Chapter Five

Marcel Proust once said, "It is seldom indeed that one parts on good terms, because if one were on good terms, one would not part."

He watched her shoulders fall and the smile on her face fade away. She ran her hands over her hair and then let them find the pockets on her jeans. Her eyes met the tiled floor of the kitchen. She would look at anything as long as she didn't have to look at him.

"Brooke." Haley said as she walked closer to Brooke and put her hand on her back. Brooke slowly shook her head and the closed her eyes for what seemed like an eternity.

Lucas kept his eyes fixated on her. He hated to see her this way. He leaned over and whispered into Lyndsi's ear, "Maybe I should go."

He never would have come over had he known Lyndsi's cousin was none other than his ex girlfriend. Lucas looked at Peyton and then at Brooke, whose eyes were still fixated on the white tiled floor. Peyton crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at him. She knew Brooke was taking their break-up harder than anytime before. Brooke thought this time was different. She thought this time they could be together, but then she ruined it…again.

Lyndsi glanced at Brooke, "Brooke, this is Lucas." She smiled. Her white pearls of teeth plastered across her face. Lyndsi reached to her neck and played with her silver, cross necklace.

Brooke finally looked up, letting her eyes settle on his tanned face. She let the corners of her lips curl up at him in an attempt at a smile. "Hey," She said in a soft, raspy voice.

Lucas smiled slowly at her, "Hey back." He said his words smooth and calm. He blinked hard at her and took a step away from Lyndsi. "Sorry for not calling you back…" He dug his hands deep into the pockets of his khaki shorts, "I've been… busy."

She nodded slowly at him and looked back down at the floor. Haley handed her a glass of wine, but Brooke pushed it away. She had already had about five glasses and this encounter with the ex-boyfriend was going to be emotional enough whether or no alcohol played a part.

"I take it ya'll two know each other," Lyndsi said, her slow, southern accent oozing off of her I's and ya'll's.

Lucas nodded and Brooke looked up at him, saying, "Yeah… we used to be friends." She looked at him as her eyes teared up. She grabbed her purse and headed for the door. She turned the knob quickly and ran down the stairs.

Lucas looked at the girls standing in the apartment and then glanced at the door. He ran after Brooke. "Wait." He watched the lights on her car flash. She swung the drivers door open and he called back to her, "Brooke, hang on!"

"Just leave me alone, you haven't had a problem with that lately." Brooke climbed into the front sear and Lucas ran down the stairs and stood in front of her car.

"You can't do this Brooke."

She turned the car on, "Lucas just let me go… please." Wiping away her tears, she said, "Just let me go. You've moved on. I get that…"

"That's what you wanted!" He yelled as he threw his arms into the air. "You broke up with me remember?"

She threw her head back and laid on the horn. He jumped out of the way.

The pair's eye's met and Brooke chewed on her bottom lip. Her head tilted to the side and she looked at him with sad eyes. He watched a tear fall from her green eyes. Her eyes were green when she cried, only he knew that.

Brooke shrugged her shoulders, "It was the first time… I was happy…" Her words trailed off, slipped into the sorrow of her words. Her hands slipped from the steering wheel, "For the first time in my life…" She looked down and then slowly, back up, "I was happy." Her voice cracked as she said 'happy'.

Lucas closed his eyes for just a moment and then walked to the driver's side of the car. His hand met the top of hers and she looked up at him, "What's wrong with me?" She shook her head.

Her dark hair framed her tear streaked face. Lucas reached toward her face and then quickly pulled away, "There's nothing wrong with you." He crossed his arms over his chest and took a step back, "There was something wrong with us. There was nothing wrong with you and there was nothing wrong with me… there was something wrong with us."

He leaned toward her car and put his hands through the window. She took them in her hands and kissed the top of them. "No matter what I have ever said… or will ever say about you," She let out a small laugh in between her tears, "You are amazing, amazing guy Lucas Eugene Scott." She starred into his blue eyes, "Any girl would be lucky to have you." Brooke smiled at him, letting her dimples barely show through her heartrending smile, "I should know," She paused for a moment, her words soaking in, "I was the luckiest."

Lucas chin quivered as he tried to push his tears away. He quickly turned away from the baby blue car and walked back toward the apartment.

Haley leaned over the railing and watched Lucas. She had never seen him look so sad, not when his mom left for Italy, not when Keith died. He had never looked like this. She blinked hard at the sight and watching him put his hands atop his head. He quickly turned around and called after her, "Brooke!"

Her parking spot was empty. It was too little too late, she was already gone.