The Things They See
Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine of course.
Authors Notes: This whole story idea kind of snuck up on me and I wrote the first chapter in a few hours. It's going to take a back seat to my other fics, but I thought I'd put the first chapter up now.
Summary: Everyone has their own view of Lucas and Peyton's relationship, including the couple themselves.
Chapter 1:
I've seen the way he looks at me...
He's always had this ability to convey even the smallest emotion with his eyes. He says so much when he says nothing at all. When he looks at me I can see how much he truly loves me and it sends a shiver up my spine.
It hasn't always been easy for us, there always seemed to be an endless number of obstacles that had fallen in our path. When we first found each other I was in a mess of a relationship with Nathan and when that was over he found his way towards Brooke and then Nikki. I'd lost faith in him after Nikki, he'd become something I thought I'd left behind with Nathan. Somewhere along the way I'd lost him and he slowly realized he'd lost himself too. So he left Tree Hill and took off with Keith to live in Charleston. He never even told me he was leaving, instead he left me with a completely platonic apology letter addressed to me and Brooke. I was surprisingly upset by the fact that he had never said goodbye, and I found myself selfishly wishing he'd left me my own letter.
Unbeknownst to me Lucas had left me a letter with his mom. Karen had given it to me a few days after he left town when I stopped by the café for a cup of coffee. I was surprised when she handed me the small white envelope with my name scrawled messily on the front, Karen smiled having some idea of what the letter said. I kept the letter tucked safely into my jacket pocket until I was home and soon as I was, I headed up the stairs to my room closing the door behind me and pulling out the envelope. What I read was the most incredible thing anyone had ever written me.
Peyt-This isn't the way I wanted to say goodbye to you, in some letter that I was too afraid to give to you in person. You deserve more than this, especially from me. I've disappointed you over the last few months, and I regret that so much. And now here I am running off to Charleston no doubt disappointing you again. But you have to know that I'm leaving for a reason. I've become a person that I despise, but you're the hope I have for change. If I leave Tree Hill now I feel like I can get things back in order, become the person I used to be. I want to be a better person, that's what you've deserved all along. So I'm leaving for me and for you and for all the other people I've disappointed along the way. I'm sorry Peyton for all the pain I've caused you, I'll be back one day to make this all right.
I love you Peyton and you're the only chance I'll take.
Lucas
Lucas leaving Tree Hill was the best thing that ever happened to us and to me. I spent the summer doing the same thing he was, figuring stuff out. I put my life back in order and figured out what I really wanted. And what I wanted to be with him.
He called after he'd been in Charleston for almost three months. I was surprised to hear from him, it was the first time we'd spoken since he left. It was good to hear his voice. We made small talk at first trying to get comfortable and then suddenly it was like we used to be. He asked me about the letter he'd written and we talked about what he had said. I told him I missed him, he told me he was coming home. And he did come home, two weeks later on a Greyhound bus. I was there to pick him up.
We've been together since that day, almost two years now. Being with Lucas is something I don't ever take for granted, he's everything I've ever wanted. Before him I'd been with too many guys who treated me like crap, they didn't care about me as long as they got what they wanted.
I had my first real boyfriend my sophomore year, his name was Charlie Buchanan. After we'd been going out for almost a month Charlie told me he'd dump me if I wouldn't sleep with him, he said if I really loved him I would. I didn't want to lose someone who I thought cared about me, so I did it. I was only 15 and Charlie broke up with me a week later. I was devastated, trying to figure out what I had done wrong with Charlie. My insecurities had gotten the best of me, and I learned from some very unreliable sources that guys only stick around if you give them what they want and what they want is sex. My next three relationships were based on exactly that, there was Ryan Leland captain of the lacrosse team and Corey Russell who had his own garage band and then there was Nathan. I thought I was happy during all of this, I thought these guys really cared about me. No one ever likes finding out you're wrong, and I was really wrong. All I ever wanted was someone to love me who wouldn't leave. My mom left me and my dad is always leaving. I just wanted someone to stay, I found that person in Lucas.
He treats me like every girl deserves to be treated. We've never been big on the grand confessions of love like you see in the movies, but it's the little things, the details that are important to us. He gives me his coat when I'm cold, opens car doors, searches the music shops for vintage albums for my collection and he's finally convinced me to let him teach me how to shoot the perfect free throw. We spend nights at my house watching movies or listening to music, some nights we have dinner at the café with his mom after she's closed up for the night. It's nice to be that comfortable with someone, where you don't feel like you have to go out every night or spend lots of money on each other. I can just be myself with Lucas.
As blown away as I was when Nathan and Haley had told me they'd gotten married, I completely understand it now. They love each other and want to be with each other completely. I'm not saying I want to marry Lucas tomorrow, but I do love him that much. I'm barely 18 and I already can't imagine my life without him. We've grown so much together; I couldn't be me without him. It's like finding that proverbial missing piece of the puzzle, I wasn't complete until I found Lucas. I love him with everything I have.
Here I am getting all starry-eyed talking about Lucas, if someone would have told me two years ago that I would be this happy and this in love I would have never believed it. Who could have thought Peyton Sawyer, the ultimate pessimist, could be this... happy.
Love can make you do crazy things.
A/N: Let me know what you guys think. Your reviews are so important!
