reputation | one tree hill

nine

jordan was in a good mood on the day of the away game, having had been spending a lot of time with lucas. they almost slept together the night of the father-son basketball game, but jordan's dad came home earlier than expected.

she was practically skipping as she walked into the gym at pickerington high, gushing to brooke and peyton about lucas. "it just feels really healthy, you know? not like with nathan..." she trailed off, realising the touchiness of the subject.

"nice one," brooke said as she stifled a laugh, and jordan looked at peyton apologetically. "i have to admit though, lucas looks even hotter in blue," the brunette then commented.

"i know."

"guess it's game on," brooke commented with a wink, and jordan struggled to decipher if she was joking or not. "i'm kidding, some of us don't go after our friends' guys."

again, awkwardness filled the circle. "don't worry about it, jordan," peyton assured with a small smile. "i'm over relationship drama."

the friends smiled at one another, happy their group had been repaired, and the turned their attention to haley. "what's the story with that one, anyway?" brooke enquired.

"she's tutoring nathan, supposedly."

"and hanging out with lucas?" brooke raised an eyebrow. "right, and we're supposed to believe she's just friends with both of them."

"guys and girls can be friends, brooke."

"i know, i just don't think nathan can," she pointed out. "exhibit a," she gestured towards jordan, this time the mood humorous rather than awkward.

the girls took their position on the edge of the court as the game began. jordan winced as the pickerington team got a penalty, and she noticed lucas and nathan start to bicker.

things took a turn when lucas ran to where the girls were standing. "so i saw nathan in the shower, no wonder you guys broke up with him."

jordan sent him a look of warning, thinking he should know better than to push nathan's buttons, but her loyalties moved when nathan threw the ball at lucas' back.

the blond boy then tackled nathan to the ground, both boys landing on top of brooke, who let out cries of pain. the siblings began to fight, stopping only when their teammates pulled them apart, resulting in both of them being removed from the game.

jordan and peyton shared an eye roll at the behaviour as they tried to console an injured brooke, who was clutching her ankle.

;

hours later, jordan, brooke, peyton and haley were in brooke's car, listening to rock music as a very high brooke bothered haley, much to jordan's amusement.

"how's the tutoring going, haley?" jordan asked her former best friend, who had slowly started to thaw in her icy attitude towards jordan.

"he's doing better," haley responded with a smile, and jordan's stomach sank, knowing what the smile meant. she was starting to like him. "i just wish it wasn't making lucas so upset."

"the two of them will get over it," jordan said with a shrug as she looked through peyton's cd's. "they'll be calling each other bro by the end of the year."

"yeah, as if," peyton chimed in with a laugh, but jordan remained optimistic in nathan's ability to change, no matter how hard it was to do sometimes.

brooke's car slowly started to slow down and peyton scoffed. "brooke, did you not think to put gas in the car?"

brooke, who had previously renamed haley 'brooke', turned to the girl beside her with a face of childlike curiosity. "answer the question, brooke."

haley rolled her eyes as peyton was forced to pull the car over to the side of the road, and the girls shared a sigh of defeat. upon discovering the tank in the trunk was empty, haley was the first to offer to help.

"i saw a gas stations a few miles back. if i'm not back in an hour tell my mom i loved her."

"i'll come with you," jordan offered, the two girls sharing a smile. "you okay to stay with brooke, peyton?"

the blond nodded, and jordan and haley began to walk, lost in the middle of nowhere with no cell reception.

;

about half a mile down the road, jordan and haley moved on from small talk and began to talk about the scott brothers.

"you like nathan," jordan stated plainly, and haley looked at her with furrowed eyebrows. "i won't tell lucas, don't worry. your secrets safe with me."

haley sighed. "i shouldn't like him after everything he's done, but i really feel like he's different around me, you know?"

"trust me, i know," jordan laughed a little. "i know you pretty well, hales, and i know you wouldn't take any of his shit, and he likes that. he's kinder with people he knows he can't walk all over."

"that makes him sound like a sociopath."

"he's...misguided, i think," jordan continued, not sure why she was being such an advocate for the boy she despised less than a week ago. "i think he wants to do better, but he doesn't have anybody pushing him to do it. you know what his dad's like."

"you seem to have him all figured out," haley commented with a soft laugh, and jordan shrugged. "are you sure you don't still like him?"

jordan shook her head defensively. "we work better as friends, you know. i think we're too similar to ever have a healthy relationship. we both need somebody to tame us a little."

"that's where lucas comes in," haley pointed out, and jordan giggled like a schoolgirl. "he doesn't stop talking about you."

jordan beamed at haley's statement. "he's such a nice guy," she gushed. "i feel like i've put him through a lot by being friends with nathan, but maybe me and you can make them find some common ground."

haley didn't seem as optimistic as jordan, but she smiled anyway, hopeful that her friend was right.

;

after succeeding in getting the gas, the girls were in a better mood as they continued their journey, except brooke, who had fallen asleep facedown.

"so, p sawyer, you interested in rebounding?" jordan enquired with a smile.

"i don't think so," the blond said with a shrug. "i'm a little sick of all of it..." she trailed off as the car slowed down, and the girls furrowed their eyebrows when they seen lucas and nathan standing in front of them.

they looked as if they'd gotten in a fight, and nathan was wearing lucas' hoodie, causing more and more questions. the car came to a halt as the teenagers looked at each other with confusion.

jordan got out of the car and approached the brothers. "you guys look like you've had some night," she laughed a little. "you want a ride?"

the boys followed jordan to brooke's car, which now had its roof down to allow for more room. nathan and lucas sat at either side of brooke, while jordan sat on lucas' knee to each of their delight.

the ride home was awkward and silent, neither of the scott's wanting to talk about their night, with just soft rock music playing in the background.

when they were still about ten miles out of town, jordan began to feel tired, and she rested her head on lucas' shoulder, loving the comfort her provided her. his grip on her waist tightened slightly, and they shared a soft smile, resisting the urge to kiss one another.

;

a/n; this is so boring lol sorry