A/N's Here is the next one, it's short because the Chapter 31 jumps right into the day of the boy toy auction and there will be tons going on so it will be a pretty long chapter. But I hope you guys still like this short chapter and don't forget to review, thanks!
It took Haley less than a second to realize what was going on, and she immediately reacted. Pushing her hands onto Felix's broad chest, she pushed him back forcefully as her mouth twisted in anger.
"Hal-"
Pulling her hand back, she slapped him across the cheek in the classic disapproval manner.
Ouch rubbing his hand across his already welted cheek, Felix could only manage an amused grin as he stared at the infuriated beauty in front of him.
"That is it!" Haley fumed, pushing past him. "We are done here Felix!"
Sighing in frustration, he went after her, ignoring the perplexed looks around him. "Haley, wait."
She paid him no heed, and she walked ahead briskly, obviously upset. "Haley!"
Grabbing her by the arm, he swung her around and he stopped, startled when he noticed tears brimming behind her beautiful honey depths. "Hal-"
"No, stop!" She broke from his grasp. "I am through with you constantly humiliating me!"
"I'm sorry, that's not-"
"I don't want to hear it Felix!" She shook her head, blinking away her angry tears. "You know, I really took a chance when I decided to tutor you. Against everything and everyone that told me that I really shouldn't, but I did. I gave you a chance, and for a moment there I thought maybe you weren't so bad. But you proved me wrong! Once again the really smart girl is really stupid."
"I don't think you're-"
"Save it." She replied angrily. "Find yourself someone else to take pity on you, because I am done!"
She moved to walk away and he took a deep breath to keep his growing frustration in check. "You're a coward Haley James."
Stopping, she swiveled back around. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me." It was his turn to get angry, and he took two long strides towards her until he was withing breathing distance. "You're a coward." He hissed, grabbing her by the elbow and bringing her close enough to whisper in her ear. "Because I think the real reason you're mad is because not only did you let me kiss you, but you liked it."
"You are completely delusional!" She cried, pulling away from him. "I did not kiss you back and I sure as hell didn't like it!"
Rolling his eyes, he pulled her flush against him again, and planted another sizzling kiss on her lips before she knew what hit her. Feeling her slightly waver and kiss him back, he couldn't help the satisfied smirk from appearing on his lips.
"You were saying?"
Know that I love you
Know I don't care
Know that I see you
Know I'm not there.
Humming along with the music, Peyton's hand idly ran around her new sketch. Pausing, she looked at it smiling, noting that for what seemed in forever it wasn't her usual dark, gloomy sketch. It made her feel a bit peculiar, but she drew what she felt and Julian had once told her that looking at her drawings was like looking at her soul. And from the looks of her newest sketch, her soul was at peace, her soul was happy.
Letting out a contented sigh, her pencil drew in the witty grin on Julian's face, and her face broke out into a happy smile at the sight.
"Peyton!"
Jumping, startled, she looked on with wide eyes as her best friend stormed into her room, a look of pending indignant rage on his handsome features.
"Lucas! What the-"
"Tell me that you didn't kiss Nathan Scott." He ignored her protest, giving her his infamous sideways glare. "Tell me that it's just a rumor."
Freezing slightly, she gaped at him. "W-what?"
"Peyton!" He exclaimed, taking in the look in her eyes. "Oh, god. It's true isn't it? What...why.."He sputtered, raking his hand through his blonde locks. "What in the world would posses you to kiss Nathan? You know how I feel about him!"
"Who's Nathan?"
At that they both swiveled around, and Peyton gave Julian a helpless look, while her blonde counterpart stood shell-shocked staring at Julian in disbelief. Alternating looks of confusion between his best friend and the other guy in the room, who stood in just a bathroom towel, Luca's angry voice rang out.
"Peyt, what the hell is going on? And what is he doing here?"
Dropping the sketch on her desk, Peyton stood up and went over to Julian. Looking back at her best friend's disbelieving glare, she sighed. "Lucas-"
"No." He shook his head in anger, at the protective stand his best friend had taken next to Julian."Seriously? After everything that he put you through, he returns and just like that you guys are back together? Is he why you've been skipping school?"
"It was one day Lucas, and yes, he's back."
"For how long this time?" He asked in a snotty tone, his mouth twisting up in distaste.
Flinching slightly at that, Peyton looked down at her feet, afraid herself of Julian's answer. Julian, caught between the suddenly guarded look in Peyton's eyes, and the blazing anger in Lucas's eyes didn't know how to answer that. Truth be told, he had put off answering that question to himself since he first made the decision to go to Tree Hill.
Taking a deep breath, Julian reached out for Peyton's hand, bringing her closer to him and Lucas looked away at the sight. "Look, Lucas I really don't know." He admitted, squeezing Peyton's hand for support. "Uh, there is a lot things that I left pending in California, and it was kind of a last minute decision, but I don't regret it. And I know that you're angry with me for the way things ended last time I was here. You have every right to be, and so does Peyton. So am I actually, believe me I regret the way I left, but you have to believe me that it was never my intention to hurt Peyton. And to be honest, it's comforting to know that you care so deeply for her and that you don't want to see her hurt. Believe me man, that's the last thing I'll ever do."Clearing his throat, he sent a soft smile Peyton's way. "I love her Lucas. Hurting her is not an option."
Letting out a sigh, Lucas didn't know if he believed Julian. Seeing him brought forth all the anger from two years ago. He loved Peyton dearly, and she was one of the most important people in his life, his favorite one. His sister. And he would never forget the heartbreak and anger he'd found her drowning in when he came back that summer. It had completely broken his heart to see his girl so utterly broken. And he swore that if he ever saw Julian Baker's face, he would make sure he paid for all the pain he'd caused her. But looking at his best friend just now, so openly vulnerable and dare he say at peace with the mere presence of the same boy who had broken her heart, made Lucas ache on her behalf.
"I'm not happy with this." He finally said, a hint of warning in his voice. "Because after everything that happened, I really don't like you Julian. And I don't trust you." He caught Peyton's pleading look. "But for whatever reason, Peyton really does and for right now, that's enough for me. But I'm warning you man, If I so much as see a tear on her face caused by you, it's your face. And I mean it."
"That won't happen, Lucas." Julian shot Peyton another adoring grin. "I love her, and I'm really happy to be with her again right now. I won't' mess it up this time."
"Whatever, you've been warned." Lucas grumbled, sick of the soft looks the two kept giving each other. "Peyt, I'll see you later at the boy toy auction. And don't think this means that I've forgotten about you and Nathan. We'll leave that talk for later."
"Wait what?" Julian turned to Peyton, a puzzled look on his handsome face once Lucas exited. "What's a boy toy auction and again, who the hell is Nathan?"
"Pushing it are we?" Dan raised an eyebrow as he came into the weight room where Nathan had been bench pressing for the last hour. "Y'know, your arms are going to be dead by next week if you keep this up."
"Yeah, you wish." Nathan let out a huff, pushing for 10 more.
"No. I don't." Dan sighed, looking at his son in slight worry. "I would love for you to break my record Nathan. I just don't think you will."
Setting the weights back into their place, Nathan sat up, his face red with not only exertion but pent up anger. "You would really like that wouldn't you Dad?" He snapped, "But you know what? I will. I know I will and you'll see. And you'll be sorry for even doubting me."
"Yeah, well we'll see about that." Dan snorted, giving a small laugh. "Now, clean up. Dinner's almost ready."
Clenching his teeth together as his father exited, Nathan stood up and went over to his duffel bag. Grabbing a small case, he looked up to make sure his Dad was out of sight and he opened it, grabbing one of the small contents and popping it in his mouth
Yeah, we'll see Dad.
"So..." Lucas cleared his throat, giving Haley an uncertain smile. "You're picking Nathan for the boy toy auction? Is this because of the whole Brooke picking me deal, in order to get back at him?"
"Yes, and no." Haley began, stopping their game of miniature golf by setting aside the putting stick. "I don't mind that Brooke will pick you, honestly. Maybe then, she'll see how completely ridiculous her plan who knows, maybe the two of you will actually become friends." She gave him a bright smile. "But still, I'm going to talk to talk to her tonight and I'm going to tell her that this needs to stop and that she can't just play with people like that. And as for Nathan..." She sighed, and she pushed back her bangs from her eyes. "I just...I miss him. And I know that the two of you don't exactly well, I know your situation is complicated, but I grew up with him Lucas. And the jerk that you know is not really the true Nathan that I grew up with, and consider one of my best friends. Maybe tomorrow, I can finally make things right with him."
"I know you miss him, Haley." Coming up closer to her, he took her hands in his and gazed at her adoringly. "And that's okay, really. I know that despite the history between me and Nathan, and the way he acts, that he still means a lot to you. And I admire you wanting to fix things between the two of you. I hope it really pans out the way you want it to."
"Me, too." She admitted, gazing up at him just as adoringly. "Thank you for understanding, Luke. I really like that about you, you're a really wonderful person and I wish Nathan could see that. Who knows? Maybe after tomorrow I can convince him to give you a chance."
He let out a laugh, but it wasn't mocking. "I really doubt that Hales. But you're so cute for wanting that to happen."
"Cute?" She gasped, and slapped him across the chest, pretending to be offended. "I'll have you know Lucas Scott that stranger things have happened."
"Maybe so, but this one...I don't know." He admitted, smiling as he pulled her in closer. "But I really like that about you. Your beautiful belief that anything is possible. It's truly inspiring."
"Inspiring huh?" She smiled at him coyly, her hand coming to wrap around his neck and her voice coming out in a soft whisper. "You want to know what else is inspiring."
"Uh-huh?" His voice came out in a husky whisper, and his eyes fluttered close as his mouth drew near hers. Wrapping his arms tightly around her waist as their lips came in contact, he didn't hesitate to deepen the kiss, lost in the feel of her against him.
Letting out a small moan, as he pulled her even closer, she let herself lose herself in him, trying to push a nagging feeling to the back of her mind. They stood there for several minutes, their kisses growing more passionately and more frantic by the minute. Finally, unable to keep the nagging feeling away, Haley pushed him away abruptly.
"Lucas, wait."
Staring at her flushed cheeks, he rubbed his lips together, his heart pounding in his chest from their previous heated kiss. "Haley, I'm sorry, I just, when we're together I get carried away but I don't want to make you feel like-"
"No, no, no. It's not that. I have something to tell you." She took a deep breath, her brown eyes usually warm, guarded and her stance nervous. "I...Felix kissed me." She blurted out, wincing at the look on his face. "And I..didn't exactly push him away."
