Twin Souls
"We don't need therapy. I mean, not for the traditional reasons".
The therapist pulled her eye glasses off and looked at Peyton. "The traditional reasons?", she asked.
"We don't fight", Lucas said.
"Ever?".
"Not when we're together", Peyton said happily, wrapping her arm around her fiancé.
"You've never had a fight as a couple?", the therapist asked curiously.
Lucas shook his head. "Nope". "I think once when we dated in high school, but that's it".
"But you have fought?", she asked.
"As friends…well, we were trying to be friends", Peyton explained. "It was after we'd broken up the first time".
"How many times have you guys broken up?", she asked.
"Once, but it wasn't really a break-up. More of a misunderstanding".
"So you guys had unfinished business?", she said.
"Yeah. We hadn't seen each other in three years".
"well then that makes sense. Miscommunications cause break-ups all the time". "Is that why you're here? You guys have trouble communicating?".
They both laughed. "God I hope not", Lucas said. "Peyton's the only girlfriend I've never lied to".
"You have a history of lying?", she asked.
"umm…sort of. Lying by omission". I don't do it on purpose, but my girlfriend's have never liked that my best friend is a girl", he said.
"Haley's a threat to your girlfriends?", she said, confused.
"No!! Not Haley. Peyton".
"Haley's not your best friend?".
"Haley's my oldest friend. But for the last 5 years, I've always considered Peyton my best friend".
The therapist nodded. "When Haley called me to ask if I'd meet with you guys, I asked her to describe you for me". She said at your best, you were kind, noble, sweet, sacrificing, and attentive". But that she hadn't seen that version of you in a long time".
Lucas looked at her confused. "Ouch!".
The therapist laughed. "She said the only person that ever got to see the real Lucas anymore was Peyton". Her attention shifted to the blonde sitting next to Lucas, holding his hand tightly. "When Nathan and Haley were coming to me for counseling, I told them that if they spent more time acting like selfish 22 year olds, they might appreciate each other a little bit more, and resent each other a little bit less". "Haley told me I had just described the pair of you".
Peyton shifted in her seat. "There was this one day in high school. I was trying to make cookies for Lucas, because he loves chocolate chip. The timer didn't go off, and I burned the cookies. He got to my house and freaked out seeing the smoke everywhere. Not that he was surprised. He actually told me he kind of expected it. 'Another day, another disaster', he said. That was when he looked at me and said 'How would you like to just be happy?'. And we pretty much have been, since then, with minor exceptions".
Lucas squeezed Peyton's hand at the memory. "When we were in Vegas, before we were going to get married, I told Peyton I wanted to be selfish with her. I had felt guilty at all the time we'd wasted spent apart'.
The therapist smiled. "Contrary to popular belief, love is selfish. Not selfish in the traditional way of course, because you're still immersed in someone else. But you're selfish with that other person. You want it to just be the two of you, no interruptions. And true love is like that. Because you fight like hell to keep that other person around you". She looked back at Lucas. "Haley asked me to ask about Lindsey and Brooke, Lucas".
Peyton giggled and Lucas sighed. "Brooke's my best friend", Peyton explained. "She's also Lucas' ex-girlfriend". "Lindsey's my ex fiancée", Lucas said. "And what happened there?", she asked. Lucas groaned. "She left me because I was still in love with Peyton. And I also cheated on her with Peyton. But she didn't know that until later".
"And what happened with Brooke?", she asked curiously. Lucas shrugged. "Same. I cheated on her with Peyton".
"Is that the lying you were referring to?". Lucas nodded uncomfortably. "Yeah".
"What do you do, Lucas?", she asked. Peyton chuckled. Lucas smiled. "I'm a writer".
"That's wonderful. I apologize I don't know your novels. What are they about?".
Peyton glared at him teasingly. "Yeah, Lucas. What are they about?", she joked.
Lucas smiled. "My life".
"What about your life?".
Lucas patted Peyton's knee. "This. This is my life right here".
The therapist grinned. "They're about you, Peyton?", she asked.
Peyton laughed. "apparently".
The therapist smiled. "I want to ask you about that memory of yours , Lucas. What was going on that made you and Peyton resolve to be happy".
Lucas shook his head. "What hasn't happened?". "um…like I said, we weren't unhappy. But Peyton had been through a lot, and we had never been able to just enjoy our relationship and enjoy our time together".
Her attention shifted back to Peyton. "If I may, Peyton, what events is Lucas referring to that were getting in the way?".
Peyton tensed a little. Lucas' grip tightened on her hand. "Umm…my mom died when I was 12. When I was 17, I was drugged and almost raped. Soon after, I found out I was adopted. A couple of months after that, my birth mom died of cancer. Soon after that, there was a shooting at our school and I was shot in the leg". "And then..". She looked down. Lucas wrapped his arm around her. "I had a stalker. He attacked me twice". She took a deep breath after listing that.
The therapist's eyes widened. "Wow". "So you were fighting for your life?".
Peyton nodded. "And when I couldn't, he was", she said, gesturing to Lucas.
"That's an awfully large amount of times to be in the right place at the right time, Lucas", she said.
Lucas shrugged. "After stuff like that started happening, I just never left her sight, you know?". "I can't imagine life without her".
"Why not?".
"I've just never been truly happy without her". "Something's always missing when she's not there".
"And you, Peyton?". "Feel the same?".
Peyton nodded. "Absolutely. When he's not around, Its like a vital part of me is missing".
The therapist smiled knowingly. "I think I found your problem".
They both laughed. "What?".
"You can't live without each other. Your entire life's happiness is wrapped up in each other".
"And?".
"And its not really a problem. You're better versions of each other when you're together".
She looked at Lucas. "Be honest. Is she the jealous type?".
Lucas shook his head. "No. not at all.".
"Peyton? Is he jealous?".
"So then there is no problem. If you guys were keeping each other from doing things because you're afraid one is going to leave the other, or cheat on the other, then you'd have a problem". But you're insecure when you're not together, is that correct?".
They both nodded. "pretty much".
"So all that means is you make each other better people, that's all". Are you familiar with Twin Souls?
"What, is that like Soul Mates? Cause I definitely know she's mine", Lucas said, pulling Peyton close to him, smiling.
The therapist smiled. "Not exactly". "Soul Mate is a term sometimes used to designate someone with whom one has a feeling of deep and natural affinity". A twin soul is deeper- It is thought to be the ultimate soul mate, the one and only other half of one's soul, for which all souls are driven to find and join.". "It's all a bit philosophical, I know". "But….". She paused for a second. "Corinthians I 13:4 "Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous, love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offense, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes. Love does not come to an end." She smiled. "Quoting the bible is very un-politically correct, I know. But being a psychiatrist, you look for philosophy, psychology and theory where you can find it, if it helps you understand human relationships". She winked at them. "You guys are going to be fine". "There are worse things you could be obsessed with, than each other". "You're not harming anyone unless you let another third party interfere with you guys, and you're too smart for that". She glanced at the clock. "Well, we're at the end of our session, and I'd like to end it the way I do with all my clients, but I have a feeling it could last longer than I'd like it to". She smiled. "Lucas, tell me something you love about Peyton". Lucas took a deep breath. "One thing?", he said curiously. She nodded. "Just one". He glanced at her. "Her patience. She has the most patience of anyone I've ever met". Peyton looked down. She didn't take compliments well. The therapist looked at Peyton. "Peyton, tell me one thing you love about Lucas". Peyton smiled at him. "His ability to bounce back". "For better or worse, he just moves on and doesn't let things affect him". He squeezed her hand. "You're real, baby.