Tap. Tap. Tap.

Peyton was startled by these sounds and almost jumped from her seat in the car.

It was Lucas. Of course, he always tries to be the hero and save everyone.

"What're you doing? Giving me a heart attack?" Peyton asked as she rolled down the window and talked to Lucas.

"I could ask you the same thing. You have been avoiding Nathan or maybe all of us like a plague. What's wrong?" Lucas asked worried.

"Did Brooke send you too? 'Cos I doubt if she did." Peyton replied bitterly.

"Brooke missed you, you know. Just give her some time. She'll come around." Lucas said opening Peyton's door.

"Yeah, time is all I have don't I?" Peyton replied sarcastically.

Lucas did not get what Peyton was really saying. He just thought that Peyton was too tired of waiting for Brooke to stop bitching around.

"Let's go." Lucas said urging her to come to their table.

"Maybe next time Luke, I'm just gonna go straight to class." Peyton said as she got out of the car and passed him by.

"Peyton" Lucas called out but Peyton never looked back.

Peyton was one of the few students that were early to class. Brooke, Haley and Nathan are not yet there. She opened her notebook and started to draw. She was drawing two kids sitting on the swings holding hands. In the middle she wrote the words: Friends Forever. At the bottom of those words was a phrase. Unless you look at the picture scrupulously, you will not be able to read the words that said: 'til some guy comes along.

She could not help but feel sad and bitter at how things have gone between her and her best friend or ex- best friend. Brooke had always been there for her, but when High School and guys came somehow they drifted apart. They were not as close as they were as kids. She needed her best friend badly a year ago, but because of some guy named Lucas Scott, all they had was thrown out the window. She let a tear escape her eye and fall onto her drawing. She was unaware that her friends, Brooke, Haley and Nathan, were already there and are looking at her worriedly.

"What's wrong?" Haley asked softly reaching for Peyton's hand.

Peyton was snapped out of her thoughts by the soft hands that reached for her hand. She looked at who it was. It was Haley. She smiled at her then said.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You wanna talk about it?" Haley asked again as she noticed the tears forming in the blonde's eyes.

"Yeah" Peyton said trying to smile but failed. She stood up from her seat and disrupted the class. At the moment, she was still unaware that a teacher was standing in front of her discussing Biology 'til she saw every head turn towards her.

"Sorry..." Peyton said sheepishly then went on to grab her things and went straight to the teacher in front of her.

"I'm sorry, I just I need to get out." Peyton asked looking at the ground then at the teacher who smiled.

"Of course. Do you want me to call for someone?" The teacher asked understandingly.

"No, I just need to get out." Peyton answered.

"Okay." The teacher said giving her a pass for the hallway.

Brooke, Haley and Nathan were left confused and with more questions. They all wondered why the teacher just allowed her to get out just like that after disrupting the class. Also, they wondered why the teacher seemed to be so understanding to their friend.

Peyton got out of the classroom and went straight to her car. She did not notice Lucas who was standing near the benches talking to some of the players.

Lucas saw her and called out to her, but she did not look back. Either because she did not hear or she just did not want to see him. Maybe even both. Lucas ran after her and grabbed her arm gently.

"Hey, where are you going?" Lucas asked as soon as he got a hold of her arm.

"Out of here" Peyton said glaring at him and shrugging his hands off of her arm.

"What's wrong?" Lucas asked concern.

Peyton wanted to say "You and everything else" because although he was being a good friend since she came back, she still couldn't help but resent him for coming between her and Brooke. But instead of saying that, she just turned around and walked away.

"Wait." Lucas said going after her as he noticed the tears in her eyes.

Peyton kept on walking to her car ignoring him. She finally reached her car and opened it. Just as she was about to leave the campus, Lucas got in the passenger seat prompting her to stop. She did not want to spend time with Lucas, aside from the fact that Brooke will throw another fit, she just didn't want to hang out with him anymore than she already had. She was glad that at least Brooke was not calling her slut or whore anymore although she knows that she still had a lot of things to do before Brooke can finally speak to her without it being a sarcastic remark. But at least, it was a step towards, maybe, forgiveness? She wasn't sure. But whatever it was, she did not want to relapse, just because of Luc-ASS.

"Get out!" Peyton said as she stopped the car.

"What?" Lucas asked incredulously.

"You heard me. GET. OUT. NOW." Peyton said glaring at him.

"Why? So that you could run away again? You cannot deal with your problems like that" Lucas said and touched her arm. Well, attempted to because before he was able to touch her, she had already got out of the car.

Peyton walked away from the car and left Lucas alone in her car. He sat there for a few minutes then went after her again. He found her sitting at one of the benches near the trees. She was staring far away with tears falling her eyes.

"Peyt" Lucas said softly as he took a seat next to her.

Peyton glared at him. "Why do you keep on following me? Leave me alone."

"Peyton we're your friends and we're worried about you." Lucas explained still worried.

"Just leave me alone." Peyton said seething with anger.

"Why do you keep on pushing us away? That may have worked before, but now we're here and we're not going away. I'm not going away." Lucas pleaded while he stood from his chair.

"Can't you not hear me? Or can't you just understand English?" Peyton said still mad.

"Why are getting mad at me for?" Lucas said staring at Peyton confused.

"Just Go Luke, please?" Peyton said her voice a little softer than before.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm not. Maybe before I let you have your way. But not now. Not anymore." Lucas said with sadness. He remembered the day he found out that Peyton left Tree Hill. He could not help but cry. It felt like all energy was drained from him.

"Why can't you just listen? I don't need you. I don't. So just leave me the hell alone!" Peyton said yelling at him.

Lucas was a bit surprised of Peyton's tone and yelling. It was laced with anger and hatred.

"Leave you alone? So you could runaway again, like last time?" Lucas said sarcastically.

Peyton was silent yet she kept on glaring at him.

"You left with NO goodbyes Peyton. Nothing! Not even a single note! You got us really worried. If we had not found the letter for your father, we would not have known you left Tree Hill and was not abducted by some Psycho!" Lucas said frustrated.

Peyton stood up not wanting to hear anymore of his whines and walked away from him.

Lucas, however, was very persistent and followed her.

"Can't you not take a hint?" Peyton said turning around when she noticed that Lucas had followed her.

Lucas did not say anything, but did not move either.

"Lucas stop it! Its getting annoying. You do not always need to be a hero. You can't save everyone, everytime. That is just impossible." Peyton said walking away hoping that Lucas would not follow her anymore.

"You're right I cannot save anyone! But I can definitely save you! I will be here and will not go away. Nothing you do can make me go away. I made that mistake once, I'm not about to do it again." Lucas said with tears in his eyes.

"Did you not hear me before? I don't need you. I don't even need saving! I don't need your help! I'm fine on my own!"

"Yeah, just like the last time. You just wanted to be alone. You just needed time for yourself. You did not need anyone. Look, how well that turned out? YOU runaway and left your friends and your best friend!"

"I did not leave her! She left me! You know why? Because of YOU! And you know what, stop acting like you know everything! 'Cos you don't even know the half of it!" Peyton said infuriated.

"Oh yeah? I don't? Then why don't you tell me then? Enlighten me please Ms. Sawyer?" Lucas said his voice rising a little.

Peyton rolled her eyes and turned her back away again from him and walked a little faster.

Lucas caught up with her and turned her around.

"Why can't you just tell me?" Lucas said his voice now soft.

"I love you and I care about you." Lucas continued.

"You love me?"Peyton said incredulously. I cannot believe him!

Lucas just looked at her and nodded.

"You have a funny way of showing it." Peyton said shrugging his hand away from him.

"Just let me in, Peyton. Just tell us what's wrong? Let us help." Lucas said.

"Nothing is wrong. Except for you being an annoying selfish jock!" Peyton replied.

"I'm selfish?" Lucas said in disbelief. He could not believe he is being called selfish when he wasn't the one who runaway to some place and never even cared to say goodbye.

"If I'm selfish, what do we call you then huh? Who left without saying goodbye and not thinking about what the people you left here would feel!" Lucas continued.

Peyton who was so hurt by those words could not help but slap him.

SLAP!

Lucas looked at her confused and hurt. Peyton did not care. She just said,

"You know what, I am sorry for thinking about myself at that moment!" Peyton said sarcastically and loud almost yelling, then continued much calmer. "I knew it was selfish and it was unfair for Brooke, Haley, Nathan and you. But I needed to do that, I needed to think. I came back with questions. I know. But, don't you think what you did was unfair too? I lost Brooke because of you. She threw everything away because of you. Years we had together. Years of memories. Of happiness, of sadness! Years! Years, Luke! I never thought that a guy would be the one to break us. But you did. I could have lived without you, but not with her. I needed her. I told you to stop it that I wasn't interested. But you just won't quit it. So, next time you try and tell me I'm selfish, look at yourself first!" Peyton finished pointing at him with tears flowing in her cheeks.

Lucas looked down unable to say anything.

"I think it's better if we don't talk to each other for a while." Peyton said, her voice soft and defeated, after a few seconds before walking away.

Lucas kicked the land he was standing out of frustration.

lalez: (Belated) Merry Christmas to you too! Glad to know you liked the story so far. Well, when I was writing that... I was thinking that Nate is talking to some doctor he knew or something. Someone with authority on the subject *shrugs*

Brooke is being like that because she felt betrayed. Her best friend just left without so much as a note. It hurt her. She couldn't possibly just let the blonde in, just because she came back and apologize. She wants Peyton to feel the same pain she felt before. She, even, thinks that Peyton has is easy because she didn't have to worry about whether Brooke is hurt or is still alive since Peyton can actually see her.

Tweetiebird86: Yeah, I think he will be too! He is the one who is so persistent of the 4 of them. Peyton's dad is one of my dilemmas that's why it took me a while to even post the first chapter of this story. I just don't know where to put him. I don't want to kill him. I might need him later. You're just making my life harder, aren't you? = P You're the only one who noticed him out of the picture. I was kinda hoping that no one would notice about him, at least until I figure out what to do with him... But then, I hadn't really factored in you-who-seem-to-notice-everything while I was starting this story. LOL!!! Glad to read your review as always! Tell me what you think of this chapter too!= )

tvloony: HAHA! Yeah, that is how the others would find out about her illness, I think, especially Brooke. That revelation MIGHT even be a reason for Brooke to let go of all that contempt and anger she holds on to Peyton.