The Up Hill Battle

26. 6pm-Tree Hill, North Carolina - Scott House

LUCAS POV

I looked at Peyton as I was cooking dinner. She was talking to Mia who was asking her questions about music production. Sawyer was even answering some of the questions. The girls don't hate each other anymore, but they don't fully love each other. They are more like friends who make fun of each other, and of me. I finished dinner and brought it to the table. They started to clear the table, then helped me set up.

"You staying?" Peyton asked with a smile.

"Doctors orders," I stated.

"My mother's orders," Mia stated looking at me.

"How is the doctor anyway?" Sawyer asked.

"Unintelligent. Just the other day AJ and I diagnosed each other with Childhood Abandonment Issues," She explained as she served herself salad before passing it to Peyton. "Honestly, we're paying that woman sixty dollars a session and I  figured out where my anger comes from in an hour with AJ...Granted she did say I was dealing with abandonment. She just wasn't clear."

"Wait, you and AJ both have issues?" Peyton said. I sighed looking at her. She gave me a "what" look.

"Yup," Mia said popping the p.

"So, you from my dad, but AJ?" Sawyer asked.

"Actually, both of us from our dad," Mia said. "I mean yeah, he plays a part in my underlying anger," Mia explained pointing at me with her fork, "But our dad left too... he comes and goes all the time. He's there for the good stuff, you know...Like graduations, award ceremonies, the big deal competitions. But he's not there for the bad and the ugly."

"And my dad just wasn't there," Sawyer stated. Mia just nodded. "So, what about Lena?"

"Uhh, well I've heard the middle school are the formative years. And he's here, says he's staying so we'll just see," Mia explained.

"Speaking of seeing, when will see you debate?" Peyton asked. I silently thanked her for changing the subject.

"No time soon," Mia said. "I can't compete at the college level and I haven't been to a competition.  I never joined Tree hill's debate team. According to my friend Daisy I'm still in the rankings, but I'd have to join soon and win in order to stay in the standings to keep competing."

"Why don't you then? I mean you're good at it," I said. Mia chuckled and shook her head.

"I'm one of the best at it," Mia stated. Peyton smiled.

"Okay, hot shot. So, do it," Peyton stated.

"You don't want too," Sawyer said looking at Mia.

"It's not that I don't want to...It's that the only reason I did it was because it made Callum happy. It was what kept him off our backs."

"Wait AJ, and Lena debate too?" Peyton asked. Mia shook her head.

"No, I did. I'd make it seem like Lena and AJ were helping me gather evidence, information, and using them as a practice audience. Sometimes I did get there help. But Debate was a big thing for him and AJ has always been a know-it-all academic person and Lena's into extreme things, she wants to do fun things. We all had great grades, but for Callum debate meant money. It meant scholarships, a career in politics or law. Debate isn't popular for a lot of high schoolers, but you get money when you win. You get a purse. You get noticed by big colleges if you can speak clearly, confidently, persuasively."

"He saw it as a way to get into the best colleges," I said and she nodded.

"Yeah. So, I took up Debate so he wouldn't put that pressure on AJ or Lena," Mia said.

"Did you like it?" Sawyer asked. Mia thought for a second as she chewed her pasta.

"I did. I was good at it, I just don't know if I'd still be great," Mia explained.

"Sounds to me like you're a bit scared. You just need to take the leap," Peyton said, "trust yourself."

"Hey, what happened to the piano?" Sawyer questioned wonderingly.

"it's still there," Mia said. Sawyer raised an eyebrow. "My grandma wanted me to play. So, I played. It made her happy."

"And what about you? Did it make you happy?" Peyton asked.

"No," Mia said. "I'm good at it though. I always liked music, but I love the guitar more."

"Can you play the guitar?" Sawyer asked. Mia nodded.

"My dad bought me one and changed my piano classes to guitar. It was great, until my grandma found out," Mia said.

"How is you're grandma?" I asked. Mia shrugged. "Have you spoken to her at all?"

"Nope, not since Thanksgiving," Mia said.

"Not since you told her about Paul," I said. Mia looked at me and nodded slowly.

"You're twin brother, right?" Sawyer asked.

"Yeah," I said and we continued eating.

When done eating Sawyer and I cleaned up. Mia offered to help, but Peyton wouldn't let her. Mia finished asking Peyton questions for school. They talked some more before she had to leave. I walked with her to her jeep.

"How are you?" I asked. She looked at me after she put her backpack on the passenger seat. "With your grandma and everything?"

"I'm fine, I mean. It would be nice to have her actually care. For her to have a heart, but it's also a relief," Mia said looking at me. "It's nice to not have to try and please her anymore. We always did things because we wanted to meet her standards, but now we can just be ourselves. Not that we weren't always ourselves, but we can be more of ourselves."

I nodded in understanding.

"You know if you ever need anything or if you want to talk you can always come here. I know Brooke is cool, but we're here too," I said. Mia chuckled a bit.

"She loves being the cool one doesn't she," Mia said with a shake of her head. I nodded. Mia got into the jeep. I watched her make a U-turn and drive away. I then walked back inside the house. Sawyer looked at me with a small smile.

I sat on the couch, putting my arm around Peyton. She leaned against me and I kissed her.

MIA POV

I drove home. I stopped at a red light on Market Street. I looked around as I tapped my steering wheel to the beat of Route 66 playing on the radio. I stopped when I saw her. It was the lady from the golf club. She has red curly hair, its frizzy too. She looked at me and continued walking. I heard a honk and looked up at the light.

I started to continue driving, but looked at the woman one more time. Who is she? Is she the one that AJ see's as well? 

I shook my head quickly tossing the thought away. I'm just being paranoid I thought to myself as I drove home.