2015 ― Tree Hill, North Carolina

Dear Lucas,
Have you ever questioned your choice of friends? I've seen you with your friends, Haley, that's her name, right? I've seen her in the tutor center, she seems like a great friend, so you've probably never questioned being friends with her. But sometimes I rethink my choices. Peyton is great. I can talk to her about anything. Brooke on the other hand, I don't know. Sometimes she is a great friend. She's so loyal and caring, but other times, when she's drunk... she can get cruel, even to me and Peyton, who are supposed to be her best friends. We always forgive her, but I think I'm running short on forgiveness. Between dealing with Nathan and my parents, I'm not sure how much forgiveness I have left inside of me that can extend to Brooke. Sometimes I think I need new friends, but then I think to myself, who would that even be? I've been boxed into a certain crowd, as a cheerleader and Nathan Scott's twin. But with your friends, Haley, Mouth, Skills, Junk, and Fergie (did I get those right)? It seems like you guys have a good and loyal group. I do have Peyton, so I am grateful, I think I just needed to rant. I promise all of these letters are not me just ranting, I'm sorry if that's what it seems like. Until next time.
Sincerely,
Logan S.

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Logan Scott skipped school yesterday.

It wasn't abnormal for her to skip school sometimes, but since she skipped on a game day, she couldn't cheer. They had an away game, against the Pickerington Hicks, as Nathan likes to call them, and since she's so used to Nathan calling them that, she doesn't know what their actual team name is. Peyton ended up telling her that Haley rode back with her and Brooke, who was under the influence of painkillers because Nathan and Lucas got in a fight on the court and ended up rolling on top of Brooke and spraining her ankle.

Logan hadn't told anyone that she was at the hospital, so her phone had a lot of missed calls and texts, but she didn't care. The call she got from Josh a couple of days ago, scared her. He called her saying that Roman was at the hospital. June had meant to call him earlier, but her phone died, so she had to charge it because she was panicking about Roman and couldn't recall Josh's number off the top of her head to use the hospital phone.

a couple of days ago

Logan Scott rushed to the hospital, as fast as she could without getting pulled over, after Josh called her. She parked her car, paid for the parking, and immediately ran inside and gave them Roman's name. Once the nurse told her the room number, she didn't wait around, she immediately ran to the elevator, got to the correct floor and when she ran into Roman's room, she froze at what she saw.

Roman was lying in the hospital bed with several wires hooked to him. First was an IV, Josh explained that Roman hadn't been able to eat or drink anything, so the IV was providing fluids to keep him hydrated. He had small tubes in his nose and an oxygen tank next to his bed. Roman's chest rose and fell at a steady heartbeat.

Josh and June both looked up when they heard Logan run in and June immediately ran to her and hugged her, and Logan embraced her back. She's always loved June like a little sister since she has also been around since they were children.

"What happened?" Logan whispered as she looked at Josh over top of June's head.

"He was protecting me," June sniffled into Logan's shoulder.

"Dad was about to hurt June, Roman stepped in and fought back... Broken ribs, a broken nose, and internal bleeding, he was in surgery for hours, but he's going to be okay. I waited until he was in recovery to call you so you wouldn't have to wait around for hours worrying like we were," Josh said. Logan frowned as her eyes started to water.

"I may not have been here, but I was still worrying. I didn't go to school today, or the game tonight," Logan said.

"It's all my fault," June cried and Logan shook her head as she rocked her.

"Don't ever say that, June... The only person to blame is your father. He did this to Roman, not you," Logan whispered to her as she ran her fingers back through her hair.

"Isn't there something that can be done? Can't your mom use this to file for sole custody? Especially for June, she can't endure this for three more years," Logan said and Josh sighed.

"We're trying. I've been talking to Mom and Leo a lot. Our dad has more money, but he can't keep getting away with this. We're going to fight him," Josh said and Logan nodded.

"Good," Logan said.

They were wrapped up in their conversation, neither had noticed that Roman woke up. His eyes slowly opened and he blinked a few times to take in his surroundings, remembering that he was in the hospital. Then he saw June clinging onto Logan, and Logan soothing her by running her fingers through her hair, and the intense looks on her and Josh's faces.

"I told you not to call her," Roman said. June immediately lifted her head and Logan looked over when she heard Roman's voice. June ran to her brother and sat at his bedside and Logan frowned. Why wouldn't he want her here?

"Well he did," Logan said as she approached his bed on the opposite side from where June went. "I was worried about you... You hadn't been to school, or answering your phone," she said.

"Lo... You need to leave," Roman said. He was grateful that she was there, but he hated that she had to see him in the condition he was in.

"Why?" Logan asked.

"Because Josh had no right to call you. I told him not to," Roman lied.

"Why?" Logan asked.

"Logan, leave... now," Roman said.

"Ro... don't talk to her like that," June scolded her older brother.

"June's right, Roman. She's been worried about you. Worried enough that she came to me, and if she hadn't, I probably wouldn't have found you...-" Roman cut his brother off.

"...-Josh, stop. Logan, leave," Roman said. Logan shook her head as she sat down on the bed next to him.

"If you want me to leave, then you need to look me in my eyes and say it," Logan said. Roman hadn't been looking at her, he was just telling her to leave. Roman still wouldn't turn to face her and Logan crossed her arms over her chest. "If you won't tell me to my face, then I'm not leaving," She said. Roman knew she meant it, she was stubborn, and he knew that. He didn't want to look at her, because he knew if he did, it would kill him to tell her to leave.

Roman slowly turned his head, trying to keep his composure as his eyes found Logan's. "Go home, Logan... and don't come back."

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present day

Tonight was the night of the party Dan Scott always threw for the basketball boosters. The entire basketball team has to come, and since they have to come, so do all of the cheerleaders. So both squads and all their parents, came to the Scott House once a year to raise money for the team, but Logan and Nathan liked to call this party their dad's kiss-his-ass party because that's really what it is.

"Lo. Do you know where Roman is? I haven't heard from him in a while," Nathan said as he walked into Logan's bathroom while she was getting ready.

"He's your best friend... why don't you ask him yourself," Logan said.

"Because I haven't seen him, and he's not answering his phone," Nathan said.

"And who's fault is that?" Logan asked while rolling her eyes and Nathan sighed.

"Are you seriously still mad at me?" Nathan asked. Logan set her mascara down and turned to face her brother.

"Nathan, this has nothing to do with me. It has to do with the fact that your best friend hasn't been to school, practice, or answered his phone for the last three days, and you haven't blinked an eye until now because you've been so focused on taking down your brother. And you know what? Roman deserves a better friend," Logan snapped before turning back to her mirror.

"Logan, please... if you know something, just tell me. You also disappeared for two days," Nathan said and Logan shrugged.

"Unbelievable. You don't deserve to know, but he's in the hospital, you ass," Logan said as she finished her makeup and brushed past her brother to exit her bathroom and go back to her room.

"What do you mean he's in the hospital?" Nathan's booming voice followed her down the hallway. Logan stopped walking once she got to her room, sat down at her vanity so she could finish her hair and Nathan was standing in her doorway.

"Exactly what I said. He's in the hospital. Josh and June are with him," Logan said.

"What happened?" Nathan asked.

"Maybe you should go see him and find out yourself. He kicked me out, and said Josh shouldn't have even called me," Logan said as she started to brush out her curls.

"Lo... how long are you going to be mad at me?" Nathan asked.

"Depends, how long are you going to keep being an asshole to Lucas?" Logan asked.

"Look... I've given up on that. I've thought a lot about what you said, and I also have a deal with Haley... You're right, it's not worth it anymore," Nathan said. Logan set her brush down and turned around, looking at her brother with an arched eyebrow. She wanted to believe him, but she wasn't sure.

"Do you really mean that?" She asked and Nathan nodded.

"I do... I just want us to be good again, Lo," Nathan said. Logan wanted that too, she did miss her brother, and she hated it when they got into arguments and didn't speak for days.

"I'll see how you behave today and then I'll make a final decision," Logan said. Nathan laughed before walking over to her and kissing the top of her head.

"I'll go see Roman, he'll be okay. Don't worry," Nathan said and then he left her room without another word. When she left. Logan groaned and went over to her bed. She was ready, and as she looked at herself in the mirror of her vanity, she didn't feel like leaving. She was frustrated and angry for a lot of reasons, and she was feeling the urge to go downstairs, pile up a plate of food, and lock herself in her room eating and purging until she couldn't feel her emotions anymore.

She took a deep breath and shook the thought from her head.

"We're not going back to that place, Lo... you can do this."

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[logan's oufit]

Logan could hear the party in full swing, but she still hadn't made herself leave her room to go join it. She knew she needed to. Cheerleaders were required to be there, and everyone knew she lived there, so they would be wondering where she was anyway. But she was stuck on her bed, still looking at herself through her vanity mirror and fighting against herself to binge eat and purge it all later. She was broken out of her thoughts when she heard a voice.

"Rough day?" Lucas Scott's voice rang. Logan looked over and was relieved to see it was Lucas who was standing there. She waved him inside and he walked inside of her room, hesitantly, like he wasn't sure he should.

"A rough couple of days," She said.

"Yeah... we missed you at the Pickerington game. You wanna talk about it?" He asked. Logan shook her head.

"Not particularly... but can I ask you something else?" She asked. Lucas sat down on her chair that was at her vanity and he nodded.

"Yeah, what's up?" He asked. She knew Keith told her to wait and see if Lucas brought up the letters first, but there were too many things going on that she was stressed about and she needed one of them to be alleviated so she could breathe again.

"The letters that I gave you... I know we haven't really talked since I gave them to you, but... I guess I just want to know have you read them? Do you like them? Hate them? Or did you just burn them without even looking at one, because I would understand that too," Logan said and Lucas laughed.

"I didn't burn your letters, Logan. I've been reading one every day since you gave them to me. In the order that you wrote them. I figured they were dated for a reason, and I don't hate them. It's been nice being in your head, seeing who you were then... but I still want to know who you are now," Lucas said and Logan nodded.

"Really?" She asked and Lucas nodded.

"You are my sister," He said and Logan smiled. "So, how come you're not out there?" He asked.

"Because I hate this party. It happens every year, I already know what it's for, and it's really a basketball thing. But of course, the cheerleaders have to be there. I figured since I live here, I could hide out for a little bit before going down. How are you feeling about your first one?" Logan asked and Lucas laughed.

"It's not that bad so far... except, Brooke keeps coming onto me. Is that normal?" He asked and Logan laughed a little.

"She normally moves on by now... I'm not sure why she's being so persistent with you. Why? Are you not interested?" Logan asked and Lucas shrugged.

"I'm not sure... I'm sure Brooke is great, but half-naked in my backseat and all the innuendos... She doesn't need to do all of that to get my attention. And I guess, I've always had a crush on Peyton since 8th grade, and now that we've been talking more, I wanted to take a chance to see how things would go," Lucas said and Logan smiled.

"I could see you and Peyton together, but I'm staying out of it. I'm not in the mood for whatever games Brooke might be playing tonight," Logan said. A drunk Brooke Davis came stumbling into Logan's doorway as if it were on cue.

"Lo! There you are. Nathan was looking for you," Brooke said.

"Was he really?" Logan asked because she knew that wasn't true.

"Lucas! There you are... I've been looking all over for you. What are you doing in Logan's room?" Brooke asked as she looked around. She was slurring her words and Logan knew she was drunk.

"We're just talking, Brookie," Logan said.

"Talking, right... because all people do in bedrooms is talk. Wait a second, aren't you two related?" Brooke asked as she looked between the two of them. Logan rolled her eyes as she stood up from her bed.

"You're drunk, Brooke. Get out of my room," Logan said.

"Sure... when Lucas goes with me," She said. Logan rolled her eyes and pushed Brooke out of the doorway, and that's when she noticed Tim standing there as well.

"Desperate isn't a good look on you, Brooke," Logan said as she closed the door in her face. She turned around to face her brother, with her back against her door and she let out a deep exhale. Lucas laughed a little as Logan shook her head.

"Now I understand the letter I read today," Lucas said. Logan didn't need to be reminded which one it was.

"Sometimes, I ask myself why we're still friends... and I do love Brooke, don't get me wrong. I guess I'm just hoping one day she'll grow up, and that's why I haven't completely cut her off," Logan said.

"You're a good friend, Logan," Lucas said and Logan smiled.

"Most of my friends call me Lo. There are not many nicknames to make out of my name, I get it," She said as she laughed and Lucas laughed too.

"I'll keep it in mind. You wanna head down to the party now?" He asked.

"No... but I've been up here long enough, people will start to wonder," She said. Lucas offered his arm, which Logan smiled as she took. This was the longest conversation she's had with Lucas, and she felt that it was the first of many.

"Don't worry, squirt, we got this," Lucas teased and Logan rolled her eyes before nudging him with her shoulder.

"Don't ever call me that again,"

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All of the basketball players and cheerleaders ended up in the backyard. Logan easily avoided both of her parents, she spoke with Keith, surprised that he came, but she was glad, and now all the 'kids,' were in the backyard. Lucas was talking to Peyton, Nathan was with Tim, and Logan was standing on her own. She didn't hear Roman approaching behind her.

"Hope I'm not too late," Roman said as he stopped behind her. Logan turned around and her eyes widened when she saw him.

"Roman? What are you doing here?" She asked. He had on a button-up shirt with a tie and a nice pair of dresspants. The attire for the party was normally semi-formal.

"You look beautiful," He said and Logan rolled her eyes.

"First you kicked me out of the hospital room, and now you're here trying to place nice. How'd you even get out? Josh said you weren't getting discharged until tomorrow," Logan said and Roman nodded.

"Yeah, but after Nate came... I didn't want to sit in there anymore," Roman said.

"Ah, so Nathan didn't get the boot as I did," Logan said as she turned back around to watch what everyone else was doing as she sipped on her drink. Roman sighed.

"Nate and I had a good talk. He apologized for being such a... bad friend for the last few weeks, and I told him it wasn't his fault because I had been an equally crappy friend too," Roman said.

"Glad you two were able to kiss and makeup. Doesn't explain why you were such an asshole to me, though," Logan said.

"It's all part of my charm," Roman teased with a light chuckle. Logan turned around and was about to shove him until she remembered the fractured ribs and she restrained herself.

"Stop saying that, it's not funny," Logan said.

"Come on, Lo... lighten up," Roman said and Logan rolled her eyes.

"I was scared, Roman. You hadn't answered your phone in days, Josh didn't know where you were, he was just as shocked that I hadn't heard from you as I was that he hadn't heard from you. When he called me and told me to come to the hospital, I was scared you were dead. For a second, I legitimately thought your father took it too far and killed you. When I got there and saw you hooked up to so many wires, it scared me even more. Hearing you had to have surgery because of internal bleeding and fractured ribs? You could've died. You scared me and you wouldn't even talk to me. You acted like you didn't want me there and you kicked me out. I was terrified you were dead and you told me to go away," Logan said. She felt her eyes starting to water and she quickly wiped them and turned around so Roman wouldn't see her cry.

He felt like an even bigger asshole after hearing her confession. He gently laid his hand on her shoulder. "Logan...-" But he never got to finish his sentence, because Brooke's voice overtook his.

"Listen up, everybody! It's time to play truth or dare... Or maybe just dare... because nobody really tells the truth anymore," Brooke said as she looked directly at Peyton, and then she turned to Theresa. "Let's see... Theresa, I dare you... to go pinch Whitey's ass," Brooke said. Everyone started laughing and Theresa smirked.

"Be right back," Theresa said as she threw her drink in the trash before she walked off to find Whitey. Logan sighed as Brooke's eyes fell on her.

"Let's see, Logan?" Brooke said.

"Yes, Brooke?" Logan responded.

"I dare you to tell us how you really feel," Brooke said.

"I have a lot of feelings about a lot of things, Brookie. You're going to have to be specific," Logan said.

"Your feelings about how Nathan's been holding you back from getting to know Lucas," Brooke said and Logan raised an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about, Brooke? I've never said that," Logan said. Brooke laughed a little as she brought out something from behind her back. Logan looked at what she was holding and her eyes widened when she realized Brooke had her diary. She must've gone back into her room once Logan and Lucas left.

"Wait... but it says right here... Dear Diary, Nathan is such a pain in my ass. We were at school, he saw me wave to Lucas and he got all pissy about it. All I did was wave, I don't get the big deal. He's just as bad as our Dad. Lucas is my brother, I'm not going to deny it just because they are, and I shouldn't be penalized for wanting to get to know my own brother. It's pathetic. What's even more pathetic is Nathan picking on Lucas, 'hazing' him like he's a freshman, and Roman actually joining in on it. I didn't realize they felt so threatened about their precious playing time just because one guy joined the team. I guess the saying is true: birds of a feather flock together; Nathan and Roman are the worst birds. Everything is just getting on my nerves today, but what's new... Lo." Brooke read. Logan had tears running down her cheeks as everyone was stunned to silence.

She didn't look at either of her brothers and she didn't turn around to look at Roman either. Logan walked over to Brooke and snatched her diary out of Brooke's hands. "The most pathetic part about you doing this is that you won't even remember it in the morning. Screw you, Brooke Davis," Logan whispered to her. She knocked Brooke hard on the shoulder, and since Brooke was so drunk, she almost fell over.

Logan stormed into the house and was going to cut through the kitchen to get to the basement. She likes to sit down there when she needs to be alone. Their dad had decked out the basement long ago to be a space for Logan and Nathan. It had an 80" flat screen with surround sound speakers, a comfortable couch, and couch-like chairs.

As she was storming through the kitchen, she crashed right into someone, but she felt hands stabilize her before she could fall. She quickly wiped her eyes, but Karen, who she knocked into, had already seen she was crying.

"Logan, are you okay?" Karen asked. Logan registered Karen's voice in her ears and wiped her eyes again.

"Yeah, I'm sorry... I uh, I wasn't paying attention," Logan said.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Karen asked.

"Just some stupid high school stuff, right?" Logan said as she wiped her eyes again. "Excuse me," She said as she made her way past Karen. Karen frowned as she watched her daughter go. Obviously, something was bothering her, but Logan didn't know her, so it didn't surprise Karen that she didn't open up.

Logan walked down to the basement, closed the door behind her, curled up on the couch, and took a deep breath. She was grateful that Karen was in the kitchen because if she hadn't been, Logan would have been alone in the kitchen.

She would've brought food down here with her just to binge and purge it later.

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"Lo?" She heard a voice later that night. She knew she cried herself to sleep and she was pretty sure the party was over. Only Nathan and Roman know that she escapes to the basement when she's upset, so she knows it has to be one of them. She wasn't in the mood for a fight.

"Whoever it is, go away," Logan responded as she sat up.

"Sorry, sis... I can't do that," She heard. She turned and saw Nathan sitting in their dad's favorite chair. She hadn't realized that he was already in the basement with her.

"How do you not hate me right now?" Logan asked.

"Because Brooke read something that you never intended for anyone to know. I can't hold what you write in your diary against you. They're your private thoughts that aren't meant for anyone else's eyes, and I know I've been an asshole lately," Nathan said.

Logan fully turned and looked at her brother and she noticed he looked tired. His tie was undone, his facial features were tight and he looked exhausted. His eyes were fallen, the way they are whenever he's sad about something. "What happened?" She asked.

"Brooke screwed me over too," He said and Logan frowned.

"What did she do?" Logan asked.

"She read this note that Haley wrote for me. She's been helping me study for our upcoming test. Brooke said I passed the note around, but in reality, I had no idea about the note until Brooke read it. Then I went back to find it myself. I told Haley that I didn't pass the note around, and I had no idea about it, but she doesn't believe me," Nathan said.

"I could talk to her?" Logan suggested and Nathan shook his head.

"It's okay, Lo. All of it. I'm not mad about your diary. Hearing the words hurt, of course, but I'm not mad. As I said earlier, those were your private thoughts that I was never meant to know about, and you were right. I was messing with Lucas and for what? But I think you should talk to Roman," He said and Logan shook her head.

"I don't want to talk to Roman. I think I need a break from Roman, and he's not even my boyfriend," Logan said as she shook her head.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"When I went to the hospital, he was an ass. I was scared for his life and he kicked me out. Then he comes here, tries to act as if none of that happened and Brooke reads my diary where I again, call him an asshole. I just don't have anything else to say to him," Logan said and Nathan frowned.

"Lo... don't push him away. He shouldn't have treated you the way he did when you came to the hospital, but talk to him. You guys can work it out," Nathan said and Logan shook her head.

"I'm not pushing him away. I just need some space. Thank you, for coming to talk to me, Nate. That's the brother I was waiting to see again. I'm gonna go to bed," She said as she stood up from the couch. She walked over to Nathan and kissed his cheek before heading to the stairs.

"I love you, Lo," Nathan said and she smiled.

"I love you right back, Nate."

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oh brooke, how could you do that to your best friend.

don't forget to vote/comment. 

xoxo.