Life sucks.
Okay, maybe that was a little melodramatic, but it got the point across.
Peyton Sawyer trudged out of her History classroom, her graded essay stuffed into her hand. A big, fat, ugly D stared at her, mocking her as she made her way down the hall. She hadn't studied at all. In fact, she'd completely spaced the night before it had been due. She'd written it in fifteen minutes, and it had shown.
She arrived at her locker, and quickly spun her combination, pulling the metal door open. Sighing, she grabbed her Calculus text book, and shuved her piece of crap essay in the very back of the locker, hopefully never to be seen again.
Securing her black mesh book bag around her slim shoulders, she slammed her locker door closed again. The bell rang, and the familiar sound was enough to bring the first smile to Peyton's lips all day.
Sunlight seemed to literally burst through the steel double doors of the school, as a few overly eager boys swung them open.
Her beloved red convertable sat waiting for her towards the back of the parking lot, and her feet made their way unconciously in it's direction.
" Hey, sexy. " A voice called out from somewhere behind her. She grinned, turning to look at Brooke Davis, who was looking, as usual, incredibly attractive in her tight red blouse, with a dark denim mini-skirt to match.
" Hey. " Peyton answered, tucking an unruley lock of her curly blond hair behind her ear. Brooke's own hair looked as if it had been plucted straight from a freakin' Herbal Essences commercial.
" You're not going to believe how undeniably amazing I am. " Brooke stated, walking along side Peyton, her hips swaying expertly as she did so.
" You have my attention... " Peyton admitted. Everyone knew that Brooke, by the high school popularity definition, was amazing. Some would go as far as to say that she was perfect, but Peyton, being Brooke's best friend since who knows when, knew otherwise.
" A little birdie, with incredible pecks mind you, informed me that there might be a major party happening at my next door nieghbor's house tommorow night... "
" Next door neighbor... as in Felix? " Peyton asked, raising her eyebrow. Brooke and Felix had broken things off between them. Apparently, after their brief relationship she'd discovered that thier "friends with benifits" decision had benifited him a little more than it had her. Peyton had known since his arrival at Tree Hill that Felix would be nothing but trouble, but could help but to have felt a little betrayed herself when she had been told of his actions.
" The fact that Felix happens to live at this particular location, has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that theres no way we cannot show our irresistable little faces. " She said defiantly, as if trying to prove something to herself, as well as to Peyton.
" Mm hmm. " Peyton pulled her keys from her jeans pocket, throwing her bag onto the black leather covered backseat. She watched as placed her single spiral notebook on top of Peyton's bag.
" Give me a ride? " She asked, not waiting for an answer, as she stepped over the passenger door with her long, very exposed legs.
With a nod, Peyton crawled into the drivers side, sticking the keys into the ignition, and turning it, in one swift motion. She pulled her seatbelt across her chest, fastening it into it's harness.
Music blasted from her speakers, the bass causing the car itself to vibrate along with it; The Killers. She'd admit that she'd developed a harmless little obsession over them. The volume had barely registered to Peyton, as it was routine for her. Turning her head, she prepared to back out of her space.
" Damn, loud enough? " Brooke exclaimed, covering one of her ears up with her left hand, and twisting the volume dial down with her right.
" Not anymore... " Peyton told her, the edge of her mouth twitching slightly. She loved Brooke, but the girls love for music that wasn't exactly Peyton's 'type', could get downright annoying. Brooke was generally easy to get along with though, because it wasn't that she didn't appreciate good music when she heard it... she just prefered otherwise.
Peyton sung under her breath to a song towards the back of the cd, one that you'd only know if you owned it. She sort of liked it that way, not that there was anything wrong with the songs they out on the radio, but those could get old, fast. Especially when you heard them fifty times a day.
" So, are you game or not? " Brooke asked, ignoring her seatbelt completely, and propping her feet onto the black dash board of the car.
It was obvious she was talking about the party, and Peyton quickly scanned her incredibly empty mental schedule. She wasn't going to be able to get out of going, Brooke knew her well.
" I guess. " She sighed, pulling out of her space, after having to wait for a good six cars packed full of teenagers.
" Thats my girl. " Brooke said, doing Peyton a favor and turning the music up to it's original volume level... almost.
" Not that I'm suspicious or anything, but you wouldn't happen to have some type of alternative motive for dragging me to this thing, would you? " Peyton couldn't help but to ask. Brooke was quiet, and pretened to be into the song that had just started.
" Hey, they sing 'Mr. Brightside', right? " She questioned, pressing the 'next' button on the control panel, searching for the song.
" Brooke. " Peyton prompted, suspicion seeping into her voice. Brooke found the song, then looked up at her.
" What? " She asked, her hazel eyes looking indifferent. Innocence didn't suit Brooke, because she almost never was.
" What are you up to? " Peyton managed to steal a few glances of her, while still keeping a close eye on the road. She didn't live far from Tree Hill High, and the drive was already half way over with. She assumed Brooke was just going to come to Peyton's house, because her friend didn't say anything as she turned onto her street.
" Nothing, it's not my fault your such a saught after hottie... " Brooke said, averting her gaze to the passing houses.
Peyton let out a groan. Why was Brooke always trying to set her up with horribly available guys? It was as if the moment Jakes had left, Brooke had been waiting in the wings, ready to hook her up with some new guy.
Jake.
She slapped herself mentally for allowing the thought of him to enter her mind. She made it a point not to think about him during the day, and never when someone else was around. She couldn't handle thoughts of Jake, not without tears.
His image was floating in her mind, ever present, but becoming more intense as thoughts of him continued. His soft brown hair, cut short, but not too short. Gentle, hazel eyes, haunting her in her waking hours, and at that moment, her heart literally ached for him.
She was in love... with a man on the run no less. There was no telling when she'd see him again, and it wasn't very likely at all that it would be anytime soon. She tried to stop herself from thinking any further, but found it difficult. She had to tell herself that he couldn't stay here, it wasn't safe for Jenny. Nikki was still searching for them, and although Peyton was pretty sure that she didn't know his whereabouts yet, she also knew that that could change in an instant.
Jake was protecting Jenny, and Peyton knew that she had no right to ask him to stay... she couldn't. When she'd fallen in love with Jake, she'd fallen in love with Jenny too. And putting that little girl into anymore danger, just wasn't an option.