A while later, Brooke stopped crying. She saw on the floor, back leaned on the armchair, holding her legs together against her body and just staring at nowhere, with a lost look. Nathan and Haley walked in the apartment while talking and took them a while to notice the girl sitting there.

"Brooke?" Haley walked next to her friend and kneeled beside her with a worried look on her face, "What happened? Are you ok?"

As Brooke didn't answer, she shot a look at Nathan who seemed to be as worried as he looked around, probably searching for some sign of robbery.

"I'm gonna check inside."

Haley nodded and turned back to Brooke, "Brooke… honey, look at me" she gently put one hand on her friend's chin and made her face her.

"Lucas came by" Brooke said numbly staring at Haley.

"What happened?"

"He's gone…" she whispered.

Nathan came back from inside shaking his head, "There's nothing missing."

"She had a fight with Lucas" Haley said softly making him understand she needed some time alone with Brooke.

"We're over, Haley" Brooke continued ignoring Nathan's presence.

He gave Haley a nod walking towards the door, "I'll be right back" and left.

Haley sat down and put one hand around Brooke's shoulder, trying to make her feel somewhat better, "Tell me what did he say?"

"I broke up with him" she closed her eyes at the memory of that, "It was horrible. He didn't even put up a fight… and I'm not even sure I meant it."

"Brooke" Haley stroke her hair as she glared into her eyes, "If you actually did it then to me, you were pretty sure. Just… can you tell me why?"

Haley didn't know it. That had slipped Brooke's mind for a moment, but the only person who knew, other than Lucas, was Peyton. She hadn't told anyone else she had plans to leave town that soon. So with a breath, she filled Haley in. With some sadness in her eyes, Haley listened to the whole thing and tried to support her friend as she could. Who was her to judge Brooke anyway? When she had done the same herself a few years back: left her love, her life, to pursue her dreams.

Not so far from there, on Lucas' apartment door, Nathan was standing outside while knocking on it for the twentieth time.

"C'mon, man, open up! The doorman said you're home" he waited for some answer but there was nothing, "I know what happened already. Lucas?" he knocked again, "Can you hear me?"

He heard footsteps and then the lock being opened. Lucas opened the door and turned around right after, walking back in.

"Come in."

Nathan walked in and closed the door behind him, "How you doing?"

"How do you think?" he asked taking a sit on the couch.

"From what I saw from Brooke I can pretty much tell" he took a sit on the armchair next to the couch, "That bad, huh?"

Lucas sighed, "We didn't even fight really. We kinda argued… and only cause I didn't want to admit I was feeling the same as she was."

There was a moment of silence where Nathan hesitated, "You guys are over for good?"

"For worse, I'd say" Lucas shook his head, "She's going away for a year. Did you know?"

"I didn't know that, no" Nathan crossed his arms against his chest, staring at his big brother.

"Yeah…"

"So there's nothing you can do? If you wanna do something…"

"No" Lucas cut him, "I don't. I just wanna forget right now."

"You sure?" Lucas nodded, "Ok. You want me to stay?"

He half smiled to his brother and nodded, "Thanks, Nate."

"Not a problem, bro" Nathan smiled back, kindly.

…

Two weeks went by. Brooke was still crashing at Naley's apartment and Lucas was alone at his own apartment now. The day after their break up, Brooke stopped by the apartment she used to share with Lucas, when he was at work, and picked the rest of her stuff up. She then left her key with the doorman to give it back to Lucas.

It was a sunny beautiful day. Haley decided to call Lucas on her way to work and invite him to go out so they could properly meet, which they hadn't done for many days now. The phone rang twice before Lucas reached it. He read Haley's name on the screen and half smiled.

"Hey, little one."

"Hi, doofus."

"You're so cute" he joked.

"I know" she teased him, giggling, "Listen, when's your next day off?"

"I don't know, why?"

"I was thinking about how the two of us should do something, you know, maybe help you forget all that's been going on" she said it all at once, hopping it wouldn't make him feel sad or awkward.

He thought for a second, "Thanks, but…" he sighed loudly, "I think that as long as she's here I won't be forgetting that easily."

"Yeah, but she's going tonight."

Lucas gasped, "What?"

Haley closed her eyes. Crap. She thought he knew about the change of plans. But then again, how could he if Brooke and him weren't exactly talking?

"I thought you knew…" she said almost apologizing.

"No!" he sounded surprised, "I thought she wasn't leaving 'til next weekend."

"Well, I guess this whole thing made her speed things up and she's really leaving tonight."

"What time?"

"6 p.m." Haley hesitated, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry, Luke… I thought you knew."

"How could I?" he scoffed.

"I'm sorry" she whispered.

"It's ok. I knew she was going eventually anyway. It's alright. I'll see you some other time then."

"Ok" Haley sighed, "Bye."

"Bye" he hung up.