Three Weeks Later
Peyton step out of Lucas' car and made her way into the school. She had already settled into some sort of routine and her Haley became friends while Lucas had been bumped up to good acquaintance. She spotted Haley and Nathan and made her way over towards them. They both were slowly rebuilding their marriage.
Peyton smiled remembering the talk she had with Nathan her second week here that had led him to talking to Haley again.
Flash Back
She and Haley had decided to hit the mall after spending a long day at school. Lucas who gotten back in to his non exclusive relationship with Brooke, was no where to be found. Peyton shook her head at the thought of a non exclusive relationship. Who would want that type of relationship, surely she didn't they were messy, and didn't make any sense. Either you're together or you're not, plain and simple. Haley knocked her out her thoughts and with their shopping bags in hand the two headed to the food court.
Haley was searching for a table when she ran smack in to a tall dark haired, blue eyed man. "Nathan" she whispered her voice shaking. "Damn she thought" Tree Hill was too small of a town of course she was bound to run into him. Picking up her bags off the floor, she mumbled some excuse about having to go to the bathroom and took off.
"Haley" Peyton called after the girl but she was long gone. Turning around she faced Nathan Scott.
"Hi" she chirped. "It's Nathan right"?
He nodded, reaching out to shake her hand. "You're Peyton. I'm sorry about your mom". Tree Hill was really a small town.
She gave him a small smile despite being tired of people rubbing salt in her wounds but she wasn't going to go bitch mode on him for being polite. "Its okay" she replied. Peyton placed her shopping bags in the chair of a near by table.
"So you're friends with Haley"? He asked as while staring at the ground his hands stuff in his pockets".
"Yeah we're friends" she wondered what he was getting at; looking him in the eyes Peyton realized they were full of sadness and regret. "You still love her".
"Excuse me" he said completely caught off guard.
"You still love Haley...I think you should tell her".
"That's none of your business" he shouted a hint of anger in his voice.
"I know it isn't. But, Haley's my friend and I care about her whether I've known her two weeks or a year. She thinks you hate her.
His eyes softened a little a bit and he wasn't saying anything so she continued.
"You need to tell her how you feel".
It's not that simple"!
"Yes it is. Haley made a mistake, I'm sure you've made plenty of mistakes too. If there's anything that I've learned from my mother's death is... life's too short. Things unexpected happened everyday, and even if nothings happens to you or Haley, you don't want to wake up ten years from now wondering what could've been. She paused for a bit staring at his expression. "I know you probably thinking what if she hurts you again, but... sometimes you got to take that risk. Bye, Nathan". Peyton grabbed her bags, walking off to find Haley, she left him standing there.
Flash Back End
Peyton walked over to them and they both were smiling".
"Hey Pipi" Haley said indicating Peyton's braided pigtail hair style.
"Who" Peyton asked confused.
"You know...Pipi Long Stocking your hair? Never mind"! She replied embarrassed.
"Haley I'm kidding" she laughed leaning against the lockers.
Haley frowned. "What is this, pick on Haley month"?
"I guess so" she smirked, watching Haley pout. So, I'm assuming no hello Nathan"?
"Hey, Peyton" he said.
She rolled her eyes at him "too late", making her way down the hall as they followed.
"So Peyton are you going to the party tonight"? Nathan asked.
Peyton paused for a second, was she up for a party tonight? "Uh..." she started but was cut off by a perky Brooke who was holding on to Lucas." Why do people keep interrupting me" she thought glancing at Brooke and Lucas. Brooke was really clingy for a girl who wanted to be non exclusive.
"Tutor girl, you wouldn't believe what trashy, skanky girl I had to put up with, at cheerleading try outs yesterday. Where the hell were you"?
"I went to the movies with Peyton, I told you that last night when I got home".
Brooke folded her arms across her chest and started to glare at Peyton. There was something about the girl that irked her to the point of no return. She was a threat plain and simple, a threat that had to be taken care of. "Excuse us Paxton, me and Haley here have to talk".
Peyton glared back "it's Peyton".
Brooke flashed a fake smile. "Sorry, honest mistake.
"I'm sure it was". Peyton saw through Brooke's little act, she was still upset about that little incident in Luke's room even though it had been explained several times. But two could play that game. "Lucas" she cooed sweetly. "Walk me to class, I still don't know my way around... and this is such a big school".
"Sure Peyton, I'll walk you".
If looks could kill Peyton would have been dead and buried last year.
Smiling she slid her hand into his. "Bye, Nathan and Haley I'll see at the party tonight. Oh and bye Broke... silly me, I mean Brooke" waving she dragged Lucas' down the hall.
"Haley I'm going to head class, see you later"? Nathan gave her a quick peck on the cheek before heading to his own class.
"That bitch! Haley, tell me you saw that"! She yelled furiously. "Now I have two skanks to deal with.
"You're overreacting" she said rubbing her eyes with her hand.
"I am not. She asked him to walk her to class, I mean come on she's been here for almost a month now".
"Well this is a big school".
"Yeah sure it is, and my granny could pass for me. Get real, don't you see what she's trying to do"! She stalked off down the hall leaving Haley alone.
"Do I want to know how this is going to end"? She seemed to ask no one.
It was hour before the party and Peyton found her self searching for clothes in her bath robe. She was really irritated and she couldn't seem to find anything. Earlier Peyton had called Alicia, but they had gotten into an argument over the fact that she was grieving like she had promised. Sighing she turned on her cd player listening, as Gavin DeGraw's "We belong together" filled the speakers.
She turned to face her door. "Didn't I tell you to knock first before entering my room? What if I had been naked Luke"?
He looked down at the floor. "I did knock, you didn't answer" he said embarrassed.
"Fine I'll let it slide this time. Maybe you can help me". She grabbed the clothes with hangers on them and handed them to Lucas. "Choose" she said pointing to the outfits. "It better not be something trampy either"!
Thirty-Five Minutes Later
"I hate to say this but, you've got taste" she said primping in her mirror. "But why did you have to choose a skirt"?
"I just like looking at your legs". He sat down in the chair next to her computer desk.
"Lucas"! She yelled slapping on his chest." Stop joking and answer the question"!
"I wasn't joking" he thought. "Let's just say I've been on enough shopping trips with Brooke to know what to pick".
Peyton's expression turned sour. "Why are you looking like that" he asked.
"I hate to tell you this but your "non exclusive girl friend" is crazy. Did you see the way she was looking at me"?
"I'll admit she was a little off today, but she's not normally like that".
"She's been off since I got here. Smoothing her hair she turned attention back to him. "Okay I'm done lets go"!
Peyton had been at the party for a while now and was just tired of it all. When they had arrived Lucas had ran off some where "probably to Brooke" she thought bitterly. She had talk to Nathan and Haley for a bit before leaving the couple to themselves. Frowning she wished things would go back to normal but that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.
She left the living room that was filled with lustful teenagers who were either making out or grinding up against each other and headed to the kitchen. It wasn't any better instead people were doing shots. Alcohol, that's what she needed it would dull the pain a least for now. Someone handed her a small little glass, without a second thought she gulped it, the liquid burning as it oozed down her throat. It wasn't enough, she drunk another and another until she was completely drunk.
Peyton sat on the steps singing a song. "One tequila two tequila, three tequila, four, five tequila, six tequila, seven tequila more. Wait was I even drinking tequila? She asked herself. I don't know"? Laughing she turned her attention to the couple approaching her.
"Peyton where have you been" Haley asked not aware that Peyton was in an intoxicated state.
"Hi, Nathan and Haley, I've been here, there and, every where" she put her hand on her chin trying to think. "Wait, except the moon I couldn't reach it".
Nathan and Haley looked at each other "Haley she's drunk"!
"I'm not drun..k, I..'m s..lightly buzzzzzed" she said slurring most of her words. "That's a berry big difference".
"That's not even a word" Haley yelled over the loud music, her hands on her hips.
"Haley, go find Lucas we need get her home". She left after glancing one more time at the girl.
He gently lifted Peyton off the stairs trying help her stand.
Nathan had stood there with Peyton for about ten minutes. In those ten minutes she had made fun of his dancing and had been trying to get to sing with her.
"Nathan please sing a song wit me"? She asked, lying against him. "I'll start. This is the song that never ends" Nathan reluctantly sung with her but stop when he saw Haley and Lucas walking towards them.
"Hey" Peyton punched in the arm. "You weren't suppose tooooo... stop, don't you listen, this is the song that never freak in ends"! She was a mean drunk.
"Help... I am this close to going crazy"? Nathan pleaded.
"You poor baby" Haley pinched his cheeks.
He handed Peyton to Lucas and she collapsed in his arms.
"Well I better get her home. Tell Brooke I'm sorry". He carried Peyton's unconscious body out the door.
Lucas helped Peyton into her room glad his mother wasn't home. Gently he laid her on the bed and she stirred opening her eyes.
She looked around her room despite her vision blurring a little. "I am so wasted" she said rubbing her head.
Lucas glanced at her a minute before pulling a pair of pajamas out of her dresser. "Here, can you put these on"?
She sat up and grabbed the pajamas from him, pulling off her shirt to reveal a pink laced bra, she heard him gasped. After putting the pajama top on, she paused and looked at him. "If I didn't know any better I would say you've never seen a girl in her bra"?
Lucas didn't answer instead he turned around not facing her.
"All done" She declared.
Lucas stared into her eyes, she looked so lost and vulnerable he sat on the bed next her taking a deep breath. "Peyt..." he started.
She looked up liking the new nickname. "Please don't look at me like that. You couldn't possible know what I'm going through right now...and I... needed it" she said referring to the alcohol.
"Well then help me understand"? He begged almost desperate, the past few weeks Peyton had been staying there he hadn't been able to get her to open up. She was tight lipped, only talking about her interests in music, and there were times when she would joke around but had never seen her in such a fragile state.
"Do you know how my mom died"? Her voice was hoarse and slightly cracking. She watched him shake his head so she continued. "Cancer" he mouth formed into an O shape. "That's what I did to when I found out. She... never told me, I found out from the doctor the night she died. Turns out they caught it too late so she was given a few months to live". For the first time since her mother died tears slipped rapidly down her cheeks.
Lucas moved closer to her wrapping an arm around her shoulder as she cried into chest.
After a few minutes she pulled away and roughly wiped the tears from her cheeks, her expression turned into one of anger. "You want to know what the funny part is" she spat out sarcastically. "She planned her funeral, called a realtor to setup the house being sold and she told everyone at her job. But not once did she say anything to me"! She yelled. "I'm her freaking daughter! Why did she keep this from me"?
Lucas was at a loss for words he had no idea that she was holding something that in.
"Lucas I never got to say goodbye or go on our mother -daughter shopping trips that she used to drag me on every year. Now I'm all alone, I don't have my asshole of a father and I certainly don't have myhalf-brother Derek who made it perfectly clear that he wanted nothing to do with me"!
Lucas cupped her face and wiped the tears for her face. "That's not true; you have your friend Alicia who's called almost everyday since you've been here to check up on you. There's my mom, Keith, Nathan, and Haley. "Pey, you've got me too".
He tightened his hold around her waist and she wrapped her arms his neck taking in his forehead kisses. "Luke" she said looking into his blue eyes.
"Yeah"
"You've been bumped up to... really good friend".
A/N: I hope you like this chapter. Next few chapters Peyton's feelings for Lucas are going to develop but remember they may not get together until the end. Also I'm going include some Leyton childhood scenes in either chapter 6 or 7 I'm not sure yet.