mercy ▹ one tree hill (discontinued)

iv. shortlived

SHORTLIVED
LILA SCOTT

Babysitting was not fun if it was for a family of five. Luckily for Lila, her cousin, Zach, was an only child.

Zach Scott was a replica of Lila Scott; sweet, witty and short in height. They were twins that didn't grow up together, best friends that would love each other for forever. With the same brown hair, sparkling eyes and close enough build you would think they actually were siblings. Lila had been with him since 5 A.M. when her aunt called in a hurry begging that Lila could come and drop Zach off to school. 'Li, honey, you know you're better than Nathan, so please do this,' she pleaded. But she didn't have to, Lila would do anything for Zach.

After a full school day of talking with Brooke and having awkward eye contact with Lucas, Lila had Zach back in her car and was driving down the road to her high school again. The roads were packed as always on these kind of nights and staying focused was hard with Zach constantly yapping in her ear.

"You're my favorite now. We get to see Nate and Luke, and Peyton, and,"

"Alright! I get it," Lila laughed. "We see everyone, yes." Tonight was another Ravens game and nothing like seeing her own family members made Lila cringe the most. After loads of puppy eyes from Zach, she had no choice but to drive to the game and see Natey play like he wanted. He was like his aunt in that way, lots of begging got him what he wanted.

She could hear his happy sigh as she turned into the parking lot of the already crowded school. "I know, but I've never seen Luke before. Do you think he'll like me?" he asked.

There was no easy way to answer this question, Luke didn't even like her. It was easy to tell; whenever she walked by and he was with Haley, his fists balled and his eyebrows stayed furrowed with his eyes staring her down. Wherever Lila went, Luke was not and he made sure that he wasn't. Somehow, she couldn't find a single reason why she would care, but it still struck a cord in her heart. He disliked- no, hated- her so much that he couldn't stay in the same room when she didn't do anything to the boy.

Glancing at Zach and his doe, brown eyes, she breathed out and slightly shook her head. "I don't quite know."

Zach seemed satisfied as he quirked his lip up and looked back into the lot. As Lila parked and opened the door, the excitement immediately perked up with the bustling of students. Walking over to Zach, they both trudged over to the courts doors, to already hear cheering and screaming for the mighty Ravens. Blue and white signs flooded the bleachers with the cheerleaders pom-poms shaking constantly. The energy levels were much more higher than Lila's herself and that didn't affect her in anyway, just made her more grouchy.

Until a large hand was clasped over Lila's shoulder, making her frown and stare at it in disgust. "Surprised you're here, Scott." Her head immediately felt rushed with blood as the familiar soft voice sounded right in her ear. Easily flustered, Lila could only nod frantically with a goofy smile on her face and her hands tucked into her butt pockets.

"Don't worry about her," Zach interrupted, making Lila stare at him with wide eyes. "Gets nervous around people who are even close to cute. In this case you are hot so now it's worse."

There was no time in her life that Lila had wanted Zach dead. To wish it upon him was like a sin. But right now, in front of a guy who she barely knew, a hot guy like Zach had said, she wanted to drown him in a bottomless pit. He had a sly smirk with his eyes crinkled at the edge and raised eyebrows.

Another chuckle from Hayden and Lila still couldn't face him and only looked at her feet, her cheeks now rosy and finding her mind blank. This felt like a Hallmark movie and she has never hated the franchise more then ever. "I'm glad. Just let her know that under this facade, I feel the same."

With that Lila's head snapped up at his retreating figure and his squeaking sneakers on the court floor. This was exactly like a Hallmark movie now, just less cheesy. Her stomach had been in a frenzy and mind in a swirl. She didn't even know this boy and now he made her feel like it was the end of the world.

•

Luke bombed. Like a stink bomb that had a lasting stench on him.

Sitting next to him in English, with Nathan in front of him, Lila could smell how embarrassed he was and that Nathan was profiting off of it. All night, Nate laughed to Lila about it, but no words were said about it from Lila. She felt bad for the kid, his first varsity game and everything had turned worse then expected. The treatment afterwards was also expected, the gross stares and the laughs from Nathan's minions, also the pity from others.

"Early in his career, Hemingway was frustrated. He was a good writer who wanted to be great. And eventually, he discovered that less is more," her teacher droned on. He walked past her desk and turned back towards her facing the rest of the room. "Peyton, describe Lucas using one word."

The blonde was slouched in her desk, a jacket over her and a sketchbook in front of her. With barely a second passing, she said, "Choke."
Laughter ensued, but a frown plastered on Lila's face.

"Alright, guys. Quiet please, thanks," Mr. Bares looked down at Lila desperately. "How about you, one word to describe Lucas."

This time Luke turned around with an emotionless face, staring at Lila as she stared at him. Now she noticed the small bags in his eyes and his small stubble that was growing on him. Honestly, there wasn't a lot that could help her describe Luke except for brother. He was enthralling, a new sight she didn't know about till now, like a world wonder.

"Mystery," she confessed. The teacher smiled and Lucas stayed the same.

"And Lucas, responses for Peyton and Lila?" he asked again.

Lucas paused before the tiniest smile placed on his lips. "Lonely." Groans and sighs were heard around as people recognized the small diss thrown at both girls.

At this, Lila's frown morphed into a scowl. Of course she was fucking lonely, Nathan had all the friends and she had one who was her own cousin. She was lonely, but didn't need anyone to point it out, especially a guy who knew nothing about her.

Mr. Bares walked away again with a small sigh and stood at the front of the room, about to speak when Nathan raised his hand. "Yes, Nathan?"

"I can describe Lucas in one word," he paused. "Bastard."

This was when Lila felt the world crack to pieces, the ice falling through in a frozen pond, a pin dropping in a stack of hay. The hatred was radiating off of Nathan and was easy to point out in a room full of bored teenagers. Everything happened so fast, first Lucas was sitting, then he was throwing punches at Nathan for the whole class the gaze and stare at.

Seems like everything surrounding Lucas was short lived.

••••••

1257 words, not edited

not a lot of words this chapter cause the whole episode was kinda of jumping from place to place! but hayden and zach are cute and lucas is just like what lila said, a mystery.

have a great day!!!
jade