Lucas arrived back at his house and found Brooke and Karen watching The Notebook on the couch. They turned around when they heard him come in. He looked sort of distressed, like he had been thinking about something very hard. He said hi and then asked Brooke if she wanted to go for a walk with him. Brooke looked at Karen. "Go ahead. You two have fun." So they left the house.

They were walking the way they always walked. Brooke didn't have to ask Lucas where they were going, because they always went to the beach and sat up on the pier. They held hands all the way there, but didn't even say a word. Brooke decided to take this as a sign of true love: being able to be together and not say a word. When they reached the pier, he lifted her by the waist and helped her up onto the edge of the wall. He got up there and joined her. They looked out towards the ocean. The waves tumbled and flew. Every once in a while, a giant wave would form and surprise them. Brooke loved how the ocean did this. It reminded her of life. Just like the ocean, it surprised you at the most random times.

"Don't you love the ocean?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah."

"You know, I want to get married on the beach. I want my funeral to be at the beach too. And my children's weddings. And my after-graduation party."

Lucas laughed. "Why don't you just have your whole life at the beach?"

Brooke pretended to think about it. "Hmm…you know, that might not be so bad."

"Well, Brooke, if your wedding is gonna be on the beach, guess what that means?"

Again, Brooke pretended to think seriously about his question. "I don't know," she teased him.

"I think it means that my wedding will be at the beach too!"

"Wow, Luke, you're a genius. I think you're right!"

They playfully grabbed each other's hands and fidgeted as they tried to "twist" the other one's arms. Then, ever so slowly, Lucas leaned in towards Brooke. She leaned towards him too. Their eyes were still locked. Brooke whispered, "I think we really are going to get married." Lucas nodded. "Me too." And then they closed their eyes, and locked their lips. His hands were stroking her hair, and then holding her face up. She held his head with her hands too. Brooke was totally into kissing-and-telling, but this one felt so good she decided to keep it to herself. When they finally let go a minute later, he wrapped an arm around her. She laid her head on his shoulder, and they let their feet dangle off the edge of the pier.

Lucas decided he should tell Brooke, now. "Brooke, I asked you to come out here for a reason."

Brooke looked interested. "Really?"

Lucas nodded. "Yeah. I've really thought a lot about it, more than you know."

Now Brooke began to look worried. "Lucas, what's going on?"

"Well, all this thinking led me to decide that…"

"What?"

"Well…I think…there is…something I…need to tell you."

Brooke stared hard at Lucas. "What?"

Lucas stopped. He had gone over this so many times in his head. He would tell Brooke that Peyton had kissed him in the library. That it was just a friendship kiss. Nothing she needed to worry about, but he just wanted to tell her because…oh, yeah…he and Peyton had decided together that they should. Just to make sure she was in on the truth. And when she asked what the truth was, he would say, "that I love you."

But none of this came out. Why wasn't it working now? He licked his lips. Wait, what was he supposed to say. Oh, well, gotta start somewhere.

"Umm, Peyton and I kissed."

Brooke flinched backward. "WHAT!"

"Oh, wait, it's not how it sounds. It was just a friendship thing, you know. And I just told you cause…"

All of a sudden he couldn't remember why he was telling her this. If the kiss didn't mean anything, why would it matter if Brooke knew?

"Umm, never mind, I was kidding." Brilliant, Lucas.

"OK, WHAT! Tell me what happened!"

"Brooke, calm down. It was in the library. She thought she was about to die. So she just did it to thank me for saving her."

"Then why are you telling me this?"

"Because I tell you everything. Duh."

"Lucas. You are hiding something from me."

Just then Lucas's cell phone rang. "Hello?" It was the doctor. Lucas's phone was loud. Brooke could hear the voice in the background. "Yes. This is Doctor Roberts. I am just calling to remind you to come in for an appointment tomorrow. It is about your heart condition, and your decision to hide this condition from your parents or legal guardians." Brooke raised her eyebrows. "Um, yeah I'll be there. Thanks." Lucas hung up quickly.

"Who was that?" Brooke asked.

"Umm, just a friend." Lucas lied.

"I heard something about a heart condition."

Lucas silently cursed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Brooke rolled her eyes. Her voice came out all raggedy. "I can't trust you with anything, can I?"

Lucas began to feel annoyed. "God, Brooke, could you please mind your own damn business?" As soon as he said this, he began to regret it.

Brooke's eyes tightened up, which she always did when she was about to cry. "Fine, I will." And with that, she lowered herself from the edge of the pier and walked as fast as she could off the beach. Lucas wouldn't just let her get away though. He followed her, calling, "Brooke, I'm sorry! I didn't mean that!"

"Yeah, whatever. Nothing you say to me means anything! Only Peyton matters, right?"

"Stop being ridiculous! Peyton has nothing to do with this!" Lucas caught up with her, and began walking alongside her. Brooke sped up her pace.

"Then why do you always bring her up? Can you go an hour not talking about her? We're always talking about something besides us! There's always someone you're more interested in than me!"

"Brooke, what is going on? I'm sorry I said that. I just told you, I didn't mean it. I was just…"

"Just what? Being an ass!"

"Stop it." Now they were already on the sidewalk. Beside them, an occasional car rushed past them. Lucas put his hands out and stopped Brooke. Brooke broke loose from his grip and continued walking on the sidewalk. Lucas got off on the edge of street and tried to stop her. Why was her life like this? Why did something always have to get in the way of her happiness? Why her?

Lucas yelled, "Brooke, please!" Brooke just shook her head and kept going. She wanted to run back to him and fall in his arms. She wanted to tell him this whole argument was stupid, and she was sorry she had started it. She realized she couldn't even remember why they had started arguing in the first place. But backing down was not her nature. She couldn't stop until she had won the fight and Lucas had forfeited. Why was she like that? Why couldn't she be normal?

She decided to try. She couldn't be like this the rest of her life. She had to let it go. Let Lucas win for once. She turned around to face Lucas. The rest was a blur.

She saw a car. Racing around. Behind them. Someone was clearly driving drunk. The way Brooke would when she was angry. A teenager was in the driver's seat. They had no control. The same way Brooke felt right now. The car swerved around. She could see where it was going. It was going to hit Lucas. Her body, her head, her heart began moving in slow motion. "Lucas! Move!" He wouldn't. He thought she wanted him to get out of the way. What was she supposed to do? Her mind raced. The car was coming now. Closer. Closer. Closer. Any minute it would come and hit Lucas and her. She jumped out of the way, as a spur-of-the-moment act. She wasn't thinking. Lucas would be OK without her. He always turned out to be OK. Just to be safe. "Lucas, there's a drunk driver behind you. Get out of the way!" Lucas's head turned. But his feet were glued to the ground. He didn't really have time to think. All he thought was, I guess I'll see Keith again. Dying won't be so bad. But my mom. Brooke! They'll miss me. I can't cause them so much grief. He tried to jump out of the way, but the car was so close to him. He was going to be hit. His life flashed before his eyes.

Going to kindergarden. Fishing with Keith. Meeting Haley. Meeting Dan, Deb, and Nathan. Meeting Brooke. Getting to know Brooke. Breaking Brooke's heart. Winning her heart back. He began to see more and more images of Brooke. He wouldn't see her again…

And then, Brooke jumped.

-I hope you like how I wrote the cliffhanger. It sort of seemed unrealistic and not well written at first, but I don't know. Please tell me what you think. Do you think you know what's going to happen? Please review! Thanks, readers! You all rock!