A/N : Love the feeling I get when I check my e-mails and see that someone's reviewed my story or has subscribed to an alert. So thank you for making my day !
Chapter 10 : Surprise, surprise !
« Sorry I can't!»
« Oh come on, I feel lonely! Brooke and Rachel weren't here when I woke up this morning and I have no idea where they are. I called Hales, apparently her and Nathan had something planned and the others are ignoring my calls! I'm starting to think everyone's avoiding me! »
Peyton was on the phone with Skills and was trying to convince him to go have lunch with her.
« You know I'd love to, but I'm in the middle of something here »
« What could possibly be so important that you'd have to turn down your favorite skinny girl who, by the way, happens to be leaving on Friday? »
« Yeah I know that, but I'm-er-I'm » there was a muffled sound and she heard indistinct talking in the background.
« Wait a minute! Is that Brooke's voice? And I swear I heard Nate's too! »
« What? Sorry can't hear you, I'm losing you » he said badly imitating the noise of a bad phone line.
« Skills, don't you dare hang up on me! »
« Shcrr-shcrr » he went before hanging up quickly
« Skills! » she shouted but it was too late. « What the hell is going on? » she then said aloud to herself.
She wondered what they were up to. She wanted to spend the days she had left in Tree Hill with her friends but they apparently had better things to do.
She sighed and went to lay on her bed. She thought about Julian and wondered what he was doing. She did miss him but she knew that he deserved better than being second best, even if she hadn't realized that that was in fact the case while she was with him.
She took her phone and scrolled down her contact list until she found Lucas' name. Her thumb hesitated on the call button. The day before had been great and when he'd took her hand, she'd let him and had let herself get caught in the moment.
But if she called him now, it would mean being totally alone with him and letting her heart grow on hope. And she couldn't afford that as she was leaving soon. Her finger hesitated again for a few moments but then she finally decided against it and took her sketch book instead.
It was already evening and Peyton was now bored to death. Just when she was about to call Skills again, the door opened and Rachel came in.
« Finally ! Where have you been? » she exclaimed
« Nowhere special »
Peyton eyed her suspiciously « Where's Brooke? And why have you got paint on your T-shirt? »
« Okay Sherlock Holmes just go outside, Brooke's waiting for you in her car. She needs to drive you somewhere »
« What? Where? »
« Just go! » she said pushing her through the door and closing it back quickly before she could protest.
« Brooke! Please just give me a clue! » she asked again for the fifth time
« Well no need for that cause we just arrived! »
Peyton who was looking at Brooke, turned around to see where they were
« Tric? » she said slightly disappointed and confused
Brooke nodded
« Just go inside, Luke's waiting for you »
« Luke? Brooke I don't know if I'm going to like this surprise! »
« Peyton get your skinny ass out of my car right now and just go inside! » Brooke said, exasperated.
« Okay okay sorry! » she said putting her hands up in the air.
She got out of the car and walked to the entry, wondering what was in store for her. As soon as she pushed the door opened, music surrounded her. She scanned the room and found him, sitting at the bar.
She went to him, surprised at how nervous she felt : « Hi »
He turned around and smiled seeing her : « Hey Blondie! ».
She meant to sit but he shook his head : « No, come with me ».
He led the way to the stairs but before going up he told her to close her eyes.
« Okay, last step. There you go, now open your eyes »
As soon as her eyelids flew open her mouth opened in amazement. The room that had once been a dull, storing room back in High School was now totally redone and looked as good as new : the walls were red, there was a desk in the corner and there were record discs hanging on the wall. She also noticed a guitar, a small synthesizer and a drum set in the corner.
« Wow Luke, this looks great! Your mum's going to be so happy! »
« Oh this is not for my mum, it's your new office! »
« Office? » she said frowning
« You want to go back to LA for your music right? »
She nodded still frowning
« Well, we thought you should create your own record label here in Tree Hill! »
She opened her eyes in shock and laughed nervously at the idea : « That's crazy! And who's we? »
« Everybody. Brooke's financing everything for now, my mum's agreed to give you the place rent-free and Nate, Mouth, Skills, Rachel and basically all your friends were here today and last night to repaint the place and help put all the stuff in »
Seeing he was actually serious about this she said : « But Luke we're in Tree Hill! It's a small town, where am I ever going to find any artists that would agree to sign with me? »
« Well, you already have a band that's interested! »
« What? How? » she said in disbelief
« Haley did a bit of promotion for you all day, she went to see bands that are here in Tree Hill and she got one group that would be interested »
Peyton passed her hand through her hair
« Look don't get me wrong, I really appreciate this but you can't just ambush me like this! I can't say no to this and go back to LA without feeling guilty and I can't say yes without letting everybody down if this doesn't work out! »
« I know how this must seem like, but just try it okay? »
« Try it? »
« Yeah, look you've got two days until you fly back right? »
She nodded again
« Then try this for the two days to come, try working with the band and everything. Just see how it goes! And if it doesn't work out and you're not happy and absolutely hate it then fine, you go back to LA. »
« And what about this place? And Brooke's money? »
« Then we'll convert it into something else! Brooke always has crazy ideas! But I'm not even worried about that, cause I'm sure you'll be staying »
« Luke.. » she started
« No, listen when we had that fight in LA two years ago about your music, you said that I didn't believe in you, that I didn't understand your dreams. And I know that I was being a jerk that day but it wasn't about not believing in you at all. I want you to know that I have never doubted you, I have never stopped believing in you Peyton. Your art does matter. »
She searched his eyes and was touched by the sincerity she saw in them.
« I don't know what to say » she said her voice barely a whisper
« Then say yes »
She sighed: « I just need to know something before I take a decision : I need to know why. Why are you really doing this? »
« I don't want you to leave Peyton, I really don't. And I want you to believe that you have that greatness in you which means that no matter where you are in the world, you can do this, even in little Tree Hill. But this is not a scheme to somehow force you to stay, I would never push you into anything. As I said, it's your choice, I just want you to try this. And I'm hoping that if your music is the only reason that's stopping you from staying in Tree Hill, then you'll to stay if this works. »
She looked away at his last words. Noticing, he pulled her chin up and said softly :
« But of course, if it's not the only reason stopping you from staying, then I'll have to work on the other one. Because I'm not giving you up without a fight » He then took a few steps back and opening his arms to the room he said :
« So what do you say Miss Sawyer? »
She smiled and relenting she said : « I say bring it on Lucas Scott! »
He smiled and she smiled back before saying : « Oh god you're crazy Luke! » and then adding « Come here » as she went to hug him « Thank you for doing this for me, thank you »
« Brooke Penelope Davis! » she said as she opened the beach house door « Who do you think you are? »
Brooke looked at Rachel in fear, the Blondie looked pissed and was coming towards them.
« Peyton I'm sorry for going behind you're back, I didn't mean to ambush you but I believe in you and I thought you just needed a little push and I - »
Peyton was right in front of her now and Brooke thought she was going to punch her :
« No, I mean who do you think you are doing such an amazing thing for me? » she said not able to repress her smile anymore. Then she squealed and hugged her best friend : « Thank you , I love you! And I will pay you back »
Brooke breathed a sigh of relief before joining in Rachel's laughter.
« You're welcome, I'm just glad you weren't really pissed »
« Yeah, sorry about that, it was too tempting! You should have seen your face! » the Blondie teased letting go of her
She went to hug Rachel too : « Thank you Rach, for helping and everything! »
« You're welcome, so does that mean you're staying? »
« I don't know, we'll see »
« Yay! » Brooke said « That's definitely an improvement! »
« I wish you'd stay though » Peyton said to Rachel
« I know, but I've got to go back to New York ! Being a model for Clothes over Bros is a hard job and the boss is kind of a bitch » she said winking at Brooke « but we still have until Friday so let's not get all sad now »
The three girls smiled at each other.
Peyton was lying on her bed, she'd just finished calling every single one of her friends to thank them. Haley had told her all about the band that would be coming in the office the next day. The brunette had promised that she'd come to help her and Peyton was glad for that, as she was feeling nervous. They didn't have a proper studio for the time being and only had a few instruments. She knew that it would be hard to impress them and make them agree to sign on the label in those conditions.
But she felt lucky to have such amazing friends and was determined not to let them down.