<P> During the first season, 16 - year - old Peyton Sawyer is girlfriend to popular jock / star basketball player Nathan, but they soon break up when Peyton reasons that their relationship is more about sexual benefits than love, and that she is tired of his cruelty . In addition, she realizes that she no longer wants to be the star basketball player's girlfriend . She has a romantic interest in her ex's brooding half brother, Lucas . Through various interactions with Lucas, she finds that he is kind and thoughtful towards her . However, when he confesses the depths of his need and want for her, she becomes scared and runs from him; Lucas is left heartbroken and desperate . Peyton later goes to visit Lucas and professes that she wants what he wants, but it is too late; Brooke, her best friend, has now become romantically involved with Lucas . Lucas and Peyton eventually cannot resist each other, romantic-wise, and become secret lovers (though no sex is involved). On the night that they decide to tell Brooke, Lucas gets into a car accident and subsequently goes into a coma, which brings back painful memories for Peyton because her mother died in a car crash . When Lucas finally comes home from the hospital, he breaks up with Brooke in order to be with Peyton . Peyton soon ends their affair, however, after it is clear that Brooke has found out about the romance and she wants to spare Brooke's pain . Peyton continues to avoid Lucas while Brooke continues to avoid Peyton . Brooke declares her friendship with Peyton to be over . Peyton begins spending more time with Luke's best friend, Haley James, and with Jake Jagielski, along with Jake's daughter, Jenny . Eventually, her friendship with Lucas is slowly reformed, and the two attend a party together at Nathan's apartment . However, at the party, Peyton and Nicki, Jake's ex and Jenny's mother, fight . Peyton realizes Nicki is the girl Lucas hooked up with at a bar, shortly after she dumped him to spare Brooke's pain . Peyton is furious and feels betrayed, along with Brooke . This draws a wedge between Lucas and Peyton, but reconciles the friendship between Peyton and Brooke . The season ends with Peyton spending more time with Jake, and helping him escape from Nicki, who tries to take their daughter from Jake's grasp . Peyton's relationship with Lucas remains broken . </P> <P> In season 2, although she has initial success with getting the all - ages club TRIC opened, and with encouraging Haley to perform at the club, which eventually fuels Haley's desire to be a singer, Peyton begins to get involved with cocaine . She feels alone, as her father is away again, and she does not know where Jake is . She feels down that everyone is dealing with their issues and not helping her or realizing that she is upset and going through a difficult time in her life . She is accused of being a lesbian by Felix Taggaro and faces public humiliation when he writes DYKE on her locker, just so his sister, Anna Taggaro, will not be presumed a lesbian (it is later revealed that Anna is bisexual, but also uses the word gay to assert her sexuality). Hope comes for Peyton, who is in deep despair and about to buy some cocaine, when Jake comes back into her life; it turns out that an argument between Lucas and Peyton made Lucas realize that he had not been there for Peyton, and felt she needed someone else . As a result, he was the one who called Jake, knowing that Jake would have a positive effect on her . This does, and sparks a turnaround for Peyton, and she and Jake fall in love . This happiness is short - lived, as Nicki comes back wanting custody of Jenny . Nicki eventually takes Jenny away from Jake and runs off, causing Jake to run after her, which leaves Peyton alone and heartbroken . Soon, someone named Ellie Harp gets in contact with Peyton saying that she is from Alternative Press magazine and wants to do an interview . When Peyton starts receiving strange e-mails from someone named WATCHMEWATCHU, she begins to suspect that it is Ellie . Ellie, however, denies sending the e-mails and shockingly informs Peyton that she is her mother . The finale ends with a crying, bewildered Peyton on a beach, and Lucas coming to comfort her . "Looks like it's just me and you this summer," he says . The two share a meaningful hug . </P> <P> In season 3, Peyton learns that she was adopted, and that Ellie really is her biological mother . Lucas witnesses Ellie purchasing drugs, but he learns that she was buying them for medical reasons; she has breast cancer . Meanwhile, Peyton is angry with Haley because she left Tree Hill to go on tour, but soon they make amends, and Peyton reveals that her hostility toward Haley was because she was the only one that came back out of all the people who have left her . Peyton soon grows close to Ellie, and they collaborate on a CD called Friends with Benefit, which benefits breast cancer research; there will also be a concert for it at TRIC and Haley is one of the performers . Unfortunately, Ellie dies before she sees the CD or the concert, leaving Peyton devastated . A school shooting breaks out later in the season ("With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We Slept"), where Peyton is left fighting for her life after being the one shot. Lucas and Nathan run inside the building to save Peyton and Haley; Lucas finds Peyton bleeding out of her leg inside the school's library . She cannot walk due to the injury, so escaping is out of the question . Lucas and Peyton stay in hiding, and Lucas wraps her leg, hoping to help the bleeding and pain subside . As Peyton is falling in and out of consciousness, he forces her to talk about a fun day she once had . Minutes later, after earning a promise from Lucas about everything being okay, Peyton loses hope of surviving, despite Lucas promising to get her out of there alive; she kisses him, wanting to let him know that she loves him before she dies . Lucas returns the kiss, and Peyton soon falls unconscious . Lucas, not wanting her to die, carries her out of the building, even at the risk of being killed by the shooter . </P> <P> Before Ellie died, she left a piece of advice for Peyton regarding Peyton's love life, telling her that it is never too late to pursue her romantic interest . Peyton decides to give love another try and dates Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy . Their relationship does not work out, since Pete is busy with touring . Peyton's father tells her to follow her heart and listen to it, so Peyton, considering Ellie's advice as well, decides to give Jake a visit in Savannah; she knows that she still loves him and feels that this will be enough for her to be happy . She renews her relationship with Jake and Jenny, and even goes far enough to propose marriage to Jake, who gladly accepts . This happiness fades once Jake overhears Peyton say, "I love you, Lucas" in her sleep . Peyton is then forced to confront Jake about the kiss she and Lucas shared on the day of the shooting . Jake figures that while Peyton loves him, she is in love with Lucas . He tells her to go back to Tree Hill, and to find out if Lucas is still in her heart . If he is not, Jake promises to still be there waiting . Peyton does as Jake has advised . In the finale, Brooke once again ends her friendship with Peyton after Peyton tells her that she still has romantic feelings for Lucas . Lucas later tells Brooke about the kiss in the library . At the end of the episode, Peyton burns pictures of herself with Brooke . She then picks up a picture of the three of them (herself, Brooke and Lucas) and burns it . </P>

When does peyton find out she's adopted