Even though I'll regret this in the morning I put off my take home test to give you guys two chapters in one day! It's so hard to wait when I think of all the places I want to take this story. A few quick answers to some of your questions in those review (thank you plenty for those by the way!) littlewave500 – I explored a little more into Mouth and Lucas' relationship in this chapter but they have had a heavy bond since they were kids along with Clay. We will see more of that as well! Texasunniest – Hey you! First off I would like to say that I love the hell out of all your questions. Not only does it make me happy to know how intrigued you are by the story but also every time I read your reviews I have to restrain from dropping everything and typing out the next chapter for you. Also I really do appreciate the things you are asking because it helps me organize my thoughts as well because I'm sure other readers wonder similar things. All of your reviews make so excited to keep writing, special thanks to lilohb, curlylizard97, inScense09, Litalove, xXalienatedXx, and amy lee!

Chapter 6 – Middle Distance Runner

It's not that Brooke expected to spend time with Lucas everyday after the last weekend but as Friday approached his absence was beginning to get to her. For a bleak moment, Lucas put a piece of his wall down and she saw it as an opening. But as the week progressed she was being blatantly avoided.

She tried to find reason to his rhyme but came up empty handed. Even when they left their houses at the same time he hurried into his care without even glancing in her direction. Brooke replayed the sequence of events back in her head, concluding that the last time he acknowledged her was moments before he turned pale and ran inside.

She even had waited patiently for him at the river court that night, just hoping to watch him play ball with their friends. Brooke admittedly was beginning to miss the small things that made up their short friendship. The pierce of his blue eyes that bore into her when she made contact and the wave of his hand from the house next to hers at the start of her mornings. She even missed hearing her name spoken in his husky, soft tone.

Brooke was surprised in fact at how much Lucas affected her in the amount of time she had been here. What seemed like subtleties actually became her favorite moments of the day. This was all new to her, the simple things in exchange between a boy and a girl. At her old school she overcompensated to fit in. Like Tree Hill, most of her peers had grown up together and she had stumbled into a crowd that valued her body more than her mind. Brooke had hit a low point of drinking excessively and finding her source of joy by always one-upping each hook-up with a more sought after boy.

She vowed to herself she wasn't going to do that here, and the people of Tree Hill made that easy. Lucas made that easy. She couldn't help herself at glancing at the window across from hers every time she passed it. To her dismay his blinds had been closed since the last time they had spoken, in a sort of symbolic correlation.

Brooke tried throughout the week to discretely ask about Lucas' cold shoulder but Peyton shrugged dismissively. Neither of the girls could pinpoint Luke's actions anymore.

"Honestly, Brooke I'm at a loss with Lucas." Peyton confessed. "I love him and he knows that but all I can do now is wait for him to find his way back." The two girl's sat outside of the gym as the boys finished their rigorous practice.

"How long have you known him for?" Brooke pried, no longer trying to hide her penetrating interest in Luke.

"When I first met him it was the summer before our first year of high school. The school put together this daytime summer camp for aspiring raven players and cheerleaders." Peyton's thin lips turned up into a small smile at the recollection. "I had run into him a few times after the camps and he always said hello to me, which I ignored." She giggled in a self-deprecating way, "I'm not always very friendly when I first meet people, especially then. Anyways it was the third day and I expected him to greet me with another hello at the exit but instead he blocked me." The brunette raised an eyebrow, surprised at this sort from the boy she knew now.

"He asked me why I was a cheerleader. But before I could respond he said 'because no offense, you are the least cheery person I know.'" Brooke snorted and Peyton couldn't help but join her in the laughter.

"Oh my god." Brooke broke in between giggles. "He has a point, P. Sawyer." She playfully nudged her friend who nodded in agreement.

"I know, I'm moody. He knew it too." Peyton smirked. "That's when I asked him his name and everyday after we began hanging out. By the time school started I had a new best friend. It was that easy with him." Brooke sighed, wishing she could have that sort of an ease with him.

"I hope I see that boy someday…" Brooke lips formed into a slight pout as she trailed off in thought.

"You like him, don't you?" Peyton questioned bluntly. She really was pretty perceptive when she wanted to be. Brooke hesitated in response which was enough of an answer for Peyton. "He's a really good guy, Brooke. Under all that pain, there's someone worth finding." Brooke looked at Peyton, surprised at her response. "Anyways, I've got a lot of setting up for the show at Tric, see you tonight broody girl!" Peyton winked, playing on her coined nickname before leaving her still heavy in thought.

X

Lucas stepped into the club that Peyton now ran, with the help of Deb. It had been awhile since seeing the inside of Tric and it was clear the effort Peyton put into it. Tric had been a project Peyton and his mom had started the summer before their sophomore year. They only had five month to put it together and enjoy it's success before she was taken from them.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, knowing he had to do this for Peyton. She had worked so hard and it was evident. Lucas made his way over to Nathan, who was attempting to buy a drink without a bracelet. This was a system Lucas' mom had developed and was heavily abided even afterwards.

"He's 17." Lucas informed the bartender, who glared at his raven haired cousin before turning back to customers who were of age.

"Aw!" Nathan threw his hands up in the air discouraged as he turned to Lucas. "You're a real ass sometimes, you know that?" There was no anger in his voice as he mock glared at the blonde. Luke smirked reaching out to flick at the metal container in Nathan's coat pocket.

"We both know you never come empty handed." Nathan pulled the flask out and held it out to Luke.

"Cheers to that!" he said before taking an eager swig of the sweet smelling liquor. "Glad to see you came out tonight, man." Nathan continued, slapping Lucas on the back. "Brooke's here." He added at the end nonchalantly.

"Oh?" Luke wasn't sure how to respond to that announcement as he shifted his weight uneasily on his feet.

"Yeah, now can you do us both a favor and please get with her." Nathan pointedly looked in the direction of Brooke as she swayed her hips to the music with Bevin and Rachel. She was dressed in hip hugging dark jeans and a red top that flaunted her flawless, curved body while still leaving enough room for imagination, unlike Rachel's obviously revealing outfit.

"Brooke's just a friend." Lucas muttered, forcing himself not to admire her for too long.

"If that's your story." Nathan scoffed, not easily fooled by Lucas' attempt at indifference. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a hot girlfriend to go wish good luck to." With that, Nathan was dodging his way up to the backstage leaving Luke to stand there beside the bar.

He allowed his gaze to wander back to her one last time and was caught with the force of her own. Lucas quickly pulled away from it and slipped back into the crowd of people. Luke made his way over to the side stage as he tried to find a very busy Peyton Sawyer. Consequently, this was much harder than he thought as the bodies started to push themselves forward to the stage in heavy anticipation of the first act.

Just as Lucas turned to make his way to the back he found himself facing his wide mouthed best friend.

"Hiya, Luke!" He flashed his toothy grin. "You excited to hear Haley perform? I heard she's incredible!"

"I am, actually. By the way have you seen Peyton anywhere?" Lucas shoved his hands into his pocket.

"Negative. Last time I saw her was when we were about to open the doors. She's been off working ever since, hopefully when the show starts she'll be able to come out and visit more." Mouth was as eager as always, Luke couldn't help but crack a small smile at his small friend's high spirits. "Good to see you came out, I haven't seen you much since school started up again."

"I know, I'm sorry. I've been really busy…" Lucas couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt at the small amount of time he has spent with Mouth in the recent months. Mouth however seemed unfazed.

"That's alright, we'll go to the river court soon I'm sure. I wouldn't mind paying Lily a visit either!" Luke nodded, knowing he hadn't seen Lily in quite some time. Lucas didn't exactly have the safest of houses anymore.

"Yeah, sure. Maybe tomorrow night we can get a pick-up game going?" He truly meant it too, seeing that familiar wide eyed look on Mouth's face made Lucas miss his goofy announcing from the bleachers of their true home court.

"Absolutely! We missed you last week." His voice turned serious, which was a pattern Lucas noticed as he got deeper into conversation with his friends. "Where were you?"

"I wasn't feeling it. I should have got back to you, I'm sorry Mouth." Luke apologized, hoping he wouldn't push the matter.

"Is it Brooke?" He questioned. Even in his distance Lucas was aware of his infatuation with the beautiful newcomer.

"What makes you think that?" Lucas countered, unsure how to approach the issue. Mouth opened his mouth to respond as his eyes flickered over his shoulder.

"All I know is that I would kill to have a girl look at me that way." He gestured behind Lucas and he turned to follow his sight stopping as he once again locked eyes with Brooke before she looked down and away from him. "Talk to her, Lucas. Not just for you, but for all the guys like me who would give everything they had to be the object of her affection."

With that Mouth left him with his words reverberating in Lucas' head. This was why he could never let Mouth go. He wore his heart on his sleeve and he always had. He and Clay had stumbled across the goofy kid when they were biking down to the river during an especially scolding hot afternoon. Their friendship was immediate and the rest of their time spent together incorporated Marvin McFadden.

Lucas hung his head in contemplation before looking back behind him to Brooke. Mouth had a point. His words were honest and they stuck to Lucas. It was the same courage that helped him carry Brooke home that drove him to her again. The first musician came into the overhead speakers and the group began to move to its rhythm.

He pushed past the crowd as he felt the beat vibrate through his sneakers, encouraging him to move faster. Just as she was standing from her seat by the bar to push herself into the crowd Lucas reached her.

"I'm sorry." He blurted at her as her eyebrows rose up in shock by the emotion in his voice. She opened her mouth to respond but he continued, "I'm sorry we haven't talked this week. Can we start over?"

"Of course." She looked up at him, their bodies forced close from the club.

"I'm Lucas," he held out his hand to her. "I read a lot, can't dance to save my life, and I live next door to you." Brooke smile widened as she placed her hand into his tanned one. They shook slowly, the roughness of his palm contrasting with the smooth skin of her own.

"I'm Brooke Davis and this is my new home." A mischievous grin took over Luke's normally brooding face as he leaned down closer to her.

"Well Brooke Davis, how about we go on an adventure?"