the reason | 13rw

t h i r t y - f i v e

two days before christmas and the gang was at bryce's house.  i was currently sitting on the couch, playing zach in black ops. monty was sat next to me, his leg elevated as he scrolled through his phone. 

"dude i'm on your fucking team!" zach yelled. "why are you killing me?" 

"why not?" i shrugged and continued to shoot him until he died. once he did, he tossed the controller to the side and reached over, grabbing my leg.

"no," i squealed and kicked him.

"you monster," he said and pulled me. 

"monty!" i laughed. 

"i'm crippled." 

zach stood picking me, tossing me over his shoulder. 

"put me down dempsey." i squirmed. 

"alright," he said and walked out towards the pull. 

"no," i squealed. "it's too cold for that." 

"say that i'm the best baseball player." he told me. 

"i can't say that! elliot and monty would kill me." 

"okay," he said as he pulled me down. he was about to throw me in but i clutched to his shirt. 

"you're the best baseball player!" i said. 

"glad we agree," he smiled and sat me down. 

"i lied!" i yelled as i took off into the "man cave." 

i pushed the door shut and ran over to monty. i dropped myself next to him and wrapped my arms around him. 

"oh i see how it is." he said. "you only love me when you need help." 

"not true," i smiled at him. 

he leaned down, connecting our lips. 

"i'll give you a free pass since your boyfriend is crippled." zach said and plopped down on the couch. "wanna play another round little one?" 

"maybe later," i said. 

"i wanna play." chloe smiled and grabbed the controller as she sat down. 

"are you okay?" monty asked softly. 

"i'm way more than okay." i said. 

"good," he kissed my forehead. 

"what are we whispering about?" jeff asked as he sat on the other side of me. 

"nothing," i said. 

"lovebirds," he rolled his eyes. 

"shut up," i laughed as i kicked him slightly. 

.... 

after i helped monty back inside of his house, i was walking back to my car. before i got in, i heard someone call my name. i looked over and saw tyler downs, standing in the grass next door. 

"hey tyler," i said, pushing my hands in my jacket pockets. 

"i haven't seen you in a while." he said. 

"yeah, i left liberty and i've been kind of busy." i said. 

"i heard you're coming back next semester." 

"yeah, i am." 

"well, i know your birthday was this past weekend and christmas is in two days." he said. "you're the closest thing i've had to a friend. i got you something." 

he lifted a small bag and walked over. 

"you didn't have to get me anything tyler." i shook my head. 

"i know, but i really wanted to." he said. 

"i didn't get you anything and i feel bad now." 

"don't, please don't feel bad." he said. 

i opened the bag to peak but he stopped me. 

"i wouldn't recommend you do that here, maybe just wait until you get home." 

"it's not going to explode, right?" i joked. 

"no, of course not." he assured me. "i just don't like the awkwardness of watching you open my present." 

"alright, thank you so much tyler. i'll be sure to get you something too." i smiled. "merry christmas." 

"you too," he smiled. 

i got in my ca, placing the bag in my passenger seat. i clipped my seatbelt and pulled out of the driveway, waving to tyler. 

....

that night, after watching christmas movies with chloe until she passed out on my couch, i went up to my room to change. i saw the present from tyler still sitting on my desk. i'd forgotten to open it due to chloe already being at my house when i arrived. i walked over, reaching in and pulled out a red wooden box. 

it have a note taped to the top. 

"i know this isn't what you expected but if i just told you, you wouldn't have believed me. i'm sorry nicolette." i read allowed. "what the hell?" 

i pulled the box open, inside were a ton of pictures. i sat the box down, picking up a few pictures. they showed varies girls either walking in to monty's house or walking out of it. they were all time stamped, after we got together. i picked out some more and these were through the windows of his house. they showed monty doing things with multiple different girls. 

"oh my god," i said as tears threatened to fall. i shook my head, dropping the pictures and running to the bathroom. 

i released everything i'd eaten that day into the toilet. 

"sick fucker," i said. i flushed the toilet, brushing my teeth. i wiped the tears from my eyes as i went to my brother's room. i heard music playing softly from behind the closed door. i knocked before pushing it open. 

"hey, nicolette, what are you doing up?" he asked. 

"he's been cheating on me." i said. 

he let out a confused chuckle, "what?" 

"monty's been cheating on me and i have proof." i said. 

he stood, "how?" 

i grabbed his wrist and pulled him into my room. i pushed the door shut. 

"chloe is downstairs and i don't want to wake her up with this." i told him. 

i walked over and grabbed the pictures, handing them to my brother. he flipped through them. 

"who gave these to you?" 

"tyler downs," i replied. 

"how does he even know this?" 

"he lives next door to monty, but that isn't the point elliot." i said. "what do i do?" 

"i..." he trailed. "i don't even know." 

i let out an exhale and grabbed the pictures back. i put them back in the box and hid it in my closet under some clothes. 

"do not tell anyone about this, okay?" i said. "i have work in the morning and i'm too tired to deal with it right now." 

"well i'm ready to drive over there and beat his ass nicolette." he said. 

"i know," i said, "but please let me handle this." 

"fine," he said, "but tell me when you want me to get rid of him." 

"thanks elliot," i hugged him.