Lying Hearts:
I should have realized that Lucas would cheat on me sooner or later. I mean, that was his M.O. wasn't it? He cheated on Brooke with me, twice. He kissed me before he was going to marry Lindsey... Lucas Scott was a player from the moment he learned the game, and it was foolish of me to never realize that.
I guess, in my defense, I always figured that it was me that he cheated with and that he would never cheat on me. God, if my mother could only hear me now, she would be so disappointed. I turned down true love for Lucas Scott, only to have it all blow up in my face. Jake would have never cheated on me. Being with Jake would never have required that I betray and sell out my best friend.
I still remember the look on Brooke's face when I told her that I still had feelings for Lucas... she had never looked so hurt and betrayed and angry, not even after the last time Lucas and I cheated. I told myself that it would all be okay, because I was in love, and when you're in love, you're excused from your actions. It doesn't matter if you push your best friend under the bus, because you're in love and so it is all justified. Brooke was always the better friend. Even though she ended our friendship, she still gave up Lucas for me.
I guess, looking back at everything that has happened, I blame Jake Jagielski for everything. I mean, if he hadn't read so much into me talking in my sleep and sent me away, I never would have read too much into it either. I never loved Lucas, I loved the idea of Lucas. Lucas was the rescuer, and I guess that I figured that if anyone needed to be rescued, it was me.
It has been six years since I walked away from Jake Jagielski, and a life full of happiness and love. I don't think that he is waiting for me anymore. I sealed my fate when I walked away from him, all of those years ago. When I took his promise of "someday" and used it on Lucas, I betrayed everything that Jake and I had had and became unworthy of him.
"Why did you do it, Luke?" I croaked out, tears falling freely down my cheeks. "I gave up everything to be with you. Did I ever mean anything to you? Did anyone?"
"I'm sorry I slept with Jenna, Peyton. It was a mistake."
I laughed cruelly. Lucas Scott had broken my heart in more ways then one, and now it was time to let him go for the final time. "No, Luke, I made the mistake. I made the mistake the moment I thought I loved you. I made the mistake the second I thought that you could ever love anyone but yourself."
"Peyton..." Lucas started, but I didn't want to listen to any of his lies.
"Get out, Lucas. You're not welcome here, anymore. We're done, for good this time."
After Lucas left, I fell into bed, crying my eyes out. I didn't know who I was crying for, anymore. Was I crying for me, or for Lucas, or for Jake? Was I crying for the future that could never be, or the past that always would be?
Ten days had passed since I had realized that Lucas would never be what I needed. Ten days and still I hadn't left my house. I hardly ate, I didn't shower, I wanted to die. Brooke checked up on me a couple of times, but there wasn't anything that she could do.
Somewhere around midnight of the tenth day, I heard a knock on my door. I had no idea who it would be at that time of the night. Brooke had already checked on me today and I had pretty much alienated all of my other friends. I opened the door to find Jake Jagielski at me door.
I burst into tears at the sight of him, thinking that I had finally cracked, and lost my mind. I felt his arms go around me. "I'll come back to you someday," he whispered in my ear.
"Jake?" I croaked. "Is that really you?"
"Peyton, what has happened to you? Where has all of your fire gone?"
"Oh, Jake, I made a huge mistake when I left six years ago. It has always been you in my heart, but then you were pushing me away and I couldn't let my pride get heart and I tricked myself into thinking that you were right and Lucas was in my heart, but he wasn't, Jake. It was only always ever been you. And now it is too late..." I burst into a new batch of tears and cried even harder into his chest.
"Why is that, Peyton?" Jake asked.
"Jake, it has been too long... I am not worthy of you. You can't possibly love me after all that I have done to you. I left you, Jake..."
"I left you too, Peyton. Twice. But you forgave me. I do love you, Peyton. You're the girl of my dreams. There are never been anyone else, and I told you that if your heart ever ached for me, that I would be waiting for you... someday."
"How did you know to come and find me, now, after all of this time?"
"Brooke called me and said that you were in trouble and needed me."
"She has always been a better friend to me then I ever was to her. You have always been better to me, then I was to you."
"That's not true. We're here together now, right? That has to count for something."
"I love you, Jake. It has always been you. I am sorry that I had to leave to find that out."
"I love you, too, Peyton. That is all that matters."
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Because it is time for Someday. And Lucas is a cheating bastard! LOL, R&R please!