Steal Your Heart.

His green eyes stared at the twirling, her floral dress floating in the air. Her shiny blond hair flickering in the sunlight as her arms rose above her head. He could hear her soft laugh from where he stood. His lips turned upright into a smile watching her run across the green grass. The two younger children following her every move as they flew out into the freezing water. The loud screams as they ran from the blue water. He watched her every move almost like he was studying it.

“Is that you John O’Callaghan?”

John turned away from the beautiful girl as his attention averted elsewhere. His green eyes turned to the older woman standing there with a bright smile on her face. He nodded his head as he took a step closer.

“Hello Mrs. Huntington,” he said with a nod of his head.

The older woman merely chuckled at his politeness before opening her arms out. “Long time no see,” she spoke as John wrapped his arms around the woman.

“I’m to blame, I’ve been really busy with the band and-“

“No band,” she spoke putting a finger up to his lips. “You’re here now,” she spoke as John laughed softly. “Are you hungry?”

He shook his head as his eyes averted back to the girl. “I’m not going to be here long,” he spoke as he watched arms being wrapped around her body. “I just came to say congratulations.”

The older woman nodded her head as she turned to her youngest grandchild. “She’s happy John.”

John felt his stomach turn as he nodded his head. He watched as her lips were in a permanent smile. The laughter of the happy couple only made his stomach turn. He nodded his head plastering the fake smile on his lips.

“She looks it.”

“She misses you,” she spoke as John kept his eyes focused on the beautiful girl.

“Not as much as I miss her.”

John stood there with his hands dug deep into his pockets, staring at the happy couple down by the water. He closed his eyes slightly before turning to the decoration above. His eyes traveling over the two names embroider into the streamer.

Congratulations Peyton and David

“John Cornelius O’Callaghan the fifth.”

His lips turned up in a wide smile as the sound of her voice. He turned his attention and was only met with her bright blue eyes. He gulped back the nervousness as he placed a smile on his lips.

“Peyton Marie Huntington,” he spoke with a bright smile. “Or shall I say Myers,” he said as she scrunched up her nose in disgust.

“I prefer Huntington,” she said with a smile and a soft laugh that made John’s body tingle.

“Me too,” he said with a nod as his hands remained in his pockets, safely away from her body.

Peyton Marie Huntington, the one that got away. John regretted losing her every minute of the day. She was the definitely of perfect.

And he let her go.

“Well don’t just stand there bucko,” she said with a wide smile showing off every perfect tooth in her mouth. “I think I deserve a fucking hug,” she said with arms outreached.

John simply just chuckled before pulling his hands from his pocket. He took a deep breath before wrapping his arm around the girl. Peyton nuzzled her head into his chest inhaling the familiar scent while John did the same. The smell of sweet fruit was inhaled deep into his memory, afraid that this might be the last time. They held each other, longer than they should have. As they pulled away from each other they both wore the same matching smiles on their faces.

“Shall we take a walk?”

Peyton merely grinned before nodding her head. Then her blue eyes turned away from John’s to see her fiancée staring back with worried eyes.

“Let me talk to my boy- fiancée,” she said with a confused look. “Fuck, I really need to get used to that.”

John nodded his head with a laugh. “Yeah, I know the feeling.”

Peyton just chuckled before leaning over kissing his cheek. “Meet me at the water.”

John watched as Peyton gave him a wink before running off. He just took deep breaths trying to regain his composure. He looked over at a pair of eyes staring at him knowing. She gave him a wink, which John just shook his head in response.

“Well hello there.”

John looked away from the water, his eyes turning to face the beautiful blond. “Hello beautiful.”

He noticed the slight blush, he always loved that. She leaned closer as they walked across the sand, their feet imprinting with every step they made.

“You’ll never change.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

Peyton shook her head. “Never,” she said with a smile. “So what are you doing here?”

“What do you mean?”

“What are you doing here, John?”

“Do you not want me here?” he counter-argued.

He just heard Peyton’s soft laugh before she stopped dead in her tracks. She stood there, blocking John’s pathway. Her small frame being towered by John’s, her blue eyes narrowed in on his green eyes. He simply gave her a smirk which she returned with a shake of her head.

“Cut the crap O’Callaghan.”

“I love when you’re dominant.”

Peyton’s cheeks burned up as she slapped his chest. “John, please.”

He took a deep breath as he shoved his hands into his pocket. He took a look around the lake before turning back to the beautiful girl.

“Remember when we came here senior year?”

He watched her nod her head playing along with the game. “Yeah,” she said with a nod. “I was with my boyfriend and you ruined our date.”

“Remember the words I told you.”

She nodded her head looking deep into his green eyes. “That I was yours and that no matter what, that will never change.”

John felt his heart pound at her memory, maybe he had a chance. He closed his eyes before looking deep into her eyes.

“It hasn’t changed.”

Suddenly Peyton’s eyes narrowed in and she shook her head. He watched her face turn from pleasant to complete anger. He always loved when she was mad.

“John, you can’t do this.”

“Do you really see yourself marrying him?!”

Peyton looked up at the party, her eyes finding her fiancée through the crowd with a wide smile on his face as he danced around her brother and sister. She turned back to John with a stern face.

“I wouldn’t have said yes if I didn’t.”

“You’re making a mistake.”

“And why is that John?” she asked with anger. “You always fucking do this!” she yelled with arms out in the air. “You have this fucking radar that goes off once I’m completely happy and over you. Then you come and do this!”

“I’m not doing anything.”

“Yes, yes you are!” she yelled narrowing her eyes in his direction. “You come back here and make me break up with whoever I’m with because in some fucked up world I believe your words. We’re good for a few months and then you go on tour and I’m lonely and we break up,” she said looking into his eyes. “That’s how it is and that’s how it will always be.”

“This time could be different.”

“Do you really believe that?” she asked as John nodded his head looking away from her eyes. “Look me in the eyes and tell me that this time will be different. If you believe it, I will too.”

John only looked out into the water taking in deep breaths. “We were perfect together, don’t you see that?”

Peyton nodded her head, the memories of their relationship flashing through her head. All the good and all the bad, it was all perfect.

They were perfect.

“Things don’t have to last forever to be perfect,” she spoke as John looked away from the water as he felt her hand being placed in hers. “We had our time and it was amazing,” she said looking into his eyes. “But it was just a moment, why should we ruin the perfection we had for something we don’t even know what it could be.”

“Because I love you,” he spoke looking into her eyes. “Because I will never stop loving you, Peyton,” he said before pressing his lips against her cheek.

Peyton sucked in her breath at the feeling of his lips against her skin. “Someday,” he spoke in her ear. “I’m going to steal your heart away.”

He gave her one last kiss on her forehead before giving her the million dollar smile. Peyton stood there completely breathless as he watched John walk through the sand.

John O’Callaghan always had her heart and always will.