It was a warm night, past the hour of ten or so. The stars were shining bright and the wind was singing to Lucas Scott and Brooke Davis as they sat there together in the silence.
"So you're leaving Tree Hill just like that?" Brooke asked Lucas.
They were sitting beside each other on the benches of the river court just like old times. Tomorrow he'll be leaving for California along with his wife, her best friend, Peyton, and their beautiful newborn daughter, Sawyer. She didn't really want to see him tonight, knowing that by tomorrow he'll be gone, but he insisted, since they were, after all, friends.
"I think it's best for my career, and for Peyton's... and for Sawyer's future." he went on as he fiddled with his ring. Somehow, Brooke knew what was going on in his mind. Had he made the right decision?
She looked at him, the boy that she loved, the boy that she would've given up the world for. "Why'd you ask me to go here? Why not Nathan or Haley?" Brooke questioned, knowing that he didn't just want to say goodbye.
"You know about our past, Brooke." he looked at her as well.
"What about our past?" she asked, brushing it off, acting oblivious to their past. Of course she knew about their past. How could she not?
Lucas smiled that subtle smile of his and let out a soft chuckle, "Remember all those times that I told you I was the guy for you?"
Of course she did. That night on the beach, that night outside his house, that night right here on the river court - all of it. "You sure got that wrong." she giggled, making a light situation out of all of this.
Lucas' smile turned into a straight face, that oh so famous brooding face of his. He looked back up at Brooke and asked, "What if it isn't?"
Brooke's eyes widened. He couldn't be saying that now. He was married to her best friend. They have a newborn daughter. They're leaving, tomorrow. He can't just have second thoughts now of all moments.
He worried that what he said shocked her. He tried to further explain the confusion he was feeling, "I mean, what if that wasn't what I was wrong about?" he wondered, "What if I was wrong about an entirely different thing?"
She knew what he meant. She panicked. Tears were welling in her eyes, "No, no, no." she shook her head, "You can't do this to me. You can't do this to Peyton..." a tear shed, "You can't do this to Sawyer."
His eyebrows furrowed together, "Can I do this to myself?" he asked to himself more than to Selena, "Can I commit myself to a family with a girl I'm having second thoughts about?"
She reached out for his hand, "Luke...", she stroked it.
Lucas wiped the tear off her face with his thumb, "I never had second thoughts about you." he caressed her face and she closed her eyes, feeling his caress, "I was pretty sure you were the one." he told her, "All those moments we had together. I really, honestly, never loved the way I loved you." He faced her towards him, "Look me in the eyes and tell me that you love me." he said, "Because if you do, I'm going fight for this.. for us. But if you don't, I'm going on that plane tomorrow."
Brooke just stared at him. She didn't want him to go. She wanted to be with him. She wanted all the things that Peyton had with him. She wanted to be his one and only. She sighed. He couldn't seriously expect an answer from her.
Lucas was getting impatient. He didn't have much time left. He needed to know that she still felt the same. He prayed that she still felt the same. He bit his lip and leaned in towards her, cupping her soft angelic face into his hands, and giving her a light kiss on the lips, "Pretty girl?" he looked for an answer.
Brooke felt out of breath with that short but sumptuous moment. She was sure now more than ever that she still had feelings for Lucas and will always have them. She ran her fingers through his blonde locks. Lucas smiled, feeling that her answer was a yes. She lightly shook her head, "Go to California, Luke." she told him as Lucas' world came crashing down by her answer. "Goodbye." she said, getting up on her feet and walking away, wiping the tears that have fallen down her face.
"Goodbye forever.
