A/N: Hey guys, just want to say thanks again for reading my story. It means a lot and to all the reviewers, thank you so much for the feedback. I love knowing what you think, whether it's good or bad.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of its characters.

"Hey," Peyton said glumly, plopping down on one of the stools at the counter of Karen's Café.

"Hi," Haley greeted as she wiped down the counter top. "I thought you were hanging out with Brooke tonight."

Peyton frowned. She'd come straight from Brooke's to the café and she was still upset over what had transpired. Why couldn't her best friend understand her decision? Or at least respect it. "I was," she responded dully. "Long story."

"Everything ok?"

"It would be if my best friend would quit playing Cupid already."

Haley's brows rose in wonder. She didn't know much about Brooke Davis except what she'd heard, but she'd always thought of her as one of the snobbiest, shallowest people in school. Then again, her recent friendship with Peyton had taught her not to draw conclusions so quickly. After all, until a few weeks ago, she'd thought the same of the blonde. But still, she was trying to set her up when she'd only broken up with her boyfriend three days ago? "Wow," she said. "That'd be…fast."

Peyton shrugged her shoulders. "Not really. Kinda standard for us, actually. Believe it or not, I once took him back after an hour."

For a split second Haley stood confused, but it quickly hit her what Peyton meant. "Oh, so she's trying to get you back with Nathan."

"Yeah," Peyton answered with a chuckle. "She always does. I know she means well and everything, but I just wish she'd see things my way sometime."

Haley was silent, just listening.

"So, you thought she was trying to hook me up with someone new?" Peyton asked knowingly.

Haley nodded in confirmation, but kept quiet.

"That would be fast," Peyton agreed. "And definitely not on my agenda. I'm done with relationships – done putting all my efforts into trusting a guy, who I never should have trusted in the first place, and focusing on trusting myself."

"That's good," Haley said encouragingly. "But, you know, not all guys are like Nathan."

Peyton gave her a sardonic smile. "Self-centered, egotistical jackasses?"

"Oh well, if you put that way, they're all like him," Haley said with a girlish giggle.

"Now we're talking," Peyton joked back, her temper cooling drastically in the easygoing brunette's company.

"Mind you my experience is limited to brothers and friends but I imagine boyfriends fall into the same category, being male and all."

"What, you mean…?"

"I've never actually had a boyfriend."

"Why not? Don't want one?" Peyton asked curiously, before catching herself. "Oh, I'm sorry, that's totally none of my business."

"Peyton," Haley chided gently. "I know we haven't been friends long, but I think we're past the stage of worrying about saying the wrong thing. If I don't want to answer a question, I'll say so. Ok?"

"Got ya," Peyton replied. "So then, why haven't you ever had a boyfriend?" she repeated with a smirk.

"I don't want to answer that question," Haley came back with. "No, seriously, I just haven't found anyone I want to date yet."

Peyton nodded in understanding. "So, does that mean you're a…?"

"Virgin?" Haley said for her, amused that Peyton still hesitated to pose the question when she'd just told she didn't have to. "Yeah."

"Good for you," Peyton answered with another nod of her head. "I was too up until six months ago."

"Really?"

Peyton quirked an eyebrow at the obvious astonishment in the brunette's tone. "Yes. Why so surprised? Did you peg me for a slut on top of a snobby bitch?" she asked in amusement.

"No, no," Haley replied quickly. "No, of course not. I just thought you and Nathan dated longer than that."

"We did," Peyton told her. "A few more weeks, it would have been a year."

"Oh. I…I just…"

Peyton smiled knowingly, figuring she knew the cause of Haley's confusion. "Can't picture Nathan Scott waiting five or six months for some action with his girlfriend?"

"Oh, I don't want to judge…"

"Haley," Peyton admonished. "We're past that stage," she said, throwing back Haley's words. "You're not judging. We're just two friends talking."

"Ok, well then, no. He doesn't strike me as the type of guy to wait patiently until the girl is ready."

"Oh, I never said he was patient," Peyton chuckled in response. "I mean, he didn't like it. He got a little pushy sometimes and…frustrated, but I set him straight," she boasted.

Haley could just imagine. Judging by the way she'd handled Nathan in the tutor center that day, she knew Peyton was one tough chick.

"It's not like he did without in that time anyway," Peyton continued. "There's never been a shortage of skanks all too willing to fulfill his every desire," she grumbled.

Haley looked at her friend, unsure of how to respond. "Well, now you don't have to worry about that," she went with.

"Right," Peyton agreed. "Not my problem anymore. He can do whatever…and whoever he pleases. I don't care," she stated firmly. "So, what about you?" she asked before Haley could respond. "I was under the impression that you and Luke were together."

"No!" Haley retorted with a scowl. "Gosh, no. We grew up together. He's like…one of my brothers."

"Oh, ok, I just wondered cuz Damien mentioned…"

"Yeah," Haley said blushing a deep red. "I kinda told him Luke and I were a couple," she admitted sheepishly. "He kept hitting on me…"

"You too?" Peyton exclaimed. "Geez, even my creepy, somewhat stalker can't be faithful to me," she joked.

Haley chuckled at the comment. "I take it he's hit on you too?"

"Oh wow, you wouldn't believe how many times."

"Trust me, I would," Haley contradicted. "I had to quit tutoring him because he wouldn't let up. He was totally creeping me out and I just couldn't handle it anymore. And Luke, he just about had a fit when I told him about it."

"Hence the fight when Damien was talking smack."

"Actually, I don't even know what he said, but I knew it had to be bad for Luke to go after him like that. He's never been one to pick a fight. But he won't tell me what was said."

"Damien pretty much just implied, in a not so subtle way, that the two of you were getting it on," Peyton revealed.

"I figured it was something like that. It takes a lot to make Luke mad enough to fight," Haley said. "So, question – how come Nathan still hangs out with Damien after making moves on you?"

"I never told him," Peyton admitted. "I knew he'd go crazy so, I don't know, I just decided it would be better not to say anything to him."

"Well, considering what he did to Luke, I can't say I blame you. And Damien needs to count his lucky stars."

"He does," Peyton agreed. "Nathan would probably knock him out cold if he knew."

Haley put her elbows on the counter and rested her chin in her hands. "That might actually be worth seeing," she said. "You should totally tell him."

Both girls broke out into laughter at the idea. "Hey," they heard from beside them. "Is this what my mom pays you for?"

"Hey, Luke," the girls said in greeting.

"And you," he directed to Peyton. "Distracting the employees?"

"Sue me," she said lightly. "Haley, what were we talking about?" she said, deliberately turning away from Lucas.

"Men," Haley answered, playing along.

"Right, what jackasses they are."

"Hey," Lucas called out. "I object."

"Overruled," both Peyton and Haley said in unison.

"I have a feeling I'm not gonna like you having female friends," Lucas joked with Haley.

"Why not?" Peyton asked in amusement. "Afraid we'll gang up on ya?"

"Well yeah," he admitted with a grin.

"We were right, Peyton," Haley said. "Guy equals totally self-centered."

"And egotistical," Peyton reminded her.

"Right, and oh, temperamental."

"Idiotic."

"Arrogant."

"Jerk."

"Ok, I'm just gonna go sit over there," Lucas said, indicating a particular direction to his right. "In the corner," he added when neither girl responded or made a move to stop him. "All by myself," he continued. He crossed his arms when they still didn't act. "Ok well," Lucas said in a pay back tone. "Girl equals…mean," he said, mumbling the last word.

Both girls laughed at him. "Dude, is that the best ya got?" Peyton asked.

Lucas smiled sheepishly. "It really is," he said, hanging his head in defeat.

"Well, that was an easy victory," Haley said.

"Too easy," Peyton commented. "Kinda takes all the fun out of male bashing when the guy's too nice to bash back."

"Oh, so now you're calling me ugly too?" Lucas teased.

"What? When did I…?"

"Come on now. Everyone knows nice is code for ugly."

"Hmm," Haley snorted. "I think somebody's fishing for a compliment."

"And yet nothing's biting," Luke kidded.

"Ok, I'll tell you what," Peyton replied. "You look a lot better than you did a few weeks ago."

"Well, if that's what passes for a compliment in your eyes, then thank you."

Peyton laughed with him but her expression soon turned serious. "Really though, everything seems to be healing well." She reached out and gently touched what used to be the deep gash above his brow, but was now just a dark red line. "This one might scar though." All the other marks were white or nearly completely faded. Only that one remained.

Lucas's heart thumped wildly in his chest upon the simplest of touches. He only hoped she couldn't tell how much the small gesture had affected him.

"When does the cast come off?" she asked, apparently having not noticed anything strange in his behavior.

"Uh, next week maybe," he answered. "The doctor said something about another x-ray and if it's healed properly, then it's good riddance."

"That's good," Peyton said earnestly. "But you know what that means?"

"No, what?" he asked in confusion.

"I'm gonna have to bring my markers to school tomorrow and fancy this thing up a bit. I mean, I see you got a ton of signatures, but you need some designs."

"Designs?"

"Yeah, colorful designs."

"Colorful?"

Haley rolled her eyes. Her best friend seemed to be stuck on repeat.

"Don't look so petrified," Peyton teased. "I do this for all my friends. It's like my Peyton Sawyer trademark. No friend of mine gets stuck with an ugly, dreary cast."

"But it's coming off soon," he reminded her reasonably.

"Which is why I need to get a move on it," Peyton insisted. "I promise it'll look good, so you don't have to worry."

Lucas smiled at her and agreed. "Tomorrow then."

Peyton nodded, returning the smile.

"So, have you eaten yet?" Lucas asked.

Peyton shook her head, indicating she hadn't.

"Why don't we get a table and I'll buy you dinner before the rush starts?"

"I'll buy my own dinner, but I'll take you up on the company."

"Deal," Lucas replied. He didn't mind paying for her, but he could see she'd be uncomfortable with it."

"Ok," Peyton said. "Haley, you want to hang out at the end of your shift?"

"Sorry, I'm here until 10:00 and then I have a test to study for. But my calendar's free tomorrow."

"Cool," Peyton said. She turned to Luke. "After you."

"Ladies first," he gestured grandly, making her roll her eyes, but nonetheless go ahead of him.

"Luke," Haley called him back.

Lucas took the few steps back to the counter and gazed at his best friend in wonder.

"She just broke up with her boyfriend, like three days ago."

"Yeah? So?"

"So, she's not ready to move on."

"I don't expect her to be."

"Then what's all this?"

"All what? Dinner? Hales, it's sharing a meal with a friend."

"As long as you keep in mind that friendship is all she's looking for right now."

"I know," he acknowledged.

"Ok, good. Look, just don't…don't get your hopes up."

"I won't," he assured her before walking away toward the table Peyton was already seated at.

But Haley watched him go, knowing full well he would.

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The next day at lunch, Nathan sat at his usual place, staring off across the quad and grimacing as Peyton drew something on Lucas's cast.

"What happened to your face?"

He didn't answer, just continued to stare.

"She's not with him, you know. They're just friends."

"Don't fucking talk to me, Brooke!" he spat, still mad about yesterday.

Brooke sighed and took a bite of her fruit salad, while the others in the group eyed each other questioningly, wondering what had happened.

"I was just saying her and Lucas aren't…"

"I heard what you said," he snapped. "Did you hear what I said?"

"So, that's it?" Brooke asked him. "Years of friendship brought down over a misunderstanding?"

Nathan sneered and turned his angry glare at her. "You invited me over and then shut the door in my face. How's that a misunderstanding?"

"I mean the part about helping you get Peyton back. I never should have gotten involved."

"Then don't! I don't need your help. I'll get her back on my own."

He went back to watching, but when he saw Peyton throw her head back in laughter at whatever Lucas had just said, he picked up his bag and headed toward the gym, knowing that if he watched any longer he'd be pounding Lucas to the ground again.

––––––––––––––––––––

"So, how's the tutoring going?" Peyton asked Mouth after finishing her artwork on Luke's cast. "You're tutoring Nathan, right?" she questioned when Mouth didn't reply right away. "How's that going?"

"Umm, some days are better than others," Mouth replied, remembering the foul mood both Nathan and Dan had been in yesterday.

Nathan had arrived ten minutes late, already fuming about something and it had only gotten worse when Dan had laid into him. It was week three of their tutoring sessions and before yesterday, Nathan's moods seemed to fluctuate from day to day. Some days he was fine, friendly even, and others he was irritable, like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. The same went for Dan.

But yesterday had been the worst Mouth had seen it. Father and son had gotten into a shouting match so intense that it had ended with Dan's backhand across Nathan's cheek. The blow had been hard enough to send Nathan flying across the room. Then Dan had picked his son up off the floor by the shirt and pretty much thrown him into the chair beside Mouth, and demanded he get to work.

Flashback

Nathan sat sulking, angrier than ever. And not only angry, but humiliated at having his father hit him in front of an audience. Yeah it was just one person, but still, he'd never done that before…not even at his angriest.

"Tell anyone about this and you're fucking dead," Nathan muttered under his breath to Mouth, glaring daggers at him as though he were to blame for it all.

And then Dan was yelling at him again, asking if he was mouthing off some more.

"No," Nathan hollered back. "I wasn't even talking to you."

"Watch it!" Dan warned, pointing a finger at him. "Go ahead and start the lesson," he said to Mouth.

"Ok, well," Mouth began, still shaky from what had just transpired. "I looked over your English essay." He pulled out the sheet. "And it's pretty good. Guaranteed 'C'."

Nathan just nodded without a word.

"But," Mouth continued, instinctively getting into tutor mode. "This is potentially an 'A'," he said almost proudly. "All it would take would be to fix a few grammatical errors, run a spell check…"

"Hold it," Dan interrupted. "You say it's a 'C'?"

"As it is, it's an easy 'C', yeah."

"Well, that's all he needs. Forget the 'A' nonsense, he's got a 'C', move on to the next subject. The sooner he's back on the court, the better. That's where his strength is. Basketball."

"You don't think I can do it," Nathan accused sharply.

"I know you can't," Dan replied in the same tone. "What you think you can go from failing to straight 'A's'? Give me a break. Stick to what you're good at. You think you're Lucas or something? Well, you're not. Not everyone can be an honor student."

"I'm not trying to be Lucas. Why would I? He's a loser."

"Then move on to the next subject. Get your 'C's' so you can get back on the team."

Nathan turned back around in his chair. "You heard him," he mumbled irritably. " Let's move on."

End of Flashback

"He gets pretty moody, huh?" Peyton said knowingly.

"Yeah, sometimes," Mouth told her. "But he's a lot smarter than he thinks he is. If I can get him interested, he catches on to stuff really quickly."

"That's tricky in itself," Peyton joked. "He's never been much interested in school. It's always basketball."

"His dad too."

"Oh yeah, his dad's all basketball. He's kind of an ass sometimes."

–––––––––––––––––––––––––

"Are you still mad at me?" Nathan asked Peyton by her locker after school.

"I'm not mad at you, Nathan," she replied. "We're just done." She shook her head at the bruise on his cheek. She could only assume he'd been in another fight.

"Can't we just talk, Peyton? I miss you."

"Don't. I don't want to hear that."

He looked to the ground then back up. Her voice was so cold, he could barely stand it. "Peyt, I need to be with you. Please.

"Stop it, ok. It's really over. Get that through your head."

He watched her walk away and sighed as he leaned back against the locker, hating how final she sounded. He knew he should accept it, because she obviously meant it, but he just couldn't.

A/N: Ok, so to all of you who are loving Dan, I'm so sorry to bring back his violent nature. But, like Nathan, he has anger issues. He can't be perfect right? LOL. I hope you still like it anyway.