Because I'm Not Who You're Running From
Peyton slowly gazed around the room. She was sitting contently on the couch. She stared into her cup looking at her own reflection. She heard the music, and she saw the people, but she still felt alone. And recently the one person she always had was gone. Ever since Brooke and Lucas got together Brooke had been too busy for Peyton. But she couldn't tell Brooke that. She didn't want to sound like a whiny baby. Especially when Peyton knew the real reason she was jealous of her. It wasn't because of Brooke; it was because of Peyton's feelings for Lucas. But she could never tell Brooke about those feelings. It wouldn't be fair to Brooke, no matter how much she loved Lucas.
"P. Sawyer" said a bubbly voice out of nowhere
Peyton quickly popped her head up away from her drink and commanded her attention to Brooke
"B. Davis" she said with only half of Brooke's energy
"You've been riding that couch all night. It's a party Peyton. Now get up and go do something" Brooke insisted as she took a sip from her cup
"Brooke I-" Peyton began quickly
"Hey pretty lady" Lucas said as he grabbed Brooke by the hips and kissed her
Peyton felt a huge lump in her throat as she watched Brooke and Lucas
"Hey boyfriend" Brooke said with a smile after what seemed like forever to Peyton
"Hey Peyton" Lucas said as he hugged Brooke
"Hi Luke" she said as she looked down
"What's wrong" Brooke asked as she left Lucas' hug to go comfort her friend
"Nothing" she said as she looked up with the best smile she could perform
Peyton looked at Lucas
"I'm fine. I'm just gonna go get something out of the car" Peyton said still performing her smile
"Are you sure" Lucas asked looking directly at Peyton
Peyton quickly averted her eyes from Lucas
"Yeah, I am fine. Really I am" she said looking at Brooke
"Okay" Brooke said reluctantly
Peyton smiled one more time to reassure Brooke
Peyton walked quickly down the stairs breathing heavily. At the foot of the stairs she bumps into someone.
"I'm really sorry" Peyton said as she rubbed her head
Peyton looked at the boy across from her. She couldn't move her eyes
"It's cool" said a dark haired muscular boy as he stood up
He stuck out his hand for her
She hesitated but she finally took it and stood up
He smiled. "So you're okay" he asked
"Yeah, I'm fine" she said as she fixed her skirt
"You seemed to be in a hurry" he said suspiciously
"Oh- yeah I was um, trying to find the bathroom"
"Okay. Yeah that's upstairs" he said with a smirk
"Right. How do you know this place so well" she said as she changed the subject
"It's my house" he said with a shrug
"You're Nathan Scott" she asked in a different tone
"So you do know who I am" he said still smirking
"No, I just know that you're a jerk" she said as she walked away
"Hey" he yelled as he tried to catch up
He pulled her by the hips
"I saw the way you looked at me" he whispered in her ear
She squirmed to get free
"That was before I knew who you were" she said as she finally broke free
"You still don't know who I am"
"Come on" he said as he held out his hand
"Give me one good reason" she said with her back still facing him
"Because I'm not who you're running from"
She turned to see his hand still outstretched for her
Brooke and Lucas are slow dancing in a quiet area outside
Brooke and Lucas are slow dancing outside
"Did Peyton seem a little off to you" Lucas asked
"Is that what you've been thinking about for the past hour" Brooke asked sweetly
"I'm just worried about her. She didn't seem like herself. She wouldn't even look at me. She's acting weird" Lucas said
"Peyton is weird Lucas" Brooke said with a laugh
"Look she said she was fine so she is fine. You're probably reading too much into this. We are all friends. She is your friend too. If something was going on she would tell me. She would tell us" Brooke said reassuringly
"Yeah you're right" he said as he kissed her on the cheek
"I love that about you, you know" she said smiling at him
"What's that" he asked
"I love that you're always worried about your friends and how they are doing. I love that you're so committed to your relationships. I love that you're so caring."
She paused and looked down
"I love you Lucas Scott"
Lucas smiled and kissed her
"And I love you Brooke Davis"