Best Friend

Characters/Pairings: Brooke, Brooke/Peyton friendship with mentions of Brooke/Lucas, Peyton/Lucas, and Peyton/Jake

Disclaimer: I don't own OTH. You know the drill.


She was my best friend. The only person I had ever truly loved until I met him. I could always trust her, I could always count on her. Around her, I wasn't afraid to let down my hard outer shell. She was the last person I ever thought would betray me.

I knew she was into Lucas. I knew Lucas was into her. But I fell for him so hard, and Peyton had said so many times that she wasn't interested. I knew that she really was, and I shouldn't have gone after Lucas. But I did. Because I had never wanted a guy before, not really. I gave Peyton so many opportunities to admit that she liked him, and if she had, if she had asked me to back off, I would have in an instant. Because she meant everything to me.

Her betrayal of me cut me deeper than Lucas'. Yes, he was my first love, my first real boyfriend. But she was my only true friend, the one girl who I would have fought tooth and nail for. I hated them both for not respecting my heart, but more than that, I hated myself for having a heart so shabby that no one who saw it could respect it.

I forgave Peyton. I forgave her because she had left a huge hole inside me. I forgave her because I had to, because I wouldn't have made it without her, and I knew that. I forgave her, but I never forgot.

I held onto her love for Jake. It was my lifeline, my promise that she would never even feel anything for Lucas ever again. Because, even though I hadn't forgiven him, I still loved him. I knew that he wanted her heart more than he would ever want mine.

I couldn't forgive Lucas for the unforgivable thing he did, not until he forgave me for the unforgivable thing I did. As much as I loved him, as much as I wanted him, I didn't need him. Not in the way I needed Peyton.

Maybe part of the reason I never forgave him was that I didn't want to give Peyton another chance to break my heart. Because I knew that I wouldn't be able to survive that.

But then I forgave him. But, like with Peyton, I couldn't forget.

When she told me that she had feelings for him again, something inside me snapped. She promised she wouldn't do anything with him, but I all I could do was picture them kissing. My shabby heart wouldn't be good enough for Lucas, not if he could have Peyton's. After all the things we have been through, I would get my heart broken again, by the two people I love the most.

I couldn't have my heart broken by Peyton, my best friend. Not again.

I might, however, be able to survive having my heart broken by Peyton, the bitch who was formerly my best friend. She would have a motive; revenge. She would have a reason, and that might make it hurt a little less.