Okay so here's a long one! It has a lot of switching back and forth and some flashbacks so it might get a little confusing. But here's Chapter 7! I hope you like it!

Chapter 7

As Brooke stumbled backwards, shocked, she looked Peyton straight in the eye. But Peyton didn't say anything; instead she just grabbed Lucas and ran out of the house not even looking back once. Brooke then looked at Haley who just ran out of the room while Chase left also. The whole room was silent as Brooke just kept her head down while walking out of the house.

When she got home she saw Rachel on the bed eating some ice cream and reading a magazine. Brooke flopped down on the bed and closed her eyes. She just wanted to forget that she was herself for once.

"What happened? You look like you just came home from a crappy sleepover where someone says your secret and the whole night is ruined." Rachel said not looking up from her magazine. Rachel looked up when she heard no response.

Brooke sat up and looked at her.

"Oh." She said. "What was the secret?"

Brooke sighed. Did she really want to go through this all tonight?

"Something was…shown that was during my drunken days."

"Was it bad?" She asked.

"Oh yeah." Brooke answered in all honesty.

"How bad?" Rachel asked again.

"How's sleeping with Nathan just after he and Peyton broke up and then made a tape about it bad?" She asked.

Rachel raised her eyebrows. "I'd say that's pretty bad."

"Tell me about it. And all I kept seeing was Lucas' hurt face and then Peyton came up and punched me."

"Peyton punched you?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, hence the eye." Brooke said as she pointed her now swollen eye a little annoyed.

"Wow sounds like the party was just getting started after I left." Rachel said and smiled.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "I should have just gone home with you."

"You should have, but you didn't. Now you have to figure this out on your own. But, if you need me, I'm always here." Rachel said.

Brooke nodded, grateful she wasn't being yelled at for it. She couldn't deal with that tonight. So instead, she got cleaned up and crawled into her bed trying to forget the bruise that she would have in the morning and haunting memories of what had happened last night.

---

When Brooke woke up, her eye immediately started hurting. She groaned, and turned to her side to see Lucas standing in her doorway. She saw a note on her little table next to her bed. It read:

Hey naughty girl,

Just ran out to get a few things. I'll be home later. There are peas in the refrigerator. Have a nice time icing!

-Your not so whore of a friend compared to you,

Rachel

Brooke half smiled and then realized that she still had Lucas in her doorway.

"Hey, what are you doing here? Come to yell at me or tell me that you're disappointed?" She asked. She wondered if that was the real reason he was here. She hoped not.

"No, it's none of my business what happened that night." He said even though it was eating away at him every single time he thought about it, which was a lot.

"Well thank you." She said and began getting up. "Rachel said something about peas…"

"Here." Lucas said and revealed a frozen bag of peas in his hand. She smiled and he sat down on the bed next to her holding it to her eye. At first she winced, but was grateful for having him there.

"Thank you Lucas."

"Anything for you." He said and then realized if that was too awkward. He decided that it wasn't and that it was just friends talking. Even though he somehow knew that wasn't what it was. Brooke decided that she should just let it go too, even though when he said it she felt like she had butterflies in her stomach.

Deciding the change the subject, Brooke started talking. "So how's Peyton? Still upset?"

"Yeah, she's still upset." He replied.

Brooke nodded. "I do feel bad Lucas." She said after a pause.

"I know you do Brooke. It's just going to take her a little while to realize that."

"I just wish she would know it now. I feel like I'm truly a horrible person and I hate that feeling." She said honestly. She didn't know why she was pouring all of this out now, especially to Lucas but she did. Maybe they were becoming real friends this time with no strings attached…or maybe he doesn't have strings attached. 'No' she thought. 'I just have leftover feelings for him, that's all.'

And she did believe that because she would always love him. That didn't mean she was going to run back to him every time she felt something for him but it meant that she would always have feelings for him. But she wanted to be with him...now. She pushed those thoughts aside and listened to Lucas.

"I know you do, and that's what's hard. You'll have to wait. Trust me, it's painful." He said looking down.

Brooke knew what he was talking about. It took her a while to come around to him and that made her understand a little bit more about Peyton. It took Brooke a really long time to forgive Lucas and all he could do was just stand there and wait for her to come around.

Brooke nodded. "I understand."

---

After her conversation with Lucas, she understood what he was saying but she couldn't help but still have some leftover hurt from when he and Peyton cheated on her. She didn't think that sleeping with Nathan was as bad because she was drunk and technically, he and Peyton weren't together. So she decided to go to Peyton's house and explain that to her. She just wanted this hurt to go away.

She knocked on the door and Peyton answered it, but when she saw who it was she slammed the door in her face and locked it. Brooke tried calling her name but she just heard music blasting.

She remembered when she and Peyton got in a fight when they were younger, around seven, and Peyton did the same thing she was doing now, ignoring her and blasting her music. So Brooke went to her house and the only thing they had she thought would get her attention was eggs. It worked last time so Brooke figured it would work this time too. And, it would give Peyton a lot to say. 'Works both ways.' She thought. So, Brooke went back to her and Rachel's house and got some eggs. She returned to Peyton's house and threw one at her window. She saw Peyton look at the window and then run to the door. When she opened it she came out yelling.

"So you're egging my house now?" She yelled.

"Pretty much, yeah." Brooke said simply.

"A little seven year old-ish don't you think?" Brooke just shrugged. "I can't believe you!"

"You're the one that wouldn't answer the door! This was the only way I could get your attention." Brooke explained.

"Did you ever think that maybe I didn't want to see you? And maybe that's why I wasn't answering my door?" Peyton asked.

"Yeah, but I really need to talk to you so will you please give me a minute?"

"Why should I?" Peyton asked angrily.

"Because I need to tell you some things." Brooke replied.

Peyton said nothing and Brooke took that as a signal to start talking.

"Peyton, I know that your extremely pissed at me right now but now you know how I felt when I found out about you and Lucas. Except there's some differences Peyton. I was drunk when I was with Nathan, it meant nothing because you know how I was with sex Peyton, I didn't care about the guy I was with, I just wanted it for my own pleasure. That's all it was and I wanted you to know that if you'll believe it. And technically Peyton you two weren't together. I know that it was only like a half hour before but still. It makes a difference. Lucas and I were together when you and him cheated and that hurt more then you'll ever know." Brooke said she was nearly in tears but the end.

"Trust me Brooke, I know because you told me everyday. And then you went ahead and made fun of my mother who died! How could you do that?"

Brooke was now fully crying. "I was angry." Was all she said.

"So you make fun of my mother who's dead? That's great." Peyton grew quiet. "That hurt me more then you'll ever know Brooke."

"I know now. But I didn't know before because you never told me and we weren't talking."

"Because you cut me out!" Peyton cried. "I needed my best friend and you just cut me out like I was nothing!"

"At the time you were nothing to me Peyton. Because you know what? I needed my best friend when Lucas broke up with me. But guess what she was doing? She was sneaking around behind my back with him!" Brooke yelled.

"At least we didn't sleep together!" Peyton exclaimed.

"No, but you guys were kissing which means so much more. And in your own words, I kiss always means something." Brooke said quietly.

Now both of the girls were sobbing non-stop. They finally said what they had been wanting to say all year. Both of them had their share of mistakes and they knew that. But now it was getting too much for them to handle.

"Brooke, you made fun of my dead mother and put me through hell these past couple months but now, now you're dead to me." Peyton said quietly and began walking away until she heard some harsh words from Brooke:

"Fine, because after you and Lucas cheated," Brooke began. "Nothing was ever the same."

Peyton winced slightly but continued walking back into her house. When Brooke heard the door slam she collapsed to the floor. She couldn't take it, her whole body was shaking. When she heard the music blasting from Peyton's room again, she let out one last shaky sigh and picked herself up. She looked at Peyton's house once more and then walked away, not looking back once.

---

Brooke spent the rest of the day in her bed crying. She didn't know that the visit to Peyton's would leave her in tears for the rest of the day. She didn't want that. She just wanted to talk to Haley after and just spill everything to her. Haley. She forgot that Haley was probably mad at her too. She decided that she would call her to try and explain.

Haley answered on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Hey Hales, look I…" Brooke began but Haley cut her off.

"Brooke, I don't want to hear you're sorry's. In fact, I don't want to hear you at all." Haley said angrily and hung up the phone.

"But Haley I-" Brooke tried but she just heard the dial tone.

Brooke hung up and just cried even more. She lost her ex- best friend and her best friend all in one day. And she was a crying mess. What had just happened?

---

Rachel walked in and saw tissues scattered around everywhere except the in the garbage.

"Hey whore if you thought I was going to clean up after you, you were so wrong." She said until she saw the crying mess that was Brooke on her bed.

"What happened?" She asked a little worriedly. She had never seen her in this bad of shape.

"Lost…friend…twice…yelling…crying." Brooke chocked out in between sobs.

Rachel didn't understand but just went over and hugged her. Whatever it was, she would just talk to her later about it because right now, all she wanted was a friend.

---

After Rachel got the full story on what had happened between them and Brooke still hadn't come out of her bedroom even after spending more hours of crying, Rachel decided to call someone that Brooke knew would yell at her later for but she thought it was necessary.

Just then Lucas came walking through Rachel's front door. "Hey Lucas."

"Hey, what's going on?" He asked.

"Brooke hasn't come out of her room in two days she just keeps crying." Rachel said.

"What happened?" He asked.

"What? You didn't get Peyton's side of the story?"

"Oh trust me, I did."

Flashback

Lucas walked through Peyton's door and saw her carrying out two dresses. One red and one white.

"Ooh I like the red one." Lucas said.

"You would, it's Brooke's." Peyton said annoyed.

Lucas sighed. He tried not to think anything of it but for some reason he couldn't get the words out of his head. And he really did like that dress…on Brooke.

Peyton moved to her bed and started drawing a picture of her and Brooke fighting. Lucas sat down on the bed and put his arm around her.

"What happened?" He asked.

"We had a fight, there were tears, yelling, and hurt words being tossed around. We are officially over." Peyton said.

Lucas didn't believe it. He didn't think they would be over. If they would be over it would have been a long time ago because of what they did. But Brooke forgave them and they continued being friends.

"I don't believe that."

Peyton gave him a look. "And why not?"

"Because she forgave us after what we did. Maybe you should just forgive her. She was drunk and we all make drunken mistakes. I did with Nikki remember?"

"So you're saying I should stop being a baby about it and just go and make nice with her?"

"I'm just saying that maybe you should let this one go. She was hurting too, she's been hurting for a long time." Lucas said softly. Even though he really did wish she would just forgive her.

"But she slept with Nathan." Peyton whined.

"Yeah and we kissed a lot while Brooke and I were together the first time. I know you think it's wrong because she has been giving you all this crap about us being together but that hurt never goes away. We did the same thing to her Peyton. And I even talked to her earlier and she said she felt horrible about everything that happened."

"Oh so you went to go and see her? You know what Lucas if you came here to defend Brooke and then make secret visits to her then just leave because I don't want you here right now."

"Peyton all I'm saying is that you shouldn't let it ruin your prom or your day when we did the same thing."

After a pause Peyton said: "I don't think I'm going to prom. I just can't face her."

Now Lucas was slowly getting annoyed. He knew that both girls went through a lot together, because of him but he just wanted them to get past it all. He wanted the hurt to stop and he wanted his girlfriend to go to prom with him while his ex-girlfriend was right next to him being his friend. He needed to get that.

"Peyton, I'm coming to your house at 7:00 so if you're not ready then I guess I'm going alone." He said making sure she knew he was serious. He wanted to go prom and he wanted the night to be perfect.

"Fine, but right now I want to be alone so don't let the door hit you on the way out. Or actually, I really don't care whether the door hits you or not I just want you to go away."

Lucas was about to protest but Peyton said 'door' before he could say anything. He just turned and walked away.

End of Flashback

"So since then we haven't been talking. And then today I got you're text and came straight here." Lucas explained.

Rachel nodded. "So you go for the red huh?" She asked.

Lucas looked at her shyly.

"So you think she'll show?" She asked changing the subject after seeing that Lucas was getting uncomfortable. And as much as she likes seeing boys squirm, she just couldn't afford him to go storming out when she had a hysterical friend just upstairs.

He shrugged, not really knowing himself. She gave him a knowing smile and he looked nervous until Rachel spoke up.

"Don't worry, I won't tell…about the prom or how you prefer red…on Brooke." She smirked.

"But I really called you over here because…well do you think that you could get her out of there? I tried everything but nothing worked. I was thinking maybe you would know."

Lucas scratched his head. "I'll try."

---

Lucas walked quietly up the stairs to Brooke and Rachel's bedroom. The door was closed so he knocked.

"Go away Rachel I already told you I'm not getting out of this bed!" A muffled voice came from behind the door.

Lucas cleared his throat. "It's not Rachel."

Brooke got up from the bed and went over to the door. She rolled her eyes without looking at who was at the door. "Okay I'm sorry if Rachel made you come here but I am not getting out of this room-" Brooke would have finished if she wasn't in complete shock of who was at her door.

"Lucas, what are you doing here?" She asked shakily.

"Rachel called me but she didn't make me come here." He said trying to make sure she knew he didn't mind being here with her.

"Listen Lucas I'm really not in the mood…"

"Tell me what happened." He said.

Brooke sighed and sat back down on the bed. She motioned for Lucas to come sit next to her.

Lucas saw all the tissues on the floor and realized that Brooke was a mess right now. He could only imagine what was said.

"I went to her house after our talk and I decided to tell her how I really felt and try to get somewhere with her." She said. Lucas nodded in understanding.

"And then I went there and she slammed the door in my face so I came back and got some eggs, long story. I came back and threw them at her window so she would get my attention and she did, but she came out yelling. So then I told her that I needed to tell her some things and she didn't say anything so I figured that was the 'okay'. I said everything I needed to say and then we just went on this trip down memories from hell lane and we both ended up crying hysterically. But then, then she said that I was dead to her. So I said she was never alive to me. I know it was wrong Lucas but I came home and was crying until I realized that I hadn't talked to Haley yet and so I called her but she just hung up on me because she said she didn't want to hear my voice at all. After that I just lost it." Brooke explained, a few more tears falling each time she started a new sentence.

Lucas looked down at the girl who he used to know as so strong and confidant but was now, just torn and broken. She had been pushed to the limit and it was now all coming back to her at once. Her past was haunting her and she had no one to turn to. He wanted to just hug her and make it all better but he knew it was much more complicated then that. He then thought 'screw it' and pulled her in a tight hug. She sobbed on his shoulder as he stroked her hair. He remembered some comforting words that he once heard and then whispered them in her ear.

"It's okay, I'm here for you."

Brooke immediately remembered the words. They were the same words that she told him when Nathan was in his car crash. She smiled in his shoulder.

"Thank you." She managed to whisper. She felt Lucas nod and for once out of the two days that she had been sobbing in this room, she felt like someone was there for her.

---

Brooke saw a missed call from Chase. He said he wanted to meet her in front of the school. She hoped that he would make her feel better by saying it didn't matter about her past, all he wanted was her in his future. But by the way his face looked, it seemed like those words would never come out of his mouth.

"Hey Chase." She greeted.

"Hey." He said quietly. "I need to talk to you."

"Okay, shoot." She said.

"I don't think I can do this anymore Brooke. I mean I told you about my past and the cheating and then I find out that you did the same thing."

"Chase, it wasn't like that…" She tried to reason with him.

"Then how was it?" He asked.

"I was drunk, and it didn't mean anything. My ex-best friend did the same thing to me after what you saw."

"So that was the last time you cheated?" He asked.

Brooke looked guilty down at her feet.

"It wasn't?" He asked.

"Not exactly but it's a long story." Chase sighed.

"I was drunk and I was going through this non exclusive faze with the guy that cheated on me but then I ended up sleeping with this musician. It didn't mean anything and then I got back together with him." Brooke said quickly trying to reason with him.

"Did he know about it?" He asked.

"Yes he…kind of walked in after we did. But we got back together and I haven't done it since then. I don't cheat Chase; I want you to know that. I was trying to start new but my past just keeps coming back to haunt me and I don't know how to stop it."

"I just…I need some time." He said.

"Are we breaking up?" She asked preparing for the worst.

"Not exactly, but were not together either." Chase said. "We just…take some time apart from each other."

Brooke felt like a knife went through her heart. She was getting hurt…again. She felt like her heart had been ripped out. She really liked Chase and she knew that she was letting her heart open up to him again. But just like her past, guys kept disappointing her.

She barely nodded and walked away. But before she could get far she heard Chase say:

"Brooke, I still like you, don't ever think that I stopped."

She felt herself smile a little and then got into her car after nodding in his direction. She drove off with some tears falling down from her face.

---

Brooke knew prom was coming up and since she knew her and Chase weren't going together she thought of the one person who was hurting along with her. Mouth. She saw him at the river court with his buddies Fergie, Junk, and Skillz. She walked over to him and smiled.

"Look Mouth, I know what happened between you and Shelly, and Chase just said we needed a break so I was thinking that we could go to prom together. But you're so not a second choice. I was just thinking that since we were both hurting that we would have the most fun together…" Brooke said rambling.

"Brooke." Mouth said cutting her off. "Of course I'll go to prom with you."

Brooke squealed and hugged Mouth. When she pulled back she exclaimed:

"Those Clean Teens really should have a sign on their shirts saying 'We Break Hearts'."

Mouth laughed. "I agree with you there."

"So it's a date?" She asked.

"It's a date." He echoed.

Brooke smiled and then said left. Mouth had a smile on his face for the rest of the day.

When she arrived at home, she saw a package on her front step. She opened it and saw a red dress sitting in the box. Maybe things really were looking up for her.

---

Okay so now this is where things don't exactly follow the show. The next chapter will be prom, but it will be a lot different! Please review!