*Paisley POV*
"Hey Max! Don't forget to lock the door when you finish! I'll be in the parking lot waiting so don't pee your pants when you walk out."
I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, checking it.
Keylee
Btw I wasn't done with my story from the other night, there's more. If you would like to know.
~Keys~
I quickly replied and continued home to find Shain sitting on the front steps of my house. Any other time I wouldn't have panicked except no one was home and no one knew he would be here. I turned my phone brightness down and texted Jace.
Shain alert, don't tell Aiden, but I wanted to let you know for obvious reasons.
*Magic Bananas*
With that I got out and stood right on front of what looked to be a praying Shain. He looked up when I closed the car door.
"Shain what are you doing here?"
"Obviously here to talk to you."
"Well start talkin'," I checked the time on my phone, " I have two hours."
He sighed, stood up and starting walking towards me but stopped. Starring me in the eyes, "I'm sorry, for everything. Putting you through hell, lying, not talking," he lifted the edge of my shirt to my bruises, "those. I just want you know I wasn't in the right state of mind. I was let's say trying something new. I'm not saying I didn't do it. I did it, I remember it but it was like I couldn't control me. I'm taking responsibility for it. Also you deserved more respect than that. You're the only friend who's wanted to kill me and hasn't yet. Thanks for that by the way. I mean along with Aiden but he's my half-brother so he doesn't really count-"
He's what?! Did he just say he and Aiden are brothers? No. I'm losing it that's totally not what he said. "Did you just say you and Aiden are brothers?"
"Half, but yes I did."
"..But Aiden doesn't know his dad."
"That's because he died."
"You have some explaining to do."
"Do you want the one you were let to believe with the truth mixed in or the whole thing?"
"Whichever is easier to understand."
"This could take a while."
"First I want you to finish what you were saying."
"Oh, well thanks anyway, you were right about Alex though. I shouldn't have went for her the second time. Jennifer was just a mistake, she hasn't given my shirt back either. Most of all though I'd like to be put back in the good graces, but I know I need to work for it. If anyone can convince Aiden of anything it's you. I mean have you seen the changes? Like dang dude take some Adderall. Get wild again.-"
"Adderall would make him almost go to sleep. He has ADHD."
"Anyway, you changed him. You changed all of us. Don't you see you're the glue that keeps everyone together, but you're also the knife that cuts people out? I know you don't wanna hear this but I need you. Everyone needs you. Except for Milk he's just kinda there but still. We need you. You didn't like Alex from the beginning and you always knew Jennifer was lying. It's like you read people and you know who the enemy is before they attack. You're an inside source that goes undetected."
"I just listen to everyone's story. I don't say forget them they're stupid. Whether I know it's true or not I listen. Staying nuetral is how you get things done. Not by violence, Shain." Of all the people I ever expected to have any conversation like this Shain was the last, but always seemed to be the first one to talk. You would think I got the idea by now.
"Paisley why do you believe in me so much sometimes? I mess up all the time but you're always the first to forgive me."
I took a deep breath before I answered, I never thought anyone had noticed that before. What I was going to answer him with I wanted to come straight from the heart, it did.
"When no one else wants to believe in you not even yourself one person coming along who believes in you can change your whole attitude. All it takes is one person. I would much rather you put your trust in me than someone who could hurt you. Also because Shain I love you. Sometimes I don't know whether I'm stupid or it's my heart telling me to stay but I never leave. So therefore I have to stay with the person who was like the brother I never wanted but now I won't let go of.
"I wish I could do the same."
"You used to."
"I did?" At this point we had walked onto my back patio and were sitting at the wrought iron patio set that somehow had not had new cushions to replace the old ones.
"Yeah you did, then Alex came along and changed everything. You tried to continue acting the part but it just didn't work out. I tried to ignore it but Shain there's just something's you can ignore forever." I was straddling the bench of the patio set while Shain sat like a normal person.
" I understand, but I'm not the only one who started shutting people out."
"Oh really? How am I supposed to talk to someone who doesn't reply? Eventually you give up and hope they miss you." I spoke sharply and clearly to get my point across. His green eyes were locked on my grey blue ones.
"....But you used to at least try. I know I wasn't the friend I was supposed to be, when I got slapped with reality once in awhile I came back."
I sighed, knowing he was right. "Sometimes the back and forth game can only go so far."
I hand my hands on the wood in front of me, it had been well weathered and somewhat bent. I believe we are sitting closer than we were before but I'm not exactly sure.
"It seemed to get you somewhere."
"That was because no one wanted to admit anything."
His expression changed from listening to I-know-that's-a-load-of-the-crappy-truth.
"Shain it's true and you know it."
"Yeah, do you think I hurt it?"
"No. You just kept it from growing for a little while. In the end it was a good thing." He was watching my hands and picked up my left one and ran a finger over my ring.
"That's a pretty ring, I know when he looked at others like it and designed it. I was with him and we talked about which design you would like more, I told him to just choose the one that looked more like you. Also it's not silver it's white gold."
"Stop changing the subject. How are you and Aiden brothers."
"Half. Only half," he pointed at his hair, "obviously mine was a blonde."
"Continue."
"Alright alright, so he's actually a pretty well known guy. You may not know him but your dad would."
"Who is he?"
"Marcus Baker."
"Oh, the guy that got shot when we were younger? Why'd he get shot again?"
"Poker. He was winning in a poker game that he was supposed to lose. Obviously making deals with the wrong people have deadly conquences."
"How are you and Aiden brothers though? It still doesn't make any sense."
"Well my mom, Anne, got her little love story with the bad boy. Got knocked up with yours truly and about 6 months after I was born he walked out. He wouldn't have left if Julie, Aiden's mom, hadn't have been pregnant to. So that's why me and Aiden have about a four month age difference because dear sweet Marcus gave up on going back and forth. So he just left both women alone."
"So why do you have a different last name?"
"I have my momma's name, duh. I figured that'd have been obvious." He smiled, he never can have a serious conversation.
Shain was now sitting the same way I was and we were face to face. Once again closer somehow, "Shain, this is a lot to take in. You-you should leave now."
"Oh I also forgot, I got kicked out."
Well great.
