𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐌𝐄 - 𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐓𝐓

𝟎𝟔

- All That You Can't Leave Behind

Ellie, Peyton and Brooke was standing on the side lines in school gym, starting cheerleading practice as the basketball players were on the other side of the gym. Elizabeth and Brooke had showed the girls the cheer routine they had made up and the brunette was watching the girls formate walking up and down when she stopped in front of Elizabeth and Peyton her eyes were locked onto the taller blond girl, " wait, hold on. Peyton, you got the arms wrong"

Peyton rolled her eyes in annoyance as she didn't really seem to care since it was her mothers death anniversary and would rather be anywhere else but at school, " it's not brain surgery, Brooke" Peyton snapped causing an confused look to appear on Brooke face as she questioned, " Okay, what's with the attitude?" Peyton scoffed in disbelief narrowing her eyes at the brunette and resorted, " what's with your life? Seriously, aren't you embarrassed the most imported thing in your world is some stupid cheer?"

Ellie folded her arms across her chest as she glanced at Peyton as she knew it wouldn't be easy for the blonde girl especially since she blamed herself for her moms death and ever since she died every year Peyton would act out but it didn't give her the right to take it out on Brooke, " look, I'm really sorry things didn't work out with you and Nathan, but don't go all Mariah on me, okay?"

Peyton scoffed in disbelief as Brooke and Ellie was with her when she found out her mom had gotten into a car accident their stayed at the hospital with her the entire night but Peyton mom didn't survive and couldn't believe that Brooke who was one of her best friends didn't remember, " you think this is about Nathan? You're not even close! You're not even in the neighbourhood of close!" Peyton yelled out loudly causing the frown to deepen on Brooke face as she didn't know what was up with friend and was concerned about her, "okay, then what's wrong?"

"What's wrong is how pointless all of this is!" Peyton explained loudly gaining the attention of the basketball players who had turned their attention towards the two girls. " stop saying that!" Brooke exclaimed sending Peyton a look who shook her head in response, " No, because it's true! What difference does it make if you sleep with a popular guy or you go to the right party, or you know the moves to some moronic cheer to do at some lame- ass game I could care less about!" Peyton snapped throwing the Pom-Pom's in Brooke face before storming out of the gym.

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After practice, Elizabeth was making her way towards her car to pick up Maya from her grandfathers when a familiar voice called out her name, " Ellie!" Nathan called out jogging after the Jones teen causing her to roll her eyes in response as she was still mad at him after what he did at the party the night before and hasn't spoken to him since, " what do you want, Nate?" She questioned as Nathan was now walking beside her causing him to frown in confusion at her attitude towards, " have you heard from Peyton? And what's with the attitude?"

"Not since you two broke up and she completely lost it in practice. Why?" Ellie curiously questioned causing Nathan to let out a sigh, " cause she's not at School, and she won't pick up at home or her cell." Ellie shrugged her shoulders as she put her bag in the back of her car, " I don't know what to tell you, Nate. Look, I've got to go I'm gonna be late for my shift at Karen's café but do me a favour wake up Nathan before you lose everything"

Nathan grabbed Ellie arm before she could get into her car, " I'm sorry, okay, about everything that happened with Lucas. I'm laid off Lucas and I'm gonna leave him alone from now on" Ellie scoffed as she let out sarcastic laugh and resorted, " Yeah, but the only reason that you laid off is because Haley promised she's tutor you but you still went out of your way to humiliate him and for what?" Nathan eyes widened in shock as he looked at the blonde girl and asked, " wait, how do you know about that?"

"Peyton is one of my best friends she tells me everything" Ellie trailed off as she opened the car door but before she climbed in she looked over at Nathan and told him, " Look, Nathan you're not a bad guy but you've been treating Lucas terribly acting out blaming him when it's Dan you're really angry at. I'll always be here for you Nate but if you continue down this road you're gonna have no one left and the only person to blame is yourself"

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After picking up Maya, Ellie was working at the cafe when she was putting a bag of rubbish outside when she noticed Peyton who was in a car stopping at green lights with cars who were behind her honking causing Ellie to rush over to her friend climbing into the passenger side causing Peyton eyes to widened in shock at the sight of Ellie, " why are you doing this, Peyton?"

"If I were you, I'd get back out of the car" Peyton firmly told Elizabeth who shook her head in response before putting on her seatbelt as she knew her friend was doing this because of her moms accident who had died in a car accident after running a red light, " not until you tell me what's going on. I know it's the anniversary of your mother's death but this isn't the way to deal with your loss Peyton. Everyone's grieves differently but your mom would not want you do this to yourself... If you continue going down this path one day it's going to get you killed"

When the lights turned red she slammed her foot on the pedal, speeding through the red lights causing Ellie to gasp, " Peyton! Slow down! Peyton! Slow the hell down!" Ellie exclaimed as Peyton continued racing down the streets, " she was driving to school to pick me up. She was late, so she ran a red light. It was one light at the wrong split second, and it ended for her" Peyton informed before she slammed on the breaks outside of the cafe, " my mom ran one red light. I run them all the time, and nothing happens. It's not fair"

"No, it's not. But this isn't the answer either" Ellie placed her hand on Peyton arm squeezing it in response, " I know we've not been as close as we used to be since Liam left town. But I will always be here for you and I don't want you to be alone on one of the worst days of your life so tonight you're staying at mine no excuses. We're gonna slumber it like we used to always do" Ellie unfastened her seatbelt before she climbed out of the car as Peyton nodded her head with a small smile at the blonde girl before she left she called out, " Ellie, thank you for remembering"

Ellie walked inside the cafe not noticing that Lucas had watched the two girls when Peyton was running the red lights, " Hey, are you okay? I saw what happened with Peyton?" Ellie let a sigh as she turned around to face Lucas placing her hands on her hips, " I don't know I've seen Peyton running red lights and when I saw her today sitting at a green light I got into the car I just wanted to make sure that she is okay. She's been running red lights on purpose"

"Ellie! That's dangerous you could of both gotten hurt or worse killed" Lucas exclaimed as his eyes widened in shock as Ellie slowly nodded her head, " I know but it's her mom's anniversary and she's been acting out all day. I just wanted to know why she was doing this. Her mom got into a car accident, Brooke and I were with her the entire night at the hospital but we never knew exactly what happened. Her mom ran one red light as she was late to pick Peyton up and it ended her life but Peyton does it all the time and nothing happens"

Lucas frowned with a sympathetic look on his face, " that's horrible no one should have to deal with losing someone you love but it's just how life works. It sucks" Ellie nodded her head when crying was heads on the baby monitor causing her to send a small smile to Lucas, " well, duty calls. Thank you for listening, Luke" Lucas watched as Elizabeth walked away to check on her daughter when Haley let out a laugh watching the interaction between the two of them, " so when are you gonna tell her you like her?" Lucas rolled his eyes shoving the brunette, " shut up!"

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After Ellie shift had ended she left Karen café, the blonde beauty decided to make her way home trying to distract herself as she was going to tell Peyton about Maya tonight. Ellie was in her pyjamas when the doorbell went off causing a frown to appear on her face as she walked downstairs to answer the door. Ellie opened the door with a small smile on her face at the sight of Peyton who was dressed in her pyjamas holding a bag of drinks and snacks in one hand and a movie in the other, " Hey" peyton smiled in response, "hey. I'm here as promised. I even bought you're favourite movie ' The Notebook'

Ellie laughed pulling her friend into a tight hug, "
thank you, Peyton. I wouldn't know what to do without you in my life" Peyton giggled with a shake of her head leading the blonde girl towards her bedroom but Ellie stopped her causing a confused look to appear on her face, " there's someone I want you to meet" Peyton frown deepened as she followed Ellie to the bedroom across from hers switching on the light causing Peyton mouth to open up in shock at the baby room.

Ellie smiled brightly as she walked over towards her daughters crib who began cooing and babbling loudly when she looked up at her mother causing both girls to laugh as Ellie took Maya into her arms kissing her cheek as she smiled at her lovingly before she turned around to face Peyton who smiled at the sight of her best friend with her daughter in her arms who stopped cooing staring at Peyton in wonder, " Maya, this is Peyton. Peyton, this is Maya. You're niece"

Peyton smiled down at the baby girl before she looked up at Ellie in shock, turning back to Maya she reached out her hand towards her causing Maya to coo happily as she reached out clutching onto her finger, " so this was the big secret you were keeping?" Peyton questioned causing Ellie to nod her head in confirmation with an apologetic look on her face, " Yes, I'm sorry for not telling you. When Liam left I was mess."

"Brooke was with me when I found out I was pregnant and I didn't want anyone to know. Liam wouldn't answer my calls and at the time I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep her or not but when I held her in my arms I knew I couldn't put her up for adoption" Ellie trailed off as she looked down at Maya who was on her arms. " Ellie she is so beautiful.. she looks just like you" Peyton said causing the two girls to laugh as they looked down at Maya who continued cooing in her mothers arms at the attention she was receiving.