"This is wrong." He moaned, as she ran kisses up and down his chest.

"Peyton..." he began, but she didn't acknowledge him.

"Peyton!" He said more forcefully this time. She looked up.

"I don't think this is such a good idea..." She looked at him sadly.

"It's just... you're ALOT younger than me, and... I don't want you to get hurt."

She rolled her eyes. "Cooper, look. Okay, I mean, this is just casual, right? I'm not going to get hurt, we're just, you know, playing it by ear." It was his turn to look at her sadly.

"Right. You're right, we're just casual... just.. casual." She grinned devilishly at him and returned to lay her lips on his abdomen.

And that was the end of that conversation.... for now.

The next morning Cooper awoke with a start. He turned over to see that the person who had been lying next to him last night was no longer there. "Peyt?" he asked.

"Right here." She replied. She had been standing next to the window with a cup of coffee. She didn't turn around. Cooper arose and went to stand behind her at the window. He snaked his arms around her waist.

"Hey.. you okay?" he asked softly.

"Oh.. um, yeah sure, I was just thinking about some things... everything really." She sighed.

"You wanna talk about it?" She paused.

"No.. yes.. maybe later." She suggested.

"Okay." He didn't push her. "I'm gonna go take a shower. Breakfast later?" She nodded.

"Oh, and Coop?" He turned around. "Yeah?"

"Thanks." He just smiled and turned back in the direction he had originally intended.

A million things raced through her head at once. Cooper, Lucas, her mom, Nathan, Brooke. So many things were happening in her life right now. So many things that she regreted, and Cooper has been the one constant in her life. He had been there for her when she needed it, he took her in, he helped her through so much. He was so good to her. They were great friends, and then one night, it evolved into something more. It wasn't just casual for her, and she hoped it wasn't casual for him.

Peyton sat alone at one of the tables in Karen's. She'd been doing that a lot lately, being alone. She'd royally screwed things up with so many people. She'd lost her best friend, over a guy, she'd lost the guy over her best friend, she'd lost her mom, she'd lost her dad, in the figurative sense, she'd lost everything. She had no one, and she knew it was all her fault.

"Penny for your thoughts?" his voice pulled her out of her self-pitying daze.

"Look, I'm not in the mood to talk right now so..." and then realization hit her. "Cooper?" she asked, surprised to see her ex-boyfriend's uncle in town.

"Hey Peyton. Wow, I haven't seen you since..." he stopped.

She half chuckled."Those were different times." She replied, reflecting on her time with Nathan.

"They sure were." He smiled. "So, how are you? And you gonna give me a hug, or what?" She got up and leaned into him for a hug. "You know, Cooper, I've been better..."

"You know what always helps me? Alcohol." She paused, remembering that she was only 17. "But.. how about we just get some ice-cream?"

"Uhh, you know, I don't think so..." She was cut off by the sound of the cafe's door bell jingling. She glanced up only to see her former best friend Brooke Davis enter the cafe. "You know what? Sure." She smiled, getting up quickly and exiting the cafe before she and Brooke had the chance to exchange "pleasantries".

"So... you want to talk about it?" he asked, referring to her quick change of heart and exit from the cafe. "Not so much." She replied. "It's just.. it's complicated, and.. it's a loong story."

"I've got time." She let it all out. Her feelings for Lucas, their whole short lived love affair, her friendship with Brooke, her mom, all of it.

"Wow." He replied. "Yeah."

"I mean.. when you said you had problems I was thinking maybe you thought you looked fat.. or something... which, you don't by the way." She giggled. "Uh, thanks?"

"And.. as for the other stuff, you made a mistake. You're a teenager. Teenagers make mistakes. I'm not saying it's okay, or anything, but you know what you did, right? So, stop feeling so bad about it, just give it some time, I'm sure they'll come around." He didn't touch the stuff about her mother. He had no idea what to say. What do you say to a girl who's lost her mother.. twice?

"You know, Cooper? You're probably the best friend I have right now... so, thank you." She smiled.

"You're very welcome, Peyton." He glanced at his watch. "You know, it's so late, but... how about we meet up tomorrow or something for coffee?"

"Yeah, sure Cooper, that'd be great."

"Okay, good. So... tomorrow. Karen's?" Peyton thought for a moment?

"You know, we'd better make it my place, I just... don't want to risk running to... anyone. You know?" He nodded. "Your place it is."

He turned to leave. "Coop, you know where it is?" she asked.

"Yeah."

And that's where it all began.