"Principal Turner" Peyton said smiling uneasily as she sat in front of the principal.
"Peyton, you're back." The principal said smiling.
"Yes, I am." Peyton answered politely.
"What can I do for you then?" Turner asked curious.
"I want to go back here. To finish high school with my friends." Peyton said while playing with the hem of her shirt. She felt nervous and uncomfortable sitting in front of him.
"Okay, I can help you with that. Do you have your transcripts from your previous schools?" Turner asked as he rift through the papers in his desk.
"Uhm, no I don't" Peyton replied.
"Well, I could give them a call, what is the name of the school?"
"I never went to school while I was gone." Peyton bit her lip then squint her eyes as she said this.
"Hmm...What did you do for a year? I can allow you to come back but you cannot be in the same year as your friends." Turner asked curious as to what had happened to the blonde for a the year she had been gone if she didn't at least go to school.
"But, isn't there anything I could do to just jump right into my junior year? Like make up stuff?" Peyton asked dodging Turner's question.
"You have to do a lot of make ups for a year that you had missed." Turner answered noticing the fact that the blonde did not answer his question.
"Okay, then I'll do that." Peyton said with a sigh of relief.
"Peyton, I'm happy that your back here in Tree Hill. But, I cannot just let you jump a year. It wouldn't be fair to other students. You know that. If I did that for you then everyone would be asking for the same thing. No one would bother to study or go to school anymore thinking they could just take a year off, come back and its like nothing happened." Turner explained to Peyton trying to let her see his side.
"But, LIFE isn't FAIR. That is just how it is." Peyton blurted out of nowhere. She knew Turner was right with what he was saying but she just wanted this. Needed this. She wanted to accomplish something before her illness consumes her.
"Excuse me?" The principal asked with disbelief thinking that the blonde was just being difficult.
"I'm sorry. I did not mean to raise my voice. I get what you're saying and I totally understand that. But, I need to do this. It's on my list that I have to do and I just want to be able to graduate high school." Peyton explained immediately. She did not like the way she acted either.
"Look, Peyton, you will graduate high school. I KNOW that for sure. You are very smart. You just have to wait a year. Everything will still be there in a year. And I'm sure you're friends will gladly watch as you graduate." Turner said still not seeing Peyton's reason.
The last statement made the tear she had been holding to drop to her cheeks. She now had tears in her eyes while she talked to Principal Turner. The principal was confused as to why the blonde was crying since it's only a year of studying, he found it a bit overdone. He thought that the blonde just wanted to get the year off that is until he heard everything the blonde has to say.
"But, I may not have a year. How can I wait for 2 years? It's not even like I'm gonna need this for college. I just want to accomplish something before I die. That's all I'm asking." Peyton begged. Now that she had hung out with Nathan and Haley again. She realized that she had truly missed them. She wanted to be able to walk with them on stage and sing the obviously corny song the rest of the batch had voted to sing for graduation.
"What do you mean, you don't have a year? What's wrong Peyton?" The principal was now in front of Peyton, rubbing her back. His voice showed concern and worry as if he knew that whatever the blonde has to say was not something to celebrate about.
"I have cancer and I discontinued my treatment. That is why I left. To get treatment." Peyton said in between sobs.
The principal was speechless for a moment. He did not know the words to make her feel better. He knew that there are no right ones. He knew NONE would be able to make it better. He felt bad that someone who hasn't even reached a legal age is now going through something this tragic. Peyton's right life isn't fair.
"I'm so sorry Peyton. I really have no idea what to say. But, why did you discontinue the treatment? You're very young. You can still fight this." Turner said to the blonde encouragingly.
"It was too hard. I felt sicker than I already have. I just rather live my life short than a long painful one. Please, just let me do the work that I need to do. I know I missed a lot. But, I'm not asking you to just let me go to my junior year without doing anything. I'll take tests, whatever. Please?" Peyton explained and then begged to the principal.
"Okay, I think that is the least that I could do for you. I'd fix everything today and give your schedule tomorrow." Turner said. He was right. It was the least that he could do. He had questions he wanted to ask the blonde but he figured now would not be a good time to ask those questions.
"Thanks." Peyton said giving the principal a weak smile.
"No problem." Turner replied.
"I don't want to just jump right in my junior year. I want to take tests and do stuff that'll show that I'm really okay to go to my junior year." Peyton said. She did not want to be liken to those spoiled, rich kids who thinks they could just get what they want.
"You really don't have to. Like I said before, you're smart. And.." Turner started but was not able to finish as the blonde cut him off.
"No, all I ask was a chance. I don't want special treatment. I don't want to be pitied for something like this."
"Okay if that is what you want. I don't pity you for having...having this..that.. I know you are strong and you'll get through this. I just hope you change your mind for discontinuing the treatment. But, don't worry about the work load. You'll get it. I'll talk to the teachers and then come back here tomorrow and we'll settle everything. You want to go back tomorrow right? 'Cos if you still want this week off... I could---"
"No, tomorrow would be fine. I'll see you then. Thanks!" Peyton said standing up.
"You're welcome."
"Please do not tell anyone about this. My friends don't know yet and I just don't want to deal with them. Not now anyways." Peyton said her eyes begging as she reached the door.
"I won't and I'll tell the teachers the same thing. Peyton, I want you to know that my door is always open if you want to talk." Turner said honestly.
"Thanks, but do you really have to tell them? The teachers?" Peyton asked unsure of what Turner would be doing.
"I really don't have much of a choice because I have to tell them something. I have to tell them why. But, don't worry I'll tell them no special treatments, whatsoever."
"Okay, Thank You" Peyton said before she walked out of the principal's office.
As Peyton was walking on the hallway wiping her tears, she did not notice a certain brunette who was walking towards her also not looking at where she was going. They bumped to each other. The things that the brunette was carrying fell to the floor. They were both apologizing to each other 'til the brunette noticed who the other girl was.
"So the rumors are true. You're back." Brooke said void of emotion as she was picking her things up.
"I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to. I wasn't looking. I'm sorry." Peyton said as she handed the things to Brooke.
"Whatever." Brooke said as she got her things from the blonde.
"Brooke." Peyton said looking at everything but the brunette.
"What are you even doing here? You came back for Lucas? Well, he's all yours!" Brooke said yelling while looking at the blonde who had her eyes on the floor.
"I didn't." Peyton said now looking up.
Brooke saw the tear stained cheeks Peyton had. She knew that the blonde had been crying before they bumped into each other. She just wanted to hold Peyton and tell her everything would be alright. But she can't, because everything had changed since she left without saying goodbye.
"I don't really care if you came back for him. I'm done with the both of you anyways." Brooke said as she walked away from the blonde and headed to the bathroom. When she saw that all the stalls are empty, she locked the door and cried.
Nathan approached Peyton as soon as he saw her at the end of the hall.
"What happened?" Nathan asked worried that his friend had been crying.
"Nothing. Just Brooke being her usual self." Peyton said trying to smile but failed.
"Why were you crying? What did Brooke say?" Nathan asked as they walked down the hallway.
"Brooke has nothing to do with why I'm crying. I talked to Principal Turner he.." Before Peyton could continue he was cut off by a seemingly pissed off Nathan who stopped walking.
"What did Turner do to you?" Nathan asked not happy that the principal made his ex- girlfriend cry. His head was swarming with the worst possible scenarios. He knew that Peyton RARELY cried or even let anyone that she had been doing it. So, for this to happen, it would have to be something major, something big.
"Nothing. Jeez Nathan would you relax. As I was saying Principal Turner allowed me to go back and the treat is he did agree for me to go back as a junior too! Isn't that great?" Peyton said smiling.
"Yeah it is. Wow! But it still doesn't answer why you were crying. Did he say something?" Nathan asked his protective side showing. He did not care who it was. He lost Peyton once, he did not want that to happen again. Not if he can help it.
"I told you he did not do anything. Just forget about it. Where's Hales?" Peyton said changing the topic.
Nathan did not answer instead he turned around and headed purposely towards the principal's office.
"Where the hell are you going?" Peyton asked confused as to what is going on in Nathan's head.
Nathan did not answer. They had reached the principal's office before Peyton had realized what Nathan was going to do.
"Nathan." Peyton said blocking the door.
"Get out of my way, Peyton." Nathan said looking her in the eye.
"Or what? You're gonna make me?" Peyton said also looking at Nathan straight in the eye.
"No. I just..." Nathan said looking away at Peyton.
"You just what Nathan? Look turn around before you do something stupid." Peyton said turning Nathan around and towards the hallway.
"Why are you acting like this?" Peyton asked when they reached a bench outside of school.
"I just... I sucked okay." Nathan said raising his hands up. "I sucked as your boyfriend and I sucked as your friend. You would not have left if I had been a better friend, if I had been there to see how you were. I just want to be here for you now. I just want to make it up to you. For everything that I did and didn't before." Nathan said with tears in his eyes. He really felt like it was his fault that Peyton had left suddenly. Peyton can't help but let a few tears fall too as she listened to the revelation.
"It wasn't your fault I left, okay? It wasn't. And for the record, yes you sucked when you were my boyfriend, but when you met Haley you changed and I saw that. You were a great friend to me. I had my reasons for leaving and it had NOTHING to do with the way you treated me before. As far as I'm concerned I think you had been a great friend to me." Peyton said wiping her tears.
"But, then why? Why'd you left? Not only that, you left without saying goodbye. We did not know where you were for all we know you could have been kidnapped or something if it wasn't for the letter you left for your father. And now, you were crying after you left Turner's office. I just, I want to do something now. I don't want you running away again and if it means kicking his ass in the process I don't really mind."
"Nathan?" Peyton asked incredulously.
"What?"
"You did not just say that!" Peyton asked raising her eyebrows.
Nathan just stared at her.
"That is just stupid. And I'd never forgive you if you did."
"But I didn't"
It was silent for a couple of minutes before Nathan decided to ask Peyton something.
"Why were you crying then?"
Peyton took a deep breathe then talked.
"I told him why I left. It was hard because it felt like everything's real again. I just wanted to pretend a little longer that things did not change, that it was just like the way it was before I decided to leave."
"So you told him, but not me or Haley?"
"I did not have much of a choice. I wanted to graduate with you guys. If I had not told him why, he would not have let me jumped into junior year."
"Why did you leave then?"
"Nathan"
"Peyton why? I just want to know. I wanna be there for you. Haley wants to be there for you. Lucas too."
"I don't need any Lucas in my life. Its complicated enough as it is." Peyton spat bitterly.
"Then why can't you tell me or Haley?" Nathan asked.
"Because I can't."
"Really? You can't? Or you just won't?" Nathan said not believing the blonde's excuse.
"Its not that easy... I just want to forget about it." Peyton said her sight shifting downward.
"But"
"Please Nathan?" Peyton begged.
"Fine." Nathan said giving- in.
"You should go. You still have class. I'll see you tomorrow." Peyton said after a beat.
"Come by tonight." Nathan said.
"I can't. I just need to be alone tonight. How 'bout tomorrow night?"
Nathan understood Peyton and agreed to let her go for today but without assuring her that he was there for her.
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. I really missed you, you know." Nathan said as he hugged her.
"Yeah, me too." Peyton said hugging him back.