-"So what's up Hales?" The two of them had been walking around the school's hallways for a few minutes now and Haley hadn't started talking yet.
-"I just wanted to apologize for the way I went off on you, it wasn't fair. I was so concerned about Brooke's pain that I didn't even think about what you were going through. Also, I haven't really been there for you in the last few weeks and I'm sorry. I'm not going to let you down again, I promise."
-"It's alright Hales, I get it.. I'm not angry with you."
-"Still, I won't disappoint you again."
-"It's fine Haley. Is that what you were worried about?"
-"Yeah. I didn't want you to think that I wasn't happy about you and Peyton because I am. I'm thrilled that you two finally found each other and I'm sure that you'll make it work. I wanted you to know that."
-"Thanks, that means a lot Hales." He moved in and gave her a hug before pulling back as the two of them started walking again.
-"Sure, so what's wrong?" She stopped looking at him questionably.
-"What?" He was confused, had no idea what she was talking about.
-"You have this look."
-"What look?"
-"The 'I'm pissed but I won't tell you why' look. What's up?" She crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing him.
-"How do you know that I have a look?"
-"I've known you for over ten years Luke. Now fess up."
-"I had a fight with my mom this morning." He volunteered.
-"About what?"
-"Peyton. Well me and Peyton to be exact."
-"What, your mom doesn't think that you two should be together?"
-"Nope. Actually, she's implying that I'm with Peyton to get over Brooke." His voice was cold, distant.
-"Luke, she wouldn't. Maybe you misinterpreted what she said."
-"There was no misunderstanding what she said Hales. My mom thinks that I'd use Peyton like that simply to make myself feel better."
-"You'd never do that Luke, we all know that." Haley tried to reassure her friend, to her it seemed really weird that Karen could say something like that to her son. It was so unlike her.
-"Apparently my mom doesn't."
-"Luke you should talk to her, try to clear things up."
-"Why?"
-"Luke, she's your mother."
-"What's your point? I didn't do anything wrong Hales. It's not me who should apologize here."
-"Luke if your mom doesn't know where you're coming from, it's hard to understand why you dumped Brooke and then a few days later start dating Peyton. You should at least explain, give her a chance to understand, if she doesn't change her mind afterward, then you'll have every right to be angry."
-"Fine, I'll try talking to her. Are you happy?"
-"Very. Now come on, let's go see your girlfriend before you go gaga on me" She smirked at Lucas' expression.
-"I'm not going gaga." He argued and Haley rolled her eyes.
-"Sure, you've only been looking around searching for a fly on the wall." She joked, enjoying her friend blushing.
-"I wasn't looking for Peyton." He denied once again.
-"You weren't."
-He spun back to see his girlfriend and brother coming from the hallway where their lockers were.
-"Hi!" He moved in, wrapping his arms around her body.
-"Hi! So you weren't looking for me?" She smiled coyly.
-"I… I was hoping to find you. I just…"
-"I knew it. You are so going gaga."
-"That was what I was trying to avoid." He smirked at Haley who had this self-satisfied look on her face.
-"I can see why. So, walk me to class?" Peyton laughed at the two friends.
-"Sure." She agreed and he grabbed her hand, the two of them walking away.
-"You are so whipped man." Nathan laughed and Lucas rolled his eyes.
-"Oh shut up. You guys are so lame." He looked back at his brother and Haley who were both looking at the two of them with smirks on their faces.
-At the end of the day, Lucas dropped Peyton off at her house, telling her that eh was going to try to talk to his mom and then come back to see her.
-Peyton hadn't argued or told him that she wanted to come and he was thankful for that. She knew that he'd rather have this conversation with his mom on his own and respected that. She trusted him, she knew that whatever happened he was going to talk to her about it.
-He walked into the café, convincing himself that whatever was going to happen he was going to keep his cool, he wasn't going to go off on her. That was particularly hard though as she walked in, and stepped toward him quickly.
-"Hi Lucas! I…"
-"Can we talk?" He spoke calmly.
-"Lucas…"
-"Not here. Can we go in the back?"
-"Sure."
-They both walked to the back of the café and Karen sat down, Lucas though started pacing.
-"I wasn't happy mom."
-"Lucas, I…"
-"Let me talk alright."
-"Okay. I just want you to know that I'm sorry I offended you. I was just trying to help."
-"Didn't you hear me mom? I said that I wasn't happy. Not only since that day but since before that. I haven't been happy in a long time and I didn't know why."
-"I'm sorry. I didn't know."
-"In a sense I didn't know either. I thought that I wanted Brooke, I really did, and for the longest time that was what I convinced myself of but I was a horrible boyfriend to her mom. She offered me her heart but I never gave her mine. I never really let her in and that ended up hurting her."
-"A few days ago, she got angry with me and asked me to figure out why I wasn't letting her into my heart so I thought about it. I thought about it and I started thinking about that day, you know the school shooting.. Thinking about that, it made me realise how terrified I was when I found out that Peyton was hurt. I wasn't able to breath freely until I knew for sure that she was going to be okay. That's not a normal feeling for a friend mom. If Peyton hadn't been to me anything more that a friend, I wouldn't have felt like my world was crumbling around me at the thought that I could possibly loose her."
-"That's why I broke up with Brooke, mom. I realised that I'd been lying to myself. I made myself believe that I was in love with Brooke because it was easy. Loving Peyton, it's scary, and last time I gave into those feelings, I got burned pretty bad. I guess I was just scared to admit those feelings so that I wouldn't hurt like that again but I realised that I was only hiding. I hid from the truth and still I wasn't happy, I needed to do something about it. Realising that I had those feelings for Peyton, I decided that maybe if I was finally honest with myself than I could be happy again and it's working. I feel better than I have in months mom."
-"I love Peyton and I won't deny it again mom. I just hope that you can understand that and be supportive." Karen was silent for a few seconds before she spoke again.
-"I'm sorry I judged too quickly Luke. You were right, I had no business saying those things to you without knowing what was going on in your head. It won't happen again. I promise."
-"Thank you mom." He replied thankful.
-"I really am sorry. So what about I make up for my bad behaviour from this morning by inviting Peyton over for dinner. I could get to see the two of you together and I would really like that. Thank her for making my boy happy again."
-"I don't know mom, I mean…"
-"Please Luke. I really want to make things right with the two of you. Give me a chance please.."
-"Okay. I'll ask Peyton, see if she wants to come over. I'll see you later" And with that, he gave her a quick hug and left the café for his girlfriend's house, happy that he had worked things out with his mother.