A/N: First of all, I want to thank those who reviewed. When everyone throws in there two cents, it gives me the encouragment to keep going. Secondly, to answer your question hiddenxtalent, yes, I am a die hard fan of either Brucas or Leyton, and despise (sorry, it's the truth) the other. You will find out which one I love and dislike in a coming-up chapter.
CHAPTER 1:
Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer:
First Meetings and, Oh! A Fruit Basket!
"Hmm, looks like someone is finally moving into the Simon house," Larry Sawyer declared.
Mr. Sawyer turned his head in time to see his daughter slowly put down her pencil and slant her eyes toward him.
"Huh?" she asked.
"I said it looks like-"
"I heard you, Dad." Peyton Sawyer rolled her eyes and sighed a much sarcastic sigh. In the three years since Shelley Simon had disappeared, Peyton had severely changed. She went from childish, scared little girl to bitchy, stuck up Peyton. She was a total rebel. One thing was for sure, though. Her 'talents,' including sarcasm (how she loved this talent), had not just stayed with her, but had grown. And she used this 'talent' whenever she could.
"Hello, hello!" A bubbly voice, much too bubbly for Peyton, cascaded into the room from a stick thin butterscotch-haired woman. As soon as Peyton heard the voice, she wanted to throw up.
"Good morning, both of you. My, what a wonderful day it is!" Those cheerful words could only have come from one person in the Sawyer household. Peyton's stepmonster- No, wait. Stepmonster isn't the right word for it. Now, stepmunchkin is more like it.
"It was," Peyton muttered.
"What's that, sweetie?" The cheery woman asked.
Peyton looked up from her drawing and smiled. "Nothing, Clara," she replied trying her best to sound sweet. Really, she felt like she had to tape her cheeks apart. Afterall, Peyton Sawyer never smiled.
"Okay, honey," Clara grinned, showing all of her pearly whites. "Say, Peyton, I noticed there's a family moving into the old Simon house-"
"So I've heard," Peyton said, already bored with the conversation.
"Well," Clara continued, "I was going to take a fruit basket over to them, but since I noticed they have a girl about your age, I thought you might want to take it over instead."
Peyton was about to give about to disobildge, but her father gave her look, which forced her to except the deed she would rather kill than do.
"My God," Peyton muttered under her breath. "Let me get my shoes on."
"Excellent!" Clara was now beaming from ear to ear.
Breathing a melodramatic sigh, Peyton headed out towards the garage.
Peyton peddled up the smooth cement of the driveway of Shelley's old house. Nothing had changed at all. The house was still a creamy white, the shudders still as blue as ever. Even the pink petunias were still lined along the sidewalkd up to the front door. As Peyton made her way up the walk, she couldn't help but feel an eerie presence around her. Everything reminded her of Shelley.
She licked her lips as she rang the brass doorbell. This was the same doorbell that Shelley's father used to fix constantly. The stupid thing never worked. Peyton only figured it would cause the new family to go through doorbell hell, too.
Peyton sighed and rang the bell again. For a minute, she just considered putting the basket on the porch and leaving, but that was until she heard a voice to her right.
"Do you need something?" Peyton turned to see a girl about her age standing by the sidewalk. She had dark skin and black hair. 'She definitely has to be Latina,' Peyton thought.
"Um, hi. I was just...coming to bring you this," Peyton walked towards her and handed her the basket of fruit.
"Mmm, what have we got here?" The girl turned the basket in her hands to look at the contents it held. "Peaches, apples, and lemons. Yep, I knew it."
"Knew what? Peyton asked.
"That it was only a matter of time before someone brought over a cheesy little welcome basket." Peyton just looked at her, and the girl caught Peyton's expression and quickly said, "Oh, you didn't...you didn;t make this yourself, did you? Because I was only joking-"
"No, it's okay," Peyton interrupted. "I didn't make it. My stepmother did, and yes, you're right, it is cheesy."
The girl smiled and stuck out her hand for Peyton to shake. "Anna Taggaro," she said.
"Peyton Sawyer," Peyton said, shaking her hand.
"Nice to meet you, Peyton. So, where on this block of fake-looking Barbie doll houses that slightly resembles Wisteria Lane do you reside?"
Peyton laughed. "Actually, I live all the way down by the road," she said.
"I see," Anna said. For a moment, the girls stood in silence.
"So," Peyton began. "How do you like Tree Hill so far?"
"Honestly? It's nothing compared to L.A."
"Really? L.A.? You lived in Los Angeles?" Peyton said in awe.
Ann giggled. "Yeah, and you really seem to have an infatuation with the City of Angels."
"Peyton blushed. "Well, I've just always wanted to go there."
"Yeah? Well, it's pretty amazing, I'll tell you that," Anna said, smiling.
"I bet so," Peyton said.
"At least the drama here isn't that bad," Anna said.
"Oh, I'd have to disagree," Peyton smirked.
"Really? Interesting," Anna smiled back. "Like what?"
"You'll find out. There's way much more to Tree Hill than you think there is," Peyton said.
"Hmm, sounds like my kind of town," Anna said, raising an eyebrow.
"Sure, I guess you could say that," she said.
"So," Anna said. "Want to come in?"
"Uh, sure, okay," Peyton stuttered.
Anna giggled "C'mon, Blondie, let me show you the castle."
'Blondie,' Peyton thought. 'That's what Shelley used to call me.'
"Well, are you coming?" Anna asked. Peyton was too involved in her own little moment that she didn't notice Anna was already up the sidewalk and standing on the porch.
"Oh, right," Peyton bolted after her and entered with Anna, what she called the "Devil's Lair."
Peyton and Anna made their way up to Shelley's old room, Peyton doddling behind Anna. As soon as Anna opened the door, Peyton had to hold back a gasp. Everything in the room was still almost exaclty the same. It was like deja vu. No, forget deja vu, it was just plain creepy.
"You okay?" Anna asked, seeing the wary expression on Peyton's face.
"Uh, yeah, I'm cool," Peyton said, her voice quakey.
"You sure?" Anna pressed.
"Yeah, everything's fine," Peyton told herself more than Anna.
"Okay...Well, then, have a seat. Anywhere is fine. Peyton nodded and flopped herself down on Anna's bed. Peyton then noticed the OK Go poster on Anna's wall.
"You like them? Anna asked.
"Like them? I love them. Ok Go is magnificent."
Anna laughed. "I think they're great, too."
"What about The Used? Or Story of the Year?"
"Love them all. Don't forget 30 Seconds to Mars!" Anna exclaimed.
Peyton smiled. It was nice to see that another girl liked the same music as she did. Shelley was always too girly, as were her ex-friends, Brooke, Rachel, and Haley.
"So?" Anna asked. What is there to do in the mighty town of Tree Hill?"
"For me? Not much. I usually don't go out a lot. For you, though, you might just find something interesting around here," Peyton replied.
"Hey, what is that supposed to mean? You think I'm some sort of wild, party girl?" Anna pouted.
Peyton, being a human being who holds nothing back, replied. "Of course I do. C'mon, Gucci sunglasses, Versace bags? Girl, you were born to party."
"Well, at least you noticed it was Versace," Anna giggled.
Peyton grinned back.
"So why is it you never go out?" Anna asked.
"Mmm, just not my thing, I guess," Peyton answered honestly. "Plus, I just like to hang out with my boyfriend, anyway."
"Oh, so you have a boyfriend?"
"Yep, we've been together for four months. His name is Jake."
"Cute," Anna smiled.
"Yeah, sure, and all that other cheesy crap."
Anna busted out laughing. Peyton laughed too. After the laughter died down, Anna asked a question, the dreaded question.
"What happened to the girl that lived here? I heard she like, disappeared or something."
"I don't know," Peyton answered. I t was an honest answer.
"That's too bad," Anna said. There was a moment of silence between the two. "Wow, depressing convo, huh?"
Peyton swallowed. "Uh huh."
Anna noticing the tension in the air, suddenly spoke up.
"Well, miss Sawyer, I was wondering, do you happen to like ice cream?"
Peyton looked up at her and smiled. "Course I do. Cookies n' Cream to be exact."
"And I fancy a lovely Black Cherry flavor," Anna said in a too fake British accent.
Peyton smiled up at her from her place on the bed. "Anna, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."
A/N: So that was Peyton's first chapter. You like? Please read and review.
Plus: A note from "S"
If you ladies thought 'Gossip Girl knew everything, think again. Believe me, you have no idea.
And it's not over 'til I say it is.
- S