The Moment

Chapter Twenty

"You just took five years off my life." I said, bringing my hand to my chest as I tried to steady my breathing. He was quiet, trying but failing to avoid eye contact and I just knew this wasn't going to be a good conversation. "Noah, just-"

"How many times were you asked if there was something between you and Tayler?" Opening my mouth to speak, I couldn't bring myself to actually say anything. "I'm not mad. Obviously there's going to be guys before me, I'm not saying you're in the wrong but you're fully aware of how people think you and Tayler really are and for you to sit there and deny it...lie about it, only for it to be confirmed true...what am I supposed to think?" I stayed silent. I couldn't tell him the truth but I also didn't want to lie to him. "I like you, Regs, I think I've made that pretty clear but you've got this thing with Tayler and I want no part of it."

Watching him leave the room, I tried to keep it together. I didn't realize how much I had actually started to like him until now. He made me happy, he treated me better than anyone ever has and he actually cared but here I was letting my fears and worries ruin everything. Standing in the middle of my bedroom, in soaked clothes, I started to realize that maybe I should just come clean about everything. Maybe not saying anything at all is worse than telling everyone the truth.

---

It had been a couple of days since my conversation with Noah...if you could call that a conversation, and nothing seemed to get any better. I had avoided every question about Noah and the video successfully but that didn't stop people from asking. Chase and Thomas had yet to say anything else about the situation and I was hoping they had just moved on. They got their five minutes of drama and in the end, that's all they really wanted.

@xlilhuddy: Multiple times. Multiple nights. Multiple videos. #Tegan

I spoke too soon. Once again, Chase had release a video of me leaving the same room, kissing the same boy. Honestly, there were so many nights of me doing the same thing that I was convinced they'd release at least one video every week.

"Regan," Casey's voice rang through my ear as I picked up her call. "I don't have to but I figured out the podcast issue...do you want me to just scrap the whole thing?"

"Release it." I said, grabbing my keys and heading out to my car. "Maybe if people hear that they'll finally understand what my friendship with Tayler really is."

"Okay...wait, where are you going?" She asked, hearing me turn my car on.

"I'm going to settle this."

"Regs-" Ending the phone call, I began heading over to the Hype House and thought about what exactly I was going to say. I didn't have a way to prove it wasn't Tayler other than coming clean about everything and I was still unsure if that was something I was willing to do.

---

"You want to talk so much, let's talk." I said, barging into the kitchen as everyone sat around the table. Their heads turned to me with shock and I knew they didn't expect me to actually comfort them about it. Maybe that's why they targeted me.

"Regan-" Tayler said, standing up but I was so fired up I couldn't hear him. My eyes were locked on Chase's and there was not stopping me.

"What? What do you want to say now, Chase? I'm standing right here." I said, standing over him as he sat in the chair. Tayler was trying to grab my hand but I pulled away. I needed to know why this was happening and I needed it to stop.

"Let me explain, okay?" Chase pleaded, pulling out the empty chair beside him and allowing me to sit...not that I really wanted to...but I did. "It was only meant to be a joke. Fans get so worked up over Tegan that Thomas and I thought it would be funny to just egg it on a little. We even told Tayler that we were making subtle jokes about it but Thomas started really going for it, it wasn't really a joke to him anymore. Once Tayler mentioned everything to Bryce and he saw how upset you were getting over it, Thomas pushed further. He knew by upsetting you, he was upsetting Bryce and in the end, that's all he really cares about. It could have been anyone, Regan...you just so happened to have your skeleton caught on camera."

"And the tweet today?"

"Thomas. I didn't want to do anything else but he knows my password." The room fell silent as I took everything in. This was such petty bullshit and I wanted no part of it but here I was, having my life thrown in the spotlight, all because two idiots can't be bothered to let go of their stupid beef.

"Change your fucking password." I spat, getting up from the chair and leaving the room.

"Cross," Stopping in my tracks, his voice filled my ears and I just wasn't prepared for this conversation. He was the only person to call me by my last name and it was something I hadn't heard in a while. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he looked over at me. "It'd probably be easier for you tell the truth."

"You know why I can't do that." I whispered, trying to keep the conversation as quiet as possible.

"No, I don't...actually. I never did. You're making this situation worse, all because you're afraid of what others are going to say but seriously Cross, they're talking about you either way. You might as well have them talk for the right reason."

Watching him walk towards his room, I couldn't believe he was actually right. I should have just told the truth from the beginning.