Among The Shadows

Change Of Plans

Lucas inquired about Peyton's plans for the wedding as he approached her sitting on the couch with a distant gaze in her green eyes. She seemed preoccupied, thinking about Brooke. Peyton pondered whether Brooke had gone to the hospital as she claimed and if she had asked Haley to accompany her.

The blonde was torn between wanting to be with Brooke and respecting her wishes to focus on the wedding.

Thoughts of the kiss with Brooke troubled Peyton, wondering about her developing feelings. Lucas, noticing Peyton's distracted state, questioned her attentiveness, to which Peyton responded with a confused 'Huh?'

Lucas inquired with a frown on his face if Peyton had been attentive to his words. Peyton, upon realizing his lack of attention, responded, 'What was your question?' Lucas, disappointed, mentioned, 'I asked about your thoughts on the wedding,' as he held Peyton's hand.

Peyton hesitated and replied, 'I'm not sure; anything is fine with me.' Despite her intention to proceed with the wedding, Peyton's true feelings urged her to be honest with Lucas, conveying her uncertainty.

Lucas noticed Peyton's discomfort and inquired, 'Is everything alright, Peyton?' To which Peyton, after a moment of contemplation, expressed, 'Can we postpone the wedding? Although I know you are eager for this day, I believe we need to reconsider our decision.'

Lucas stared at her in astonishment and inquired, 'What do you mean?' He was uncertain about the situation but had a sense that something was amiss. 'I mean that I believe we should postpone the wedding planning,' Peyton started to explain.

The blonde shook her head and stated solemnly, 'No, Lucas, I need to be honest with you.' Peyton gazed up at Lucas and noticed his questioning expression. 'About what?' he asked, shaking his head.

'I am unsure if I can proceed with marrying you,' Peyton confessed with a deep breath, observing his growing confusion. 'So, you are saying you cannot marry me at the moment? We can postpone the wedding if you prefer to wait longer, I am willing to do so,' Lucas responded.

Peyton shook her head and firmly stated, 'No, Luke, I cannot marry you at all. I apologize, but I believe this is not the right decision.'

Peyton winced as Lucas began to raise his voice, 'And why is that? You went to great lengths to remove Lindsay from the equation, and now you claim you cannot marry me.' He said.

"Luke, I apologize for not being certain of my feelings before we became engaged," Peyton expressed, gazing downward. "Is there another individual involved? Is that the underlying cause?" Lucas asked as he stood up.

"Or is this related to Brooke? What transpired between you two?" Lucas demanded, feeling unclear about the situation.

"I mean, if she is attempting to manipulate you in any way, then I will confront her," he added before being interrupted by Peyton. "And what? Inflict harm on her?" Peyton interjected.

Peyton locked eyes with as Lucas stated, "If she is influencing your decision to marry me as part of some scheme, I will confront her verbally, but I will not harm her." Lucas objected, asserting, "What kind of person do you think I am? I am not like Dan."

Peyton clarified, "I did not imply that you were. However, you will not be allowed to approach my best friend because she is not involved in this matter." Peyton declared she would not permit Lucas to interact with Brooke out of fear of potential harm, as Brooke was already dealing with significant distress.

Lucas gazed at her and inquired, 'Then who is it?' He questioned, pacing the room, 'Why did you deem it acceptable to alter your decision at the last moment?'

'I believed I wanted this, I believed I wanted to be with you, Luke,' Peyton expressed as she rose to her feet, 'However, I realize I was unsure of my desires, and there is someone else who has captured my heart,' she disclosed.