Thanks for all of the reviews. I think most of you will enjoy this chapter!

Whit

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Chapter Nine

The rest of the day seemed to go by pretty smoothly. Peyton was worried Brooke would turn everyone against her, but everyone was still talking to her. Well, with the exception of Rachel who would give her dirty looks whenever she got a chance. For all Peyton cared Rachel could go to hell. That girl wasn't trustworthy; Peyton couldn't figure out why Brooke was friends with her.

"Luke!" Peyton yelled out.

She could tell he was on his way out but she needed to talk to him and, seeing how there was no Brooke around, this was the perfect opportunity.

"Oh, hey Peyton. What's up?" Lucas asked.

He continued to walk but at a slower pace.

"Well, I was wondering if we could talk. That is if you have a few minutes for a friend."

Lucas laughed at this and stopped walking. "I guess I could, but let me check my planner to make sure." He pretended to open a book up and flip through it.

"Ha ha, very funny. You're a natural comedian. Has anyone ever told you that?" Peyton asked sarcastically.

"Just you." Lucas smiled. "So, what's up?"

Peyton looked around, "Actually, could we talk somewhere more private? How bout' you walk me home and we talk on the way there?"

Lucas thought for a second. Peyton and him were still friends, and friends walked each other home. Don't they? Lucas wondered. Brooke hadn't said anything to him, but he was sure this would make her angry. Besides, he wanted to know where Peyton and Brooke stood first. If their friendship really was over, then he had a lot of figuring out to do when it came to his and Peyton's friendship.

"Actually, I told Skills I'd practice a bit with him today. But we're not meeting for a few more minutes. Why don't we go out onto the quad and talk." Lucas fibbed. He wasn't meeting Skills, but he knew that Skills and a few others planned on being in the gym, so he figured he'd go there after talking with Peyton.

"Alright." Peyton responded, just glad he agreed.

They walked to the quad together. The sun was shining out and, even though it was still winter, it was beginning to feel like spring.

"It sure is beautiful out here." Peyton commented.

Lucas shook his head and smiled. Peyton stared at him, looking into his eyes. It was so easy to get lost in those gorgeous blue eyes. Instantly she was stung with heartache and jealousy, causing her to turn away.

Peyton shoved her hands in her pockets and spoke up, "Ok, I'm just gonna get out with…" Lucas scrunched his eyebrows together, "…I want to talk about us."

"Us?"

"Yeah, ya know because of how things are with me and Brooke. I want us to still be friends, regardless of what happened." Peyton responded finally looking up.

"We are still friends Peyt…" Lucas said which caused Peyton to sigh with relief, "although I don't know what's going on with the two of you. Brooke said…"

"Wait a second. Brooke hasn't told you why we're fighting?" Peyton interrupted, hoping she wasn't beaming too much.

"Nope…"

"Why not?"

"She told me she didn't want to talk about it." Lucas answered.

Peyton was wrong. Brooke had kept her promise and hadn't told Lucas. That was so…unlike her. Peyton thought about what Brooke had told her It's not my responsibility, if you wanna tell him, fine. Peyton wondered if she should. She had told Brooke that she wouldn't but that was before Brooke slapped her, and now they weren't even speaking. Peyton hadn't known things would turn out this way, and she figured Lucas deserved to know. But what the hell did she know?

"Peyt, ya all right?" Lucas asked, snapping Peyton back to reality.

She looked up at him nodding, "Yeah, I'm just surprised Brooke hasn't told you. I mean you are her boyfriend. But that's typical Brooke."

"What do you mean 'typical'?"

"Well, when has Brooke been one for opening up. She usually keeps everything bottled up inside of her and never lets anyone close to her. Hell it took her years before she really opened up to me." Peyton knew she shouldn't be tearing Brooke down, but at the same time that was all she wanted to do.

"I don't think that's true. She opens up about a lot of stuff. This is probably hard for her, but I know she'll talk to me about it when she's ready." Lucas defended.

Peyton scoffed, "C'mon Luke, it's been a few days and she hasn't even talked about it. I bet you two have already gotten in a fight about it knowing how you probably harped on it until she yelled at you. Is it really worth it?"

Lucas was taken aback by Peyton's attitude. "You tell me." He said simply and then quickly took it back, "No, nevermind. Brooke will come around. I mean it must be something big for you to approach me about it, right?"

"No, I just wanted to make sure Brooke wasn't turning you against me. Just cause…"

"Brooke would never do that." Lucas interrupted at a louder tone.

"To get revenge she would. You don't know her like I do Luke. She'll use anybody and anything to get revenge."

"I do know Brooke and the Brooke I know wouldn't. You're thinking of the old Brooke. She deserves more credit than that Peyton, she's changed a lot over the past couple of years." Lucas pointed out and then continued, "besides, if it's revenge she's after that person must've done something bad to make her want it. Even the old Brooke just wouldn't go after it for the hell of it." By this point Lucas was frustrated with Peyton.

"What are you saying? I'm the one who caused all of this?"

"I don't even know what 'this' is Peyton, I'm just defending Brooke against her best friend."

"Ex."

"What?"

"According to Brooke I'm not her best friend anymore, I'm her ex-best friend. She's the one who decided we weren't friends anymore, not me." Peyton replied.

"Look, I know this must be tough for you too but she is my girlfriend. I don't want to be put up against the two of you."

"You already are Luke." Peyton sighed.

"What does that mean?"

"Brooke and I never fight. The times we have it's because of you." Peyton stated.
"So, it is because of me." Lucas mumbled.

"Last week…" Peyton was going to tell him but was cut off.

"Don't. I don't want to hear it from you, I want to hear it from Brooke. I owe her that." Lucas said and began to walk away.

"You don't owe her anything Lucas."

Lucas turned around and looked at Peyton, "Yeah I do. I've been a lousy boyfriend." Lucas nodded to his own statement, "I owe it to her." With that Lucas left the quad. He thought about going to the gym like he said but he couldn't. All of this was too much to process, and he needed to go home. He basically just had a fight with Peyton Sawyer and that in itself was too much.

Peyton watched him walk away, wondering what was going to happen next.

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Ok, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I was going to include Brooke and Lucas' convo. in here but the Pucas fight ended up taking over.

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