Chapter four

"Reality Strikes"

Lucas sat in the retro diner waiting for his meeting with Anna to begin. He had no idea what to expect. He felt excited, scared and a bit overwhelmed. Everything had happened so fast in the last couple of months, from him joining the basketball team, to his new relationship with Nathan, to Nathan and Haley's relationship, to him liking Peyton, to him dating Brooke, to him Cheating on Brooke, to him figuring out he was in love with Brooke, to Keith's proposal, to the car accident, and finally to him moving to Charleston. He was still debating weather the move had been the right thing to do. Every night while he lay in bed he began to way his options out over and over again. If he had stayed in Tree hill he would have slight chance of becoming friends with Brooke and maybe in the FAR future they could try their relationship again. He would have also been able to watch out for Haley and his little brother, who he wished he had had more time to get to know and bond with. But then again by moving to Charleston he had a chance to begin a new life, a place where know one knew your past, and they would only know what you showed them from that day forward. Although he knew he had to let go it wasn't going to be easy and so far he decided that he didn't want to let go…not yet anyway.

As he tapped his foot to the song on the speakers in the diner, he rested his head in his hands. He lifted his arm and twisted his watch around... it was now 7:30, Anna was 15 minutes late. He stared out the shiny glass windows until he finally saw the familiar silver Honda Civic. He could see her locking her doors with her remote and walking quickly to the doors of the diner. He waved her over when he noticed her searching for him.

" hey Luke" she said as she bent down to where he was sitting and gave him a small but sweet kiss. When she pulled away from him he could tell she felt embarrassed as her cheeks began to turn red.

"Im sorry I wasn't supposed to do that" she rambled as she took her seat on the other side of the booth.

"No it's alright" there was a slight moment of silence.

"So" they both said at the same time, and giggled because of there off timing.

" look Luke I totally understand that your still hung up on this Brooke girl, and I don't know if this thing between us will work out but I want to give it a shot, but if you don't want to just say the word and I will never mention it again!"

she said in one quick breath. Luke smirked a bit as he witnessed the girl in front of him pour her thoughts out to him.

"Here's the thing Anna, your right I am still hung up on Brooke, and I don't know if ill be able to get over her easily. But you're an amazing girl" he saw as he face slightly dropped but she tried to show no emotion.

"But this thing with us seems like it could have a future and im willing to go slow…if you could just accept the fact that I don't know when I'll be able to get over Brooke."

"Well" she smirked. "I guess I can help with that" and with that she leaned in and kissed him again. After some serious tongue action Lucas pulled away.

"How bout we get out of here say we go for a drive or go down to the beach?

"Yah that sounds great." Lucas stood up from the booth behind Anna; he left a $10 on the table and made their way to the parking lot.

"Whose car do you wanna take?" Luke asked.

"Umm yours okay? I hardly have any gas left in mine!"

"Yah that's fine." They hopped into Luke's truck and made their way to the beach. When they got there it was practically empty. Except for a few couples walking hand in hand near the shore line. As they made their way to the shore line Anna slowly placed her hand between Lucas's. Lucas was shocked at first but he didn't mind.

"So tell me something I don't know bout you?" Lucas began

"Um well let's see I was adopted."

"Really?"

"Yah…I've tried to contact my parents, but it was no use. All I know is that they live in New York"

"Yah well I grew up with just my mom"

"Wait I thought u said you had a dad…and a brother"

"I do. It really complicated my dad, Dan, and my mom were high school sweethearts, but my mom got pregnant with me in her senior year, and instead of staying with my mom he left her to go to College for basketball. In his freshmen year he met Deb, and three months later she was pregnant with by brother, Nathan."

"Wow and I though my life was complicated" Luke smiled.

"Yah well anyways, me and Nathan used to hate each other so much it was unbelievable."

"So… what happened?"

"Haley happened."

"Oh she's your best friend right?"

"Yah… Haley started tutoring Nathan, and slowly they fell in love… and now she is Mrs. Nathan Scott" he laughed at how weird that sounded

"Wow it seems like quite a life you left behind"

"Yah well some things you have to do whether you like it or not"

"Luke…"

"Yahh...?"

"Why did you leave Tree hill. I know something happened with you and your ex im guessing…"

"Let's just say that I made a lot of mistakes im not proud of"

"So why move to Charleston"

"I needed to get away, start fresh. I hurt too many people back home and I couldn't stand watching them being hurt, all because of my stupidness."

"Look Luke everyone makes mistakes no ones perfect, and im sure they'll all forgive you just give it some time"

"Yah… I guess your right, so anyways what do you wanna do?" he asked as they continued to walk hand in hand on the beach.

"Well we could…" she smiled slyly.

Luke was shocked at her forwardness. But he was used to Brooke and the way she worked. But there was something different when Brooke talked to him like that he got chills up and down his spine and just a simple touch would make EVERYTHING stand on edge. Before Luke could protest he felt her cool lips on his.

Peyton began to feel the air in her throat cut off, and a large lump begin to rise in her throat. Her heart was beating a 100 beats a second and she was sure she could feel it banging against her chest, and at any moment it would just burst out. She began to panic as she ran down the stairs, through the huge hallway and out the front door.

"Brooke"

she yelled, as she passed the front door and in front of the large 4x4. But before she got any closer she stopped dead in her tracks. She held her stomach fearing she would throw up. She looked at the small mangled body lying before her. The skin on her legs were ripped of, as well as her arms, her beautiful soft face was scratched and torn. There was a small puddle of blood right beside her head, where Peyton was sure she had hit her head. She quickly ran and kneeled beside her bestfirend's side. She placed her Bloody head in her lap as she began to sob.

"Brooke. Brooke Hun wake up please"

"I didn't see her I swear!" a man of about 35 stepped out of the car.

"She just stormed out on the road and before I could stop it was too late." Peyton began to cry harder.

"CALL 911!!!" she yelled at him. The man quickly ran back to his car in search for his cell phone. Peyton could here him in the back ground yelling franticly into the receiver.

"Brooke please, im sorry please just open her eyes." Peyton saw her eyes flutter open for a second.

"It okay…" she whispered.

"Tell him I forgive him and that im sorry" and with that her eyes fluttered shut.

"BROOKE! BROOKE!!!" but before she could continue the paramedics had a arrived and were lifting her into the back.

"Are you family" a tall, dark haired man asked.

"No im her best friend" she balled.

"Aright well you better come with us."

Without another word Peyton jumped into the back of the large truck and watched as they quickly left the scene of the accident.

As they reached the hospital Brooke was quickly rushed into emergency surgery.

"Um Ms. Sawyer?" one of the paramedics approached Peyton.

"Yes" she wiped away some more tears.

"Um well we've tried to get a hold of Ms. Davis's parents but it seems to be impossible"

"Uh yah that's how it usually is"

"Okay then were going to need you to answer a few questions, and fill out some forms"

"Ya of course"

"Okay this is Helen; she's one of the Head Nurses at Tree Hill General Hospital. Ill leave you with her."

"Hi Ms. Sawyer im sorry about the accident but im going to need you to fill out some basic information about Ms. Davis"

"Yes sure."

Peyton filled out, what had seemed like a million forms for Brooke; she was able to fill out everything as if it was her own forms. She then sat in the corner chair waiting for the news on Brooke's condition. She looked around the long hallways when she realized she should probably call someone. She dialed Nathan's apartment number.

"Hello" a groggy voice picked up, she had forgotten it was now 2:30 am

"Haley" she felt a whole new batch of tears spring from her eyes.

"Peyton? What's wrong? Where are you?"

"Im at the hospital!"

"What! What happened? Are you alright?"

"Yah im fine its not me its Brooke. (She paused) she was hit by a car Haley! And they don't know if she's going to make it!"

"OH MY GOD!" Haley gasped!

"I and Nathan are on our way!" and with that she hung up.

15 minutes had gone by since Peyton's phone call with Haley.

"Oh my god" she realized "I have to call Lucas!"

Luke now lay on the sand with Anna's head in his lap. The setting was perfect, but yet it was off. He could usually stay hours talking with Brooke but he had only spent 15 minutes talking with Anna before it fell silent, and even when at times things were silent between him and Brooke, it was okay. They both felt confident being quiet, as if they could read each others minds. They didn't always need to be talking; silence was always comfortable with them. But with Anna it was different, they couldn't find anything to talk about, and she didn't make him laugh like Brooke had always done. "Stop it Luke!" he yelled at himself "you can't always compare every girl to Brooke. It's over between you to! Move on and get over it" Lucas looked at his watch it was 3:00 am he couldn't believe it was that time already just as he was about to speak he felt his phone vibrate. It was probably just his uncle Keith wondering where the hell he was. He sat up, making Anna rise to as he pressed talk on his phone.

"Hello?" he asked

"Luke!" he heard a crying voice.

"Peyton? What wrong?"

"It's Brooke" Lucas quickly sprang to his feet.

"Brooke? What happened? Is she alright?

"Luke she was hit by a car they don't know if she's going to make it….I think you should come back!"

"Ill be there as soon as possible!' and without another word he hung up.