CHAPTER 8: Betrayal

When Brooke got to school a week after the accident, she almost wished she were in the state Lucas was in…almost. Everyone was giving her sideways glances and whispering behind their hands. She couldn't count the number of rumors that had been spreading around about her and Lucas…especially Lucas. Someone had even said he'd been killed. The thought made her want to laugh and cry at the same time.

"Brooke!" Peyton called, running up to her friend and hugging her tightly. "How are you doing? How's Lucas? And how's the arm?"

Brooke sighed, and looked at Peyton for a few seconds before speaking. She was the reason that Lucas wasn't with her anymore…at least hadn't been. When it had first happened, Brooke had felt like she'd never forget them for betraying her, but now…now Peyton was her best friend again, and Lucas was…well, she didn't quite know how to place him, other than lying in a coma at the moment. The thought brought tears to her eyes.

"I'm…managing I guess. My arm's fine, doesn't really hurt much. Luke…oh, God...Luke hasn't woken up yet and I feel so terrible. I feel like it was my fault," Brooke confessed, stopping and leaning back against the wall.

Peyton stopped also, feeling a great sense of sympathy for her best friend. Even though Brooke hadn't voiced it, Peyton could see in her eyes that she was still in love with him. When the two were together, there was a special light in her eyes, like nothing could bring her down. And the grief in her eyes showed how worried she was for him. Peyton was feeling much of the same thing for him, but nowhere near as much as Brooke seemed to be. "Why was it your fault? It was a drunk driver."

Brooke nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek. Peyton wished there were some way to help her best friend…she never cried around other people.

"It was…but…Lucas had glanced at me for a second, and when he looked back it was too late." She started to break down in sobs, and Peyton hugged her tightly, tears filling her own eyes.

"Peyt!" a voice called softly from a little ways away. Brooke pulled away from Peyton, and forced a smile to Jake as he came up. "Hey, Brooke, how are you holding up?" His eyes were full of compassion and concern. Brooke simply shook her head, and another sob racked her body. He gave her a comforting hug, and kissed the top of her head tenderly. In the time that she'd been back and the group had been visiting with Lucas and just talking, he'd felt like he'd gained a sister in Brooke, and it broke his heart to see his friends in the states they were in. "You shouldn't be here, you should be with Luke…you're not ready to come back to school yet," he murmured. Brooke shook her head.

"I can't just watch him lie there, not again. Looking at him now just brings back memories of the last time I saw him in the hospital." When Brooke mentioned his previous accident, Peyton looked away guiltily. Brooke noticed. "Peyt, not that. I've long since forgotten about that…you both matter too much to me anymore." She sighed. "I can't look at him without thinking that it should have been me."

"Come on, let's go somewhere a little more private…screw class, this is more important," Peyton insisted, tugging on Brooke's arm.

The three of them found a very unknown corner of the school, and talked. Brooke was in tears the entire time, and Peyton began to cry later in their conversation. Jake was quiet throughout most of the conversation, just providing comforting hugs and nods. It hadn't really hit him how serious the situation was for Lucas until that conversation. He hadn't been able to go and visit his friend in the hospital, so he never really understood. But now that his girlfriend and good friend had skipped almost all of their classes with him to talk about Lucas and worrying over his well-being, it was starting to really hit home for him.

After school let out, the three of them headed over to the hospital to visit Lucas. Nathan and Haley were on their way, and Karen and Andy had already been there and were sitting with him when the trio entered. Tyler was in the room as well, and smiled when he saw Brooke walk in. "There's no change. Um…Brooke, can I speak with you for a moment?"

Brooke sighed heavily, glanced down at Lucas and let her hand brush against his, and then followed Tyler out the door. As she left, she glanced at Peyton pleadingly. "What?" she questioned impatiently, leaning back against the wall.

"Why do you like Lucas? I mean, he's lying in a bed with no brainwave activity…what's the appeal?" he questioned sarcastically. Brooke gave him a shocked and appalled look, but he continued. "I mean, he's the only thing standing between us."

Brooke scoffed. "Who the hell do you think you are! I like Lucas because of who he is when he is awake! And no, he's not the only thing standing between us. There are many things standing between us. Namely your cocky, arrogan attitude."

Tyler grinned. "You're sexy when you're angry."

Brooke fumed. "You son of a-"

Before she could finish her sentence, he cut her off with a rough kiss. Brooke tried to push him away, but he just pushed both of her arms against the wall. She heard a gasp, and tensed. With a grunt of struggle, she finally managed to shove him away, and turned.

Haley and Nathan were starting at them, disbelief and anger in their eyes. Nathan looked the most hurt, and Brooke guessed it was partly because of what he went through with Haley. "No…it's not-"

"Just save it, Brooke! How could you do that to Lucas!" Haley snapped, stomping up to her. Brooke shook her head, tears in her eyes. She turned to Tyler.

"You bastard! You…you…conniving…how-"

Tyler shrugged. "You said you weren't dating him, you agreed to go on that date, and you lead me on," he explained smugly. Brooke could see the lust in his eyes. She realized in that instant what he was trying to do…

She brought her hand back, and slapped him with as much force as she could muster. He stumbled from it, and then slowly turned back to her. "You stay the hell away from Lucas."

He laughed, and walked away without speaking. Brooke turned back to Haley, a pleading look in her eyes. Behind her, Nathan stood by Peyton, Jake, Karen and Andy. "Haley, please, just let me explain," she pleaded.

Haley scowled at her, and did what Brooke had done to Tyler: she slapped her. "You'd better stay the hell away from Lucas too."

Brooke stared at her in disbelief, and nodded sadly. "Okay…okay." She knew that no one would believe her right now, so she just walked away from them, sobs racking her body. It killed her that her friends thought that she would do something like that to Lucas, though Peyton and Jake didn't really know what had changed between them. She knew it would be a long time before Haley even considered speaking to her. Enough time, maybe, for Lucas to wake up, and hear what she'd 'done'. The thought made her cry harder, and as soon as she entered the empty elevator, her body seemed to collapse with grief, and she fell to her knees.