One day of their junior year of high school they bumped into each other in the hallway…literally.
"Ow, watch where your going moron" Peyton said before she noticed exactly who she was bumping into.
"Sorry Peyton, I wasn't looking where I was going"
"That's okay Lucas Scott, dumb jock", she said mockingly.
"Okay Peyton always looking for a way out Sawyer" said Lucas as he stormed off to class.
Peyton knew that he was right. She really was always looking for a way out. She never let anyone in. Except for her best friend Brooke Davis, and Peyton didn't even reveal her whole self to her. She spent the rest of the day brooding over what he said and thinking that, sadly it was all too true, and she needed to find someone to open up to or she would be alone for the rest of her life.
Lucas knew he got to her, got her to think about her life. He was always good at doing that to people whether they liked it or not. He always posed the philosophical questions that no one wanted to think about because they were too afraid of the answers. He knew that since Peyton did not get the last word in she would be looking for him to finish the argument. She always needed to prove her point; there was never a discussion in class or in the hallway that Lucas could remember Peyton not having her point clearly displayed or her not having the last word. He smiled as he thought about her approaching her the next day. He would finally get to have a conversation with her that lasted more than two seconds before class.
The next day Lucas was at his locker waiting for Haley to walk to class together since they were in the same homeroom. While he was waiting guess who showed up pissed as all hell. Peyton Sawyer.
"You have no right to call me that or talk to me that way" she said all huffy from storming into school.
"Well than do not call me names or get overly furious when someone accidentally bumps into you in the hallway" Lucas said as he thinks to himself that she looks really cute when she is so angry and that if this is what she looked like angry he couldn't wait to see what happy looked like.
"Don't turn this around on me, I am not the one who goes around calling people out for their insecurities" Peyton whispers now because she drew a little too much attention for her liking when she stormed in the school.
Everyone was looking at them. Peyton furious with her curly blonde hair everywhere from a bad hair day and Lucas somewhat grinning from the show going on in front of him.
"It's not my fault that you are insecure, I am sorry that I had to point it out to you in front of everyone in school. Is there any way I can make it up to you?" he stated trying to dial back the conversation, while keeping the cute furrowed brow she had when she was angry.
"You can tell me why I should even allow you to make it up to me"
"Because you know that we both do not mean what we said, it was just from anger, but if you let me make it up to you, you will never be able to be mad at me again."
"Someone's cocky"
"I'm not cocky, I am confident that I can make you see that I am not this 'dumb jock' you apparently think I am, and that I am much nicer than the snarky comment I said to you yesterday, give me a shot?"
"Fine, but I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of me not being furious with you. You get one shot and its only because I fell bad for you not because I need to feel better or want to befriend you or anything like that"
"I'll take it, pick you up tomorrow after school"
"In your rusted old piece of junk you call a truck, I don't think so I will not be seen in that thing, it is bad enough I will be with you already, Nathan hates you and as his girlfriend I should hate you too, we will take my car and I will drive. "
"Alright see you tomorrow Peyton Sawyer"
"Ugh Bye" she replied pissed off that she gave up her Friday night to be with Lucas Scott, the new kid on the basketball team, Nathan Scott's half brother and Dan Scott's illegitimate son, and the person who happened to annoy her the most on the entire planet.
Lucas could not wait for the next day. He had a date with Peyton Sawyer, well he was the only one who thought of it as a date but he was happy nonetheless because he got to spend uninterrupted time with the most perfect girl in the world. Peyton on the other hand was not as excited. She kept wondering why on earth she even agreed to go with him to a place that she had no idea where it even was. She wanted to know what possessed her to say yes, to willingly give up her time, on a Friday night, to be with the person most hated by her circle of friends. The more pressing issue was how she was going to tell Nathan.
Nathan was a jock. He cared about nothing else except his wonderful basketball career. That he inherited from his father. He was number 23 on the team, and until Lucas cam along he was sole captain of the team. He was the son of Dan and Deb Scott. He got used to the fact that his parents were never around and when they were they argued. Dan was a self-centered guy who lived vicariously through his children and those around him. Deb was a workaholic who seemed to care more about work then her own son, or husband. He grew up thinking that he can do whatever he wants. He had a lot of money because his parents were rich from the car business his dad owned. Nathan grew up with a chip on his shoulder and no one could seem to remove it.
"YOU'RE GOING WHERE…AND WITH WHO!". Nathan screamed as Peyton broke the news to him.
"It's just one night and I was kinda a bitch to him for no reason, so I kinda owe him this one thing. "
"You don't owe him anything. He should owe you and me for ruining your mood that day, and for taking away my Friday night with my girl"
"Whatever Nathan!" Peyton was becoming mad at Nathan now; she was becoming a little too comfortable with being mad at him. He made her so angry more times than not. They were either arguing or having sex. That was all their relationship was about and it was getting a little tiresome. Peyton ran out of Nathan's room and all the way to her house. She sat at her computer and turned on her webcam like she did most nights. She had a webcast that was on most nights and she would do anything and everything she wanted too. No one could see her, yet everyone could. The thrill of knowing that made it all the more enticing.
In his room, like he was every night, Lucas sat watching Peyton in her webcast. This had become a ritual for him. Prior to the other day, this was the only time he would ever see her. And for the small amount of time that he watched her, he felt like she was looking right at him instead of just a camera lens. Lucas fell asleep with a smile on his face because of the 'date' he had the next day. Peyton turned off her webcam and cried herself to sleep because of the mess her life was in. She had no family to call her own, her boyfriend was a jackass, and the only person she would be with tomorrow would be Lucas Scott. She was falling apart at the seams and didn't know what to do. She really was looking for a way out, but in more ways than one.
The next day Peyton made it to school in a daze. She didn't give Brooke a ride, like she usually does. She wanted to be alone to contemplate her life. She pulled into her usual parking spot and sighed to herself. "This day is going to be one from hell, I just know it" ran through her head, just as she was opening the door of her car. As she stood from her car, she saw Brooke and Nathan standing there waiting for her.
"Hey P. Sawyer, how's my girly" Brooke said as she bull rushed her with a gigantic hug.
"I'm okay" Peyton said trying to clue her best friend in that something was wrong but she didn't want Nathan, or anyone else for that matter to know.
"That's fantastic, you know why, cause I am fantastic today." She answered as she skipped off to be with the girls from the cheer squad who were walking into school.
"Hey Babe" Nathan said, like it was his obligation to, and then kissed her lightly on the lips. Peyton felt nothing. That seemed to be happening a lot lately.
"Hi, I need to go see one of my teachers about a grade that I got" she lied. She wanted to get away from Nathan.
"Okay, oh and hey Peyt, don't worry about tonight because I have plans tonight" he answered trying to let her go and not worry.
This sparked her curiosity. He never went anywhere without her. If he did anything without her it would be a party at his own house and he would mope and drink until she felt sorry and dropped what she was doing and joined him at the party.
"What plans do you have? Maybe I could meet up with you later afterwards" she asked just wanting to know what they were, with no real intention of meeting up with him. But, she would come up with that excuse later.
"Whitey said that I have to boost my grades or I'm gonna get benched and there are a lot of scouts coming to the next couple games, so I'm gonna get tutored. Peyton nearly fell to the floor with shock. She had never heard Nathan care so much about his grades ever. Normally Whitey would look past any poor grades that Nathan got and would let him play as long as Nathan promised to do better and try harder next time, which he never did. Peyton knew that Whitey had something up his sleeve.
"Really...I never pictured you as the type to ask for help. Do you know who is tutoring you? I went there once I might know who they are."
"I'm not asking for help I am just doing what I have to do to play ball. Whitey said that he would pick for me because he has placed athletes with tutors before. I don't know what the old man picked for me but I hope they give me all the answers"
Peyton shook her head with the typical response from Nathan.
"Just promise me you won't get caught" Peyton said trying to say what Nathan wanted to hear.
"I won't! I'm to good to get caught. How do you think I made it this far?" Nathan said as he kissed Peyton goodbye and ran off with the members of the basketball team. Peyton thought about what just happened. Nathan is getting help for something. "It must be a sign of the apocalypse" Peyton sighed as she sulked into school.
Lucas had an early morning because he met Haley James at the café that his mother owns and runs. Haley James was a smart girl. She had straight A's and hopes of getting into a great college someday. She was best friends with Lucas Scott. Lucas was really her only friend and she cherished his friendship dearly. Haley was also an extremely talented singer. She could sing any type of music she wanted and sound beautiful anyway. That however was one of the few things she never did in public too afraid to show everyone, too afraid of rejection, pain, and criticisms.
"Why are you so chipper?" Haley asked Lucas who was plagued with an ear-to-ear smile plastered across his face.
"No Reason. I'm just going out with Peyton Sawyer tonight."Lucas said trying to contain his excitement.
"OOooOO" Haley said as she smiled knowing that Lucas has had a crush on her since the eighth grade. Just as Haley started to walk out the door with Lucas she stopped him right in his tracks "Isn't she still dating that asshole that is your half brother"
"Technically yes they are still dating, but not for long. She will not know what to do with herself once she gets a taste of the Lucas Scott charm", he said "and if you ever call him my brother again I will throw a milk balloon at you during school."
"Okay, okay relax don't get your panties in a bunch. I was just checking. I wouldn't want the feung shui of our peaceful high school being thrown off. "Haley said sarcastically.
They walked to school in a rather quick manner. Neither hated school but was in no hurry to rush life. Haley talked about her job at the tutor center as Lucas dreamed about his evening with Peyton.
