TREE HILL HIGH

The Things I Do For You


"Luke, is that you?" Karen called out from upstairs, raising her voice for him to hear her.

Lucas dropped his bag next to the front door. "Yeah."

"Can you come up here for a second?"

"Sure…" Lucas replied, sighing. He jogged up the stairs and slowly opened his mother's bedroom door, sneaking his head inside.

"How was school?" she asked, turning around from the mirror where she was getting ready for work.

"Great," he said, shunning the subject. "So, what's up?"

She walked into the bathroom and responded loudly, "I wanted to remind you to go over to Haley's and help her move her stuff."

"Right," Lucas said, scratching his head. "Remind me why tutor girl is moving in with us…?"

Karen stepped out of the bathroom with her hands on her hips, giving Lucas a cold, disapproving look. "Haley is moving in because her parents are – 'traveling' or whatever it is they do in that trailer. She needed a place to stay, and since she helps me so much in the café, I offered her to stay with us. So be nice." she said, raising a warning eyebrow at him.

"Alright, alright." Lucas said, throwing his hands up, giving in to the plan.

"Where's Peyton?" Karen questioned.

"Home."

"You seen Nathan today?" she asked cautiously, knowing well she shouldn't push this subject.

"Ofcourse, my day wouldn't be complete without seeing my fave little bro." Lucas said in a huff, an obvious hint of sarcasm in his tone.

"Was he nice, as always?" Karen asked, the same hint of sarcasm in her tone.

"Yup," Lucas said, turning around and walking out of the room. "I'm going over to Peyton's."

"Don't forget Haley!" Karen reminded one last time.

"Haley who?" he teased.

"Ha! Funny, Luke!" she replied, not amused.

Lucas chuckled softly as he closed the front door behind him.

Hedrove up to Peyton's house. Too lazy to go down and bring her out himself, he began honking the horn.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

And so on.

Peyton simply raised the music as some annoying car horn kept going off.

Lucas stifled an annoyed laugh as he heard the music go louder.

Losing hope that she would realise he was waiting outside, he removed the key from the ignition and forced himself out of the car.

Hethrew Peyton's bedroom door open and stood sluggishly, his face displeased.

"Hey!" she said surprised–ignorant to Lucas's displeasure– lowering the music. "I didn't know you were coming."

"Yeah, I thought the continuous horning would've gave it away." he mocked.

"Oh," she said naively, smiling. "I didn't know that was you."

Lucas scoffed. "Come on let's go." he said, about to turn around.

"Wait – what, where?" she asked all at once, hopping next to him.

"Two words. Tutor girl."

"Two words. Totally clueless."

"Two words. Moving in."

"Two words. Jack ass. What the hell are you talking about?" Peyton asked with wide, oblivious eyes, a hint of laughter in them.

"Haley is moving in, for a while, or forever." Lucas's voice trailed off, he himself unsure what the long-term plan was.

"Right…" Peyton teased, a smug smile on her face. "Tutor girl and Lucas in one house. This should be interesting."

Lucas gave her a sarcastic, irked smile.

"Fine, no jokes. You brought my car?" she asked casually, picking up her bag, and looking back at him.

Lucas smiled innocently.

Peyton's face creased in irritation. "Ughhh. I take that back." she said. "You're living with tutor girl!" Peyton chimed as she walked out of the room.

Lucas threw his head back and groaned.

Peyton laughed. "Let's go."