AN: Hey guys, just want to say thanks to Cindy for replying!
Chapter 4
Peyton knocked on Jake's front door, wondering what on earth could be so important that she had to drive over there to hear. She wasn't complaining though. The fact that Jake had called her just to tell her something important and to ask her to come over was still making her smile from ear to ear. She hoped that Jake would open the door soon, it was pouring rain and Peyton didn't want her hair to frizz.
Jake opened the door soon after, looking somewhat nervous. He couldn't help but notice how hot Peyton looked in the rain.
"Peyton, hi," he said, "Come in." Peyton stepped inside the house and Jake closed the door behind her. They walked into the living room and Peyton was immediately taken by the pink baby crib in the corner. She, of course, walked over right away to find a beautiful baby girl asleep. She looked back at Jake who looked very uneasy.
"Jake," she started, "I didn't know you had a si-"Peyton couldn't continue. Jake interrupted her, thinking it was best just to say it all at once.
"She's not my sister, Peyton, she's my daughter." His voice got a little lower as he said that last word, but Peyton still heard him loud and clear. She was so shocked she couldn't move for a little while. She turned back to look at the little girl, then looked back at Jake.
"Is this what you had to tell me?" That was all Peyton could say. She was at a lose of words.
"Yeah, um, if it's too weird for you to be here right now, I understand. I just wanted you to know, because... well, just because." He said nervously.
"Jake, don't be ridiculous. She's beautiful, and I admire that you have been able to be a high school junior and a single father at the same time." The words had escaped her mouth before she even realized what she was saying, "Wait, are you...? Single?" She asked, a little worried. For all she knew, the guy she was crushing on could have two more kids and a wife.
"Oh, yeah, yeah. I'm single." He reassured her. Peyton took a couple steps closer to him. They were about a foot apart.
"Look Jake, I don't know if I'm out of line here, or just imagining things, but... I like you. And from what happened today, from you calling me and me coming over and you telling me all this, I'm guessing that you like me too." Jake was shocked at how much guts Peyton had. Not many people could go up to someone and tell them that they like them. He imagined being in a relationship with Peyton. But in his dreams, one thing was missing. Jenny. He couldn't be like other guys his age. He had a daughter to take care of and he couldn't keep Peyton tied down like that.
"You know, Peyton. I think that... maybe... maybe we should just be friends." He said, and it was the hardest thing he had ever had to say. Being just friends with Peyton was the last thing he wanted to do, but he knew -or at least thought- that it was the right thing to do. If anything could come in the middle of a relationship, that thing was a child. He couldn't juggle a baby and a girlfriend, especially one as special as Peyton. She deserved better than to be put second in his life, and right now, he had no choice but to put Jenny first. She was his responsibility and he couldn't burden Peyton with a responsibility like that.
Peyton was about to say something, she looked a little hurt by his words and confused, but just then someone came through the front door.
"Jake?" Jake's mom called out, coming home from work. She walked into the living room to find her son talking to a girl that, she thought, must go to Tree Hill High. She was happy to see that Jake was making some friends. "Oh, "she said, "I didn't know you had company. I'm Margaret." She held out her hand for Peyton to shake. Peyton took it and tried to fake a smile for her.
"Actually," Peyton started, "I was just leaving. I'll see you around." Before Jake or his mom could say anything, she got up, grabbed her jacket, and was out the door. It was raining even harder now, which she was actually thankful for. Because in the rain, no one could see her tears, which by now were streaming down her face. She tilted her head back so that she could just stand there and feel the drops fall hard on her face. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Everything was going wrong. She knew that she should have just kept her mouth shut! How stupid was she to think that he actually liked her? He didn't really give and hint of it! She should have known... Plus even if he did like her, she wasn't saying that he did, but IF he did, then it would just be too hard, too complicated, what with Jenny and all, right? Would it be, or was that just an excuse? Peyton just had a crush on the guy. She could get over it. Why was she so upset about it? She had said the same thing to numerous guys that were interested in her, it wasn't a big deal! Then, why was she hurting so much?
She had had enough of thinking. She realized that she was still infront of Jake's house and she did the first thing she could think of doing. She ran. She just ran in the rain as fast as she could and only concentrated on her speed, she didn't feel like thinking about Jake or Jenny, or the fact that she could actually imagine herself having a future with both of those people! She had ran a couple of blocks when she heard footsteps fast behind her. She knew who it was without turning back.
Jake was running fast, faster than he ever thought he could. He silently thanked whatever God there is to have given him the ability to run fast. He soon was right behind Peyton. When she heard him behind her she stopped dead in her tracks.
"Jake, what do you want?" She asked not turning around, she couldn't face him. She only now realized that she was completely drenched, from her hair to her clothes.Thankfuly, her shirt was black and not white.
"You left your car infront of our house." Jake said. Of course that was not what he was doing there, but he wasn't so good with words. He didn't quite know what was the right or wrong thing to say. When Peyton turned around, looking a little angry but mostly just sad, he knew that it had been the wrong thing to say.
"I left my car infront of your house?" Peyton repeated his words. "That's why you followed me in the pouring rain for blocks. Just to tell me that I left my car at your house?" The rain blended with her tears, but Jake could tell that she had been crying. He felt like such an idiot for making the only person he had ever felt this way about cry. Jake sighed. For once in his life he deserved a big fat slap in the face, and if he didn't say what was really on his mind fast he was probably going to get one, he thought.
"No, Peyton. I... I followed you 'cuz..." Jake took a deep breath, "'Cuz I lied." He took a couple steps closer to her, and gazed deep into her eyes. She looked confused, so he continued. "I don't just wanna be your friend." Peyton still looked not so happy. Not mad, but not exactly happy either.
"Then what was all that about back at your house, Jake?" She said, getting frustrated. Jake was just so hard to read! She could never tell what he was thinking or what he was meaning when he talked about his feelings.
"I just thought that with Jenny and all... Just that things would get too..." Jake couldn't get the words right. Now that he thought about it, he couldn't really understand what his logic was back at his house when he said they should just be friends.
"Complicated." Peyton finished for him.
"Yeah. And I don't know if you know, but if we get into a relationship then you will be burdened with so much responsibility what with Jenny and all, and I can't ask you to compromise your whole life just to be with me." Jake said, trying to make sense.
"You never asked me to! I volunteered! Jake, it's nice of you to be concerned about me, but don't you think it's up to me to decide if I want the responsibility to be in a relationship with you and with Jenny? I want this. I know that it'll be different from the other guys I've been out with, but that's what I like about you. I fell for you for who you are, you having a daughter doesn't change the way I feel about you. And I understand that you might need more space or time or anything because of Jenny, but I just want to be with you! I don't care if I need to be responsible or compromise my whole life! I just want to be with you!" Peyton looked at the man she had just poured her heart out too. He looked like he wanted her as much as she wanted him, but she could never he sure. She really wanted to kiss him, he looked so good in the rain, and he had a look in his eyes... wanting maybe? Peyton sure hoped it was, but just to make sure, she said: "So... you've heard me side... What's going on in your head, Jake?" She looked at him hopefully.
"Peyton, you have no idea how happy you just made me. And you have no idea how much I want you. God, I don't care if I have to scream it at the top of my lungs, or if I have to compete with all those other guys at school, or if I have to spend the rest of my life trying to convince you that I want you so bad, because I am willing to try anything... ANYTHING to be with you." He stated, with full confidence. He tried to spill his heart out and put it into words and even if it didn't make her as happy as her words did to him, he was happy that he had finally gotten it off his chest.
Oh wow, Peyton thought. She couldn't remember a time in her life that was more romantic. She felt like her heart was soaring all around inside her chest. She felt like it was all a dream that she was dreading waking up from. But when she reached up to kiss him, she knew that it wasn't a dream, it was for real, and she couldn't have been more happy about it. Jake kissed her back so hard she felt like she was going to fall over backwards, but his arms were wrapped firmly around her waist, which stopped her from falling. She snaked her arms around his neck and they continued to kiss, neither one ever wanted to let go.
"Nathan we need to study," Haley said between kisses, trying to be serious. But the role of strict tutor never seemed to fit her, especially when the person she was tutoring was her gorgeous new boyfriend. He kissed her more deeply, letting his tongue slip into her mouth. Of course, she shut up and kissed him back, how could she not? But to her dismay, it was ended before she knew if when Nathan pulled back.
"Ok, so let's study!" He said. She knew that he was teasing her. It was always like this. Their tutoring sessions consisted of making out, then Haley wanting to study, then him leaving her wanted to make out again. He sure knew how to keep her wanting more. She laughed at herself for thinking that she could pull herself together. Ever since her and Nathan had gotten together, she wasn't able to think completely straight. She had had a couple little crushes before, but this was different. She loved the fact that, he could have anyone he wanted, yet for some reason he wanted her.
Nathan's head was still spinning from the effects of the mind-blowing kisses him and Haley shared. He was completely head over heals. With all the other girls he had dated, he never got butterflies in his stomach like he did with Haley. But most of all, he loved that Haley, someone so determined and ambition, saw something in him, someone so disfunctional and confused. Especially now in his life, everything going on with his Dad and Mom, Haley was the only thing he had, besides basketball. And man, did she know how to make things better. Not just by making out, even though that was great, but by just being near him. He knew it sounded stupid, but it was something about her presence that made him feel... safe, was it? He didn't know, but it felt so right, he didn't want it to ever go away.