Chapter 25

The next few days were great. It was like the fight never happened. If anything the girls were closer since they could both finally relax and not worry about things coming to an end in a few weeks.

Lainey continued going to her meetings and Peyton spent her time in the room working from her computer. They spent the evenings together either out on the town or cuddled up in the hotel room.

It was now time to fly back home and both girls were dreading being back home. They loved their work and their families, but it was really nice to be together without people breathing down their necks all the time.

They had decided to take the day off so as soon as they got back they unpacked their bags and then cuddled up on the couch.

They were in the middle of watching a movie and occasionally making out when their parents barged in without knocking or notice of any kind.

"You guys are free to breakup or stay together, but we will no longer force you to stay together." John, Lainey's father, said.

"We are so sorry that we forced you girls into this." Sarah, Lainey's mother, apologized.

"But at least we are giving you a choice now." Bill, Peyton's father, said trying to shed some light and find a bright side.

"Yeah, and who knows maybe this wasn't such a bad thing. I can tell that you have both grown as people, and it looks like you really care for each other." Monica, Peyton's mother, said piggybacking off her husbands idea of finding a bright side.

"Girls aren't you going to say anything?" John asked.

Lainey and Peyton were too shocked to say anything. They both stood there staring at their parents in silence. Luckily Rue came to the rescue. "I think the girls just need some time to process. How about you guys go ahead and take off and you can all gather back here tonight for dinner?"

"I think that sounds like a great idea Chef Smith, thank you." Monica said grabbing her husbands arm and pulling him towards the door.

"Wait!" Bill exclaimed. "Peyton, your mom and I have one more thing for you." Bill turned to his wife. "Go get him."

Monica walked to the front door and opened it. The person on the other side of the door made Peyton's jaw drop to the floor.

"We know we had no right to come between you two and thought that you should talk and maybe you could get back together if you two still love each other or at the very least better understand things."

Peyton had no response. She was staring at her first love, her high school sweetheart.

"Peyton" Scott sighed. "Baby, I've missed you so much." He said running over to her and embracing her in a tight hug.

Peyton neither hugged him back nor pushed him away. She was too stunned to move. Scott eventually let go, and backed away a couple of steps.

Lainey and her family were too stunned to say or do anything in the moment.

"You need to go. All of you. Give these girls some time to process and come back for dinner." Rue said rushing everyone, except for the two girls towards the front door.

"Woah, woah, woah, lady. I don't know who you think you are, but that is my girlfriend in there and I'll stay if I want." Scott said.

"No you won't little boy!" Rue sassed back. "One, she isn't your girlfriend anymore she is your ex. I don't care if you broke up because you wanted to or not. She's still your ex and technically hasn't called off her engagement with Lainey, their parents did which means nothing until one of them goes public with it. Until then it is just hear say. Two, this isn't your house, you don't work here, and neither Peyton nor Lainey invited you so you are not welcome at this time because the people who invited you are leaving. If Peyton wants you to come back she can call you later and tell you to come back and the people at the front gate will let you back in. And finally I am not only their chef, but I have been the only person who's ACTED like a parent to these girls since their engagement so if I say leave you need to leave because I won't hesitate to get someone to come and forcibly remove you, or better yet I'll do it myself."

"Just come with us Scott. Peyton needs some time to take this all in anyway. You can come back with us for dinner tonight." Monica said grabbing Scotts arm and trying to pull him out the door to avoid conflict.

"No" Scott said shaking out of Monica's grip and accidentally causing her to stumble back.

"HEY!" Bill shouted. "I don't care whether you want to stay here or not, but you will NOT treat my wife like that!" Bill scolded him.

"Look I just want to talk to my girl ok."

"Scott as badly as my wife and I feel for what we did to you two. I can't say that the chef is wrong. Peyton is technically your ex, and this is her house with Lainey. Lets just all leave and take a breather and talk this over at dinner. It's not like you won't get to see her again."

"But what about that other bitch?! Why does she get to stay?" Scott yelled back.

That sent Rue over the edge. "Oh you did not just call my goddaughter a bitch. Why I oughta-" Rue lunged at Scott, but thankfully Bill and John were able to hold her back.

"Get... him... out of here." Bill grunted as him and John struggled to keep their grip on Rue.

"Lainey lives here too, Scott. She has a right to stay in her own house if she wants to." Monica said as her and Sarah pushed Scott out the door.

After everyone was finally gone Rue went back to the living room to find the girls still standing in the same spots as they were when she left.

Rue sighed and walked over and embraced them both in a very large hug. "Come here girls."

This time Lainey and Peyton both responded to the hug they were receiving. "I'm sorry girls. I didn't know they were coming over or I would have given you a heads up."

"It's ok Rue." Lainey said.

"We understand." Peyton said.

"Ok, well I think you two have a lot to talk about so I'll leave you to it. I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything." Rue said giving them one last squeeze before letting go and heading off to the kitchen.

"What do we do now?" Peyton asked.

Lainey sighed before saying. "Well, I already know what I want to do, but you were thrown a curveball so I'm sure you haven't decided yet. Just know that I will always be here for you, Peyton, no matter what you decide." For the second time today Lainey wanted to tell Peyton that she loved her, but she didn't want to overwhelm the girl even more so she kept it to herself once again and walked off to her room.

Peyton sat down on the couch and put her head in her hands. She thought about all of her good times with Scott, and all of her good times with Lainey. Just a little bit ago she had wanted to tell Lainey she loved her, but now she wasn't sure what Lainey wanted and they were TRULEY no longer forced to stay together if things went wrong. Lainey told Peyton that she knew what she wanted, but she didn't explain any further than that. What if Lainey didn't want to stay together? What if Peyton's parents had never forced her to break up with Scott? Would she have ever found her love for Lainey?

Peyton made her decision, but she had to talk to Scott first. She went up to let Lainey know she was inviting Scott back over.

"Come in" Lainey said after hearing a knock on her door.

"Hey" Peyton said as she stuck her head through the door.

"Hey ba-... I, uh... hey Peyton. What's up?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I know what I want."

"Oh" Lainey's eyes lit up.

"Yeah, I'm about to call Scott and tell him to come over."

"Oh" Lainey said in a defeated tone.

"Wai-"

"No, no... I get it. He was your first love. Go get him back."

"Lainey I-"

"Peyton, no. Please get out." Lainey turned back to her desk so that Peyton couldn't see the tears escaping her eyes.

She knew she wasn't being a very good friend to Peyton like she said she would be no matter who she chose, but her heart broke when Peyton said she was telling Scott to come over. She was really hopeful that Peyton would choose her. She had faith in what they had built, but apparently it was all one sided. What did Scott have that Lainey didn't?

"Oh, umm... ok. Sorry to bother you." Peyton said closing the door again. Peyton could tell that when she told Lainey she was calling Scott that it upset her, but what was she supposed to do? Not tell him that it was time to move on because she already had? Not give him a proper goodbye since their last one was forced? How could Lainey expect that from her? It still didn't change her decision, it just made her a little more nervous now to actually follow her heart. What if Lainey really didn't want to stay together?

Peyton went back to the living room and sat in her thoughts for a bit longer, trying to decide how she was going to tell Scott she didn't love him. Eventually she called Scott and told him to come over because they needed to talk.