Hello all, here's the next chapter. Reviews would be greatly appreciated ;)

They were enthralled in a passionate make out. Her arms tightly wound around his neck and his arms encircling her waist closing any distance between them. His fingers ran up and down her back and to her hips slowly as if trying to memorize her as his lips ran down her neck leaving hot wet kisses in his trail. Brooke let out a soft moan as she angled her neck to give him further access. The sound is one he is all too familiar with and though it hasn't been that long since the last time they were together this intimately, it also feels like forever ago when he had the glorious luxury of having her in his arms. Slowly, he pulled back reluctantly, his forehead pressing against hers, a question in his lust hooded eyes. He loved her, he needed her but he also needed her to be sure. That this was real and it wasn't a slip up on her part, a moment of alcohol induced weakness.

"I'm sure." She whispered, reading the question in his eyes. She bit her lip and doesn't break his intense stare as she slowly pushes the delicate strips of her dress down her shoulders and reaches behind her to unzip her gown letting it fall to the floor. She shivers as she sees the passion darken his beautiful blue eyes as they roam down her body. She reaches over to him slowly unbuttoning the silk shirt underneath his tux and pushes it off his shoulders.

"Brooke…" He whispers, reaching out to caress her cheek softly, swallowing past the lump in his throat. She shakes her head at him and presses a delicate finger to his lip. Not trusting herself to speak she closes her eyes as she can already feel the prickling sensation of tears. Instead, she focuses on placing kisses down his exposed toned chest, her hand resting over his heart. Her head had cleared from the pleasant buzz of alcohol the moment he had kissed her back in the limo. She was intoxicated by his touch and his kiss and she would not deny this between them any longer. She silenced the nagging voice in the back of her head screaming at her to slow it down and tell him what had been weighing on her mind since the boy toy auction. She knew it was selfish and it was unfair to him but she was acting on pure raw emotion at the moment. The rest would come later, and she would allow herself this one night to give in to her heart's desire.

Nathan let out a low grunt from the back of his throat as he felt her warm, mouth kiss lower and lower down his body. He felt her hand undo his zipper and cup him and his eyes flew open staring down at her. For a moment he is taken aback by the glint of tears in her eyes. But before he could comment on it, she pulled him towards her fusing her lips to him hotly and desperately.

Wrapping his arms around her waist tightly, he kisses her back with a ferocity and desperation that sets her entire body on fire. She feels him walking her backwards to the edge of her bed and they fall on it, a pair of entangled passion fueled limbs.


"I'm eighteen years old Mom." Julian let out a long breath rubbing his forehead, wishing he had just let the call go to voicemail. "You and Dad no longer have the right to make dictate anything I do. I need to live my own life and make my own choices and not what Dad or you want me to do."

"So that's what this is about? One last attempt at rebelling against authority. You know Julian, I never was fond of that devil-may-care James Dean imitation attitude you had going on. Your father seems to think you've run back to that Podunk little town with that girl."

"Well tell Dad he couldn't be more wrong. Look it doesn't matter where I am, what matters is I'm not going back to California."

"Well I sure am glad to hear that at least you're not wasting your time with that girl in that quaint town." Her tone dripped disdain. "I'm sure your Father will be pleased to hear that as well."

He gritted his teeth and clenched his jaw. He was not ignorant to the general contempt his parents had for anything or anyone they deemed to be beneath them. As an only child, money was never an issue and he could have anything and everything he ever asked for. But he grew to hate the lavish parties his parents threw, the expensive gifts, the ridiculous extravagant trips. And by the time he was a teenager, he grew to immensely dislike the way they wanted him to behave and so he rebelled. It had brought upon many arguments with his Father specifically. As his own personal form of setting him straight, he had brought him along that fateful Summer to Tree Hill. To show him just how good he had it and that if he didn't correct his behavior he would end up in a low life town like Tree Hill. It had backfired on him miserably as Julian fell in love with the small town. The quaint magical warmth the town held. His father's punishment had turned into the most beautiful magical Summer of his life when he met Peyton Sawyer. It killed him to not be able to lash out like he wanted to and tell them just where they could stick their opinions.

"Well Mother as pleasant as this conversation was, I really do have to go. I'm late for my shift at the local carwash."

"What?!" She screeched on the other end. "Julian, what in the-"

He didn't let her finish her sentence as he disconnected the call and burst out laughing. He would give anything to see the horrified look on his mother's face right about now.


Feel this..can you feel this..my heart beating out of my chest.." Haley crooned softly, strumming her guitar. "Salvation under my breath.."

She sighed as she put her guitar down and quicky wrote the words down on the notebook she had beside her. She chewed on her lower lip as she shifted on her bed and stared out her window. Try as she might, the distraction and comfort that playing on her guitar always brought her, she was feeling troubled. Her phone beeped on her nightstand alerting her she had unread text messages but she ignored it. She knew it was Felix asking about meeting up tomorrow morning for a tutoring session. When she first agreed to tutor him she had firmly made a schedule that aligned with his upcoming assignments and tests. For that reason, she was both annoyed and wary as to why he was insisting they meet up tomorrow.

Is there even a small part of you that maybe feels something for the guy?

You mean besides disgust?

Her and Jake's conversation earlier that day nagged at her, and the boy in question wasn't making matters any easier with his constant text messages. How could she possibly feel anything for the guy who had made it his mission to create issues between her and Lucas? At first, she had chalked it up to him simply being bored and his need to create drama. She remembered when he first moved to Tree Hill and how he had intended to do the same between Nathan and Brooke that resulted in an angry Nathan Scott punching him straight in the face. A smile broke out on her face as she remembered the black and swollen eye Felix had sported for almost a week. Remembering his constant pursuance and flirtation with Brooke even after that incident left her baffled as to why he had switched his interest to her. She and her best friend were like night and day.

Any guy loves a good challenge. You're pretty and popular and on the cheerleading squad and you're smart. Smart enough to be intimidating and smart enough not to fall for the type of bull that guys like Felix give. And he knows that. He knows that girls like you don't go for guys like him.

Nathan's words from months ago at the back-to-school party he had thrown at his beach house rang out in her memory. She remembered being perplexed that Felix had taken an interest in her that night. Quite honestly she never expected it to turn into anything more past that. Figuring he would quickly realize she was not interested and move on to his next conquest, she had brushed him off her radar. Especially when the following party he had gotten drunk and humiliated her. She had figured that would be the end of that, but now with the whole tutoring arrangement and the kissing incident that created the issues between her and Lucas, it seemed like he seemed even more inclined to disrupt her peace.

She picked up her phone and scanned it quickly. Still no messages from Lucas or even Brooke. She had expected Brooke to at least send her a message here and there complaining about the charity ball or something considering she was at that pretentious event with Nathan and the likes of Rachel. Which was another thing that was plaguing her thoughts. Brooke had seemed distant the last couple of days. Not that she was necessarily avoiding her but she had appeared sad and not her usually bubbly self since the boy toy auction. When she asked her about it, she had just said she was extremely hungover and dreading the Charity ball, but coupled that with Lucas missing school and not answering her calls…

Something was begging in her heart, screaming out to take notice. That something was off.

Quickly brushing it aside, she lingered over Felix's last message.

See you tomorrow by the docks?

She figured why not? Going over math equations would certainly be better than staying home and drowning in her thoughts and mulling over the past few days.

10:30 sharp, don't be late. Oh, and bring coffee and donuts.


"What do you want Rachel?" The other voice practically barked on the other end. "I played the part you wanted me to play so why are you still calling me?"

"Someone is not having a good night now is he?" Rachel laughed, twirling the champagne flute in her hand. "Can't a girl just call to check in on her favorite bartender?"

"Not you, you always have something up your sleeve. I'm not doing you any more favors. If anyone ever finds out what we did do you know how much trouble we can get in? Now, you're pretty and all but I am not going to jail or going down for one of your stupid schemes."

"Chill Jason, nobody is going to jail."

"I don't know why I even agreed to this in the first place. What the hell was I thinking? Oh yeah, I was thinking that I owed your parents for all they did for me when I first moved to Tree Hill and was broke and on the street. But this? No way, that's low even for you. What did this girl ever do to you anyways? She seemed like a really nice girl, and she's beautiful. Is that it? Jealousy? She steal your boyfriend or something?"

"My reasons don't concern you." She snapped, instant rage coursing through her body at his last comment and his laughter echoing in her ear. "All that should be concerning you is the nice little envelope full of the money you so desperately need. I doubt you're taking in much working at Penelope's considering your bartending skills at my family's events were always subpar."

"You really are a bitch aren't you?"

"Yes I am and you should take that as a fair warning to keep your damn mouth shut about this you hear me?" When she heard him muttering darkly on the other end, she continued. "Now listen carefully, this is what I need you to do next."

"You're out of your fucking mind! I'm not doing anything else. That was a one time deal ice princess."

Rachel gritted her teeth and rolled her eyes the ceiling slowly counting to 10 in her head to reign in her growing anger. She almost, almost wanted to tell him to just go fuck himself but then she remembered how cozy Nathan and Brooke seemed after they left the Charity ball. Normally this would've pissed her off, but knowing what she did now it made her almost gleeful. Let them have their sweet little reunion. The longer it went on the better the fall out would be once Nathan and Haley found out about Brooke and Lucas's betrayal. She was going to just sit back and wait for the inevitable explosion and unbeknownst to them, they would never know she was pulling the strings all along.

"Look, I'm not asking for much here and it's in your best interest since I'm helping you out financially."

"Not asking for much?"He shouted on the other end of the line. "Just slipping some poor defenseless girl and her date some drugs! Not much at all! What if something bad had happened huh? If they'd had a reaction to it? You really are insane and a putrid, envious little thing."

"Well obviously they're fine aren't they?" She retorted, "A little advice sweetie, lay off the cocaine will you? It's making you angry and paranoid. I thought you were on the straight and arrow now?" She said haughtily, making him seethe on the other end of the line. "If I had known what a whiny little bitch you were going to be about this, I would've never even asked you in the first place. Now shut up and listen because you're making me start to lose my patience. All I need you to do from now on is keep your pretty little mouth shut and show up when and where I tell you. Got it? Now that we're clear I suggest you go out and find you a cute girl or guy or whatever you're into to hook up with to help get that stick out of your ass."

Not bothering to give him a chance to respond she swiftly hung up.


"Lucas honey, dinner is ready." Karen rapped lightly on his closed bedroom door. She frowned when he didn't respond and debated whether or not to just barge in. Her son rarely holed up in his room for this long and she wondered if he was still feeling unwell. She didn't buy the whole upset stomach and headache excuse he had given her. Must've eaten something bad at school my ass, she thought. She wasn't born yesterday and judging from how drunk he had come back home after that boy toy auction she wouldn't be surprised if that was the cause for his unwellness. She had been beyond disappointed and angry seeing him come home in that state to say the least. Keith however had reassured her that one mistake and one night of letting loose wasn't going to turn her son turn into a reckless untrustworthy teenage boy that she needed to worry about. Still, she couldn't help but worry that something was wrong and that agreeing to let him join the team had been a mistake.

She sighed and turned to walk back to the kitchen when he swung his door open. She turned back around startled and her eyes widened as she took in his haggard appearance.

"Hey Mom, I'll be right there." He said softly, attempting to smile at her.

"Lucas..honey what's wrong?" She held up her hand as he opened his mouth to what she was positive was a denial. "And don't tell me nothing is wrong, because it looks like you haven't slept in days!"

He hung his head, taking a deep breath, "I'm fine Mom, I promise. I just uh..I just have a lot on my mind. That's all."

"Oh..is there anything you want to talk about?" She asked softly as she trailed behind him to the diner. "Honey, you know you can talk to me about anything right? Is it basketball? The team still giving you a hard time?"

Despite his heavy heart, he smiled warmly at her as he sat down at the table. Sometimes he couldn't understand how after everything his Mom had been through she still managed to be absolutely amazing. She was the absolute best mother anyone could ever ask for.

"No Mom, don't worry it's not basketball."

"Then what is it honey?"

"I just did some thing that I'm not proud of." He began, frowning as he fiddled with the plate of food she had set in front of him. "Mom, you've always taught me that honesty is the most important thing. But what if that honesty could end up hurting someone you really care about?"

She bit her lip as she stared at the sadness reflected in his eyes. "Look honey, you're a good kid. You have a good head on your shoulders and I know what an amazing and caring heart you have. Now you don't have to tell me if you don't want to what it is that you did. But I think deep down you know that you have to be honest, regardless of how that might end up hurting someone. Because I can tell you this much, keeping something from someone or lying to them will only end up hurting them even more. The truth never stays hidden for long son."

He sighed, knowing deep down she was right and this was something he couldn't prolong much longer. It had only been two days, and the guilt and shame were like a chain around his heart squeezing to the point where it felt like he couldn't even breathe. He knew he couldn't keep going like this. He had to tell Haley.

But first, he was going to go see Brooke.