Chapter Two

Buried Alive

I took a deep breath and stepped forward, too nervous to talk I did the only thing I knew how to. Outstretching my hand, I finally managed to say, "Hi, my name is Aubrey Keller." The woman just stared at me like I was some kind of freak on a leash. I realized how dumb I looked and dropped my arm. "What are you doing here? How did you get here?" She spit out. I stepped back and looked away. In all honesty, I was expecting here to welcome me with open arms. After all, she had seemed so straight-forwardly happy to find me on the internet.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound so... I'm just surprised." I looked up ad smiled shyly at the blond before me. "You have to understand, I know you don't remember me, but I remember you. It's just been so long...." her words faded. She put a hand to the side of her face as a thought came to mind. "Oh! I'm sorry... Come on in." I nodded, but as I walked past her, she stiffened as if wanting to hug me, but was afraid that I would contaminate her or something.

I looked around at my surroundings. Her house was small, but hardly cozy. It was darker than the one I had grown up, gloomy, at that. Noticeably, there were no pictures hung on the wall, in fact, there were no pictures anywhere in sight. She led me down the hallway. As we entered the living room, I noticed every curtain was closed, every peice of furniture seemed to produce a cloud of dust when touched, and the only sign of life in the room was a small barely-alive plant placed above the out-dated TV.

Turning back to Peyton, I was alarmed at the way she was staring at me. It gave me a chance to really take in her appearance. Much different from the picture she had sent me. Now, her hear seemed to have less volume, her un-alive, much-darker curls matted softly to her head. Her eyes, a darker shade of brown, with heavy bags under each, making her face droop in a pouty way. She was also paler, thinner... sadder. But atleast at the sight of me, she did seem to perk a little.

Peyton sat on the couch and beckoned for me to also. After a long silence, she spoke up. "So, why are you here?" I sighed and let my eyes wander to my hands. This I usually did when I was nervous, or afraid. Or both, which I was right now. Peyton wasn't at all how she seemed in her emails. "I just... I just wanted to meet you. I thought if I came to Tree Hill, I would in some way be closer to Haley."

"I'm sorry if I led you on, to believe that I could be any help to you with that." Peyton murmured. I closed my eyes as they began to burn with tears. I suddenly felt all the hope drained from me. With that one setence, I was all alone again. But this time, I had no where to run. "Are you saying that... you think I should leave?"

Peyton sighed sadly. There really wasn't much she could do. Talking to Aubrey through email was one thing. But after 14 long years... coming face to face with the confration of her best friends daughter without any warning... well, was too much for her. "Maybe... it would probably be..."

"No!" Aubrey cried, standing from the couch. She couldn't help herself, she let the tears flow freely. "I can't go back there! I won't!"

Peyton's face reddened with embarassment. She wasn't really sure how to react to this. She leaned over her knees, growing more stressed than was good for her. "I should warn you..." She paused, "Aubrey." I felt her eyes apon me again. "This town didn't handle Haley... you're mother's, death very well. She was very well liked around here."

"I'm sure she was." I said unsarcastically, surprised by my edgy-coldness. But Peyton didn't flinch. "What are you trying to say? That they'd hate me because my mother's dead?"

"What I'm trying to say... is that people around here... well, they might not except you." She hesitated. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but if you knew how things worked around Tree Hill you'd understand. I just think it'd be better to let it go away. If there's one thing I've learned growing up here is that the past is better kept buried."

I could hardly believe what she was saying. I had come all this way just to meet my family, and this woman, whom I hardly knew, was trying to tell me to get lost forever? I lost my temper. My face grew hot with anger and sadness. Inside I was screaming, and I felt my eyes water over. But I tried not to let Peyton notice. "Fine. Whatever you think'd be best."

I turned, wiping away my tears where she couldn't see me. "Aubrey, I have something for you." Turning back, I saw Peyton had moved to the antique dresser a few feet behind the sofa. Opening to bottom drawer, she fumbled through it for something. I peered over the couch curiously. Finally, Peyton produced a thin black folder, handing it over to me. I opened it slowly, inside were beatifully hand-drawn black and white picture of my mother and father. Letting my index finger glide over a single sketch of my mother, then another of my parents together, the initials "NH" written in bold black letters at the bottom. I looked up at Peyton, and it seemed as if she smiled while looking down at them, but only for a moment before her gaze reached mine. "I'm sorry."