Luke and I have spent a little over two hours in the room. I hadn't been sure about how to start the conversation, I mean, how exactly do you begin telling someone about years of abuse. He knew what the conversation was gunna be about, a part of him had to be waiting for it to happen. We both stayed quiet for a little while once we were sitting on the edge of the bed, but he eventually chose to speak first. I was scared and he knew it, so he told me to just start with whatever I had just spoken to Nate about…and that's what started our two hour conversation. I retold some of the same storied I told Nathan, he asked questions in an attempt to wrap his head around everything. I told him about good and bad times I had with Stan, the things he did and said, the mind games he played, I told Luke about all of it just hoping that maybe it would help him understand why leaving wasn't so easy. But I think that thing that hurt him most was when I told him that I had crawled out of bed and called Nathan in the middle of the night earlier this week.
"I never meant to shut you out Luke…"
"I know you didn't…but I still don't get why you did." He sighed as he ran a hand over his head. "Is it that you don't trust me that way you do Nathan, or are you not comfortable talking to me…or is it something else…or both…"
"I do trust you Luke. I guess…I guess I was just scared to lose Nathan…I still am. I feel like if I go to you with everything, then I won't be as close to Nate anymore. I know that shouldn't bother me as much as it does…I'm engaged to you so I should be getting closer to you and letting go of Nate…I just don't know how to do that" Admitting this was causing more tears than the entire conversation I had just had about Stan. I looked up when I heard Lucas laugh lightly.
"I'm sorry…" he said it as soon as he saw the shocked look on my face. "It's just that…you make it sound like Nate is you're therapist…and granted he may have taken on that role, but he's also you're friend…first and foremost Nathan is your friend."
"I know that Luke…" I let my head fall against his shoulder and his arm instinctively wrapped around my shoulders.
"Then stop worrying about losing Nathan…and about losing me. I get that there are gunna be times when you'd rather talk to Nate about things…he knows more than I do and he treats you differently than I do. Just because we're getting married…" he shimmed his shoulders a little bit and couldn't help but return the smile he flashed at me. "…it doesn't mean that I wanna take Nathan's place. I already know he's the one you're gunna go to when you feel like strangling me"
"Maybe I should rethink this marriage thing…" I mused as he kissed my forehead.
"Now why would you wanna do a silly thing like that…" he has his head leaning down against mine, his finger sliding up and down my arm.
"I wouldn't" my voice is light but there's a sureness that I haven't heard from myself in awhile.
"Question…if you gave me the ring back…how exactly did it wind up on your finger…I'm not complaining or anything, just wondering"
"So I went snooping…" I shrugged as he laughed.
"Not even married yet and you're already acting like…" he cut his statement short and I can feel his breath catch in his throat.
"Amy…" I finish for him and feel his breath when he slowly exhales.
"Sorry…"
"For what…you can talk about Luke…was she nosy" I have a small smile on my face when I ask, for some reason I'm interested in the answer…I guess part of it has to do with the fact that I know nothing about her…Lucas never talks about her, neither does anyone else.
"Not really…she didn't look through my things to spy on me or anything like that, but on her birthday and Christmas I'd always catch her looking for her gift" He laughed lightly to himself, shaking his head a bit. "There was one Christmas, our last one…she even tried to coerce Sam into telling her where I hid her gift."
"Did Sam tell her…"
"She's a daddy's girl"
"She told her…" I couldn't help but smile widely as I closed my eyes.
"She got it and gave it to her" We both laughed. A part of me feels like it should bother me to hear him talk about Amy, like it should hurt to hear him laugh and smile at all the memories he has of his wife…of his family….but it doesn't. For some reason hearing about that moment only makes me smile.
"I hope you guys are dressed in there because I'm coming in. You have 5 seconds, 4 seconds…" Haley's knocking and her voice drag me out of my thoughts, but neither of us move, not ever after the bedroom door flies open. "You guys have been in here for two hours and as much as I enjoyed that little tour today Luke, I didn't come here to see you…I live right down the road from you and you haven't been gone long enough for me to miss you yet…Peyton's another story."
"I guess I'll be seeing you later" his voice is mumbled as he starts to pull away. I nod in response just before Haley grabs my arms and pulls me to my feet.
"That's right 'cause I'm stealing her" She loops her arm in mine and all but drags me out of the room. "Now Nathan and Brooke have been smiling like two kids in a candy store ever since I got back and you're gunna tell me why…I don't like being left out…it's no fun." I shake my head as we make it our way down the stairs.
"You're not as perceptive as you used to be Hales." I bump my hip into her and she just scuffs.
"Don't kid yourself…I see the ring on your finger…I saw that tan line on your finger this morning. I know you didn't think I bought that BS answer you gave me this morning. I'm tutor wife remember…I know how to put two and two together."
"So if you knew…why didn't you say anything…" I raised a brow and looked at the brunette in shock and confusion.
"Because I haven't had a chance to sit down and talk to you yet. I knew Luke was gunna propose…me and him are you and Nate, remember…he didn't have to actually come out and say it to me…I just knew. I wasn't sure what you're response would be, but when I saw the tan line on your ring finger I figured that you have said yes and that you had been wearing the ring for awhile…but I couldn't ask you this morning why you changed you're mind because I knew that needed to be an actual conversation."
"How did you know I didn't just take it off and forget to put it back on." I cocked an eyebrow up again.
"Because that's something you do when you're married, not when you've been engaged for less than a month. Besides, Lucas was distant and miserable last night when he got here, and he was lying through his teeth about being okay. I would've pressed him about it but Brooke got to him first. I would've talked to him today, but after his attitude last night and seeing you're finger this morning I figure he wouldn't wanna talk about what happened."
"Oh…" how this girl is so good at reading people is something I never have and never will know…it's just some kind of sixth sense she has.
"But now that everything's okay again…you're gunna tell me…" She pulled me down onto the couch with her, crossed her legs and waited…all in typical Haley fashion.
"You're never gunna changed"
"No time soon" she shrugged before focusing her gaze back on me.
"He did propose the first morning here, and I did say yes. I took the ring off yesterday morning because I didn't wanna push this on Sam, but then I was told by you, Brooke, and Sam that not just Lucas was asking…both of them were. There was nothing holding me back after that so I chose to put the ring back on. Brooke walked in right after I did it and then she kicked me out of my room and told me to go find Nate. Luke found out, talked to Luke, got dragged out of my room by you, and now we're sitting on the couch…end of story."
"That's a boring story…romantic and cute…perfect for a child's bedtime story…but overall…it was boring."
"Believe me…it was much more dramatic than it seems."
"Maybe you should think about making it a movie" she quipped as she got up off the couch.
"Oh…definitely" I rolled my eyes before following Haley into the kitchen. How she knew not to ask about the conversation with Luke, I don't know…I guess it's just part of her little gift.
"Peyton Marie…" I turned toward the stairs with a scowl on my face.
"Hey…what did I do" I looked over at Haley and she just shrugged. I groaned as I made my way up the stairs, Alex just laughed and pointed toward their room. I poked my head inside and saw Brooke sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Come on…" she waved me inside as soon as she saw me.
"And why am I Peyton Marie…" I closed the door and stood with my arms crossed over my chest.
"Just 'cause I haven't called you that in a while." She shrugged with a smile.
"Hey Brooke, have you seen Peyton…" I got ready to turn just as Luke opened the door. The impact pushed me a few steps foreword, and it gave Brooke a good laugh as I almost lost my balance. "I'm so sorry Peyt…" he placed a hand on my shoulder as I rubbed the back of my head.
"It's okay…I'm sure I'll live." I keep my hand on my head as I turn to face him. "What did you need…"
"Can I talk to you when you're done in here" His eyes kept glancing between my face and my hand which was still cradling my head.
"Everything okay…" I looked up slightly worried but he smiled in return.
"Everything's fine." He leaned in a kissed me gently. "I'll be down the hall…" I nodded and watched him leave before turning back to Brooke.
"That looked like it hurt" She raised a brow as I walked over and sat down next to her.
"Just a bit…now did you need something, or did you just wanna laugh at me."
"I have an offer for you…actually it might be more of a question…" she shrugged again and started fidgeting with her hands.
"Okay…I'm listening." Her being nervous is making me nervous.
"Would it be okay if…if I made your dress…I mean your wedding dress. I understand completely if you already plan on having some designer do it…you work for Cosmo so you have access to the best of the best…"
"Brooke…I'm sorry…I…I kind of already had picked a designer to make my dress…I didn't get a chance to ask them yet but…" I watched her smile falter…it was barley noticeable but I caught it.
"Who did you have in mind…" She bit her bottom lip as she looked over at me.
"I don't know if you know them…they're fairly new, but they go some top notch stuff. As matter of fact I have something from them in my closet, it's a gorgeous dress…it's black with a barley noticeably design on it…but it's absolutely amazing…the dress was even hand delivered, the designer even did my hair and set up one of the best nights of my life…which lead to two of the best weeks of my life, soon to be three…" I could've kept going but she threw her arms around my neck, letting me know that she finally got it.
"You suck, you know that…" She pulled back with a bright smile on her face.
"Who else would I have make my dress Brooke…"
"I don't know…you have all these options available to you…you didn't have to pick me"
"Well I'm picking the best person for the job…and I'm also making you help me with the entire wedding…"
"You really didn't have an option with that one…"
"Brooke what's wrong…" her smile had faltered again.
"Nothing..." I raised a brow and she sighed. "It's stupid really…it's just that I planned Haley's wedding…now I'm planning yours…I even planned for Karen. I'll be 30 soon Peyton, I've planned everybody's wedding…just not mine…I'm always a bridesmaid" I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into me.
"I'm sorry Brooke. You'll get there, I mean you and Alex are doing great aren't you?" I felt her nod against me. "Don't rush it Brooke…you'll be planning you're wedding before you know it. If you and Alex love each other as much as it seems then all you have to do is give it some time."
"Look at me…it's supposed to be a happy day and here I am making you cheer me up" She pulled away as she wiped a few tears from under her eyes.
"You're right…it is supposed to be a happy day, which means I need my maid of honor to be happy too…so if that means spending my time cheering you up then I'm all for it."
"Wait…your maid of honor…" she smiled up at me and I had to laugh at the childish grin on her face.
"Now who else was supposed to get that job."
"I guess part of me just assumed Nathan…I share the title of best friend with him, we each have it for different reasons, but he's been such a major part of your life lately so…"
"First off, Nathan would look a little funny in a dress…" she rolled her eyes with a laugh. "And second, everything you said is right, but that's why Nate's already got the perfect job." She contemplated my words for a second before a smile took shape on her lips again.
"He's giving you away isn't he…" she watched me nod with a smile of my own firmly in place. "You're right…that is the perfect job for him." I nod before standing up.
"I should probably go find Luke and see what he wanted to talk about…" I shrug absentmindedly before turning and making my way to the door.
"Hey Peyton…" I turn around just after I open the bedroom door. "They'd be proud of you…really proud." I return the gentle smile she's wearing as a few tears spring to my eyes.
"Thanks Brooke…" she nods before I turn around and walk out of the room. I walk down the hall and see Lucas talking and laughing with Karen and Keith in the upstairs living room.
"Well, well…you came home late last night…you disappeared this morning, it's about time we got to see you…"I smile shyly at Keith as I make my way over to them. I give both him and Karen a hug before sitting down next to Luke.
"So how have you been…" I look over at Karen who's wearing that warm motherly smile that I love.
"Good…I might even say I've been great" Luke wraps his arm around my shoulder.
"Actually we have some good news for you…" it finally clicks in my head what Lucas wanted to talk about me…I had completely forgotten that his parents didn't know.
"Okay…" Keith has this smile on his face that let's me know that he knows exactly what Luke is about to say, Karen is wearing the same one, but neither of them will ruin Luke's happiness about being able to tell them.
"Well…Peyton and I…" he looks over at me a smiles as he pulls me a little closer. "…we're getting married"
"Congratulations you two…" I watch as Luke's smile falls a little.
"You already knew…" he looks between the two and both of them nod.
"Sweetie everyone's been pulling Peyton aside today, Nathan's been acting genuinely satisfied, Brooke's been giddy, and you my dear have had this unbelievably goofy grin on your face since you came out the room." Karen laughed as she watched her son sigh.
"I'm that obvious…"
"Afraid so…" We all laughed and eventually Lucas joined in.
"I'm sorry to keep disappearing on you guys, but I'm starving." I flashed a sympathetic smile as I stood up.
"Don't worry about it…we'll catch up later" Karen waved me off and turns and started towards the stairs.
"Peyton…" I turned back to look at Keith who was still smiling. "Welcome to the family…" I returned the smile gladly and my gaze shifted to Luke.
"Thanks…" I flashed another smile before turning back around and heading downstairs. I found Nathan in the kitchen pouring himself a glass of water. He looked up at me and smiled as he handed me the glass and went to get another for himself. "Thank you"
"How'd you're talk with Luke go…"
"Good…much easier than I thought it would be" I laughed before taking a sip of my water. "Where'd Haley go…"
"The girls wanted to see the terrace so she took them up there, of course they left the TV on though." He rolled his eyes as he set his glass down and made his way into the living room. I turned in his directing a caught a slight wave a dizziness…it's definitely time for me to eat. I watched the TV go off and blinked back hard as the dizziness hit me again, this one much worse than before. I close my eyes tightly, but when I open them everything start blurring together…I can feel the glass slipping out of my hand…I hear the glass shatter on the floor and Nathan scream my name, but there's nothing after that.
