Lucas stifled yet another yawn as his eyelids grew heavier by the second. He blinked furiously trying to keep his eyelids from sliding shut but it was no use, They felt like they were made from lead as he glanced up at the clock, willing the bell to ring for lunch so he could go sleep in the locker room or something. Resting his head on his arm as the teacher continued to drone on about the spanish inquisition, he let his eyelids slide shut and sleep consumed him as he gave into the waves of tiredness.
Peyton chewed on the end of her pencil in frustration as she sketched lightly over her drawing, trying to get the eyes just right. She frowned and glanced up at the teacher who was oblivious to the boredom of his class, she just wanted the lesson to finish so she could get out of here. She glanced to her right and noticed Luke, his head resting in his hands, eyes closed and clearly asleep. That was the third time this week. At first it had been funny but now she was wondering why he wasn't getting any sleep? She didn't want him to get into trouble again. Putting her pencil down she glanced up at the teacher who was looking the other way and gave him a light tap. He jolted awake, his eyes snapping open and blinking wildy as he looked around bewildered. His gaze settled on Peyton watching him with a frown and he flushed clearly embarassed. He blinked a few more times trying to get the sleep from his eyes and sighed.
"Thanks…I uh…thanks." He mumbled quietly, looking down at the desk. Peyton chewed on her bottom lip uncertainly, slightly amused by his embarassment.
"No problem sleepy head, but that's like the third time this week and that's only in the classes I'm with you in. Why are you so tired?" She asked keeping one eye on the teacher who was still writing on the board and talking about something nobody was listening to. Luke yawned, his eyes watering. He didn't know what to say, he didn't have a clue why he was so tired. He just was, he was late to school because he couldn't get up in time and he got home from school and slept. Sleeping was all he ever did yet he was exhausted all the time.
"I guess I've been working too hard in basketball and I uh…I've got this assignment in English I've been working on." He lied not meeting Peyton's eyes. She arched an eyebrow knowing when Lucas was lying, she knew him too well but she wouldn't press the issue. It could wait. She turned back to her sketch and smiled slightly, she could never get the eyes right. She didn't think she ever would because they always changed, she gave up on the eyes for now and began drawing the basketball in his hands with a small smile on her face. A shadow fell over her sketch pad and she heard an impatient sigh, she looked up reluctantly and met the gaze of an irritated teacher.
"So do you think drawing is more important than listening in my class Miss Sawyer?" He asked as Peyton flushed and closed her sketch pad, sitting up straighter.
"I'm sorry sir." She mumbled.
"Well you'll have plenty of time for drawing in detention." He said with a smirk before walking back to the front of the classroom, she scowled glaring at him angrily. She looked across at Lucas who offered a sympathetic smile which she returned feeling slightly better. He had really been there for her this Summer and with everything with Ellie and she had been there for him after Brooke slept with Chris. They had gotten a lot closer again, she had missed being close to him.
She watched the clock tick slowly forward when a sudden shout made her jump slightly.
"LUCAS SCOTT! My Lesson is not time for sleeping! Detention for you as well and if it happens again you'll be seeing the Dean." He shouted at Lucas who was rubbing his eyes and staring down at his desk his cheeks flushing. This was getting ridiculous, why was he so tired? And now he had detention, what a great day this was turning out to be. At least it was with Peyton and if Mr Saunders was on detention duty he could definitely catch up on some sleep. Whitey was going to pissed that he would be missing practise.
definitely a great day so far.
Peyton whistled quietly to herself as she ascended the stairs up to the library, absorbed in her i-pod as she bobbed her head to the new Fall out Boy track playing. She pushed open the doors and let out a sigh before collapsing into the nearest chair and throwing down her books. She began to work quietly, chewing on her bottom lip in concentration when she realised she didn't have the book she needed. With a sigh she got up leaving her work on the desk and walked over to the shelves on the otherside of the room. She scanned through the battered books quickly before pulling out the one she needed and dodged between the desks when she stopped. Lucas was at the desk across from her, head in his hands fast asleep again. She dumped her books on the desk and walked over her hands shaking slightly as she reached over to wake him. She shook him gently, just touching him sending shivers down her spine. She had to stop thinking thoughts like that, he didn't like her in that way. He was in love with Brooke, sure she had broken his heart but he still loved her. Brooke not her she had to keep telling herself that. He sat up slowly blinking rapidly and flushing again.
"We have to stop meeting like this." Peyton said with a wry smile as Luke stretched, she noticed how pale he was and just how exhausted he looked. His sparkling blue eyes were duller and surrounded by dark circles. Luke returned a weak smile sitting up straighter and surveying Peyton surreptitiously
"Yeah, looks like you can't resist watching me while I'm sleeping." He said with a smirk as Peyton laughed and leant back against the table, folding her arms.
"Which is all the time, seriously Luke…you should go home and sleep. There's no point you being at school if you're going to sleep through half of it." She said watching him as he looked down and gathered up his books.
"I can't, I have basketball and I already have to miss one tomorrow for detention and Whitey will be pissed." He said with a slight hint of desperation. She felt sorry for him, she really did she knew what Whitey could get like.
"But if you explain to him…" She started but she was cut off by Lucas.
"What and say I'm tired? That'll go down well…" He snapped. Peyton fell silent looking down at her hands dejectedly and Lucas sighed feeling bad, he didn't want to upset her. Seeing her upset was the worst especially if he had upset her.
"Sorry Peyt, I didn't mean to snap I just…I'm just so tired all the time and I don't know why and I'm falling behind at basketball. I know I shouldn't take it out on you, I'm sorry." He said apologetically, stifling another yawn as his whole body ached with exhaustion as his head throbbed. She rested a comforting arm on his shoulder and sighed flashing him a re-assuring smile which he returned.
"Just take it easy okay Luke? After basketball get some sleep, I don't want you getting ill or anything, then who will I survive through detention with?" She said with a smile.
"I'll be fine, thanks for caring though." He said as she walked over to her desk, picking up her i-pod. He looked over.
"The New Fall Out Boy?" He said interestedly as she looked up with a smile, he met her eyes and swallowed hard lost in them…
"Yeah, I could burn you a copy of the new album if you want. I'll drop it round later." She said wondering why suddenly it felt so much hotter in here. He grinned his tired blue eyes lighting slightly.
"That'd be great. Thanks." He said as Peyton went back to her work He smiled to himself, finding himself looking forward to tonight already…
Lucas ambled up to the front door and opened it, his whole body drained from the disaster that was basketball practise. He had fallen behind too many times because he was so tired and Whitey ended up yelling at him and sending him home to get sleep when he fell asleep during a "pep talk", At least Nathan wasn't there to mock him but he would be back from his trip in a week or so and then it would all start again. He glanced at the recently painted black front door and sighed before dropping his bags and collapsing onto the couch and closing his eyes, exhaling loudly and throwing an arm across his face shielding his eyes wearily. His head was still pounding, he prepared to fall asleep when the door opened again and Haley bounced into the room with a smile on her face, she saw Luke lying on the couch and smiled.
"Hey Luke!" She said brightly, Lucas resisted the urge to groan knowing it would earn him a slap or a pillow to the face and so he opened his eyes and plastered a fake smile to his pale face.
"Hey Hales."
She walked over and began to look him up and down with a slight frown.
"You look awful Luke." She said cocking an eyebrow as Luke groaned and sat up with some effort.
"Gee Thanks Haley, I love you too." He said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes with a tut and collapsed onto the couch next to Lucas.
"No I'm being serious, you look like you haven't slept in weeks!" She said looking concerned as Luke leant back on the couch closing his eyes, he began to speak again his eyes still closed and his arm back over his face.
"Yeah well I feel like I haven't slept in weeks either, so what's up?" He asked as Haley leant back on the sofa and sighed.
"My shift at the café starts soon and I wanted to know if you could possibly give me a lift? I sprained my ankle in Phys. Ed." She said gesturing down to her foot. Lucas frowned and sat up slightly causing his head to spin…
"So the same ankle you bounded in here on? Haley think of a better excuse next time, I'll give you a lift in about ten minutes. Let me just go and get changed." He said heaving himself up from the couch with some difficulty. He crossed the room but stopped with a sigh when the doorbell rang. He turned round and Haley followed him pleased with herself as Luke opened the door.
"Hey Peyton." Luke said with a smile as she grinned back and pulled a CD from the pocket of her leather jacket.
"Hey, the CD as promised." She noticed Haley standing behind Luke and smiled slightly.
"Hey Haley." She said looking back to Luke who smiled tiredly and looked down at the cd holding the door open wider so Peyton could come in.
"Hey, I was just getting Luke to give me a lift to the café."
Peyton nodded looking back up at Lucas, he met her gaze and they stared at each other for a few seconds lost in each other's eyes before looking away. Haley watched them with a slight smile.
" Hey Luke I need to get down to the café as well to pick up some wages for the extra work I did last week." She said as Lucas rolled his eyes, already heading up the stairs
"Yeah sure, make yourselves comfortable…get a drink, you know where everything is. I won't be long." He said walking up the stairs, his head was pounding now and his eyes blurring. He gripped the banisters and inhaled deeply closing his eyes and waiting for the dizziness to pass. He heard Peyton and Haley laughing in the kitchen and desperately willed for this to pass. Everything ached, his bones, his head, he felt flushed and he could barely breathe…what was happening? He staggered to the top of the stairs and gripped onto the wall for support as he lurched forward his equilibrium gone. Still gasping for air he dropped to his knees with a thump and slid sideways everything going black.
Peyton put her glass down and stopped laughing when she heard a loud thump from upstairs, she glanced across at Haley who was wiping her eyes and still smiling. Her smile faded when she looked across at Peyton.
"What?" She asked as Peyton walked towards the stairs.
"Didn't you hear that? It was like a loud thump or something." She said turning back at Haley who shrugged.
"Lucas?" She called loudly up the stairs. When she received no reply she glanced back at Haley.
"Luke, are you okay?" She yelled starting up the stairs, quickly followed by Haley. A feeling of dread swelled in her stomach, she knew she was getting worried over nothing. Luke would pop his head over the top of the banisters and ask her what was wrong…but he had looked so terrible at school today…
"Luke?" Haley called loudly.
"Maybe he's got headphones on or something?" She offered chewing on her bottom lip as the ascended the stairs slowly.
"If we walk in and he's naked I think I'll be scarred for the rest of my life." Haley said as Peyton reached the top of the stairs her heart hammering in her ears. As she looked out onto the landing she inhaled sharply her heart leaping into her throat.
"Lucas." She whispered…
A'N Okay so a major cliffhanger already! Yay, okay I know this part was kind of boring but I have to introduce the fic and set things up first to let the drama and angst begin so bear with me here, I hoped you liked it and please please review, the button is calling to you...give in!