*Paisley POV*
I knew Keylee and I had to talk sooner or later, it would be easier in a way while everything was still fresh so I could cry. Right now that’s all I wanted to do, I was either going to lose Aiden because I can’t let go of Shain or lose them both. I started sliding down the wall with my hand on my face not even wanting to go face everyone but I knew I had to eventually. Shain was my biggest worry right now but so was Aiden, I needed to fix both issues but I didn’t know which one to fix first. Shain has set off a chain reaction, he didn’t do it on his own but he sure as hell fueled it all I did was hold the matches too long. Letting a couple tears roll down my cheeks and not even bothering to wipe them away before they reached my neck and disappeared, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I either had to call Tucker Ann or go see Jennifer. Tucker Ann is probably going to say I told you so and then we’ll argue because I don’t need to be told how stupid I am when she’s married with two kids at the age of twenty with a husband who is psycho and works at Wendy’s for Christ sakes. Yes I know that sounds bad to say but it’s true. We used to be like sisters ‘til I was dropped like a hot rock for someone else. Yes I am still a little bitter about it if you can’t tell. First I was like ‘oh she’ll come around’ then I was hurt, then I got hurt more and more. A person can only be pushed away so much by their own family before they stop trying, and I hit that point over a year ago. I miss her, that’s hard to say but I do. I cover it with my anger from being hurt and pushed away because that’s what it lead up to, but I really do. She was the only real connection I had to my mom’s family. I know all of ‘em but I’m kinda the outcast being the runaway’s kid and all. When Tucker Ann dumped me the only people I had to turn to were Aiden, Shain, and Keylee, sometimes Alex but only because she pried it out of me. I could really careless about Alex and Jennifer honestly, they’ve both ruined everyone around them’s lives. Jennifer tried to fix it but Alex just kept tearing and tearing away til there was nothing left. In a way I have no one but also in a different way I have everyone.
“Why are you in this alley all by yourself?” A gentle voice behind me asked, I knew it was Keylee so as I turned around I just crumbled into her arms and told the whole story. Starting at Alex admitting to cheating on Shain and ending where Aiden had left me in the alley with enough cry breaks to sink a ship. I included how much I missed Tucker, yeah I call her Tucker for short instead of Tucker Ann, its so much easier. Before I knew it Keylee was crying too. I knew we were in the alley for over an hour because I didn’t hear people laughing or talking, not even the music playing. Everyone must have went home. I sat there quiet for a minute before finally asking, “Keylee, what time is it?”
“Almost three a.m.” She said it like it was something normal.
“THREE A.M?”
“Yeah, do you really think time matters? Time might heal things but there’s a trick to it and the sooner people learn the trick to healing things with time correctly the quicker this world be fixed. You need mourning time, alone time and yes those are two different things trust me, talking time, but most importantly people should make the time to listen.”
Through the tears and mess I’d become somehow I found the strength to smile and say “Thank you.”
“No problem, btw I have got some Jace drama for you! Yes I am bringing this up now and yes you’re staying at my place, yes your dad knows and I am not taking no for an answer. Besides you need something to get your mind off all this,” she said as she was cleaning my face up with the help of a tissue that I knew couldn’t help but I let her try anyway, “you need down time. You need talk time and I have plenty of things we can talk about, you can cry again, you can laugh but first you have got to hear about Jace and I before you go off because you have got to get your mind off of Aiden, Shain, Alex, Jennifer, and whoever else decides to step in and break my girl, oh and don’t even bother callin’ Tucker because you know that ain’t gon’ help you any if anything she’ll make it worse and I would call her a bitch for the way she treated you but I know she’s your family so I can’t no matter how bad I want to.”
I laughed, it was weak but it was halfway there, “It’s okay, I’ve called her one to. I thought about calling her but anytime I talk to her and mention Shain or Aiden or anything else I’m told that I need to lose Shain and that I’m surrounded by drama so I don’t care anymore.” I started crying again because I knew that was a lie. “Keylee I know you’ve been a great step in for Tucker but I miss her, I miss the talks, I miss the laughs, I miss everything, but now it’s too late to get it back. I can’t keep acting like I don’t care when all I did was try. I tried to talk, I tried to vent, I even tried to get comforting words. I got nothing. How am I supposed to feel after that and all this time? How am I supposed to just accept it and move on? She doesn’t even know I slept with Shain! She doesn’t know that I even have a boyfriend, or had I don’t really know what’s going on with Aiden, she doesn’t even know that I’ve ever kissed him. But oh I’m the bad one and I’m the reason for everything that was wrong but Mr. Suck Ass stepped in and made it all better so therefore I’m not needed because I’m just a stress for her.” I cried again but no tears came out.
