She Will Be Loved (Kevin Richardson)

Chapter 9

"Kev, open the door, let us in!" Brian said in an exasperated tone, knocking on the door for the umpteenth time.

"Come on, we just want to help you, man!" AJ yelled.

"I just want to be alone, leave me alone!" Kevin shouted from inside his room.

Brian sighed "Well, we've tried, but there's no way. Maybe we should just let him be." AJ fell silent, then immediately walked into Kevin's room, followed by a surprised Brian. Kevin was lying on his back on the bed, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. Both AJ and Brian noticed that his eyes were slightly reddened.

"I told you guys to leave me alone, seriously." Kevin said, sitting down on the bed.

"And we told you we just want to help you." AJ moved forward until he was standing right in front of him.

"You guys can't help me. I've screwed up. Totally and deeply. I wanted to tell her. Explain to her that the whole Kristin thing was an accident, and that she's the only girl in my life. That she's the only one I love in my life." He swallowed hard, and tried hard not to burst into tears again "My God, I love her so much..."

Brian sighed as he sat down next to his cousin and rested a hand on his shoulder. AJ sat on the other side "Of course you love her. She loves you too. And yes, you screwed up, but it's fixable. And I think maybe I can help you." Kevin looked at him with surprise "Well, actually I can only pull the strings a little, but the important work is yours to do."

Kevin nodded slowly before smiling softly "Thanks, Alex."

AJ smiled too as he patted him on the back "It's nothing, man." He got up from the bed and headed for the door. Suddenly, he turned back to Kevin "This big brother thing is exhausting, don't you ever get tired?"

Kevin laughed softly "Sometimes."

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"I'm going to get some more ice cream." Carol said softly as she got up from the couch, lightly rubbing Ruth's back.

Ruth followed her with her gaze until she disappeared from the room. She sighed before fixing her gaze on the television. It had been almost two days since the Kevin thing, but it still hurt as if it had happened just moments ago. 

That night she had arrived home in tears and her heart was so broken it hurt. She immediately called Carol, and she was quick to come to her friend's rescue. Ruth knew that, if she was left alone in that situation, something similar to the other time could happen. Although Carol had tried her best to get Ruth to think of anything else, it was impossible. The image of that girl (who, if she wasn't mistaken, had to be that Kristin girl, Kevin's ex) kissing him kept replaying in her mind. She also remembered when he had gone after her, and also his pain-filled look when she left. She had begun to think that maybe she should have listened to him, that maybe there would be an explanation.