I'm sorry for the wait. Major writers block. Once again, it's SUMMER! Therefore, more updates from me.
Love, Emily.
Day one.
"Welcome back P. Sawyer," she felt a hand graze across her back briefly and turned around instinctively to see Brooke walking past, looking back toward her with a small smile on her face. "Alright everyone, let's get started!" Brooke's voice traveled through the gym as the group in front of them began stretching. "Peyton, I don't want you doing anything yet, just watch to see if you can try to get the new stuff we've done learned."
"Welcome back Peyton…" Bevin and Haley both smiled at her before turning their attention back to what Brooke was directing them to do.
Peyton nodded in response with a smile and took a place on the bleachers, watching the squad do what she had once taken for granted, something she wished more than anything to have back. Something she needed to have back, the only certainty she had left in her life had become cheerleading. It was no longer Brooke, and it was no longer Lucas. Both of those were screwed up, only one, Brooke, slowly becoming more manageable while the situation with Lucas seemed to be doing nothing except worsening. Neither of the two knew what to say, and neither of them saw themselves at enough fault to have to apologize.
She heard the gym doors open, followed by the voices of some of the basketball team and looked over toward the sound. Nathan immediately caught her eye and smiled, Peyton soon after returning his welcoming gesture. She found herself staring, thinking about Lucas, dazing off into her own thoughts on how basketball had just altered the one thing she wanted-Lucas. That was until she saw Lucas walk out as well, dressed and ready to practice. Their eyes locked as she stared at him, hurt, disappointment crossing into her expression. He always saw through her eyes. His expression was blank, and it remained so until he saw her gather her things and begin to leave.
"Peyto-" Slam. Brooke looked over toward Lucas before turning back to her squad, partially annoyed at her seeming lack of dedication. They were the only two that even noticed she left, but Lucas was the only one who knew why. He was the one who caused it.
"Coach, I'll be right back, I forgot my wrist guard in my locker."
"Five minutes, Scott, or you're running laps!" Lucas nodded and took off out the doors he had just seen Peyton leave from.
"Peyton!"
Just ignore him, the thought circling her head, at the same time, just wanting nothing more than to run back to him, like everything was okay.
"Peyt-"
"What do you want, Lucas?" She forcefully shoved his hand off her arm as she turned around to face him. Silence. "You know what, I don't have time for this bullshit, and since you don't listen to a damn thing your mom or I say, then just go back to practice."
"Why are you still pissed about that?"
"You know what Lucas, seriously, just go back to practice, and when you end up in the hospital, you can just blame me for that too since everything that has anything to do with your heart condition seems to be my fault!" Her tone was harsh and bitter, somewhat surprising him.
"I don't blame you for anything except the fact that my mom knows now! You assed your way into something that was my deal, not yours."
"Oh, right, watching you slowly kill yourself would have absolutely no effect on me!" Sarcasm filled her voice, also at the same time trying to fight back tears. "Wake up, Lucas, and grow up. I can't believe you'd still be this selfish after you've heard Haley and I talk to you about this, both worried about you, and after your mom specifically told you to stop!" How could he be so clueless. "And how could I have assed my way into something that you told me!"
"Yeah and you ran off to my mom after I specifically told you to give me time! Now who's selfish? You want to point fingers, then quit fucking pointing them at just me. Do you think I don't know what I could be doing to myself by not stopping basketball?" He was yelling at her, in the middle of the school parking lot, and he was already past five minutes.
"Then stop, Lucas! It's simple!"
"That's bullshit and you know it." He slammed his fist into the back of her car in frustration.
She stared at him with glassy eyes before pulling out her keys and getting into the driver's seat.
"Great, just fucking leave…that's great, Peyton." He turned away from her quickly, nodding slowly to himself. She started the car and drove off quickly, leaving him staring behind her, wanting the same things she wanted when he first began chasing after her. Just wanting to be able to hold her again like before. Just wanting to erase his heart condition.
For it all to be normal.
He walked back into the school, slower than he should have, imagining how many laps he'd be running soon, more so thinking about Peyton. He was way over five minutes, and having an unknown heart condition to Whitey wouldn't enable him to go easy on the numbers. When he got to the gym, the team was running their own laps, while Whitey was standing next to another familiar face---Haley.
"Lucas, we need to talk." Whitey called after him and began walking into his office.
Lucas froze, stared at Haley, saw the expression on her face, and walked after Whitey toward the office, never leaving Haley's glare.
