Chapter 1- Better Off Alone

Brooke had finally decided to call it a day after hours of trying to perfect the cheer routine with the girls. They must have been there for quite a while since even Whitey's basketball team was heading to the locker room before them. She walked with Rachel over by the bleachers to grab their bags. But as she headed to grab her bag, she felt a familiar set of blue eyes gazing at her. She tried to ignore it. After all, she's been ignoring or trying to ignore him for the past few weeks so what makes this moment any different?

Well for one, Peyton wasn't there for some reason, not that Brooke cared. But also, Lucas seemed really out of it during Whitey's practice and kept looking towards Brooke's direction.

Brooke couldn't help but wonder why he kept looking at her. Snap out of it Brooke! Why am I even fussing about this! Someone just probably told him another rumor about me wanting him back or something like that. Which is so not true…maybe…no no no this can't be happening he's with Peyton. And plus why the hell would he care anyway? He has his precious Peyton. Ugh! stupid!

"What the hell's gotten into you, you skanky whore!" Rachel said jokingly, but also wanting to know why Brooke all of the sudden looked so out of it.

"What? Oh nothing, I'm just tired. I guess I'm just dozing off," said Brooke lying and flashing one of her fake smiles like she has so many times before these past few weeks.

"Wow. No bitchy comment? You really must be out of it." Rachel laughed but soon realized that something was really bothering Brooke. "Ok seriously, what's wrong? And don't say 'nothing' cuz I know that's just a buncha bs."

Brooke sighed as she knew that her new best friend saw right through her fake smile. "Alright fine. Come on I'll tell you in the locker room, I don't want anyone else hearing this."

"Brooke, all the other cheerleaders are in the locker room so unless you want them to hear about whatever it is you're gonna tell me I suggest you just tell me here. Plus I don't see anyone else around here." Rachel and Brooke both looked around the gym making sure no one was around. The gym seemed clear, to them at least.

"Ok fine," Brooke took Rachel's arm and pulled her aside in a corner. "Rach I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I mean he likes Peyton and Peyton likes him, or actually loves him. I should be so over this by now, but for some reason I can't. Why the hell did I ever fall in love with him in the first place? I mean I should've learned my lesson after he went and cheated on me behind my back with PEYTON the first time. But NO! Stupid Brooke Davis jumps in the second time into Lucas Scott's arms, knowing what he did, without any safety nets or anything. I just handed him my heart, for the second time. And he shattered it for the second time." It seemed like Brooke was getting everything off her just right there and then but was cut off by a puzzled Rachel.

"Uhm… Brooke? Correct me if I'm wrong but you broke up with him. And that was because he and Peyton kissed. So if anything you should be mad at them and pulling dirty tricks at them, not crying and fussing over it." Rachel said while still trying to comprehend everything Brooke just blurted out in the last minute or so.

"Yeah. Well actually Peyton told me on the day of Nathan and Haley's wedding that she still had feelings for Lucas. Not to mention she kissed Lucas and he certainly didn't pull away from the kiss. And Rachel, a kiss always means something. So what choice did I have? Either way I would've been hurt. I could've stayed with him knowing there was nothing between us anymore since he's always off saving Peyton. Or I could've broken up with him and be heartbroken and know that he'll be with Peyton a couple weeks later. You see? I would end up getting hurt anyway. Oh and believe me I totally went off on Peyton and Lucas." Rachel noticed that Brooke's tone sad and hurt no matter how much she tried to cover it up. She tried to comfort her and pulled her into a hug.

"Well Lucas is just a jackass and Peyton's an emo boyfriend stealing whore. You're gonna be fine. Lucas is just a guy you dated and you're gonna move on. Now put on that bitchy attitude of yours and lets get going before anyone sees you like this, or me being this nice." Both girls seemed to let out a small laugh and headed for the door.

"Thanks Rachel. Oh I left my bag on the bleacher still. I really must be out of it today. You go ahead and head to the car I'll meet you there." Brooke totally got caught up in the talk with Rachel she forgot about her bag.

"Alright, don't take too long. Don't think I'll be waiting for your fat ass for more than 10 minutes." They both laughed at Rachel's last remark.

"Shut up! I'm not the one who went to fat camp." Brooke smirked then turned to walk over to the bleachers as Rachel went out the door. Little did they know Lucas was in the gym and heard their secret conversation. As Brooke turned to head to the bleachers she bumped into someone none other than Lucas Scott. Her eyes suddenly widened in shock and she was panicking about if he heard what she said to Rachel. "Shit! Where did the hell did he come from? Oh my gosh he better not have listened in on that conversation. No one was suppose to hear it except Rachel. Oh god what if he heard! This can't possibly be happening to me. Dammit where's Rachel when I need her to help me escape."

Brooke's thoughts were interrupted by a voice she knew all too well. "Brooke… uhm I… did you… can we talk?" Lucas was a little lost for words. He was still trying to take in all the things Brooke just told Rachel. But he didn't want Brooke to know he was listening on their conversation just yet, he knew she would freak out.

"What's there to talk about Lucas. We're done. We're broken up. I don't know what the hell you could possibly think of to talk about unless it's about saving Peyton again." Her words came out harsher than she had meant to but she had to protect herself.

"Brooke c'mon can you just drop it! Look I know you're still upset with me and Peyton but when are you ever gonna let it go. I told you what happened meant nothing, me and Peyton aren't even together anymore. You're the one that broke up with me and I thought you wanted me to go after her so I started to and I thought I liked Peyton. But I realized you're the one that I like, no actually you're the one that I love." He looked so sincere and Brooke's heart ached for him yet at the same time it was putting up a safety wall. "Can we just have a descent conversation please? About us?" Lucas asked so desperately.

"Us? There is no us anymore Luke, and I'm not sure if there ever was." Brooke gestured her hands between the space within the two of them. She realized they were pretty close to each other. Realizing this she backed off a little, but Lucas stepped in closer and put his hands on Brooke's arms. Brooke froze, not knowing what to do. "Lucas what are you doing? Get off of me! You have no right to just come to me after being with Peyton a couple weeks later after we ended. As far as I'm concerned you seemed like you were glad I let you go so you could be with Peyton. And now you just pick one night to come to me out of nowhere and tell me you love me? God when are you ever gonna be able to make up your mind cuz I'm not gonna wait around and keep getting hurt until you figure out what you want! " she knew she could pull out of his hands since they were loose yet it still sent shivers up her spine, but somehow she didn't move the whole time she was yelling at him.

"Brooke I'm sorry. But I need you. I need you in my life again. You're the one that I love even if you won't admit that fact, I'll always love you. It killed me when you broke up with me and I'm sorry that I didn't fight for you hard enough. But I thought it was what you wanted because you kept pushing me away. I realized though that you just didn't want the whole love triangle happening again with Peyton having feelings for me again. She may have feelings for me Brooke, but I have feelings for you. Just please let me prove that to you, this time I need you to let me in."

Lucas looked into her hazel eyes and she saw the pleading look on his face. But she couldn't let him in. Her heart, or what was left of it, couldn't take anymore damage. He hurt her so bad, and she just couldn't do that to herself again. For the past few weeks, she had cried herself to sleep wishing Lucas would come after her and do whatever it takes to win her back. But now that the moment had come, it frightened her and she knew that her heart wasn't ready for anything like that.

"Why! Why should I let you in this time? I've let you in my life and my heart all this time but now is the only time you need me to let you in Lucas! And all the times I gave you my heart and let you in, it didn't work out. So what's left to prove, you've basically sunk as low as my ex-best friend and been a complete ass and you darn right proved it twice. I think you've done enough. I'm better off alone." With that, Brooke pulled out of his hands with tears now forming, and stormed off to the door. Both of them had been so caught up in each other that they didn't notice the heads popping out of the locker rooms silently watching the two fight with love, passion, and sorrow.