He drove along the road, bobbing his head to the Van Halen coming through his car stereo speakers, when he rounded a bend and noticed a car pulled off to the side, the hood open, and smoke wafting out. He started to slow, when he recognized the car, and seriously considered continuing driving, but knew the right thing to do would be to help her.
Finally he pulled his car up behind hers and got out, approaching cautiously.
She peeked around the hood and her face contorted into a look of anger mixed with disappointment. She looked down as she said, "Oh, Lucas, um, my car broke down."
He nodded, "I see that. Let me get a better look."
She moved out of his way and leaned against the driver side door as he examined the inner workings of her car. After a few minutes he looked up at her, "That's me inside your head."
She looked at him, disgusted that he would bring up their past only two days after he said he hated her, "Don't, Lucas. I don't even have that notebook with me."
"No," he laughed, "I mean that look on your face; it's me inside your head."
She looked at him, her voice laced with anger, "What the hell are you talking about, Lucas?"
He shrugged, "You always get that look when you're thinking about me, whether you're mad at me or not. You think I haven't noticed? Do you really think I don't know you well enough, Peyton?"
She looked down at the ground, "I didn't think you'd want to."
He closed the hood with a slam, "What's that supposed to mean?"
She still wouldn't look at him, "Just what you said the other night." She silently prayed he had forgotten.
Unfortunately, he remembered very clearly, "Oh god, Peyton," he moved to lean against the car next to her, looked at the side of her face, "I was so drunk out of my mind. I didn't mean it."
"Guys always tell the truth when their smashed," she whispered, but he caught every word.
"That's not necessarily true."
She whirled around and looked straight into his eyes, "Then tell me what is true, Luke! Tell me you don't hate me! Tell me you don't wish I never came back! Tell me you don't think I ruined your life!" He moved to touch her face but she pushed his hand away and cried, "Just tell me."
"I could never hate you, Peyton. And of course I wanted you to come back. I've always wanted you to come back."
"But what about ruining your life?"
He laughed dryly, "My life isn't ruined. Ruin is when things can never get better, but I have faith that things are going to start looking up soon."
She was silent for a moment and then looked around, "Is my car fixed?"
He was startled by her sudden change of subject, "Um, yeah, it should be good." He watched as she opened the door, "Don't forget, Peyton. I'll always be inside your head."
She groaned and looked up at him, "Give it up, Lucas. It's just a song." And she drove away.