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The sunlight pouring through the window felt heavenly to Peyton's slightly chilled skin. That thought caused Peyton to bolt upright in bed. The sudden realization that she wasn't wearing any pajamas caused some concern. She glanced down and saw Lucas's sleeping form beside her and the glorious dream that she thought she had been having crashed headlong into reality.
"Good morning," Lucas said, groaning softly. Peyton felt her cheeks growing warm as his gaze traveled the length of her. She quickly pulled the sheet up to her neck.
"Um, hi," she sputtered, her nerves from last night making a quick return.
"I think we're a little past pleasantries," Lucas said with a grin. Peyton nodded, an embarrassed smile on her face.
"Although I don't think we ever made it to why you showed up on doorstep in the middle of the night," Lucas said as he climbed out of bed and threw on some clothes.
"Oh, well, I thought that was pretty obvious," Peyton said with a small laugh. Lucas continued to give her that intense, "Lucas Scott" stare.
"I love you, Lucas. There hasn't been a day that's passed since we broke up that I haven't loved you. I thought I could handle being around you again, but I can't. I see you with Lindsey and all I can picture is spending the rest of my life loving you, alone. I don't want that future to become a reality, Luke. I want to be with you," Peyton said, almost pleading with him to love her. Lucas let out a ragged breath. Peyton searched his eyes for some small speck of hope, but found none.
"I love you too, Peyton, but I can't…. I can't be what you need me to be, right now. I should have told you last night, but I'm going to New York, to Lindsey," Lucas said painfully, as if it hurt him to speak those words. Peyton felt the color draining from her face.
"What the hell, Luke? How can you sit there and tell me that you're going to chase after Lindsey, after we slept together!" Peyton said angrily. Her thoughts were flowing a mile a minute, but one stood out among the rest: He'd used her; Lucas Scott had used her.
"I'm sorry. Last night, I don't, I don't know what I was thinking. It was a mistake, it shouldn't have happened," Lucas said, shaking his head. Peyton quickly threw her clothes on and rounded the bed, standing face to face with him.
Before she could stop herself, her opened hand was connecting with Luke's cheek.
"You're right; this was all a huge mistake. One I won't make ever again," She hissed. Without so much as another glance, Peyton turned and walked away. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lucas's reflection in the mirror. He sank down onto the bed and raked his hands through his messy hair. Peyton fought the urge to run back and comfort him. Instead, she walked out the front door, got in the car and drove off; she was even too angry to cry.
Once she had left the last trace of Lucas's home in her rearview mirror, another problem presented itself. After spending the night away from home, Brooke would be giddily awaiting her. No, Peyton was in no mood to explain to Brooke how she'd been taken for a ride on the Lucas Scott express. That left only one option, and it was a risky one: Haley.
Peyton fumbled for her cell and dialed Haley's number. She sure as hell didn't want to show up there if Lucas were there.
"Hello, Scott residence," Haley answered, in her usual perky voice. Peyton took that as a good sign. No way would Haley still sound this carefree if Lucas had already called.
"Hey Hales, it's Peyton. I could really use someone to talk to, are you busy?" She asked, trying to keep her tone light.
"No, not at all, we're just hanging out. Oh, hey, can you hold on, Lucas is beeping on the other line," Haley asked.
"No! Don't answer it, please? I'll explain when I get there," Peyton begged. The last thing she wanted was for Lucas to show up on Haley's doorstep.
"Okay," Haley said, drawing the word out. Peyton knew that she was asking a lot of Haley without much explanation.
"Thank you so much Haley. I'll see you in a few," Peyton promised. After she'd dropped her phone in the passenger seat, there was nothing to keep her from her thoughts. Things had gone from bad to wonderful to horrible in the matter of a day. Peyton couldn't see how her life could possibly be any more hopeless.