Leo’s stomach knotted jaw tenses and knuckled turned white against the steering wheel as his insecurity and uncertainty towards their relationship grew. He’d felt this way a handful of times, first with Ilia back in Seattle, second with Peyton when the news of her secret surfaced, watching Peyton and Sebastian kiss at truth or dare night, and tonight, when the Brit’s name came up once again. He didn’t like to think of himself as a jealous person but rather one that stayed cool under pressure, but as Sebastian’s name slipped from her faded read lips his frustration only grew, taking on a mind of it’s own. When Leo felt this way, when he allowed these thoughts to take over and develop into something insidious in his mind, there wasn’t much anyone could do to tame them. No words of reassurance, no proof, nothing. What Leo needed was time, but there was none to spare. They couldn’t run away from this conversation and push it off to a later date. They needed to discuss it now, but there was a strong possibility that it would do more harm than good.
“Peyton, I own the damn garage. If I need to leave I can - perks of being the boss. I told you to call me if you needed something,” Leo challenged, shaking his head before leaning it back on the headrest. He didn’t like the idea that out of all people in town, Sebastian was the one person she’d reached out to for assistance while he hadn’t even gotten a text, or knew about it for that matter. She hadn’t been lying, but omitting the truth was just as bad in his eyes.
“How do you not understand that I don’t like you being friends with him? Hanging out with him, or honestly doing anything with him? You say that you want me, well great. But I’ve made it clear that your relationship with him makes me uncomfortable and still nothing has changed. Nothing,” Leo said, voice rising as his frustrations got the better of him. “You didn’t like me hanging out with Ilia so I didn’t hang out with Ilia. The only time I see her is when I pick up Lian. After Rose gave me a lap dance you didn’t like me being around her. Guess what I did? Not call her to come help me out at the garage.” Peyton’s dainty fingers squeezed his hand as she spoke, but Leo made no move to look at her. In this state, there was no reasoning with him. His anger demanded to be felt and though he tried to tame it, his words flowed freely from his lips.
“You can say you want me as much as you want, but how do I know nothing else is happening when I’m work when you’re calling this guy and other people notice this enough to call you out on it? What’s happening that I don’t know about that makes him think he can steal you away from me? Because I’m certain people who are just friends don’t think that way,” He asked, finally turning his head to face her. Leo’s jaw and shoulders were tense, but his eyes were soft, conveying his insecurities about her and their relationship. He’d been intros position time and time again, and despite his best efforts to be there for her every beck and call, he couldn’t help but think everything he did for her just wasn’t enough.
Pulling his hand form hers, Leo turned off the car and circled around to pull her door open. “Don’t know about what? About me? About him? About us?” He asked, eyebrows knitting together as he waited for her reply. “Let’s go. You need to shower and then I’ll clean your cut. It’s not bad enough to get stitches but we gotta make sure nothing’s in there. Also put some ice on your eye or something.”
Peyton’s home felt cold and unwelcoming given the state of their relationship and her night spent in the Peach Hollows Police Department. It wasn’t filled with the scent of homemade dinner, popcorn from movie night or her perfume lingering in the halls. It felt empty. Leo headed up to her bedroom and into the bathroom where he started the shower, turning it as hot as possible so the tile warmed up and didn’t prick at her feet. He was thankful for the moment alone with his thoughts and the sound of the water using form above. The truth was, he didn’t know what to think. He didn’t have the answers and while shedding light on the situation, it didn’t feel like the whole truth. It felt like there was something missing and he was being played like a fool. Again.
“Peyton, your showers ready,” he called out after a few minutes, walking out of the steam filled room into her bedroom again.
It was an all too familiar feeling. Being possessed, being wanted. Except when Leo was possessive, it was for all the right reasons rather than the wrong ones she’d experienced. Men always wanted to be close to her and remain that way. Keep her on a short leash with their heavy, black credit cards dangling in front of her face. They wanted her as property, hands snaking beneath her skirt without so much as an utterance of permission and gripping the back on her neck when she said something they didn’t like. God, it felt like a lifetime ago for Peyton now looking back. Leo had saved her from that and he was only possessive not because she was his property but his prize. Something so valuable to him that he’d strived so hard to get and now that she was so close, he didn’t want to let her go. It was comforting to be truthful. To know that someone loved her enough to care whether she stayed or went. So why did she abuse the power she had? It was far more complex than she could ever articulate but the simple answer was: Peyton liked the attention.
Listening to Leo rant made her stomach sour. He was right, she should have called him to come to her work that day. She shouldn’t have been talking to Sebastian at all let alone participating in Bring Your Affair to work day. But as he began mentioning Ilia and Rose, she couldn’t help but project her own feelings onto him. She was just as jealous as he was, only her angered envy was out of guilt. “If you want to go move boxes with your baby mama so bad, go right ahead. Better yet, if you want the girl who did this to me to help you at the garage because I’m busy with work. Go ahead, Leo, by all means.” Peyton crossed her arms across her chest with an amused chuckle leaving her pouted lips. She knew that wasn’t what he was trying to get at by any means but a lapse in emotional maturity lead her to snapping right back.
Leo’s laundry list of questions made Peyton sink back in her seat, staring out into the dimly lit street. It was hard to say for certain what she did to boost Sebastian’s confidence. Perhaps it was the lingering eye contact or maybe it was her letting him stand between her parted thighs as she sat on his kitchen countertop. There were so many incriminating things that made him want her but Peyton couldn’t admit to that without losing what Leo and herself had worked so hard for. “I’m not your fucking ex-girlfriend, Leo. You’re supposed to trust me not project whatever she did to you onto me.” Peyton flailed her arms with a defeated shrug. Her voice was tinged with irritation. It was difficult not being trusted, but there was something about it that made her want to stray away more so. Distrust made her sneaky, it was a vicious cycle. “There’s nothing happening. If you don’t believe me, I’ll literally block his number. Is that what you want? Will that make you feel better?” Peyton asked, her tone condescending as she rifled through her phone and scrambled to find Captain Sebastian. She took a deep breath before blocking the number, dropping the phone into the cupholder immediately after doing so and looking up at Leo. “There. Now its just me and you. Do you feel better now?” Peyton couldn’t help but roll her eyes, shaking her head as she laid back against the headrest. She knew inside she’d unblock it as soon as he left which probably validated all of his points.
As Leo circled the car to let her out, it was clear this argument wasn’t calming down. She flinched at his words as she ducked out of the car, practically whimpering as she closed her lids. “About anything!” Peyton finally snapped back. Her initial answer would have been about us but the thought of this being the cause of their break-up made her heart ache. As he ushered her inside, Peyton ran her hands through her messy hair. She hadn’t even realized how badly her hands were trembling, how they shook despite anything being voluntary. Was it from her sustained injuries or the emotions piling up? Either way, she needed to repress the pain whether physical or emotional. The redhead made her way up to her bedroom and made her way over to her mirror where she looked at herself hesitantly. The mere sight made her chin quiver, eyes beginning to form tears as she looked at all of the dried blood staining her clothing as well as her skin. One tear poured over onto her cheek and she simply pushed it away before pulling her sweater over her head. It was difficult to exert energy she didn’t have, feeling an ache in her back and ribs that she hadn’t yet discovered as she lifted up her top. The girl winced as she dropped the cashmere fabric onto the floor, turning so she could see the purpling bruises on her back from falling onto the table. Shaking her head, Peyton then undressed with her eyes closed before slipping into her red black satin robe before being seated on the edge of her bed.
Peyton hadn’t even heard the water running as she tucked her arms crossed against her stomach, staring at her discarded clothing on the floor. She hadn’t even heard Leo’s voice until he entered her bedroom, finally registering what he said. “Thank you.” The girl murmured as she slowly crept past his, eyes still glued to the ground. Typically, Leo would have been joining her in their own attempt to save water. But she was sure it wasn’t even worth asking him to join. Peyton wanted to stroll past him into the bathroom without paying him mind but her aching heart urged her to touch him. So she did. Her delicate fingers gently curled around his bicep before she leaned up and pecked him on the cheek, lips lingering a little too long as they trembled from the pain on her cut touching his warm skin. The act was very reminiscent of their night at the lake after they’d skinny dipped when she was getting into the car. Except now, she wasn’t quite sure where they stood. “I’ll be back.” The girl sniffled before taking off into the bathroom and locking the door behind her.
When Peyton returned to her bedroom, she looked considerably better. There was no long blood taking up real estate on her pale skin however the bruising had begun to consume her under eye. The girl sheepishly made her way over to her bed as she tied her robe tightly to pinch her waist. She climbed into her bed slowly beside Leo. Usually she’d waste no time climbing onto his chest and laughing as he complained that her towel dried hair was soaking the cotton on his tee shirt. But the atmosphere was unfortunately a lot colder. Sitting up against the pillows, she waited for him to open up the first aid kit. “Thank you for picking me up,” She finally said after sitting momentarily in silence. “I know you didn’t expect your girlfriend to be million dollar baby..” Peyton laughed softly as her own joke, her laughter quickly fading out and fleeting. “The, uh, the whole ride home I was just imaging.. it’s stupid. But I was just imagining that that’s what you would look like if you were picking up our kids from their first party. Super disappointed but I’m hard on your because I love you dad, I think you have it down pat..” She shyly smiled at Leo as she laid her hand atop his knee.