Confessions in the Dark
This is wrong, so horribly wrong. At least that's what Peyton tells herself as she imagines confessing her true feelings to her best friend's boyfriend.
"I love you Lucas."
"I love you too Peyton, ever since that day I fixed your car…"
Before Peyton can get lost in her thoughts, Lucas is awake and giving her that curious glance he's perfected.
"What's wrong Peyton?"His voice borders on being timid, but she knows better, knows that if he tried, Lucas Scott could read her like one of those books he's always pouring through.
"It's just… It's nothing Luke." Peyton sighs to herself, if only it were as easy as just spilling her guts to him…
Lucas knows that she's lying to him, he knows there is something bothering her, but he doesn't push. It wasn't that long ago that he'd tried to push for a relationship with Peyton, and look at what that had gotten him… A relationship everyone thinks he's hiding in, too afraid to put his heart on the line once again. He knows what people think, he sees the way Haley rolls her eyes when Brooke comes bouncing up to them and kisses him without a care in the world. He can almost hear her saying, "Why are you with her when you so clearly belong with Peyton?"
They just don't get it, Lucas cares about Brooke, he truly does… But he is afraid of putting his heart on the line again… With Brooke he knows that their relationship isn't complicated. Brooke is fun, she brings him out of his shell and she makes him laugh. Isn't that what relationship are all about? Being able to laugh with each other and have fun?
Seeing that he's getting lost in his thoughts, Peyton knows she needs to reassure him that she's fine.
"Luke, I promise you, I'm just worried about my dad, nothing else."
She gives him a smile that he can see right through.
"Just remember Peyton, you don't have to push me away… I'm always going to be here for you."
She looks down at the bed, afraid that if she looks into those baby blue eyes one more time she will surely crumble.
Why can't he see it? Why is it so hard for him to understand that seeing the two of them, seeing them together is far too torturous to her already fragile heart?
Because as Peyton will soon come to realize, Lucas Scott is a frequent resident in a land called denial…