Sketches Of A Twenty-Something Life
Fall 2011
The graveyard is covered with leaves. Toombs are like stepping stones in a sea of orange, green, brown and red. Under a big tree stands a man, with short, blonde hair. He looks up to the sky as he takes a deep breath. When he turns around he sees another man walking towards him. The other man wears a fancy suit, with a red tie. He looks like a high business man. 'What does he want?' Lucas asks himself."Hello, Mr. Scott", the man says without a friendly smile and with a firm handshake.
"I'm sorry, have we met?" Lucas asks with a small hesitation.
"No, I'm afraid not", was the short answer of the man who looks at the grave in front of Lucas.
"I'm very sorry for your lost", he continues. "Thank you", Lucas replies, still a bit uncomfortable.
"My name is detective Kingston, I'm sorry to disturb you on this unfortunate moment, Mr. Scott. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to come with me to the station."Lucas looks at the man, a cop obviously, without any explanation Lucas walks with the man towards his car.
"Does this concern the death of.." Lucas asks carefully when they approach the black Volvo."Yes, I'd like to ask you some questions.""What kind of questions?" Lucas replies instant."The kind I don't like to ask in public, the kind that go back four years." Detective Kingston smiles friendly for the first time and opens the car door. "I can expect you at the station this afternoon, Mr. Scott?""Yes, yes, of course", Lucas replies, even more confused than before. 'Four years ago…', he thinks by himself.
June 13th 2007"Hey, are you in for a re-match or are you afraid you get worked?" Nathan asks teasing."Do you really end your night with a lost?" Lucas replies to his brother."Good evening, ladies and gentleman, and welcome to another historical night", Mouth begins exciting.Everybody cheers, waiting for the game of the night to start."You sure you're up for this old man?" Nathan says with a big smile.
"I could do this forever, little brother." Lucas replies confident.Nathan's ready to make a throw, but Lucas jumps to block the ball. He takes over control and drives for the basket. He scores and everybody's screaming and cheering. Nathan smiles again and runs at Lucas, catches the ball and takes a shot at the basket across the court. Again, everybody is cheering when Nathan scores and the two brothers smile teasing to each other. Suddenly, Peyton runs towards the ball, catches it and tries to make the same throw Nathan did at the other basket. She misses and suddenly Haley jumps on the court to get the ball out of Lucas' hands, who caught the ball after Peyton missed. Within a few moments everybody is on the court, separated in the teams of Nathan and Lucas. While Nathan and Lucas still play seriously, the others are just having fun and try to take the ball, to make it more difficult for the brothers. When Nathan makes another point, Lucas dribbles the ball towards his basket, when suddenly, someone hits him with an elbow in the chest. Lucas drops the ball and feels the sharp pain in his chest. He tries to catch breath, but doesn't succeed. His sight gets shady and he keeps on trying to breathe. Mouth notices Lucas troubles and within a moment everybody is panicking. Lucas feels his heart pounding in his chest, he can't, he tries, but he can't breathe. He feels his body weakening and the next moment, he lies on the court, surrounded by his shocked friends and family, screaming his name, calling 911 and hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.Fall 2011, Tree Hill Police Department
"Please take a seat", Detective Kingston showed Lucas the chair across his desk. Lucas sat down, more confident than before."Again, I'm very sorry for your lost, Mr. Scott", Kingston nodded.
"Yes, of course." Lucas said on a low tone. "I can't remember seeing you here around. Are you new?" he asked sarcastic. "Transfer." Kingston shortly replied. "But that's now why we're here.""Why are we here, Mr. Kingston?" Lucas asked.
"I'm here to get some details about your…accident, four years ago." Kingston replied carefully.
"Oh, yes, that eventful night. I'm guessing you mean the night I had my unfortunate leap of faith?"
"Are you willing to elaborate that?"
"Sure. Why not?" Lucas replied with a sarcastic smile.
June 14th 2007"Hey girl, how are you holding up?" Brooke walked over to Peyton who was leaning to a wall with her arms crossed. She took a deep breath before she answered.
"I can't do this anymore, Brooke." Peyton closed her eyes, hoping it would all go away."What? Can't do what?" Brooke asked confused.
"This, the hospitals, waiting for good news when there is no hope. He hasn't woke up yet, Brooke. Two heart attacks within six months, that isn't ok, Brooke, it can't be."
"Hey, hang in there, P. Sawyer. You can do this, you're strong remember. You're a fighter", Brooke hopelessly tried to give Peyton some faith.
"Oh cut it out, Brooke. I'm not a fighter, I mean, I can't have this anymore. The waiting, the hoping, I can't. I need him to wake up, he has to wake up." Peyton started crying and Brooke gave her a hug.
"Hush now, you know it's going to be ok, you have to believe that. Lucas is strong enough, he can make this through, and so can you."
Peyton fought the tears, but they kept coming.
"I can't go to L.A. with you, Brooke", she said disappointed."I know, honey, and I will be here for you" Brooke added."No, Brooke!" Peyton was shocked by Brooke's effort to stay and help her.
"You can't stay, you must go. This is Victoria's Secret, Brooke. You have to go.""I don't have to be in L.A. for that, I can just..""No, Brooke, I will have none of that. You need to go, for you and for me. Ok? That's the only way you can help." Peyton smiled a little and Brooke hugged her again.
Nathan walked over to Haley while holding James. "Here, can you take him?" he asked quietly.
"Sure", Haley smiled as she kissed James on his cheek. "What are you going to do?"she asked Nathan."I think I'm going to the hospital. I just need to see him."Nathan looked at his wife and son, smiled and walked away. Haley smiled back, knowing Nathan was hurt, since the accident Nathan had been punishing himself for what happened to Lucas. According to him it was him ho forced Lucas to play even with his heart condition. Haley had been worried sick for both Lucas and Nathan, but even more for James, who felt hotter every day. She would go to the doctor this afternoon, she decided.Nathan walked in the hospital and found Peyton sitting on the floor in a hallway, while wiping her tears of her face. Nathan sat down next to her. "Are you ok?" he asked carefully.Peyton closed her eyes again. "No, I'm not." She shakes her head."Did Brooke already leave?" Nathan looked around searching for Brooke."Yes." Peyton sniffed, "and I'm staying here.""What? No. Peyton!" Nathan was surprised and stood up. "You can't, this is your dream.""Yes, I know", Peyton confirmed, "but.." she took a deep breath, "but what if he wakes up and I'm not here? I have to be here Nathan.""No, you don't. You know why? Because when Lucas wakes up and he'll notice that you're not here, he'll be satisfied, because he knows that you are happy. He would never want anything else for you then being happy, Peyton.""But I'm not happy, Nathan! I can't be, ok? How can I pursue my dreams if the guy that I love isn't even conscious?"Peyton leaned to the wall and stood up too. "I'm going to check on Lucas", Peyton continued. She walked away and left Nathan even guiltier then he already was.
The doctor walked over to Karen. She held Lilly in her arms but gave her to Deb when she saw the look on the doctor's face. He didn't look like he was about to bring good news."Ms. Roe, I'm sorry to tell you this," he started, "but I'm afraid your son had a stroke." Karen felt relieved, this was some sort of mistake. Lucas took medicine to keep his blood pressure low, there was no way that he had a stroke."I'm sorry, sir, but I don't think that's possible," Karen laughed nervously, "my son can't have a stroke, he takes heart medicine, doesn't he?" Karen looked at Peyton who just stopped by them and looked confused and scared at the doctor. "What?" Peyton asked, more to herself then to Karen, "No, yes, he took them, he knows what happens if he doesn't, he wouldn't risk it again." Peyton tried to comfort herself. Lucas hadn't exactly given her the guarantee he would take the medicine correctly from then on.
"You must know," the doctor interrupted, "strokes are not inevitable, they are rare with people of young age, but there always is a small chance of having one. Especially with a weak heart. Was he not playing basketball?"June 15th2007"Lucas?" Karen walked into Lucas' room. It was filled with the morning sunlight. Her son breathed slowly. The doctor said he would have trouble talking after the stroke, and possibly temporary paralyzed on some parts of his body. But Lucas seemed fine. He smiled carefully, but did not speak. Karen kissed his forehead and grabbed his hand. She tried to hold it but Lucas didn't move his fingers. With fear in his eyes he looked as his hand and at Karen's hand. His arm didn't respond, his fingers didn't move. He was paralyzed.Deb fed Lilly some warm milk while Karen stood up when the doctor arrived. He didn't look that positive."I'm sorry to tell you this, but I'm afraid that you were right. We ran some tests on your son and he failed to respond. I'm sorry, Miss Roe, but your son is paralyzed on his left arm."
Fall 2011, Tree Hill Police Department"That moment changed my life. Of course back then, they couldn't tell whether it was temporary or not, but I knew it was permanent… You can feel it, you know. That you're life is going to change, that you're no longer the same…you can feel it."Lucas smiled thinking how ironic things turned out. How much his hopes and dreams had changed since the unfaithful night. He looked at the man sitting across the table. Obviously he needed to tell more about that summer…July 25th 2007"Lucas, I'm going down to the store, you want me to drop you off?" Peyton knocked against Lucas' door. For the past month, he had only talked to her when he had news about his arm. Normally, he wouldn't even let Peyton come into his room. Until today.Lucas opened the door and looked Peyton in her eyes. "Hey", he said quietly. "I'd like that", he replied with a small smile. Lucas hadn't felt that good for the past month. It was like his life was taken away from him and all he had left where dreams that where dying and people that didn't understand him. But for the past week, therapy had been going better. Though it takes time to recover, Lucas' arm had react in some session, which had given Lucas hope. Hope that the doctors took away from him when it turned out to be nothing. Life with one arm was easier then Lucas would've imagined. Though he had trouble with small things like buttons of a blouse or even take a tissue out of a box, he had managed to get by. Of course, his mother and Peyton had helped him as much as he let them, but he was too proud to let them help with everything. What's a writers' life if you can't write?
"Well, step in!" Peyton said cheery, hoping it would set a mood for Lucas. As they drove, an awkward silence had set the mood instead. "So what have you been doing lately?" Lucas asked carefully."Drawing. I've been drawing again, I forgot how good it felt to draw what you feel. I changed my room again.""You don't live in the apartment anymore?""No, my dad is away again and he didn't want the house to be empty so I kind of lived there and in the apartment, but, when I'm alone I feel more comforting in my own house. Even after the whole Ian thing.""Wauw…that's..that's good, that you are passed that…it's good""I'm not passed it Lucas, I'm scared every second I spend there." Peyton sounded offended."Well..why won't you come stay with us then?" Lucas replied."Then I have to move again. Look, I've been alone a lot in my life, and whenever I was alone, I was in my house, so now I'm there and I'm alone and scared and you know what? In a strange way it feels good that I'm alone. Face your deepest fear alone. That's what I'm doing…and you should be doing it too.""What's that supposed to mean?" Lucas asked surprised and confused."What…ok, you know what, forget it..let's just drive to the hospital.""No, I want to know, what did you mean?" Lucas started to feel angry."Ok, you know, fine, I'll tell you. What I mean is that you should confront yourself. Get over it. I know, it's horrible, and you don't deserve it, especially not you, but you have been doing nothing in the past month, nothing else then soaking in your room, saying how bad everything is. If you need time and space, I can give it to you, what I can't give you is respect for doing nothing but soaking." Peyton was mad and let all of the anger for the past month out, it felt good, though she was scared for what Lucas would say."Really? I'm soaking. Peyton my life and my dreams are ruined, I think I deserve to do nothing but soak. I mean, what's left, huh? I can't play basketball anymore, I can't even type on my laptop faster than five words per minute.""Then work at it! Work harder, learn to type faster. If you can't do something you have to prove that you can, you have to make it that way, that you can do it. That's what the old Lucas would've done." Peyton felt horrible about what she said, but she knew that someone had to say it to Lucas. Lucas took a deep breath and said: "Yeah, that's probably what he would've done, but you know what? He's dead. The old Lucas is dead. He died when my arm did." Lucas was furious. Peyton stopped the car and Lucas stepped out. He walked away without saying a word. It was the first meaningful conversation Lucas and Peyton had in a long time. It was also the biggest fight they had in a long time.
August 8th 2007
It had been two weeks since Lucas and Peyton had talked. Though Peyton had always checked on Lucas with Karen, Lucas hadn't been able to forgive her for not supporting him when he needed her the most. In those two weeks, his arm condition had been changing. The therapy defiantly worked out, but Lucas didn't share the good news with anyone but Karen and Haley. He hadn't even spoken to Nathan in a while. Was this really it? Was this how his life was going to be like? Howard Hughes instead of Shakespeare? Lucas typed his thoughts on his laptop. Though he was mad at her, he did follow Peyton's advice, and typing with one hand wasn't as hard as he had imagined. Then, somebody knocked on his door. Lucas stood up to open it, but Peyton opened it herself.
"Hey" she said carefully, not knowing in what state he was in."Hey", Lucas answered, happier than he had been in a while.
"I'm really sorry, for the things I said, Lucas. I mean, I want you to be better, ok, I want it more than anything. But I got a new chance at life.""What?" Lucas was confused. "I mean, that, I have a second chance to do what I want." Peyton didn't know how she could bring the news."Peyton, what are you talking about?" Lucas touched her shoulder and hugged her. It felt like heaven again, it was exactly what he needed, what he had been waiting for. "You can tell me anything." Lucas said.
"I won a contest of MTV and I can be a VJ, if I say yes. But then I have to go to New York." Peyton spilled the news out as fast as she could, not wanting to hear Lucas reaction. She felt bad for telling this, but in a way, she had too."Peyton, that's great!" Lucas smiled. He kissed her and hugged her again. "Wauw, Peyton, you gotta take this chance!""Really? Oh God, I have been so worried, I thought you didn't want me to go again, and..""Shh, it's alright, I want you to go!" Lucas smiled, but in a way, he felt more alone then he had felt all those weeks.
Fall 2011, Tree Hill Police Department
"Life is not a fairy tale, I found that out a long time ago and unfortunately, so did my friends. Nathan and Haley would soon face their greatest fear, Brooke's dreams were starting to fall apart, Rachel started a new life and was leaving the past in the past, Skills would finally get what he deserves, my mom found out that life without someone to lean on wasn't as easy as it was eighteen years ago and Peyton…I guess Peyton found herself more then she lost me. Those three months defined the rest of my life. They changed it forever. I can't say I don't regret the things I've done, the things that drove the people I loved away from me, but if I told you that everything that would happen next , wouldn't have happened if I hadn't act the way I acted, if I hadn't done the things I did, would you still think I am an innocent writer?" Lucas stood up. "As far as the story goes, I think I have told my part. I guess if you wanted to know more, you would stop me?" Lucas stood up and walked away. Detective Kingston had been listening carefully to Lucas' story. He hadn't found the clue he had been looking for, but he would find it soon enough. He was about to go somewhere when his partner Danny walked in."And? Did you got something out of him?" Danny asked while he stuffed a donut in his mouth.
"No", Kingston said, "but I guarantee, I'll find more with the person I'll be having my next conversation with. Kingston smiled and walked away. A few minutes later, he stopped his car in front of a villa. He walked towards the front door, while trying to look inside. When he rang the doorbell a woman opened the door.
"Mrs. McFadden", Kingston began."You must be the cop who investigates the murder", Mrs. McFadden answered. I know who you are.Kingston smiled, stepped into the hall and continued. "I know this must be a hard time for you, Mrs. McFadden, but I'd like to ask you some questions.
Mrs. McFadden walked into her kitchen and made some coffee. "You want some?" she asked.
"No thank you", Kingston replied. "So, you want to know what I know", Mrs. McFadden continued. "Yes. Why don't you tell me more about 2007." Kingston sad down in a chair.
"2007, let's see. The whole world was obsessed with the iPhone, uhm, everybody read the last Harry Potter book and I believe Shrek three was in the cinemas, I like part five better.""Mrs. McFadden…" Kingston said a bit annoyed.
"Oh please…call me Peyton."