**ATTENTION! This is a sequel to Not the Only One. Please please don't read any further until you read it! - SPOILERS ahead! All of the characters will be returning in some form for the sequel**
It's been two and a half years since Miles and Luke Sa...
"So you're smoking now?" a familiar, velvety voice asked.
My eyelids fluttered open and I looked up to see Luke peering down at me. I put the cigarette out and dropped the butt to the sidewalk, grinding the ashes down. "Hi Luke," I answered, my voice small.
He sat next to me, but not too close. "I didn't know you were coming, Brooke. Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"Because you would've told me not to. And I wanted to see you and Rachel perform." I chuckled darkly. "It was really good until shit started falling from the ceiling."
Luke sighed. "That's a whole other story."
"Maybe you can tell me sometime," I offered.
He smiled sadly. "Rachel can fill you in."
I swallowed, nodding as I looked down at my hands. I didn't look up when I asked him the next question. "Are you sleeping with her?"
He was silent, and I felt my heart start to splinter further.
"No. I'm not. But even if I were, Brooke, it wouldn't be any of your business."
A traitorous tear slipped out of my eye and down my cheek. "I know that, Luke... I just, I..." I drew a shaky breath. "Do you love her?" I whispered, my eyes meeting his.
"I could one day," he murmured, his hazel orbs fixed on mine. "But not right now."
"Why?" I breathe, not looking away from him, afraid to break the connection.
"Because I'm in love with someone else – that I'll never be able to have," he muttered.
My heart broke - again. "I'm right here, Luke," I pleaded.
He sighed. "No. Brooke, don't you understand? We can't ever be together again. We can't. You destroyed me. Do you really not see that?"
I put my head in my hands and gripped my hair in my fingers. "I know, I know, Luke, but I – please, I want to fix it."
He mimicked my movements. "Brooke. You can't fix it. Do I need to spell it out for you?" When I didn't answer, he scoffed bitterly. "We could've been parents, Brooke. You were pregnant with my child. And then you – you..." he trailed off, unable to say it.
"You don't think I know that? Jesus Christ, Luke, I live with that every day." I started to sob. "I know that my actions killed our baby. I know it... my heart breaks over and over every single fucking day. But damn it, Luke. I still love you with every shard of my shattered heart," I cried, not bothering to wipe the tears from my cheeks.
Luke reached out and wiped a tear from my face, the pad of his thumb caressing the apple of my cheek.
"Brooke, I don't know how, but the two of us have got to move on with our lives. We can't do this. We need to accept that."
Just then, the theater doors opened and Jessica was walking out alone. She saw us and instead of walking the other direction, she approached us.
"Hi..." she said uncertainly. "Am I interrupting?"
As much as I wanted to snap at her, I couldn't. She seemed kind, genuine.
Everything Luke needed and deserved.
"No," I whispered, scooting over so she could sit between us.
She sat down and looked at me. "I know you know this already, but... I'm Jessica," she said, offering her hand.
I took it and shook it briefly. "I'm Brooke. Obviously," I murmured idiotically.
We sat in silence until Jessica finally spoke.
"Luke? Can you go inside and check on Rachel and Miles? I want to talk to Brooke alone, if that's okay," she said, surprising the hell out of me.
"Uh, yeah, sure," he agreed, eyeing us warily.
When he was inside, Jessica turned back to me. I started to speak but she held up one finger. "Wait, let me go first." She took a deep breath, as if she were steeling herself. "If you want to work things out with Luke, Brooke, I will step aside. It's clear that you two have things to work out. I don't want to stand in the way of that." She smiled sadly. "I know he still loves you." I started to protest, just to save her feelings, but she shook her head. "Don't say he doesn't. I can tell. So, you just say the word, Brooke, and I'll step aside."
I almost agreed. I almost took her up on it.
But I couldn't.
I shook my head and stood up. "No, Jessica. Don't you dare. You're everything good for Luke. I can never give him what you can." She stood up to face me, her blue eyes piercing mine.
"I'm sorry, Brooke. I'm sorry for everything that happened. If I could take it away from you, I would," she said, taking my hand.
This girl is pure goodness, I found myself thinking.
"You'd do that, for me?" I whispered.
"I'd do it for Luke," she answered.
And I knew right then that I had to walk away.
She was in love with him.
And no matter how much it hurt, I had to let him have this chance.
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