Chapter Ninety-One: Cliché

"Ryan?" called Jake, entering the house one afternoon. He dropped the mail and casually sifted through it. Bills, advertisements, a magazine.

He paused as he found the last item of male. A plain white envelope adressed in a familiar script.

Jake,

I wouldn't love you as much as I do if I knew you didn't know. But maybe you don't know. I love you, Jake. I always have. I'm sorry for the heartache I've caused you. Maybe I should have just stayed out of your life? I don't think I would have been able to. I don't know how I'm going to do now.

Right, I haven't told you yet. I'm leaving. I'm taking a gap year in Europe. By the time you read this, I'll be already gone. How dramatic is that?

I never would have gotten here without you. You've been with me every step of the way. Even when I didn't want you there, even when you wanted to leave, you've followed me. It's time for us to both walk alone.

I can't believe I'm writing this. I can't believe I've finally stopped fighting. I used to imagine our wedding, Jakey. Back in the old days, I did it all the time.

It'll never be over. I promise you. I'll love you forever, but don't you dare love me forever. Don't you dare, Jacob Jagielski. You deserve more. You deserve to escape, like I'm trying to do. For God' sakes, let yourself be happy.

All my love, for the last,

Your Peyt

Jake stared down at the letter for a few seconds. God, had he really stopped fighting for her? He grabbed his wallet up again and ran out the door.

Hailing a taxi, he made it to the airport in record time. He ran to the international departures gate and looked around until he spotted her familiar curly head.

"PEYTON!" he yelled. She turned, smiled almost expectantly.

He put his arms around her when he reached her, and she settled herself into his comforting embrace.

"God, don't go. I love you so much. We'll work it out," he said fervently.

"We won't," she said, smiling sadly. He pressed his lips on to hers, and they kissed slowly and longingly.

"Please."

"Nothing's keeping me here. I've way outstayed my welcome. I want your life to be good again," she said. As another boarding call was made, she leaned up to kiss his cheek.

"My life's never good without you," he said. She chuckled.

"Liar."

He stared in horror as she walked toward the exit.

"Peyton!" he called out again in anguish.

Peyton slowly turned to look at him once last time.

"She loves you, you know." Peyton retreated a few steps backward and further out of his reach. "Go for it."

He stared for a few more seconds until she had disappeared.

What an idiot he'd been. They could have made things work. Why had he slept with Davis? Why had she slept with Christian? Why did they let each other hurt them? He pulled out his wallet and thumbed through the pictures he kept there. Family photos of each clan of Scotts, a picture of him and Ryan. The oldest one was a picture of him, Haley Brooke and Peyton at their graduation. How had they managed to lose sight of each other so quickly?

He remembered how happy he'd been the night she'd promised to love him forever. The same night that they'd first made love. Tender yet passionate love making. Nothing like he'd had before or since. Nothing like he was ever likely to have again.

He thought of the other blonde, waiting for him at home. Peyton had said "She loves you." Surely she hadn't meant Ryan? Though thinking of Ryan in that light wasn't exactly unpleasing, it still didn't set right with him. Only partially because he'd seen what Nathan had done to many of Ryan's exes.

Jake didn't know where to go next. He could flee from the arms of his ex lover into the arms of his potential. It wasn't fair to either. He couldn't mope to Haley or to Brooke, who had problems of their own.

Suddenly, and with a surprising wave of longing, he thought of their earliest days. The days from grade five to grade twelve, where they'd been inseperable. Boyfriend and girlfriend had come and gone, but it had come down to their friendship over all else. Always. Now suddenly, they weren' strong enough any more. Except it wasn't sudden. It had been building for years.

His mind flashed once again to her words-"She loves you, you know."

It was a good method of getting his mind off of her.

What did Peyton know that he didn't?