Betrayed:

AN: I do not own the characters in this story. They belong to ABC's One Life to Live. This story is written for entertainment purposes only.

Starr nervously opened up her apartment door. Today was the day that Cole was going to be released from jail. She wanted to surprise him by picking him up but she didn't know when he was going to be released. She still needed to unload the groceries and then she planned on giving Marty a call to find out what was going on. If she had enough time then she would make Cole dinner. She had just finished dropping Hope off at her mom's. She needed this time to reconnect with Cole.

Their relationship had been strained for months ever since Marty was pushed down the stairs. Marty's fall had pitted Starr and Cole on opposite sides. Cole believed that Starr's father had pushed Marty down the stairs thanks to Hannah who claimed to have witnessed the whole thing. Starr believed that her dad was innocent and would never intentionally push anyone, let alone, Marty down a flight of stairs. Starr believed that Hannah was responsible and was using Marty's fall to come between her and Cole, but Cole refused to listen to her regarding Hannah's intentions.

Starr still had nightmares about witnessing Cole beat her father in the high school gym. She couldn't get the crazed look that Cole had that day out of her mind. Cole still refused to apologize or even admit that he had done anything wrong, but he had. Starr hoped that in time she could forgive Cole and that they could get their relationship back on track.

Starr was putting away the groceries when she heard a noise coming from her bedroom. She grabbed a knife in case it was an intruder and proceeded cautiously to the bedroom. When she opened the door she saw a completely naked Hannah lying on her bed. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" Starr asked.

"Hannah, are you coming in? The water feels great," Starr could hear Cole ask. His voice came from the direction of the bedroom bathroom.

"Starr, it's not what it looks like," Hannah began to explain.

"Save it."

Starr opened up the bathroom door and saw that Cole was in the process of showering.

Cole shut off the shower when he saw Starr standing in the doorway. He grabbed a towel, "Starr, what are you doing here? I thought you had moved out?"

" I changed my mind. I thought that we were worth saving and I wanted to surprise you with a romantic evening tonight, but it looks like you had other plans," Starr said as she motioned her head towards Hannah.

"I'm sorry, but Hannah's been there for me, you've been too busy coddling her psycho father."

"You know what, I am tired of arguing with you, if you want to believe a slut like Hannah then go ahead, we're through. I don't know what I ever saw in you. I hope you burn in hell." Starr said as she turned around and walked out.

"Starr wait..."

"Let her go Cole, it's better this way." Starr heard Hannah say before she slammed the door to her apartment.

Markko was jogging through the park; he had been doing that a lot lately since he had broken up with Langston. When he had found out that Langston had been cheating on him he had lost everything. He not only lost Langston, but he had also lost Starr and Cole. Starr and Cole had known about Langston's cheating ways and decided not to tell him. They took her side over his and he was having a hard time getting over their betrayal. He had a lot of free time now and running helped him clear his head.

He turned the corner and saw Starr sitting by herself on one of the park benches. He was going to turn around and go the other direction, but the look on her face haunted him. It was a look he knew all to well. Somebody had hurt Starr and in the moment, Markko could no longer think of all the reasons that he had to be mad at her. She was hurting and he would be the kind of friend to her that he wished that they had been to him when Langston had been playing him for a fool.

"Starr, are you okay?" Markko asked as he sat down next to his friend.

"Cole and I are through."

"You've had fights before, you'll work it out. You're Starr and Cole… you always work it out."

"Not this time Markko, not after what he's done," Starr said as she burst into tears.

Markko put his arms around her and pulled Starr into an embrace.

"Is this about what he did to your father. I know that was hard for you to see, but Cole believes that your dad hurt his mom. He lost his mind. You just need to give him..."

"It's not that," Starr cut him off, "Cole's been sleeping with Hannah."

"Are you sure?"

"Oh yeah. I walked in on them."

Markko didn't know what to say. He never thought that Cole would ever be the one to cheat; of course, he never thought that Langston would have cheated either.

"That sucks. I'm sorry," Markko said.

Starr leaned her head on Markko's shoulder. "I know. If anyone would understand it would be you." Markko and Starr just sat there on the bench watching the sun set behind the Llantana Mountains.