A/N Like I said in the last chapter, this one jumps right into the day of the boy toy auction and there will be a lot going on, so much in fact that I had to break it up into 2 chapters. Hope you guys don't mind, and don't forget to pretty please review!

"So, what happened with you and blondie?" Tim asked, slapping Tyler in the back and winking at him. "Did you hit that or what?"

"Tim, just ask if they hooked up." Nathan rolled his eyes at his friend. They were posted up by the gym, as was per usual first thing in the morning. He was tired and cranky, as he had stayed up an extra 2 hours to squeeze in as much cardio and push ups as he could. The big game was coming up soon, and he couldn't slip if he wanted to beat his father's record. He was already on edge with everything that was going on, and for some reason the thought of Tyler and Peyton was really pissing him off.

"Nah man." Tyler shrugged, trying to downplay the situation. "But it's cool, it was never going to work out anyways."

Tim shook his head at him, dissapointed. "You losing your A-game on me man? If I was you, I would've totally hit that."

"You would sleep with just about anybody." Nathan retorted, annoyed at both of them. He turned his attention back to Tyler. "But yo, Dim is right. What's up with you? Did you not even try?"

"I did try to get at her, and she knows what's up." Tyler admitted. "But lay off man, like I said it was never going to work out. She just likes someone else, it's no big deal."

Nathan's blue eyes shot up to meet his friend's and he was suddenly startled with the intense, almost warning look Tyler shot his way.

"Peyton's beautiful." Tyler continued, his eyes trained on Nathan. "But she's just not for me. She was never interested. I just hope that the guy she does like realizes just what a great girl she is, and doesn't fuck it up."

Nathan narrowed his eyes at him, confused as to the looks he was receiving in turn. Before he could comment, Tim groaned and picked up his backback.

"Yo, why are you going all soft and deep on me? Screw this man, I'm out."

"I'm sure that there was a perfectly good explanation to it all." Peyton began, shifting her backpack on her shoulder and pocketing her keys. "You didn't even hear her out."

Slamming the passenger door shut, Lucas got out and scoffed. "What is there to explain? He kissed her and she let him. Him. The same guy who has been nothing but a jerk from the beggining and who she has secretly been tutoring." He sighed, "She likes him, and there is no way around that. Who am I to stand in the way of what she really wants?"

"Don't you think you're overacting?" Peyton rolled her eyes as they made their way towards the front entrance. "Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss, Lucas."

At that, Lucas's head swiveled around to give her a sideways glare. "No, it's not. A kiss always means something, which reminds me...why the hell did you kiss Nathan? You swore up and down that you didn't like him!"

"I don't!" She swore again, opening up her locker. "How can I even...can we please just not have this conversation?"

"No, uh-uh you're not pushing this one away Peyt." Opening up his own locker, he shoved his books inside. "Explain to me how you go from not knowing the guy, to talking to him, to hanging out with him, to kissing him after telling me time and time again that you didn't like him? When did that change Peyt? When did you start liking him and why?"

"Lucas..." Peyton groaned, already hating the way the conversation had turned. "I don't know okay? I mean it's not like I planned on it, it just...happened. Everything. From talking to hanging out with him. Yes, he's a jerk, but he's got his moments."

"Oh, great." Lucas rolled his eyes, letting out a huff. "This is where you tell me that the whole jerk thing is just a facade and deep down he's really got a heart of gold right?"

"Well, maybe not a heart of gold." She admitted, "But really, he's not that bad. This whole situation with you and him doesn't just affect you and his Dad rides him way too hard if you ask me and then there's the whole thing with Brooke-"

"He brought that upon himself, don't you dare try to justify that."

"I'm not." She argued, defending herself. "I'm just saying, we all make mistakes Lucas and he really does love her."

"Yeah, but he likes you too." He pointed out, not pleased with the thought. "And apparently you like him too."

"I don't like him Lucas!" She all but shouted. "I'm with Julian okay?"

"Keep telling yourself that Peyt." He warned, shutting his locker. "What if Julian hadn't come back? Would you still be saying the same thing?"

"I don't know okay? But it doesn't matter, Julian is back and I love him Lucas. And that's that...anything else doesn't matter."

"Yeah, okay. But I'm not too happy with Julian right now either, after everything that happened he thinks that he can just waltz back into your life and everything is forgiven."

"No, not everything." She sighed, "We are still working on that and-", noticing his attention got diverted, she glanced over her shoulder and noticed a tired-looking,but ever still beautiful Haley James reach her locker across the hall. Glancing over at her best friend, her heart ached on his behalf at the emotions playing across his face.

"Lucas-"

"No, I don't want to talk about her okay? I-I'm...I'll see you later."

Sighing as she watched him make a quick escape, she couldn't help but be concerned. Glancing over her shoulder again, her eyes met Haley's sad ones and she sent her a sympathetic smile and shake of her head. She was no one to judge her, and if anyone could understand kissing someone you weren't supposed to like and feeling confused, it was her.

"So, that didn't last very long." Felix came up behind Haley, putting an arm around her shoulder, startling her. "I hate to say I told you so, but you can do so much better than the bastard son."

Shrugging him off, Haley snapped at him, "Shut up! I don't need you to be here talking to me okay? Haven't you ruined things enough for me already?"

"Oh, please." He scoffed, leaning against the locker next to hers. "Don't be upset doll, better now than later. It would've never worked out."

"You don't know that! And know thanks to you, I may never know."

"Oh c'mon..." He protested. "First of all, you two are way too much alike, you like the same things and after a while it would've gotten boring."

"Have you ever thought that's maybe why I like him so much?" Haley burst out, really upset. "We can talk about literature and we understand each other and...and he's just so nice and he's sweet and I feel really good, amazing when I'm with him and I've ruined it! And I can't even be that upset with you, because I kissed you back and I don't even know why."

Straightening up, he reached for her hand. "Haley-"

"No, don't Felix!" She blinked back the sudden onslaught of tears. "I don't like you okay? And now I've ruined possibly the best thing that's ever happened to me, so I don't want to hear your fake words of sympathy...just...just leave me alone!"

Watching as she slammed her locker shut and stalked off, visibly upset, he ignored the curious glances he was receiving. A strange unknown feeling was spreading across his chest and it wasn't till she was out of sight that he recognized the foreign feeling.

He actually felt bad.

"Oh, hey Brooke."

Exiting the girl's room, Brooke paused as she came face to face with her much-hated nemesis. Glaring at her, she looked her up and down.

"Well, the sweet smile isn't the only fake thing on you right now." She replied haughtily.

"Maybe not." Rachel agreed in the same tone, putting her hands on her hips. "But Nathan sure didn't seem to have a problem with that darling. In fact, if I do say so myself, he uh..quite enjoyed certain fake parts of me."

Clenching her teeth together, Brooke shot her a forced smile. She wasn't going to let the redhead know how much her comments got to her. "I'm sure he didn't and you know apparently you don't have any problems with my leftovers either. You're more than welcome to them by the way."

"Oh, I know." Rachel purred, giving her another infuriating sweet smile. "Which is why I helped myself to seconds this past weekend. Who knew that they taste even better the second time around?"

Brooke opened her mouth and her eyes flashed in anger and for a second the pain that teared at her left her breathless.

"Screw him all you want, bitch." She finally hissed out, trying her hardest to maintain her composure. "But even you know how pathetic it is that while you're screwing him, it's me he's really thinking of."

"Keep telling yourself that Brookie. Because your name was not the one he was purring in my ear." Grinning in satisfaction at the flash of pain that went across her face, she pushed past her and went into the girl's room. Mission accomplished.

Reaching for the door handle for balance, she had a hard time regaining her breath. Blinking back tears, she stared spitefully at Nathan whom she suddenly spotted across the hall. Turning around she quickly made her way in the opposite direction, running directly into a hard body.

"Whoa, hey there..."

Recognizing Lucas's voice, she blinked up at him and he frowned, noticing the tears that were suddenly running down her face, like a dam had burst. Not saying another word, he wrapped his arms around her tentatively and she hugged him back tightly, gratefully. She ignored the curious looks she was receiving as she let her emotions empty out on Lucas's warm shoulder.

And he ignored the glare that Nathan was shooting him from across the hall.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite president." Nathan grinned as he spotted Peyton out by her usual spot during their free period. Dropping his backpack on the table, he sat across from her.

Peyton dropped her pencil in a huff, and her green eyes shot up to meet Nathan's in annoyance. She had thought that by now he had gotten the clue. In fact, he had done a pretty good job of staying away from her so far, so why start now again? He was only going to complicate her life more, of that she was sure.

"What do you want Scott?"

"Hostile much?" He grinned, reaching across and pulling on one of her curls in an all too familiar way. "Is that how you always greet those you like?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" She asked, narrowing her beautiful green depths at him.

"I know you like me Sawyer, no point in denying it now."

"What?" She sat up straight, now looking at him confused. "Whatever the hell gave you that idea? Listen, hot-shot I don't like you. I never have and the only reason I ever hung out with you was out of sympathy okay? That and maybe thinking that you were an almost decent human being. But I was wrong."

"Is that so?"

Glancing back at him, she was suddenly startled by the strange and intense look she was receiving in turn. But before she could say anything, he leaned forward and planted a kiss on her lips. Her mind went blank, and it was a short one, probably the shortest one she had ever received, but her heart halted in her chest and she felt almost dizzy when he pulled away. Confused, she stared at him at a loss and he gave her that infuriating smirk, "Nathan! What the hell?"

"Just proving your theory Sawyer." His grin deepened at the flustered look on her pretty face. "I think you were saying something about you not liking me and only talking to me out of sympathy or something like that."

"That doesn't give you the right to kiss me you asshole! I don't like you, and us ever talking was a huge mistake and not only that but I have a-"

Placing his hand on the table for leverage, he leaned forward once again and cut her off with another kiss. This time, his hand curled around her neck and he deepened it, letting his tongue intertwine with hers, before he pulled away, breathless.

"Yeah, guess what? I still don't believe you." There was that infuriating smirk again. "I'll see you around, Sawyer."

Staring aghast at his disappearing form, her mind tried to quickly wrap around what had just happened. She cursed him in her mind, but more so she cursed her reaction to his kiss. Groaning, she held her head in her hands. What the hell had just happened and what was she going to do now? How could she possibly explain this to Julian?

"Hey handsome." Brooke sing-songed, practically beaming when she noticed her childhood friend sitting by himself. Throwing her lunch on the table, she plopped next to him, leaning in to plant a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Hey Brooke." He grinned back, his heart rate increasing as it always did when she was in close proximity. A warm feeling spread across his chest at her simple gesture, and even more so, when she leaned closer.

"I've been looking everywhere for you today, and I even texted you." She snapped open her diet coke and took a sip, narrowing her eyes at him playfully. "Have you been avoiding me?"

"Never, I don't think that's even possible." He chuckled, pulling out his phone and looking at it. "But some of us actually come here to learn something." He teased her, receiving a playful shove in return. "Now, what's with the 911 text?"

"You would not believe the day I've had so far Jakey!" She let out a puff of annoyance. "First of all, Bitchtoria hasn't stopped harping on and on about the stupid Charity Ball this Saturday which I sooo do not want to go to. I mean, me and Nathan? Ugh, can you say awkward? And on top of that, this morning that stupid bitch Rachel-"

"Can this day be over already?" Haley groaned, throwing her lunch on the table in exasperation. "Boy, am I glad to see you two, you guys would not believe the day I've had!"

Brooke narrowed her eyes at her best friend, annoyed that she had been cut off mid-rant. "It's hard enough to be me Tutor Girl without having to deal with someone else's problems."

Haley blinked at her in surprise and she exhaled, "Gee, thanks Brooke! You're an amazing best friend, anyone ever tell you that?"

"Well, just thought I'd return the favor." The brunette replied sweetly and the two girls glared at each other. Jake shook his head and tried not to laugh as he turned to Haley. "Okay Hales, I know you need to unload, but Brooke here was first so-"

"You would choose her side." Haley interrupted him, smiling at him innocently and Jake groaned, shooting her a dirty look. Before Brooke could pick up on that, the blonde turned towards her. "Okay, I'm sorry, Jake is right but I swear if this is about Nathan again, I've already heard it all."

"Excuse me, but not all my problems revolve around that jerk." She replied haughtily. At the incredulous look they were both giving her, she rolled her eyes and glared at them. "Fine." She snapped, "Okay, so as I was saying, before I got rudely interrupted, Bitchtoria won't stop pestering me about the Charity Ball this Saturday and I've about had it! The last thing I feel like doing is spending an entire evening on the arm of that lying, cheating, smug, bastard, son of a-"

"Okay, okay, we get it." Jake chuckled, sharing an amused glance with Haley. "So if you don't want to go, don't."

"Oh, if only it was that easy Jake." Brooke sighed in a dramatic matter. "You two just don't understand the perils of being rich, this is not something I can just skip out on. Not if I want to keep my sweet and precious credit cards. And really, the only way I could escape was if I suddenly got kidnapped or something..." Her face brightened into a mischievous grin and she turned to Jake. "Wait, that's it!"

Jake held up his hands in mock protest. "No, no way Brooke. As much as I love your company-"

"Well, there goes that idea." She sighed in mock dramatics. "Any ideas tutor girl?"

"None, sorry."

"You guys are no help." She pouted, "But anyways that's not the worst of my worries. This morning Rachel rubbed it in my face that she slept with Nathan again."

At this both Jake and Haley turned to her in surprise and concern.

"He didn't." Haley sighed unhappily. "I can't believe him. After everything, you would think that he would know better."

"It doesn't bother me." Brooke replied, a little too quickly. She ignored their knowing glances. "We're over and he can do whatever or whoever he wants. But you know what does bother me? Is that slut rubbing it in my face, so I have something for her."

Turning to Haley, she said. "I need you to bid for Nathan tonight."

"I was already going to do so."

Pausing, Brooke raised surprised, and almost suspicious eyes to her. "Really? Well that's news to me and why is that?"

"Brooke..." Haley sighed, "Look I'm glad you've given me another chance, and I just...I know you won't understand this, but I really need Nathan to do the same."

"Fine, whatever." Brooke quickly brushed it aside. "The whole point is for you to bid for him since I'm bidding for Lucas, and that way Rachel doesn't get Nathan either."

"Brooke, why do you even care so much?"

"It has nothing to do with Nathan." Brooke lied, knowing that they wouldn't believe her anyways. "It has more to do with that scarlet slut and her rubbing it in my face and her thinking she has one-upped me."

Jake shook his head at Brooke's logic but he let it go. "Well..." he began, sending them both an innocent smile. "If Brooke is bidding for Lucas and Haley is bidding for Nathan...then who is going to bid on poor little ole me?"

"Oh Jakey..." Brooke grinned at him, planting a sudden sweet kiss on his cheek. "You have nothing to worry about, whoever bids on you will be the luckiest girl tonight."

Passing through their table, totally unnoticed and having heard their entire conversation, Rachel grinned to herself. Setting her food down a couple of tables away from them, but still in perfect view, she couldn't help but throw Brooke a satisfied and smug grin. Chuckling at the way the brunette narrowed her eyes at her, Rachel couldn't help but stew in self-gloat.

You have two things coming at you tonight and you don't even know it, Brooke.

Pulling her cellphone out, she dialed a familiar number as her new plans began to formulate.