I woke up to find the space next to me empty. I looked around, trying to find any indication of where she had gone. It was when I glanced at the clock that I realized she was probably at work. She took off yesterday, simply because I asked her to. I wanted to spend some more time together, before the house got packed.

I've been here for two weeks now, and I've been enjoying every minute of it. I think she's enjoying it to. I mean, she seems as happy as am, at least she did the other day. But yesterday something was different…she was a little distant. I tried to ignore it…tried to push it to the back of my mind, but the feeling just kept resurfacing. It was almost as if she looked guilty…but what could she possibly feel guilty about, unless there's something I don't know. I don't want to think that she's hiding something...but that look in her eyes last night.

I shake my head and push the thought to the side before getting out of the bed. It's been just the two of us for the past two weeks, but this evening everyone else from Tree Hill will be here. Getting off of work wasn't really an issue for any of them…they all own their own businesses…it's summer so the kids are off, and me…I get to take off because aside from my three week vacation, I have about a month of sick days racked up since I rarely take off. So for the next two weeks, Tree Hill is moving to New York.

From what Haley tells me, she's just happy to be visiting, as well as Keith and my mom, Brooke's been gushing about playing editor again, Nathan just wants to see Peyton, make sure she's okay…he'll probably try to convince her to move back to Tree Hill…she won't say yes, but for two weeks he'll keep trying…Hales says he's been checking the weather everyday, making sure mother nature isn't going to try and stop him from seeing his best friend…soon to be his official "little sister".

That thought brings a smile to my face as I walk out the bathroom. One afternoon in our junior year…I told her that one day I was going to marry her. I remember her turning to look at me like I was crazy…I kissed her and then she settled back into my arms with a smile on her face. We may have been thrown off track a few times, but it's finally happening.

I told Peyton I would clean up the apartment a bit today, she said I didn't have to, but I'm doing it anyway. She gets home a little earlier than usual today, that way she's here when everyone arrives, and I know she'll be running around the house trying to get it spotless. I have nothing else to do, so I figured the least I could do was clean up a little so she can relax when she gets home.

I spent about two hours upstairs…I've gotten used to the size of her apartment, but having to vacuum the master bedroom, 3 guest rooms, the living room, and then straighten out 3 bathrooms, including the master which should count as two bathrooms…it just reminds me how huge her apartment really is…and there's still the family room, another bathroom, kitchen and dining area…all downstairs. I now know why Peyton told me not the worry about cleaning. But I'll finish it all…just because it's the least I can do since I've been living here for two weeks.

The sound of cabinets opening and closing grabs my attention. I start down the hall and as I'm heading downstairs I hear the dishwasher start. I'm about to turn around and go grab something from upstairs….anything that I could hit someone with. There's a baseball bat in one of the guest room closets, I saw it while I was cleaning, and now I'm seriously contemplating going back to get it.

"Mr. Scott" the voice stops my as I'm turning to go back upstairs. I continue down the steps and as I'm about to step onto the last step, a short brunette appears in front of me. "Good morning…"

"Morning…" I respond hesitantly…I assume she can see the confusion on my face because she give a small laugh before sticking out her hand.

"I'm Susan… "

"Lucas" I responded as I shook her hand….still lost as to who she was or how she knows my name.

"Miss Sawyer called me this morning and asked if I would come do the cleaning a little early this month."

"Oh…so you clean this whole place by yourself…" my eyes got wide at the thought and once again she just laughed.

"No…friend Elaine is here with me, and we each take a floor and then finish the terrace together." I gave a small nod. "I see you got started upstairs…or I heard anyway….Miss Sawyer said that you would probably insist on helping clean." This time I had to laugh myself…she knew me too well.

"I don't really have anything else to do and the place really isn't that dirty." I shrugged.

"Yeah, Miss Sawyer does a pretty good job keeping this place tidy and we're grateful for that, but once a month we come and clean this place and make sure it's spotless."

"Well feel free to put me to work" I gave another small shrug as Susan laughed.

"Really…it's okay…you don't need to do anything…this is what we get paid to do"

"I know…but I insist…and don't bother arguing with me" I flashed her smile which she returned with a roll of her eyes.

"Well Elaine is on the second floor changing all the bedding. I'm good down here…so if you wouldn't mind sweeping the terrace and taking care of the pool…skimming it and adding some chlorine."

"Okay…I'm just gunna grab a water first" Her smile falters for the briefest of moments but she quickly nods before turning and heading into the living room. I must have imagined it. I made my way into the kitchen and over to the fridge. I stopped before I opened the door though, my eyes drifting over to the kitchen island. There was only one thing sitting on top of the black marble…the ring I had slipped on Peyton's finger two weeks ago. I picked it up in my hand as a constricting pain radiated through my chest. How could she do this…if she didn't want to get married she could have just said so…I told her it was okay to say no the morning I proposed. Why did she have to wait two weeks before she decided to do this.

Or had she known from before…did she know she was gunna eventually turn me down when she let me put the ring back on her finger…when she told me yes. I wonder if this is why she didn't wanna tell anybody yet…she claimed she wanted to surprise everyone…wait until they got here. Has she really been trying to figure out how to turn me down all this time…how to take her answer back.

I walk out of the kitchen and start up the stairs. "Is everything okay Mr. Scott." I turn to look down at Susan, who must have seen my face when I left the kitchen. I nod slowly. "I thought you were getting a water?"

"Changed my mind" my voice is small, and it cracks towards the end. I watch the brunette frown…she knows I'm lying, that my mood has done a sudden 180.

"Are you sure you're okay" her voice is gentle…welcoming. I nod as I turn back around. "I'm sorry" I turn back to face her, confusion causing me to frown slightly. She just gives me a sad and apologetic smile before going back to cleaning. It's as I'm walking back upstairs that her response suddenly makes perfect sense. She had been in the kitchen already… it's pretty hard to miss a diamond engagement ring sitting on the counter…she knew what was going on. I hadn't imaged the flicker of hesitance in her eyes when I said I was going to get a water before going upstairs. She knew exactly what she was apologizing for…why I wasn't okay.

I stop in the master bedroom first and set the ring back in the black velvet box before putting the box in my suitcase. I walk upstairs and out onto the terrace. Being up here reminds me of the night I arrived…when we ate dinner up her…the night she told me she loved me. My body leans against the brick wall and I slide down into a sitting position, my elbows resting on my bent knees as my head falls limply into my hands. I can probably count the amount of times I've cried in my life…I haven't cried since I lost Amy. I'm sitting here and I feel tears burning behind my eyes… I'm usually strong…able to keep my emotions in check, but this…it just hurts so much. I don't even know what this is supposed to mean for us…is there even an 'us' left? I wipe roughly at the few tears that slip down my cheeks before forcing myself to stand back up…I won't breakdown now…I can't. So I grab the broom and do exactly what I told Susan I would…I sweep the entire terrace…use Windex to wipe down the glass walls of the weight room…skim the top of the pool and then add more chlorine. Our friends and family will be here tonight…not long after she gets home…which means we won't talk about it...we have to talk about it eventually, but for a girl that likes avoid emotions and runaway from feelings…her timing is perfect, because we can't have any long and emotionally draining conversations while eight other people are staying in the apartment for two weeks.