Chapter Eight: And even if it kills me, I'm gonna smile

Note: Chapter title inspired by Lonestar's "Smile."

Lucas woke up slowly rubbing and squinting his eyes because of the bright rays of the sun that crept through the blinds of his window. He swung his legs off the bed and hung his head, trying to wake up some more before getting ready for his day.

He finally got up and headed to his bathroom and took a nice long hot shower. That seemed to do the trick of waking him up. He walked out of his bathroom with a towel wrapped tightly around his waste and sauntered over to his dresser. Lucas picked out his favorite pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. Right when he just got done dressing, he heard a knock at his outside door.

He walked lazily over to it and opened the door to find Haley there. "Hey, Hales. What's up?"

She smiled up at him, "Oh nothing, I just wanted to swing by before heading to the café."

Lucas scratched the back of his neck, "Okay, well I was going to head that way anyway, so we can go together. Just give me a minute to finish up getting ready, alright?"

"Okay," Haley said as she plopped herself down in his computed chair.

Lucas walked back into his bathroom and applied his cologne and messed with his hair.

"Hey, Luke?" Haley called from his room.

"Yeah?" Lucas asked back still teasing his hair.

"What's this?" Haley inquired at the door of his bathroom holding up her pinky finger showing off a silver ring.

Lucas smiled and laughed softly as he looked back into the mirror to work on his hair. "That's a promise ring, Hales."

Haley smiled widely, "So you and Peyton are getting serious, huh?"

Lucas smiled even more broadly, "Yes, we are!" He turned and looked at Haley, "How do I look and did a 360 to show himself."

"You look very handsome, Lucas," Haley said laughing. "When are you going to give her the ring?"

"Tonight, on our date." Lucas answered walking past Haley and over to his computer and clicking on Peyton's webcam. He looked at her drawing for a moment before turning back to Haley, "Should I buy some flowers or something?"

Haley sat down on his bed looking up at the ceiling while thinking. "Oh! I remember her saying her favorite flowers were fuchsia peonies one time. Maybe you could get her some of those down at the florist shop in Wilmington."

Lucas looked down at his watch to see what time it was; it was 3:11 he needed to be back at the café by 5 o'clock. "Okay, I'll do that! I'll drop you off at the café and then I'll go over there and get her some peonies." He picked up his truck keys off of his computer desk and stood up. "You ready to go?"

Haley stood up then, "Yep."

They walked out of his door leading outside and got in his truck. Lucas started the truck and backed out of the driveway and headed towards his mom's café. They got there in no time and he dropped Haley off.

Lucas then headed to Wilmington, just across the river, but the florist was further away than the actual city. Half way there Lucas started to get nervous and have butterflies in his stomach. He exhaled a couple of times, trying to get rid of his anxiety. It didn't work too sufficiently.

He made it to the florist at 4:18; Lucas was making good time so far. Now the tricky part was getting the right flower and color. He saw the worker at the front counter and headed up there, "Um, do you have fuchsia peonies, by any chance?"

The florist nodded his head curtly, "Yes, sir, we do."

"Good, could I get a dozen of those?" Lucas asked as he scratched the back of his head.

The florist immediately went to the back and a couple of minutes later, emerged from the back with a dozen fuchsia peonies tied in a pale yellow ribbon. "Here you go sir. That will be $28.00."

Lucas handed him the money and took the peonies from the florist and left the floral shop. He knew he was going to have to speed to get back there in time for their date. He didn't want her to be mad with him for being late; he wanted this date to be perfect and flawless.

He pulled into a parking spot just a few stores away from the café and he had a couple of minutes left before five. Lucas walked into the café holding the dozen peonies and the promise ring box in his pocket.

Lucas saw Haley up at the counter wiping it down after a man got up from a seat and left. Luke walked over to the seat the man had just gotten up from and took a seat there. "Hey, Hales. Any sign of her yet?"

"Nope," Haley said without looking up from the task at hand.

Lucas looked down at his watch, it was 4:57. She had some time before getting there, no rush. Lucas looked outside to see if any of the passing cars was her classic Mercury, but none of them were. He took a deep breath and let it out, trying to stop himself from being jittery. He didn't notice his mom emerge from the back and come up to him.

"Hey honey, I didn't know you were here." Karen said pouring coffee for one of the customers.

Lucas barely heard her, "Oh, uh, I just got here a minute ago." He kept looking outside every other second seeing if she was coming.

"You seem anxious about something, dear. What's the matter?" Karen asked looking closely at him, trying to find the answer just by his body language.

"Nothing, I just have a date with Peyton." Lucas said easily, not wanting to tell her about the promise ring.

"Then why are you so edgy? It's just Peyton after all!" Karen asked giggling slightly.

"I don't know, I just am." Lucas replied a little testily which made his mom give him her 'watch it' glare. "Sorry," he apologized quickly after seeing it.

Thirty minutes passed and no Peyton. Lucas was starting to get worried about her, he wondered if she was okay. He didn't want to leave just in case of Peyton running late or stay because she could be hurt or something else could be keeping her. He decided to wait another half hour, then go out and look for her.

The half hour came and went and another thirty minutes were about to come to close. Lucas checked his cell for any message, but there wasn't one. Lucas roughly rubbed his face and stood up.

"Hales? If Peyton comes, just tell her I went looking for her, alright?" Lucas asked a little aggressive.

"Yeah, I will. Hey, did something happen last night that would make her not come?" Haley asked concernedly.

"I don't think so. It went like any other night." Lucas said as he opened the door. "I'll see you, Haley."

Lucas jogged over to his truck and got in hurriedly. He started the truck and backed out wildly. He didn't feel angry or disappointed, he was sure she had a good enough reason why she wasn't there. Lucas was more worried than anything.

Lucas sped to her house and got there in a minute flat. He got out of his truck and immediately he heard mellow rock seeping out of her house. He grabbed the peonies off of the passenger seat and walked up to her front door and opened it.

"Hello?" Lucas called upstairs, but the music was too loud for anyone to hear him.

He started to climb the stairs up to the second floor lazily. Lucas wasn't sure what he was going to say, he wasn't mad just a little sour that she didn't tell that she wasn't going to make it. He finally reached the landing and turned left towards her bedroom. Her door was cracked opened slightly. Lucas breathed in deeply before opening the door.

As soon as he opened the door, Lucas wished he never had. The sight blinded him and sent pain and anguish throughout his whole body. His love was kissing someone other than himself, his friend, Jake Jagielski.

Peyton or Jake must have sensed someone else's presence and broke from their kiss and looked back at the door. Peyton's face became pale and her eyes started to well up with tears. She started to move towards Lucas, "Luke, please let me ex-"

Lucas raised his hand for her to stop, "I don't want here it," he said hoarsely. Lucas lifted the fuchsia peonies to show her what he had brought. "These are for you," he tossed the flowers at her feet and they hit just before them. "They're your favorite kind."

Peyton started to explain again, "Please, it's not what it looks l-"

Lucas laughed softly; fury was starting to take over the heartache slightly. "Really, it doesn't look like you were kissing Jake? Because it sure as hell looks like that to me!" Lucas roughly ran his hands through his jagged blonde hair. He fiercely grabbed the promise ring out of his pocket and held the box up. "I thought I would give everything to you today, so here, here's my heart. Here's my life; here's my devotion and compassion! HERE'S MY LOVE FOR YOU!" Lucas shoved the promise ring's box into her limp hand. Lucas had tears glistening in his eyes and his head was spinning. "I love you, Peyton." Lucas shakily whispered and after he did, he ran out of her house. He was running from pain, running from disappointment, running from a broken heart that couldn't ever be mended again.

Author Notes:

Well alrighty then! I hope you all approved of this chapter. I know I'm a little depressed of having to write it, but all's well that ends well. Boo hoo, I did not like writing it since I'm a BIG Leyton fan. Please tell me your thoughts and opinions. Thanks to everyone who has read my fic.