A/N: Hey! Sorry for the extremely late update. Weekends are just so hectic that I don't have time to post (Even though I'd love to give you updates constantly) because I'm either busy with work-especially, friends, and other stuff.
Bendecida82-It's like you're inside of my head :D
Lukenpeyton4ever-The truth will be reveled soon ;)
HJS-NS-23-Glad you're enjoying it. It means lot!
And to the rest of you reviewers/readers thank you so much for keeping up with this story. I can't believe it twenty one chapters already!
Chapter Twenty-One:
After their small sibling fight slash 'make up' with the promise of an ice cream sundae Preston and Leighton made their way back to the house where they had spent the last couple of weeks. Walking in the foyer bits and pieces of their last conversation, or should I say disagreement, could be heard through the echo of the seemingly hushed home.
"-I'm telling you, Elle, it's Carmel."
"Whatever, dude, its pronounced caramel."
Setting down the basketball by the door the two sauntered through the vestibule and into the kitchen to dispose of their empty cups that previously held the sweet dessert. After dropping the plastic cup into the recycling bin Preston's eyes caught onto something that froze everything else around them.
"Pres." Leighton called out his name once she was finished repeating his actions and got no response. "Hello. Is anyone in there?" Waving her hands in front of her brother's face she tried to get some sort of reaction from the boy. Not even a blink from his eyes. "Preston likes to dress up in girl clothes."
She sang. Nothing. Damn; she really thought the by saying that he would come out of his trance then elbow her in the side for even making such a joke. No such luck. Following his gaze she saw what had caused him to become as still as a statue.
"Oh."
She chewed on the bottom of her lip soon after to try and hide the slight curl of her mouth that would have most likely angered her older brother. Their mother and father settled on the couch almost nestled together the low volume of an old rock band playing through the speakers.
"Luke, you can't fool me. I'm like the biggest music junkie out there." It had begun as the same game they use to play when they were in high school. Just sitting on the bed and listening to music trying to find out who was all knowing when it came to bands and such. This game was a bit different though. The music was low as if to make it harder for the person trying to guess who sang the song that was currently playing. "It's Def Leppard's Answer to the Master."
Lucas groaned he really thought he had chosen a tough song. But alas he hadn't and she was right, again.
"Okay keeper of all bands. How about this one-"
"Oh, no, you don't. It's my turn to choose."
Reaching over she tried to retrieve the remote control that would allow her to change to the next disc, but he held it out far in his left hand thinking it would stop her. It didn't, Peyton positioned her whole body across of him trying to grab the remote; she almost had it until he moved his arm up towards the ceiling.
"Ahem."
The sound of someone clearing their throat followed by uneasy coughing caught their attention; Lucas and Peyton jerked both their heads to where the sound was coming from. There they spotted both their children one with harsh eyes and the other with enchantment.
"Hey, guys, did you have fun today."
Standing up from the couch she made her way towards both adolescents bringing her daughter into a one armed hug. Today really hadn't been a fun day. An innocent conversation had led into a small altercation.
"There was ice cream."
If it was one thing that Elle knew it would be that it was very hard lying to Peyton Sawyer. So instead she just stated facts.
"I hope you guys didn't ruin your appetite. We were about to make dinner."
"So, with your culinary skills we're either having peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or chocolate chip cookies for dinner. I'm hoping it's the second option." Leighton spoke her brother's eyes still very apprehensive on his father; Peyton stuck her tongue out playfully. "Come on. I'll help you look in the yellow pages for a good takeout. I'm craving Chinese."
Grabbing her mother by the arm, Leighton led her into the kitchen talking louder than necessary using the same words over and over: Phone book, take-out, Chinese, and delivery in every sentence that she spoke. Leaving behind Preston and Lucas in the dust.
"Did you guys have a fun time at the Rivercourt?"
"Sure."
"Did you play basketball?"
"Yup."
"Who won?"
"Tie."
Preston stood awkwardly giving only one worded one syllable answers his hands stuffed into his pockets; a gesture he's been doing since he was a boy, a trait that Peyton thought was most certainly inherited from his father.
"Elle's always been a sore loser, hasn't she?"
Lucas asked chuckling trying his best to get more out of his son, an answer that had more than five letter's at the least.
"Yeah."
Piercing his lips together into a thin line, he tried not to get frustrated with the young man. He was trying to get through to his son and the boy wasn't letting him even take a baby step in.
"Is there anything you can say to me that will actually form a sentence?"
Lucas' nonchalant plead matched his body language examining Preston the way he stood, the way he talked, and the way his blue green orbs scrutinized him.
"How about-"His hands were out of his pockets and his stance only a couple centimeters away from Lucas as he rustled. "You stay away from my mom." Backing away he smirked his birth given right. "You're right. Talking in a full sentence is much better."
Surprised by his son's revelation Lucas was lost for words. What had brought the sudden agitation? He wondered.
What he didn't know was that Preston finally acknowledged the unearthed force field that had always brought Lucas and Peyton together. It was more than him and more than his twin, and it was nothing compared to what he thought it would be. Reading his father's book truly undermined the description of the attraction the two had when you see it up close and personal. Not ever had he seen something so truly renowned that after sixteen years whatever it was that connected his mother and father was still strong the bonds woven tightly and they were only speaking about music. Imagine what the immensity would feel like if they spoke of something that captured both their hearts entirely; it would be illimitable. And that alone really freaked him out suddenly apprehensive of the relationship between his mother and the man who raised him.
"Okay, guys, we ordered chow mein, orange chicken, sweet and sour pork, fried rice, beef and broccoli, and egg rolls. Hope that's fine with you guys if not too bad Little Hong Kong is delivering soon and it'll just be more for me and Elle."
The hostility in the room would make any person crawl, but the sound of the door bell ringing broke through to unasked questions. Little Hong Kong really did make delivers fast. The savory scent of the Asian food filled the house, but that didn't stop Lucas from sending weary glances Preston's way; a move that captured Peyton's awareness.
"I have an idea. How about we skip family dinner time and eat in front of the TV like normal families."
Somehow Leighton had a feeling that if there was a family dinner where the four of them, Elliot was spending the night with Lindsay, would eat together at the table it would be filled with nothing but silence.
"Sounds like a plan."
Preston had picked through the ten boxes to find what would sooth his appetite before landing on the couch with a plop digging the chop sticks into the orange chicken and turning on the television. A newsflash suddenly interrupted what looked like a good sports game.
"Breaking News out of Narita, Chiba, Japan; in the city that is approximately fifty miles from Tokyo an airplane from Sydney, Australia headed for the United States was supposed to make an emergency stop at the Narita International Airport following an exploding propeller. Unfortunately the aircraft that carried more than two hundred people never made it, its impact with the Pacific Ocean has yielded to any answers of the fearing questions thought by all as Japan's Navy has yet to retrieve any survivors. Stay tuned as KMPH 59 will bring you the latest news surrounding this catastrophic even first."
Pictures began to pop on the screen of what kind of airplane had landed into the vast sea that was the Pacific coast, but there wasn't any live footage from the crash that had taken place in the early morning hours of Japan.
"That's so sad."
Leighton mumbled
"Those poor souls."
Peyton whispered. Hoping that every single person had survived but couldn't help thinking how horrible it must have felt knowing any second your life would come to an end.
"What about their families? Who would tell them?"
Preston spoke.
It was a moment that previous emotions that were raw and hurtful had disappeared for the smallest of moments. They hadn't personally known anyone on the flight, but just to conceptualize on the feeling that any second your phone could sound and on the other end of the line someone could be offering news to you that you wished you never heard. All four of them were thinking it even though none said a word.
The loud shrills that were the ringing of the house phone made the household residents jolt. Lucas answered the phone immediately handing it over to Peyton and mouthing 'It's Brooke.'
"Hey, Brooke, what's up?"
"P. Sawyer. I swear what's the point of having a cell phone if you're never going to have it on?"
Peyton laughed at Brookes question excusing herself from the others in the living room and walking into the guest bedroom where her cell was lying on the bed its screen reading 'Charge Completed'
"Sorry, it was charging."
"For how long? Five days?"
"Melodramatic much? It was more like a day and a half. Which can't be too good for my battery."
Turning on her phone Peyton was talking more to herself than to her friend on the other line who was waiting rather impatiently for any news on why exactly the unlikeable Mrs. Scott managed to be thrown out of her house as soon as the one who should have been Mrs. Scott came waltzing back into Tree Hill.
"Peyt-"
"Hold on Brooke. Julian called a couple of times leaving a couple voicemails."
She ignored her best friends huffing quickly scanning the text messages that he had left her. Reading over the continuously 'I love you's', 'I miss you's', 'I'm counting down the days till you're back in my arms' and 'Can't way to see you's'. She dialed her voicemail and entered her password the sound of his soothing voice quickly feeling her ears.
"Hey it's me, Julian. Just in case you forgot." He laughs. "Not that you could or would. It is me after all. I'm just calling to say good morning. Can you believe that Australia and Tree Hill have about a fourteen hour difference? You know making conversation is a two way street and you really need to keep that phone charged." Peyton laughs. "I miss you."
Message Two:
"I see your phone's still dead. As long as I can still hear voice even though it is only your message greeting I'm all good. I'm counting down the days till I get to hold you."
Message Three:
"Babe, do I have some news for you? Pop out the wine. I'm coming home, well to Tree Hill, for a couple of days. It's only for two, but it's something right? Right! The plane makes two stops from destination to destination. From Sydney then to Tokyo, I know I know bring you back something." Her heart drops. There was a plane and a crashed plane. But he said it was landing in Tokyo not anywhere else. And the news reporter had stated that it was making its way straight to the states. "Then it's off again, but this time back to the good ol' USA. San Francisco's the second stop and lastly straight for North Carolina. I can't wait to see you."
Message Four:
"Peyton-"Julian drawls out her name taking a deep shaky breath. "I don't want you to worry and I know by calling you I'm probably worrying you-"He whispers almost inaudible next. "Jesus, I need to hear your voice." Choking out the words the alarms in the background could be heard going off. "Everything's going to be fine. I need you to believe that, okay?" A moment of silence. "I love you, Peyton Saw-."
End of message. The line goes dead and the house phone slips from her hands the vivid sounds of her friend's voice could be heard through the receiver. She's clinging onto the cell her knuckles turning white while she began to slide down the wall. He said he loves her, but it wasn't in the way were he would be able to say those three words to her again over and over day after day just because he feels like it. No, it sounded much more like a final way where he would no longer be able to say the four letter word that meant so much, love. He promised everything would be okay. He promised. He lied. Nothing would be okay.
A/N: So? How was that for y'all? Hope you enjoyed it. Rather short, but I hope it didn't disappoint. Um? What else? What else? Oh yeah green button and all its awesomeness! And the italics weren't used as flashbacks lol. I'm sure you got that, but just in case you didn't :D.