The Last Shot

Chapter I The Library

The bus doors opened and Nathan and I got out of our seats. We were coming from the last basketball game of an amazing season, my head held high. I thought this was gonna be a good day for me.Today was graduation and this was one of the last days me and my friends would be together for a while. After this Nathan and I will be taking over as basketball coaches here at Tree Hill High. Our friends Marvin and Brooke are headed to Queens and Peyton is headed overseas to start her own record company.

I stepped out of the bus and all I heard was screaming and yelling. Brooke ran to me and said, "There's a student in the school with a gun! Peyton's still in there. I'm so sorry Lucas," she gave me a hug.

Coach Durham pulls out a Walkie Talkie. The principal was asking him to get everyone on the bus. He started to yell, "EVERYONE GET ON THE BUS NOW!"

Nathan asked Brooke, "Is Haley okay?"

"She's still in the tutor centre." The next thing I know, Nathan was running into the school. Coach called him back, but he didn't listen.

"I'm going after him" I stated. Coach got mad at me and so I retaliated with a snarl

"Coach HE IS MY BROTHER!"

And I turn back around and kept running, my thoughts racing. Is Peyton dead, is Haley okay, who has the gun, where are Haley and Peyton. I ran into the school I looked left and right, and there to the right of me was Nathan going into coaches office. I turned right and that's when I saw the doors to the library; shattered glass all over the floor. I ran into Coach Durham's office and saw Nathan pick up two baseball bats saying, "I know we don't play baseball, but this will help us defend ourselves."

I realize he doesn't know they have a gun. I finally told him. "They have a gun, you know that right?"

He nods knowing about the gun. He tosses the bat to me and said, "You look for Peyton And I'll look for Haley." I nod and run over to the library doors I saw a splatter of blood on the floor I turn around and call for Nathan

"Nate there's blood," I stated.

"Looks like this guy isn't afraid to shoot," Nathan smirked. I went through the shattered doors and followed the trail of blood (as Nathan went the opposite direction) until I got to the big book section in the library. I heard a loud sob. I thought it could be a trick so they could shoot other people. I raised my bat I turned to the left as I prepared to swing. Peyton looked at me and cried for me to stop. She said that there was glass in her leg so I told her to stand up but she responded with a cry, "Lucas, I've tried I can't", she sobbed. I moved her hand off her leg and took a look and I knew as soon as I looked at it, that it was not a piece of glass, it was a bullet but I wasn't gonna tell her that. She rested on my shoulder crying. She looked up at me and her eyes were wide yet tearful she said, "Lucas this might sound crazy and because I have lost a lot of blood so you cannot hold this against me but Luke, I love you." I looked at her confused but also it felt like a big weight was taken off my chest.

As she leaned back on my shoulder I said, "I love you too Peyton Sawyer." I kissed her forehead and said, "You are going to get through this, I promise" I picked her up. "We are going to get out of here right now." But I realized she had fallen asleep, at least I hoped she was sleeping. I use my back to open the door.

In my arms Peyton opened her eyes and mumbled, "It's not glass in my leg, it's a bullet right?"

"It's a bullet Peyton, you caught the bullet in your thigh." I responded and all I see is her head drape and then I knew if I didn't get her out quickly she won't make it. I ran, sprinting down the hall Peyton in my arms, unconscious. I heard a scream and someone muffle "That's my que," I now figured out someone heard me. The adrenaline kicked in I run down the stairs and open the glass door to the library. There pointing at me was a gun and behind it was an old friend, Jimi Edwards.

I look at him. "Why Jimi?" I questioned as I stared at the gun.

He gave me a glare, "PUT HER DOWN BEFORE I SHOOT. NO ONE APPRECIATES ME NOT EVEN YOU, IT HAS BEEN THREE YEARS SINCE YOU TALKED TO ME LUKE. I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS."
I glanced over to my left with what I thought was my Uncle Keith, stepped in front of me and told me to go. "What about you Keith?" I asked with concern.

"Lucas go, I love you. Tell your mom that too, ok." I nodded and left Keith who was soon to be my adopted father because my father Dan, left my mom for a woman named Deb and now he and Keith hate each other because of that. I brought Peyton to the ambulance. They said she was alive.