A/N: Okay..so I'm nervous about this one...pretty much the big chapter of the fic..so if you like it..just let me know. lol. Thanks :)

She practically ran to the car..just so he couldn't see her tears. She was crying..again! Over him. Again!

"Peyton!"

She froze..her hand on handle of the door. But she wouldn't turn around. She wouldn't give him that.

"Peyton..." he repeated. It was hesitant, almost fearful. She felt his hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off. "Please.." he tried again desperately.

Her resolve to turn around faded, and she snapped around, trying to place a look of anger on herself as she faced him. "Why won't you just let me go? I'll drop you off back in Tree Hill...I just.." a sob broke through. "I can't do this..."

"Can't do what, Peyton? Why can't you just tell me what's going on? Just tell me what's wrong so I can help you!"

"No you wanna know what's wrong because you feel guilty! You want to ease that feeling in your stomach..the one that's telling you me and Brooke argued over you...the one that tells you you're the reason our friendship is over!"

Lucas' face resembled that of a person who had just been slapped. "That's what you think this is about? That I feel guilty that you and Brooke argued over me..again?" he asked quietly, his voice cold.

"It isn't!" she practically yelled back at him. "Isn't everything always about either you or Brooke? What- did she force you to come with me so I wouldn't be able to leave, just to make me that much more misreable?"

The expression on Lucas' face now headed more towards anger. "Oh yeah, Peyton, that's it."

Peyton sniffed, but didn't wipe the tears from her face.

"Remember when you asked me if Brooke and I broke up because of you...?" He looked to Peyton, who nodded in confirmation. "At first it wasn't about you..it was about how she made me feel...but she gave me a choice in the end: Fight for her...or go after you. Now- tell me I don't care about you. Tell me that I'm not here..in that car with you..because I don't want to help you."

She didn't know what to do with that. She had no retort..nothing bad to say. Nothing to argue with. But those words...they were meant to make her feel better..weren't they? But..now she felt more..horrible. She had accomplished exactly what she hadn't wanted to. To break up Brooke and Lucas. She hadn't wanted to.

"I..I.." she stammered. "I'm so sorry..Lucas..". The tears started to fall again and the anger on his face quickly melted away.

"I didn't mean to blame-"

"No..no..it's my fault. All of this is my fault. I didn't want this to happen...I should've just kept my mouth shut..." she rambled on. "God..why am I so stupid!"

Lucas reached for her, but she moved out his way yet again. "You're not stu-"

"Yes I am, Lucas! Don't you get it? Me and Brooke..you and Brooke..it's all my fault because of my own stupidity."

"But why? What did you do?" he asked, almost growling it in obvious frustration.

"I was stupid enough to realize that I'm in love with you!" She clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide..they examined Lucas rather fearfully..looking for a reaction. But he didn't looked shocked.

"I know," he almost whispered.

"You..what?"

There was beat of silence. The only noise were the cars passing by in the background. "I knew..already. Brooke told me...at the wedding."

Peyton couldn't pick an emotion to feel at that moment. Anger..hurt..betrayal...but..then there was some kind of happiness that somehow made it through the whirlwind she was experiencing. The fact that he had known about her feelings for him..and had opted to come with her..instead of stay with Brooke. What did that mean? But..the other emotions won out. "You knew.." she shook her head, brushing her hair away. "You knew...and you forced yourself in my car..asking me what was wrong..when you knew it was you that I was really running from! How could you do that, Lucas? I..." She could feel the tears well up again..and couldn't help the sob that racked her body...so couldn't control her emotions anymore. "These past few days have been a nightmare for me..don't you understand that? Do you know how hard it is...to be in love with someone who cares for someone else?" She balled her fists up with anger. "Do you any clue what's it like for me to sit around and watch you and Brooke?" Her heart felt like it was going to implode with hurt. "I can't believe you would lie to me...tell me you didn't know what was going on...why..why would you do it? For fun? Is this a game to you?"

Lucas looked as though he was about to cry himself..or maybe she was just wishing that was what he looked like. "I wanted to know if it was true. I wanted to hear it come out of your mouth. I needed to hear the words."

"What difference does it make!" she screamed at him. "It doesn't matter!"

"But it does."

"It doesn't..and can't matter. I know that you don't love me, okay! I know it. But that gives you no reason to do this to me! To lie to me..to..to..act like you didn't know. To ask me to dance with you..when you knew it, Lucas. YOu knew that..it would mean something to mean..when it doesn't mean the same thing to you. What kind of sick game are you playing here? Is it just in retaliation for Brooke? Are you doing this on Brooke's side..let's make a fool of Peyton because she hurt Brooke!"

"This isn't about Brooke! None of it is..this is about you and me."

Peyton's heart wrenched at the words 'you and me'. She so badly wanted Lucas to say those words about the two of them. For there to be a 'Lucas and Peyton'..anything. But she shook her head. "There's no-"

But they were interrupted by a shout from behind them..coming from the resturant. Lucas turned around at the voice.

"Hold up! You two didn't pay your check!" The waiter approached them and Lucas took care of it, apogizing profusely.

Turning back to Peyton, he looked to laugh..but the look disappeared when he saw her face. "You know what.." She dug in her pocket and pulled out the keys to her car. "I just want to go home."

Lucas nodded...and Peyton blinked out more tears at his lack of response..at his lack of need to carry on their conversation. Which obviously..meant nothing to him. She threw the keys at him, which he caught in surprise. "Just..you drive. I don't care anymore."

She walked around the car to the passenger seat and threw herself into it. It was a moment before Lucas followed.