Peyton stretched out luxuriously in her bed savoring the fact that this was the first Saturday morning in over a month that Brooke hadn't called an early morning cheerleading practice. She loved her best friend, but Saturdays were not meant for practicing new cheer moves. Slipping out from between her sheets and padding across the carpet, she
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Jake moved aside, and nodded for her to come inside. She obliged and took a moment to survey the apartment. A tiny smile crept back onto her face. The place looked good, and that meant that Jake and Jenny were doing good.
After smirking at a framed picture of Jenny covered in cake, Peyton turned to see Jake motion toward the couch. "Have a seat." He was smiling at her, but he still looked as if he didn't quite know what to do with himself.
She sunk down onto the couch, and tried to think of where to start.
"Look Jake, I know this is weird and about 10 different kinds of awkward, but I had to come by and say something. I never meant for you to find out about things like that."
Her hands were twisting themselves together, and she kept her eyes trained on them. She was a little afraid that if she looked up at him now, she wouldn't be able to finish.
"I should have told you right away, but I was so happy that you were back, you know? I didn't want to ruin it. And then there was the shooting, and everything just blew up...I know it's too late to say I'm sorry, but I am. And, I guess, I just wanted you to know."
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"I know it's too late to say I'm sorry, but I am. And, I guess, I just wanted you to know."
He sucked in his breath during the last few words and looked up at her, realizing that she still had her eyes trained on her hands. He reached out and rested his hand on top of hers, forcing her to look up at him.
"Look, you really don't need to apologize to me," he began to say, not really knowing where to start. "When I left, I told you to move on... and you did. You're an amazing person, Peyton. How could I possibly think that someone else wouldn't come along? I'm the one who should be apologizing right now for making all of this -- I don't know -- complicated," he explained as he drew his hand from hers.
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His hand was still resting on top of hers, and she untangled her fingers and held it in her own. "It's ok that it's complicated." She laughed softly at her own awkward words. "I mean, I don't care that it's complicated. Because I know it will get better, and there isn't anything in this world that would keep me from wanting you and Jenny in my life. You're my family."
She felt an all too familiar lump in the back of her throat, and the edges of her vision blurred ever so slightly as she furiously blinked back a few stubborn tears. Squeezing his hand tightly, she smiled at him.
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Those last few words echoed through his mind as he watched the tears begin to well up in her soft eyes. He wrapped an arm around her, bringing her closer to him as he leaned back against the couch. Jake looked down at her smiling face and wiped away a small tear drop that was beginning to trickle down her cheek. "You'll always have a place in our family," he smiled.
Jake couldn't help but think of how much he had missed holding her in her arms, taking in the sweet smell of her golden locks of hair. It was something that he would never be able to shake off, even though he had accepted the fact that her heart now belonged to another man. "You know, that Lucas is one lucky guy," he sighed as he stared up at the rotating ceiling fan above.
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"You know, that Lucas is one lucky guy."
Peyton smiled as she thought of Lucas. Then she smiled because of Jake. He was being so good about everything. She remembered back to sophomore year, when she had taken a step back and let Brooke be with Lucas. It was the hardest thing she had ever had to do, and her heart had ached all the time. She didn't want Jake to feel that way, but she didn't know what else to do. She sat up straight, and gave Jake a wry smile. "Sorry I turned all girlie there on you." She reached over and hugged him tightly. "You're an amazing guy Jake, and I'll always love you." She stood up off the couch. "Thank you."
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Jake opened the freezer and peeked inside, eyeing the full pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. "I do believe we have some of the finest ice cream here..." he said, smirking, "which actually belongs to your favorite Chris Keller."
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Her eyes opened again as he mentioned ice cream. He turned, smirking at her, holding the pint of Ben and Jerry's. Grinning at him she moved out of the doorway and into the kitchen. "Getting my favorite kind of ice cream, and the chance to piss off Chris Keller? Hmm. One of life's tough decisions." She said in mock seriousness. It didn't last long though. Her grin broke through after only seconds. "I could never resist Ben or Jerry. I'm in."
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Jake laughed and shook his head as he pulled two bowls and spoons out of the cupboards. Once he finished scooping the softening ice cream into their bowls, he picked up the bowls and had Peyton follow him to the sliding doors opposite the living room. "This is the best part of the apartment, in my opinion, at least," Jake commented as he slid the door open for her.
The balcony faced the garden area behind the apartments, an area that Jake didn't even know existed until he came to check out the apartments in person. The area was quiet, as if the apartment building and the wooded area behind it blocked out noise from the suburban life of Tree Hill. It was a place that allowed him to just settle in silence for a while. He pulled out a wooden chair for Peyton, and then sat down on another chair opposite hers.
"So how have you been, Peyton?" He asked as he handed a bowl of ice cream to her.
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Peyton looked out over the small garden and the secluded woods that lay behind it. Jake was right, this was the best part of the apartment. She knew without a doubt that if this is where she were living, this would be the spot that she would come to draw, or listen to her music. Peyton smiled at him as he pulled out a chair for her. Chivilary wasn't dead after all. Even if they were just friends now. She sat down and took the offered bowl of ice cream from him. Spooning a bite into her mouth she said, "I've been alright..."
She looked out over the garden. That wasn't exactly true was it? "Actually, this year has been kind of rough. But.." she let out a soft laugh, "all my years seem to be that way lately. I...I found out I'm adopted."
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"I didn't believe her at first, but it's true. My mom and dad adopted me right after I was born. Ellie and I had a really great time together...we even put out a c.d., but" Peyton cleared her throat again. The last thing she needed to do was start crying again. "She had breast cancer, she passed away a few months ago." Peyton cast her eyes to the floor, while she tried not to get too emotional again.
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Jake paused and then looked down, trying to find the right words. "You amaze me, you know that, right?" He looked up to find that Peyton had finally removed her teary-eyed gaze from the floor. "I mean -- you're one of the strongest people I know, Peyton. I'm not even sure how I would be right now if I had to face all of the things you've dealt with in the last few years. There's no doubt that both of your moms are proud of you right now."
Jake reached across the table and held onto her hand. "And don't be afraid to cry. It's just me here. I promise that I won't call you 'girly'."
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"No, it's ok. I'm done crying about it. Ellie was amazing, and I'm just glad that I got to spend the time with her that I did." She nodded her head slightly.
She took her hand back and took another bite of ice cream. "I feel like we've been talking about me since the second I stepped in the door. I'm not that egomaniacal, I swear. How've you been Jake? How are things going for you now that you're back?"
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Jake scraped the edges of his bowl before taking the last bite of ice cream. "I just have to wait until I get the money," he shrugged.
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"That's really great Jake. I'm happy for you." And she really was too. She was so proud of everything he had been able to do for himself over the last couple of years. As she smiled at him, she noticed the time glowing on her watch. She had spent most of the afternoon with Jake.
"Oh god." She said. "I'm really sorry Jake. I did't realize how long I had been here. I need to get going..." She stood up and they walked back inside the apartment. "I'm really glad you're back." She said giving him a hug.
(Hey, could you drop me an email at mugglefemme@hotmail.com? I have an idea I'd like to run by you...)
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"Well, I suppose you could always test it out," Jake smirked. He looked over at her and noticed her glancing down at her watch. Upon realizing that they had spent almost the entire afternoon together, Peyton stood up to leave, cueing Jake to walk her out.
"I'm glad that I'm back too. And Peyton,--" Jake felt her arms wrap around him, enveloping him in a hug. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her slender body and continued, "thanks for coming."
Letting go of her, he pulled the door open and watched as she walked out. "I'll see you around."
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