Committed ✦ Wilk

Ten

"So how did it go?" Sam asked as I plopped down on the couch next to him. I frowned and let out an exhausted sigh. "Not so good, huh?" I shook my head and he wrapped his arm around me. "What happened?"

"First I went to Mel's to pick up Raina, and we were talking. Then all of a sudden she starts lecturing me about how Alex is Raina's dad whether you and I like it or not. Why would she defend Alex after everything?" I groaned. "So Raina and I get to the diner and Alex asked to hold her. I let him and it was fine, but then he asked about you and told me he broke up with his girlfriend." Sam nodded. "I started talking to him about setting up a visitation schedule and he got all bent out of shape about bringing a court into it. Then he said that he didn't know if I would let him even get visitation. He did this even when I told him he had rights. I don't want to be one of those moms that keeps her children from her father. My mom did that to me and now I don't have a relationship with him."

"Just don't stress too much about it, babe. I know you're not that type of person. Besides, why does it matter if I'm her father or not? I can still be there for her, and care for her. You don't need to be a father to do that," he shrugged making me smile softly. I nodded and rested my head on his shoulder. "I don't want to leave tomorrow."

"I don't want you too either," I sighed looking at the ground.

"You could always go with me," he chuckled lightly causing a smirk to slowly grow across my lips. "I'm kidding, but I wish you could. Just imagine how great it would be--you, me and Raina living out in L.A."

"I think Alex will prevent that dream,"
I smiled at him sadly. We sat in silence for awhile and I stared at the blank TV screen completely lost in my thoughts. There wasn't a thing that made sense anymore. I felt Sam playing with my hair, but I was in too much of a trance to react. Why was all of this happening now? Why was Melody defending Alex? Why was Melody smirking at the restaurant? I gasped and my eyes grew wide. "No," I shook my head. "She couldn't be."

"Who? What?" Sam asked clearly confused. I looked at him and felt myself slowly come to the realization that I've been played. How could someone I saw as my best friend do something this cruel? "Babe...what are you talking about?"

"Melody," I said.

"What about her?"

"Melody knew you were coming to see me, and she knew that you would be here when we went out for dinner. She picked a different restaurant to make me think that it would be a coincidence that we ran into Alex..." I sat up and looked at him. From the look in his eyes it didn't look like he was fully catching onto what I was saying. "I saw her smirking after we saw him, Sam. She's feeding him information. She's letting him in on everything that I've told her. That's why she defended him, and that's why he accused you of trying to be her father after she did."

"So you're saying that Melody is using you to help Alex? That doesn't make sense, she's your best friend."

"She's just like everyone else around here," I grumbled. "What am I going to do?" I asked running my hands through my hair. "You're leaving tomorrow, and you're the only one I can trust now. Melody is working with him, and God knows what they're planning. Who knows if they're going to try to break us up, or even worse take Raina away from me."

"Hey," Sam said looking like he was in deep thought. I raised my eyebrow and he grabbed my hands and looked at me. "You're coming home with me for Christmas. There are still a few weeks, I know, but trust me on this. Just play cool, act like you don't know anything. They want to play a game, then we'll play a game. Let Alex and Melody see the two of you, maybe even act like we're not together anymore. Do anything to fool them and play them like they have you. Then when they're least expecting it, drop the bomb and let it explode."

"So basically you're saying to act like I'm giving in to them?" I asked confused.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," he smirked. "Tomorrow when I go home act like we're not together. You said that Alex broke up with his girlfriend, right?"

"Yeah..." I nodded.

"Baylor, I'm a guy and I've been with quite a few girls. He sees his ex-girlfriend that he treated like trash with a new guy who treats her like the queen she is, and he gets jealous. You upgraded, you got with someone better and now he's pissed. He sees that you're happy and you're starting to get more confident and he doesn't want that. He wants you to feel like you're less than everyone. So he breaks up with his girlfriend so he can try to sweet talk his way back to you."

"So by pretending that we're no longer together, he'll get what he wants," I said catching on.

"Exactly," he nodded. "Play him for these next few weeks and then I'll come back for you and Raina and hit him in the face with reality. Don't sweat a thing, baby girl." The plan was devious and cruel. The two of them both deserved it, and I would finally get my revenge on Alex and prove to both him and Melody, and even myself that I'm a lot stronger that what everyone thought. I smiled at Sam and he kissed my lips lightly.

"So how do you want to fake a break up?"