Chapter Eight - The Moment Just Passes You By

Brooke couldn't contain her laughter as Lucas wrapped his arms around her waist, and playfully pinched on her hips as he attempted to get her to drop the orange basketball she held tightly in her hands.
The Rivercourt was the place they'd spend most of their childhood; here, and Brooke's choice of the mall. Lucas was always trying to teach, an uninterested Brooke, how to play ball. And, she'd always teach him which shoes went well with which pants. Either way, they'd always be together. And, that's all that mattered today. That, and how Brooke was going to admit her true feelings.

Brooke wriggled out of Lucas' grasp before making a bee line for the hoop. Giggling, she shot for the net and cheered loudly as it swished though the metal hoop "Yess!" she shrieked, flinging her arms above her head and sticking her tounge out at Lucas

The blonde chuckled lightly to himself before jogging to get the ball. He loved Brooke's energy. The way the smallest thing could excite her. The way she always looked on the bright side. The way he was powerless whenever he was around her "Alright, I think that's thirty-two points to me, and just three for you…" he reminded her of the scores as he made his way across the court

"Three?" Brooke frowned at her best friend "I thought we agreed that my shots were twenty-three pointers because I look cute?…" she stretched out her bottom lip and gave him that look that he adored so much

"No, I think you'll find that you were the only one that agreed to that" he smiled, before sitting down on the benches and spinning the ball on the tip of his finger

Brooke made her way over to where he was sitting, took a swig from her bottle of water and sat down next to him "When was the last time we did this?" she asked, squinting a little through the bright sunshine

"The last time you scored a basket?…I think it was 1994" he replied with much sarcasm, to which Brooke responded to with a jab to the stomach

"Oh, just coz I'm kicking your ass" she retorted "And, I don't mean that…I mean the last time we came down to the Rivercourt together?"

"It was probably sometime before my mom banned us from playing ball after you threw your big fat granny elbow in my face…and gave me a black eye" he replied all in one breath

"Well, maybe I wouldn't have to get violent if you weren't such a ball hogger" she snatched the ball from him before bouncing it on the tarmac, and narrowing her hazel eyes toward the net

"You know, its no wonder you can barely score a basket…" he began to mock with a grin as Brooke span around on her ever-so expensive Gucci heel to face the basket "Those heels are like six inches hi-" Lucas' teasing was cut short as Brooke's shot swished through the net. The brunette then turned, and offered her best friend a satisfied look "Do you ever get tired of living with that kind of perfection everyday?" he joked

"Nah, I'm use to it" she replied with a cheeky grin before seating herself back down beside Lucas, who was chuckling lightly at Brooke's response

Brooke then proceeded to drink from Lucas' water bottle, whilst all he could do was watch her, all the while wondering if his marriage to Peyton would change things between them? If him marrying Peyton meant that they wouldn't be as close? "Its strange knowing this could be our last time, alone, together…" he told her softly as she turned to face him "Kinda scary, isn't it?"

"…Terrifying" she replied bluntly, as a light breeze swept her hair across her face

Lucas turned away, and exhaled loudly before looking her dead in the eye once more "I wont lose you, will I?"

"Its not possible" she answered in the only way she could. She knew her and Lucas could never be strangers. But, she also knew that they'd never be the same again.

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The gentle sound of the waves washing up against the shore was the only sound that could be heard as the two friends sat side by side on the beach. Many times they'd done this. Many times they'd looked out into the sea. Many times they'd searched for some clarity in the stilness of the water. They'd searched for some answers in the never ending quilt of blue. But, today no clarity could be found. No answers were there. Not, in Brooke's mind anyway. Was she to admit her feelings to Lucas and risk ruining his wedding? Or was she to keep her feelings to herself and risk ruining her life? One day was all she had to make the decision.

"Me and Peyton don't have a spot…" he said just loud enough for Brooke to hear "You know, a place we go together to talk? a place we'll always find each other at when things get too tough?" he explained "Do you think that's a bad sign?"

"I, I don't know" Brooke stuttered, thinking that Lucas was having second thoughts about the wedding. Wishing he was having second thoughts

"Remember those nights we'd just sit out here, on the beach, until the sun went down? We'd talk about anything, and everything…" he kept his focus on the sparkling sea in front as Brooke failed to take her eyes off of him "About life, about memories…" he smiled warmly to himself as he recalled the many conversations he and Brooke had. Meaningless as they seemed at the time, they held so much meaning now "You know, Peyton thinks were too close…you and me"

"And, what do you think?" she asked with a relaxed tone, but really she was screaming out for answers

"It sounds kinda strange to say it this way, but you've always sort of been…the woman in my life…" he told her with eye contact "I wouldn't change that for the world" he smiled "You'll look after her tonight, wont you?" he spoke of Peyton, at what would be her hen night "I mean, you wont let her make out with any strippers or anything?" he chuckled slightly

"Of course not" she replied "Besides I don't think Peyton's the 'making out with strippers' type…" she told Lucas in the whisper-voice he'd become so fond of "I'm actually surprised she's having a hen night at all…she's not exactly risqué" she joked. Not with venom. Or with distaste of Peyton's character. But, just with pure fact. Peyton wasn't exactly one to let her inhibitions go. She wasn't one to takes risks. Or act out of the norm. She was sweetly innocent. She was the opposite of Brooke. But, the same as Lucas.

Lucas chuckled along to Brooke's words "You know, at the start of our relationship I thought that kind of innocence, that kind of perfection would get annoying…but it just became endearing"

"Really?" she questioned with a little doubt

"Yeah…its like, every morning, as soon as I'm out of bed, she'll make it up right away…" Brooke tried her best to avoid any eye contact with Lucas, as she thought of how she'd never, ever make her bed back in New York. How Lucas would always end up making it for her "And, she'll spend hours making up lunch for me…and she'll tell me she loves me like sixty times a day" he grinned as the pitt of Brooke's stomach began to ache with jealously. Ache with pain. Ache with love for the man she couldn't have "Oh, yeah, I forgot, you hate all that yucky love stuff" he joked, seeing her uncomfortable expression. Little did he know that it wasn't love in general that made her uncomfortable, but just the love he had for someone other than her

"I don't hate yucky love stuff" she protested

"But, in our relationships, with other people you never used the word love a lot, I didn't either…" he turned his attention back out to the sea, which was glimmering with the last of the rays coming from the sun "Peyton says, if you love someone you say it, right there, out loud…" he became more passionate with every word as Brooke's hazel eyes locked with his blue ones. Her whole body going into overdrive. Her whole mind and soul frantically trying to gather the words to admit her feelings. Right there. Out loud. Just like he'd said "Or the moment just-" A huge cloud appeared overhead, darkening the beach. Darkening her belief that he was ever going to feel the same way but it was now or never. This was her moment. And she couldn't let it pass by. She closed her eyes. Then opened them. Utterly lost in his "-The moment just passes you by" he finished his sentence as the cloud passed. And, so did the moment. She'd blown it. She'd been too afraid of rejection. Too afraid or ruining her best friends happiness. Too afraid to admit the truth "Thankyou Brooke…"

"For what?" she asked, tears burning deep in her eyes

"For always being there for me, even when you don't understand it" he told her genuinely

"That's what friends are for" she managed to say before he pulled her into a hug. She leant her head gently on his shoulder, and with all the fight left in her she tried to keep the tears from descending. But, she wasn't even strong enough to do that. Eventually a few beads of salt water began escaping her eyes and she wiped them away almost as quickly as they had fallen. Trying her hardest to forget about what she was feeling. Trying her hardest to bury her feelings as deep as they would go.

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It was hardly the most entertaining hen night, but it was what Peyton and the rest of her, ever-so preppy family had chosen. Brooke would rather have done a pub crawl, or pole dancing lessons, or even watched a stripper get his kit off. But, instead she'd had to settle with a quiet bar on the outskirts of town. There was hardly anyone there apart from they're hen night group but still they'd all managed to have a good time so far. All except for Brooke. She'd been necking drinks ever since they'd arrived four hours ago. She'd always been one to think that drink solved everything. That drinking alcohol would ease the pain. But, it only made things worse and Brooke Davis would always find that out the hard way.

"Can I get another in there, please?" Brooke shakily held her glass out for the bartender to fill

"Don't you think you've had enough?" Peyton appeared beside her at the bar, as Brooke proceeded to down the clear liquid, and winced as it burnt her throat

"Well, someone should get wasted at this thing…and we all know your not gonna do that" she slurred uncontrollably

"Whats wrong, Brooke?" Peyton asked with genuine concern as to why the brunette had been acting strange ever since she'd come back from her day out with Lucas

"For fifteen years he adored me" she waved her glass around in the air, as she attempted to stand up but instantly lost her balance and fell up against the side of the bar "Lucas adored me" she repeated

"And, he still does" as hard as it was for Peyton to say, she still did because it was the truth

Brooke scoffed out loudly "Nope, now he has you…" she pointed at her "Blonde…skinny…and just perfect" she didn't speak with agression but with a little sadness. She knew Peyton was perfect for him. But, that didn't make it easy for her to realise that she wasn't

"As apposed to brunette…skinny…and just perfect?" she joked back, surveying Brooke's now limp frame

"I'm not perfect…" she shook her head as she tried her best to balance herself on the stool at the bar

"You are in Lucas' head" Peyton told her softly "I always wondered how I was ever going to compare to his precious Brooke, or even if I ever could…but the answers clear-" she explained as Brooke tried to process the blonde's words in her fuzzy head "He's got you on a pedastool and me in his arms" she continued with an innocent tone, like she was genuine in her words "We don't have to compete, Brooke. We both win, he loves you, and he's in love with me" she shrugged, politely as Brooke got up off the stool and stumbled across the room. She couldn't listen to Peyton any longer. They both didn't win. Not in her head. In her head Peyton won. She got to marry him. She got to kiss him. To hold him. To love him.

Brooke collapsed down into one of the booths that Rachel and Haley were sat in "Whoa, someones had too much to drink" Haley mocked, wrapping her arm around Brooke's shoulder

"Why does everyone keep saying that…I've only had as much as you guys…" Brooke told them, her eyes glazed over

"Still…maybe you should think about calling it a night?" Haley reasoned, knowing full well that her nor Rachel had drank even half the amount of what Brooke had

"What are you talking about?…the nights only just begun" Rachel directed her words at Haley before taking Brooke's hand and pulling her up to go to the dance floor, but the loud crashing of glass hitting the floor broke Rachel from her stride "Or maybe I should just call you a cab" Rachel corrected herself, as she looked down at the two empty bottles Brooke had just knocked over in her drunken state

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The house was silent when she entered through the back door. It was so peaceful. So calm. But, if anyone could destroy that atmosphere it was Brooke Davis. Karen had warned her not to come back to the house drunk. She'd demanded that Brooke return earlier than 1:30am, as she'd have to be up early for the wedding and Karen knew better than anyone that Brooke wasn't a morning person. But, now as the brunette narrowed her glazed over eyes at the clock on the cooker, she could just barely make out the green flashing digits that read 3:40am. She turned to the door she'd just shut behind her, and tried desperately to get her key in the hole to lock it. Something that wasn't easy with her head spinning and her vision blurry. And, that's when the kitchen she was stood in lit up.

Brooke knew exactly who would be standing behind her. She'd been in this postion many times before "Karen" she said before she'd even seen her face. She then turned around, and stood as still as she could. Acted as sober as she could.

"How much have you had to drink?" Karen spoke with a motherly tone, as she stood, arms folded in the doorway of the kitchen

"Not much…" Brooke slurred, and Karen could tell that she was lying

"Were are the others?" Karen continued to question. The plan had been that all of the women were to stay at Karen's tonight, whilst all of the guys were staying at Nathan and Haley's

"They're, er, they're still at the bar, celebrating the 'hen night'" Brooke air quoted hen night with her fingers "If you can call it that, there wasn't even any stripp-" she trailed off as she realised what she was saying and who she was saying it too "And, all Peyton wants to do is talk about her and Lucas, and how fantastically happy they are together" Brooke flopped down into the chair that stood next to the kitchen table and hung her head in her hands "I'm just the fool that has to keep pretending over and over again" she continued to talk in a drunkenly manner, not really thinking of what she was saying

"Your not a fool, Brooke" Karen placed her hand over Brooke's "Your just in love"

Brooke's head snapped up, and her eyes widened in a burlesque of confusion "How, how, did you-" she stuttered, trying harder to think clearly. Trying harder to see through the fuzz of vodka in her head "I don't understand how you-"

"Brooke, your virtually a daughter to me…do you think that I cant see when your hurting? Do you think those drawn out gazes, and that giddy behaviour goes unnoticed?" she whispered as to not wake the others up "I can see when your in love"

Brooke didn't know what to say. She'd had no idea that anyone knew. Anyone except Rachel. She'd always thought she'd hidden it so well "If you can see it, why cant Lucas?"

Karen sighed and looked up at the woman that she'd become closer to than anyone else "He can see it, he just doesn't want to admit it"

"But, why?, why cant he just love me like I love him, Karen?" Brooke spoke with desperation. Desperation for Lucas to love her

"He does…deep down inside…he does" Karen replied frankly "He's just afraid"

"Well, its over now anyway" Brooke shook off her sadness and stood from her chair before filling a glass with water "He's getting married tomorrow. I've had my chance to tell him how I feel, and I blew it" she took a sip from the glass "I cant break up his wedding. He's marrying Peyton, he wants to be with Peyton, he loves Peyton" she tried hard to come to terms with the fact it wasn't her Lucas had chosen

"I don't think you really believe that…" she now stood in front of Brooke "And, somewhere in his heart, I don't think Lucas believes it either"

Brooke drew a huge breath and ran her fingers through her long, silky hair. She didn't know if Karen was right. But, one thing she did know was that Karen had never been wrong before "What am I supose to do, Karen?" she asked, helplessly

"You get up tomorrow…morning, preferably" she chuckled a little, knowing Brooke hardly ever woke up before noon "You put on that beautiful dress, and you go sit in that church"

"But-"

Karen cut Brooke off before she could say another word "-You leave the rest to Lucas…he'll come through for you"

"How can you be so sure?"

"When has my boy ever let you down before?" she shrugged "Have some faith" she told Brooke with much hope before giving her a quick hug, and a wink and exiting the kitchen. Brooke stood leant against the worktop, all of her hopes, all of her dreams resting on Lucas. All of her future, all of her wishes, all of her love in the palm of her best friends hand. It was all up to him. Could he ever love her like she loves him?

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Sorry for the long delay guys. Its been hectic with all my family planning our next holiday which is in six weeks, and hald of us dont even have passports, which isnt a good thing when theres like twenty people going lol. Anyways, I hope you liked the chapter. There's only another two or three to go, so I need your comments now more than ever so I can give it the best ending possible.

Please tell me what you think.

Soph x