"There's something you need to know," Brooke said with a serious tone, "She swore me to secrecy and I agreed because it was important to her, but now…"
Lucas had no idea what Brooke trying to tell him. He hadn't spoken to her in months. Peyton had left Tree Hill suddenly without a good explanation and Brooke had called to try and make light of the situation. It didn't work. Peyton had cut off all contact with Lucas—she left him jilted. He tried dating other women but no one was good enough, no one could compare to Peyton.
"I don't understand, Brooke," Lucas started, "Who are you talking about? Peyton?"
Lucas listened closely but only heard silence.
"Yes. It's Peyton," Brooke calmly said.
"Well, what is it? Is she okay?" Lucas pushed.
"No," Brooke said with a suddenly broken voice.
"What is it, Brooke? What happened?" Lucas asked as he felt his heart beat faster.
"Cancer."
--
Lucas hung up the phone immediately after hearing Brooke's confession. He got in his car and sped to the airport.
"Peyton has cancer. Peyton has cancer. Peyton has cancer," Lucas thought as he nervously fidgeted on the plane. It all made sense now—why she broke it off, why she left, how she left. It killed him that he hadn't been there for her the past 6 months. How could she do this? How could she leave without telling him? Lucas had a million questions, yet he didn't find himself mad at Peyton. She needed him and there wasn't time for him to be selfish.
Once the plane landed, Lucas sprinted through the airport and hailed the first cab in sight. He directed the cab driver to Brooke's apartment. After he finally reached the building, he raced up the stairs, and pounded on the door, Brooke appeared. She looked tired and worried—just like Lucas.
"She's not here," Brooke said motioning for Lucas to step inside, "Wait in here."
"I can't. I need her now. Do you know where she is?" Lucas nervously said.
"The Park, maybe," Brooke suggested.
"Great," Lucas said before turning around and heading to the staircase.
"Luke, Central Park is huge and you have no idea where she is," Brooke called after him.
"I'll find her," Lucas replied before disappearing.
--
When Lucas reached Central Park, he was already out of breath. He sprinted along the pathways, racking his brain for places where she could be. He was running out of breath, so Lucas slowed his pace to a walk. He had reached the top of a hill and quickly scanned the area below. There was a playground brimming with laughing children, a basketball court with a group of teenage boys shooting hoops, and a small pond that glistened in the sun light. The pond held a gravitational pull that Lucas couldn't resist. He began a swift pace where a group of benches sat. When Lucas reached a shaded area and the glare of the pond vanished, he saw her. She was looking straight at him as if she had been waiting for him all along. She looked thinner and had dark circles under her eyes. She had a brightly colored scarf wrapped around her head—most likely to cover her thinning hair. Their eyes met and the world stopped turning. Peyton's upper body slumped forward and her shoulders began to shake. When he finally reached her, Lucas fell to his knees in front of Peyton and wrapped his arms around her. It was when Lucas felt the moisture of her tears touch his neck that he too, broke down. He pulled himself up the bench next to Peyton and continued to hold her. If it was just for seconds, a few minutes, or several hours, Lucas didn't know, but when they stood to leave, Peyton quietly whispered, "You're always saving me."
--
Hey you! Thanks for reading. I was just a little bored and decided to write this story. Hope you liked it! -C