Author's Note: Hey everybody, sorry for the wait I had this awful cold and was not in the mood to write with all the coughing and sneezing…(lol) I think you get my point.
"Peyton" his body stiffened as he glanced at his past incredulously. If someone had told him earlier today that he would run into her there's no way in world he would have believed them. Since their breakup any kind of relationship between the curly haired blonde and himself had been non existent.
He remembered that point in his life vividly; the months after it all went down; he spent them bitter and wallowing in self pity. Thinking back he wondered where it all went wrong and now how they could fix it; their friendship he mentally added.
This had all started when he had been going over the wedding invitation list with Leah; she asked him who he wanted on the list besides his mom, Lily, Nathan, Haley, and Brooke. And Lucas, no matter what he tried couldn't get her name out of his head. That's when the memories started to surface.
"I would never cut you out of my life Peyton."
Guilt trailed not too far behind. Sure they had been talking about Brooke due to the lie Psycho Derek had planted, when he said that but he meant always. Ironic how later down the road he did just that.
Lucas continued to stare at her taking in the changes of her appearance as his thoughts ran a mile a minute. Peyton had yet to avert her gaze so he figured she was doing the same. They stood there for what seemed like an eternity though it was probably only a few seconds until Brooke's voice broke through their revere.
"I'll go get the broom and dustpan to clean up this glass" Brooke said wanting nothing more then to get out the room and avoid facing her best friend's wrath.
Peyton turned at shot an icy glare in the brunette's direction. "Yeah sorry about that can't seem to stop dropping things lately. So why don't you go do that" she said dryly, wondering what possessed Brooke to lie to her.
Lucas looked on at the two confused wondering what Brooke had done to deserve Peyton's hostility when just a minute ago she had been happy and praising the house.
"I will" Brooke replied sheepishly as she walked to the kitchen. Hopefully after the blonde cooled down she would forgive and forget. Nah that wasn't likely to happen.
Watching Brooke leave the room he turned back to Peyton. This was awkward. "So… how have you been" he asked not wanting them to revert back to an unnerving silence.
She pursed her lips momentarily before answering him. "Good" she remarked in fake enthusiasm. "You?"
"Good" clearing his throat he gently threw arm over woman standing next him, pulling her close. "Umm Peyton this is Leah" he said forgetting to add the fiancée part.
"Nice to meet you" she held her out and shook Peyton's, smiling softly. "I've heard a lot about you."
"Can't say the same for you" she thought scornfully. "Only good things I hope."
"Yeah-"she started but was cut off by Brooke rushing in with the broom, dustpan, and a small trash can.
"I'm back" she declared. If she was lucky things wouldn't be as tense as they were before.
"We can see that Brooke" Peyton's tone was clipped and didn't go unnoticed by Lucas and Leah.
Handing her the broom and the dustpan she placed the trash can on the floor. "I'm sorry okay. Just please stop looking at me like that" she pleaded bracing herself.
Peyton folded her arms and tilted her head at Brooke glaring harder then before.
Seeing as how Peyton wasn't going to be very forgiving she slowly backed away. "You know what; I think I hear Jamie calling me."
"Coward" she muttered under breath as she caught Lucas's quizzical gaze.
"What was that all about?"
She squatted down to the floor and began tossing the big pieces of broken glass that was drenched in water into the trash. "Nothing Lucas, Brooke just lied to me about something earlier and I find humor in seeing her sweat" she lied. The less he knew the better.
"Oh" he said inaudibly. He wasn't sure if she was telling the truth but if she was it sort of explained Brooke's behavior when she greeted them at the door.
"Yeah" she sighed as if she heard him. It was weird how they still had their connection after all this time of not seeing each other. She wasn't even looking at him. But she had known what he was going to say. He hadn't even said it out loud. His words had been true, it was always going to be there. "Hey Brooke when you get through hiding can you bring me a mop" she yelled.
"I don't think you should be picking that up like that" he said pointing to shards of glass in her hand. "You need gloves."
She rolled her eyes. It was apparent that his protective nature hadn't left, even over the littlest things. "It's fine, so please don't worry your pretty little- damn" she swore. A small piece had imbedded its way into the palm of her hand. He had obviously jinxed her.
"You were saying" he smirked.
"Lucas" Leah berated slapping his arm. "Don't tease her." She removed her black purse from her shoulder and searched in it fervently. "Aha found it" she pulled out a first aid, popped it opened, and pulled out some tweezers. "I am such a klutz so I have this habit carrying around first aid kits. But it does come in handy."
Peyton smiled genuinely as she got up from the floor. The last thing she wanted to do was like this girl but she seemed so nice and they hadn't even talked to each other that long. "Thanks" she accepted the kit and the tweezers.
"Don't worry about it's not a problem" her cell phone began to ring and she checked caller id. "Gosh we keep getting cut off" she joked before answering it. "Hey Sheryl" she paced away from Lucas and Peyton.
"No, I do not want tulips at Lucas's and mine's wedding.Okay, Sheryl calm I'm not mad it's just that we've had this conversation before." They listened to her talk until she got too far away.
"I guess congratulations are in order then" she said keeping her eyes on her hand as she tried to pry the glass out.
"Thanks" he shoved his hand into his pocket.
"You're welcome" her greens eyes met his blues ones for just a second then she went back to the task at hand.
"Did you already know… about the wedding I mean?"
"Uh yeah, I got the invitation a week ago" she forced herself not to think about how she felt that day.
He nodded. "I figured you did."
"Why is that" she asked curtly. Her eyes flickered and she dared him to say the reason he figured she knew about the wedding was that she came back months before it.
Taken back he furrowed his brow. "One; you didn't seem surprise by what Leah said, two; the invitation was sent out a while ago, and three; I caught the end of Nathan and Haley leaving you a message.
Her eyes softened and she felt stupid for thinking that. "Sorry, if I'm a bitch to you any more today you can thank my jet lag." Peyton paused and considered something. "Wait if you were sure that I already knew why did you ask?"
Shrugging Lucas spoke. "I don't know to start a conversation…you have to admit that this is awkward."
She nodded and sighed exasperated. "God I can't do this" she hissed frustrated.
"Is it really that hard to talk to me" had asked hurt.
Peyton scoffed. "Ego much; I'm talking about my hand I can't get this glass out. I'm not a lefty" she whined.
Lucas looked at her amused then apologized. "Sorry."
"It's fine, let's just drop it."
They were both antsy and jumping to conclusions only seemed to worsen things. But hey nobody ever said that talking to your ex was easy or fun.
"Here let me help" Lucas grabbed a hold of hand and took the tweezers. He gingerly pulled the glass out discarding it. Slowly he ran his thumb over her palm where a small cut remained. "There."
Shivering at his touch she snatched her hand away. "I should go get that mop."
She started to leave but he called her back. "So this is how it's going be huh? I thought we were better than that" he murmured indignantly.
She laughed bitterly. " You haven't seen me in two years and you're just now saying this. You- no we were wrong okay, just plain wrong about a lot of things! There's no, ifs or buts about it. I see that now" she inhaled, struggling to keep her composure. "I think it's time you did the same."
She left the foyer and this time he didn't stop her.
A/N: So what did you guys think? Leave me with your thoughts! So I saw Tuesday's episode and now I'm wondering how come Haley didn't get a lucky bamboo too. I could have sworn she just started teaching. Hmm how weird.