I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
Like a new born baby it just happens every day
When he woke up, he had the same smile. She was pressed against him, and he lay there indulging himself in the feel of her body.
Drawing a deep breath, he caught the familiar scent of jasmine that always seemed to linger around her.
When his body tautened in response he knew he had to put distance between them. He pulled back, trying to gently untangle her body from his.
He stopped when he heard her throaty "No". She stirred seeking his warmth.
He quickly got off the bed, turning back to cover her up. He leaned down and pressed a light kiss on her forehead.
She pulled at the covers, content again. He glanced at the clock, 6:30, they had slept for almost an hour. But he knew she needed more.
He decided to run out, knowing he had to hurry to beat her before she woke up. He walked toward the door, pausing to glance over his shoulder at her.
She looked so peaceful lying there, his heart ached. With a sigh, he turned and left the room.
"Hey Mom" he yelled as he walked into his bedroom. He went straight for his closet and pulled down a gym bag. His eyes fell on it…
"Hey whazzz up?" his mom quipped from the doorway of his room.
"Mom" he whined poking his head out of the closet "I thought we talked about that"
She stuck her tongue out at him and advanced further in the room. He ducked back in the closet and grabbed a pair of jeans and a shirt.
"Fine" he heard her concede. He was shoving clothes the bag when she walked up to the closet.
"What's wrong, Lucas" she said with concern
"I'm fine Mom" he assured her looking up at her.
He could hear the relieved breath she expelled as she sat down on the bed. "So what is going on?" she gestured toward the bag.
He sat the bag down on the floor "It's Peyton"
The alarm came back to her face and he quickly continued "Her and Brooke got into a fight, a bad one"
"What happened?" Karen questioned
"Well, I don't really know I just got there in time to hear the last of it" he paused to run his hand through his hair spiking it up even more "to hear Brooke say something very nasty to Peyton" he glanced down.
"Lucas I am sorry, I know that had to be hard to see. What did you do?" she searched his face.
"I made Brooke leave and I stayed with Peyton, she is pretty destroyed Mom" he finished sadly.
"So why did you leave her?"
"Because she was asleep, and I needed to tell you were I was, what was going on. And" he grinned at her "I needed to ask you if I could stay with her tonight."
Karen drew a deep breath and started to shake her head. "Please" he pouted "she is all alone, her dad is gone again, and she has no one"
He could see his mom weakening, she always had a soft spot for Peyton. "Mom she needs a friend" he pleaded.
"And you don't think Brooke will come back to work things out" she looked doubtfully at him.
"No Mom, you didn't hear her. I saw a side of her that I haven't seen in a long time" he frowned
Karen stood up from the bed and reached out to touch his shoulder. "Lucas, don't jump to conclusions, you said yourself that you didn't hear the whole argument" she rubbed her hand up and down his arm "How do you know Peyton hadn't said something equally harsh to Brooke?"
He shook his head "No she didn't, I didn't have to be there, Peyton doesn't have a cruel bone in her body" he said with certainty.
His mom nodded, "You are right, she doesn't" expelling a breath. "Okay, you can stay" he hugged her.
"Thanks Mom" he turned and picked up the bag. He grabbed a couple more things, put them in the bag and started toward the door.
"Lucas" she called to him "Take care of her"
He never looked back. She heard his "I will" just before the door shut behind him.
Peyton woke up knowing he wasn't beside her. Sitting up in the bed, she looked around the room. "Lucas" she called.
No response. He was definitely gone. Probably to look for Brooke, she thought sadly. She didn't blame him really, it just hurt. He had said he would be here when she woke up.
She got up from the bed and went into the bathroom. Turning on the faucet, she cupped her hands under the water. Why was she so upset?
She hadn't wanted him to stay.. She told him to go.
"But you didn't want him to" she muttered as she splashed the water on her face. Grabbing a towel, she pressed it to her face and walked out of the bathroom.
"I've got food" a voice startled her. She squealed and dropped the towel.
He was standing in the doorway with a bag slung over his shoulder and take out in his hands.
"Sorry" he chuckled "Guess you didn't hear me come in" he walked over to the bed to put the bags down.
"No screaming like a girl is my new Hello" she said sarcastically, trying to calm the butterflies in her stomach.
He hadn't left her, she couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face.
"Ha, Ha," he retorted looking back at her, seeing her smile made him smile.
Neither of them moved, they just stood there lost in each other. Peyton was the first to break the contact, looking away she walked over to the end of the bed.
"Food? Great let's dig in" she reached out to grab one of the paper sacks, when his hand shot out and grabbed hers.
Her eyes snapped up to look at him "First things first" he said in a low tone that made her heart skip a beat.
"I need to get out of these clothes" he flashed a grin and her heart stopped this time.
Her mouth fell open "Huh?" she squeaked
"Peyton, I have been in this tux about 6 hours too long" he let go of her arm.
She could feel the blush crawl up her neck. "Some of us didn't get to come home and change" his mouth twisting up in one corner.
She would have sworn her face was on fire, she groaned inwardly. "Sorry, I didn't realize" she stammered looking down.
"Hey" he reached out and hooked his finger under her chin to pull it up so he could look at her "I was just messing with you"
Struggling to get a grip on her emotions, she forced a smile to her face "I know, but you are messing with my grub time" she cracked cocking her head at him.
His hand fell away as he laughed at her "I am so sorry" he looked at her "Can you give me 15 minutes" he questioned still grinning at her.
With an exasperated sigh, she looked at him "I guess. But if you're not done by then I am starting without you" She joked turning away from him to walk to the desk.
"Yes Ma'am!" he retorted clicking his heels and saluting her "15 minutes on the dot, ma'am"
She picked up a pen and threw it at him. He easily ducked it "Hey" he exclaimed pointing his finger at her.
She laughed and pointed her finger back at him "You started it" He just laughed again and walked into the bathroom.
Peyton heard the door click and let out the breath she had been holding. She was going to have to get a grip on herself. I am acting like a fool, she chided herself.
Something sure smelt good, she thought as she glanced over to the bed. "Well this is going to be interesting" she muttered as she stared at the gym bag still lying were he had left it.
Turning of the water and pulling back the curtain, Lucas grinned. He was going to have time to spare. He quickly dried off and stepped out of the shower. His grin faded as he looked around for his bag.
"Shit" he grumbled, wrapping the towel around his waist.
"Hey Peyton" he weakly called out. When she didn't answer he walked toward the door. "Peyton" he called louder.
When she still didn't reply, he made up his mind to just go out and get the damn thing. Maybe she had fallen back asleep, he thought as he turned the door knob. He held his breath as he opened the door.
A piece of paper rustling caught his attention. Taped to the door was a note:
Forgetful much? Didn't want you to strain yourself
trying to impress me with your muscles, so I'll be downstairs.
He laughed out loud, he was going to get her for that. He retrieved the bag and walked back into the bathroom.
Opening the cabinet, Peyton pulled out two plates and fought the urge to go rip the note down. When she wrote it she was trying to be casual, funny, but she knew it just wound up sounding goofy.
Sighing, she placed the plates on the table and turned to the counter. Pulling the drawer open she grabbed two forks and realized she didn't even know what they were eating.
Tossing the forks down beside the plates, she opened one of the bags. The smell of garlic hit her in the face.
Wrinkling her nose she reached into the bag, he would never know. Just then she heard Lucas coming down the stairs, she pulled her had back guiltily.
When he turned the corner she was sitting in the chair, looking a little too innocent. He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes.
"You nibbled, didn't you?"
With a dramatic gasp, she huffed "I did not! How dare you imply that I am not a woman of my word"
He looked skeptically at her "You thought about it though"
"Whatever" she sighed "you don't know me" she fell into their usual banter.
"Oh yes I do" he grinned walking over to stand next to her.
She smiled up at him "Enough jabber, I am starving"
He laughed and opened the other bag, he pulled out a flimsy metal container with a logo she recognized. She gasped "Is that from Demo's?"
He looked over at her with a twinkle in his eye and nodded.
"I have been wanting to try that place"
"I know, I heard you tell Haley the other day" He didn't look up, he was pulling the bread from the bag.
She stared at him. "You remembered"
He stopped and looked longingly at her "I remember lots of things"
Her breath caught in her throat and she quickly looked away. Fidgeting she got up and walked over to the fridge. "Coke?" she asked avoiding his gaze.
Lucas could have kicked himself, he hadn't meant to say that it just slipped out. "Yeah" he grinned wanting to lighten the mood "Ready to eat until we are sick?"
"Oh hell yeah" she returned "Catch" she tossed the coke at him.
"Hey Peyton" he started as he loaded both of their plates with lasagna "I heard you went to see Jake, how is he?" he questioned, needing the reminder of Jake to keep his emotions in check.
"He is good" she nodded looking at her plate as he sat it down in front of her.
"So how are you two" he probed sensing that something was not right.
"We're good." She nodded,
"So Pete?" he jabbed
"Pete was a momentary diversion from reality" she sighed "You know what I mean?"
He nodded looking her in the eyes "All to well"
She smiled quickly changing the subject "let's eat", she cut in to her lasagna and brought it to her mouth. "Mmmm" she closed her eyes.
"Good?" he chuckled
"Mmm Hmm" she grunted as she brought another fork full up to her mouth. He just grinned and turned his attention back to his own food.
The rest of the meal was quiet. They talked now and then about random things, but for the most part they both just enjoyed the comfortable silence.