Okay so first off thank you for all the reviews on the last chapter, and now this one is just a short update the next chapter will be a longer one so it should be up tomorrow or the next day. I hope you enjoy and please review :)


Chapter 11

Lucas finally came home after a long night of looking for Peyton. He had looked all over Tree Hill three times and even went to all the places he knew Peyton went when she was upset but still couldn't find her. When he got home Karen was waiting for him with a look that was requiring an explanation for him staying out all night.

"So explanation…now" Karen insisted

He knew that she assumed that he had spent the night at Brooke's

"It's not what you think mom and no I didn't spend the night at Brooke's, she went home not long after we got back here last night,"

She sensed there was something else behind that story, something that he wasn't letting on.

"Okay, so why didn't you come home last night?" she pushed.

"I was out looking for Peyton okay mom, she was upset last night and I just was worried about her is all," he explained.

Karen moved inside the room and took a seat in his desk chair as he sat on his bed.

"What happened, she seemed fine when she left with Jake last night,"

"Ya I don't know what happened I just know she came in here unannounced last night looking upset and saw me with Brooke," he shuddered at reliving the moment," and then she ran out and drove off, I spent the night walking around looking for her,"

"Oh," Karen said, she thought about asking him what Peyton walked in on but she had a pretty good idea what it was and now wasn't the right time to lecture him about it," And you didn't find her?"

"No I looked everywhere mom, and when I couldn't find her I waited at her house but she never came home, I'm worried,"

"Lucas I'm sure it will be fine, she probably just feels a little awkward, I'm sure she will call or stop by soon and you'll see she is okay," she reassured him," Maybe you should give Brooke a call, she's probably as upset as you are maybe more."

"You want me to call Brooke?" he laughed

"Well I never said I wanted you to, I said you should," Karen paused," I know you think I don't like her Lucas, but I do she is a very nice girl."

"I know she is mom, I wouldn't be with her if she wasn't," he smiled," But its nice that you see it too, but if you don't mind I think I'm going to get some sleep,"

"Sure," she said walking away," I'll come check on you later."

As Karen walked out he climbed in his bed in all his clothes and went to sleep. He was too exhausted and had far too much on his mind to call Brooke right now, and he was sure she would understand.

Peyton had spent the night driving around, she had gone all the way to Charleston and turned around, it helped her take her mind off of anything. Every time she stopped driving she would start thinking about Jake again and how badly she had messed things up with him. She didn't know what was worse, Jake walking out on her, or her walking in and getting a front row seat of Lucas and Brooke in bed together. It was mostly that she felt awkward about the situation, but she couldn't help feeling upset at what she had seen too. The way he was on top of her and the look on her face, just the thought of it was making Peyton sick. "I have to stop thinking about it," she said to her self as she turned her car a round again. All she knew was that she couldn't go home, she didn't want to be alone, so she started towards Haley's place hoping she would be home and luckily she was. Peyton pulled over and headed straight in towards Haley's bedroom, but knocked she didn't want a repeat of last night.

"Come in," Haley said turning to see who it was.

She immediately turned off the TV and walked over to Peyton to give her a hug. Peyton looked terrible, she had her make up smeared all down her face and her eyes were all red and puffy as if she had been crying all night. Haley also noticed she was wearing the same clothes that she was wearing last night which made her think Peyton hadn't went home last night.

"Peyton what happened?" Haley said as she pulled out of the hug and pulled her over to sit down grabbing a box of Kleenex on the way.

"Jake told me he loved me," Peyton said accepting a Kleenex from Haley.

"Well Peyton that's usually a good thing,"

"Is it?" she said confusing Haley," I couldn't say it back and he left me."

Haley understood now why she was so upset and reached out to hold her hand.

"Well, what did he say, did he actually say that you were broken up?"

"He said that we needed to cool it for a while," she started slowly," He told me that I needed to figure out what I want."

Haley took a moment to think of the right thing to say to that but before she got the chance Peyton started again.

"So after he left I didn't know what to do, so I went over to Luke's," Haley had a feeling that there was something else bothering her other than Jake," And I walked in on Lucas and Brooke having sex."

Haley started laughing and Peyton was not impressed.

"After the night I had that was the last thing I wanted to see," Peyton insisted

"Well ya it must have been strange but you have to admit it is kind of funny," Haley laughed.

"It isn't funny, it was disgusting and I don't want to see anything even remotely close to that ever again,"

"Okay okay I get it," Haley said," But are you sure that's all it is?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well you are a little too worked up over this for someone who swears to have no feelings for Lucas," Haley said seriously

Peyton was mad now, this was not what she needed to hear right now. She wanted Haley to tell her that everything was going to be okay with Jake and that it was normal to be upset at walking in on Lucas and Brooke.

"Are we back here again Haley," Peyton said annoyed," Well if you walked in on them wouldn't it bother you?"

"Honestly Peyton, not really but me and Lucas have a completely different relationship than the two of you. I would feel a little awkward about it but it wouldn't upset me."

Peyton looked away for a minute to think, Haley noticed that she was shredding the Kleenex in her hand. When Peyton was nervous about something she had the tendency to shred things into little pieces, paper, napkins, Kleenex whatever she could reach. Haley smiled thinking she must be finally realizing what everyone had known for years, and it was about damn time.

"Peyton what are you thinking?"

"I was thinking that maybe there is a shred of truth in what you are saying, I know I have in the past felt slightly jealous of Brooke for taking up all of Lucas's time, and if I would have walked in on any of my other guy friends I don't think it would bother me as much. But I think it is just because I am so used to having Lucas all to myself, its not that I have feelings for him."

Haley laughed and shook her head, well at least she had admitted that she was jealous, that was a big step forward for the entire situation even if she wouldn't admit that she had more than platonic feelings for him.

"Well your not going to like this Peyton…but I agree with Jake," Haley said slowly," I think that you need to look in your heart and see who is there once and for all. And if its Jake then great, but if you find even the smallest little piece of Lucas in there its not really fair to keep stringing Jake along as your excuse not to act."

Peyton shook her head, she was confused now and thought it would be best if she just went home and did some thinking, plus she was tired after being up all night.

"I'll think about it," Peyton said," But I really have to get going, thanks Hales,"

She gave Haley one last hug and then started on her way home still not able to get what Haley said about her and Lucas out of her head. She cared for Jake and there was no denying that, he made her feel good and was always so sweet but she started thinking that maybe she was using him in some way. Using him to fill a void in her heart that was left by her mother's death and her father and Lucas's absence. She knew that he loved her and it made her happy but she had never really let herself love him and she couldn't figure out why. When she got home and finally went to bed she realized there was no solving this today so she tried to think of other things allowing herself to drift off into an uneasy sleep filled with dreams of her being torn between Lucas and Jake.

She awoke in a panic jumping straight up only to realize it was only a dream. She dreamt that she had told Lucas she was in love with him but he told her that he was in love with Brooke and never wanted to see her again, she then tried to go back to Jake but he had already moved on as well leaving her all alone. She realized that she was in a cold sweat so she got up and changed into some dry clothes and went down stairs to get a cold glass of water. When she got down stairs she was shocked to see Lucas sitting at her kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee. She wasn't ready to see him, she hadn't even had any time to think about what Haley had said and now he was here waiting for her. She suddenly felt uncomfortable for the first time ever with Lucas and wished that she had put on a bit more clothes since she was just wearing a pair of tiny shorts and a tank top. She slowly walked into the kitchen secretly hoping that he would notice her and would just continue reading the paper but as soon as she took a step inside he looked up.

"Oh hi Luke, what are you doing here," She said awkwardly attempting to cover some of her skin that was showing by pulling her shirt down.

"I needed to talk to you and I didn't want to wake you so I decided to just wait," he said though he was slightly distracted by her long tan legs that were completely bare right in front of him.

"Well Lucas before you say anything I just want to say that I'm sorry, I should have knocked instead of just bursting right in like that," she said as she got a glass of water and began to drink it, the cool water seemed to calm her a little so she refilled her glass.

Lucas couldn't believe this girl, he was here to apologize to her because he felt so bad and she was apologizing to him so he couldn't help but laugh.

"Well I actually wanted to say I'm sorry to you," he said," I never wanted you to see that."

"Lucas its okay, it was my own fault you have a girlfriend now and I should be more careful and learn to knock," she said slightly embarrassed.

"Okay, but are you sure your okay Peyton? You looked really upset when you came in my room last night but you ran away before I had the chance to say anything," he said concerned.

Peyton thought for a minute of whether to tell him about her break up with Jake or not, she finally decided she would tell him about the breakup but not the reason that was the safest way to go.

"Well I was coming over to talk, Jake had just broken up with me and I didn't know who else to turn to," She said honestly.

"What? Peyton I'm sorry, I'm sorry about Jake and I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you," he went to pull her into a hug.

"No," she said softly as she moved backwards he was taken aback," Its okay Lucas don't feel guilty, I'll be fine I promise. You should go talk to Brooke, I know I would be upset if my boyfriend ran out on me after another girl."

He looked at her and could tell something was bothering her but it was obvious that she didn't want to talk to him right now. He thought about telling her that he didn't want to talk to Brooke, that he wanted to stay with her and just talk the way they used to before this year began and tore them apart. He missed the way they were more than anything and he knew if he walked out of this house right now it would push them even further apart but looking in her eyes he realized that she really didn't want him here right now so he reluctantly walked away leaving Peyton feeling a mixture of relief and sadness at the same time.