Growing Pains Δ One Tree Hill [ 1 ]

chapter twenty-four

Jessica and Lucas sit the table behind Peyton where she's waiting for her long lost half-brother, Derek. Peyton is meeting him and brought Lucas as backup in case anything were to happen. They weren't going to bring Jessica, but since she's living with Peyton and needed breakfast, they relented.

"Yeah, I figured the first time a cheerleader talks to me, we're... related." A blonde guy says to peyton, standing in front of her.

"I haven't actually talked yet." Peyton says.

"Well, you just did. So this is a lot better than the other day when you... slammed the door in my face." Derek says.

"After you hung up on me when I called." Peyton counters.

"Well, you caught me off guard--" She cuts him off.

"And you think I was expecting you to show up on my front porch?"

"According to your podcast, yes. I've known about you for a while now... didn't know if I wanted to meet you, so when you called it freaked me out, but... I was curious."

"Why didn't you just call me back?"

"I was afraid you'd hang up on me. I'm sorry, okay-- look.." He sits across from her. "Let's start over. Hi, I'm Derek." He holds his hand out. "I guess I'm your brother." Peyton shakes his hand.

"Hi, Derek. I'm Peyton." She introduces herself.

"So, Peyton, who'd you bring?" Derek asks.

"What do you mean?" Peyton asks.

"Well, you don't strike me as a dumb girl, so... who'd you bring as backup? In case I turned out to be psycho?" Derek asks, whispering the last word.

Peyton slightly smiles, looking at the table where the siblings sit. Lucas turns around, revealing himself.

"Derek, Lucas, Lucas... Derek." Peyton introduces. The two guys shake hands.

"And the kid is backup too?" Derek asks, glancing at Jessica.

"Oh, no, uh... that's my little sister. She needed breakfast, so brought her with us." Lucas explains.

~ ~ ~

They had breakfast and the two blondes and one brunette are now walking away from the restaurant.

"That guy seems really cool. I mean, you throw a skirt on him and he's you." Lucas says.

"Agreed." Jessica nods.

"We are not that much alike." Peyton says.

"Oh, no, no, he's a photographer, you're an artist... you wouldn't shut the hell up about that damn Mozella album. You both ordered the same breakfast. I mean, I thought that was cute." Lucas says.

"We ordered scrambled eggs and toast. Same as you, same as everybody else." Peyton says and Lucas silently laughs.

"I got pancakes." Jessica says.

"Right. Sorry, Jessi." Peyton says before looking at LUcas who is still laughing. "It was the freakin' special."

"Okay, you know what? I quit. You have absolutely nothing in common with your brother." Lucas says.