4 years, 6 months, 2 days

Chapter 6

The wedding was a great success but Brooke was worried about Peyton the whole time because she wasn't answering her phone. It's the day after the wedding and Peyton never came back home.

...

Peyton spent her day visiting her mom in the cemetery.

"Hi mom" Peyton said holding a bag of bagels and a cup of coffee.

"I know you haven't heard from me for a while now so I planned to spend the whole day with you. I left LA a week ago and things with me and Nick are ok... I guess. Last night was Brooke's wedding, I wish you were there - she looked absolutely beautiful. She would've loved it even more if you were there but you were there in our hearts. I saw Lucas for the first time in three years, he's dating his editor Lindsay and they seem happy but we got into this huge fight and everyone heard us. I miss him all the time and it was really hard seeing him with another girl but it feels good to be home"

Peyton was talking to her mom as if she was alive; laughing and talking for hours.

She didn't realize how late it was until it started pouring heavy rain and the sky was suddenly dark and the clouds were grey. Peyton couldn't see clearly from the rain and she was starting to get worried as she couldn't see where her car was parked (it was just pitch black and pouring). She tried to call Brooke and Julian but there was no reception so she tried Haley and Nathan and unfortunately ended up with the same disappointing result.

Alone, terrified in the cold eerie night, Peyton buried her face into her knees and wrapped her arms around her head. She was crying so much as she never felt so alone in this dark world, all the bad memories kicked in and flashed before her eyes. Her mom dying, Jake leaving and how lonely she felt that she started taking cocaine, Ellie dying, being shot, psycho Derek and now Lucas.

...

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE LAST TIME YOU SAW HER WAS AT THE WEDDING?" Brooke yelled to Nick on the phone as Julian rubbed her shoulders.

"I don't know, she just never showed up after that big show she put on with what's his face" Nick said pissed off at Peyton.

Brooke hung up the phone.

"Don't worry Brooke, i'm sure she's fine"

"No she is not fine Julian, she's broken and you know it. I hope she's somewhere safe because I know how much she loathes the rain"

...

The thunder and lightning made Peyton scream as the terrifying sound got louder and louder.

Lucas couldn't face Lindsay back home so he went to visit his Uncle Keith in the cemetery as it always made him feel better. As he got out of his car, the rain started fading and he made his way to Keith's grave. A sound of a girl crying caught his attention but he couldn't quite hear it as the sound of the wind was masking it. He approached Keith's grave but the cries became louder and he realized that it was Peyton, he looked up to see her crawled up next to her mother's grave.

"Peyton.." he said walking towards her.

She stood up quickly, looked at him repulsed, wiped her tears and walked away.