Peyton sat engrossed in the many shades of water coloring. She was normally more into sketching as opposed to painting but her pent up frustration had driven her to put on her sweats and go to work at the easel. The doorbell rang but she dared not to move. What was the point? Whoever it was couldn't make her feel better and the last thing Peyton wanted was to talk about it.

"I… I rang the doorbell."

Anna. Peyton rolled her eyes as she turned the music down.

"I know. I heard it I just didn't want to answer."

Peyton was pissed and Anna knew it. She had been trying to gather her courage all day to drive offer and offer up some sort of explanation for her behavior but it was nearly impossible. What could she say?

"Hey I'm sorry I blew you off in the parking lot today."

"Whatever."

"Peyton…"

"Just save your little excuses and explanations, Anna. You know, it's really starting to be a pattern with you showing up in my room to apologize to me."

"You're right. But…there are some things I haven't told you. Things about my life that happened a long time ago before my family ever moved here. It was at my school before Tree Hill High. Um, there…there were some rumors about me."

Peyton turned around to face her.

"What kind of rumors?"

"About a relationship I was having…with another girl. I tried to ignore it but the stories just, just kept getting worse until, finally my parents decided to move us. That's how we ended up in Tree Hill. And that's why Felix is so protective of me. We had a really good life in our last town. Everyone was happy. Then I ruined it."

Peyton raised her eyebrows.

"Well if they were just rumors…"

"It doesn't matter. You know how people are. You know how high school is. Once a story gets out, it…it might as well be true. So when I saw your car this morning and the way that people were looking at you, I guess…it scared me. I'm sorry, Peyton but it just all brought back a lot of painful memories for me. It was a horrible time in my life."

"What did you do?"

"I dealt with it or at least I tried to but eventually it became too much. Today was like déjà vu. Right before we transferred, someone spray painted that word on my locker. It was humiliating. People whispered and stared. God, I just wanted to die. So I went to the principal but he didn't do anything. He promised to clean it up but the janitor didn't get around to it until late the next morning. It was awful."

"Did you tell your parents?"

"Felix did before I even had the chance to but what good that did. They were so pissed. They totally blamed me. It was terrible. That's why we had to move."

"I'm sorry", Peyton mumbled.

"Yeah…me too. So what are you going to do, Pey?"

"I don't know."

"Just let it go. I mean, you're not gay so…"

Peyton reached over into her record collection and pulled out a NOFX CD.

"Read this…"

Anna took the record and began reading aloud.

"First they put away the dealers…then they put away the prostitutes…then they shoot away the bums…and…beat and bash the queers…Turned away asylum seekers, fed us suspicions and fears, we didn't raise our voice, we didn't make a fuss… it's funny, there was no one left to notice…"

"…When they came for us. Anna, it's not about who I am, okay? It's about who they are. They are people who hate and they divide and they feed off of people that don't fight back. Yeah, I… I could laugh this off. But…what about the girl that can't? Who's going to help her? Silence only makes them stronger."

Anna looked down, not knowing what to say as Peyton reached in her dresser drawers and fetched two plain white tee shirts.

"What are these?"

Peyton pinned them to the easels and pulled out a can of bright pink spray paint. She shook the can and sprayed words onto the shirts. Anna could not view them until Peyton had moved. Front and center was the word "DYKE".

"Here", Peyton tossed it.

"Pey…"

"Have you ever heard of Victor Hara? No? Um…he was this musician, right, and he fought in justice with his songs and when they broke his hands and when they taunted him, he just sang even louder. Well, now it's my turn, Anna. What so you say? Will you sing with me?"

Anna stared at the shirt. It was about taking a stand. It was about fighting for your rights. It was about standing up for something you believed in.

"Peyton…I…I can't. I'm sorry."

Peyton simply nodded.

"Okay."

"Okay? Peyton, I'm not blowing you off but I can't do this. Look, you have to understand…"

"I understand alright", Peyton responded. "Look, Anna do whatever you want but I'm kind of busy right now. So if you don't mind, I'd just really rather be alone for a while."

"Okay. Peyton, I just want you to know that what you're doing…I don't know, it's really amazing. You're an incredibly strong girl and you really, really do inspire me. I mean it."

Peyton shook her head. She couldn't take it anymore. She felt like she was going to explode. The last thing she wanted or needed was Anna patronizing her.

"So I inspire you now, huh? How cute! You know what, Anna, that's just great! You are inspired. But you know something? It seems whenever I really need you to stand by me, you just end up blowing me off!"

"It's not like that, Pey."

Peyton smiled bitterly and sarcastically.

"Oh? Then what is it like, Anna? Because that's the way it feels. So guess what? I don't need you here now!"

"Peyton, please…"

"You know, you should be pretty familiar with this next move I'm about to do because as of late Anna, you've done a hell of a job perfecting it. It's called turning my back."

And that's exactly what she did, leaving a shocked and obviously hurt Anna. The girl stood there for a few minutes trying to figure out what she could do or say to make it all better. But there was nothing. There was nothing to do but leave so an upset Anna turned on her heels and fled the Sawyer home. Peyton was her friend, her best friend and Anna would do anything for her friends…but she just couldn't do that.