The Secret (Book 2 in The Deception Series)

Chapter 13: good friends and changes

Brennen

~~~~~~~~

"Velvet Ring-" Big Thief

I sit in the living room with Jake, Lily and my sister as we all watch a movie. I knew Jake and Lily would rather be alone upstairs but they felt bad and were staying down here with me. I told them they could go but they insisted that we all watch a movie together. I can't wait to get my leg back.

The front door opens and Taylor stumbles inside, clearly drunk off her ass. I frown as Garrett follows behind her, trying to help her.

"You're gonna get hurt." He says, trying to stop her from falling.

"Why do you care? Huh?" She snaps as she pushes him off her.

Chris and Jules walk in and watch the scene in front of all of us. I've never seen them fight like this before, well since she found out about the bet.

"Come on, Taylor. I'm sorry." Garrett pleads.

"I'm sick of it, Garrett. You promised you'd stop getting into fights, you promised that you'd control it." She slurs.

He shakes his head, "I know, and I'm trying. You know I am."

"Well, try harder." She demands.

Garrett stares at her as Jules and Chris walk in. We all watch Taylor and Garrett before she starts crying. My heart stops. I've never seen her cry before, especially when she was drunk.

"Taylor." Garrett whispers.

She sobs before he pulls her into a strong embrace.

"I don't want anything to happen to you." She cries.

He holds her tightly in her arms. It killed me to see her cry; it was so heart-wrenching to watch.

"I'll stop. I'm sorry." He says.

They hold each other tightly and I look past them and at Jules who was staring at me. We both got the same memory running through our heads right now.

"You told me you'd talk to me. You promised." She cries as I sit on the edge of my bed, staring at the ground.

"I know. I'm sorry." I whisper, guilt filling my entire body.

"You could've told me that things were rough, I would've understood. I wouldn't have made you come to that stupid dance, Brennen." She sobs.

I wanted to block out the sounds of her cries, I hated that I was the reason she was crying right now. I tried to protect her from this. From me. But she didn't let me.

"I came for you. I wanted you to have fun." I tell her.

"Yeah, well I didn't. I'd rather just sit here with you and talk instead of fighting at fucking prom." She says.

I look into her teary eyes and feel my heart ache.

"I just want you to open up to me, Brennen. That's all I ever wanted." She tells me.

"Why? Why do you care so much? I treated you like shit that night." I ask, confused.

"Because I love you." She says.

I feel butterflies erupt in my stomach, "You do?"
She wipes her tears as she nods.

"Oh, Julianna." I whisper as I get up.

I walk up to her and pull her into my arms. I hold her tight as she cries. I've never been in love before, but I knew that whatever I felt for this girl was more than love. It was more than the both of us.