Author's Note: Hey guys! Okay, so I wasn't going to post this chapter for another day or two, but I was feeling generous from all the WONDERFUL reviews I've gotten so far. So, here's Chapter 2! As always, please read and review!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. One Tree Hill and its characters are property of the WB.

Rating: PG to PG-13

When Everything Comes Crumbling Down

Chapter 2

Doors

Lucas' POV

I stood there without moving for what seemed like hours after Haley left me on the porch; letting all that had transpired sink in to my half-asleep brain. She doesn't want me to go, she loves me, Haley kissed me, she wants to help me… whoa, Haley KISSED me! What confused me most was that I was more surprised about her kissing me than I actually was of her loving me as more than a best friend. I guess I always saw that she sort of had a little crush on me; and that's all I thought it really was, a crush. I didn't know it had evolved into a full blown out romantic kind of love. What hurt me most, though, was that look in her eyes when I told her and knowing that I couldn't give her what she wanted; I didn't love her that way.

When I finally felt the paralyzing hold on my body loosen slightly, I moved back into my room, trying not to slam the door out of frustration. How could Haley do this to me? How could she just come out and say something like that the night before I leave? My life was now even more confusing and complicated than it had been just one short hour ago. I punched my pillow furiously then grabbed and pushed it to my face, screaming into it. I pulled it away as I breathed heavily and wiped the tears on my sleeve. I then grabbed my basketball and gray hooded sweatshirt that said Keith Scott's Body Shop on it then tied on my shoes. I didn't care that it was almost 3:30 in the morning; I needed some relief, and time to think. On my way out the door, I grabbed my cell phone and keys then made my way outside.

I knew I was too upset to drive, so I took off running towards the rivercourt, my long strides tearing up the street and bringing me closer to my safe haven. As soon as my feet hit the tarred pavement of the basketball court, I sank to my knees and cried; our friendship would never be the same again. We would probably never be able to experience the closeness we once had or the long talks that we always shared. It left me longing for that again, but I knew it was almost hopeless to think that we could go back to that. At this realization, I came to a conclusion that maybe even I could not get myself back to what I once was, like I had claimed moving to Charleston would help do so.

As I continued to play, I missed basket after basket at all different angles. I collapsed onto the picnic table after about two hours, exhausted not only from the exercise, but by the events involving Haley, and not to mention lack of sleep. At six, I called Keith to postpone our move to Charleston until tomorrow because I needed to talk to Haley. Even though I didn't love her romantically like she wanted me to, I still wanted to be friends but I wasn't so sure that she would want to.

As I walked to Haley's house, I pondered ways to persuade her that we could still be friends. I jogged up her front steps and went to open the door, which had always been unlocked for as long as I could remember. I had often worried about her being at home alone by herself. And for the first time in my life, I found the door locked. I knocked and waited for her to come to the door, but I more than expected her to not answer at all after last night.

To my surprise, Haley slowly opened it a few minutes later. Her eyes were red and swollen with her cheeks puffy from crying. "Come to say goodbye," she asked softly, but I could hear the bitterness in her voice. "No, I'm leaving tomorrow," I replied and she began to protest but I continued on, holding up a hand to stop her from saying anything, "Haley, you had your chance to talk last night, so now it's my turn. I know I upset you last night, a lot, but I can't help that I don't feel that way. I realize that things may be a little different now, more awkward, but I would still like us to be friends…" "Lucas, don't-" Haley interrupted. "Don't what, Haley? Don't apologize, don't say 'I'm sorry'? What the hell do you want from me," I yelled at her, "I love you, I care about you, but not in the same way as you do." She gives me an angry look, "Go to hell." She must be royally pissed at me for her to say that, which I think is the first time she's said that to me. It has been a day of firsts for me and I'm sure they would keep on coming.

"Haley, you don't mean that-" I objected, but she responded crossly, "Sure I do. I mean it as much as you don't love me." A pained look appeared on my face as I flinched inwardly at her words; this didn't faze her one bit. "Haley-" I began again, but she cut me off, "Cut the crap Lucas, what it all comes down to is that I love you but you don't love me. I can't handle this anymore…" Lucas responded, "That's not true…" "Bullshit," she replied. And the surprises keep on coming. Haley was never one to curse that much, but today was a different story. "Haley," I started, but was interrupted once again.

"I don't think we should be friends anymore," she stated softly before slowly shutting the door in my face as I stood there in shock and utter disbelief for the second time in one day. 'Take it back! Take it all back,' my mind screamed. I banged on her door repeatedly, but she never answered the door. "Hales, don't do this! Don't let our friendship end because of this!" I finally gave up after about five minutes and sighed dejectedly as I stood there and stared at her door, hoping she would open it and tell me it was all a lie; that she wanted to be friends. I didn't move for what seemed like hours, still in shock of what had transpired over the last twenty minutes. They say that when death comes for you, your life passes before your eyes, but I wasn't dead; I saw the past decade of my life flash in front of me like a home movie, my life with her. Tears burned in my eyes as I turned from her door and headed home, realizing that my mother must be worried about me since I hadn't called her after leaving without any notice of where I was going.

As I walked along the streets, I tried to comprehend the words she had said but my brain just wouldn't understand the words 'Not friends with Haley James'. How could she just throw away over ten years of friendship like that? If it were the other way around, with me in her place, I would still want to be friends with her. When I arrived home, I found my mother pacing the floor worriedly. She looked up and saw the rivers of tears flowing down my cheeks. Her worry was replaced with concern and she opened her arms for me to enter, "What's wrong honey?" I simply just stared at her then rushed into her embrace, "Mom…" I choked on a sob as I envisioned Haley with her sad, angry stare closing the door on me, shutting me out of her life.