So...
I started this story a couple months ago but then got caught up with my other stories. Hopefully that won't happen again. So with that, here is chapter 2. Please read and tell me what you think. Thanks.

Summary: Lucas Scott is just a boy...who seems to control his life. What is Nathan supposed to do when Lucas slowly takes away everything he has ever known? Two brothers, brought together by the love for the game, and the love for the girl. Naley, Brucas

MORE THAN USELESS
CHAPTER 2

The brunette girl stood motionless on the doorstep, her wrist poised, ready to knock. The tall, dark door stood menacingly before her for the first time in months. She never gave it a second thought before, never noticed its immense size.

But then she realized, it wasn't the door that was intimidating, it was what lay on the other side. Her knuckles tapped against it steadily, monotonously. She waited, her feet shifting in nervous habit.

The oak door swung open seconds later, the tall basketball star, dressed only in cloth shorts stood on the other side. His natural smile, the one that almost seemed to illuminate his entire face faded quickly at the sight of her.

Did he know? Her stomach churned out of fear. No, she told herself; there was no way that he could know. Especially when she had only found out herself mere minutes ago. He opened the door wider allowing her to pass him, into the room.

"What's wrong?" He questioned immediately, the door slamming behind him. He took a seat on the couch, his hand patting the cushion beside him, motioning for her to join him. She lightly shook her head.

"Nothing's wrong." She murmured anxiously. He eyed her suspiciously as he rethought his choice of sitting. Did she really think he was that stupid? So blind that he couldn't see when something was wrong with his best friend?

A light chuckle died on his lips, the hint of a smirk still resting on them. Try as she might, he always knew when she was lying. That's what fourteen years of friendship could do. They could open you up; make you an open book to the other person. Nothing was hidden between the people. Except perhaps what had brought her here now.

"Right…"

"I just…I need to tell you something." He slowly stepped toward her, his arms open. She gratefully accepted his waiting hug, anything to delay what she had to say. Besides, he always seemed to know how to calm her. She could hear his steady, slow beating heart, most likely from years of strenuous conditioning for his game.

His lips pressed gently into her hair; his arms holding her tighter against his bare chest. "Brooke, just tell me." He attempted coaxed her into telling him whatever was obviously bothering her.

"I don't wanna." She mumbled against his chest childishly.

"Pretty please?" His finger tilted her chin upward, his blue eyes meeting her brown ones. "I know something's wrong."

"How?" She pouted. "I hate that you can read me like you do."

"Well my first clue was the infamous Brooke Davis cheery knock." He laughed lightly. When opened the door after the boring know and saw her standing on the other side, he knew immediately that something was wrong. "Or lack thereof."

"You're not gonna like it."

"How do you know? You haven't even told me yet." He smiled sweetly at the girl still in his embrace. She knew that in a few seconds, after she let her secret out, that the smile would be instantly erased. She hated it. "I may surprise you."

"When I do this…promise me you won't get mad?" She questioned quietly. She slowly let her arms fall from around him and wiggled herself from his embrace. He gently took her hand into his, his thumb rubbing gentle circles on the back of it.

"I promise." He swore.

"I think…I think I might…" She began, her eyes beginning to water. His other thumb was quick to catch a tear that threatened to fall. She paused for a second and took a deep breath in. "Alright, I can do this. Nate, I like Lucas."

He stepped back quickly as though he had been punched in the stomach, instantly dropping her hand. "Lucas." He stated to himself, the name itself difficult to release from his tongue. "You're kidding right? Please tell me you're kidding. Don't #$ with me Brooke."

"I'm not."

"Lucas? Brooke, if this is some kind of sick joke, it's not funny." She could easily identify the anger in his voice that was pushing itself out. And she had definitely noticed the way his body had become rigid at her confession. And the way his hands had curled into tight fists that turned his knuckles white. "Why? Why him?

"I can't help it!"

"But him! Brooke, you could have anyone on the planet that you want!" His voice was steadily increasing in volume. "You're way too good for a bastard like him!"

"Don't call him that Nathan!" She berated him. She knew that this wasn't going to go over well.

"No. No, you just can't."

"I can't help who I like Nate. Trust me, I wish I could." She almost whispered.

"Dammit Brooke." He swore mostly to himself. "I can't believe you! I can't…I thought we were friends?"

"No! No, no no!" She pointed weakly at him. "You promised. You said you would get mad. Nathan Scott doesn't break promises, remember?"

"I know, I know." He blew out. His fingers grasped at his hair as though it would help him think clearer. "I'm not mad. I don't know…"

"I'm sorry Nate, I really am. But I can't help that I like him."

"I get that. Trust me, I do." He attempted a smile. But unlike before, it didn't seem true. She hated that she was the one that took it away.

"It's just like how you like Haley. I like Lucas." Her hand wiped at her eyes to dry the tears that were filling them.

"But it's Lucas…" He practically whined. If it wasn't such a serious moment Brooke probably would have laughed. "Haley is so amazing. I don't even know how to describe her. I love her. But Lucas. Gah, he's Lucas!"

"I'm sorry, you what her?" Brooke's eyebrows rose curiously at his previous statement.

"I love her Brooke." He was suddenly smiling widely; the smile that lit up his eyes, lit the entire room. "I've never felt anything like it before. It's almost like hitting the game wining shot, but then at the same time, its not even close."

"That makes no sense." She shook her head playfully at him.

"When I look at her, my heart speeds up." She watched as he gazed off at some unknown place, as though he was picturing her. "I want to be with her every minute of every day. I never want to let her go. She's my future."

"Nate, darling, you're seventeen." She laughed at him teasingly.

"It doesn't matter! I want everything with her Brooke. I want to marry her. I want a marriage. I want to live in a big house with a white picket fence. I want kids. I want a big back lawn where we can lay in the grass and watch as they run around in the afternoon sun."

"You're being crazy now." She stated seriously.

"I'm serious!" His arms flailed about energetically. "You know what the crazy part is? None of that stuff, not a single bit, scares me."

"Have you told her any of this?"

He instantly grew quiet at the question, his eyes falling from hers and focusing on the carpet. "I'll kill him if he hurts you."

"So it's ok that I like him?" She asked hopefully.

"I can't tell you who you can or can't like Brooke." He shook his head gently. He once again took her hand in his larger one and stroked it comfortingly. "I'm gonna support you no matter what, you know that."

"I know."

"Even if it is Lucas. And even if I still think that you are way, way too good for him." He cut himself short as she shot him a hard glare. "I just don't want to see you get hurt if he's not the person you think he is."

"He won't hurt me."

"I hope you're right." He whispered before he kissed her forehead lovingly.

"I guess I should go." She slowly made her way toward his front door, her fingers resting on the small silver knob. "Hey Nate?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell her. I bet she will feel the same way. God knows you deserve something good, some love, in your life."

"You too."

hr

The blonde boy dribbled the ball steadily against the worn concrete, the loud thud from the contact echoing against the surrounding trees. He allowed the ball to slip from his hands and watched as it sailed perfectly through the old nets.

"And Scott with another!" Haley announced playfully as she watched her best friend from the nearby picnic table. It had become sort of a weekly ritual of theirs for as long as either could remember. Every Wednesday they would meet here as the sun began to set. He would shoot a few baskets, she would watch happily. Then, after the sun had completely fallen behind the buildings across the river, they would talk.

It was something they had both come to cherish, especially in these later years. It seems as though now that they were in high school, they got less and less quality time to spend together. He was focusing on basketball; her on school and Nathan.

Lucas latched the ball under his arm as he used the other to swipe the sweat from his brow. The bench rocked as he plopped himself onto it tiredly. "So buddy..." He smiled crookedly at Haley. "What's on your mind?"

Her head snapped in his direction as though this was the first time she was acknowledging his presence beside her. He laughed at her spacey behavior, his elbow pocking at her ribs playfully. "Sorry Luke." A rueful smile appeared.

"What's going on in there?" His finger lightly tapped on her skull.

"I love him Lucas." She whispered. If he hadn't been sitting right beside her he would have missed her confession. Her eyes cut to his nervously searching for any kind of reaction. She mentally prepared herself for the anger and yelling that she knew was about to come.

He twisted his body so he was once again facing forward and his eyes were peering out at the empty court before them. She still watched him intently, the panic growing inside of her at his eerie calmness. His arm wrapped around her body and pulled her against his side. "I know." He stated simply.

She had to admit, she definitely wasn't expecting that. "So, you're not mad?" She questioned, the uneasy feeling in her stomach only intensifying at his response.

"Do you want me to be?"

"No." Her brow furrowed curiously. She opened her mouth to speak again except no words came out. Leave it to Lucas Scott to completely confuse her.

"Listen, Hales." He turned to her. "I'm not gonna pretend that I'm his number one fan, cause believe me, I'm not. But if he makes you happy, then I guess I can put up with him. I guess sometimes he can be an okay guy, he has to be if you see something in him."

"Thanks Luke."

The autumn leaves crunch loudly behind them causing both to turn quickly to the sound. Nathan stood, his hands tucked away in his hoodie, his legs, with the exception of basketball shorts, bare to the chilled air. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Lucas immediately stood and grabbed his ball from below the bench. "I'll see you tomorrow Haley." He leaned in and briefly kissed her lips like they always did. Haley stood and hopped over the bench to the side Nathan stood on.

"Actually…" He wrapped his arm around his girlfriend's waist lovingly. "I want to talk to you Lucas."