A Safe Place to Cry
Ch. 8 You Lied Too
A lie is lie no matter who tells it, or how old they may be.
Lucas had taken Peyton home, and he told Riley to wait for him. When he got back home he was still mad at her for having Chance over when she was supposed to be grounded.
She was sitting on the couch waiting for him. She wasn't looking forward to the conversation they were going to have.
"Riley," he yelled when he entered the room. "What were you thinking?"
"What were you thinking? You lied to me."
"What?"
"You said you were going on a business meeting, but I don't think Peyton is an editor or agent or whatever."
Lucas sighed, "Okay I lied to you, but it wasn't that big of a deal."
She stood up from the couch, "I think it was a big deal. It was very big deal to me. She's my teacher. I can't believe you are sleeping with my teacher." She yelled at him.
"I'm not sleeping with your teacher. How could you say something like that?"
"All of the evidence points to it. I've read the tabloids dad. You don't date. You just sleep around."
"Well not anymore," he was offended that she felt that way about him. "I'm not sleeping with Peyton."
"But you're dating her," Riley shook her head.
"I hope so. I hope tonight was the beginning of something."
"I'm going to bed."
"Wait a minute," he demanded. "You don't just get to yell at me and walk away. You're in trouble."
"I'm already in trouble."
"Yeah well you just added two weeks to the grounding."
"What? That's stupid. I didn't do anything wrong."
"You had a boy over when I wasn't here. You were practically having sex with him on our couch."
"We weren't having sex, but if we were it wouldn't be any of your business. You don't let me know any of your business."
"You are my business. You knew the rules before I left. You should have followed them."
"Well if you want me to follow the rules maybe you shouldn't leave the house either."
"Go to your room," he yelled at her.
"Fine," she yelled as she stomped off.
……….
The next morning Lucas had finally calmed down. He was waiting for Riley when she walked into the kitchen. "Sit down, we really need to talk."
"I don't really want to talk to you."
"Too bad," he pointed to the chair. "Sit down," he demanded.
"Fine," she snapped at him as she sat down across from him.
"I'm sorry."
She looked at him, "What?"
"I'm sorry. I was wrong last night. I should have told you that I was going out with Peyton."
"Yeah you should have."
"But you were wrong too."
"Yeah I guess I was."
"We have to stop doing this Riley. I know that neither one of is very good at this father/daughter thing, and I know that is my fault. But we've got to be honest with each other."
"I know, but you're the one that lied."
"I know I lied, and I'm sorry. But you've got to start listening to me. I know that Lindsay probably had rules, and I'm sure that you followed them." He looked at her sternly.
"Yeah most of the time," she admitted to him.
"If this is going to work we have to be able to trust each other."
"Okay."
"And that's why for the next month I'm grounded too."
"What?" she laughed.
"We're gonna do it together. I lied, and I'm trying to teach you that actions have consequences, so my actions are going to have consequences too. Besides I'm gonna have to stay here to make sure you don't do anything wrong." He smiled.
"I think that if we're good we should be able to get off for good behavior."
"Yeah we'll think about it in two weeks."
"Deal," she smiled. Her mom had never done anything like that before. She thought it was pretty cool.
"Okay we've got to get you to school."
"Um dad I need to tell you something."
"What?"
"I'm not comfortable with you dating Peyton."
Lucas sighed. He wanted her to be okay with it. He shifted uneasily in his seat, "Why not?"
"She's my teacher, and I already have a hard time because I'm the new kid, and my Aunt is a teacher there. It would just be way too weird for me."
"I thought you liked Peyton."
"I do like Peyton. I think she is incredible, but I don't want you to date her."
Riley walked away without getting an answer from him. He had told her to talk to him about anything, and she really hoped that he would listen to her.
Lucas was devastated. He really liked Peyton, but he wanted to do right by his daughter and respect her wishes.
………..
At school Preston and Riley met up at their lockers to walk to class. "So you will never believe who my mom went out without last night?"
"My dad," she sighed.
"How did you know?"
"I saw them together last night at my house."
"Oh."
"I think it's kind of weird."
"Yeah a little bit, but my mom seemed really happy this morning."
"Really?"
"Yeah she hasn't been that happy in a long time. It was really nice to see her smiling again like that."
"You think she is smiling because she likes my dad?"
"Yeah," he smiled.
"But it's weird."
"It might be weird for a while, but as long as my mom is happy I don't care. She's done so much for me, and I can let the weird thing go as long as she is happy."
Riley didn't say anything else. She wasn't sure how she felt about the whole thing anymore.
………………..
Later that day Peyton was in her empty classroom grading papers when Lucas walked in. "Hi," she smiled.
"Hey," he smiled back at her.
"I'm surprised to see you here."
"Yeah I called to see when you had a free period. I really needed to talk to you."
"Oh that doesn't sound so good."
"I had a great time last night. You were perfect."
"But, I can definitely sense a but coming."
"But Riley isn't comfortable with our relationship, and for most of my life that wouldn't have bothered me, but I have to put her first now."
"Oh," she was disappointed. "I understand."
"I would love to get to know you," he sighed. He was disappointed too.
"Don't worry about it Lucas. I understand. Your daughter has to come first."
"Here," he handed her a book. "I didn't get a chance to give it to you last night. I think you should still read it."
"I will. I'll get it back to you as soon as I can."
"No, you keep it. I want you to have it."
He started to walk away. "I guess I'll be seeing you," she smiled at him.
"Bye Peyton." It broke his heart to have to leave her, but he had to do it for his daughter. He had spent most of Riley's life putting her last and himself first. He had to change that. He had to be a better man. He was going to be a better man. He just wished that he could be a better man with Peyton by his side.
She felt a tear fall from her eyes as he walked out of her classroom. She wished that things could be different, but she was glad that he was growing as a father.
AN: Okay so I really liked this chapter. I really want to know what you guys think. I know that you all want to know about Peyton's past and I promise it is coming. If not in the next chapter it should be the next. It is a pretty big deal, and it is kind of sad so I want it to be my best chapter yet. At least I hope so.
Thanks for all the reviews you guys are awesome and never fail to disappoint. So thanks!
I hope you guys enjoyed.
Thanks for reading!
