A/N So honestly I'm not too happy with this next chapter, but I've been gone for so long, that I figured that I had to come up with something. Either way, reviews would be lovely because I cannot stress how much those mean to me.
"Is she going to be okay?"
Turning her attention away from the scene that had just enfolded, Haley couldn't keep the warm smile from lighting up her face as she took in Lucas's concerned expression. Her heart fluttered with affection as she realized that the brooding blonde was actually concerned about her best friend, someone who he basically didn't know at all.
It shouldn't surprise her really. Because that was the kind of guy Lucas Scott was. And she realized it was one of the things she found most endearing about him. His big, kind heart.
"Nathan would never lay a hand on her." she assured him, knowing that thought was the one running through his sensitive mind. "I'd be more worried about him actually." She let out a small laugh, knowing her best friend was not going easy on Nathan at all.
"Yeah, that was quite a stunt he pulled there."
"Brooke's probably giving him hell for it." she continued, but in the next instance her voice dropped several tones. "Being forced to talk to him and just be near him is going to emotionally drain her. Although, I don't think he can do any more damage than what he's already done."
Slipping his hand around her shoulders, Lucas gently hugged her in reassurance, knowing she was concerned on how all of this was affecting her best friend.
She leaned against him gratefully, turning her head to land a soft kiss on his cheek.
His heart fluttered at the simplest of contacts, and he smiled, pulling her in closer, intertwining their hands together as he did so.
Turning towards Peyton, he noticed that she was extremely quiet. She was staring down at her sketchbook, a frown marring her pretty features as her pen tapped against the paper listlessly.
"Hey Peyt what's wrong?"
Snapping her head up she looked in surprise at the blonde couple staring at her in question. "Uh, nothing. Nothing at all." She shot them a weak smile. "I'm actually..not that hungry anymore, I feel a little sick to my stomach actually…" her green orbs avoiding their gaze, particularly Lucas's she gathered her stuff up quickly. "I'll um..see you guys at practice."
Watching her quick and abrupt departure, Lucas felt that same unsettling feeling he'd had when it came to Peyton lately. He knew something was wrong, something was off…but still he couldn't put his finger on it.
Haley also felt that same unsettling feeling. But unlike Lucas, she had a pretty strong instinct on what exactly it was.
Watching the curly blonde make her departure, she let out a long sigh as she realized that the whole Brooke and Nathan drama didn't just involve the two of them anymore.
No, things were beginning to get really complicated and were only bound to turn into a huge, tangled mess.
And she was the only one who could see it coming.
And somebody was bound to get hurt in all of this.
Brooke… Nathan…Jake…Peyton…
Shaking her thoughts away, she curled against Lucas and smiled contentedly to herself as she felt his arm wrap around her.
At least one thing was for certain.
Her and Lucas were a different story.
She was sure of that.
They were starting something beautiful, something unique.
And nothing could get in between that.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? Where the hell do you get off Nathan Scott?" Brooke screamed, thumping her hands angrily against the passenger dashboard. "Let me out right now! Let me out right now or I'll call the cops!"
Cringing against her blows, he desperately tried to block them as he kept his gaze trained at the road ahead of them.
"Oh yeah? And what are they going to do?"
Her mouth dropped open in disbelief, and her arms flailed around him, her fists connecting with his arms and shoulders. "What are they going to do? You're kidnapping me you jackass!"
"I'm not kidnapping you Brooke, and stop hitting me!"
"I'll stop hitting you when you let me out you lying, cheating son of a bitch!"
"I'm not going to let you out okay? I told you, I've had enough of this! We need to talk."
"Well, I believe I've told you that I don't want to talk to you! Time and time again. We're done! Why can't you get that through your fucking head?"
"And why can't you get through your head that we're not? Not until we talk? Damn it Brooke, you have to give me a chance here!"
Whipping her head around to face him, Brooke let out a sound that sounded between a laugh and a sneer.
"You're kidding me right? I have to give you a chance? Are you outta your mind? Seriously? How dare you even ask me that?"
Gritting his teeth together, Nathan tried to keep his eyes focused on the road ahead of them. "I fucked up okay? I know that. But I love you! And I'm sorry! Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
Biting her lip to keep the tears from overflowing her eyes, she looked away. "You cheated on me. With the person I hate the most. Did that mean anything to you at the time?"
When he didn't respond, she slumped down on her seat, allowing the tears to flow freely down her cheek.
"Yeah, I didn't think so."
"Haley!" Jogging breathlessly towards the pretty blonde, Felix stopped as he reached her locker. "Hey."
Grabbing the necessary books, Haley shut her locker as she turned towards the spiky-haired boy. "What do you want?"
"Ouch." He laughed, clutching his chest playfully. "Cold much? Listen, I'm heading towards my Lit class and I was just wondering if you had any last minute advice?"
"Oh, you're taking your test right now? Listen, despite your uh, interesting report, I think we went over the whole book yesterday so I think you'll do okay. Besides, you've got me as your tutor. You should ace that test with no problem. I mean, if I do say so myself I've worked miracles on even the most impossible cases."
He raised an eyebrow as a smile lit up his handsome face. "Arrogant much?"
She rolled her eyes and she shoved him slightly. "Uh hello? I was just kidding."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't catch that." he chuckled. "Seeing as though, I'm slightly challenged and all…"
She couldn't help but laugh as she remembered their first tutoring session.
"Shut up okay?" she smiled, as they made their way down the crowded hall. "I was just teasing you that time. You're not stupid Felix, I mean sure you do some pretty idiotic things but…" pausing at the look on his face, she shook her head and sent him a reassuring smile as they reached his destination. "Good luck on your test. Just remember everything we went over and you'll be okay."
In a move that surprised them both, he reached down and pecked her cheek quickly. "I'll be fine. Thanks for everything Haley."
"Yeah..uh, no problem."
He was about to go into his class, when he looked up and he noticed a certain blonde haired basketball player staring at them from across the hall.
Grinning, he reached down and quickly hugged Haley.
She didn't seem to resist and he smiled down at her before he walked into his classroom.
Oh, this was going to be easier than he thought.
"Are you trying to suck or does it just come naturally?" Tim taunted Lucas as he jogged past him at that afternoon's semi-practice.
Semi because not only were they missing their star basketball player, but because their coach had yet to appear.
"Back off Dim." Rachel drawled as she walked over to the two of them. "If anyone sucks on this court, it's you. And besides, Nathan's not here darling, so you don't get any brownie points for being a dick to Lucas."
"Yeah, nice Rachel. You trying to slum or something?"
Ignoring him, she turned towards Lucas. "So, what's up gorgeous? And not that I'm agreeing with Tim here, but where's your A-game today?"
"Nothing's wrong okay?" he looked up and he found Haley's heated gaze trained on him..and Rachel, who was standing extremely close to him.
But he ignored it, because all he could think about was what he'd witnessed earlier out in the hall.
Sighing deeply, he gripped the ball in his hands and ran across the court, working away his thoughts the only way he knew how.
Sitting on the second to last bleacher, Peyton stared ahead of her at the scarce gym, watching the rest of the cheerleaders and most of the guys on the team milling around after an almost non-existent practice.
She's trying very hard not to mull over her thoughts, but the reminder that not only the star player, but the cheer captain are both missing… together…
Well it's not making it any easier on her already troubled thoughts.
She wished she knew why the showdown at lunch time today bothered her so much. Actually, that's not true. She already kinda knew why it did, she just wished it would go away, not eat at her like the way it was doing right now.
When the hell did things get so complicated in her life anyways?
When the hell did Nathan Scott even begin to matter to her?
She wished she knew why he plagued her thoughts constantly. He shouldn't…
But he did.
Letting out a deep sigh, she propped her chin on her hand as she thought back to the last couple of weeks.
She supposed that given the circumstances and her history with Lucas, she shouldn't be thinking so much of the dreaded, evil half-brother as much as she did.
She supposed she shouldn't be so comfortable with him, that it shouldn't be so easy and so…tempting to be around him. It should be really hard actually. Impossible even.
But it's not.
"You look like you could really use a friend."
Snapping out of her thoughts abruptly, Peyton managed a smile as she looked up at Jake.
"More like a psychiatrist really."
Taking the spot next to her, he shot her a warm smile. "Want to talk about it?"
Biting her lip, Peyton looked away and was quiet for what seemed like forever. Weighing her options, she didn't really know who else she could talk to about this. Lucas was out obviously and so was Haley and she didn't really have any one else to talk to…
Maybe it was out of the overwhelming emotion wanting to set free inside of her…or maybe it was out of relief of finally accepting what was there but she couldn't stop the next words from tumbling out of her lips.
"I think I like him." She blurted out, her eyes widening with surprise as this was the first time she'd actually admitted it out loud. Oh, well. Looks like there was no going back. Once she said the words out loud, it actually made them real.
"Who?"
It seemed like forever, before she actually answered.
"Nathan."
His eyes widened, filled with confusion and she had to give him credit for that. "W-what? Whoa. Are you…you two…"
"No. We're not." she was quick to respond, wanting to bang her head against the wall as she realized that she'd just said something that she could never take back.
"Then..what, I mean-"
"We kissed okay?" she exclaimed, closing her eyes in anguish. "We kissed and…it meant nothing. It was nothing and…God, just forget I ever said anything okay?" Grabbing her stuff quickly, she tried to make her break but he stopped her.
"It's not nothing if it leaves you this affected." He pointed out sensibly.
Faltering slightly, she dropped her stuff as she stared at him. "It didn't hit me till today. How much he loves her. I've seen them kiss before but….I guess I never realized…"
Watching the different emotions play across her face, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder in a friendy and comforting gesture.
"Looks like we're in the same situation. You and me."
"I'm not in love with him."
"Pretty close don't you think?"
Staring straight ahead of her, Peyton was unable to provide an answer for the first time in her life.
So, pretty short chapter I know. And not exactly what I wanted it to be..but the next couple of chapters will be better I promise. Also as a small spoiler, the next 3 chapters will be pretty important, because the story will take off in a new direction…probably not in the way most of you will expect but it should be interesting
Sorry for the lack of Brathan and Laley interaction in this chapter, but I'll make up for that I promise.
Anyways, leave your feedback please!
