Chapter 3:
Peyton took a long walk after what just happened at Lucas' room. She was starting to think that she had made a mistake. The question is… what was her mistake? Following Jake when he told her to face Lucas? Fighting for Lucas (causing her best friend to leave)? Or being too curious about Jake's return? Does he still love Jake? What about Lucas? She loved them both, but every time she was with Jake, she'd think of Lucas, and every time she was with Lucas, she'd think of Jake?
Lucas, on the other hand, was driving away. He didn't have a destination. He just wanted to clear his head after pondering on the questions bothering him. He felt so angry at Jake and at Peyton as well. He wished so hard that Jake didn't have to come back. He also wished that Peyton had been sure that she really chose Lucas instead of Jake, or vice versa. This way, she's just making the two of them hope.
Peyton went home to find Jake waiting on her doorstep. Her face lit up. For the first time on that day, she showed a sincere and big smile. "Jake!"
Jake melted inside to see Peyton's smile. "Peyton…" He said softly with a smile.
"What are you doing here?" Peyton sat down beside him as she asked him that question.
"Honestly… I don't know." He laughed at his stupidity, going to Peyton's house, knowing she and Lucas are together now. "I'm… sorry… I shouldn't have come here… In fact I shouldn't have come to Tree Hill." He got up hesitantly.
Peyton didn't want Jake to leave. She felt an ease inside her, in Jake's presence. So she quickly got up and held Jake's hand. "Wait Jake. Please don't leave."
Jake's heart jumped upon hearing Peyton say these words. He turned around and saw Peyton's begging eyes and smiling lips. He couldn't say no to this heart melting sight. "What am I gonna do here Peyton?"
"Maybe… We can just talk or something. Come on."
"Ok…" Jake could not reject that offer. He figured that if he won't ever see Peyton again, he had to make the most out of the time he has left.
"Why don't you come in?" Peyton took him by the hand, and led him inside the house.
They sat down at the couch in the living room. There was a long silence between the two.
"Want some food or drink or anything?" Peyton asked to break the ice.
"I don't know. You decide."
"Ok." Peyton got up and went to the kitchen. She came back with 3 cans of sodas and 2 bags of junk food. "These are all we have right now. But they're good!" She laughed as she put all the food and beverages on the table.
"I know. I love junk food." Jake said with a little laugh as well.
"So…" Peyton had a lot of questions. "Did you really come here to check on me and Lucas?"
Jake was caught off guard by the question. "Uh… Yeah. Of course. I see you two hooked up. I'm happy for you." He tried to smile, but after about two seconds, he looked away and took a sip on his soda.
Peyton felt hurt that Jake felt happy that she and Lucas were on. "So that's it?" She couldn't help her emotions. "You came all the way from Savannah to see if we hooked up? Let me ask you something Jake… did you think we hooked up before you came to Tree Hill?" She was feeling angry and sad at the same time.
Jake was stunned by Peyton's sudden outburst of emotions. "What?" He said trying to laugh off the situation.
"Just answer the question Jake."
Jake couldn't lie to Peyton. He loved her too much to see her like this. She needed the truth and he knew that. He closed his eyes, looking down. Then he opened his eyes and looked Peyton straight in the eye… "No… In fact, I didn't come here to check on the two of you. I cam here to apologize to you…tell you how sorry I am for…making you come here. And I gotta tell you… seeing you and Lucas break down when you saw me…" He paused because it really did hurt him to feel unwanted especially by Peyton. "That just made me so… regretful… I realized that doing what I did, would have to be the most stupid mistake I've done."
Peyton was…in shock, but she was also happy to hear this. She didn't realize that she was starting to smile. It was like a reflex action to hearing Jake say those words. "Jake." She said, cupping his right cheek with her hand. Jake was in awe. He didn't know how to react to this. He was relieved and thankful, and at the same time, he knew that what he did was really selfish, knowing Lucas and Peyton are together now. "Jake… you don't know how happy you just made me…"
"Peyton… this is wrong…" Jake said, holding Peyton's hand, taking it off his cheek. He took her other hand and said, "Peyton…I'm too late… We can't…"
"Jake…" She knew Jake was right but she didn't want him to be… but what could she do?
"Peyton… If I'm the one for you, and you for me… Then… maybe… we'll find each other some day, when the right time comes…" He kissed her hand as they both started to tear up.
Peyton started to cry as she nodded her head, in agreement with what Jake just said. Then, she hugged him tight as they both cried in each other's arms.
This moment was really important to them. This might be the last time they will see each other in a long time. Too bad, someone won't understand their reasons, because he loved Peyton too much. That someone is Lucas. Who can blame him? He has sacrificed so much for this girl already. To know that she still loves Jake and she wants Jake to love her too… would crush him.
Now…Lucas is hurting. He's devastated. He feels betrayed and crushed because he just saw what happened between Jake and Peyton, from Peyton's window. He saw Jake's bike earlier, so he wanted to know what was going on… He wanted to know if he could trust Peyton and Jake, but… found out he couldn't. Sure, they didn't kiss, but there was no lie in Peyton or Jake's eyes. With the way they communicated, how could he not feel jealous?