Chapter Three

I Did Mean It

Lucas walked down the hall with a huge smile on his face. Being with Brooke always put a smile on his face. He never realized how much he loved spending time with her until now.

He stopped when he reached the library door. He looked inside and saw the back of Peyton's head. He could never mistake her curls for anyone else's. This was the moment he'd been dreading all morning. In about five minutes he would be hurting a girl that not too long ago he thought he loved. He really did think it was love he felt for her, but that was until he realized that what he felt for Brooke was actually love. What he had felt for Peyton didn't compare to what he now felt for Brooke.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and slowly let it out before he opened the door and went in. This had to be done. He couldn't put it off any longer. He walked up to the couch where she was sitting and sat across from her on a small coffee table."Hey."

Peyton looked up."It's about time. I was starting to think you weren't coming."

"No. I knew I had to come. I had to see you."

Peyton smiled, happy to hear that, but then she remembered and her smile fell."As much as it makes me feel good that you felt like you had to see me I have to ask."

"Ask what?"

"What the hell were you doing telling Brooke you loved her last night and then to top it all off you slept with her. I thought we agreed that you would only stay with her for now and do all the making out stuff with me."

"I guess she told you about last night huh?"

"Yeah, you think? I'm really upset with you. Brooke's never had a real boyfriend before and no guy has ever told her he loved her either. So I think it really sucks that the first guy to say it to her was lying. You really shouldn't have done that."

"The thing is, I wasn't lying when I said it."

"What?"

" Look we need to talk."

"About?"

"This thing with us. I'm sorry, but I can't do it anymore. I can't be with Brooke and be with you at the same time. It's not right."

"Fine. Then break up with her."

"That's just it. I don't want to. Last night I realized something pretty amazing. I realized that I love Brooke."Lucas stopped when he heard Peyton's breath catch."Look I'm not telling you this to hurt you. That is the last thing I want to do, but I had to tell you how I feel. You needed to know that Brooke is the one I want to be with. What we did yesterday was a big mistake."Peyton scoffed."Again I'm not trying to hurt you. I know that you know what we did was wrong."

"Well I didn't hear you complaining yesterday in my car. In fact if I remember correctly and I know I do, you kept on saying how good it felt."

"I know and at the time I thought it did feel good, but that doesn't make it any less wrong. Yesterday I honestly thought that you were the one I wanted, but I was wrong. I feel really bad for being confused and having to hurt you in the process. I shouldn't have done anything until I was sure about how I felt."Lucas paused to see what if anything she would say. When nothing came he continued."I want you to know that I'm going to tell Brooke everything, but just not right now. I'm asking you to please not say anything to her now either. Please wait for me to do it."he begged.

"So your dumping me, but also asking me for a favor? Your unbelievable."

"Peyton I'm not dumping you. We were never together. We just made out."

Peyton's eyes widened in disbelief.

He caught the look on her face."I'm sorry that didn't come out right. I know what I said must have sounded awful. I didn't mean it. I really don't want to hurt you."Lucas was about to continue but was cut off.

"You know for somebody who keeps saying that they don't want to hurt me, you sure as hell are doing a pretty good job of doing exactly that."Peyton turned and walked away, but quickly stopped."Oh and about that little favor you asked me. Don't worry about it. She's my best friend. I don't want to lose her, especially over what'd you call it? Oh yeah, just making out. So I won't tell her at all. I hope you will also keep your mouth shut. She never has to know because it didn't mean anything right?"with that Peyton stormed out slamming the library door behind her causing everybody to look at the door and then at him.

He shrugged his shoulders and placed his head in his hands."That didn't go so well."he said aloud.

Lucas just sat on the couch thinking about everything until the bell rang signaling the end of class. He quickly got up and was about to leave when Haley ran in.

"Good I ran all the way over here hoping I'd catch you."she said out of breath.

"You were looking for me? Why?"

"Well you are my best friend."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"It's cool. That's not why I was looking for you though."

"Okay, well then why? What's going on?"

"I saw you yesterday."she blurted out.

Lucas' eyebrows furrowed."I don't know what your talking about."

"Your not seriously going to stand there and lie to me are you? I already cut one guy out of my life for lying. I don't have a problem doing it again."

"Who did you cut out of your life? Was it Nathan? What the hell did he lie to you about?"

"Yes it was Nathan, but we're getting off the subject here. We're talking about you and how much of a jerk you are."

"Haley just stop okay? I don't want to hear this right now."

"Well I'm sorry, but your gonna hear it. You have a wonderful, beautiful girlfriend who loves you. How could you do this to her? And on top of everything you had to go and tell her you loved her. That is a pretty shitty thing to do when you don't mean it."

It was Lucas' turn to raise his voice."Why the hell is it that everybody assumes I didn't mean it? Do you all think that I am that cold hearted that I could just say I love you to a girl that has been hurt by every guy she's been with? I did mean it. I wouldn't have said it otherwise."

"Yeah, well can you blame me for doubting you? Normally a guy who loves his girlfriend doesn't make out with her best friend in a parked car."

"That was a mistake."

"Well than end it!"shouted Haley as if it was the only obvious thing to do.

"I already did!"also shouted Lucas.

Just then a very old, white haired lady approached them."I'm sorry, but if the two of you don't keep it down I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Sorry."said both simultaneously.

The old lady nodded and walked off.

"So you ended things with Peyton?"said Haley lowering her voice.

"Yes."said Lucas matching her tone.

"And how did it go?"

"Not so good. She definitely didn't take it well."

"Well can you blame her? Just yesterday you were making out with her, undoubtedly telling her you wanted to be with her and then today she hears about you professing your love to Brooke. It has to hurt."

"Wait a second, a minute ago you were on Brooke's side and now you are on Peyton's. You need to make up your mind."

"No actually I'm not the one who needs to make up their mind. That's you. And I'm not on any side. You messing around on your girlfriend who loves you is just plain wrong, but Peyton taking you ending things badly is also understandable, seeing how close you two were yesterday. You really messed up here Lucas."

"I know that okay."

"Then why did you do it?"

"I don't know. I guess it was being with Peyton for all that time without Brooke around. I mean we spent the night together. It was just me and her and all those old feelings came back."

"Wait a second. You two didn't sleep together, did you?"

"No! I couldn't sleep with Peyton and then sleep with Brooke the same day. I'm not like that Haley."

"Oh I get it. You can make out with Peyton in a parked car and then later go and sleep with Brooke. Yeah, that's a lot better."said Haley sarcastically.

"Look I know it's really not any better. I honestly thought Peyton was the one I wanted to be with, but I was wrong. When I was lying on the bed with Brooke listening to her talk about her childhood with Peyton something clicked and I realized that I loved her and I couldn't stop the words from coming out. I had to tell her how I felt."

"And you couldn't realize this say, before you made out with her best friend and thought she was the one you wanted. Your messing with their lives Lucas."

"You don't think I know that? I do. I know this is a shitty thing to say, but I regret everything I did with Peyton."

"That is a pretty shitty thing to say. You do know that this is going to hurt their friendship immensely?"

"Maybe it doesn't have to. Brooke doesn't ever have to know."

Haley looked at him incredulously."And you say you love her."Haley scoffed."You have to tell her."

"I do love her, but it's going to hurt her if she finds out."

"Well it's going to hurt her even more if she finds out from someone other than you or Peyton."

"Nobody else knows, but you."

"I'm not going to say anything, but if I was able to walk up and see you two without you knowing. I'm sure somebody else could have too."

"I doubt that."

"Okay say your right. Your going to be able to be with her knowing that your lying to her face everyday. God your worse than Nathan."

"It's not that I don't want to tell her. It's just that Peyton asked me not to say anything. She doesn't want to lose her best friend."

"Well she wasn't thinking about losing her best friend when she was making out with her best friends boyfriend now was she?"

"Haley come on. It's not like that and you know it."

"I know. I'm sorry, but I happen to think that Brooke needs to know and if neither of you tell her it's going to blow up in your faces."

"I know, but I've hurt Peyton so much. How can I not do this one thing she asks me?"

"First of all, she shouldn't even have asked you that. She should have been the one to want to tell Brooke. Second of all, we're getting pretty repetitive. Do what your gonna do, but I'm telling you she should know."

"I know she should know Hales. I'm just confused right now. So now that we are done talking about this you want to tell me what's going on with you and Nathan?"

"No."

"Come on Hales you know everything about my horrible situation right now."

"Well it's not my problem you weren't able to keep it a secret."

"I know, but still. What's going on?"

"Nothing. I just found out that you were right all along."

"Right about what?"

"Nathan."

"I got that part, but can you be a little more specific. Please."

"Fine. Last night Nathan let it slip that the only reason he started seeing me was to get at you."

"He actually said it out loud? And to you of all people?"

"Yeah, and he didn't seem to think anything was wrong with it. He expected me to be okay with it."

"I'm sorry Hales."

"I swore to you that you were wrong about him, but in all actuality I was the stupid one that was wrong."

"Your not stupid Haley. Not even close. You just cared about him too much to see the truth."

"You could be such a jerk right now and say I told you so."

"I'm not like that you know that and I wish I hadn't been right about this. I can see how this is hurting you. If I could, I'd take away all your pain."

"I know you would and I love you for it, but this is the reason you need to tell Brooke. If later on she realizes that your whole relationship was based on a lie, she's going to be just as hurt as I am. Hell she's gonna be worse, you actually love each other."

"Haley, I know you love him. You don't have to deny it with me."

"You can tell?"

"Yes, I know you as well as I know myself."

"I keep forgetting that."

"Everything is going to be okay. We'll get through all of this together."

"Thanks, Lucas."

"You bet."

A/N:Thanks for the reviews. They were great. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I hope I'm not making Peyton too awful. It's just hard for me to write her because I couldn't stand her at this time last season, but I'm going to try and do better. Let me know what you think. Please read and review.

Coming Up:

Brooke talks to Peyton.

Brooke hits the nail right on the head.

Brooke leaves lunch early.