utterly and completely alone. The only other person was Lucas. Peyton groaned and beat herself up for even thinking that. But she knew she needed someone and pretty soon her body was dragging her to his house, although her mind kept telling her to stop.

Lucas meanwhile was sitting in his room staring into space bemoaning what had happened earlier. Suddenly he heard a knock on his door, and saw a tear stained Peyton standing before him. Sensing that something bad had happened for her to be coming to him, he let her in without question. She settled on his bed and just stared at him for a while.

"Nathan ended it," she finally said.

Lucas didn't know what to think by that news, so he just decided to stay neutral. "Are you ok?" he asked gently.

She shook her head no and moaned. He placed his arms around her to comfort her.

"I was such an idiot for thinking he actually cared about me."

Lucas nodded letting her get it all out.

"Are you ok?" she asked pushing him off for a second. "You seem kind of depressed."

"I told Brooke how I felt," he muttered not really wanting to talk about it.

"Oh God, I'm sorry."

Lucas nodded and Peyton hugged him to comfort him back. "I guess we were both just idiots thinking that maybe the people we loved wanted us back."

Lucas nodded and laughed bitterly. "Oh well."

Peyton nodded and stared into his blue eyes. He looked back into hers. And they brought their faces closer and kissed each other.