Complicated Chapter 6, an one tree hill fanfic

She opened the door to the small motel room. It similar to the one that she had shared with Lucas the only difference was that he wasn't there. She had tears forming in her eyes as she closed the door and leaned back against it, her suitcase gripped tightly in her hand. Zearling was a small city along the coast in Virginia but more importantly it was Peyton Sawyers new home, her new life. All she could do was pray that the drama of Tree Hill was behind her, but as she looked down at her stomach she knew that was never gunna be possible. She was carrying a piece of Tree Hill with her, the part of Tree Hill that she was trying to forget was a part of her.

Her legs propelled towards the chair by the window and she threw her suitcase down in it before collapsing on the bed. She unclipped her cell phone from her waist and set it on the nightstand at the head of the bed. Her long legs hung off the side as she closed her eyes and tried to make her body relax. She focused her mind on the parts of the city she had seen when she drove through. It was small but still busy which was good because it meant that she wouldn't have a hard time finding a job. Her only problems was going to be finding somewhere to live, she didn't have the money to buy an apartment and she couldn't live out of a motel but for so long. Her eyes remained closed as her thoughts took over and when she opened them she was surprised to see the sun peering in through the window.

She rubbed her eyes and looked around, forgetting where she was at first. It was when she sat up and saw her suitcase that she remembered the events of the past few days. She inhaled deeply as reality finally set in and she was forced to welcome her new life. "There's no turning back…" she whispered into the empty air around her. She reached over to the stand and grabbed her phone. She flipped it open and felt the emptiness flood over as she saw that she had no messages and no missed calls. It was a Saturday and it was past 12pm. No one knew she was missing, no one cared enough to see if she was okay. She was used to being along, but somehow the loneliness hurt a lot more then it ever had before.

The tears slowly slid form beneath her closed lids as a new reality set in, she was in this by herself. Tree Hill was really behind her and although that was what she wanted she hadn't expected it to feel this bad. Her phone began vibrating in her hands and she watched as Haley's name flashed across the screen. "Hey Haley" her voice cracked slightly form a mix of sleep and tears.

"Hey Pey." Her voice was as happy as it had been last night but it didn't bring the same smile to the blondes face. "How are you? Where are you?"

"I'm fine Hales and I already told you that I wasn't telling you where I ended up. I found a place and I'll be okay…that all I'm telling you because that's all you need to know" Peyton responded defiantly and she sighed when she heard Healy begin to protest.

"But that's where you are so wrong Peyton. I do need to know where you are. It's just in me to need to know those things. I can't know that your okay until I know where you are. I mean you could say that you doing fine and meanwhile you're living in a motel somewhere and that's not exactly fine in my book. By the way where are you staying?" the brunette knew that her friend wasn't going to come home, she just wished she could help make her life easier.

"I'm fine Haley…" She knew she that she was about to get a lecture.

"Peyton…" Haley's voice was firm and she sounded more like a worried mother then a friend.

"A motel…"

"Peyt…you can't live out of a motel. That's not safe and it's definitely not sanitary." Haley began as worry took over her.

"Believe me I know Haley. I'm not going to live here. It's just that I got in so late last night and this was the first place a saw. I have every intention of finding an apartment or something but its gunna take time" It was the truth but she was thinking the same thing the brunette was…it was gunna take a long time to find an apartment.

"I don't like this…I really think you should just come home…" Haley pleaded with the blonde as a last hope. She already knew the answer but she prayed she was wrong anyway.

"I can't do that Haley, I'm done with Tree Hill, at least for a while." She wiped a tear from under her eye with the back of her hand as she fought back more.

"I know…you told me already. But I miss you Peyton, I mean I t hasn't even been 24 hours yet and I already miss you. What am I gunna do? You're the only real friend I've ever had other than Lucas" Haley was now fighting back her own tears but with those words Peyton had given up and let hers slide quickly and smoothly down her cheeks.

"Haley I miss you two and I'll always miss you, but I have to do this. I'll keep in contact but that's the best I can do." She sounded defeated and guilty.

"Then I'll have to deal with that. You better keep in touch Peyton." Haley warned as she tired to sound happy.

"I promise that I will. Look I have to go Hales, job hunting calls." She laughed half heartedly. "I'll call you tonight and you can tell me all about you date with Nathan."

"Alright…I'll be waiting Peyton…" Haley sighed as she prepared to hang up.

"Bye"

"Bye" the brunette hung up the phone and set it down on the counter. She could hear the sadness in Peyton's voice and all she could do was hope that things would get better.

After a quick shower Peyton was on her way out of the motel. She drove around the city looking for any available job. She had been driving for an hour before she spotted a small diner on the corner with a 'Help Wanted' sign sitting in the window. She smiled to herself as she parked along the curb and made her way into the diner. The place reminded her of Karen's Café but it was busier. "Table for one" she spun on her heel as a woman in her early to mid twenties stood smiling behind her.

"Actually I'm here about the job opening." The blonde was nervous as she took in the woman's appearance. She was the only person wearing a suit which made her the manager. Her black hair was wrapped tightly into a twist the stayed firm on her head. Her smile however, made the blonde relax.

"That's great. I was beginning to think no one was ever going to take the job. Have you ever waitressed before?"

"No…that's gunna be a problem isn't it" Peyton asked dejectedly.

"Actually no. it would help, but most people catch on after the first or second day. It's pretty easy. The only alcohol we serve is beer and wine coolers so you aren't required to really memorize the beverages. The most you'll have to worry about is learning the specials and how to short hands people's orders. Does that sound like something you can handle?"

"Yes…do I need to fill out an application or anything?"

"Yea but you can do that tonight and get it to me tomorrow. For today would you mind helping out that way you can get a feel for things and see if you like it." The woman smiled as she led Peyton towards the back of the diner.

"Umm…sure" Peyton gave her best smile as she was handed a blue collared shirt.

"The uniform is a pair of black pants, a black shoe with a heel and this shirt. Hair has to be tied back and aprons are kept on the rack over there. By the way... my name is Katharine Valentein…" she held out her hand and Peyton accepted it.

"Peyton Sawyer." She watched as the woman's brow furrowed.

"Are you related to Anna Sawyer?"

"She's my mother" the blonde answered in slight confusion.

"You probably wouldn't remember me, I don't think you were even 7 then. Your mom was friends with mine and she used to help me with my cheerleading when I was in high school. She helped with a lot of things back then, especially when my parents were going through their divorce. You used to hang around Brooke Davis all the time, I swear you two were inseparable, you did everything together." Peyton kept a forced smile on her face. "How is you mother?" the smile quickly faded.

"Umm…she died 9 years ago." Her eyes shifted down towards the floor as she spoke.

"I'm sorry." That was all Katherine could say. "How have you been?"

"Okay…I just moved up here actually. I kinda just needed to get out of Tree Hill you know" She gave a small laugh.

"You look like I did when I ran off to college…like you running form something." The older woman looked down with an arched brow. She knew what it was to run away from something and the look on Peyton's face told her that just what was happening. The loneliness in her eyes said she was running from more then just something small.

"Do you know how to run away from yourself." The blonde gave a nervous laugh as she looked up.

"Ahhh…the dreaded past. Well you not in Tree Hill sweetheart so maybe you can start over new. I don't want to pry into you past but if you wanna talk I'm here. I know that small little town and most of the people in it so I'd probably understand where you're coming from. Do you mind if I ask where you're staying?"

"Ummm…I don't exactly have a place at the moment. This was kind of a spur of the moment decision so I didn't plan the whole apartment hunting thing." Her voice was small and for the first time she felt somewhat ashamed.

"Motel hopping…most people around here have gone through that. You however might be able to avoid it." Katharine caught the brief flash of hope in the hazel eyes below her. "One of my good friend and your new fellow employee is looking for a roommate. She's got a three bedroom apartment and needs some help with the rent. Amy is nineteen so you guys are close in age and I think you two would get along pretty well." Peyton watched as the woman motioned for a tall slender brunette to come over.

"Amy this is Peyton and she is in need of an apartment." The woman was very to the point in things but it made the blonde comfortable, she didn't like when people danced around what they had to say, it always made her fear the words.

"Hi Peyton…nice to meet you." Amy flashed a smile revealing her perfectly white teeth. She extended her hand and Peyton accepted.

"Likewise" Something about the brunette reminded her of Haley, they both just had this presence that made you like them.

"Amy I want you to shoe Peyton the ropes…get her used to the job and in the process you can decide if you want her for a roommate." They all laughed before Katharine left to show a couple to their table.

By the end of the day Amy and Peyton had gotten to know each other and they got along great. Amy turned out to much like Haley with the exception of playing music. Amy informed the blonde that she contained her singing to the shower causing them both to laugh. After leaving the diner Amy followed Peyton back to the motel and then led her to the apartment.

"Wow this place is huge for an apartment." The blonde gaped as she walked around. Amy just laughed and nodded her head.

"You can have this room, or the other one it doesn't really matter, this one is just bigger." Amy got ready to leave the room but Peyton spoke up.

"Umm Amy I think there's something you should know before we make this thing permanent. I probably should have told you before…" Peyton let the sentence hang and as the brunette turned back around and faced her.

"What is it…I'm sure it won't be a problem." She gave a genuine smile in the nervous girl's direction.

"I'm pregnant." Peyton said only slightly above a whisper.

"That's all…I was right it's nothing. It actually works out pretty well considering the other room is empty. I love kids so this is no problem at all." Amy smiled as she walked further into the room.

"You know…coming into a city…I never thought I'd meet someone this nice. And I also never thought my first day here would go anywhere near this well." Peyton couldn't help but smile as she thought about the luck she's had.

"Well maybe you really did just need to get out of Tree Hill. Things seem to be looking up for you and we are going to make sure it stays that way." Amy winked as Peyton before wrapping her arms around the thin blonde. Luck was an understatement as far as Peyton was concerned; this day was just a miracle. "Get some sleep Peyton…we can talk more in the morning." Peyton nodded as she watched the brunette creep out of the room. She relaxed back on the bed after changing out of her jeans. For the first time she was beginning to think that maybe things would really be okay.

Peyton awoke in the middle of night, her body jolting to a sitting position. She unconsciously placed a protective hand on her stomach as thoughts of Lucas encircled her. He was going to haunt her dreams from this day on and she knew she couldn't stop it. As thoughts of him with Brooke took over she felt her heart shatter just a little more. She wanted nothing more than to be the one in Lucas's arms. She wanted to feel his chest push firmly into her back during the night as he slept. She wanted to wake up to see him smiling down at him. The blonde just wanted to feel safe for just one more night before she let go of it all…but there was no way for her to accomplish that. Her dreams weren't pleasant, they just reminded her of the pain she caused him the pain he retaliated towards her. She would give anything to feel his touch just on last time but there was nothing to bring him to her now. She wanted all the things she had given up when she left Tree Hill. She had pushed him out of her life and the only way to stop the pain from engulfing her was to lie and say it was for the better.

I am thinking of you

In my sleepless solitude tonight

If it's wrong to love you

Then my heart just won't let me be right

'Cause I've drowned in you

And I won't pull through

Without you by my side

I'd give my all to have

Just one more night with you

I'd risk my life to feel

Your body next to mine

'Cause I can't go on

Living in the memory of our song

I'd give my all for your love tonight

Baby can you feel me

Imagining I'm looking in your eyes

I can see you clearly

Vividly emblazoned in my mind

And yet you're so far

Like a distant star

I'm wishing on tonight