Thanks for the reviews.
Disclaimer: I do not own OTH
So, I'm moving into Lucas and Karen's house today. It was decided that I would be making the move when my dad received a call from a detective at the Tree Hill Police Station. Apparently, while my dad and I spent the day in Chapel Hill, Ian Banks, also known as Psycho Derek, was being transferred back to his hometown in Texas when he escaped local custody outside of the airport in Tree Hill. Since my dad was leaving for another job, he thought I shouldn't be alone and the only option was Karen.
I talked my dad and Karen into letting me wait until tomorrow to pack and move in on Sunday, so I had one more night at the house with my dad and hopefully I would be able to talk him out of the move. At least that is what I thought, until he got a call and left after dinner. He tried to call Karen, but there wasn't an answer and I promised that I would be ok and would go over to Karen's later. Deep down I thought that I would let the night pass and they would see that I would be fine on my own and I wouldn't have to move.
After locking all the doors and windows, including the three deadbolts on the bedroom door, I tried to sleep. Curled up on the bed staring at the ceiling for an hour, freaking out over every little sound, I got up and started packing. I was all packed and ready to move by 5am.
I decided at 7am to get out of the house. It was Saturday and there weren't many people out and about yet. I went to the beach. The spot Lucas and I would meet at over the summer. Before I knew it, it was 9am and my phone was ringing. I snatched my phone from my pocket and looked at the screen. It was Lucas, I hit the ignore button and let it go to voicemail. I'm just not ready to face the reality of my situation. I will be living with Lucas. I don't see how this will work; I don't think I will survive an hour in the same house, maybe they'll find Ian Banks soon and I won't have to worry.
I sat on the beach for another 30 minutes before I felt someone approaching. I knew it was him, I always know when he is around. I wish I didn't.
Lucas sat beside me. I continued to look at the ocean in front of me. Silence, then I spoke. "So, Did you tell Brooke? I mean that I'm moving into your house for awhile."
"No, not yet. I thought I would stop by her apartment once I got your stuff in the house. I still need to get my stuff upstairs." Lucas replied.
"What? No! I am not moving into your room." I say as I get to my feet.
"Peyton" Lucas tries to talk.
I interrupt, "Lucas, No! Either I stay in the room upstairs or I don't move."
"Peyton, that bed it horrid, my mom wouldn't..."
I interrupt again, pacing the beach in front of him. " I'm not discussing this Lucas. I seriously will lock myself in my room before I will move into your room." I stop in front of him, and look into his eyes. I begin to panic. "I can't believe you would even consider that would be ok. What is Brooke going to say, she's going to have a hissy fit. Oh my god! What was I thinking!" I begin to pace again, "She's already making it hard enough at school and life in general. This will be the thing that will put her over the edge. I can't deal with her 24/7." I fall to the sand. "At least living at my house, I am able to get away from it all. I can't live at your house. I can't handle this anymore." I get up to leave, moving fast towards my car. Lucas is running behind me. "Peyton, please stop. Talk to me. Peyton... Wait."
I stop at my car, opening the door. "I just... It won't work. It will just put you and your mom in the middle of this thing between Brooke and me."
I get in my car and look up at Lucas when I hear him start to talk. "Peyton we'll work it all out. The most important thing is your safety, and Brooke will understand, and it's not like either of us have a choice, our parents made this decision, not me and not you, right?"
I feel the tears building in my eyes. "Yeah, right. Just tell Brooke how you didn't have a choice." I shut the door and roll down the window as I start the car. "I'm gonna call my dad, maybe he'll let me join him and I can finish classes through homeschooling." Before he has a chance to speak, I put the car in gear and pull away. I don't go home. I drive and just keep driving. I try my dad, but there is no answer. Like it matters, he would never go along with me joining him on a job.
I kept driving along the coast. Thinking back to my trip to UNC with my dad. I never thought I would have been so excited about that interview or attending school there. For the first time, I really felt that I would eventually be ok. I'm not sure about going to the same school at Lucas and Brooke, but the thought of attending college somewhere and having a focus narrowed down into my field of interest feels good. At least it did.
The next thing I know I am in front of Jake's house. It's mid afternoon and it looks like he is not at home, but I really wouldn't know because I am too chicken to face him. He sent me home to find my heart. I did and it's with Lucas. Jake also told me that he would be here if I found it with him. It is fair to lie to him, tell him my heart is with him, not Lucas? No, he deserves better. Next question, it is fair for me to run to him knowing how he feels about me with my current issues with Lucas and everything else in Tree Hill? No, it's not.
Last question… Where do I go from here?
I'm about to pull away when there is a knock on the passenger window. I'm startled and I jump and when I look over he's laughing at my reaction, but only for a second, because as soon as I see him I breakdown, hard and loud sobs escape my lips. I can't even look at him. He's now pounding on the window.
"Peyton, open the door." I don't respond. "Peyton, come on. You're scaring me. Let me in." He moves to my side of the car, he squats down so he is level with me. He knocks on the window softly. "Peyt. Please." I shake my head and mumble. "I can't".
Next thing I see is Jake running to the house. He left. If it's even possible I cry even harder. I wish I could just drive away, but I can't. I can't stop crying. Two minutes later he's back with a key. He had a key to my car. Quickly the door opens and he is pulling me out of the car. At this point I'm not fighting him, we fall to the ground and he pulls me close. I'm practically on his lap, sobs raging through my body, sitting up against the car on a quiet, but family neighborhood street. I know people are driving by, but I can't seem to care. I can't stop crying. I'm not sure how long we sit there, but at some point I have fallen asleep and Jake has carried me to his bed.