Love Rectangle Plus One (Whatever That Is)
Chapter 25: Certain Words in Uncertain Times
That Friday night Nathan walked up the path that led to Tim's front door, his arm wrapped securely around Haley's small frame. Tim was throwing a party for the basketball/cheerleader crowd, and Nathan had decided that it was time for Haley to finally be part of his world. After Lucas's heinous reaction Haley was a bit nervous about what people would think, so she fidgeted as they walked up the porch steps. Nathan squeezed her arm and kissed her forehead, before smiling into her eyes.
"It's going to be okay. Trust me," he said and Haley smiled up at him silently thanking him for his comforting words.
They entered the house and Tim immediately bounded up energetically to Nathan. "Man what's up? You want a drink?" He started pulling Nathan further into the party when he noticed Haley. "Yo what's tutor girl doing here with you?"
Haley blushed but Nathan pulled her closer to him. "Tim this is my girlfriend, Haley."
Tim looked between them and burst out laughing. "Whoa funny joke, man," he cried uproariously.
Nathan gritted his teeth and held Haley as humanly possible. He could feel her squirming next to him, but he wasn't letting go. "I'm serious, Tim," he said his voice low bordering on angry, "I'm going out with Haley."
Tim stared between them, his face a mixture of confusion and disbelief. He laughed again while looking Haley up and down, trying to see what was so good about her. She quickly crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him. He ignored her look and instead started to shout. "Yo guys can you believe this? Big Daddy Nate is dating Tutor Girl." A large group of the teens at the party gathered and stared them down. Theresa, one of the cheerleaders, appraised Haley and began to laugh. She bent down and whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear, "Can you believe he's with someone like her?"
Haley's face dropped and she freed herself from Nathan's grasp. Before he could say anything to calm her, she had already run away farther into the house, and disappeared. Nathan glared at Tim. His asshole friends had just made Haley's worst suspicions come true, not to mention adding fuel to Lucas's anti-relationship fire. He sighed and rubbed his hand through his air, before shaking his head and going farther into the house to find the girl that he desperately cared about.
--
Brooke watched her friend begin to cry, and immediately felt hatred for everyone. Haley was such a sweet girl and what was the fucking big deal if she was dating Nathan. If she his ex-girlfriend didn't care, then why did they? She understood it was part of the social hierarchy but it still pissed her off. She knew Haley had run upstairs, and she was on her way to get her, and bring her home, planning to engage in just a girl fest. It's not like she wanted to be here anyway. Peyton had talked her into coming, which was a very big role reversal, one which Brooke did not want to think about. She was about to chase after Haley when she noticed Lucas across the room. He didn't look angry or pleased that people were against Nathan and Haley. Instead he just looked sad and somber. Brooke felt her heart begin to pound at his sad little expression, and slowly her feet began to move her over to him. She told herself that it was only to tell him the news, but it wasn't. She knew in her heart that she wanted to be nowhere else but by his side. But it was too damn hard to admit that.
"Lucas," she said softly as she came to his side. He turned and smiled at her, the new happy expression completely eclipsing the previous sad one. She shivered knowing that all of his happiness was from her.
"Brooke," he said, that one word expressing pure joy, "I didn't know if you were coming."
"Well I'm here," she said quietly.
"I'm glad," he grinned.
"Luke, are you okay?"
"Why wouldn't I be? You're here."
Brooke gave a small smile as she tried to control her emotions. "Just you looked so upset about what happened to Haley."
Lucas stood stone silent and avoided her gaze. He clearly did not want to talk about it. Brooke sighed, wishing she could change his opinion about this. For once she just wanted everyone to be happy, and not to be fighting. Her hand raised slowly, without thought, and she brought it to his cheek, caressing the bone softly. He turned back toward her and put his own hand over hers. Brooke in shock at the tender gesture stood frozen for a moment, before slowly pulling her hand away.
"I have something to tell you, Lucas."
"Sure."
"The doctor called. He said it was a false alarm. I'm not pregnant."
Lucas stared at her in shock and backed away. "Oh," he said dazed. Suddenly realizing that he had to be strong for her, he came back closer. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," she nodded, "It's better this way. For now," she added softly as an afterthought. Lucas nodded and without thinking he placed his arms around her. He held her tightly in the hug and Brooke rested her head on his shoulder. After a minute she lifted her head and her eyes met his. She shuddered in his grasp, his arms still around her. Lucas slowly moved his lips closer. Brooke watched anxiously as he came closer until their lips almost touched, but right before they kissed, she jerked out of his grasp.
"Lucas, this isn't… I can't."
He stared at her sadly, but before he could respond a random blonde girl approached him. "Hey Luke, you want to dance," she asked coyly rubbing herself aggressively against him. Lucas stared between this willing girl and Brooke's wounded scared expression. He wanted to take her in his arms, but he really felt that she didn't want him. It hurt him so much and the only thing he could think to do was make her jealous. "Sure," he nodded, letting the girl lead him away, leaving a broken girl behind him with a single tear falling down her face.
--
Haley sat crying in the bathroom. She knew she should have been stronger, but these people were so cruel. She hated herself for being affected this way. She had promised that she wouldn't let anything get between her and Nathan. But she hadn't counted on them being forced apart by his popular friends. She hated that Lucas was right. But it wasn't Nathan that had hurt her. It was everyone around them. She blew her nose and shivered, wishing that he had followed her up. He was probably looking for her, she admitted to herself, but of course it was hard to find someone if they were locked inside a bathroom. A knock came from the door, and shakily Haley stood up to answer it. She pulled it open and saw a comforting looking Jake. He entered slowly, closing the door behind him.
"I saw what happened. I'm so sorry, Haley. You don't deserve that."
"Yeah," Haley nodded timidly.
"Are you okay?" he asked tentatively.
"No," she said half laughing, half crying. He reached out to touch her arm but she shook him away. "Where's Nathan?"
"I haven't seen him. I assume he's looking for you."
"He's obviously not looking very hard," Haley muttered.
"Haley, don't be like that. Don't let a bunch of idiots try to make you feel inferior. You and Nathan are happy, so fuck all the rest of them. Even Lucas. I'll tell you the same thing I told Nathan. You deserve whoever you want, especially if they want you back. And you and Nathan really like each other, so stop thinking about it so much, and just be happy."
Haley smiled. "Thanks Jake. But sometimes it's just too hard. Everything was so much easier when no one knew."
"Secrets usually are," he murmured, "But that doesn't solve anything. Because secrets cause so much pain. We should know that by now."
"Yeah I guess we should," she said standing up, "Look can you tell Nathan I'm going home. I just want to be alone for awhile."
"Are you sure?" he asked standing up as well.
"Yeah," she nodded, "But thanks for everything. Checking on me and all," she shot him a small smile and kissed his cheek. "Thanks Jake."
"Anytime," he smiled back hugging her, "What else are friends for?"
--
Nathan after talking to Jake, and finding out Haley had left, was done with this party. He was pissed at his friends and sick of their clique in general. He just wanted to leave and hold her. But as he was about to walk out the door, he noticed Brooke huddled in a corner a drink firmly attached to her lips. He shook his head, remembering the beginning of the year when the two of them used to get so drunk at parties. But times had changed. Brooke was better than this. And he knew that whatever or whoever (most likely his now asshole of a brother) had made her this way, it was crap. And he was stopping it now.
"Brooke," he said as he sat down next to her.
She looked up at him, clearly already a little tipsy. "Hi Nate! Where's Haley?" Is she okay?"
"No, she went home."
"So why are you here?" Brooke almost shouted, "Go make her feel better."
"I just wanted to talk to you before I left. Are you okay?"
Brooke leaned closer and whispered in his ear, "No," before beginning to laugh loudly.
"Whoa Brooke, calm down," he said and with those words, her buzz immediately seemed to dim. "What's wrong?"
"It's just Lucas. I love him so much, Nathan. But he hurt me so badly. Everyone has. And I don't know how to trust him again. Even though I want to. I really do. But then he goes off and dances with stupid sluts."
"Yeah, I see," Nathan said his blood boiling at his anger at Lucas, and his feelings of protectiveness over Brooke. "Look Brooke, as angry as I am at Lucas over this whole Haley thing, I know that he really loves you. And he misses you like hell. Love isn't a game. If you love him, then don't play around. You have to give back your heart sometime. Otherwise you'll lose it all and only have regret."
"When did you turn out to be the smarter, Scott?" Brooke asked laughing.
"Don't forget handsomer," Nathan teased.
"Well nicer definitely," Brooke added with a smile. "At least better right now."
"Eh Lucas will get there. I think he just needs a certain girl to admit she still loves him and wants him back."
"Fine," Brooke said sighing good-naturedly, "Thanks for everything, Nate. And I want you to know that I forgive you for it all. Really."
Nathan smiled. "That means more than you could ever really know, Brooke."
"Yeah, and also I'm really glad you're with Haley. You two are good for each other."
"Thanks," Nathan said sighing, "I just hope she still feels the same way. Anyways I better go get her. But good luck with Lucas."
"Thanks, Nate, you too."
--
Peyton stared out surveying the party. She was sitting with Jake on a couch in the living room just cuddling but she couldn't concentrate when she saw Brooke's desolate face, and Lucas dancing shamelessly with some slutty girl from school. She couldn't take it anymore. Peyton was sick of them skirting around each other. It was time to take some action, no matter the cost. She stood up abruptly and Jake looked at her confused.
"I'm talking to Lucas," she stated plainly, and he nodded with an amused smile.
Peyton quickly marched over to Lucas and wrenched him free from the girl, earning her a dirty look, of which she did not care a fig. Lucas stared at her bemused, but Peyton stared right back at him, determination shining from her eyes.
"Peyton, what the hell?"
"Lucas, what's wrong with you? Stop being an ass already and go after what you want?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I am talking about Brooke. She's sitting there miserable, and you're dancing with some girl who just wants to get laid. I thought you loved her."
"I do," he protested helplessly, "But she made it clear that she wants nothing to do with me anymore except being casual acquaintances. If even that."
"And you thought the best way to make her want you again was to make her jealous?"
"I guess so," Lucas said shuffling his feet defiantly.
"Lucas, you are so clueless," Peyton laughed, "Brooke loves you, okay? She loves you! And she has through everything, despite what you did. You need to go over there and fight for her. Go, stop being an ass, and sweep her right off her feet and take her back."
"She loves me?" he asked in a small voice.
"Yes, she does! Now go get your girl."
Lucas nodded in a haze, and started to walk toward Brooke. Peyton stood behind him, smiling proudly. Lucas looked back, and Peyton stared at him weirdly. He walked back over and gave her a quick hug. "Thank you for everything," he said, before once again walking off toward Brooke. Peyton laughed as she watched him go. She knew she had partially caused the break-up but now she finally got an opportunity to fix everything and cause the make-up. For once everything felt at peace, and Peyton knew that she had never been happier.