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This is a pretty exciting chapter. At least I think so. Please read and review!
It was Friday, and Deb and Dan were packing for a little time away together, to help rekindle their marriage.
"Okay boys. We'll be back sometime Tuesday, probably after you've gone to school, so be good and don't throw a party or you'll both be grounded for a very long time." Deb said, kissing each boy on the head.
"Have fun." Lucas said.
"Are you sure you're okay with us going you two?"
"Of course." Nathan said.
"Yeah, we'll be good." Lucas grinned.
"Stay out of trouble." Dan warned, and they left.
"Alrighty, this should be fun." Nathan said, smiling.
"Why do I get a bad feeling?"
"No idea. Don't worry, there won't be any parties here." Nathan grinned.
"Really?"
"Yeah, we'll just go to the beach house if necessary."
"Oh boy."
"So…did you tell your mom about basketball?"
"No…"
"No? Why not?"
"It was hard enough to tell Whitey, I can't imagine how she will react."
"You have to tell her."
"I know, Nathan." Lucas said, agitated.
"I'm not trying to annoy you with this, I just think its important that you tell her before Whitey does. Then she'll be really pissed."
"Fine."
"I'm sorry. I know this sucks for you." Nathan said, reaching to rub Lucas' shoulder.
Lucas pulled away a little and sighed.
"Look, after the dance tomorrow night, I will tell her."
"Why after the dance?"
"Because otherwise I'll be grounded."
"Nice planning."
"Thank you. So are you sure you don't mind coming alone to the dance?'
"Yeah, yeah. I'll be the 5th wheel or whatever."
"She won't be there." Lucas said gently.
"It wouldn't be so bad if she was."
"No, it wouldn't."
"Nathan! Hurry the hell up we have to go pick up Brooke." Lucas called, adjusting his jacket.
"I'm here." Nathan said, taking a bite from his Pop Tart.
"You're eating now?"
"Why not?"
"I'm sure the girls will complain about crumbs and stuff. Brooke always did with me."
Nathan stuck the other Pop Tart from the package into Lucas' mouth to shut him up.
Lucas took a bite and swallowed.
"Classy."
"That's me." Nathan said.
"Okay let's go."
"Hi Mom." Lucas said when Karen answered the door.
"Hang on a minute!" Brooke called from the bedroom.
"Well don't you two look handsome." Karen said.
"Thanks." Nathan said.
"Thanks Mom."
Brooke came out, wearing a dark green dress. It was very simple, but nice and elegant. Her hair was slightly curled, and she looked beautiful.
"You look amazing." Lucas said.
"Why thank you. You boys don't look half bad yourself."
"Okay, before you go to meet Jake and Peyton, let me take some pictures." Karen said.
She took a few of Lucas and Brooke, one of all three of them, and a few of Nathan and Lucas goofing around. She had some reservations about Lucas' relationship with Nathan, but they obviously cared a lot about each other and were adjusting well to being brothers to each other.
Brooke linked her left arm into Lucas' arm and her right one into Nathan.
"Look at you Brooke, two dates." Karen laughed.
"Yes, Broody and Badass, the hottest brothers in Tree Hill." Brooke grinned.
"I like that." Lucas said.
"I like you." Brooke whispered in his ear.
When they arrived, they met up with Peyton, Jake and a bunch of basketball players and their dates.
Lucas and Brooke walked in hand in hand, but Lucas stopped dead when he saw Haley nervously walking around by herself.
"What is she doing here?" Brooke wondered out loud.
"I have no idea. I'll be right back." Lucas said.
"Hey you." Lucas said.
"Hey…you look great."
"Thanks Hales. As do you. I'm surprised to see you here."
"Thanks. And I kind of came to talk to Nathan." Haley said, nodding her head at Nathan, who was talking to Theresa.
"I think that might be good."
"So have fun with Brooke. You both look great."
"Thanks. Save me a dance." Lucas said.
"I will." Haley smiled.
"Everything okay?" Brooke asked, coming up after Haley had gone after Nathan.
"I think it will be."
"So Broody, let's dance." Brooke said.
"Nathan can I talk to you for a second?" Haley asked quietly.
"Sure…" Nathan said after a moment, and they walked outside.
"I think we need to talk."
"Look, I'm not mad at you anymore really Haley, but I'm still not ready to go back to where we were."
"Nathan, we can't anything about that unless we talk more."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I feel like you're avoiding me."
"Well Haley, maybe I don't necessarily want to talk to you all the time."
"We could start slow, like with tutoring or something."
"Lucas helps me. I'm doing fine in school."
"Fine. Something else then."
"Like what?"
"I don't know Nathan." Haley said, starting to get frustrated.
"I'm not trying to be mean or difficult, I just don't really see the point of forcing something between us that maybe isn't meant to be. I have other things to focus on. My family is finally normal again, and I've been really happy."
"You've become close to your family again."
"Yeah. My parents finally are getting along, my dad and Lucas are getting along, and so I want to be part of that complete family."
"Nathan, you know how your dad is though."
"He's changed. You should see him now with me and Lucas, he doesn't pressure me anymore, he's nice to my mom and is finally a father to Luke."
"Nathan…"
"What Haley? Are you jealous now? Because you aren't the one consistent thing in my life anymore, since you left me months ago? Is it because I am beginning to be able to trust my parents again and I love my brother more than anything in the world?"
"Maybe." Haley said quietly.
"I'm sorry that I am dumping this all on you. When you came back you knew already how I felt, but I also need to be able to tell you myself. I have been avoiding you and putting my focus into other things. And you know what? I've been really happy."
"So you're saying you want nothing to do with me."
"No…I'm just saying that since our friends are pretty much the same, we can still see each other at school and Tric, and go from there." Nathan said.
"Okay. I still love you, you know. I'm willing to wait." Haley said, and left.
"Yeah, I know. Always and forever…" Nathan whispered up to the starry sky.
He walked back into the building and went back to hanging out with Theresa and other cheerleaders, occasionally dancing with them and having fun, but always had the conversation he just had in the back of his mind.
A song ended, and there was a moment of silence before "You and Me" by Lifehouse started playing. It was the final song of the night.
"I love this song." Brooke said, putting her arms around Lucas.
"That's why I requested it." Lucas whispered.
Brooked leaned into him, and they were both lost in the music and each other.
As the song played on, Brooke looked up at Lucas.
"I'm really glad that you waited for me. I was scared at first of what you said, about wanting to be with me. Thank you for giving me time."
"You're welcome."
"I did have feelings for you when you said you wanted to be with me…and now they're even stronger, because I feel like I'm ready to give it another try."
"I won't screw up this time." Lucas said.
"I know you won't, because you waited until my heart was in the right place, and now I know yours is too."
Lucas smiled as he leaned down to kiss Brooke, and the song came to an end. The kiss didn't last long, but it was romantic and sweet.
"Does this mean we're dating?" Lucas said with a smile.
"It means we're dating and taking it slow."
"Sounds good."
Lucas walked with Brooke up to Karen's doorstep and kissed her softly again.
"I would invite you in, but this is technically your house." Brooke teased.
"My mom would love that. Nathan and I should get home, I think he and Haley might have had a fight or something, because she left so quick."
"I was surprised she was there."
"She's trying to make up for her mistakes. I just wish she hadn't left, she must be feeling pretty bad now."
"I can call her if you want."
"That would be great. I hope you don't mind that I was planning on dancing with her at least once."
"Not at all. She's your best friend."
"Yeah. Well, Nathan and I should head home."
"You're a good brother to him, Luke."
"I'm glad I'm getting the chance to be." Lucas said.
"Night Broody."
"Night Cheery." Lucas said, and kissed her one more time.
"So tonight went well." Nathan commented.
"Yeah it did. I see you took my seat."
"I wanted to drive."
"Did you have a good time?"
"For the most part. I finally got to tell Haley what I've been feeling for the past few months, and we agreed to take it step by step."
"I thought you had already come to that conclusion."
"Easier said than done."
"True."
"I'm really happy for you and Brooke. I'm sorry that I was kind of the third wheel at the end there."
"Yeah, having my little brother in the car, very hot." Lucas laughed as Nathan stopped at a red light.
"You bet. It's still good, I hung out with the cheerleaders."
"Nice."
"I'll be okay." Nathan said, turning right.
He had gone a little too soon, a car came from the intersection and collided with their car, sending their car skidding across the street before hitting a pole.
Oh, that's right. I went there.
As always, thank you for reading.