A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it took so long to update, things have been busy. Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy! Also, I only received one review for the last chapter :( Reviews really keep me motivated to continue writing, so please leave a short review! Happy Reading~! -RedRover94
The ride home from Rachel's cottage was awkward to say the least. Brooke refused to ride in the same car with Lucas and Peyton so the previous car arrangements were switched around. Peyton had switched with Brooke, leaving Lucas and Peyton together with Nathan and Haley, and Brooke with the rest of the gang.
The kids all piled into the respective cars and were ready to go back home.
In the car where Brooke was, the group chatted noisily, making sure to refrain from mentioning Lucas or Peyton's names. Brooke had told them that she was okay about the break-up and would continue to be okay as long as those two names weren't said. They were all quick to agree and everyone was having a good ride back.
Over in the other car, there were two separate conversations taking place. Nathan and Haley were talking about their plans for tonight. And Lucas and Peyton weren't talking at all. Peyton was listening to The Cure on her iPod and Lucas was buried in The Great Gatsby. Every few minutes Lucas would steal a glance at Peyton but she never met his eyes. He sighed and busied himself with his book. Maybe she didn't want to talk to him in front of Nathan and Haley, he pondered to himself. He read for another fifteen minutes and couldn't take it anymore. It almost seemed like she wasn't talking to him on purpose. He pursed his lips slightly puzzled at the blonde next to him and pulled out his phone. He typed out a message and then hit send.
Peyton's phone buzzed in her pocket. She absent-mindedly flicked it open and it read 1 New Text From: Lucas. She glanced over at Lucas but he was reading his book. Confusedly, she opened the text. It read: I'm bored! :(
She read it over a few times wondering why he even texted her, but she could feel his glare out of the corner of her eye and thought it best to reply.
Lucas felt a steady vibrate against his leg, grabbed his phone and flipped it open: Really? You seem pretty into Gatsby.
Quick to reply, Peyton felt a familiar buzz and read the new text: Nope, I've been rereading the same page for the past five minutes. What are you listening to? The Cure? :P
Lucas saw the faintest hint of a smile grace Peyton's lips and read the text he just received: You know me too well. And why are we texting? We can just talk you know, we're sitting next to each other :P
Lucas was unsure of what to say now. It took him a few minutes to reply: Can we? I just kind of felt like you were ignoring me. Or that you felt uncomfortable.
She bit her lip nervously and wrote back: Sorry, didn't mean to. I just wasn't sure what to say, I still kind of feel bad about everything.
He sighed inwardly after reading her text and sent her: Don't feel bad Peyt. It was bound to happen eventually, things hadn't really been the same since Keith. And I'm glad that you stayed with me, you always make me feel better.
She smiled at that text. But that wasn't why she felt bad. She felt bad because she did have feelings for Lucas, and she was acting on them. She felt like she did betray Brooke, and Brooke didn't deserve that. But with Lucas it was always beyond her control. That boy had always held her heart and she found herself powerless against him.
I do? she wrote back soon after.
He was quick to respond, Yeah I meant it when I said you were an amazing friend.
Well you always make me feel better too. You're always saving me when I don't have the strength to save myself, she replied so brazenly honest.
Lucas was glad he was that guy for her. The guy that saved her. He texted her back, That goes both ways now buddy, you've been saving me too.
:) glad to return the favour, was the text he received.
He stared at his phone for about a minute and began to think. Peyton really had been saving him with everything he was experiencing with Keith, and it upset him to know that he wasn't there for her when her Mom passed. She needed saving then and he wasn't there.
Lucas eventually wrote back, I wish I was there for you Peyt with your Mom. I wish I could have saved you the way you're saving me.
As soon as Peyton read the text, she could feel tears well up in her eyes. That was possibly the sweetest thing that anybody had ever told her. And for as long as she could remember, that's what she wished for. Someone to save her through it all. Lucas saw her eyes glued to her phone, and he saw a lone tear slip from her mossy greens. He quickly pulled out his phone and sent another text:
Don't cry Peyton. I can't take your tears :( Plus Nathan and Haley will start wondering what's wrong.
She read his new text and willed herself to keep her impending tears trapped. She sent him a new message.
I wish you could have saved me too…
Lucas read the text and his heart broke in two. His eyes locked with hers, and he felt that familiar intensity him and Peyton always had. It was as if he could stare at her and see right into her soul and she could always do the same with him.
Lucas could see a few of her tears rise to the surface again and was instantly saddened. He undid his seatbelt and shifted closer to Peyton. He draped his arm around her, causing her to lean into his frame. He instinctively placed a kiss to her forehead. He felt her snuggle into him causing him to look down at the girl in his arms. And to think it was only a few nights ago she was comforting him. But he wanted to hold her and he wanted to save her. He realized that Peyton was still dealing with the pain from her mother's death, maybe because she really didn't have a lot of people there to comfort her. But losing a parent was extremely difficult, something Lucas had recently learned. And he couldn't imagine how difficult it would have been to lose Keith when he was younger, as young as Peyton was. And as strong as Peyton was, she was still healing. Even though he couldn't save her at the time, he was going to make it his mission to save her from all that he could now.
Lucas wrapped his other arm around her securely, almost like he was shielding her. Protecting her.
He whispered huskily into her ear, "I'll always be here Peyton, whenever you need me."
His words sent a shiver down her spine, but they didn't surprise her. Lucas was always there and she somehow knew he always would be. She looked up at him and murmured softly, "Right back at you."
Nathan and Haley were forgotten to the two in the backseat, who were currently sharing a private moment. But they were still there, and they nudged each other knowingly after seeing Lucas and Peyton, wondering when those two would ever figure it out.
A/N: Comments? Questions? Leave me a review :)
