Denial overwhelms you. It grasps deep inside, and it presses up against you, until you let it go. Denial will not let you go, however, until you completely surrender to it.
"I am completely in love with Brooke," Lucas spit out after dropping an "I love you" to her as well. How in the world was she supposed to respond to that? It wasn't like the classic, fairytale love story she remembered from her past "relationship"- if you would even call it that.She had been getting kind of used to not fighting anymore for love. It had been right at her fingertips, and she seized it at the first chance she could; only because she needed the reassurance. After a disastrous screw up with Lucas, she desired a boy where she could say she loves him, and he would console her with returning her words.
Everyone had praised her relationship with Jake, especially her best friend. Her heart grew more attached to Jake as she had planned, but she never once overlooked Lucas. It's been said that, "You never forget your first true love," and her situation proved that to be truth.
"Peyton," she heard faintly, but still did not awake from her state of daydreaming. "Peyton, are you there? Give me a call back when you get this; or no, forget that, just come over."
The click of the phone in the message finally alerted Peyton. She set down her sketching book, and she listened to the message again.
"I just don't know what to do." Peyton could barely distinguish the words in the midst of her best friend's sobs. She, tensely, however, held her friend in her arms knowing that she had no consoling words in return. "I watch the way he treats you, Peyton, compared to how he acts around me. He'll say he's 'in love' with me, but he never shows it. I guess what I'm saying is, is it really worth it?"
What was she to do? Her best friend needed her empathy, or something to assure her that Peyton would never again get in the way of Brooke's relationship with Lucas. But what could Peyton promise?
I don't want to hurt her…I really don't. It was the only thing crossing Peyton's mind, but why wasn't she able to secure Brooke's doubts with that response?
"Brooke, I…" Brooke burst out into tears with only the beginning of Peyton's reply, but Peyton, after a deep breath, ignored the weeps and continued. "Brooke, I…I don't want to hurt you, but…" Peyton couldn't find the words, and the tears forming in her own eyes were not helping her.
"But…?"
"But, Brooke…I'm sorry. I can't do this." Peyton grabbed her coat as she turned her back, feeling her eyes swell up. She dashed out of the room before Brooke could even get a chance to catch her.
