Author's Note: Hey guys! Here's the next chapter! I know its kind of short but I needed it to match with the lyrics and I thought it was a good stopping point. I would have posted it sooner but I was having internet problems for the past two days. I'm working on the next chapter but I am not sure when I will have it out. I have a major test coming up as well as a paper to write for English so that will be taking the majority of my time the next few days. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter! As always, please read and review!

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

Rating: K+ to T

The Hardest Thing

Chapter 2

It's the hardest thing
I'll ever have to do
To look you in the eye
And tell you I don't love you

"Back so soon," Haley smirked when she answered the door the next afternoon. I had decided last night as I lay wide awake in bed with Brooke curled up next to me, her head resting on my chest and her hand over my heart, that I couldn't do this to her anymore. I had to grow up, be a man. I had to stop what I was doing before everything came out and I would lose Brooke forever. I love Brooke, but Haley… We've known each other since we were toddlers and I have always loved her with all my heart but she is married to Nathan, my brother. I couldn't do this to him either. We had just started being friends only a few short months ago and were making our way towards becoming brothers. Everything just felt so wrong. I needed to fix everything before my life, my whole world, fell apart.

"We need to talk," I said gruffly, trying to steel myself from succumbing to Haley's seductive charms. Nobody would ever believe me if I told them that sweet, innocent Haley James, now Scott, was a sexy little vixen and could put one over on almost any guy, especially me. I was her guinea pig, helpless but to obey her. "Okay…" she replied uncertainly as she opened the door wider to let me in. "Nathan home," I asked, looking around the apartment. "No," she said, shutting the door and crossing her arms over her chest, "What did you want to talk about?" I decided to lay it out on the line right there where we stood. I wasn't going to sit her down and gently break it to her. I knew if I did, she would try to hug and kiss me, try to make me reconsider, but my mind was made up. I couldn't keep living a lie; I couldn't keep doing this to Brooke.

"We can't do this anymore, Haley. I won't do this anymore. What we're doing is wrong, Haley. You're married to Nathan and I'm dating Brooke. This all should have never happened. We're with different people. We're betraying them by doing what we are doing, were doing. I promised myself I would never hurt Brooke again by cheating on her but I did just that. So I'm stopping this now. I'm not going to hurt her again. And you shouldn't hurt Nathan by doing this to him either. He's your husband, Hales, your husband. This isn't going to happen anymore. I'm not going to be that guy."

It's the hardest thing
I'll ever have to lie
To show no emotion
When you start to cry

By now, Haley's chin and lower lip were trembling as tears fell down her cheeks. "B-But I thought you l-loved me…" It took all my willpower not to take her in my arms and tell her over and over again that I loved her with all my heart, more than any other person, more than Brooke. "I don't," I replied coldly, trying to block all emotion and feeling I had for her out of my mind, "Not in that way. We're just friends, remember? Friends with benefits, but now that's over. I don't think we should see each other for awhile, let things cool off." "Y-You don't mean that…" Haley sobbed as she walked towards me and wrapped her arms around my neck, standing on her tiptoes and kissing me on the lips. My resolve nearly broke at her soft, wet lips on mine…almost. I pushed her away, screaming in anger, "Dammit Haley! We can't do this anymore!"

I can't let you see
What you mean to me
When my hands are tied
And my hearts not free
We're not meant to be

"Look me in the eye, Lucas, and tell me you don't love me," she whispered, her voice cracking on the words. I desperately wanted to tell her that I did love her, but it would only make this worse and harder to do. I focused on her forehead, knowing I wouldn't be able to look into her beautiful, sorrow-filled brown doe eyes and do what she was asking me to do. "I don't love you," I said softly with a hint of weakness, yet said firmly so she wouldn't detect it. Tears began to fall down her cheeks like waterfalls as she crossed her arms over her chest again and turned around, hanging her head. "Go," she choked on a sob, "Go! Get out!" I stood there for a moment, a pained expression on my face for hurting the girl I so dearly loved. Then I turned around and walked out the door.

It's the hardest thing
I'll ever had to do
To turn around and walk away
Pretending I don't love you