When I'm gone- R.P

Chapter sixteen

Bella watched on as her friends scoffed down their breakfast, smiling through the pain of knowing it was the anniversary of her brother and best friend's death. To be completely honest with you, she was still in shock of what happened last night. She couldn't understand how Dylan could ever think that, never mind say it. But the secret was out now, the group knew that Teo wasn't Bella and Chase's. Bella thought about it, and if the group remembered it or not, they did very well not asking about it.

"Hey Bella?" Drew asked with a mouthful of food.

"Yes, amor?" she smiled.

"Can we go for a walk on the beach today? I want to show you some places I think you might like"

Bella smiled at the man appreciatively, knowing he was trying to take her mind off things, "Si, of course we can"

With that Drew scoffed down the rest of the pancakes as quickly as he could, of course Austin saw this as an opportunity to have a race against his best friend, and ultimately lost.

"Ugh" he groaned, "I shouldn't have done that" causing the whole group to laugh at him.

Walking down the beach, Bella took everything in, from the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, to the feeling of the sand between her toes. She smiled as she thought about the times that herself and Kaylee would disappear to the beach in LA and spend hours there surfing, tanning and playing volleyball. She would do anything to be able to that with Kaylee one more time.
As the pair continued down the beach, they reached a small cove, hidden away behind the massive rocks on the shoreline. The water was crystal clear, allowing them both to see the different sea life that inhabited the cove.

"Drew, this is gorgeous. How did you find this place?" Bella closed her eyes as she walked into the water, feeling the warmth engulf her legs.

"I was on a run one morning and I was in my head a bit so I ran for ages till I found this place, ever since it's been my place that I come to calm myself down, think about things, cry or scream. I thought you might want to do the same" Drew explained sheepishly, not wanting to push the girl.

Bella stood in the water, looking at a starfish she had found attached to a rock, seemingly ignoring Drew's offer to talk. Drew walked to the side of her, trying to see what she was looking at.

"Me and Chase were on holiday" she began, not taking her eyes off the starfish, "I got a phone call from Tyler that changed our lives forever. My brother and best friend had been in an accident. Kaylee didn't survive but Matias did. When we got to the hospital, I went to my brother's room and found him. He had killed himself because he thought he couldn't live without Kaylee. He left me and his son behind because he couldn't see a light at the end of the tunnel."

"I- I'm so sorry Bella" Drew stammered, struggling to process what he was being told.

"Me and Chase took Mateo in, we followed Mat and Lee's will instructions. He's not mine. I know that, but I couldn't imagine a world without him in it. He was the bundle of joy that came from so much heartbreak, and he helped me through the worst time of my life." Bella smiled.

"Mateo is the reason I get up in the morning, the reason I write my music to make a living. The reason I come home every night. He's my whole world. That's why I'm so hurt by what Dylan said last night" Bella explained.

"That bastard was completely out of line. I knew that before you opened up to me today, but this has just confirmed it" Drew huffed.

"I know he's hurting but it's no excuse for him to speak to me that way." Bella sniffled. Drew's heart broke, he couldn't bear knowing how much this sweet girl had been through. He wrapped his arms around her, gently squeezing her to let her know he's there for her.