Hey guys. I am so, so, so sorry for not updating this sooner. I've had a major writers block for it and also a lot of schoolwork to do. I am back now though and hopefully I'll be able to update sooner this time. As usual I found my inspiration in music, read the chapter and you'll know from what artist and song. I do not own the band, nor the song I mention but I do love it. Please R&R.

Love ya,

Malin

Chapter seven:

Ever since that night Lucas had been trying to sort out his feelings toward his best friend but he could not find any way to explain what he was experiencing. Whenever he saw her he felt a fluttering feeling in his stomach which he had soon realized must be what they called 'butterflies'. He missed her even more then usual during the weeks and when he saw her with someone from the basketball team he always felt a strange need to strangle the guy.

Brooke, on the other hand, was trying to remember what had happened that night. All she had come up with so far was sitting alone in a bedroom thinking about her feelings toward Lucas; she remembered realizing that she liked her best friend as more than just a friend. This made her come to the conclusion that whatever she did that night she must have done to Lucas, that left her with the question of why he wouldn't tell her what had happened. She had then remembered waking up only wearing Lucas' T-shirt, which made her wonder even more what had happened between them.

A Wednesday a few months after that fateful night Lucas walked into his best friend's room hearing the metal blaring from her stereo. He tapped her on the shoulder where she sat in front of her computer, writing, and she spun around. A smile spread across her face when she saw him, even though she knew he was hiding something from her she could not bring herself to be mad at him. She turned down the music so that they could have a normal conversation.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," he replied, sitting down on her bed motioning toward her stereo. "So who pissed you off today?" he asked knowing she only listened to Metallica's "The black album" when she was either angry or very confused.

"Nobody, I'm just feeling confused that's all," she explained knowing there was no point in trying to lie to him, she was an awful liar.

"Confused about what? Anything I can help you with?" he asked, immediately regretting his offer. He knew perfectly well that she was still confused about that evening all those months ago and he had just asked her to make him tell her. He silently cursed himself for giving her this opportunity but before he could take his words back she spoke again.

"Yeah, actually. But I think this conversation requires some change of music and definitely a more private space," she said as she turned off her webcam which she knew Haley was using to spy on her. She moved to change the music to her mixed CD with nothing but Metallica's ballads on it before sitting down on the bed, facing him. "There. Now I'd really like an explanation as to what happened between us that night, my memory is a bit foggy," she said, giving him a small smile. He took a deep breath, trying to prepare himself for her reaction but knowing he'd never be more prepared than he already was he just decided to tell her.

"You kinda threw yourself at me," he blurted out. They both sat in shock at his sudden outburst. He, wondering what had compelled him to tell her just like that, and she, not believing what she was hearing.

"I threw myself at you? As in, in a sexual way?" she asked quietly, needing to know.

"Yeah," he whispered, waiting for her to break but she didn't. She just sat there in complete shock, staring at him.

"And… um, what happened?" she slowly questioned.

"Nothing," he quickly answered, maybe a bit too quickly.

"Lucas…" she warned, "How far did we go? Or I? Or whatever?"

"You kinda managed to pull my shirt off while I was still in shock and then you pulled your own shirt and bra off. You tried to kiss me but that's when I snapped out of my shock and asked you what you were doing," he told her all in one breath, at the same time reliving every moment of that evening. She drew a deep, shocked breath, she had not expected that. Well, she had but she hadn't been ready to hear it.

"Y- You mean you saw me topless?" she stuttered, subconsciously covering her chest with her arms. He only nodded and she blushed. He smiled, that must have been the first time he'd seen her blush, she looked adorable. "Oh gosh, I can't believe I'm blushing. Umm," she said, biting her lower lip as she tried to find the right words, "What happened after that? I mean, how did I end up sleeping in your shirt?"

"Well, after I asked you what you were doing you started rambling about how you liked me and that you thought if you wore a miniskirt I'd like you too. Then you just acted as if you realised something and got out from beneath me, standing in another end of my room looking very self-conscious. Then you stared crying and I, well I held you and then I put you to sleep after hading you my shirt," he answered her last questions.

"Oh, ok," she said as her face fell from a smile to a rather sad expression. So she had expressed her feelings to him and he had rejected her, having him tell her what happened made all the hurt from that night come back but only now it was so much worse. Now she was not numb from alcohol, she could feel the hurt burning its way through her soul and she used all her strength to keep from crying. She knew she'd break down any second so she quickly rose from the bed and left the room with a simple, "I've gotta go," at the edge of tears. He watched her leave just as the perfect guitar solo in "Nothing else matters" started to play, he threw himself back so he was laying on his back, staring at her sealing. He knew he should go after her, try to comfort her and make her tell him what was wrong but he didn't know if she really wanted him with her right now. He decided to go and check on her 'cause she had looked upset as she left and he hated to see her cry. He found her in the living room where she was drowning her sorrows in whiskey, she grimaced as the bitter liquid burned her throat. The liquor was already starting to take affect on her senses but instead of numbing her pain as she had hoped it only made it worse. Tears streamed down her cheeks but she did not bother to wipe them away. He sat down at the table in front of the couch and took the bottle from her hands, placing it beside him.

"Brooke? What are you doing?" he asked softly. She lifted her head to face him and knew that the hurt was written all over her face.

"Isn't that obvious? I'm trying to drown my sorrows in liquor, but it isn't working," she sobbed. He moved to sit beside her and put his arm around her back in comfort but she pulled away, standing up. She turned to face him and let her feelings out for once. "Don't Lucas, just don't. I just found out that I've already put myself on the line for you and that you rejected me. And to tell you the truth it hurts… so bad to know that you'll never feel the way I do but at least now I can spare myself the trouble of telling you again," she spat as more tears fell and a sob shook her body. He stood, wanting nothing but to take her pain away, he placed a hand on her shoulder willing her to understand how confused he was about his feelings toward her.

"Brooke…" he began but the cut him off.

"Don't! Just don't!" she stated coldly, spinning around and running out of the house, leaving him behind.