Characters: Peyton S., Lucas S, Brooke. D

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, just some of the story lines.

At 16, Peyton could barely remember anything about the love her parents shared before her mother, Anna, died. She could only remember the hurt and pain she felt, and the sadness and heartbreak she witnessed her father go through everyday

Peyton had one memory from right before her mom was sick that has always stuck with her.

Peyton's dad, Larry, had been home for a few weeks and decided that the family should spend the day together. Larry suggested going to Peyton's favorite park. The entire family hopped into Larry's truck and drove to the park. When they reached the park, Peyton insisted that they go rolling down the grass covered hill, a tradition that the family has had for as long as Peyton could remember.

At the top of the hill the family laid in the grass in a single line head to toe. Larry said, "On the count of three, we roll."

"One", Anna said.

"Two", Larry said.

And Peyton yelled, "Three".

The family began rolling down the hill in a fit of laughter and giggles. Once they reached the bottom of the hill Peyton jumped up and began running back to the top wanting to roll down again. When she reached the top Peyton looked back wondering why her parents weren't right behind her.

She saw her dad helping her mother up from the ground and brushing all the leaves, grass, and other debris off.

They smiled at each other and then began walking up the hill hand in hand. At one point Anna started laughing at something that Larry whispered into her ear. She looked at him as if it were the most hilarious thing in the world, she still had a bright smile on her face.

Once they reached the top of the hill, Larry leaned forward to kiss her cheek and Anna kissed him on the lips.

That was the last time Peyton remember her family being so happy and carefree, before her world came crashing down after her mom was diagnosed.

TBLTBLTBL

After her mom had gone into remission the first time, Peyton began to think that only true love could keep people together after such a horrible illness. She watched as her dad took her mother to every appointment, learned different ways to tie scarves so that her mom wouldn't feel self-conscious, tried new recipes hoping that something would settle Anna's stomach after the chemo and radiation treatments. Peyton thought that only a person who truly loved someone, would put in the time and effort to take care of a person that could just die.

When Anna's cancer came back, Peyton had just turned 9. Peyton thought that everything would go exactly as it had the first time Anna had cancer.

When the doctors told Larry and Peyton that it wasn't likely that Anna was going to survive this time because of the toll that the chemo and radiation treatments took on her body the first time.

Anna passed away a few weeks later. When Larry told Peyton that her mom was gone, she ran from the hospital crying. Peyton sat on the edge of the river under the overpass with tears streaming down her face. Her best friend, Brooke Davis, found her there a few minutes later.

Brooke said, "I'm so sorry that your mom is gone, P. Sawyer." Peyton leaned against Brooke and continuing to cry.

"It's not fair, she's the best mom that anyone could ask for, she does all the mom things, and she loves me even when I don't follow the rules. Why did she leave me?"

"She was sick, but that doesn't mean that she isn't the best mom in the world. Peyton, I'm gonna miss her too, she was like my second mom."

"It just hurts so much Brooke, she was my best friend, what am I going to do without her? Nothing will ever be the same."

"I don't know P. Sawyer, but you still have your dad and you still have me. We'll get through together as best friends and sisters, ok?"

"Promise you won't leave me too?"

"Promise."

"Ok then we'll do this together."

TBLTBLTBL

At 12 years old while all of her friends would be daydreaming about their crushes, Peyton would be lost in her own world listening to music and drawing. She would usually draw important events that happened in her life, like when her dad took her to get her second ear piercings.

But when school started back up, Peyton would draw these events with her mom in the top corner as an angel. Her favorite drawing was of her and Brooke cheering for the middle school basketball time with her mom as the angel on the top of the pyramid.

One day while they were hanging out in Peyton's room Brooke asked Peyton, "Why are you always drawing? There are better things to do than sketch a few faces, and the wings that are always in your drawings."

"I like to draw" Peyton said. "And what else am I supposed to be doing, kissing any boy that's willing?"

Brooke said, "Well yeah, we have to practice so when we're in high school and have boyfriends we know what to do."

"What if I don't want to kiss boys?" Peyton said as she continued to draw.

"Why not? Do you want to kiss girls?"

"No, I don't think I want to kiss anyone."

"Umm…why not?"

"Because kissing means you want to fall in love, I don't want that. Look what it did to my dad, he loved my mom so much and when she died, he was heartbroken, it took him a long time to even go back into their room."

"P. Sawyer, I don't think your dad wanted to lose the love of his life."

"But it still happened B. Davis, the only way that won't happen to me is if I never fall in love, which means I'm not gonna kiss anyone."

"Okay Peyton if you say so." Brooke said, she wasn't sure how else to convince her friend that love might be a good thing, or at least that kissing is.

TBLTBLTBL

The summer before high school, Peyton had not changed her mind about falling in love, kissing however was a different story. She spent a lot of time making out with Nathan Scott, he thought she was cute, and Brooke convinced her it wouldn't hurt to make out with the star of the middle school basketball team.

Peyton and Nathan dated on and off for freshman and sophomore years of high school. Their relationship was very toxic. They broke up when Nathan accused Peyton of not really loving him, and she agreed.

She told him she was just going through the motions to get Brooke to believe that she believed in love, Peyton had given up on that the minute she turned 14. She explained to him that she knew about all the things he did behind her back. She yelled and told him that she was pissed and that she would never forgive him, not because she was hurt by his actions but because of the lack of respect he had for her and their relationship.

Thank you for reading! Hope you like it!

This is the first time I've ever written fiction that wasn't for an assignment.

Please review. Feelings/thoughts and constructive criticism are welcome.