Whoa… I actually made it to chapter ten. Lol believe me guys, I had some doubts. I feel like I should have a party or something. Hahah, cupcakes for everybody! As a chapter ten treat, I'm thinking I'll toss in some that in-depth bff chat some of you have been waiting for… and maybe something you've been waiting for a little longer? Hum? Enjoy chapter 10, and be sure to review!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Although I'm starting to really wonder what the point of these disclaimers are anyway. I mean, I'm thinking we all know that I don't own freaking One Tree Hill, and if I did, I wouldn't be sitting here writing about it.

At The Heart Of It All

Chapter Ten, Part I

The Awful Truth of Loving

3:00 A.M. the electronic alarm clock in her bedroom seemed to scream out to the night, its bright red digits explosive in the total darkness. Too bad no one was there to appreciate it…

"You tired yet, Broody?"

"Not a chance, Cheery," Lucas said through a yarn. Brooke moved slowly from her side of the couch onto his, and deposited herself squarely in his lap. Moving slowly and deliberately and causing as much rubbing as possible, Brooke curled herself up on him, resting her head against his shoulder and her hand against his chest.

"Luke, you alive in there?" He only nodded, but judging by feeling, there was definitely something going on, Brooke thought with a giggle.

"Hey Broody? I'm really sorry about the other day. How I sprung the whole Anna thing on you. That was a low blow; I shouldn't have played that card…"

"Forget about it, Brooke."

"Um… I know it was kind of a while ago now, and we've mostly just left it alone but… are we ever going to talk about it?"

"What is there to talk about?"

"Come on, Lucas! I know that you aren't that indifferent to the whole thing. We're best friends, and I want you to talk about this with me!"

"Fine, we'll talk about it!"

"Yay!" Brooke squealed, squirming on his lap.

"Eek cut out the friction, crazy girl!"

"Sorry?" Brooke smirked, eyebrows raised.

"Anyway…" Luke rolled his eyes. "You know how it all started…"

It was the first day of the fourth marking period, freshman year, and Lucas Scott had already made a name for himself as an up-and-coming basketball star. It was actually becoming the stuff of school legend that he had made varsity his freshman year, a previously unaccomplished feat. Equally surprising was his down-to-earth personality, and perhaps even under-inflated ego. He could have anyone, be accepted at any party, and yet he chose to hang out with the guys at the River Court, the one's he had always known… and Brooke. That friendship was even more intriguing than either of the A-listers involved. Nobody had been quite able to grasp the guy-and-girl-being-just-friends concept. That fateful day, Lucas had been on his way to meeting Brooke in the school courtyard, because they had the same free period. But he got a little sidetracked on his way there…

"Wow, I'm really sorry. Geez, I'm such a klutz, I'm so sorry," the Latina (and proud of it!) girl said, sounding mortified and scrambling to pick up the books she had dropped. Their hands touched as they both reached for a book at the same moment, and Lucas's thoughts instantly flicked to the random chick flick Brooke had made him watch the night before. Ridiculous. However, Luke was way too polite to laugh openly, especially when this girl seemed to think that there was a connection between them.

"Yeah, I remember how you met. I laughed for a few hours over that one. I still can't believe you blew me off!" Brooke laughed.

"Yeah…" said Lucas, a sad smile tugging at his lips and a far-away look in his clear eyes, causing a mixture of sadness and jealousy to flare up in the girl on his lap.

"So I'm going out with that new girl, Anna," Lucas said tentatively, a few weeks later. Brooke always was overprotective.

"Do I know her?" Brooke raised her eyebrows, an inquisitive look on her pretty face.

"You should… seeing as she's your new neighbor."

"Oh...oh! Oh, she's Felix's sister?"

"Yeah… um, is that cool with you?"

"Sure. I don't really know what you see in her, but I give you my best friendly permission to go out and try to be happy. Or at least stop brooding, for God's sake Luke!" Brooke said, a teasing grin on her face to match the smile crossing his.

"Let's not get crazy."

"You really loved her, didn't you? I can see it in your eyes, even now."

"I did. She was just so…perfect. You know?"

"Do I know about Anna's perfection? Nope, never bore witness. What a shame." Brooke attempted to lighten the mood, but Luke wasn't biting.

"We just had so much in common. And she was so sweet. And beautiful too…"

"And then Felix…"

"And then Felix," Luke nodded in agreement, resentment shining in his eyes.

"Look Luke, I really loved you… but Felix is my brother. I have to trust him, stick by him… trust his judgment, you know? He's made me realize that you definitely aren't the kind of guy I even want to be friends with, never mind be with. I'm really sorry that it has to end this way," Anna had said, biting her lower lip and twisting her hands together nervously.

He could still picture her perfectly in that moment. Anna, who had gone away to boarding school, and never contacted him since that day. Anna, who had left him broken, a shell of his former self. Even he could admit that. Brooke, still curled up, looked at her best friend and was a little bit shocked to find that his eyes which had previously been shining with resentment now shone with tears. A single one slipped down his cheek, and as sad as she was over Felix's betrayal, she had never been more heartbroken than at the sight of that lonely tear. Without thinking, she kissed it, stopping its path down his cheek, a gesture that had been repeated by both of them many times during their friendship. However, this time was different, because with her lips on his cheek, his eyes locked on hers, and unexpected warmth spread through her. This was different, and he felt it too...

Hurry! Click over to part II! (lol, it didn't feel right to stick both parts in the same chappie, so continue!)