Brooke's eyes fluttered open at the sound of the phone. The apartment was now dark, all forms of light removed in the hours that she had fallen asleep. Haley still lay in her lap sleeping peacefully. The phone rang again, causing Haley to stir.
"Hales, I got to get the phone," Brooke said trying to wake her sleeping friend. Haley moaned and sat up allowing Brooke to get up. "Hello? Yeah. I'll get her." Brooke turned to Haley, who sat on the couch rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "It's Steven." She handed the phone to Haley and went to shower.
"Steven." Haley greeted unsure of the mood he was in.
"I'm sorry," he said simply. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that." Haley sighed. He was apologizing. A part of her wished he would just be a jerk and not take it back and keep her from having to really think things through.
"Steven, you don't have to..."
"I do, Haley. It just…it scares me that you feel you have to lie to me."
"It scares you?"
"I love you and I want to marry you. I thought that's what you wanted to, but now…now I don't know anymore."
"I do. It is. I just…I want to do it my way. I know that sounds selfish, but…"
"It's not selfish, Haley. I want you to have it your way, I really do. It's just my mother."
"I know."
"But I talked to her."
"You did?"
"After I left your place, I started thinking and I realized that you were right."
"About what?"
"About me and my parents. I tend to do what they want just to keep them off my back, but Haley if standing up to them is what it takes to keep you in my life, then I'll do that. I'll do anything."
Haley's heart melted at his words. There may not be passion with Steven, but she knew he loved her. And for him to stand up to his mother to be with her, meant a lot. She knew better than most the wrath of his mother and she had understood why Steven had tried to please her, but now he was changing -- changing for her.
"I told her that we were going to plan the wedding, all of it and that she was just going to have to accept that. If we have to, we can push it back and start all over again."
"What did she say?"
"She was mad. She was furious and I'm not going to repeat everything, but she promised me that she would stay out of it."
"I love you," Haley said, surprising herself. She couldn't remember the last time she had said that to Steven without having to think about it first.
"I love you."
Haley suddenly felt guilty about her time with Nathan. A lot of emotions had run through her concerning Nathan, but never guilt.
"About last night, " Haley started.
"You don't have to explain. Whatever happened, it doesn't matter to me anymore. I just want you to be sure."
"About what?"
"About me, about us."
" I never meant to make you doubt that."
"I know. Have you had dinner?"
"No. What time is it?" Haley asked glancing at the clock.
"8:45," Steven answered quickly. "I could pick you up."
"I'd like that," Haley said genuinely.
"In half an hour?"
"Okay. Thank you, Steven."
"I just want to make you happy."
Haley hung up, her heart aching a little less. She didn't want to hurt him and she loved him. She really did. But the intensity she felt with Nathan was unlike anything she'd ever felt anyone. Right now, she wasn't going to think about Nathan. She was going to forget him and try to make things with Steven work.
"Does Nathan know you're coming?" Lucas questioned. Hoping her presence was planned and his brother had just forgotten to mention it. Peyton shook her head. "Oh, " was Lucas' only reply. "Do you want a drink or something?" Lucas asked, not knowing what else to say.
"I'm fine, thanks. But do you think you could point me the direction of the bathroom?"
"Down the hall and the third door on the left."
"Thanks."
Peyton walked slowly down the long hallway until she found the bathroom. She still couldn't believe she was here. For months she had contemplated coming to see him, but she had always decided against it. She was sure he was still angry with her, though she didn't blame him. She had thrown everything they had built together away on a guy she had barely known. At the time, she thought he was everything Nathan wasn't. But as time passed,, she realized that it didn't matter what Nathan lacked or didn't lack. He was everything she needed.
She stared into the mirror, fidgeting with her hair and tugging at her shirt. Anything to not make it so obvious that she was broken without him. She needed him now more than ever, but she knew that he wasn't going to welcome her with open arms. He was more apt to kick her out on her ass than to do that. He had trusted her and loved her and she had let him down. She would take everything back if it meant being with him again.
Lucas watched as she walked down the hall. At one time, he never would have felt awkward in her presence. They had grown up together and she really was like a sister to him. But after the break up with Nathan, they had lost touch. Lucas never got the full story of what had happened, he just knew it had left his brother both shocked and heart-broken. She seemed different to him, though. The spark that he had always seen in her eyes was gone and the once vibrant young woman morose.
"Hey Luke," Nathan said entering the front door, bringing his older brother out of his thoughts, "about earlier…"
"Don't worry about it man," Lucas said relieved to see his brother's work out had done him well, but also knowing that it would be short lived.
"Whose are these?" Nathan asked motioning to Peyton's bags sitting by the door, "Don't tell me you've already got that chick moving in with us."
"No, but Nate…"
"Luke, I couldn't find a…"
Peyton immediately froze at the sight of Nathan. Emotions immediately began to surface and it took all of her strength not to let them come spilling out. He had matured. His jaw line was stronger, his hair darker, and his eyes. And when her eyes met his, she immediately noticed a difference. He looked hurt.
Nathan blinked, but she was still there. His eyes skimmed over her body. She looked thinner, much thinner and her hair was longer and blonder. And when his eyes met hers, he immediately noticed a difference. She looked empty.
Lucas watched both parties, suddenly feeling even more out of place. He watched as their eyes met each others. One lifeless and the other's full of pain. Neither speaking, just staring and becoming reacquainted with a person that over the years had become a stranger. It seemed like hours that the three of them stood there. Peyton and Nathan watched one another and Lucas watched them both, their expressions never changing. But then, he took another glance at Peyton, he saw a twinkle in her eye. He turned to Nathan and found warmth surfacing in his stare.
"What are you doing here, Peyton?" Nathan asked quietly.
Peyton recognized his tone. It was one he had used with her often and hearing him say her name again, the way he always had, it calmed some of her fears.
"I missed you." She took a few steps closer to him, waiting for his response.
Nathan felt his heart weaken and the sight of her bring back so many emotions and he was just ready to say that he had missed her too, when he felt the pain of her leaving hit him all over again.
"Yeah, well, I didn't miss you," he spat before retreating to his room.
Lucas watched his brother's retreating figure and then turned to Peyton, watching as tears slid silently down her face.
"Hales, I got to get the phone," Brooke said trying to wake her sleeping friend. Haley moaned and sat up allowing Brooke to get up. "Hello? Yeah. I'll get her." Brooke turned to Haley, who sat on the couch rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "It's Steven." She handed the phone to Haley and went to shower.
"Steven." Haley greeted unsure of the mood he was in.
"I'm sorry," he said simply. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that." Haley sighed. He was apologizing. A part of her wished he would just be a jerk and not take it back and keep her from having to really think things through.
"Steven, you don't have to..."
"I do, Haley. It just…it scares me that you feel you have to lie to me."
"It scares you?"
"I love you and I want to marry you. I thought that's what you wanted to, but now…now I don't know anymore."
"I do. It is. I just…I want to do it my way. I know that sounds selfish, but…"
"It's not selfish, Haley. I want you to have it your way, I really do. It's just my mother."
"I know."
"But I talked to her."
"You did?"
"After I left your place, I started thinking and I realized that you were right."
"About what?"
"About me and my parents. I tend to do what they want just to keep them off my back, but Haley if standing up to them is what it takes to keep you in my life, then I'll do that. I'll do anything."
Haley's heart melted at his words. There may not be passion with Steven, but she knew he loved her. And for him to stand up to his mother to be with her, meant a lot. She knew better than most the wrath of his mother and she had understood why Steven had tried to please her, but now he was changing -- changing for her.
"I told her that we were going to plan the wedding, all of it and that she was just going to have to accept that. If we have to, we can push it back and start all over again."
"What did she say?"
"She was mad. She was furious and I'm not going to repeat everything, but she promised me that she would stay out of it."
"I love you," Haley said, surprising herself. She couldn't remember the last time she had said that to Steven without having to think about it first.
"I love you."
Haley suddenly felt guilty about her time with Nathan. A lot of emotions had run through her concerning Nathan, but never guilt.
"About last night, " Haley started.
"You don't have to explain. Whatever happened, it doesn't matter to me anymore. I just want you to be sure."
"About what?"
"About me, about us."
" I never meant to make you doubt that."
"I know. Have you had dinner?"
"No. What time is it?" Haley asked glancing at the clock.
"8:45," Steven answered quickly. "I could pick you up."
"I'd like that," Haley said genuinely.
"In half an hour?"
"Okay. Thank you, Steven."
"I just want to make you happy."
Haley hung up, her heart aching a little less. She didn't want to hurt him and she loved him. She really did. But the intensity she felt with Nathan was unlike anything she'd ever felt anyone. Right now, she wasn't going to think about Nathan. She was going to forget him and try to make things with Steven work.
"Does Nathan know you're coming?" Lucas questioned. Hoping her presence was planned and his brother had just forgotten to mention it. Peyton shook her head. "Oh, " was Lucas' only reply. "Do you want a drink or something?" Lucas asked, not knowing what else to say.
"I'm fine, thanks. But do you think you could point me the direction of the bathroom?"
"Down the hall and the third door on the left."
"Thanks."
Peyton walked slowly down the long hallway until she found the bathroom. She still couldn't believe she was here. For months she had contemplated coming to see him, but she had always decided against it. She was sure he was still angry with her, though she didn't blame him. She had thrown everything they had built together away on a guy she had barely known. At the time, she thought he was everything Nathan wasn't. But as time passed,, she realized that it didn't matter what Nathan lacked or didn't lack. He was everything she needed.
She stared into the mirror, fidgeting with her hair and tugging at her shirt. Anything to not make it so obvious that she was broken without him. She needed him now more than ever, but she knew that he wasn't going to welcome her with open arms. He was more apt to kick her out on her ass than to do that. He had trusted her and loved her and she had let him down. She would take everything back if it meant being with him again.
Lucas watched as she walked down the hall. At one time, he never would have felt awkward in her presence. They had grown up together and she really was like a sister to him. But after the break up with Nathan, they had lost touch. Lucas never got the full story of what had happened, he just knew it had left his brother both shocked and heart-broken. She seemed different to him, though. The spark that he had always seen in her eyes was gone and the once vibrant young woman morose.
"Hey Luke," Nathan said entering the front door, bringing his older brother out of his thoughts, "about earlier…"
"Don't worry about it man," Lucas said relieved to see his brother's work out had done him well, but also knowing that it would be short lived.
"Whose are these?" Nathan asked motioning to Peyton's bags sitting by the door, "Don't tell me you've already got that chick moving in with us."
"No, but Nate…"
"Luke, I couldn't find a…"
Peyton immediately froze at the sight of Nathan. Emotions immediately began to surface and it took all of her strength not to let them come spilling out. He had matured. His jaw line was stronger, his hair darker, and his eyes. And when her eyes met his, she immediately noticed a difference. He looked hurt.
Nathan blinked, but she was still there. His eyes skimmed over her body. She looked thinner, much thinner and her hair was longer and blonder. And when his eyes met hers, he immediately noticed a difference. She looked empty.
Lucas watched both parties, suddenly feeling even more out of place. He watched as their eyes met each others. One lifeless and the other's full of pain. Neither speaking, just staring and becoming reacquainted with a person that over the years had become a stranger. It seemed like hours that the three of them stood there. Peyton and Nathan watched one another and Lucas watched them both, their expressions never changing. But then, he took another glance at Peyton, he saw a twinkle in her eye. He turned to Nathan and found warmth surfacing in his stare.
"What are you doing here, Peyton?" Nathan asked quietly.
Peyton recognized his tone. It was one he had used with her often and hearing him say her name again, the way he always had, it calmed some of her fears.
"I missed you." She took a few steps closer to him, waiting for his response.
Nathan felt his heart weaken and the sight of her bring back so many emotions and he was just ready to say that he had missed her too, when he felt the pain of her leaving hit him all over again.
"Yeah, well, I didn't miss you," he spat before retreating to his room.
Lucas watched his brother's retreating figure and then turned to Peyton, watching as tears slid silently down her face.