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Peyton tipped the cab driver, grabbed her bag and entered the seedy motel. After she had secured a room for the night and dropped her stuff off in it, she walked down the sidewalk to the bar that was attached to the motel. Peyton stifled as laugh as she watched the neon lights that spelled out "The Hole" flicker off so that they simple read "The Ho". It was almost as if the bar was welcoming her.
Peyton slowly made her way through the crowd of people. The bar was dark and smoky, with raunchy music playing on the jukebox. She made her way to the bar and waited for a bartender to come and take her order. As she waited, she scanned the crowd, unsure if she hoped to see any familiar faces or not.
"Are you buying, or am I charging you rent for that seat, Blondie?" A familiar voice asked. Peyton turned towards the bar, shocked to see who was tending the bar.
"Rachel?" Peyton asked, grinning at the fiery red head.
"Shut up skank." Rachel Gatina laughed as she leaned over the bar to hug Peyton.
"Whatever, whore!" Peyton replied. Rachel winked as she grabbed two shot glasses, a full bottle of whiskey and slid over the bar onto the barstool beside Peyton.
"We can have a drink while we catch up." Rachel said as she poured two shots, downed hers and passed one to Peyton. Peyton swirled the whiskey in the glass before throwing hers back as well. The alcohol burned all the way down her throat.
"So what brings you here?" Rachel asked, already pouring a second shot.
"Drama, what else?" Peyton replied, throwing her hands up. This was still Tree hill, after all.
"Of course. Whose boyfriend did you steal this time, ho?" Rachel joked, sliding Peyton a second shot. Peyton opened her mouth to defend herself, before realizing that Rachel wasn't too far off the mark.
"Lindsey's." Peyton replied, downing her second shot.
"Lindsey huh? Let me guess, she's dating Lucas Scott?" Rachel asked knowingly. Peyton raised an eyebrow, marveling at Rachel's newfound psychic abilities.
"Are you stalking me?" Peyton asked, half-seriously.
"Please. If I was going to swing that way, I'd find a way hotter chick than you, Sawyer. I just know you. If you were willing to sacrifice your friendship with Brooke for Lucas, then he must be the one for you." Rachel nodded, forgoing the shot glass in favor of swigging from the bottle.
"What about you? Why are you tending bar in this place?" Peyton asked, ready to be out of the spotlight.
"It's fun. I get all the free alcohol and ass that I want." Rachel said simply. With Rachel, there never had to be a complicated thought process behind her actions. She did what felt good and took no prisoners.
"This isn't a nice place though. You deserve better." Peyton said seriously. She had always imagined Rachel as larger than life. Bartending in a small town did not fit the image that Peyton had of her.
"No, I don't. But you do. Go back to your life Sawyer. I'm betting that Lucas knows that he's the one for you. He'll come around." Rachel said, gathering up the now-empty bottle of whiskey and the shot glasses. She gave Peyton a sad smile before she climbed back over the bar.
"I'm calling you a cab. Go home." She added, as she flipped open her cell and dialed. Peyton sat there, thinking about what Rachel had said. She wanted to believe that Rachel was right, that Lucas would come around. She had seen the way he had looked at her tonight. She knew that he still loved her. She just had to wait until he decided to stop lying to himself. She grabbed her purse and waved to Rachel, who was already flirting with some random guy.
As she got back into the cab, she promised herself that she would start playing fair. She wanted Lucas back, but she wanted him to come back to her all on his own.