Something about the way they locked eyes
I haven’t forgotten, Mark Schwann.
I have not forgotten 1x10- You Gotta' Go There To Come Back when Peyton Sawyer saw Jake Jagielski in the clearest light for the first time since she knew him. He was singing a song called “Lonely World” with his daughter Jenny on stage with him. It felt as if his music, especially the lyrics of that particular song, was for her alone—and she doesn’t even know it yet. After his performance, she approached and joked about Jenny’s eyebrows being the same as her father’s. She volunteered to look out for his child and Jake smiled appreciatively for it. It may seem like this was just a random scene but the strange glow on Peyton’s face says otherwise. Later that night she tosses the basketball back to him and this is when they locked eyes. Again, it seemed random, a mere fleeting glance, but Brooke felt the need to take a picture of it and hands it over to Peyton. For some reason, we all know it’s never going to be the same between these two.
They had seemingly random small chats in 1x11- The Living Years and 1x16- The First Cut is The Deepest where they talked about Peyton babysitting for Jenny. Even though these were just simple exchanges of pleasantries and smiles, both of them looked like they wish they could hang out more and talk to each other even longer. Still, they went their separate ways, Jake back to his hectic single-daddy-routine and Peyton to her angsty love triangle with Lucas and Brooke. During the moments in 1x16 when Peyton takes care of Jenny while Jake goes to work, the conversations they start having are subtle and casual at first, but Jake was telling Peyton things he would never admit to anyone else and Peyton was comfortable to be there as his sounding board. They were concerned about each other and they’ve expressed interests on the other’s welfare most especially if either can help. I have not forgotten the gradual and tender way they gravitated to this newfound safe place.
And then there was 1x17- Spirit in the Night, an adorable moment when they open the doors to each other’s shared hall at the same time. Jake started being a dork, earning a dismissive groan from Brooke who had a fight with Peyton for cheating on her with Lucas. Peyton admits that she was glad that she has somewhere to run off to in case Brooke would smother her at night. Jake agrees. They started talking about ‘Jenny withdrawal’ and Peyton reassured him that she’s always here if he needs her. I have not forgotten the magic in her words because she meant in so many heroic ways she hasn’t realized yet.
1x18- To Wish Impossible Things shows Peyton saving her money to buy off Jake in Tree Hill’s Boy Toy Auction. She was defeated by the highest bidder (soon to be revealed as Jake’s ex, Jenny’s mom) but she didn’t mind at that time. This missed opportunity was only a step towards a grander scheme, and she’s pretty content in not knowing. And so are we.
The arrival of Jake’s ex, Nikki, at his doorstep in 1x19- How Can You Be Sure? put a strain in Peyton’s relationship not just with Jake but also with Jenny. Nikki seems so sure and determined in tormenting her just because she was close to them, and she finally gets her victory when she reveals that she was Lucas’ one-night stand. Peyton couldn’t take being lied to by a guy she’s slowly beginning to trust but this also helped her gain Brooke’s forgiveness at last. But Nikki wasn’t done yet. She takes Jenny under Peyton’s watch and Jake wasn’t pleased about Peyton’s carelessness. It was in 1x21- The Leaving Song when we first saw how genuine Peyton’s feelings for Jake were as she stands outside his door, apologizing for being such a disappointment to him. She was broken up for letting him down and this softened Jake, and he tells her that he was never mad at her and that he’s just scared that Nikki might take Jenny away from him. Peyton offers him the last resort: she suggested that he and Jenny run away by sailing off in her father’s ship. Jake didn’t want to be a burden but Peyton convinced him that it was the very least she can happily do for both of them. I have not forgotten how they held back during their goodbyes, how it was tainted with an inexplicable anguish because they wanted something more, but there wasn’t enough time to figure it out. With one awkward peck on the cheek and an uncertain embrace, Jake and Jenny had to leave and Peyton watched whatever possibility of that ‘something more’ thin over the edge of the ocean where they sailed off.
To be continued...
THE SONG NEVER ENDS
A newfound safe place
