An Unexpected Bond

Disclaimer: Do not own South of Nowhere. It's been a long time since I posted a fanfic. I have been suffering from severe writer's block. I wanted to do something a little different. It'll be a two-shot unless anyone wants me to explore the storyline further.

Chapter One

Kyla was sitting by herself at the farmer's market. She did not touch the food on her plate, her mind was elsewhere. She sighed sadly as she saw a happy couple at the next table lean in for a kiss. It seemed not too long that she and Aiden were "happy" until it was all taken away from her that dreadful night at prom when Aiden made that confession before bullets were fired.

It was obvious that Aiden still held a torch for Ashley even though that ship long sailed. She suspected it with the way he put on his shining armor (as Spencer put it) for her and that he seemed to be around both girls in the relationship that it made her wonder how Spencer and Ashley had any alone time. Spencer suspected it after seeing that old tape of them resurfacing, but him still being in love with her sister? Those words off were still ringing in her head that the raven haired boy said, "If I could be with Kyla, I would, but I just can't!" She was always his second choice. Why couldn't she see it sooner?

She never understood why Aiden was upset when she went to Baltimore to break things off with Rick. He made her feel so badly about going behind his back and lying to him when things were over between them for some time. Now it was the other way around, yet he was the victim since he was shot in the heart.

Many lives were changed that night whether they liked to believe it or not was another story. They all had some forms of scars whether they were physical or emotional through the events of the shooting. She started her life over in a new town and did not have any known family or friends. All of her friends were through Ashley. None of them wanted to know the new girl. None of them wanted to see the real her or tried to.

She was back to where she started except her clean slate was taken away from her. She was the girl who Aiden dumped at prom for her sister.

She was alone in the dreadful mansion for the summer. Kyla did not have any friends outside of the circle that she was brought into. Ashley went away to Europe for the summer with her mother to get away from the drama and when her girlfriend needed her most. Kyla attempted to avoid Aiden since he was constantly talking to her to find out about Ashley and he acted like he did nothing wrong. There was Spencer she would occasionally talk to, but she was not the same after Clay died and after Ashley left. Who would be in her position though? Madison was only her friend to use information against her to get back together with Aiden. She did not speak to Kyla afterwards.

Glen noticed Kyla was deep in thought. After the shooting, no one seemed to be concerned for her and how she was affected indirectly. He remembered how broken up she was the day at the hospital and how he wanted to go and comfort her, but didn't think it was appropriate since they barely knew one another. Everyone had someone to lean on. Chelsea and Sean leaned on each other. After the shooting it was not long until they became a couple. It was almost like Clay never existed, which angered him. Chelsea was carrying Clay's child and it seemed like she never cared for his brother at all.

Madison leaned on him for that short time and so did Spencer at the hospital. He thought Madison wanted to get back together even though he knew deep down inside that she was still hung up on Aiden. Glen resented the raven haired boy for many reasons. Even though he was the star of the Cobras for a millisecond, he realized that Aiden was more popular with the girls and that the girls at one point had feelings for him. He knew that Madison never felt anything for him, but wanted to be with the star player for her image of being head cheerleader.

Ashley seemed to be latching onto Aiden much to Spencer and Kyla's dismay before she went to Europe. It seemed like she was interested in Aiden again. He never liked the older Davies sister at first for not having any romantic interest in him and being a lesbian, but now it was for breaking his sister's heart. "Is this seat taken?" He broke Kyla away from her thoughts. Kyla looked at the owner at the voice.

Kyla was surprised to see the older boy. They did not have a conversation before that did not include Spencer and Ashley and Aiden since he was always tagging along with them. "No, go ahead." Glen went to sit in the vacant seat. He smiled and Kyla returned the smile. "How have you and your family been holding up?" Glen's smile faded.

Glen looked hesitant to answer the question at first, but decided to anyway. "We've been taking it one day at a time," Glen began simply. "I think it's been the hardest on Spencer. He and Spencer were always closer than Spencer and I ever were. I never knew how to be a good brother to her. Clay understood her when she came out and I never tried to. I was too busy being doped up on those pills and complaining about my busted knee. Now that Clay is gone I feel like I need to step up to help fill his shoes." Glen sighed. He missed his brother as well and wanted to make his family happy. It seemed that after his knee injury, which ended his basketball career and began his addiction to pain killers that he seemed to cause nothing, but grief and was a burden for his family. His whole future was mapped out and now he didn't have a clue of where he should go next.

Glen signed up for the army on an impulse, but regretted it after leaving the recruiter's office. He was relieved that he failed the physical to get into the army. Who knew that his injured knee could help him get out of trouble? It was another disappointment for his family finding out that he signed up and in the immortal words of his mother, "What were you possibly thinking?"

Kyla looked sympathetically at the older boy. "It sounds tough. I couldn't imagine what it was like to lose a sibling, but you don't have to fill his shoes. I know it doesn't sound like much, but you will always have his memory that will live in your hearts."

Glen nodded. "I feel like Spencer has been trying to block it out. She stays locked up in her room expecting Ashley to come and be her savior, thinking that Ashley would help her the same way my sister did when your Dad died, but Ashley's off in Europe doing God knows what. No one can get through to her. I'm really worried about her. I wish I can pull her through this." He didn't realize that hot tears were streaming down his face. Kyla went to his side and wrapped her arms around him to help comfort him.

To be continued…