Chapter 10! I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 10

Lucas was sitting in his bed room, writing on his laptop. Today had been the first day Lucas hadn't been with Brooke all day since the shooting. It was weird not having her there with him. Usually he'd read or write, and she'd be next to him reading the latest magazine. But today, Brooke had been over at Haley's helping her pick out designs for her wedding dress that she'd agreed to let Brooke make. Brooke was so excited to be doing this for Haley. So even though Lucas had missed her, he knew he'd see her tomorrow.

So when there was a knock at Lucas' door, he welcomed the company. "Come in!" he yelled, not wanting to get up.

Needless to say, after today, he was surprised to see Peyton standing in his doorway. She had a look of determination on her face as she walked into the room. "Peyt. What's up? You left in kind of a hurry today." He said as she walked over to where he was sitting at his desk.

"Yeah, sorry about that she said." And she let out a nervous laugh. "Listen Luke, I really need to talk to you about something."

"Okay.." he said curiously. He set down his computer and stood up. "What's up? Are you alright Peyton, you've seemed different lately.." he said.

She knew that if she tried to build up to her confession, she'd never get it out, so she decided to waste no time. "Lucas I know you don't think I remember the library but I do. I remember telling you I love you, because I wanted to tell you. Lucas I love you. I'm completely in love with you." She confessed.

Lucas just stood there, shocked and absolutely confused. "Peyton.." he said not really sure how to continue.

"Just tell me you love me too Lucas." She said softly.

What neither knew, was that a certain brunette was just outside the door completely heartbroken upon hearing where the conversation seemed to heading.

Lucas was frozen. He opened his mouth but absolutely no words came out. Was Peyton crazy? They had both promised to never hurt Brooke again, and Lucas intended to hold up his end of that promise. Was Peyton actually trying to pull the same stunt that she did not even a year before? Because they'd all seen how that turned out. They both nearly lost Brooke for good

"Peyton look, you're a great friend, you really are, but I'm with Brooke. Okay I can't even believe you'd consider hurting her like that again. I love Brooke, Peyton. You saw how what we did last time did to her." His voice was rising as was his anger with each word he spoke. "Why now Peyton? Why would you bring this up now? With everything that's happened lately, you really think that telling me this now is going to change anything?"

Peyton could feel a lump forming in her throat as he said that last sentence. Yes, she had thought that telling him would change things. Tears began pouring down her cheeks, as she tried to think of the right words to say to the boy that she loved.

"Luke I just wanted to be honest with you, okay? Last year, you were so sure that you and I were the ones that were meant to be remember? And I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to catch up, but I'm ready for that now. I'm ready for us." She took a step towards him as she said this, but that only caused him to take a step back.

Lucas was becoming increasingly angry. He didn't even know what Brooke would do if she heard this conversation they were having.

"Do you hear yourself Peyton? Yes, maybe there was a time that I thought that was true. But then I met Brooke. Okay, you and I screwed up last year, and I'd take back going behind her back like that in an instant if I could. Because you know what Peyton, now I'm positive that Brooke is the one. She's always been there. She knew that, and it took me too long to catch up to her. But I did, and I know she's the only one for me. And she's your best friend Peyton! Why would you do this to her?"

Of course Peyton felt guilty, but she knew that sometimes you have to be selfish. She wasn't going to give Lucas up without a fight, because she believed with everything in her that Lucas was her soulmate. So even though Brooke was her best friend, she had to at least try.

"I know Lucas, I know. But I can't help that I'm in love with you okay? And you're always there for me, saving me. It's always you, so that has to mean something doesn't it?"

"It means that I was being there for my friend. And I'm sorry if I let you think it was anything more than that." Lucas said icily.

Meanwhile Brooke was standing behind the red door painted just for her, listening to every word, watching their shadows. Her heart was breaking at the knowledge that her best friend was yet again trying to steal Lucas away from her. But hearing Lucas' words only made her love for him stronger.

Suddenly, the voices behind the door stopped, breaking Brooke out of her thoughts. She glanced at the door, through the curtains and saw their shadows still standing in the middle of Lucas' room.

Leaning into the door, she heard Peyton's whisper, "I just wanted you to love me back Lucas." And with that, she leaned into him, hoping her one last attempt to steal his heart with a kiss would win him over.

This action brought about a fire in Brooke. She threw the door open in a fury, just in time to see Lucas push Peyton away before their lips could meet. Both pair of eyes looked over to see a teary eyed Brooke looking at the sight before her.

Lucas immediately jumped back from Peyton. "Brooke! This is not what it looks like I promise-," he began apologizing and explaining, but was cut off by his girlfriend.

"I know Lucas." She said to him, before turning around to face Peyton.

"Brooke.." Peyton hadn't expected Brooke to show up. She wanted to apologize and tell her best friend that she knew she was wrong, but the look in Brooke's eyes stopped her.

Brooke paused for a second to look at Peyton before smacking her across the face, causing her to flinch in pain and shock.

"How dare you Peyton. How dare you come and tell my boyfriend that you love him. If I remember correctly it was less than two weeks ago that I sat on your front porch asking you about this exact situation. And you told me I had nothing to worry about! I forgave you last time Peyton because I wanted my best friend back in my life." The tears began falling as she said this.

"Brooke I'm sorry. You're right, I'll just bury it. I just.. I just wanted to be honest with Lucas and see what would-," she began, but was again cut off by Brooke.

"And see what Peyton? See if you could get my boyfriend to fall in love with you again? No Peyton. As far as I'm concerned, this friendship is over. And if we never speak again for the rest of our lives, that'll be fine. Now get out." She had no intentions of continuing this conversation.

"Brooke-,'' Peyton said, hoping her best friend would have a change of heart.

"I said get out Peyton."

Peyton knew there was no fixing this tonight. So she decided leaving would be the best choice instead of trying to get Brooke to talk to her. She turned for the door, and said one last, "I'm sorry." Before going out into the bleak night.

She made her way to her car, tears streaming down her face in a seemingly never ending flow. Her heart felt as if it were going to be shattered into a million pieces forever. She hadn't meant for it to happen that way.

But then she began questioning her motives. What had she really hoped for? She hoped that by telling Lucas she loved him, he would leave Brooke. Either way, she would've ended up losing her best friend. Peyton knew that she had just made the biggest mistake of her life; a mistake that she would regret for the rest of her life.

Meanwhile, Brooke and Lucas were now alone in his bedroom.

"Brooke that really wasn't what it looked like okay? She came in here telling me that her and I were meant to be, but I told her no because I love you. Please believe me."

Before he could get another word out, she closed the distance between them and fell into his arms crying. Crying for losing her best friend, crying for Keith, and for herself. It seemed as if every held back emotion over the past month was coming out in this moment.

"Pretty Girl. Shhh, it's okay." He whispered into her ear as he held her tightly and stroked her hair.

He guided them both over to the bed, where he lay back, bringing Brooke with him. She found her usual place on his chest, and his arms found their familiar place around her waist.

"Lucas what happened in the library?" she asked him in a voice barely above a whisper. Her voice sounded almost afraid to hear the answer. That broke his heart, that she once again thought that he had betrayed her.

Lucas pulled her chin up, so that she had to look at him as he answered. Her face was stained with tears.

"I went in to get Peyton out. She was leaning against a bookshelf towards the back. When I got in there, she was bleeding really badly. I tried picking her up as soon as I found her, but she wanted to sit and talk for a minute because picking her up hurt her too much. So I said yes, just so I could think of a better way to get her out. She was rambling on about some snow day you two had had years ago."

Brooke smiled at the memory. That had been a great day. It rarely snowed in Tree Hill, so when it did, they made sure to make the most of it. But then the memories of that night flooded back into her mind, so she instead focused on Lucas' words before her tears made a reappearance.

"She was so pale, and I could tell that she was starting to get really delirious, because the things that she was saying were starting to make no sense. But then she asked me a question that I honestly just thought she asked because she thought she was dying. She said, 'If I tell you I love you will you hold it against me?' then she tried to kiss me. But I promise you nothing happened. Once I realized what was happening I stopped her, and I told her that I love you Brooke. I didn't think she even knew what she was saying, let alone that she'd remember it." He finished, hoping she'd understand.

"Why didn't you tell me about it then Luke?"

"I didn't tell you because it meant nothing to me. It wasn't a romantic moment, I hadn't even thought about it until today. I promise you Brooke nothing that she said meant anything. Please believe me." He added softly.

"I guess I'm just afraid that one of these days you're going to want Peyton again, and you'll leave me." She admitted with fresh tears in her eyes.

"Brooke Davis. Pretty Girl. Don't ever think that. I know that I hurt you so much last time we were together, and I will spend the rest of my life making that up to you. But you have to believe me when I tell you that I am 100% in love with you. And I always will be. Because you're the only one that makes me laugh like you do. Every morning when I wake up, you're the first thought that pops into my head. And when I go to bed, you're the last thought. So I start and end every single day with a smile. I love the way you love me Brooke, and the way you forgive me, and the way you support me and believe in me. And because this is yet another embarrassing speech that I am giving with you. I will give you these speeches for the rest of my life Brooke Davis because you're the girl for me and I'm never letting you go, do you understand me?" he needed her to understand his heart more than anything.

His words made her smile. He had always told her that he was the guy for her, but he'd never said she was the girl for him. She would deal with Peyton later. Right now, she wanted to be close to Lucas. So she leaned up and kissed his lips passionately.

"I love you Lucas. And I love your little embarrassing speeches." She said with a laugh as she pulled away from him.

"Then I'll be happy to keep giving them Miss Davis." He said, also smiling.

They both leaned back in and their lips met with a kiss. That night they lost themselves in each other giving their bodies and hearts over until the early morning when they both succumbed to their exhaustion, not wanting to leave their only little world of happiness.

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