My first One Tree Hill fanfic, I'm so excited! I don't own anything except for the writing. I hope you guys like it. Let me know what you think!
Enjoyxo.
Wind whistled through the air, causing Peyton's curls to whip around her face. She tirelessly pulled to try and tuck it behind her ears but to no avail. She sighed as she took a long sip of coffee and gazed at the playground. Her eyes searched for her whole world.
Zoey Anna Sawyer giggled as she wandered around the park with a new little friend. Zoey and her pal darted straight for the swings, on the other side and out of view. Peyton rose in panic but another mother already beat her over there to save the day. Peyton quickly came to the mother's side while laughing, "They are so fearless, huh?" The mom laughed as she picked up her son and then turned to comment.
Both the women froze in astonishment.
"Peyton Saywer?"
Peyton choked on the brisk, fall air. Words caught in her throat, and the mother stared with wide, wild eyes and she began to tear up. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh." She pulled her in for a tight hug. Peyton had a moment's hesitation but as she reached to return it, the mother had already pulled away.
"Where the hell have you been?" Haley James Scott's voice was as sweet and sour as the chicken you order from your favorite take out.
"I, uh," Zoey collided with Peyton's leg, "I've been around. You know how it is." Peyton picked up Zoey and kissed at her neck.
"How old is she?" Haley's eyes narrowed on her child.
Peyton could feel herself shrinking. "Just turned 5. Oh my gosh, Jamie! How old is he now?"
Haley sucked in her teeth and looked to her son, "6, starting kindergarten tomorrow. Nathan and I moved back to Tree Hill after he hurt his back with basketball. We had been living out in Seattle."
Peyton nodded and smiled sweetly to Jamie as he beamed at Zoey and her. "Well, it's nice to see you two. Sorry to hear about Nathan."
"What the hell are you doing back here? I thought you were so over Tree Hill, and so over talking to friends." Haley's hurt rang in her voice. Peyton winced at her directness but in all honesty she knew she deserved it.
"Just needed to do a favor for my dad. Also wanted to place some fresh flowers on my mom's grave. Stopping by for a bit." Peyton avoided eye contact by placing a heavy Zoey back to the ground.
"Momma, I want to go get sandwiches with Poppy." Zoey pulled at Peyton's shirt.
"Baby I'm talking, be patient." Peyton continued to fight looking back to her old friend by focusing on her daughter. A million thoughts running through her mind. Should she apologize? Reach out? Ask for her number?
"No, go. You've proven to be pretty good at that." Haley turned fiercely before Peyton could say another word.
"Momma, Momma, sandwiches!" Zoey continued to pull and Peyton swiped her up in haste to go to the car.
Jesus Christ.
5 years earlier
Tree Hill High
Electricity filled the air on the Monday from the previous big game that had happened the last Friday. The Tree Hill Ravens stomped the West High Knights with a score of 68-24 and the whole school buzzed with the excitement and joy of heading to the State Championship.
"Can you believe it P. Sawyer?! This time Friday we'll be headed to Raleigh!" Brooke practically bounced beside her best friend as they pushed their way to Algebra. Peyton absent mindedly nodded as her eyes searched the seas of teenagers making their way to class for one person.
"Ladies," Lucas wrapped a comfortable arm around Brooke and smiled at the two of them. He planted a soft kiss onto her best friend's cheek and Peyton's stomach turned. "Hi babe." Brooke leaned into him and squeezed his hand. "Raleigh this weekend!" Lucas laughed at her squeals and Peyton forced a smile.
"Hey listen, I think I'm going to go back home. Killer headache." Peyton scratched at her head and Brooke's face fell. "Peyton! We've got a test, come on, please stay just for Algebra. I need all the support I can get!"
Lucas squeezed Brooke's shoulder, "You got it my pretty girl, good luck ladies!" He threw up a wave and left the two in front of their classroom. "Pey, please." Brooke gave her a pout and Peyton bit at her lip. "What's up?" Brooke rose an eyebrow at Peyton's facial expression which she then quickly adjusted. "Nothing, just killer headache. You've got it B. Good luck!" And with that Peyton rushed to the doors before Brooke could get another word in.
As she burst out the doors, she gasped at the fresh air and closed her eyes.
Shit.
What the fuck was she doing?
Suddenly, a familiar hand was on her shoulder. "How's your head?"
Peyton spun and ripped his hand from his shoulder, "Luke, don't."
Lucas scrunched his face with a frown. "Peyton, don't be like this."
"Like what! Like this weekend never happened? Like everything is normal? Because it's not." Peyton began to walk away again but Lucas stepped in front of her.
"It can be. Peyton, we can pretend this all never happened. We can go back to the way it was."
The way it was.
Peyton's eyes narrowed, "Get the hell out of my face Lucas Scott." She began storming away again towards the parking lot and Lucas jogged alongside her quick strides.
"Peyton! There's just no winning. What do you want?" Lucas begged and she just kept on going. "What do you want, Peyton? WHAT DO YOU WANT!" Lucas yelled as she climbed into her car.
Peyton screeched out of the parking lot in response. She didn't know what she wanted but what she did know was that the last place she wanted to be was at school.
What a stereotype, what a cliché, and what a stupid sob story. Peyton's heart sunk as all her feelings caught up to her. What was she thinking?
Did she honestly believe that today would be ok? That what had happened Saturday night would just go away?
She chewed on her nails as she sat at a red stop light. Her mind running in circles as she stared at the road ahead.
What was she thinking?
The sun shone kindly on the small town of Tree Hill, and Peyton decided that she'd return to the scene of the crime. Music blared through her speakers but she paid it no mind. Nothing could numb her mind.
The river court.
It was completely empty, not a soul in sight. Her breath caught at the beauty of the river beside the lonely court. She stared at it for what felt like forever, The Who bumping through her body and the feeling that maybe it really would be ok started to sink in.
Peyton willed herself out of her car. The chilled spring air bit at her cheeks while she approached the water. Small sailboats sailed past and she sank to take a spot on the edge. Her heart fluttered at the idea of Saturday. Then guilt immediately wracked her brain. Peyton let out a hefty sigh and threw herself onto the grass to stare at the sky.
After a while she grew bored of the clouds and jumped up. Peyton dusted herself off and made her way over to the rinky dink bleachers that haphazardly hung by the river court. She got up and began hopping from one to the other and took comfort in the loud clangs of the metal. It almost made her want to laugh at how silly she must have looked.
"Peyton?"
She yelped and fell in the most ungraceful, unflattering, and embarrassing way possible. A moan of pain escaped her lips as she caught sight of her legs in the air and her head began to pulse after it made contact with the bleacher.
"Peyton!" Nathan Scott rushed over to stand above her, "You okay?!" He urgently reached for her hand and she grabbed it, mortified. "Yeah, I guess. God Nathan, you really ought to not sneak up on people!" She yanked her hand back as soon as she was standing on solid ground again.
Nathan chuckled and stuck his hands in his pockets, "What are you doing out here?"
"I could ask you the same thing." Peyton met his question with a sharpness she didn't know she was capable of.
He seemed unaffected by the attitude and answered, "I cut class to shoot hoops with a view. You know I didn't study for that history test." Nathan looked out at the river and then back to Peyton, "You didn't answer my question."
Peyton bit at her lip. "Needed to clear my head." Nathan nodded and grabbed the basketball beside his foot and looked between her and it, asking a silent question.
Peyton scoffed, "Sure basketball boy, get ready to get your butt kicked!" She snatched it from his grasp and began to bounce it around the court. "Peyton Sawyer with the ball, she shoots, she…" Peyton took a hopeless and sloppy shot from half court and the two of them burst out into laughter as it soared past the basket.
"She costs the team everything! What a LOSER!" Nathan shouts in her ear as he ran to catch the ball.
Peyton laughs as he dribbles the ball to gracefully achieve a perfect dunk and then heads back to her. "You're really something, Scott." He snickers and takes a half court shot and makes it, seamlessly. Nathan throws a victorious arm in the air and winks at her. "I really am."
Peyton smiles and kicks at the spare gravel and tucks a hair behind her ear, "I skipped Algebra."
Nathan dribbled the ball around and finally asked, "How come?"
How come?
A smirk crossed her face and she ran up to grab the basketball from him again. Nathan throws it to the side and wraps her up to swing her around. They laugh and laugh as he spins her in circles. "Nathan! Nathan! I'm gonna puke!" Peyton gasps as she tries to break his grasp.
He finally sets her down and the two push each other back and forth, choking on laughter and tears.
"What's so funny?"
Both Peyton and Nathan's heads jerk to Lucas, standing with crossed arms.
Nathan wiped at the tears on his face, "We just both cut class, want to play a pick up game with us?"
How clueless could he be at the weight of the situation.
Peyton stood frozen, her feet still. The tears from her laughter silently rolled down her cheeks as she stared at Lucas.
Lucas' jawbone twitched as he looked between the two past lovers. His eyes never leaving Peyton.
"Dude, you in or not?" Nathan yelled over his shoulder as he went in search for the forgotten basketball.
"Nah, count me out." Lucas' sharp voice multiplied the tension. Nathan's eyebrows furrowed and he shrugged, "Alright, man. You all good?"
"I'm great." Lucas turned and headed back for his car.
"Luke, wait!" Peyton finally took a step forward. Lucas turned around and waited. "What?"
"I-I" Peyton was losing her train of thought. Why had she just asked him to stay and why couldn't she find her words?
Nathan stopped dribbling and clutched the ball to him. "Guys? What is going on?"
"Nothing." Lucas turned around again and went to his car.
"Peyton?" Nathan's giant blue eyes searched her for an answer. She threw up her arms and leaned over to grab the ball again. "Peyton Sawyer regains possession, she rushes the court, she shoots…..
2016
Peyton braided Zoey's long blonde hair as she wiggled around. "Baby, stay still."
Zoey danced around to the theme music on TV and Peyton pulled at her hair. "Are you sure this is what you want Peyton?" Her father chewed at a bowl of cereal and watched her struggle with his granddaughter's hair.
"Yes, Dad. We're fine. She will be great here." Peyton placed a kiss on her daughter's mess of hair and pulled at more strands. "Ow! Mama!" Zoey fussed.
"All done!" Peyton put the final pigtail in it's braid and lightly pushed at Zoey's shoulder to make her turn. "Ta-da!" Zoey took a bow and beamed when she earned both her mother and Poppy's laughter.
"Kindergarten, baby!" Peyton kissed at her cheeks and grabbed her hand.
I know it was quick but I'm just testing out the waters. Getting a feel for how I want this story to play out and how I want the characters to act. Reviews are welcome and appreciated! Thanks so much for reading.