"Call Cynthia and tell her that I need her to send me some more of that geometric patterned fabric," Brooke rattled off to Gina. Eager as always, Gina bobbed her head as she scribbled in her note pad. Brooke was walking around her office, overseeing things as Gina trailed behind her noting everything that Brooke thought needed to be done. "And…" but before Brooke got a chance to finish her next demand, her cell phone rang. "Hello?" Brooke answered.

"Put your dancing shoes on," the voice on the other end instructed.

"Rachel why would I put my dancing shoes on?"

"Because we're going out to dinner."

"What? I've got work to do."

"Brooke it is seven pm on a Saturday night. We are two young and gorgeous girls, we need to be out there." At her friend's antics, Brooke rolled her eyes.

"Rachel, I'm not out to bag a man."

"But I am! And I need a wing woman."

"Hasn't it been scientifically proven that guys are more likely to hit on girls that are alone than girls who are with their friends?" A pen was shoved in Brooke's face. She shifted the phone to her other hand and scribbled her signature on the order form, smiling at the woman who handed it to her.

"Oh my gosh, will you just come out with me, your only friend that you haven't left in a crappy small town to rot." This caught Brooke's attention.

"Ouch, harsh much?"

"Sorry."

"Why would you bring Tree Hill up?" Rachel had been the first of Brooke's high school friends to leave Tree Hill and had never looked back. There had been some discussion of life back in the tiny town when the two first reunited, but after that it was considered a taboo topic.

"No reason. I guess it's just been on my mind lately."

"What?"

"I found my old high school year book. Now are you coming out with me or not?" There was something in Rachel's tone that made Brooke not totally believe her word, but she had a point. Brooke couldn't really afford to lose another friend. So with a grimace Brooke made plans to meet Rachel at the restaurant on the corner in an hour.

"Aren't you glad you came out with me?" Rachel said as drinks were set down in front of the girls.

"Oh we didn't order this," Brooke tried to correct the waiter.

"I know," the waiter said in a tone that said he thought Brooke was being condescending with him. "He did." The waiter pointed to a young man sitting at the bar. He raised his glass to acknowledge the two.

"Just go with it Brooke. Loosen up." Rachel raised her glass and smiled at the man.

"Rachel I can't have strange men hitting on me."

"Why because you're a public figure?" Rachel sipped her drink.

"That and because…"

"Ok whatever, let's just say that he was hitting on me and he only bought you a drink so you wouldn't feel left out. So drink your pity drink." Rachel raised her glass. "To finally escaping the hell that is work."

"Hey I happen to like…" Rachel cut her off with a look. "To escaping work," Brooke mimicked as she raised her own glass. A clink as they touched their glasses together and the two girls took a sip. Rachel set her glass down and began to bob her head to the music, looking around. Brooke noted that she was avoiding eye contact. "So are you going to tell me what this is all about or am I going to have to guess?" Rachel finally looked Brooke in the eye.

"I told you, I'm out to bag a man." But Rachel had shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

"Rachel, I know you too well to believe that. You're far too independent to be out searching for a man. So what is this really about?"

"Another one please," Rachel waved down the waiter and ordered another drink.

"Rachel." Brooke began to panic. It wasn't like her abrasive friend to avoid topics, unless they were very serious.

"Ok I'm going to start out by saying that it's not really that big of a deal, this thing. I'm just….I'm just afraid of what it'll do to you. Because I care about you you crazy bitch." A stray strand of red hair fell into Rachel's eyes. Brooke reached out and touched Rachel's hand.

"I care about you too, you slutty whore." The two girls laughed. "Now what is this all about?"

"Ok you know that small little book store about five miles from your office?" Brooke nodded, wondering if Rachel knew that she had made a fool of herself in that same book store just the other day. "Well they're having a book signing tomorrow."

"You want me to go to a book signing with you?"

"Not exactly." Another shift in her seat. "It's more about the specific author that's going to be there." Rachel raised her eyes, praying that Brooke would fill in the blanks and she wouldn't have to be the one to break the news. But Brooke's brown eyes stared back at Rachel, blissfully ignorant.

"What is he an ex boyfriend of yours?"

"No." If only she knew how close she was. "Of yours." Brooke's chest tightened. It felt as if her lungs had collapsed. She only had one ex-boyfriend that was a writer. She didn't need Rachel to say anymore, but her friend filled in the blanks. "Lucas is going to be in town. He's signing books at that store tomorrow." The room began to spin. Lucas, her Lucas was going to be in the same city as her in less than twenty four hours. But he wasn't her Lucas anymore. She had made sure of that. "I just didn't want it to come as a big shock to you when you were walking down the street and happened to pass the love of your life," Rachel finished.

"The love of my life?" Brooke asked stupidly.

"Lucas."
"He's not…" but Rachel cut her off.

"Tell yourself whatever you need to, but I'm just letting you know that he's in town. You okay?"

"Of course. Lucas and I are over. I've moved on. Why wouldn't I be fine?" Rachel shook her head at Brooke's stubbornness. "But I am kind of tired, so I'm going to head home."

"Do you need me to come with you?"

"Nah, I've got David." Rachel laughed.

"Call me tomorrow." Brooke nodded, hugged Rachel, and was about to leave when Rachel called to her. "Don't go to work tomorrow. We'll do something as far from that book store as we can get." Blinking back tears, Brooke nodded. Rachel always knew the truth, even if Brooke wasn't ready to admit it. She reminded her of a certain curly blonde.

Brooke gently closed the door of her apartment behind her. David ran to the door to greet her. He planted a wet kiss on her hand. Brooke smiled at him, but she knew that the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. David gave her a look, asking her if she was all right. Without a word, Brooke walked to her bedroom, David on her heels. Brooke knew that he wanted to get into the bed with her.

"Not tonight," she told him and then shut the door in his face. As soon as the door was closed, Brooke turned her back to it, leaning herself back. Then before she knew it, she had sunk to the floor. She listened as David moved away from the door. She heard the creaks of the sofa as he settled himself into it. Brooke was ashamed of herself. All he had done was shown her love and all she had done was cut him out of her life. It reminded her of another relationship she had. A relationship that was about to come back and bite her in the ass. A wet spot formed on her shoulder as the tears began to pour from her eyes. And then Brooke let it go, sobbing as she beat her fists on the floor.

Sunlight streamed in the window, beating against the eyelids of the brunette who lay crumpled on the floor. Brooke opened one eye. It was morning. Apparently, she had literally cried herself to sleep the night before. Brooke sat up, rubbing her neck. She caught sight of herself in the mirror, wrinkled dress and raccoon eyes. With a groan, Brooke left her bedroom and went into the kitchen to get herself some cereal. As she was shoveling the Cheerios into her mouth she thought about what she needed to do at work. And then she remembered, Rachel had told her not to go to work today. Brooke's chewing slowed as she remembered why Rachel had told her not to go to work today. In a split second, Brooke made a decision that she never thought she would make. She raced to the shower before she could change her mind.

There it was, the tiny bookstore. From out here, you could hardly tell that within it lay one of Brooke's hugest demons from her past. Brooke crossed the street. A loud honk informed her that she had been too caught up in what she was about to do to look both ways walking into the road. She waved apologetically to the angry driver before stepping up onto the curb. Her heels clacked against the pavement as she approached the store. She glanced in the window. All that could be seen was a long line of people clutching the same book to their chests. With a deep inhale, Brooke pushed open the door.

Inside was chaos. People stood everywhere, excitedly talking. Brooke bumped her thigh against the table near the door. As she tried to keep the books on it from toppling she noticed the title, an unkindness of ravens. It was Lucas's book. Brooke's heart began to race. She was in the very same room as Lucas. She craned her neck to see around the line, but all she could see was the back of the person who was currently talking to the love of her high school years. Making a rash decision, Brooke grabbed a copy of the book off of the table and planted herself at the end of the line.

Finally Brooke was able to see him, Lucas. He looked good. Almost the same as he had in high school except that his hair was a little different. Brooke's lungs felt as if they wouldn't inflate. She was gasping for air when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"The line's moving," a disgruntled man behind her pointed out. She took a couple of steps forward. A couple of steps closer to seeing Lucas. Moments away from talking to him. Moments away from figuring out if he thought about her at all since she had left. But what if he hadn't? Would Brooke be able to handle that? Dizziness overtook her. "Oh come on miss, the line's moving again."

"G…go ahead of me," Brooke stammered. The man gave her a curious look before filling the gap between her and the person in front of her in line. After she allowed a couple more people to cut in front of her in line, Brooke realized that she wasn't ready for this. Dropping the book from her hands onto the table, Brooke exited the bookstore, heading towards her favorite bar.

What was she doing? Brooke asked herself for the thirtieth time since she had arrived at this bar. Here she was drowning herself in alcohol when she could be talking to the boy she had spent her entire high school career pining over. After she threw down a few bills, Brooke ran out of the bar and to the bookstore. It was still just as crowded. Smiling, Brooke entered the store with a jangle of bells. But the smile was wiped off her face as she caught sight of the author's signing table. Lucas was not there. She had missed her chance.