It had been four years, four long years since they had all been back in this spot together. Yet in a funny sort of way it all felt like yesterday.
The reason why they were back was simple. Four years ago, to the day, they all made a promise. No matter where life took them or no matter how much they grew apart, they vowed to meet back here after college was over.
At the time they were all so happy. It seemed like nothing could change that. Who knew how wrong they could be?
They had all kept their promise. Here they were, standing on that famous tarmac in a place that held so many memories, both good and bad. The whole gang back together again. It should be a joyous happy moment, right? Then why was it tearing him apart? He didn't want to be there. In truth, only for Hailey he wouldn't be.
As the others spoke and reminisced about old times, he just stood there and pretended to listen, while secretly counting down the minutes until he could leave. He tried to avoid eye contact at all costs.
-----------------------------
He had to admit she looked great. She had grown her hair longer now, it was past her shoulders and it seemed darker slightly but she was still the same girl he remembered so well. Her outfit complemented her body perfectly. A green dress that brought out her eyes and stopped at the knee highlighting those legs he loved so much. Those legs, god he loved those legs.
Every time he felt her look anywhere near him, he quickly covered, acting completely enthralled in whatever the gang where saying, nodding at appropriate moments, even though honestly he had no idea what they where talking about.
-----------------------------
Peyton stood a few feet away from him talking to the rest of the girls. Well truthfully the rest of them were talking as she simply played along nodding and smiling from time to time as she watched him. He looked good. He'd changed, cut his hair short and he'd grown stubble on his face. She couldn't help but think it suited him, he looked even better now, if that was even possible. God the distance, his distance was killing her. Had she known how things would turn out by making that one phone call, she would have never of made it. Sure Los Angeles was great, but she quickly realized, when it was to late of course, it wasn't worth what she'd lost because of it.
-----------------------------
After about an hour the gang decided to take the reunion somewhere a bit more comfortable so they all began to leave and make their way to a near by bar.
They both hadn't spoken a word to each other and Lucas didn't think he could handle the tension for much longer so he told everyone to go on ahead. He was going to check on his mom and the kids and follow on later.
He sat on the bleachers and took in the cool night air. He really was going to check on the children, but he needed sometime to himself first. He needed to gather his thoughts. Seeing her again had really taken it out of him. A part of him wished he could hate her, be angry at her, or in the very least, feel nothing. But that wasn't the case. He tried to act like seeing her again meant nothing, that it didn't matter but the truth was, it always meant something when it came to…
"Peyton…?" he said in shock as he looked up, his baby blue eyes meeting with her emerald green ones. He quickly stood up before she could get any closer. "I should get going" he said calmly as he began to walk away, with his heart in his mouth. He hated what they had become. He hated that it had come to this, him doing anything in his power to not have to talk to her or be near her.
She sighed as she watched his retreating figure walking away. Did he not realize this was hard for her too? "We are going to have to talk at some point you know!"
He stopped walking but didn't turn around as he coldly replied, "Why?"
"Luke…" she knew this would be hard but she never expected him to be like this. It was killing her.
He turned around to face her, "What do you want me to say Peyton, huh? Pretend everything's okay? Well I can't do that, I won't!"
She stood there shocked, this wasn't the Lucas she knew and loved. He'd changed, he was harder, angrier. But then again she couldn't blame him. It was her fault after all. "Talk to me."
He sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He knew this conversation was coming. God he'd played it out so many times in his head. What he would say, what she'd say, but now that it was here, it felt… different. "You left Peyton." He finally whispered. "After everything we've been through, everything we over came. We were finally happy and you left…. Congratulations!"
Peyton eyes shot up for the first time since he'd began to speak. "What?"
He stared at her, but his eyes, they were different. They weren't those amazing crystal blue ones, full of life she'd left behind all those years ago. They were sad, lost, empty even. The spark they had once held, gone!
"Congratulations, you confirmed your own theory!" he spat at her, his words full of anger and hurt.
She still couldn't understand what he was saying. If she was honest, she didn't think she wanted to. It was bad enough seeing him like this. She didn't know if she could take what was about to come. But she knew he needed to say it and after what she'd done, she knew she deserved to hear it so she asked. "What theory?"
He looked at her as he replied in a perfectly calm but heartbreaking voice. "People always leave!"
She stood there for a long time, lost for words. It had finally hit her, what she had done, all the pain she had caused. She had done the one thing she hated, the one thing she swore she'd never do, she'd left. She didn't know how to respond.
They stood there for what felt like an eternity. After a while he nodded sadly, realizing the conversation was over, they were over! He turned and walked across the river court towards his car.
"Sometimes they come back!"
He turned to face her. "And sometimes it's just too late!" he said sadly. It killed him to say it, but he had to get on with his life, it had been four years. "You know up until a few months ago, I would have welcomed you with open arms, but then I realized you'd moved on, so should I"
She felt tears well up in her eyes. He seemed so broken. Somewhere along the line she had hurt the one person who had always been there, the one person she ever truly loved. "Luke…"
She watched his retreating figure disappearing into the night. She knew she couldn't leave it like this. Their story couldn't end like this. "I still love you!" she shouted. "There was never anyone else."
He stopped at the opposite side of the river court still keeping his back to her.
"I meant what I said, all those years ago, I'm going to love you forever Lucas Scott, always have, and always will!"
He nodded sadly, refusing to turn around to face her, refusing to show her the tears that were now streaming down his face as well. "That's what hurts the most Peyton, I know you do and no matter how hard I try I still love you too… I love you but…" he paused for a minute to prepare himself, the next words nearly killed him to say, but he had to, he had to finally let go and get closure, for his own sanity. "It doesn't change anything. You left. And never came back. I will always love you but I can't forgive you. I gave you my heart and you left with it!"
"Luke..." she cried. It killed her to hear him say those words. She felt her heart shatter into a thousand little pieces. How had it come to this? They were supposed to be forever.
He couldn't turn around he couldn't watch her pain. His own was too much as it was. He hated what they had become. They were supposed to last; they were supposed to get a happy ending. But I guess sometimes you can't always get what you want.
"Luke…"
"Bye Peyton"
