Chapter 2: Hate

"You okay?" Brooke whispered, brushing hair out of Peyton's eyes.

"Ya, it's just a slight buzz." Peyton waved her off before Brooke turned back to watching the red numbers climb higher and higher in the elevator. The elevator door's slid open and exposed them to hurried nurses running up and down the halls.

"I'm guessing this is ICU." Brooke whispered, grabbing Peyton's hand and leading her down the hall to the nurse's station. "Hi. I'm Brooke Davis and we're here to see Haley Scott."

"Haley Scott?" the nurse flipped through some papers. "Is down doing a CAT scan but the rest of the party is waiting in the waiting room down the hall and to your left. She should be done shortly."

"Thank you." Brooke smiled, leading Peyton down the white hallway. "Nathan!" Brooke let go of Peyton's hand as she ran toward the dark-haired mess and tackled him in a hug. Brooke pulled away from him and began firing off questions.

Meanwhile, Peyton thought twice about joining all of them. She could see Lucas hugging Brooke as they both answered her questions about Haley. Peyton wanted to stay there for Haley, but she didn't want to have to face Lucas. Especially when she was drunk.

"Oh!" Peyton gasped as she turned around quickly and ran into a young doctor. "I'm sorry." Peyton hung her head and moved around him.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, grabbing her arm before she could leave. She stared up at the green-eyed, brown-haired doctor who had a warming grip on her.

"I just--can't stay here." she whispered, starting to pull away.

"Are you feeling ill?" he inquired. Peyton stole a glance at Brooke who was starting to search for her.

"Please." Peyton pleaded. "I really have to go." She tugged away from him and ran past the nurse's station and to the elevator. Her fingers trembled as she furiously clicked the down arrow.

"You dropped this." a voice said from behind her. She turned around to see the young doctor holding a ring out to her. The ring that her mother had given her before she died. The ring that she hadn't found until three weeks ago in storage. The ring that meant the world to her.

"Thank you." she mumbled, snatching the ring and slipping it onto her ring finger on her right hand.

"I'm Dr. Taylor. You can call me Greg if you want." he smiled, shaking her hand.

"Peyton." she said quickly, shaking his hand and turning back impatiently to the elevator. Greg's beeper went off.

"Jeez." he muttered. "Well, it was nice to meet you Peyton. I'll see you around." She gave him a faint smile as he rushed down the hall.

"Hurry up!" Peyton hissed at the elevator, pounding on the down arrow.

"What did that ever do to you?" a voice asked from behind her. Peyton turned to see Lucas staring at her.

"I'm sorry about Haley." she whispered, turning back quickly. The pain throbbed in her heart.

"She's back in her room now." he said quietly. "If you wanted to see her."

"No thank you." Peyton said bitterly.

"Is something wrong?" Lucas asked, touching her arm. Peyton yanked away angrily.

"Leave me alone Lucas." she hissed. "Don't touch me or talk to me or anything!" she slurred, moving to the other elevator door.

"What is wrong with you?" Lucas exclaimed. "You've been avoiding me all week and the one time I see you, you yell at me! What did I do?"

"WHAT DID YOU DO!?" Peyton exclaimed in a mocking tone. "You were always the one to rescue me Luke. You were always there for me, and you saved me practically every day! I never ever thought you'd do anything to hurt me, but you're killing me!"

"How am I killing you?" Lucas inquired angrily.

Peyton pointed at Lindsay who was walking towards them. "What is with this Luke? I thought you asked me to marry you!"

"You said no!" Lucas yelled. "She said yes!"

Peyton caught herself before she stumbled. "I thought you would wait. I didn't think that--" The fight had gathered more viewers. Brooke broke through the gawking crowd.

"Oh, Peyton." Brooke whispered, trapping her in a hug as Peyton buried her head in her shoulder and cried. "Nothing to see here people. Go on." Brooke shooed everyone away and everyone left except the four of them.

"I'm going to go check on Haley." Lindsay whispered to Lucas, disappearing back down the hallway awkwardly.

Brooke pressed the down button on the elevator and watched the numbers rise until it got to their floor. "Brooke-" Lucas started.

"Go be with Lindsay." Brooke said nodding her head in the direction Lindsay left in. The elevator door slid open and Brooke drug Peyton inside. Peyton tore away from Brooke and stuck her head outside the elevator.

"Why did you save me all those times if you never cared?" Peyton asked, quieting her sobs.

Lucas was silent.

"Do me a favor then." she said before the elevator doors closed. "Quit saving me."