Standing On Two Feet

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Haley frowned as she slid her hands into her jeans pockets, watching as Lucas shot around on the rivercourt. It was obvious that he hadn't gone home that night, and there was something almost desperate about the way he was playing that made Haley's heart sink even further.

"Luke?" she spoke up, walking onto the court behind him.

He froze briefly before continuing to shoot, neither telling her to stay or asking her to leave.

"Luke, I...I want to talk to you."

"I really don't think we have anything to talk about Hales," Lucas replied, not turning to face her.

"I think we do," she countered. "I talked to Peyton yesterday."

"She told you," Lucas sighed.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's not like we're exactly best friends anymore."

"I thought we were," Haley replied, wincing as Lucas slammed the basketball down hard on the court surface.

"What about these last few days indicates that we're still friends?" he asked, glaring at her. "Cause I'm not seeing what you're seeing."

"I guess I was basing it on the last few years instead," she said softly, her gaze falling.

Lucas's eyes immediately softened, "Hales..."

"I just want to be happy," Haley admitted. "Like everyone else. How does that make me a horrible person?"

"Hales, you know I don't think you're a horrible person," Lucas replied, walking to her. "It's just...it's really a lot to deal with."

"You don't think I know that?" Haley asked, looking up with tears in her eyes. "You don't think that it's been hell for me as well?"

"Then why do it?"

"Because I love her Luke," she sighed.

Lucas tried to hide his cringe.

"Look, that's not what I came here to talk about, so we don't have to if you don't want to."

"Then why'd you come here?"

"To talk about you and Peyton," she reminded.

Lucas shook his head.

"What were you guys thinking, Luke? I mean, after all Nathan and I went through, you two didn't learn a damn thing?"

"I don't know what happened," Lucas admitted. "And I know it's the worst excuse ever, but I just got caught up in the moment."

"Have you talked about what you're going to do if she really is pregnant?"

"No," he shook his head, swallowing hard, nearly shaking. "Hales...I can't be a dad. My life's so screwed up as it is, how the hell am I supposed to take care of someone else?"

Haley's heart broke at the sight of tears forming in her best friend's eyes as she pulled him into a hug. He towered over her, but she held him as protectively as she could.

"You've got to talk to her Luke," she said, her head buried in his chest. "Either way, the only way for you guys to make it through this in one piece is if you do it together."

"I know," Lucas nodded, holding her tightly, suddenly feeling a round of guilt rising in his stomach. "Haley?"

"Uh-oh," Haley frowned, pulling back. "Full name...what's wrong?"

"Last night," he said, not quite meeting her gaze. "I was upset, and a bit lost. I'm so sorry."

"Sorry for what?" she asked nervously.

"I was hanging out with Nathan. I figured if anyone could help me, it was him. He knows what this is like."

"Ok..."

"I kind of made another drunken mistake, and I told him."

"You told him?"

"About you and Brooke," he nodded, taking a step away from her.

"You told him?!" she exclaimed, her voice rising a couple of pitches. "Luke? How could you do that?!"

"I'm sorry," he tried to apologize.

"You know how he is. He's going to freak! What did he say?"

"Not much," Lucas shook his head. "Just took another shot."

"God, Luke! How could you do this?"

"I was hurting."

"You know, sometimes that's just not a good enough excuse," Haley shook her head, walking away.

"Hales?"

But she ignored him as she wrapped her arms tightly around her chest, leaving the rivercourt behind.

++++++++++

"Hey," Brooke smiled, wrapping an arm around Haley and kissing the top of her head as she walked into their room. "I was just about to call you and see if you were ready to go eat."

Haley just nodded, falling back onto the bed.

"How'd it go?" Brooke asked worriedly as she finished putting up the laundry she was saving before sitting beside her.

"I think we're friends again," Haley replied.

"That doesn't look like an 'I'm friends again with Lucas' face," Brooke pointed out.

"I wanna kill him right now."

"What happened?"

Haley looked up at her, tears swimming in her eyes.

"Sweetie?" Brooke asked, pulling her up into a sitting position. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Nathan knows," she whispered.

"Huh?"

"Nathan knows," she repeated a little louder. "About us."

"Lucas told him?" Brooke asked, trying not to raise her voice, knowing it wasn't the other girl's fault.

Haley just nodded as the tears started to fall.

"D-did he say how he responded?"

"It's Nathan, Brooke."

"Yea," she nodded, reaching up and wiping a tear off of the tutor's cheek.

"Do you think he's going to tell other people?"

"Lucas?"

"No, Nathan."

Brooke frowned, "Yea."

"Oh God," Haley's voice wavered as she lay back down.

"Hales," Brooke's voice was soft as she turned, holding herself up over the other girl. "I love you."

"I love you too," she sniffed.

"We knew this was going to come out sooner or later," Brooke commented, cradling her cheek affectionately, her thumb moving slowly against the soft skin in a calming motion.

"Is it wrong for me to have preferred later?" Haley asked weakly.

"Not at all. I would've preferred it too," she smiled. "I like this little secret fairy tale world we're living in."

"Are you scared?"

Brooke frowned as she bit her lip before swallowing hard.

"Yes," she let herself admit. "I'm scared."

Haley nodded, pushing herself up, capturing her lips in a shaky kiss. "Thanks," she smiled, pulling back.

"Tell somebody I said that, and I'll deny it to the death," Brooke grinned.

"Deal," Haley laughed softly.