Change of Heart

Chapter 49

I felt so crushed...the last connection I had to Caden was everything in his room. Just as I'm finally ready to face it...I find everything of his ruined! His clothes shredded, pictures ripped to pieces, even his bed and dresser were broken apart. Losing my footing, I stepped back and covered my mouth holding in my sobs. How could I have let this happen?

Jake came around the corner and faced me and Alex. As I turned and saw him standing there, he looked calm, yet scared. Not even ten minutes ago, I practically yelled at him out of sheer annoyance and frustration, something I'd never done before, but now, I wanted to do more than just yell. I approached him and grabbed him by the shirt, unable to control myself anymore. "What the hell did you do!? I told you to stay out of this room!"

He held up his hands in surrender. "Look, I can explain-"

Cutting him off my voice broke. "No explanation can make up for this, good reason or not! I trusted you, I gave you this place to stay, and yet...yet..." I released his shirt and fell to my knees. I covered my mouth again, shaking my head. Tears started collecting on my hand. "This was all I had left...all I had left of him. Now...he's completely gone.."

Alex wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head. Jake backed away a few steps. "Serine, I-"

"Why don't you just do her a favor and get the hell out of here?" Even more enraged, Alex snapped at him. He took a hold of my hand and gripped it tight.

"Look, it was an accident, alright? I was-"

"ACCIDENT OR NOT!" Taking a stand, Alex roared. "An accident isn't some excuse you can just throw around and pretend everything is settled. I don't know the story behind you staying here, but the fact is this is someone else's property you were trusted with, and yet you-"

I grabbed the bottom of Alex's shirt, stopping him. "Alex, don't..." I slowly stood to my feet. "I appreciate you defending this, but don't waste your energy..what's done is done."

"But, Serine.." Alex started until I continued.

"I will say one thing though...how I thought I could trust you, that was stupid of me. I remember now why I stopped trying to connect with others. Aside from being neglected, I eventually realized I would've only been back stabbed countless times anyways." Now that I think about it, besides Alex, the only other person I actually reached out to was Jake, at least wanting to help him out in some way. And how great that turned out to be... "Reaching out and helping you-"

Jake interrupted me. "If you can't trust anyone, then why are you even with this guy? I mean wouldn't he eventually just-"

"You're one to talk!" I became fed up with him again, and I started rambling on. "Don't speak as if you already know him! You don't know what Alex and I have been through! He was the only one to ever be there for me besides my brother! After he was gone...it was only Alex.." I paused for a moment and swallowed hard. "That day when I came back, you were the first person, a stranger, I ever actually gave my trust to that wasn't either Alex or my brother, and you completely destroyed that." Both Alex and Jake just stared at me with wide eyes, and I clenched my fists. "So just as Alex said...why don't you do me a favor and leave."

Jake didn't say another word, after that. Walking away, I began to fall back to my knees, but Alex grabbed a hold of me. I threw my arms over his shoulders. Burying my face in his shirt, I let out all my tears. Just when I thought that the nightmares have ended, they just keep coming back.

**

Alex and I sat outside Caden's room. Jake had already left, never to come back again. I laid my head back against the wall, just looking up at the ceiling. I mumbled to myself. "I should never have trusted that guy.."

"What happened when you two crossed paths?" Alex asked, his voice stern. That's right, I still haven't told him.

"When I came over here, I was just sitting in my room, thinking, until a noise sounded from downstairs. Naturally, I was curious. When I got to Caden's room, I saw Jake there and he assaulted me." Closing my eyes, I let out a small breathe. "He was forcing me into Caden's room. I don't know he was, but I wasn't able to handle seeing it then. I told him I didn't care if he stayed as long as he left Caden's room alone. It was all I asked. If it had been my room, I could've cared less, but, Caden's..." Knowing my silence, Alex wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close to him. I rested my head on his shoulder and just stayed there. I finished. "After that, he was like a completely different person. He was actually calm and nice. I thought I could trust him..but I was wrong."

"He's gone now. Chances are you won't ever have to see him again." Alex pointed out. It actually gave me a bit of relief to hear those words. He elaborated on his own words. "And also, don't let what he said get to you.."

Looking up at him, I asked. "What do you mean?"

Alex's grip on my shoulder tightened a bit causing me to twitch. "I will never betray you." I smiled a little. Somehow, I already knew. Deep down inside, I knew from the beginning I could always trust Alex. A small laugh escaped me unintentionally. "Why are you laughing?"

Shaking my head. I didn't quite know myself, but I gave an answer anyways. "I guess it just makes me happy." I averted my eyes into Caden's room, narrowing them a bit. "I always thought that if I ever lost Caden, I'd be alone for the rest of my life. But now, even though he's gone, I'm not alone...because I have you." He placed another kiss on the top of my head and I closed my eyes only to end up falling asleep in his arms.