While The Mother Is Out

One Tree Hill A.U. Season 1 Leyton/Browen/Naley/Breyton & Laley friendship

Prologue: When It All Changed

It was exactly one week after his mom left for Italy and Lucas Scott sat brooding at his usual table at lunch with a book: "The Winter of Our Discontent" by John Steinbeck. He loved his mom and he was glad she was finally doing something for herself . . . but it didn't mean he wasn't going to miss her until she got back.

"Hey stranger." He smirked, recognizing the voice. He set the book down and looked up as Peyton Sawyer sat down beside him. "You've kinda been missing in action since your mom left." She pulled out her sketchbook and opened to a new page.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I've been hanging out with Keith and helping with the cafe," Lucas apoligized.

"No big deal," Peyton waved her hand, taking a black marker out of her bag. "Brooke's got a new boytoy so I've had to play the "supportive friend" role."

"Sounds like fun," Lucas winced. He'd been there a couple of times with Haley.

"Not really," Peyton sighed, tracing lines on the paper. "It's that new senior that just transferred . . . apparently he's "man candy made to order" or whatever according to Brooke."

Lucas chuckled and she joined in, "That's Brooke for you."

"Don't I know it?" Peyton laughed, "Been that way since 1st grade when she noticed that boys were different from girls."

"Listen, are you doing anything tonight?" Lucas asked. "Keith has to work and Haley's got some tutor session thing so I was wondering if you wanted to hang out?"

"Sure why not. Brooke's got a date with senior boy anyway," Peyton nodded.

"Sounds good, I'll pick you up later around 6?" Lucas said.

"I'll be there," Peyton said. She looked at her watch. "Grr . . . cheer practice. Gotta go!" She stuffed her things back in her backpack and stood up. "I'll be seeing you!"

"Yeah see you later. Have fun," He teased. She rolled her eyes, smiling. "Say hi to Brooke for me!" She nodded and walked smiled, picking up his book and going back into Steinbeck's wonderful words.

~*~

"Ow . . ." Lucas groaned as he awoke, a splitting pain present in his head. He didn't dare open his eyes . . . that would just make it hurt worse. Wait, why did his head hurt? He must have bumped it during the night . . .

. . . or so he thought until he heard a very feminine "ouch" from beside him. He risked possible further pain and opened his eyes. "Gah!" He screamed . . . she did too. He pushed backward and fell on the floor. "What are you doing in my room?" Ow . . . he shouldn't have shouted so loud. He held his head.

"Your room? This is my room!" She shouted back. Again, too loud. They were both holding their heads. It was then that Lucas looked around. The art on the walls, the red paint on the walls, the computer with a screensaver of a freaky-looking drawing of a girl with spiky hair . . .

This definitely wasn't his room. It was Peyton's room.

He then looked down and found that he was not wearing any clothes . . . none at all. He looked over and saw his pants and pulled them on. Upon looking up-and quickly looking down-it seemed as if Peyton wasn't wearing any either. She hastily pulled up the blanket around herself.

"So . . . it seems pretty obvious what happened last night," Lucas observed.

"Do you even remember anything from last night? Picking me up even?" Peyton really sounded hungover.

"No," He said. Wow, he sounded really hungover too.

"That makes two of us," Peyton groaned, frustrated, and plopped back on the bed. "God this is such a Brooke thing to do!!!"
"What?" Lucas raised his eyebrow.

She turned her head, "Sleeping with someone I barely know!"
"Oh," Lucas said. "So . . . do you remember what happened last night? The last thing I remember is talking to you at school earlier . . ."

Peyton sat up, crinkling her eyebrows. "Hmm . . . I vaguely recall something about going to the bookstore and a bar . . . I really have no idea how we got from one to the other though." Lucas ran his hand through his hair. "Don't ask me how we got here . . ."

The two were silent after that. Gradually they both over the next half hour found their clothing strewn around the house and got dressed. On his way out, Peyton stopped him at the door. "Luke, don't you think we should talk about this?"

"Do you regret it?" He asked. She shook her head. "Good . . . 'cause I don't either. I told you, Peyton, I want everything with you." Peyton was speechless. "I'll be seeing you . . ." She smiled—god he loved that smile—and he left. Things were definitely looking up.

~*~

Later that day at school Lucas met Haley near the picnic tables at school. She was sitting there with a textbook and a notebook writing something down. He pulled a water bottle out of his back pack and took a drink as he sat down.

"So . . . what'd you do last night?" Haley asked, breaking the silence.

Crap, Lucas thought. What should I tell her? He looked down a the bothing. "Nothin'. You?"

"Nothin'," Haley responded.

Nah . . . she was his best friend and he wanted to talk about it with her. "I kinda hung out with Peyton. And actually . . . we slept together."

"What?" Haley said.

"While we were drunk," He added. Hence the water . . . hopefully it would make his head stop pounding.

"Wow," Haley chuckled, "Slow night for you. What happened?"

"Well . . . we went out as friends and it—kinda escalated," Lucas told her.

"Yeah, sounds like." Haley laughed. "You and Peyton Sawyer. Please."

"What?" Lucas said, "Is that so strange?"

"Yeah, it is," Haley was still laughing.

"You know, she's different than people see," Lucas told her, "You of all people should understand that." He hated how everyone judged her because she was friends with Brooke and used to date Nathan.

Haley's face got serious, "I've been kissing Nathan."

"If I told you not to do that anymore would you listen?" Lucas spoke as calmly as he could without blowing up at her. In no way did he want his best friend kissing his ass of a brother.

"Would you?" Haley challenged.

"Probably not," they both said that the same time.

"Yeah . . ." Haley laughed, "So . . . what about Peyton?"

"Yeah you can kiss her if you want!" Lucas teased.

"I'm serious," Haley said.

"I think I'm really falling for her," Lucas said slowly.

"You deserve to be happy," Haley said.

"You too," Lucas replied. He was quite sure he'd be happy with Peyton.

To Be Continued . . .

Author's note: Thoughts? Anyone?