Faults, Scars, and Guitar Strings

Chapter 61 - Part 3

Part 3: Senior Year

Chapter 61

I had no idea so much could happen in just three months. I haven't seen Maria in months, but I have talked to her every day. I saw Dylan as much as I could, but he had a work schedule now. We texted each other constantly while he stayed here and we were inseparable when he came to visit. I changed my mind about releasing another album. I got so excited over the music I was writing that I released another album. After a lot of debate, my manager and I decided pop was better suited for my vocals. In two months I had two singles, but now that I'm back at school everything changes. I walked into the school building hoping to find Maria or Dylan first. I found Anastasia instead.

"Hey!" I hugged her. "How was your summer?"

"It was great! I stayed pretty busy. I saw you on TV a few times. I absolutely love your single Alien Lover."

I laughed, "Me too. I got so excited when I was writing I had to release some of it. Where's Maria?"

She shrugged, "Hanging out with Jack somewhere I think."

"I'll see you in class I'm going to try to find everyone."

"Okay, see ya."

I walked farther down the hall, waving at people along the way, and finally spotted Dylan. I put my arms around him from behind, "Hi."

He turned around, "Kay!" He picked me up and pulled me into a tight hug.

"I haven't seen you in a week. Talking on the phone isn't the same."

"I know, but it'll be okay now. Besides, we have five classes together."

I pulled away and smiled, "I'm excited about that."

"Me too."

"Are things are your house better? I know it was a stressful summer."

He shrugged, "They still want me to go to a college hundreds of miles away." Dylan's father did notice his mother's change in personality. After a long two weeks they schedule an intervention and sent her into help. The next two months she stayed in a rehab. Dylan said she seemed a lot better, but they went back to pressuring him about college soon enough.

"Are you going?"

"I applied, but honestly Kayla I have no idea. I have no idea what I want to do or where I want to go to college. If I move away, I'll be away from you."

"I told you not to think about me in your decision. If you purposely choose a school because it's close to me you'll resent me."

"I would never resent you Kay."

"You would."

"No I wouldn't. How could you think that?"

"Because I do."

He sighed, "Kayla, stop it. I'm stressed enough. I'll be spending the entire year thinking about it and I promise I will make the right decision for me."

Ever since Dylan started applying to colleges there has been tension between us. I want him to make the right choice for him, but I am also scared of him being far away. I've seen how long distance relationships turn out and I don't want that to happen to us. I also don't want him to resent me because he felt like he couldn't go to a better college farther away. First day of school and there's already tension starting. "It'll be okay, you'll figure it out. I'll help you," I told him hoping to calm him down.

"Don't you have stuff to figure out too?"

I shook my head, "I have it all figured out, I'm not going to college. I love music way too much to sideline it for school any longer than I have to. I choose music."

He smiled, "I think you made a great choice."

"Yeah I'm just worried."

"Why?"

"Because this is the groups last year together; when this year ends we are going our separate ways. What if we all stop being friends?"

"That won't happen."

"But how do you know?" I asked him back.

"Because our group of friends is too close for that to happen. We have been through too much for us to just go our separate ways when we graduate."

I sighed, "I guess you're right."

He hugged me again, "I'm sorry things are so weird."

"It's okay."

"No it's not. I've never acted this way around you."

"Dylan, it's okay."

"It's the stress of senior year you know? I'm trying to figure out my future by the end of the year."

"I know," I sighed.

We pulled away and he looked at me, "I promise you we'll get through it."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded and kissed me, "I promise. I love you."

"I love you too."

We would be okay? At this point, I honestly had no idea. I want it to work out so bad. I love him more than I've ever loved anyone. We've already been to hell and back together and we know we want to be together, but we might not make it through if we both have different dreams. I know Dylan would never want to hold me back, and I would never want to do that to him. I keep praying that our dreams will end up brining us closer instead of tearing us apart, but with the arguments that have been happening lately I don't know. I hugged him again instead of saying anything else. He knows I'm worried and I know he's secretly worried too. I rested my head on his chest and tried to calm myself down. I want this to be the greatest year of high school, but it's already off to a rocky start. For everyone's sake, it better turn around fast. We're in for a roller coaster ride instead.

When I finally met up with Maria she let me know that her and Jack were getting rocky too because of college. "Really?" I asked her, "You too?"

"You and Dylan?!" she sounded surprised. "But you're perfect!"

"We're far from perfect, but we were talking about you."

"I know what I want and Jack knows what he wants, but graduating changes everything. It's on our minds but we don't want to talk about it. It makes things weird. Now onto you and Dylan. What happened?"

I sighed, "He still feels torn apart because he wants to make his parents proud, but their path feels wrong to him. I know that's how he feels, but he can't just tell his parents no. I try to give him advice but he ends up snapping at me. He realizes what he's done after though and he apologizes."

She shook her head, "It was a tough summer."

"It was," I agreed.

"What do you think is in store for us this year?" she asked.

"I don't know," I shrugged, "But I'm not getting a good feeling."

"I'm not either," she replied.

"As long as we stick together," I told her. "We're still best friends. Us and Anastasia."

"That's right," she smiled. "We'll get through anything."