AN/ Hello Clarice! (Insert evil laugh) sorry Silence Of The Lambs was on TV and I love that film! But enough about Hannibal… Thank you everyone who reviews and helps with my bad grammar. I apologize in advance.
P.S Sorry kaligator she didn't ring Jack but you'll find out who she did ring in this chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with One Tree Hill or any of the characters associated with the show. The characters you don't recognise are of my imagination. I also don't own Linkin Park or their song A Place For My Head either.
Waiting. I hate waiting but here I am standing in the kitchen trying to decide on what to eat to distract myself from waiting for Peyton. I have a feeling she is avoiding me. She usually comes over in the morning and I know that it is only midday but I just have this sinking feeling that she doesn't feel the same way I do or is regretting our kiss, as great as it was. I sighed and shook my head at how ridiculous I am.
At the sound of a car door closing I darted to the window and looked out, completely forgetting that I was hungry a second ago only to find that no one was out there. I'm going nuts I thought to myself as I lent against the counter.
I shook my head and collected the peanut butter, a knife, the bread and margarine. I was about to spread the peanut butter on my piece of toast when I saw someone exit the house next door. Peyton's house. I looked over to see Peyton and a tall, thin, brown haired man walk beside her. I frowned, not realising that my grip on the knife intensified. They stopped at the end of her path and started talking to each other before the man pulled Peyton into a hug. My chest heaved heavily from annoyance and anger and my heart beat started to pound in my ears. I watched them let go of each other and the guy walked towards his mustang convertible. Not only does he get my girl but he also has a kick ass car. I hate him!
I stormed over to the table and collapsed in a chair while devouring a slice of toast. Images of Peyton and that man run through my mind on a loop. It just made me angrier. At the sound of someone clearing their throat I look up to see a timid Izzie enter the kitchen. The sight of her makes a smile spread across my face. She smiles back and sits opposite me quietly spinning her phone on the table. I watch her for a moment remembering that I told her the truth last night and she fled in tears.
"Did you fight for me?" She unexpectedly asks. Her eyes flick from her phone to me quickly before she looks down at her hands again. I put down the slice of toast I was eating to give her my full attention.
"I wanted to but I was too afraid that if we went to court I could loose you so I told Amy that I would give you to her on one condition. I was aloud to see you whenever I wanted" I explained. "It just didn't work that way" I fought the sinking feeling in my chest as I remembered having that conversation with her. She said I could come and see Izzie when I wanted, I made her promise but she didn't live up to it.
I looked back down at my unfinished slice of toast but I just lost my appetite and with a loud sigh I got up and put it in the bin. Izzie stayed at the table and continued to have a staring match with her phone. Brooding just like her father I thought with a smile.
"But that's all in the past now. Its time to look forward to the future" I announced trying to lighten the mood. Izzie nodded slightly but I wasn't entirely sure I she just heard what I just said. I opened my mouth to try and comfort her in some way when her phone rang. A huge grin spread across her face and she quickly answered it.
"Hey" Aaron my best friend of eleven years said.
"Hello"
"So how are you feeling now?"
"A little better" I replied. He came over last night after I rang him and we walked around for what felt like forever where I cried and he listened, we hugging every now and then but I wouldn't want to be with anyone else. Lucas looked up at me and watched me curiously. "One second" I told Aaron before removing the phone from my ear.
"I've got to go Peyton and I am going to see Mum" I quickly explained. He nodded and with a quick wave I let the kitchen and carried on my conversation with Aaron.
"Have you talked to your Dad since?" I opened the front door just as Peyton walked up our driveway.
"I just did"
"Good. Are you going to see your Mum too?"
"In a minute. I don't know what to say to her after everything that has happened" Peyton smiled at me and I smiled back before following her to her car.
"You'll be fine. She is still the same woman she has always been"
"Apart from the fact that she practically kidnapped me!" I snapped but immediately regretted it. Aaron stayed silent. I guess he is use to my moody moments. Peyton looked over at me confused but I didn't bother explaining and got into the car.
"Ok. So she did demand that your Dad passed you over and she did leave but she came back. It doesn't matter"
"Of course it matters!"
"Izzie" He calmly said. I sighed deeply and gave in. I could never understand how Aaron stayed so calm with me.
"Ok. Fine I'll admit it isn't something to hate her forever for but it still hurt"
"I know" There was a pause where I heard him talking to his Dad. "Iz just try and stay calm and ring me later ok."
"Ok. Bye"
"Bye" I ended the call and sat back. Peyton looked over at me and I knew she wanted to ask who I was talking to so I put her out of her misery.
"It was just Aaron. He called to see how I was" I grumbled, knowing how she would react and just like she always does a cheeky smirked started to pull at her lips. Both Peyton and my Mum have this theory that Aaron and I will get married one day which I ridiculous since we are like brother and sister but try telling them that. I shook my head at her but my actions only made her smirk grow and her eyebrows rise playfully.
"Shut up Goldilocks!" I teased. She chuckled and turned on the radio.
When we arrived at the hospital a tension hung over us. I was both nervous and annoyed at Mum but I don't know what is wrong with Peyton. She has been quiet since we got within fifty feet of the hospital. I exhaled slowly to calm myself while I linked my arm with Peyton's. As Mum's door came into sight I let go of Peyton and turned to her. She nodded and I walked into Mum's room. A nurse stood by Mum's bed checking the machines and so on.
"Hello honey" I heard Mum say. I took a seat and looked at her. She looks very pale and thin today not to mention frail like if she to cough she'd break into a million little pieces or something. She removed the air mask thing and smiled weakly at me. My heart dropped at the sight of her.
"What's wrong?" I averted my eyes away from Mum and at the nurse who now has Mum's clipboard and is currently writing something down. I watched silently waiting for her to leave.
"Take it easy today ok Miss. Lawson" The nurse finally said and then left.
Mum takes a deep breath "What is wrong Izzie?" She asked again but sterner.
"Well let's see… you wouldn't go near me, you cried all the time, left for nine months, brought Jack back and demanded that Luke had to give me away! But other then that I'm fine!" I replied sarcastically. Mum lay silent for a moment regarding me before taking a deep breath using the mask.
"I'm sorry I left Izzie. I was very depressed and Lucas suggested that I went to live with parents here. I never intended to meet Jack and to fall in love with him. I still had feelings for Lucas but at the time I loved Jack more" I shook my head at her and sat back. She split us up over that Jackass and what did he do? Leave.
"So what you spent the whole nine months cheating on Dad?" I asked not realising that I called Lucas Dad for the first time.
"No. We were only together for three months before I came back"
"Three months and you are so madly I love with him! Ha!"
Another deep breath but I noticed that her face twisted in pain slightly as she inhaled. "When you fall in love you will understand" I rolled my eyes at her and looked out of the widow.
"Izzie the day before Jack and I came to Tree Hill he proposed to me and I wanted us to be a family" Mum whispered, hoarsely before taking another deep breath using the mask.
"Well you saw how that turned out. We were all fine but you had to have to ruin everything. If you hadn't of left you would have never had met Jack and we would all be a family. Me, you and Lucas"
Mum shook her head and took a deep rasping breath before removing the mask. "I slowly started to stop loving Lucas so even if I had stayed we wouldn't have been happy" She explained. I regarded her and could see the pain in her eyes.
"I'm sorry I left" She said breathlessly after a silence feel on us. I frowned wondering if she was Ok. She seems to be in pain and the mask doesn't seem to be helping. "I love you very much. You are my life" My heart dropped and I looked away. Every time I come to see her she tells me she loves me like it will be our last visit which always makes me cry.
I took a deep breath and asked a question that has been eating at me for a while. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Another deep rasping breath "I was afraid you would be angry at me and blame me when really it is my fault. I left and didn't come back for a long time. That is why I wanted to take you from Lucas so I could make up for lost time and never leave you again" She started to sob quietly. I got up and hugged her gently trying to tell her that I forgive her.
"You were sad and needed to get better. I understand" I whispered, my voice failing me. Mum let go off me and wiped the tears that started to roll down my face.
"Take care of yourself baby and Lucas too" I nodded as I kissed her forehead. She lent her head forwards and rested her forehead against mine. I let out a sob and kissed her one last time before I left.
I parked the car silently and looked over at Izzie. She wiped her eyes and got out quickly. I should be use to her crying when we go to visit Amy but she is more upset then usual. I wanted to go see Amy myself but it started feeling guilty about the kiss Lucas and I shared. I don't know how Amy feels about him since we never talked about him and after hearing Lucas tell Izzie about their past he sounded like he still has feelings for her too but I had to go and kiss him didn't I! I groaned and lent my head against the steering wheel as the memory of that kiss entered my mind and my heart started to ache, long for him.
"I am so screwed!" I told myself as I got out of the car and started to walk to my house but here I am opening his front door and shutting it behind me. I took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen and came face to face with Lucas. We both stood staring at each other for a moment before I looked away first and sat at the table silently. My heart raced and a twenty tonne elephant dropped into the room making it very hard for me to concentrate on not staring at him. He is avoiding me for some reason and I looked down at the table for a moment trying to figure out why. Like the table really has the answers I thought to myself.
"Who was that man?" He asks. I look up to see he has his back to me and I noticed straightaway how rigid his back is. What man? I thought Then it hit me. He saw me this morning but why is he so angry and why was he watching me?
"You've been spying on me?" I asked getting annoyed myself.
"You've been avoiding me!" I scoffed and stood up. I have actually being avoiding him but he doesn't need to know that. He turned around and faced me with a face of thunder. Why the hell is he so mad? The man he saw me with is my new room mate and is gay for God sake! It's not like I am attracted to him!
"What is your problem?"
"Me! You're the one going around hugging people after… we kiss!" He snapped, lowing his voice about the kiss part. I stared at him for a moment before bursting out laughing. He is sounding like a child.
"Don't laugh at me!" He growled, folding his arms across his chest. It was like watching Izzie during one of her temper tantrums. I bit down on my bottom lip to try and hold in my laughter and walked over to him.
"Lucas look-"
"No you look. I like you… a lot. I mean I have all these new feeling for you that I never knew I had and I love having you around to look after Izzie or teach me how to use the washing machine. I need you in my life Peyton" He smiled a little and took hold of my hand. I looked up at him and into his eyes, immediately feeling a spark, an urge that is telling me to just kiss him like my life depended on it and never let go but I decided to let him finish. "I know we hardly know each other and you're a beautiful girl you could have anyone you want… I just want to tell you that I'm falling for you-"I couldn't take it any longer and lent forward to kiss him. His lips moved with mine seamlessly while his hands cupped my cheeks. I wrapped my arms around his neck to deepen the kiss and let him know that I feel the same way.
I pulled away slowly and laid small kisses on his lips. "That guy you saw with me this morning, Jordan is my new room mate. I am renting out my spare room and he is my friend's brother and gay" I explained. Lucas who had wrapped his arms round my waist laughed and rested his head against my shoulder in embarrassment. I laughed at him and snaked my arms around his back, holding him close to me.
Home. No matter where you are or what you are doing a piece of your hometown and the people in it is always with you. It is part of you. I put my hands in my denim jacket pockets and took in my surroundings smelling the salty sea, seeing the familiar sights. Nothing has changed and it feels like I never left.
I pulled open the door, wanting to see one person. The only person who can make me feel at home again. The bell above the door chimed and I chuckled. Nothing has changed. Her eyes looked up and met mine, a smile immediately come to my face.
"Keith" She whispered. Karen hasn't aged at all and still is the beautiful, independent woman I have always known. Tears came to her eyes and I pulled her into a loving hug.
"Hello Karen" I replied. "I've missed you"
AN/ Keith is back yeah! And Luke confessed his feeling to Peyton! All is good….. For now (devious grin) Lol. Also I'm sorry I took so long to update I start College soon and I had to go to the induction days plus I've been playing bball like everyday! Blame Obie for that! I'll try and update by Monday or Tuesday hopefully.
Reviews and Suggestions are always welcome
Deanie