i promise - n.m

- 3

lauren groaned as she woke up to people jumping on her bed, "mm."
she turned over to see zion, austin, edwin and brandon, her mood instantly lightened up.
"oh my god, austin!" she jumped up, hugging him.
"hey what about me and edwin." zion whined.
"eh." she shrugged, laughing.

"thought i'd bring the gang to see you, since they were all asleep when i picked you up last night."
"okay get out, i have to get changed." she laughed.
once all the boys left the room, her smile went away. one of five was missing, nick. she had to stop thinking about him, fully forget him and move on.

it was time for her to move on, he probably already has. looking at herself in the mirror then nodding her head, going to walk out the door. only forgetting that she was supposed to be changing, she grabbed a t-shirt dress and slipped into it.

she ran downstairs and put on a smile,
the boys were all looking at their phones.
she cleared her throat to grab their attention, all of them turned around and brandon could tell she was upset.
"laur?" he got up, walking to her.
"can we just go into the guest room, i don't want to talk about it here." she said softly, her voice almost cracking.

brandon followed her to the guest room and she sat on the bed, "whats up?"
"i can't think straight, i keep thinking about nick-"
"we've talked about this so many times before, you have to move on."

"do you know something i don't?" she asked.
"n-no." he stuttered.
"brandon."
he looked the other way, resisting to look at lauren knowing he'd say anything if he looked at her.
"brandon, what happened?" she said slowly.

"look it was nothing laur." he said out of anger, which took lauren by surprise.
"if you won't tell me, then the guys will tell me." she said storming past him.
"he thought you cheated on him so he cheated on you!" he burst.
"w-what."

"one night, he was just in this fucked up state of mind and he thought you cheated on him. he went out for drinks and slept with a girl, a different one every night. he was just a wreck without you laur, we didn't want you around him because he was aggressive and it just got worse."
"he wouldn't have cheated.." she said softly.
"lauren-" he went to grab her wrist but she was already out of the room.

"how come nobody told me!" she said in tears, yelling at the rest of the boys.
"h-how come nobody told me about n-nick." she repeated, then falling down to her knees in tears.
"it was us protecting you, there was some truly rough shit going on with nick. we didn't want you to worry." austin said.
"i want to see him."

"no, we can do anything for you but that." edwin said.
"why not? you've been keeping everything from me, it's fair that i see him." she was getting furious.
"you'd only get hurt more, lauren." brandon said sternly.
"i'm sorry laur, it's the truth. ever since you left, nick's shut out a lot of us. he's like locked in a basement in that type of sense." zion explained.

"i want to see him, no questions and no buts."
"laur, we said no."
"no no, who are you guys to tell me that? keeping secrets from me for over a year, when i'd constantly ask about him? when i would cry on your guys' shoulders because i was in so much pain not knowing anything. if you don't want me to go and see him, i'm gonna go see him myself."
"as you wish."
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