Thanks for the reviews! I think a lot of you will be pleased with this chapter!
The kiss. The perfect amazing kiss that sent shivers through his whole body and made him melt with desire, but burn with love. The kiss between him and Peyton was the only thing on his mind.
Luke sat at his desk trying to work over some new plays, but there was no hope for concentration, because the kiss was all he could think about. It was the perfect moment when their lips connected. It was as if the world made sense with this one kiss, and it felt as if he was returning home, and he never wanted to leave. He knew that Peyton was the one for him, and that kiss confirmed everything he had felt. But then everything went wrong.
"No matter how much I love you, you will always hurt me."
Luke sighed and put his head in his hands. The image of tears falling down Peyton's beautiful face and the sadness shining through her eyes was haunting him as well. All he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and tell her that everything would be ok. But he was the one who was causing those tears and all of her hurt and sadness. This killed him.
"Whoa. It looks like someone had a rough night last night." Luke looked up and smiled softly at Haley.
"Yea, you could say that." She moved her way in and sat in the chair across from him and smiled encouragingly.
"So spill… I'm pretty much your therapist as it is."
He rolled his eyes, "You're right, Hales, I'm a mess lately."
She laughed and nodded, "Yea, it seems to be a pattern with a certain curly blonde haired girl. What happened?"
He sighed and began, "We fought, then kissed, and then fought again." She widened her eyes and kept silent allowing him to continue, "I was being a jerk and was jealous of Grant, and then she began to yell at me and then I was kissing her. But she was defiantly kissing me back. But then I mentioned the last time we kissed and how everything had changed for me that night. But all she remembers is me proposing to Lindsey after we kissed, so she got pissed and left."
"Luke!" Haley rolled her eyes, "Why would you mention that night? You know how much that killed her!"
"Because I was telling the truth, that night changed everything for me, Hales. I know what a jackass move it was to kiss Peyton, then propose to Lindsey. But the kiss that Peyton and I shared was amazing. Yet, instead of it making me tell her how I felt, it scared me and I ran to Lindsey. But I never ever stopped thinking of that kiss and how much I loved Peyton. I was just to scared to admit it."
"Then tell Peyton that! Luke, I feel like I've said this a million times, but you need to tell her how you feel instead of running from your emotions. It's not going to be easy, but life isn't easy. And sometimes if you stick out the really crappy phases in your life, everything will work out because you'll deserve it. And then you might just be happy."
Peyton knew that she should be listening to what Grant was talking about. But all she could do was replay last night over and over again. Her and Luke had actually kissed. And god, it was good. Everything felt right when she was in his arms. She had wanted to stay there forever, but then their history flashed before her eyes and she knew that there was way too much she had to work out before they reunited. If they ever did. She sighed and looked down at her plate full of eggs and hash browns.
"Earth to Peyton!" Grant laughed, and she focused her attention onto him and smiled.
"Sorry, I guess last night just wore me out more than I thought. But you have my full attention now." She put on a larger smile, and tried to listen to what he was saying.
"Well I was just saying, that I think we should talk about what was going on between us before you left," Peyton's stomach dropped; this was the last thing she wanted to talk about, "I mean, I know that we had only gone on a handful of dates, but I actually thought that we were starting something special." He looked at her hopefully, but all she could do was give him an encouraging smile. He looked relieved and continued, "You're an amazing person, Peyton. When you left, I couldn't get you off my mind. And I also couldn't help but think that we were supposed to be together or something. I don't want to freak you out! But it's just this feeling that I have."
"Grant…" She had to stop him, but she just didn't know what she was going to say, she honestly had no idea how she felt towards Grant. He was gorgeous, and nice and he truly cared about her. Plus, there was one thing that she knew for sure: he would never hurt her like Luke had hurt her.
"Peyton, before you say anything I just have to say this: I care for you a lot, and I think we could have something great. But I don't want to rush you, so you can take all the time you need to think about this. I'll be here when you're ready"
Just listen to him; listen to all these great things he is saying. He was willing to wait. He would be here for her when she was ready. He wouldn't leave her alone in a hotel room without any goodbye. He wouldn't break her heart in a million pieces. He wouldn't be Lucas.
She was about to answer him, when she looked past him out the window of the café and saw Luke crossing the street. He looked up at the same time, and he caught her eye. Her heart skipped a beat, and her breath shortened. She hated that in once glance of him, her whole body would go into overdrive. She tore her eyes away from the blue ones staring back at her, and looked at Grant and all she could do was continue to smile at him.
Because inside she knew that the reason he could never break her heart into a million pieces was because she would never love him enough to have her heart broken. She would never be able to love him as much as she loved Lucas Scott.
Lucas walked out of the bank into the warm spring air. He breathed in the freshness of it and walked across the street. As he looked up, he felt him self become drawn in to the green eyes staring back at him. Her eyes were lit up and full of life when looking back into his. His heart race increased and he started to walk towards the café where she was sitting. But then she pulled herself away from his eyes, and he followed to where she was looking and he saw Grant smiling back and her. Luke's heart dropped as he stopped in his tracks. He pulled himself away; but took one glance back to see Peyton. She was smiling, but he could see the emptiness in her eyes. She didn't want to be there. She didn't want to be there with Grant. He couldn't help but feel a surge of hope. There was still hope; and this time he wasn't going to stop until he showed her how much he loved her.
Peyton knocked on Grant's door, and put on the smile she had been wearing to make him feel ok all day, "Grant? Do you want to come sit out on the porch with Brooke and me? She's making some cocktails… but I would only have a couple because more than that and you might be falling off the balcony." Silence, "Grant?" she pushed open the door and saw Grant hunched over a suitcase, piling in his clothes.
"Grant? What are you doing?"
He turned around and she saw the regret in his eyes, "I'm leaving, Peyton."
She walked closer to him, "What are you talking about? A few hours you were telling me how you wanted more with me and would wait for as long as I needed! And now you're just leaving?"
He sighed and looked at her, " And everything I said was true, but I would probably be waiting forever wouldn't I?" She looked away, "Peyton, when I was telling you all this, I saw you looking back at Lucas, and I knew right away. You never, nor will you ever, look at me in that way."
She wiped the tears from her eyes, "Grant…"
"It's ok, really. You're in love with him. All the time we were in L.A, It always seemed that you were a little sad, and now that I see you around Lucas, I know why. You've always loved him, and it's completely obvious when I see the two of you together." He took a deep breath and continued, "You of all the people I know, Peyton, deserve to be happy and have all your dreams come true. So stop denying yourself of this when it's right next to you. Tell him how you feel and be happy, Ok?"
She nodded and tried to stop allowing the tears from falling, "I'm sorry Grant."
He pulled her into a hug and whispered, "You have nothing to be sorry for. Just be happy." She smiled and hugged him a little tighter, before she let him go and he walked out the door.
"I'm sorry Peyton, I really am." Brooke reached across the space between their chairs and squeezed Peyton's hand. "I never meant for mine and his connection to ruin you guys."
Peyton burst out laughing and shook her head, "Yea it really is a shame." They both smiled and looked out off their balcony as the sun was setting, "But honestly, I'm just relieved. Not in a mean way, but just that it was all way too complicated. And as pathetic as it is, I'm still in love with Lucas Scott."
"So what are you going to do about it?" Brooke asked curiously.
Peyton let out a long sigh, and shrugged her shoulders, "Grant made it sound so easy. He made it sound like being happy and being in love with Luke should be so easy. But the truth is, as much as I love Luke, I don't think I trust him with my heart. He's hurt it so much in the last few years, that I sometimes ever wonder if I'll ever be able to move past it and just love him."
Brooke caught her eye, "Peyton, you will." She said confidently, "You and Luke are an epic love story. You guys always find your way back to one another."
"I guess I just need to have him show me that he believes that too. I need more than a kiss." Brooke nodded and they looked back at the disappearing sun.
They could hear the doorbell ring, and Peyton looked over at Brooke who was pleading with her. Peyton laughed, "Well I guess I'll get it."
"Thats my girl!"
Smiling, Peyton opened the door to a determines looking Lucas.
"Luke. What are you do…"
"Tell Grant that I'm not letting you get away from me again." He said it so quickly that she could barely understand.
"What?"
"I'm going to fight for you, Peyt. I'm not going to let Grant or some other guy have you. That may sound selfish, but we both know that we are meant for each other. I have always known that, despite all my actions that may apply to the contrary." He took a deep breath and looked into her eyes that were filling with tears, " Because the truth is, I'm in love with you, Peyton. And I'm so sick of running from it, because it's a love that is deep and it's a love that is forever."
"Luke…" Peyton tried to speak through the tears that were falling down her cheek, but he stopped her.
"I just needed to tell you that. And I'm not giving up on you, I never will." He smiled, "And you can tell that to Grant too." He gave her one last smile and slowly turned and walked away.
She stood there shocked and smiling, and she moved back and shut the door, leaning back against it as it closed. She closed her eyes and continued to smile, and then realized that she never even got to tell him that Grant was gone.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, especially all the people that were very upset with Grant. But obviously it's gonna be a leyton fic, but you need a little more drama, ya know?
Please review!
