Chapter 13

"Love Should be a Crime"

Peyton sat at a picnic table in the park and stared at her sketch of Lucas. She felt horrible for betraying him the way she had, but she felt so much for Jake. She was so confused right now; her head was telling her not to betray Lucas, but her heart was screaming for her to choose Jake.

"Hey Peyton."

She looked up to see Jake sitting across for her. "Hey yourself," she stated with a smile.

"What's that?" Jake asked pointing to the sketch she was holding.

Peyton quickly stuck it in sketchbook, and put the book in her messenger bag. "It's a summer reading list," she said, "Nothing I want to deal with right now."

"I hear you," Jake replied. "Have you told Lucas about us yet?'

"No, and I don't plan on telling him."

"That's not right, Peyton."

"Jake, you can't tell him…I'm begging you."

"Alright…fine, but I don't like it."

"What's going on here?"

Peyton and Jake both looked up to see Lucas standing there. He kissed Peyton on the cheek, and then sat down next to her. "I've missed you," Peyton said.

"I've missed you too," Lucas replied.

Jake cleared his throat and Peyton smiled at him. "Lucas, do you know Jake?" she asked.

Lucas nodded his head. "We had biology together last year."

Jake slapped hands with Lucas. "How've you been? I heard about your mother."

"I'm hanging in there; Peyton's really helped me deal with everything, and so have Nathan and Haley."

"How is Nathan doing?" Jake asked.

"He's gone to High Flyers for the summer," Lucas replied.

"That's great…I've always known that he'd get into there," Jake stated. Then he rose to his feet. "I should get back to Jenny now. I'll see you guys later."

"Tell Jenny I said hi, and give her a kiss for me," Peyton said.

"I will."

When Jake was gone Lucas wrapped his arms around Peyton. "So what do you want to do today?" he asked.

"I have to go home and do some things for my father," Peyton blurted out. She really couldn't bear to be around Lucas right now.

Lucas nodded his head in understanding. "Can I call you later?"

"Yeah." Peyton rose to her feet. "Bye."

"Bye," Lucas responded. He watched her walk away. She looked so beautiful as her blonde curls bounced with every step she took.

Lucas returned home to find Dan and Deb arguing again. Since Nathan left it seemed that all they did was argue. They fought about anything and everything. Sometimes they fought about him, but other times they fought about stupid things like who ate the last of the cookies. Lucas wasn't even sure what they were fighting about this time, but he thought he heard his name come up at least once.

They were so into their argument that they didn't hear him come in, so he went up to his bedroom. He turned on the TV, but he could still hear their arguing. He lay on his bed and covered his head with his pillow in hopes of drowning out their yelling. When that didn't work he went over to his dresser and popped two pills.

Peyton had lied when she told Lucas she had to do some things for her father. The truth was she needed some time to sort out her feelings. She cared for Lucas, but she didn't feel that spark she felt whenever she was with Jake. She knew that if she told Lucas the truth it would break him, and she didn't want to do that. She heard a knock on her door, and was expecting to see Lucas, but was surprised when she saw Jake standing there.

"Jake...what are you doing here?" she asked.

"I had to see you. I can't stay away from you. I want you so bad, Peyton."

"I want to be with you too, Jake."

Jake leaned in and planted a long, soft, kiss on Peyton's lips. It felt so right for both of them. They finally pulled apart. "Do you want me to stop?" Jake asked.

Peyton shook her head. She wanted more. She wanted to be with him, and she didn't want anything to get in her way. Jake picked her up and carried her up the stairs to her bedroom. When they reached the bedroom Peyton pulled his shirt off and then pushed him onto the bed where they continued their make out session.

Lucas couldn't stand to be in the house anymore. Dan and Deb had been arguing for over and hour, and he couldn't take it anymore. The arguing was ruining his buzz from the pills; he had to get out of there. He found himself standing on Peyton's front porch. He knocked twice, but didn't get an answer. He figured that she had her music on so loud that she didn't hear him. He decided to enter and go upstairs.

When he entered the house he found two pairs of shoes in front of the door. One pair belonged to Peyton and the other was guy's sneakers. He ignored the sneakers as he walked up the stairs. He found Peyton's door shut so he knocked and then entered. "Peyton, I…"

He stopped when he got a sick feeling in his stomach as he saw Peyton and a shirtless Jake making out on her bed. Peyton broke free from Jake and gasped when she saw Lucas. She didn't want him to find out like this. She got out of her bed and approached him. Her heart was breaking when she the tears forming in his eyes. He looked defeated.

"Lucas, I'm so sorry."

She reached out to him but he pulled away. "Don't touch me," he drawled before running out of the room.

When Lucas was gone Peyton sat back down on the bed and covered her face with her hands. "What have I done?"

This chapter is titled after the song "Love Should be a Crime" by O-town