Hey guys! I had a fabulous time on vacation, thanks for the well wishes! In return, I have a chapter for you. First, I wanted to a bit of shameless self-advertising: after a year-long hiatus, I've finally updated one of my other stories, Invictus. I'm really proud of it and I'm hoping to give it some more exposure. Invictus is a Peyton-centric story about what would happen if her 16 year-old cousin came to live with her, circa Season 5 of the show. Yes, Lucas has a major role in the fic. Check it out and maybe leave a comment while you're at it!
OK. On with the show!
Chapter Twenty-four
Lucas had to ring the doorbell twice before he met with Sandra Hayes on the other side of the door.
"Coach," she said, nearly out of breath. "So glad you could make it. Come in, come in," Sandra ushered Lucas through the threshold of her house, and Lucas met with busy chattering of teenagers and hoots and hollers coming from Ryan's hangout in the basement. "So far I think things are going pretty well," Sandra said, moving her hair from her face. "Your family couldn't make it, huh?"
"No, they...had previous plans," Lucas said. Sandra had no idea about Lucas' situation with Peyton and he intended to keep it that way. Having the family know about it was enough.
Sandra nodded. "I see. We're all busy, right?"
"Hey Coach," Cristina greeted, and she gestured to the table where food was set up. "Are you hungry? Can I get you something to eat?"
"Oh I'm fine," Lucas said, scratching the back of his neck.
"Are you sure? Usually people never leave this house without eating," Cristina said. "Just one plate."
Lucas chuckled, clearing his throat. "If you insist..." He walked over to the food and, quite timidly, began to serve himself. He looked around the house, seeing teenagers he recognized but couldn't place their names. He stood only a few feet away from where he was when he found out Ryan died. Sandra's screams echoed through his head every night, kept him awake and at mercy to the darkness. He tried to block out those images and just focus on eating, but it was proving to be very difficult.
"I think most of the team is down in the basement playing RockBand," Cristina said, after Lucas finished his plate of food. "I'm sure they'll be ecstatic to see you." Cristina led Lucas down the stairs graciously, assuring him that everything would be fine. "You just look a little pale," Cristina noted. "Do you want some water?"
Lucas chuckled, moving on the balls of his feet. "Water would be great."
"Sure thing."
"Coach!" Lucas turned to see CJ, holding a plate of food in one hand and a soda in the other. "I didn't know you were coming. What's doing?" CJ set his can of soda down on the coffee table, navigating around several Ravens and their girlfriends. He moved to shake Lucas' hand, and Lucas took it.
"Nothing much, what's going on with you?"
"Oh you know. Just trying to lay low I guess..." CJ cleared his throat and for a second, looked away. He motioned to the TV set, where Ian and Damon had just finished a song on RockBand, Ian on guitar and Damn on drums. "I'll play you," he said.
"Oh...I don't really play much," Lucas said feebly, tearing his eyes away from the posters that adorned Ryan's walls. Most of them were collages that his friends made for him after they found out he passed. The collages were full of photographs of all the friends together, and of little messages and inscriptions written in Ryan's memory.
"Man, you lyin'," CJ scoffed. "I bet you're the best player in here."
Lucas raised his brows and looked at his point guard. "You calling me a liar, Cleotus?"
CJ's draw dropped as Ian and Damon caught the joke and began to laugh. "Ay...you can't be dropping no bombs like that, Coach. That's messed up."
"Not as bad as him beating you," Damon said, through laughter. "Come on, Coach. Play him. Nothing would make me happier than to see him lose."
"I wanna see!" Lucy's young voice radiated through the crowd, as she ran up to where Lucas was sitting and plopped down right next to him.
Lucas tipped his head to the ceiling and sighed, eventually taking the guitar from Ian, to the cheers of his Ravens and their girlfriends, plus other great friends of Ryan (there were many).
CJ and Lucas ended up dueling it out to their own audience, and even Sandra and Cristina came down to bear witness to CJ's slaughter.
"Man, I knew you was lying!" CJ exclaimed, and Lucas just grinned at him. "He's good! What the fuck!"
Lucas downed the rest of his cup of water and patted CJ on the shoulder. "I'm not even sorry." Before CJ could respond Lucas headed upstairs, and was directed to the nearest restroom by another Tree Hill High student whose name he couldn't place.
After scrubbing his hands clean and rounding the bend of the second floor hallway, Lucas stopped short to see a girl, around 17 with long shiny black hair covering half her face. She was crying, her body shaking with sobs.
"Melissa?" Lucas asked, inching close to her slowly.
Ryan's girlfriend Melissa looked up at the calling of her name. "Oh.." she said, her voice hoarse. "Sorry...I didn't..." She moved to get up off the floor but Lucas' voice stopped her.
"No...you don't have to–can I sit down?"
After a moment, Melissa nodded. She leaned against the wall and waited for Lucas to do the same. "So...sorry," she said, her voice breaking from the force of her tears. "I just...it's all a little overwhelming."
"I know the feeling," he said, smiling gently.
"I just...it just really hurts," Melissa wiped at her eyes and choked back a sob. "I mean we only dated for a year...but a year's like, forever in high school. And I know teenagers aren't supposed to say stuff like this, but Ryan was my other half." Melissa's face scrunched up in tears and she covered her face with her hands again.
Lucas placed a tentative hand on Melissa's shoulder, as she cried in the empty hallway.
"You know...there's nothing wrong with saying what you said at your age. I met my other half when I was 16."
"Really?" Melissa asked, wiping at her tears.
Lucas nodded, remembering the day he and Peyton first officially met. Her car broke down. "Really. ….Kinda wish she was here right now."
"You guys still keep in touch?"
Lucas couldn't help but smile a little. "She's my wife; I married her."
Melissa smiled, for the first time not burdened by tears. Until she began to cry, again.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Lucas said, patting Melissa's shoulder. "I didn't mean to make you–"
"No, it's not you. It's me. I cry at everything these days."
"Me too," Lucas assured her.
"It's not fair. He's supposed to be here!"
"I know," Lucas said. "I know."
"...God. I can't go out there like this. I can't...Sandra's down there. I have no idea what to say to her."
"I have no idea what I'm supposed to say to her either," Lucas said, smiling when Melissa did the same. "I guess if we're just...there to support her and to share in Ryan's memory. I don't think she's looking at us for an explanation...though it feels like she might be sometimes."
"Yeah," Melissa said. "That's what it feels like. But I don't have the answers even more than she does."
"Me either," Lucas said, and for a moment or two they both stared at the wall across the hallway, covered with pictures of the family–even Evan–with Ryan in almost every photograph. Looking at it made Lucas nauseous so he turned to Melissa instead, relieved to see that she had finally stopped crying.
"Never knew you and I had so much in common, Coach," Melissa said, her voice soft.
"I guess this is one loss we're always going to share," Lucas said, holding out his hands for Melissa to take. He gently pulled her off the floor, watched as she dusted off her jeans.
"I guess you're right," Melissa said, looking at her black Converse shoes.
Lucas swallowed. There was no other way to put it: he felt so bad for this young girl-practically a young woman–and how she had to carry this burden around, not being able to understand it. But, could anyone?
"Hey," Lucas said, placing a warm hand on Melissa's forearm. "Let's go down there. It's probably time for...cake, or something. Isn't there a cake? I thought I heard Sandra mention–"
"Coach," Melissa said, for the first time sounding like her usual self. "There's cake. You haven't seen it, have you?"
There was a cake. A beautiful, big, creamy custard cake. It had vanilla frosting, with dollops of cream in white, red, and black around the border. Sandra emblazoned two photographs of Ryan onto the cake, one taken weeks before he died, and the other taken a year or two before. Above the photographs bordered in black icing said the words, Happy 18th Birthday, and then down the center between the photographs it read, we love and miss you, with the bottom reading, in red icing, Ryan.
"It's beautiful," Cristina said, an arm around her sister. Most if not all of the party goers had gathered in the kitchen around the cake, the RockBand games coming to a close as the night got later and later.
"Isn't it?" Sandra replied, and Lucas could hear her voice breaking with tears from where he stood. "The Cake Lady did a great job."
Lucy asked a question they all were wondering, as she stood next to her mother to the left of the cake. "...Are we gonna sing?"
"Um..." Sandra started, looking at her sister for help. "I don't...I don't know honey."
Lucy turned to Melissa, who wore the same unbeknownst expression. Everybody was silent for a moment, before Lucy began to sing quietly, and soon Cristina took a hint, lighting the candles and turning off the lights.
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, everyone began in a murmur. Lucas shoved his hands in his jeans and began mouthing the words to the usually upbeat and cheery song. Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday, dear Ryan, Happy Birthday to you.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
"Please don't go..." Lucy pleaded, holding Melissa's hands. Most of the party guests had gone, and only Melissa and CJ remained behind to help clean up. "I want you to stay."
"I want to stay too, sweetie," Melissa said, stroking Lucy's hair. "But I don't think it's the best time right now."
Lucas strained to hear the rest, as he sat at the kitchen table awaiting the coffee Sandra insisted on making him.
"But if you leave..." Lucy whispered in Melissa's ear, "My parents will start fighting, please don't go!"
Sandra sighed heavily, sitting across the table from Lucas. She turned to her daughter and said, "Lucy, baby it's time for you to go to bed. It's late, and Melissa has to go home."
"Can you tuck me in?" Lucy asked, moving from her seat next to Melissa on the couch.
"I'm going to talk to Coach for a bit; Titi Cristina can tuck you in."
"But I want you!" Lucy whined, standing at the tips of her toes.
"Tell you what," Cristina said, bending low to Lucy's level. "How about I read you a short story first, then I tuck you in?"
Lucy asked shyly, "Can I pick the book?"
"Of course," Cristina ran a hand down Lucy's cheek. "Come on mama."
Lucy followed her aunt upstairs, before Melissa joined CJ in the basement for one last round of RockBand and catching up. Lucas knew they tried hard to be there for one another, but sometimes life got in the way like it always did.
Sandra sighed heavily, capturing Lucas' attention. "I am wiped."
"I bet," Lucas said, drinking his espresso. "This was really great; I'm glad I came."
"I'm glad too," Sandra said, and a moment of uncomfortable silence passed between them. "How's the team holding up?"
"They're...holding up, I suppose. Trying to let the game heal them all. I don't know if you know this, but the team decided they want to play with four the rest of the season."
Sandra's brows raised and she almost dropped her cup. "I thought that was just for Midnight Madness."
"No, they talked amongst themselves and that's what they decided."
"But...you can't do that; we won't make it to the playoffs."
"They wanted to do it in Ryan's memory," Lucas said, his voice quiet as he gauged Sandra's reaction. Inevitably, she began to cry.
"I'm sorry," she said immediately, wiping at her eyes. "That's...I'm touched...I really am. But Ryan would've wanted you guys to win. I mean, really win."
"You know, for the first time I can say I don't think the boys care much about winning this season. And to tell you the truth, neither do I."
"Well, the boys did play with Ryan on the team." Sandra sipped her espresso and then said, "God. He was...magical," she finished, whim in her voice.
"It was like poetry," Lucas said, setting down his cup.
"I could never understand why Evan was so against it. The game taught Ryan...discipline, gave him goals to accomplish. I could tell...I could see it in his eyes that the team was where he belonged."
"I agree."
Sandra took a breath. Lucas could tell she was ready to say something, but wasn't prepared for what she did say. "Evan and I are getting a divorce."
Lucas almost spit out his coffee. His face fell, melted into sadness, starting with the shades of blue in his eyes to his lips drooping to one side. "Oh...I'm sorry," he tried, wincing. That's the best you could come up with. Way to go. "I'm so sorry," he said again.
Sandra shook her head. "Please. I'm done." Lucas watched as tears filled Sandra's eyes. "23 years," she said, before a tear fell down her nose.
"I'm sorry Sandra," Lucas said, not knowing whether or not he should grab her hand. "I am."
"I knew we weren't going to make it to 25," Sandra said, wiping at her eyes, laughing humorlessly. "I knew it."
Sandra proceeded to talk, just talk, for the next forty minutes. She spoke of she and Evan's problems, and how she knew marriages usually didn't last after the death of their child. "I don't know...I can't lie and say I don't blame Evan for what happened to my son." Sandra looked right into Lucas' eyes, and he just couldn't look away. He swallowed, hard, and used his hands to wipe his brow. Sandra shook her head, as if knocked out of a trance. "I'm...sorry. I didn't mean to–"
"No...don't apologize. It's OK."
"No...you're not my therapist. I shouldn't of..."
"Sandra, it's OK," Lucas said. "It's alright."
"You were his basketball coach. You were his mentor. And you were his...friend," her voice broke at the last word, and she covered her mouth with her palm. "Coach...I just don't get it," she cried, her body beginning to shake with the force of her cries. "I don't get it!"
"I know," Lucas said. "I know." He sighed, before making a quick decision. Lucas got out of his chair, moving to kneel by Sandra's side, putting a hand on her arm. Eventually, and still crying, Sandra fell into his arms. "It's OK," Lucas said. "It's OK."
"No," Sandra said, echoing Lucas' thoughts. "It's not OK. None of this is OK. You knew him! You knew him too, Coach! Why would he do it?!" She sobbed, grasping the back of Lucas' shirt. "Why would he do it..."
"I don't know," Lucas answered, holding Sandra tightly. His voice was desperate and almost frantic. "I don't know." Listening to her cry almost broke him. Lucas had always been a caring and sensitive man, and seeing people truly upset always got to him. That's why it was often so difficult to do the work he did...because it landed him in situations like these. But what do you do, what do you say, to a mother who has suffered such a loss?
The two only turned around when they heard the front door open and someone step into the kitchen. "What the hell is this?" The deep, booming voice penetrated the sad air around them all.
"Evan..." Sandra said, quickly getting up from her chair as Lucas got up to stand. "I didn't know you'd get here so early. I thought you were working late tonight."
"Wasn't feeling well," Evan said, as he threw the new mail onto the kitchen counter. "What the hell is this?"
"Nothing. Coach is here for the party."
"It's for kids Ryan's age," Evan said plainly, eyeing Lucas with disgust.
"I invited him," Sandra said, smoothing out her jeans and wiping at her tears.
Evan snickered, grabbing a fruit from the fridge before heading past his wife. "Ridiculous," he said.
Lucas put his hands in his pockets, eyeing Sandra carefully.
"What now, Evan?" Sandra asked, following him.
"I...should go," Lucas announced.
"Yo, can you drive me home?" came from an anxious CJ, who knew fully well what Evan Hayes got like when he was mad.
"Me too," Melissa pleaded, grabbing her jacket.
"Sure," Lucas answered, watching as the two teenagers followed him out the door. He could hear the beginning of an argument floating through the doors of the Hayes' house.
CJ shook his head, breathing heavily in the night air. "Yo, those two never made sense, man."
"CJ, try not to comment on things you don't know much about," Lucas said, reaching for his car keys in the front pocket of his jeans.
"But I do, though," CJ said. "You know how many times Ryan's parents' fought when I was over at their house? I would try and get Ryan to leave, get outside and forget about it, but he didn't want to abandon his sister."
Lucas nodded, silently. The shouting got louder and louder, and the three of them hurried their walk to Lucas' Ford Mustang. CJ got in the front and Melissa squeezed in the backseat. It was like for a few minutes, the party that Sandra hosted in remembrance of her son was forgotten about. All the three of them could think about was getting home.
What and where was home for me? Lucas thought, and he had an aching desire to drive over to his home with Peyton. Just to see her.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Lily quietly shut the front door of her home, making her way through the darkness using her phone as a flashlight.
"Lily?" came a sleepy voice from the living room.
Lily jumped and very nearly dropped her phone. "Mom? What're you still doing up?" Lily entered the living room and turned on a lamp so that the room would illuminate in light.
"Waiting for you," Karen answered, her voice heavy with sleep. She moved to sit up, her red blanket falling to cover her legs. "Andy went to bed early; he's not feeling well."
"Fever?" Lily guessed, sitting next to her mother on the couch. She glanced at her phone, and seeing no messages, put it back in her pocket.
"Seems that way," Karen answered. "Who were you with tonight? Keira?"
Lily shook her head. "Andre and Jamie."
"Oh," Karen said, taking a long look at her daughter. She seemed unusually reserved and quiet. "You OK? What's wrong?"
Lily huffed an irritated breath and looked away. "It's...nothing. Luke came to see Jamie and me at the RiverCourt."
"Oh?" Karen asked, moving to face Lily on the couch. "What for? What did he say?"
"He...apologized. And he said he 'could tell I was losing faith in him' and to 'not give up on him.'"
Karen nodded. "And what did you say to that?"
"I said...I said it wasn't good enough. That at the end of the day, he still abandoned his family, he still left. Then he said he was 'paying for it'...and I said, I said–" Lily couldn't look her mother in the eye. "I said, 'good.'"
"Oh, Lily..."
"I know, I know. I shouldn't have said it, OK?" Lily's voice broke with tears, which she quickly wiped away. "I'm just...angry, Mom. It's not fair to Ella and Peyton if I just accept what happened and... I don't even know."
"I understand you're angry, honey. I'm angry too. But I think I also understand Lucas' need to move on, and maybe him coming to talk to you was a part of that."
"Move on to what? You really think Peyton will take him back?"
"...I don't know," Karen admitted. "That scares me a bit. But no matter what, you have to remember Lily, that nobody really knows what goes on between two people in a relationship. The only people who know what goes on with Lucas and Peyton are–"
"Lucas and Peyton. Right," Lily said, running a hand through her curly black hair. "I don't know what to do, Mom..." Lily leaned over to rest her head on her mother's lap, letting her run her hands through Lily's hair like when she was younger and needed to fall asleep.
"Oh, honey I don't know if you can do anything. Except be there for Ella when she needs you. She loves you, you know."
"I know," Lily defended. "Do you think there's going to come a point where we all have to just accept what Luke did?"
"Probably," Karen said, sighing. "Probably."
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
January 7th, 2027
"Blondie!" Chris Keller called, and Miranda rolled her eyes as she sat at her desk.
"Hi Chris," Peyton answered, walking toward her desk and looking through the mail at the same time.
"How was Utah?"
Peyton swallowed, thinking about Ella's cries piercing the night air, but worst of all, the terror she felt waiting for her baby girl to ski down that mountain...only to see her come down strapped to a stretcher. "Was fine. Are you ready?"
Chris stared at her, furrowing his brows in confusion. "Uh...yeah. Lemme just grab some water." Chris then headed into the recording booth, with Peyton at his heels. "I have a gig tonight," Chris offered, quite awkwardly in fact.
"That's great, Chris."
"You alright, Peyton?"
"I'm fine, why?"
"Just...you seem a little...snappy," Chris said, somewhat in fear.
Peyton stared right at him. "And?"
"Nothing," Chris said, putting his guitar over his shoulder. "I really think you'll like what I've worked on while you were away."
Peyton sat on the stool she normally sat on when she heard her artists play. "Great. Let's hear it."
Just before Chris began to play, Peyton received a text from Lucas. Chris watched as hints of a smile crossed her face, but she expertly hid it. Truthfully, her stomach was filled with butterflies.
"You OK?"
"I'm fine," Peyton said. "Go ahead."
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Lucas sat in his empty office, the hallways at Tree Hill High eerily quiet as most of the kids were in class. Although Lucas was busy with his Ravens playbook, his mind kept drifting to that one moment in Utah with his wife: that one moment where they kissed, and everything seemed tangible again, everything...his recovery...seemed possible again.
Lucas desperately wanted to hear her voice, to tell her about his visit to the Hayes' house, but he knew she was busy with work. So instead, he decided to send her a text, an all too truthful text, not caring if it was too soon or too rash. Lucas took out his cell, and with shaky fingers, he sent his wife the message.
I just want to see you and kiss you again
Lucas left his phone on his desk, trying hard not to stare at it and begging that someone would knock on his door with a distraction.
-x-x-x-EGS-x-x-x-
The bell rang to signal the ending of second period and the start of third. I left my Spanish IV class with Mrs. Rodriguez, biting my lip to stop the pain. My tailbone had been hurting all period, but I never said a word to anyone about it. Instead I left nearly limping, as my stomach constricted and I felt all the blood leave my face. Immediately I stopped walking, crowds of students passing me without so much as a glance. I leaned against the blue lockers, feeling unsteady on my feet. I looked up and saw Dad's office, so close yet so far.
"Ella!" I turned, and Sheff walked up to me. The kid was always smiling. He stopped by my side, his height making him tower me. "Where you been?!" he asked jovially. When I didn't answer, I watched as his face melted into concern. "...Are you OK?"
I shook my head, wishing it was Adrian who'd found me instead. But he was on another floor, already starting his work in Cellular Biology. "I need to get to my dad," I said, and Sheff barely heard me. "...Can you help me get there, please."
"Sure," Sheff said, taking his hands out of his JV Ravens Letterman jacket. "What can I do?"
I was getting dizzy, so I almost told Sheff to shut up. "Just...help me walk there," I answered desperately, swallowing as the threat of vomiting grew more clear.
"Here, let me grab your bag," Sheff said, before gently taking the bag off my back and swinging it on to his shoulder with ease. "Can you walk?"
"...Barely," I answered, the journey to Dad's office just a bit easier with Sheff at my side if I collapsed.
"Word around here is you fell off a ski-lift," Sheff said, watching me carefully, his stride as slow as mine. "Is that true?"
I rolled my eyes. "Great...now everybody...knows," I flinched. "Maybe we shouldn't talk," I released in one breath.
Sheff nodded, and we made the walk to my dad's office in silence. Any other day it would've been a five-minute undertaking, but today it was never-ending. My legs were about to give out when Sheff knocked on my dad's office door, Coach Scott emblazoned on the front beneath the window.
"What's up, Coach?" Sheff asked, even though he was yet to make it on Dad's roster. "I'm with Ella; she's not feeling well."
Not a second later did Dad poke his head out of the doorway. "Are you OK?"
I shook my head no, and my eyes filled with tears. "It hurts." I saw Sheff watching me, and I wanted to shrink then and there.
"OK," he walked over to me, putting his hand on my arm. "Your tailbone?"
I nodded, and let Dad slip my crutches off my arms.
"She was having trouble walking," Sheff said, moving out-of-the-way so Dad could lead me into his office. All I could think about was laying down on that futon. Dad thanked Sheff cordially for helping me, and to my relief Sheff had gone to his third period class.
"You're pale," Dad noted.
I let out a cry of pain and nearly fell, leaning into my father's side.
"It's OK," he said. "We're nearly there, baby."
"I'm supposed to go out with Adrian tonight," I said, as we made it into Dad's office and he sat me down on the futon. "It's the restaurant's grand opening."
"Well, if you're not feeling well, you shouldn't go," Dad said, putting a hand on my forehead.
I bit my lip, fighting the urge to cry all of a sudden. "Can I lie down?"
Dad nodded, taking off my sneakers for me and lifting my legs onto the futon. "Lie on your side," he said gently, watching as I curled on my side into the fetal position. "Aren't you supposed to use your doughnut?"
"I don't want people to see it and make fun of me," I said, resting my cheek on my palm.
"Oh sweetheart," Lucas lamented. "What did we always say about not caring about what people think?"
"Things change, Dad. I'm a moody teenager."
Dad chuckled, but the mirth died down when he saw the look on my face. "What? More pain?"
I shook my head no. "Dad!"
"OK, it's Ok. Do you feel like you're gonna throw up?" I nodded and soon Dad was scrambling to find anything for me to throw up in–a basin, a bucket, anything– until he said, "Don't worry about it. Just let it go."
I felt the bile creep up to my throat and swallowed to try to keep it down. "I can't!"
"False alarm?"
I nodded, lying back down on the futon.
Dad stroked my forehead, exactly the way I imagined he would in Utah. "Do you want some water? Ginger Ale?"
Dad grabbed a can of Ginger Ale from his mini fridge, opening the can as air sizzled out of it. He placed a straw into the can and then bent by my side again, holding the can as I sat up to sip it.
"Better?"
"Not really," I said, moving to lie back down. Dad ran his hand up and down my arm to comfort me. It was almost as good as having Mom.
"Your tailbone still hurt?"
"Yeah," I said. "Will it ever go away?" You would think that with everything I've been through, I would know that often the pain is not limitless. But this time was different for some reason.
"Of course it will, Ella," Dad said. "You're just very sore. Why don't you try closing your eyes to rest for a while? I'll be right here. I'm going over plans to beat Pickerington. What a ridiculous name."
"I know," I said, chuckling, before the sounds of my father talking quietly on his office phone lulled me to sleep.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Between talking to several universities that showed interest in CJ, Lucas was looking at his Ravens playbook, going over the plays and making sure everything was solid before the next game. He couldn't believe his boys had gotten this far into the season only playing with four. Lucas could tell it was extremely hard on them, and they'd lost most of their games so far, but the kids were soldiering on. He was considering, briefly, talking to the boys about adding a fifth–but what then? Would Lucas be the villain? The bad guy, trying to erase Ryan's memory?
Lucas' thoughts were interrupted when his phone went off in a text. All he saw was this:
:) I want to see you, too.
And it made him smile, his body firing with nerves he hadn't felt in a very long time. Just as he was about to type a message back, there was a soft knock on the door.
Haley whispered, "I have lunch." She held up a brown paper bag, a Ginger Ale, and two waters.
"Thanks Hales," Lucas said, helping his friend take the chicken soup out of the bag. He could tell right away she got it from Karen's Cafe, they had the best chicken soup around. It was his mother's recipe, after all. "This is really a big help."
"So, what, does she have a stomach ache? Fever?"
"I think she was feeling a little faint, and she still has pain from the skiing accident," Lucas explained. "Still has all those black and blues."
"Poor baby," Haley lamented, glancing at her sleeping niece.
"I might have to take her home," Lucas said.
"Well, feed her the soup and see if that helps at all," Haley said. She eyed her best friend. "What? I'm a mom, OK? Sometimes I get...motherly."
"Nice," Lucas said. "No it's not that."
"...Why are you smiling?"
Lucas chuckled. "What, you're so used to seeing me depressed that me smiling freaks you out?"
"What's going on!?" Haley asked, flinching when she was a little too loud.
"Ok...Peyton and I...we kinda kissed the other night," Lucas released. "And now I feel like I'm in the 6th grade."
Haley gasped, hitting Lucas on the arm. "Are you serious?! How did...how did that happen?"
"Well, she is my wife," Lucas said. "And it just happened. We were having a really intense conversation and it just happened."
Haley grinned, and she was practically jumping up and down on her toes. "I'm so happy!"
Lucas chuckled. "I mean, we still have a lot of talking to do, about a lot of things. But, it's something, right?"
"Luke, you know a kiss always means something," Haley said gently. "I'm so happy for you."
"I don't wanna get too ahead of myself," Lucas admitted, scratching the back of his neck. "But this has to work out, Hales. I want to be with her."
"Give it time," Haley said, rubbing Lucas' arm. "Be there for your wife and daughter like the man I know you are." Haley looked over her shoulder, and sure enough Ella was still fast asleep. "I should get going, I have to go organize and clean my classroom."
"Alright," Lucas said. "Thanks for the soup. Catch you later," he laughed quietly to reach up and give his best friend a high-five.
"You know, we should go thrift store hunting again," Haley mused, the doorway to Luke's office halfway open. "For old times sake."
"You got it."
"See ya, Coach."
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Haley hadn't been in her empty classroom for five minutes before her cell phone began ringing.
"Hey Brookie, what's up?"
"Hey Teacher-Mom. Do you have plans tonight?"
"...No, besides spending time with Nathan, Mattie and Olivia. Why?"
"I want to have a girls' night, and you and Peyton are invited. I figure all three of us could go out and have a great time. We're still young and hot, just not single anymore. What do you say? You in?"
"Oooh, that does sound like fun! Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise! Pick you up around 7?"
"Sounds great, see you then."
"Be sexy!"
Haley laughed as Brooke's voice faded away, and she dialed Nathan to tell him she had plans.
-x-x-x-EGS-x-x-x-
Dad ended up staying with me at home until Jamie came home from work. We didn't talk much because all I wanted to do was lie down on my bed. After ending my phone conversation with Adrian, I got up and headed to the kitchen, where Jamie was at the counter reading the newspaper.
"Hey Rafiki," I said, making my way to the fridge. "Can you help me heat up some more chicken soup?"
"Sure," he answered, half-distracted. I watched him carefully as he flipped page after page.
"Uh...hello?"
"What?"
"Are you OK?" I asked him, ignoring the pain throbbing at my tailbone.
"Yeah, I just...I don't know. Is it weird that I kinda miss home?"
My heart began to pound harshly in my chest. Was Jamie thinking of leaving? Was he sick of us? Unhappy here? "No, not at all," I said, trying to hide my nervousness. "Maybe...maybe you could visit tonight. If you don't have anything else to do, I mean." I watched as he processed my words. "Do you...want to leave?"
"No, it's not that," Jamie said, and my body flooded over with relief. "I love being here, and being with you guys..."
"Jamie...don't feel like you have to stay 'cause Mom and I are on our own," I said, though my heart was screaming at me to shut up. "You know what I mean?"
"I know, I just...I wanna be there for you two," Jamie looked at me. "I'm sorry I haven't been the best cousin lately," Jamie said. "Your mom just works really hard and needs someone on her side, you know?"
"I'm on her side," I said, shutting the fridge door. I furrowed my brows and watched as Jamie regretted his choice of words.
"Except when you're mean to her."
"What're you talking about?"
Jamie shook his head, hopping off the counter stool. "Never mind."
"No, Jamie seriously. What're you talking about?"
"I just think that you're a little too much for your mom sometimes."
"What does that even mean?" I asked, as Jamie poured the soup into a pot and began heating it up.
Jamie rolled his eyes, stirring the soup. "I knew you would get defensive."
"I'm not being defensive," I argued. "I'm just confused."
"Just forget it," Jamie said.
"What, you think my mom can't handle me? You think I'm a destructive child? All I've done is make sure she's OK. And I don't know how many times I have to tell you this, but she's my mom, not yours."
Jamie held up his hands. "Ok, ok. Whatever."
"It's not whatever," I said.
"Do you really need affirmation that you're a good daughter? Are you really that insecure?"
I shook my head and felt tears coming to my eyes. There were so many ways I could answer my cousin, starting with, of course I'm insecure, you idiot. Or, what happens between Mom and me is none of your fucking business. Instead, I said, "What do you think?"
"Ella, wait, your food," Jamie called, as I made my way to the stairs, needing to get ready for Jesse's Grand Opening.
"You can have it!" I called back, going up the stairs as fast as I could before Jamie could see me cry.
Thankfully, after Jamie left (he really wasn't supposed to leave me alone), Lily came over, after I told her I needed help straightening my hair. We sat together in my room, watching Friends reruns.
"Why're you so quiet, girly?" Lily asked, as she concentrated with the hot straightener.
"Jamie basically implied I was a bad daughter," I said.
"What? That's not true. Why would he even say that?"
"I don't know. Ever since he got here he's been policing what I do and what I say," I said. "Not all the time, but enough of the time. He says he's trying to protect my mom. What does he think I'm trying to do?"
"Everyone knows you and your mom are best buds," Lily assured me, and it made me smile. "Don't worry about Jamie. He's probably over-compensating because of what your dad is doing."
"Yeah," I said, and for the first time we fell into an uncomfortable silence. I sat there, wondering if I should tell Lily that her big brother really seemed to be changing for the better. But I decided not to. Lily's relationship/interactions with my dad were really none of my business, just like my interactions with my dad are none of hers.
Lily sighed. She ran the iron over my hair a few more times and then announced, "Done." I turned to look in the mirror.
"Wow Lils. Thanks so much. It looks great!"
Lily laughed. "You're welcome." She paused and bit her lip. "Can I tell you something?'
"Of course," I said immediately. "What's up?"
"OK...I don't know what is going on between me and Andre."
I froze, and then a huge grin spread over my face. "You and Andre?! Are you serious?! Did you guys hook up?!"
"No, but...I'm almost positive that he likes me. He keeps saying all these things and looking at me...weird. God, I feel like I'm in 6th Grade again."
I laughed. "Are you...OK with him liking you? Do you like him?"
"I don't know! I mean he's a great guy. Smart, funny, cute. It's just...we've known each other for so long...ugh, I don't know."
"Sometimes a strong friendship can be a great thing," I said. "You know?"
"But what if we do go out and it doesn't work out?"
I smiled gently at her. "But what if it does?"
-x-x-x-EGS-x-x-x-
"Hello?" Mom called through the house, and I heard the clack of her heels coming up the stairs.
"We're in my room!" I called back, just as Lily was unplugging my straightener from the wall. "I gotta show you the dress I'm wearing," I said, rummaging through my closet until I found the black dress Aunt Brooke gave me for Christmas.
"I love it," Lily said. "You're so lucky your aunt's a famous fashion designer who gives you free clothes, like what the heck."
I laughed, "I'm sure Aunt Brooke would give you some stuff if you asked."
"I would never ask!" Lily said, her cheeks pink. "Try the dress on." I did, and when I emerged from my walk-in closet, Lily grinned. "Fabulous."
"You think Adrian will like it? Even if I can't wear heels."
"Are you kidding? Of course he will. Heels are overrated, trust me. I only put them on for pictures, then I take them off."
"Hi guys," Mom said. "I'm glad you're both here." Mom greeted both Lily and me with a kiss on the cheek. "Aunt Brooke wants to go out and have a girls' night tonight."
"That sounds fun!" Lily said with a smile. "What are you gonna wear?"
"That's what I need help with!" Mom said. "I haven't been out in such a long time."
For some reason, what my mother just said made me want to cry. I shared a glance with Lily, who was discrete. "Well, where are you going?"
"Brooke's keeping it under wraps. All she said was to be sexy."
Lily laughed. "I'm on it," Lily said, and went to my mother's closet in the master bedroom.
Soon Mom emerged, looking flawless in an emerald-green strapless dress with a large silver clutch. "Did Aunt Brooke give you that dress?"
"Yes," I said. "Did Aunt Brooke give you that dress?"
Mom blushed and looked down at her heels. "OK. Point taken."
"You look amazing, Mama," I said.
"So do you baby girl. Wait 'till Adrian sees you."
"Yeah, really," Lily agreed. As we headed downstairs, the doorbell rang.
"That's Adrian," I said, before Mom stopped me.
"Are you sure you're feeling up to going?"
"Yes," I said. "I'm fine. Promise."
"If you don't feel well have Adrian–"
"Take me home. I got it." When I answered the door, Adrian was on the other side, all dressed up with a black dress shirt, purple tie and black dress shoes. "Hi," I said, and I watched him look me over in my new C/B dress.
"Hey," he said, smiling. He leaned in to kiss me on the cheek and said, "You changed your hair. It looks great!"
"Yeah?"
"Absolutely," Adrian said. "You look...wow."
"You, too," I said, before giving him my crutches and taking his hand. Adrian said a quick hello to my mom and Lily before we walked towards the car parked out front.
"By the way, my mom's driving us. My dad has to stay by the restaurant, obviously."
"OK. Do we like that your mom is driving us?" I asked him quietly, as we got closer and closer to the parked Saab.
"Not really," Adrian said, slowing down when I did. "You in pain?"
"It's better now," I said, winking at him. With one last wave to my mom, who was watching from the doorway, I climbed into the back of the car, Adrian right next to me.
"Ella!" came Nicky's joyful cry.
"Hi Nicky!" I said, putting on my seatbelt. I noticed his attire and said, "You're so handsome!"
Nicky smiled bashfully. He wore the same black slacks, black shirt and purple tie that Adrian wore. "Thank you."
"Hi Ella," Becky said with a laugh from the driver's seat. "How's it going? Are you feeling better?"
"Better by the day," I said, and Adrian grabbed my hand.
"I'm so glad," Becky said. I watched as she put the car into drive and said, "Alright. Are we ready for this?!"
"YA!" Nicky called from the backseat, causing Adrian and me to dissolve into laughter.
The entire 90 minute drive, Adrian and I held hands, sending each other private looks and text messages when we wanted to be discrete.
When we arrived to Jesse's, Adrian was thrilled to see a decent crowd of people outside, all dressed to impress in nice dresses and handsome suits. "Not bad," Adrian told me, as he led me by the hand through the front doors. After a moment or two of scouring the crowd, Adrian shouted, "Dad!"
Jesse turned and grinned, his smile lighting up his face. "You made it!" He made his way through the crowd to clap his son on the back. "Ella, you look beautiful," he said, kissing my cheek. Then, after greeting his wife and younger son, Jesse looked around, for the first time experiencing his dream come true. "I can't believe it's actually happening!"
"You did great, Pop," Adrian said. Before Adrian and I found a table, I snapped a photograph of the Katsavis family–Becky, Jesse, Adrian and Nicky–and for one frozen moment in time, they looked happy.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
"Brooke, where are we going?" Haley asked, climbing into the backseat of the car, looking stunning as always.
"Oh where's your sense of adventure Haley? Relax. I'll get us there in one piece." Brooke began driving away from Nathan and Haley's mansion, making a left at the end of the very long driveway. "Settle in ladies, it's an hour and a half drive."
"Seriously?" Peyton asked from the front seat, looking at her best friend. "For just a couple of drinks?"
"How do you know that's what we're doing?" Brooke cocked an eyebrow and began driving towards the highway leaving Tree Hill. "Stop talking to me, I'm going to give it all away."
Peyton laughed, "OK." The three lifelong friends used the time to just catch up–sensitive topics avoided.
"Fayetteville?" Peyton asked, exactly 90 minutes later. "Wait a minute...where are we going?"
"Jesus, you'll see!" Brooke insisted. "We're almost there."
Peyton's suspicions were confirmed as they drove through downtown Fayetteville, and her burning curiosity was overwhelming. They parked a couple blocks away from the destination, and when they approached the place, Peyton stopped short in her tracks.
"What?" Haley and Brooke asked. "It's a jazz club!"
"Oh, Ella's gonna kill me," Peyton said, and she couldn't help but laugh a little at the absurdity.
"Why?"
"This is the Grand Opening she was going to with Adrian," Peyton explained, as she waited in line to get inside. "Sweet Jesus."
Haley began to laugh. "She'll forgive you eventually. Maybe when she goes to college."
"Not funny," Peyton said, and she tipped her head to the sky in exasperation. "It's gonna look like I followed her here!"
"Oh well," Brooke said. "You deserve a night out. We all do. She'll get over it. Come on." Brooke led her two friends to the front of the line. Let's see if I still got it, Brooke thought to herself.
"There's at least a 20 minute wait to get a table," the man said, holding a clipboard in his hand. "But I can take your name."
"Brooke Davis," Brooke said, while Haley and Peyton watched on, quite amused.
It took a moment for the man to recognize her name, but he did. "Right this way, Mrs. Davis." The man opened the door quite frantically, to allow Brooke to waltz inside of Jesse's like she owned the place.
"Welcome to Jesse's," a man said, standing with his hands behind his back. "I heard you're the famous designer here for my opening."
Brooke smirked, subtly eying the man up and down–only Peyton noticed. "You're the Jesse?"
"I am." Jesse motioned to a booth not too far from the stage. "How's that booth right there for you three?"
"Perfect," Brooke answered, and when she passed Jesse she said, "Don't be a stranger."
Jesse laughed, and nodded, watched as the three women made their way to the booth.
"A little flirty tonight, aren't you hon," Haley said, looking almost as amused as Peyton.
"I was just having fun. And he's hot, I have to say." As soon as the three of them settled into the booth, Brooke waved over a waiter to order the drinks.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Jamie entered his house using key, and the house was mostly quiet save for the television blaring in the living room. "Hello?" Jamie called. "Mom?"
Matthew rounded the bend, and his entire face lit up in a smile. "JAMIE!" he screeched, running to hug his big brother's legs. "What're you doing here?!"
Jamie laughed, ruffling his brother's dark hair. "I'm here to see you, knucklehead!"
Nathan walked up with Olivia in his arms, and he grinned. "Been a while since we've seen you here," he said, as Jamie walked farther into the house. A sense of relief washed over him–something he hadn't felt in a long time.
"Been kinda busy," Jamie said, clapping his dad on the arm, and giving a kiss to Olivia.
"Are you hungry? I'm making pasta," Nathan said, motioning to the kitchen.
"Sounds great," Jamie said.
"Jamie, sit next to me!" Matthew begged, tugging on Jamie's hand.
"Mattie, why don't you set the table," Nathan said, giving Matthew a nudge on the shoulder. "One extra place setting."
Matthew ran off, leaving Nathan and Jamie the space to chat without big ears around. "Where's Mom?" Jamie wondered, putting a soothing hand on Olivia's back. He followed his father into the kitchen, where Nathan put Olivia down, and she ran off to play.
"She's out with Brooke and Peyton," Nathan answered. "Something about a girls' night."
"Ah," Jamie said, an amused smile on his face. "Gotcha."
"You coming home?" Nathan asked, and Jamie could easily see the hope in his father's eyes.
"...Not yet," Jamie answered. "I just don't like the idea of leaving Aunt Peyton and Ella alone."
"Are you waiting for your uncle Lucas to come back?" Nathan asked, looking Jamie in the eye.
Jamie's cheeks heated up. The cynicism in his father's voice wasn't hard to catch. Jamie stared heatedly at the counter space in front of him. "I don't...I don't know."
Nathan sighed. "It's OK if you are, James," he said. "Holding onto hope, huh?"
"Aren't you?" Jamie asked after a second.
Nathan sighed, as he drained the pasta from the pot into a yellow colander. "I guess I shouldn't talk. I'm not very happy with your uncle right now."
Jamie nodded. It's obvious, he thought to himself. "Uncle Luke came up to us at the RiverCourt the other night."
"What'd he say?"
"He was sorry," Jamie said. "He said not to give up on him."
Jamie watched his father carefully, but Nathan didn't give away much. He cleared his throat and asked, "And what did you say?"
Jamie sighed. "I..."
"You blew him off?" Nathan guessed, and Jamie nodded. Nathan wasn't an idiot. He knew that Jamie idolized his uncle once upon a time.
"Feel kinda shitty about it," Jamie admitted. "I don't know. Can we not talk about this? I feel like every other conversation centers around my stupid uncle."
"Hey, no name-calling now," Nathan said. "Why don't you put the drinks on the table?"
Jamie did so, setting down the cups and different drinks. Soon Matthew and Olivia came to sit at the table, and they had dinner together, where they caught up and laughed. Nathan tried hard to keep everything light for his children's sake, and Jamie caught on to that pretty quick.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
"Oh no," I said, looking at the crowds in the club. There, in the center of it all, was my mother. "...No.".
"What?" Adrian asked, following my glance.
"My mom's here!" I said, and I pulled Adrian away into a little corner that led to the staircase. Together, we watched my mom interact with Adrian's dad, and we gave each other a look. "Why's she here?!"
"I don't know," Adrian answered. "Your aunts are here, too."
"Are you serious? Oh my God, they're all dressed up! Do you think they stalked us over here?!"
Adrian began to laugh. "Uh, no. I think one of them heard about the restaurant's opening and wanted to go, without realizing it was the same opening we were going to."
"Babe, what are the odds of that happening?"
"I don't know, but clearly something happened, 'cause they're here."
"...Great."
"What's the big deal?"
"I was kinda hoping it could be you and me tonight," I said, looking up at him. My legs suddenly tensed up, and I held fast onto Adrian's nice shirt. "And please don't let me fall."
"I'm right here," Adrian said, wrapping an arm around me until I felt steady again. "And it is you and me," he added. "Just with all these people around."
"You're funny," I said, before reaching up to peck him on the lips.
He gently tugged on my hand. "Come on, let's go and say hi."
"What? No way."
"Ella, they're gonna find out sooner or later."
"Find out what?"
"For one thing–"
"What?" I asked, catching up to my boyfriend and grabbing his hand.
Adrian furrowed his brows and didn't say anything for a few seconds. Then he asked in disbelief, "Is my dad...flirting with your mom?!"
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
On this Friday night while her mother and Andy were out on a date, Lily was stuck flipping through the TV channels, completely bored to death. "Even my parents have more of a life than I do," Lily spoke aloud to the empty room. Keira was away at her parents' vacation house, Jamie was off doing God knows what...needless to say Lily was relieved when her phone began to ring.
Strawberry Fields
Lily laughed to herself at the called ID. When she answered the phone, something strange happened. She got butterflies. "Hey Strawberry, what's up?"
"That's my nickname now, huh?"
"Maybe," Lily answered.
"I'll have to think of a name for you, then. So, if you're not busy I was thinking we could go to Blue Post and shoot some pool. You down?"
Lily laughed. "Sure. Did you call Jamie?"
"Oh...I was kinda thinking it could be you and me. You know, just chilling."
As experienced as she was, Lily rarely ever got butterflies and shaky hands. Until now. "Right! Yeah. That sounds great."
"Yeah?"
"Of course!" If Lily listened carefully she could hear the excitement in Andre's voice.
"Cool. I can pick you up, be there in about 20 minutes."
"See you then," Lily said easily, but on the inside she was going nuts. As soon as she hung up the phone, Lily scrambled to her closet.
-x-x-x-EGS-x-x-x-
Adrian and I made a beeline to my mother's table, through the crowd of young adults and the like. Our hands never broke apart.
"I think you'll really enjoy tonight's line-up," Jesse said, giving my mother his charming smile.
"I bet she will," Aunt Brooke said, and Peyton turned to give her a look. "She's in the industry."
"Really?" Jesse asked, genuinely interested. "What do you do?"
"I...work at a local record label," Mom finished.
"Red Bedroom Records," Brooke added, ignoring Mom's obvious embarrassment.
"No kidding–" Jesse said.
I nudged Adrian in the side, and we finally reached the table, where Adrian raised his hand. "Uh...hi, Dad!"
Aunt Brooke was nearly about to laugh, but her jaw dropped. "Dad?!"
I looked at Jesse, he glanced at me and looked completely and utterly confused. "This is my son," Jesse introduced to the table, and he tried to introduce him to my mother, who looked absolutely bemused.
"Cookie!" Aunt Brooke cried.
"Hi, Mom," I said, looking at Jesse's award-winning expression.
Jesse furrowed his brows and looked to Mom and me. "You're Ella's mom?!" he asked, and Mom laughed a little.
"Yes."
Aunt Brooke shook her head and took a long sip of her drink. "Well."
Jesse looked back and Adrian and me, and all we could do was start laughing hysterically.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Adrian and I snagged a table not to far from that of my mom and her two best friends for life. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Aunt Brooke raised her drink into the air.
"Ladies, here's to our girls' night out," she said, and Aunt Haley and Mom followed the toast.
Rebecca and Nicky weren't too far away, either. We ordered two sodas and watched as Jesse made his way to the stage, and the crowd began to cheer.
"I wanna give a very warm welcome, for the first time, to Jesse's! Thank you all so much for coming out." Jesse paused as the crowd began to applause. "I want to make sure everyone has a great night! This first act was a rare find, and came into my line of vision quite confidently. Having came all the way from Palm Springs, but has settled here in North Carolina..."
"Oh, you're KIDDING me," I heard Mom say, and I turned around.
"What?" Aunt Brooke asked.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, it's my pleasure to introduce you to...Chris Keller!"
I heard Aunt Brooke and Aunt Haley let out a collective groan.
I almost choked on my soda, and Adrian nearly freaked when he saw me. "Are you OK?!"
"Chris freaking Keller," I said, and I couldn't help but start to laugh again.
"Wow," Adrian said, turning his attention to Chris in the center of the stage.
"What's up Fayetteville!" Chris called from the stage, sitting on a stool with his guitar. After the cheers died down, Chris said, "Y'all are in for a real treat...these songs haven't been released yet..."
Soon Chris began to play, and I have to say he was damn good live. My mom met my glance from a few feet away, and I couldn't help but laugh.
Soon after Chris' set, Jesse got back on the stage, telling everyone to enjoy the top-shelf bar and the tapas. Waiters and photographers were circling among the crowd.
"You want anything?" Adrian asked me, about to wave a waiter over.
"I'm fine," I said, watching as Jesse introduced the next act: himself.
Jesse had a drink in his hand as he spoke into the mic. "I remember a few years ago when I was in Paris, and I met up with my good friend Roy," Jesse said.
"Roy?" I whispered to Adrian. "As in...Roy Hargrove?!"
Adrian chuckled, and then nodded. "Dad has a lot of...friends in the business."
"Holy crap."
"Doesn't your mom meet a lot of musicians with her label?"
"Yeah, but she rarely lets me meet them!"
Jesse kept on, talking about his time with the Roy Hargrove, and he said: "Roy's got this tune...this great tune..." I watched as Jesse got his trumpet ready. "'Strasbourg St. Denis."
At that, the crowd began cheering and clapping, some even began to laugh.
"Before I give this tune a shot, I'd like to invite one of the best sax players I know to play with me." Jesse cleared his throat and looked exactly at Adrian and me. Jessie smiled ear to ear when he said, "My son."
I looked at Adrian and he smiled bashfully, looking at me as if to say, should I?
"You better go!" I told him, urging him with my eyes.
Adrian nodded, took one last sip of his soda, before hopping off the chair and heading to the stage to some honest applause. A stagehand offered Adrian his beloved sax, before he joined his father up on stage. My heart began to pound at the memory of my boyfriend playing me Billie Holiday at this very establishment.
I watched as Becky ran to the front by the stage to snap photographs. "Ok, Strasbourg St. Denis," Jesse announced. "Alright?" he asked Adrian away from the mic. "Here we go."
The club quieted as they heard the soft sounds of the piano beginning the tune, Jesse rocking his head to the beat, trumpet in hand. The crowd began to clap, before Adrian and his father began to play.
I'd never seen anything like it. They complemented each other, as the sultry vibrations rocked the club floor. Adrian was totally immersed and in his element, eyes shut as he blew deep breaths, his torso twisting as they got more and more into the song. He made me nervous, he was so sexy.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
"Man, he is sexy," Brooke said, admiring Jesse from afar, and Haley laughed. "Can I just say that? My God." Brooke turned to her best friend and smirked. "Looks like he liked you, P. Sawyer."
"Oh, please he's married. And he's Adrian's dad!"
Brooke flicked her wrist. "He's still sexy. And look at Adrian go!"
Peyton was blown away with Adrian's skill, technique, and passion. When the song came to an end the crowd, erupted into applause. Adrian stood at the center of the stage, his father reaching to pat an arm around him for a side-hug.
"I had no idea Adrian played sax like that," Haley said, sipping her mojito. "Wow."
Brooke, Haley and Peyton enjoyed Strasbourg St. Denis immensely, swaying to the rhythms and the suave beats. When the song was over, Adrian played a few more Hargrove tunes, the house band cheering him on. After, Adrian headed back to his seat, where he leaned in and gave Ella a kiss–it's like they forgot where they were for a second. Peyton watched as they talked some more, then decided to head over to Peyton, Brooke and Haley's table.
-x-x-x-EGS-x-x-x-
"Cookie, you look great! Is that one of mine?" Aunt Brooke kinked her eyebrow and Aunt Haley chuckled.
"You gave it to me for Christmas," I said.
"Who did your hair?"
"Lily."
"Of course," Mom said. "Adrian, you were fantastic!"
Adrian laughed and I could tell he was blushing without having to look at him. "Thank you so much. I'm glad you're all having a great time."
"Oh no," Aunt Brooke moaned, looking past our shoulders. We turned to see the one and only...
"Well, well," came his sly voice. "The trifecta just couldn't stay away, huh?" Chris Keller laughed when he saw Haley cringe. "Came all the way to Fayetteville to see me play?"
"Take it easy, Keller," Aunt Brooke said, rolling her eyes.
"Well. You're here, aren't ya?" Keller turned to me and smiled, but it was a different smile than the one he gave my mom and her friends. "Ella! I haven't seen you in forever. What happened to our song, girl?!"
I immediately blushed and Adrian looked at me. "What song?"
"What song?" Aunt Haley, Aunt Brooke, and Mom said in unison.
"Nothing," I answered quickly. "I don't have a song." I glared at Keller, who seemed to get the message. I took Adrian's hand and led us back to the table, though we still heard bits and pieces of Mom's conversation with her friends.
"You and my daughter are making a song?" Mom asked, raising her eyebrows.
"Uh...no," Chris said weakly. He eyed Mom over and said, "I have to say Blondie, you look smashing." Chris ignored Aunt Brooke and Aunt Haley's glances. "What? She's beautiful."
"Are you ever gonna call me by my real name?"
"I call you Peyton plenty of times. You didn't mind me calling you Blondie that night we went out for drinks."
Peyton's eyes widened and I saw Chris cower like he was a little kid.
"Uh...I mean...I gotta go," Chris said, and he scampered off to the other side of the restaurant.
"You went out for drinks with him?" Aunt Haley asked, sipping her own drink.
"Oh, Haley please. I know what you're thinking. Peyton deserved–still deserves–a night out," Aunt Brooke said.
Aunt Haley held up her hands. "Hey, I didn't say anything."
"But you're thinking of Luke. Well, he wasn't there and Chris asked," Aunt Brooke shrugged.
Mom shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "It was just one night." My stomach churned and I began to feel bad for her.
"Oh, honey you don't have to defend yourself with us," Aunt Brooke said, giving Aunt Haley a pointed look. "Right, Hales?"
"Of course," Aunt Haley said.
"Besides, we both know you're still hopelessly in love with Lucas, so Keller has no chance in hell anyway."
I watched as Mom tensed all the way from my table. "Can we change the subject, please?" So typical of my mother to do that–but this time, I don't blame her.
"Don't mind me over here," Adrian said, playing with his straw.
"Sorry," I said, turning back to him. "You really were so great tonight, Lion."
"Thank you," he said quietly, watching me. "So you have a song?"
I rolled my eyes, as my cheeks heated up. "It's nothing. I walked into the studio a while ago and played something, and Chris heard and was helping me with it."
"...So it's a song," Adrian said plainly. "Can I hear it?"
I sighed. "It's not done."
"So? I'm sure it's awesome."
"Why do you wanna hear it so bad?"
Adrian laughed. "Because you're my girlfriend and I actually take interest in the things you do. You heard me play a few songs. Now it's your turn."
"Ugh. Fine. I'll take you to the studio sometime next week. Happy now?"
"Absolutely," Adrian said, taking my hand. "You're beautiful..."
I blushed and made no moves to hide it. "What was that for?" I asked softly.
I watched as he began to play with my hand, our palms melting together. "Just wanted to tell you."
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
It was nearing 2 am when Brooke drove into Tree Hill, and when Peyton asked to be dropped off at the RiverCourt. Brooke insisted on driving her home, but Peyton refused. She had a certain feeling someone was gonna be there.
Sure enough, as Brooke drove away and Peyton approached the tarmac, there was her husband, sitting down in the middle of the court. "Hey," she said gently, and Lucas turned around, pulling earphones out of his ear.
"Hey," Lucas said. "Are you OK? It's late." Lucas watched as Peyton moved to sit down on the court, beautiful dress and all. "You'll ruin..."
"It's fine," Peyton said. "And I'm fine. I just...wanted to see you."
Their hands were so close Lucas could interlock them in a second. "I wanted to see you, too," Lucas said quietly. "Wow, you're beautiful."
Peyton smiled and looked down at her lap.
Lucas brushed a strand of hair from her face so he could see her better. "How was your night?"
Peyton proceeded to tell Lucas all about Jesse's great opening, and how they inadvertently ran into Ella and her boyfriend, not to mention Adrian's father was Jesse himself. "You should have seen Ella's face when she saw me..."
"I bet!" Lucas said, laughing. Lucas reached over to gently drape Peyton's long legs across his lap, and she didn't stop him. "Is this OK?"
Peyton nodded, and she began to get chills when Lucas ran his hands up and down her legs. "Luke, you look so tired," she said, her voice stained with worry. She watched as Lucas tenderly removed her heels, setting them aside.
"Sleep doesn't come easy, you know? I just keep thinking about where I went wrong... with Ryan, with our daughter, and with you."
Peyton reached over and began to run her finger along Luke's left ear, and he let out a breath. "You're righting those wrongs, now," Peyton told him. "You went to Ryan's celebration, didn't you?"
"Yeah," Lucas then told Peyton all about it, from CJ to Sandra to Ryan's father. "Missed you."
"I'm here now," Peyton said. The nerves in her stomach finally let off when Luke leaned in to kiss her, soft and unadorned. Peyton pulled him closer, moaning into the kiss when she felt Luke's tongue brushing against her lower lip. Soon she felt his tongue, warm and wet, clashing with hers.
"Luke..." she breathed, pulling away after a few moments. His hand was dangerously close to the hem of her green dress, but he would move it away, down her thighs, at the last second.
"What? Too fast?" Lucas asked, cupping her cheek.
Peyton shook her head, letting him wrap an arm around her waist to pull her closer to his body. They kissed again, and time melted away. They tugged on each other roughly, but gently at the same time.
"God, baby I thought I'd never be able to be with you like this again," Lucas breathed, lightly biting his wife's neck. Her perfume washed over him and he only wanted her more.
Peyton moaned. If he would say things like that now, imagine what he would say when..."Me either," she said, and tears filled her eyes.
Lucas kissed her cheeks, her chin, and then her lips. "I love you," he said. "Do you wanna go somewhere more comfortable?"
Peyton could hear her heart pounding in her chest, but she still took Lucas' hands as he pulled her off the tarmac, and they walked off the court hand in hand.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Can't wait to here what you think! I didn't get the response for Invictus that I hoped for...hopefully this chapter will make up for that.