Different

Chapter 2

Kylie was finally home. She had been in Ohio for a week and came back the day before Magcon.

"Did you see anyone from school while you were there?" I ask Kylie as I lugged her bag up to her room. I grunt, throwing the bag onto her purple comforter.

"I saw a bunch of people, but almost all of them acted like we were best friends. I don't know if that will ever stop hurting. It sucks to have people use us just because we are well known."

Alice and I nodded, clearly sharing the feeling. Being used was something that we had grown accustomed to recently, it was something that we had to learn how to spot and stay away from.

"Oh, and Aria, I saw... Um." Kylie rambled, a tell tale of her not wanting to tell me something. I looked at her expectedly. "I saw Sarah." She looked up at me to see my reaction. I felt a ping of longing and hurt in my chest. I slowly sat down onto her bed.

"Did, did you talk to her?" The words tumbled out of my mouth. Different scenarios came to mind wondering how she was.

"Yeah, I did. Aria, I don't think you want to hear what she said." As Kylie's words processed, anger surged through me.

"Of course I want to hear! She's my sister for fucks sake Kylie!" I yelled. My fists clenched to my sides, my anxiety rising.

"Your parents must have told her something that wasn't true. She asked me to make sure you had deleted her number and she wanted me to tell you that she hopes you never come back." Kylie looked at me with tears in her eyes. The pain in my chest increased by the second.

I went completely numb, something that I had been trying to get better at not doing.

"Aria..." Kylie sighed, Alice sat on the bed next to me. I ignored her pity filled plea. Self-hatred was trying to force its way into my thoughts and that was something I definitely did not want. So, I took a deep breathe, turned to Alice and muttered that I was ok. Although I don't feel ok at all, I feel like crying and not leaving bed for a couple of days, but I know I can't do that. I stand up to go to my room, Kylie's arm reached out to stop me.

"Are you sure you're ok?" I nod, "Yes, I'm sure. I'm just gonna go take a nap or something." I reply, as reassuringly as I can muster. Kylie and Alice give each other a knowing look, but let me leave.

When I make it across the hall, into my room, I hear Kylie speak to Alice.

"I shouldn't have told her." she sighed.

"She wanted to know Kylie, what else could you have done besides tell her?" Alice replied.

I slipped further into my room lightly shutting the door, still wanting to hear what they said.

"Alice... What if she gets bad again? you know better than anyone how scary that was. I don't want to lose her." Kylie choked out.

"I don't either."

I silently slid down my door, a sob tore through my throat. I hate that I make them feel like that. I hate that I was selfish enough to not think of them when I was going through that time.

I looked at my wrist, studying the white lines that ran across it in different places. The urge ripped through me, but I shook my head and stood up. I can't do that to them again. I don't want to hurt them and I don't want fans to look up to someone like that.

I know the only way to make myself feel better is to do something active, so I changed. I grabbed my penny board, headphones, and phone; and started to leave. As I walked out of the front door I yelled that I was going out. I immediately cranked up the music and made my way riding nowhere in particular.

Love and Drugs by The Maine came on, starting to change my mood a bit. In what seemed like no time at all; I ended up in Downtown Nashville. I hadn't been paying any attention to where I was going and Downtown Nashville was a 2 hour bike/boarding ride from our house. My phone buzzed with a text at that moment so I picked up my board and started to walk.

From: Jacub Whiteturds

Are you in Downtown right now? Because I swear I just saw you board past our hotel.

I glanced around for a hotel that I might have passed. There was one a block away and an idea popped into my head.

To: Jacub Whiteturds

I'm not :( That's funny tho, what hotel are you at?

From: Jacub Whiteturds

Darn :( We're at the Hampton Inn!

I start to walk back the way I came, towards the hotel that I had passed. When I make it to the big glass doors of the hotel I see a big group of guys in the back of the lobby. A particular, tall, brunette boy with a blue shirt on has his back facing me. I open the door, and slide in as quietly as possible. Matthew Espinosa catches my eye, looking as though he's going to say something. I shake my head, putting a finger to my lips in the hopes that he won't give me away. He sends me a small nod, acknowledging that I'm up to something. I creep closer to the group, trying to go unnoticed. I set my penny board to the ground once I am only a couple feet away.

"Jacob!" He turns around, along with all of the other guys, Matt sending a wink my way. His brown eyes meet mine and a grin spreads across my face.

"Aria? Oh my God!" Jacob begins to run towards me with a grin of his own. I jump on him the second he makes it over to me, my arms automatically around his neck, my legs wrapped around his waist.

"You, liar." he laughs into my neck.

"I thought I would try to surprise you since you spotted me." I grin. He sets me down onto my feet and guides me over to the large group of guys.

"Incase some of you haven't met her, this is Aria." Jacob introduces me to the boys. They all smile kindly at me, and one particular boy catches my eye. I know who he is, although I can't seem to remember his name. Tall, dark, and handsome would describe him justifiably if it weren't for the fact that he's also muscular and has killer brown eyes.

"Well there is clearly lots of catching up I need to do." I declare with one final glance at that tall, dark, and handsome guy.