♤DEALS♤

Chapter 17 - 'Keep it up and I'll give your arm a twin with one of your legs.'

If you can dream about it, you can make it happen.

-THEO

Caleb Parks' POV

Being an orphan in my early life was not a life I'd wish on my foes. I got bullied, humiliated and had many near-death experiences. Besides that, I try my best not to dwell on my lack of parental love when I was a kid and not to focus on those horrid memories. If it will keep me sane.

To say the least, I was not surprised when Marci ditched me on the stairs and ran into her parents' open arms.

What did surprise me was when Peyton walked up the stairs. Sadness that should be in my eyes was in hers. Her silver-blue eyes made held one emotion.

Frustration.

"You okay?" I asked her as she got nearer to me.

"Just peachy," She says without looking at me and continues going up.

"Peyton?" Dinah calls, "Can you come back here for a minute?"

Peyton puts on a fake smile and walks down the stairs with me.

"So this is the reason for the sound check gone wrong?" Marcel states as he looks Peyton up and down.

Peyton crosses her arms on her chest, "You must be the reason why makeup was invented."

Dinah and Marci snickered as Marcel and Peyton continued to banter.

"What did you just say to me?" Marcel says as his eyebrows struggle to climb to his hairline or scrunch together.

"I said I could do a better job than your mirror." A smirk rests perfectly on her face as she looks him up and down, and it seems like the tables have turned.

Marcel raised his hands as if to strangle her but dropped them, "Shawn! Jacob! Get your asses out here before I get convicted of murder."

"I'd like to see you try," Peyton said with a grim look on her face.

Shawn came down the stairs carrying some luggage with ease while Jacob struggled to bring his. The cast on his hand clearly bothers him. The cause of that cast has a smirk on her face growing wider by the minute.

"What the hell happened to your arm?" Marcel looked at the bridge exploding.

"Two words, Pickup and lines," Jack grinned as he ate popcorn while Gail trailed behind him from the kitchen.

Shawn and Jacob finally got the luggage down. Gail ran towards me, and I squatted down to her height and gave her a big hug.

"Do you really have to go?" She cupped my face, her big green eyes coated with sadness.

It pains me to see her this way. I didn't want history to repeat itself, so I had to leave.

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon. Meanwhile, Peyton will look after you." I gave her a pointed look. She avoided my stare, clearly not wanting to listen to any instructions; I would have for her.

"Here won't be that fun without you two trying to eat each other's faces off." She said and sniffed.

Only if she knew what those words really mean.

"If she did that," Dinah points at Jacob's hand, "I like her even more. If it helps you boys sleep better, I'll stay here with Marci. I have some catching up to do with the runaway Britain anyway." She grins.

With one more hug and a kiss on the cheek, Gail leaves my arms and tugs at Peyton to pick her up. Peyton agrees to her request, and she nuzzles her head into Peyton's neck. I form a slight smile at the scene before me.