If The Rain Must Fall

Chapter One - Fall Fast

Peyton Sawyer sighed as she made her way out of her last class, automatically plugging her ears with the white headphones of her iPod. Her blonde curls she had just ran a hand through that morning still looked perfect at the end of the day, and there was a way in which her eyes shone that made Lucas Scott lose his breath in a way in which he knew no other girl could make him. After all they had been through, this state of limbo they were in was certainly not good for his health and he wasn't sure he would be able to cope without talking to her today for another second. Sure, they were friends. Good friends, but for Lucas, that wasn't enough. He didn't want to regret every second without her any longer. In fact, the way he felt as if he couldn't spend a day without her was seriously worrying him. Pushing his thoughts to the back of his mind he edged behind her, he playfully placed a hand over her eyes and waited for a reaction.

"Ah!" Peyton turned around as she let out a small yelp, tugging the headphones from her ears to face Lucas, who was quietly snickering as he got the reaction he wanted. "God, Luke, what are you trying to do, kill me?" Peyton glared at him with a hint of a smile as she pulled her headphones fully from her ears, and Lucas stuffed his hands into his pockets as they proceeded to walk along the halls together.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist." He smiled at her, replying as she pushed him with her free hand and laughed again. "So I was thinking - this weekend, you, me, a movie?"

"After that?" Peyton raised an eyebrow in question, but Lucas knew she was joking. "Hmm I'm not so sure Lucas." Lucas shook his head.

"Fine, fine. I guess I'll have to find some other blonde chick to hang out with." He replied a smile on his lips, walking on before he felt Peyton pull back on his backpack.

"Well then, I guess I have no choice." Peyton said sighing jokingly, before laughing again as Lucas returned her statement with a smile. "Name the time and place and I'll be there."

"And there I was thinking it was going to be another weekend of handing my mom tissues after watching the Lifetime Channel for 5 hours straight." Lucas replied, making Peyton smile again.

"I certainly couldn't put you through that." Peyton replied, and their eyes connected for a split second and she could feel her heart beat faster, before being interuppted by a screeching voice.

"Peyton!" They both turned to the end of the hall, which Brooke stood at the end of, pom-poms at her sides and hands on her hips. "Come on!" Peyton rolled her eyes and turned back to Lucas who laughed a little.

"Guess you had better go." Lucas said, gesturing to the gym with a flick of his head. Peyton nodded and leaned in for a quick hug.

"See ya later, Luke." Peyton flashed him a smile before jogging down the corridor following Brooke. Lucas smiled at her retreating back, the smell of her subtle vanilla perfume and the way her chest felt against his and the way it just felt right everytime they touched clouding his thoughts for a second, before he turned away and asked himself why he had ever let her go.

----------------

Brooke scowled from the other end of the hall as she caught sight of Lucas and Peyton locking eyes intently. She narrowed her eyes as she saw the look on Lucas' face as he was talking to Peyton, and she began to wonder why he had never looked at her like that. Why hadn't he ever had that small smile slightly playing on his lips whilst he talked to her as if she was the only person to exist in that moment? Maybe it was just fated to be that way from the beginning, Lucas and Peyton, soulmates, together forever. Every word she thought was like another stab in the back. She was just a pawn to be played in the game. Every boy she had ever been with had used her, ripped her heart out and stamped on it until she couldn't take it anymore. She wasn't sure how much more she could take, getting used to this twisted way of life she had come to know as reality.

Lucas and Peyton. She cursed the way their names seemed to roll off her tongue. She felt her hands tighten at her sides, clutching on to her pompoms a little more tightly than was normal, before she suddenly remembered she had to breathe. She had to snap out of this, she was acting crazy. Peyton was her best friend, and if Lucas and Peyton got together, she would be happy for her. Brooke nodded to herself. Happy for them both. The only trouble was the fact that she couldn't stand the sight of them together.

"Peyton!" Brooke called, plastering on a fake smile and placing her hands on her hips. "Come on!" Her heart thumped at the sight of Lucas leaning in to hug Peyton, before she came running down the corridor towards her. Looking past Peyton, Brooke saw the look on Lucas' face as Peyton walked away from him, and she felt her heart break a little bit more.

----------------

Lucas glanced over at Peyton who sat on the other side of the couch as the movie came to an end. Her curly blonde hair was tied in a messy bun at the back of her head, and all she had on was jeans and a black vest top, but to him, she still looked beautiful effortlessly.

"Lucas I know you're not watching this movie." Peyton said, not taking her eyes off the screen as a small smile played on her lips. Lucas laughed slightly, turning his head back to the screen studying the characters in front of him whining about something or other on the screen, but slowly finding his eyes slip back to Peyton. The way she sat with her long legs folded beneath her, her arms hugging a cushion...

Ow, make that arms throwing handfuls of popcorn at him.

"Hey!" Lucas said, the popcorn landing on his chest, dropping to fall down the sofa, as he reached down to retrieve it and counter attack, before Peyton held up her cushion in defence.

"We paid five bucks for this movie, and you're sitting here staring into space..."

"Its not my fault you have a bad taste in movies..."

"I do not-" Peyton replied, but cut off as she looked back at the screen. "Yeah, I guess I kinda do, don't I..." She laughed, picking up the remote and swiftly cutting off the character in mid-whine.

"Took you long enough to admit it." Lucas replied, laughing as he edged a little closer to Peyton on the other side of the couch, as she tossed the remote on the coffee table in front of them.

"Don't give me that, you were watching it too!" Peyton said, turning to him her mouth open in mock shock.

"Nah, I had better things to watch..." Lucas trailed off, realising quickly that that had been the completely wrong thing to say as a sudden silence fell over the room and the seconds seemed to stretch into eternity as Peyton shifted uncomfortably and started playing with the cushion she was tightly holding. He looked down, trying to think of something to say to ease the silence and the feeling of something between them in the afflictive silence. "So..."

"You're still heading up to UNC next week right?" Peyton said suddenly, not quite meeting his eyes as she asked him the question. The Seniors at Tree Hill High that were applying for the University of North Carolina all had their college interviews in the next week, and since it was such a long drive, many had decided to spend the night up there. It was a chance to show the college that they were all more than a SAT score and high grades. Lucas was applying for a major in English Lit, whilst Peyton was of course applying for Art and Design.

"Yeah, mine's on Thursday morning, you're going right?" Lucas replied, thankful for the change in subject as the silence eased itself back into easy chatting.

"Me and Brooke are gonna head up there on Wednesday, wanna catch a ride with us?" Peyton asked easily. "I don't think Haley and Nathan are heading up until Thursday?"

"You sure theres gonna be enough room?" Lucas asked, unsurely.

"Sure, come on it will be fun, Motel 6 and a vending machine dinner that I know that you love!" Peyon smiled, as Lucas returned it and shrugged his shoulders. "Hell, it'll just be like another road trip!"

"Yeah, sounds good then." Lucas laughed as fond memories of previous road trips came flooding back to him, but quickly shook them out of his head as he glanced at the clock, before standing up. "Well, I guess I'd better head back, help Mom close up the cafe..." Peyton smiled and nodded, and follwoing him standing up.

"So, I'll see ya on Monday..." Peyton said, shifting from one foot to another.

"Yep,...yeah I'll see you then...I had a good time tonight..." Lucas replied as the two stood there silently for a minute, before both laughing and leaning in for a hug.

Lucas walked out of her house and down the sidewalk with his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face. His life was finally going great, and soon enough, he hoped he would have Peyton to share it with.

----------------

A/N:- So, I'd appreciate it if you told me what you think, this is my first OTH fic so don't be too mean, haha. Hope you guys liked it. So yeah, please review, I'll be eternally grateful lol. If you have any questions regarding the couplings or anything just pm me. thx