A/N: Hope everyone had a good holiday! I truly enjoy when I get reviews and I'm glad everyone is enjoying the story so far! I hope to go far with it!

Peyton watched as Brooke left. As she shut the door, Peyton's phone began to ring. Lucas. Peyton sat there for a second, having a very speedy, heated argument with herself in her head, she didn't know if she should answer the phone.

But what if he wants to be with you?

Well what if he says he hates you, you've ruined everything, and he never wants to see you again.

Lucas would never do that, he's too nice.

Peyton, Lucas can do whatever he wants, he was just left at the alter, he has nothing to lose!

Though every fiber of her being was screaming at each other, she answered the phone anyway. "Hello?"

"Hey, Peyton." His voice was like an angel's, she was beginning to melt, "We need to talk." And then she was becoming quite solid, every girl knew that 'we need to talk' meant something bad, and Peyton wished in that instant that she hadn't answered the phone, because she knew he wasn't about to say, 'I want to be with you.'

"Uhm, Luke, I'm really busy right now, and I can't..."

"Well, it's about Brooke..." Peyton lightened a bit, realizing that maybe this wasn't as serious as she thought, because she had just been with Brooke, and Brooke seemed fine. What could Luke possibly know that Peyton didn't?

"What about Brooke? Is she okay?"

"She's fine, she just... She was has very strong feelings for this guy, they've been sleeping together recently and have a bit of a history, but she's scared to talk to you about it because she doesn't know how you'll react. She won't get into anything serious with him because she cares about you too much."

Peyton was a little surprised and a little hurt. She was hurt that Lucas was telling her all this, but it shocked her because this wasn't who Brooke was. She shouldn't be scared to tell Peyton anything. Unless it was someone Peyton had a history with. 'Nathan, Lucas, Jake and Julian were my only serious relationships, the only guys I've slept with, but it couldn't be Julian, she's never met him. And as far as I know, Jake isn't back in town. Nathan is an obvious hell no, he's married to our best friend, and he'd never cheat on Haley. And Lucas, Brooke knew he was still reeling from Lindsay and if it were him, Peyton would know.'

"Peyton?" Lucas asked, Peyton had been silent for a few minutes.

"Oh! Sorry. Look, Lucas, I love Brooke, and I want her to be happy, she deserves it, she's been to hell and back, sometimes because of me, and I'm supposed to be her best friend... She should be telling me this."

"She didn't know how too. That's why I am. It's me." And then the true Peyton Sawyer silence kicked in. She managed out a weak, "What?", but after that she was in a shock. "Peyton, I'm sorry, it just happened, and she can't commit because she doesn't know how to tell you."

"Lucas. Stop talking. You just got out of a relationship, AN ENGAGEMENT!" Peyton's shock was turning into fury. "And you're already nailing Brooke. How drunk was she? You are unbelievable."

"Peyton!" Lucas was becoming angry, his voice was raising. "I would never take advantage of Brooke. After everything she's gone through, if she had said 'no,' it wouldn't have happened. Don't be pissed at me or Brooke, because for once, I'm not picking you." And he hung up the phone. His last sentence stung. Peyton heard it repeating in her head, 'I'm not picking you.' Was that all it was? Peyton was hurt because Brooke was actually getting Lucas and Peyton stood no chance in getting him back?

It hurt even more realizing that this could've all been avoided had she never turned down his proposal. His choice of words, I'm not picking you, made Peyton realize more than ever that she was horrible to Brooke when it came to Lucas, she was selfish. They cheated while he was with Brooke the first time, and Brooke forgave them both, after a point, and then when he and Brooke were together the second time, Peyton said she had feelings for him, and that led to their breakup. They never stood a chance, and it was her fault.

She grabbed her purse and her phone, and left the building. She reached her car and drove down to Clothes Over Bro's. She parked, shoved her purse under her seat, and exited her car, stuffing her phone and car keys in her pocket. She wasn't quite sure how she was going to go about this conversation, she was praying that this wouldn't end in screams and punches, the way it had before Senior Prom. She entered the store and the front room was empty. "Just a second!" Brooke's voice came from around back. When Brooke walked out, Peyton had a look of hurt and anger on her face, but she tried to control herself to not yell.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Peyton whispered.

"Peyton, I-"

"Brooke. I love him. You could have anyone, ANYONE, in this world, and you pick him?"

"You're kidding, right?" Brooke raised an eyebrow, "Look who's talking! Whose name was he under, Peyton? Who stole him from me twice? And you can't even say I stole him, YOU AREN'T TOGETHER! In the end, it was his decision, because these type of feelings don't disappear. If he picked you, I'd be nothing but happy for you, it would kill me, but I'd be happy, because my best friend was happy. And she deserves to be happy. Above all else. But you can't do that for me, can you?" There was silence, Peyton had no response. "Just go, Peyton. This is over. I wasn't going to be with Lucas if it was going to effect us, but it already has. So I guess I get to lose you both in one day." Brooke turned around and walked back into the back room, leaving Peyton alone and broken.

Peyton managed to get home, still upset with what happened between her and Brooke. She made a decision, it was hard for her, but she knew it was right. It was the only way to make things right, with everyone.