Chapter 9: The Reality of My Heart

Story of A Girl

I closed my eyes and hoped I'd fall back asleep. It was three in the morning, still dark and chilly outside, and I had to be up for school in the morning. I turned over in my bed and watched as the clock changed from 3:11 to 3:12 to 3:13. Finally it was 3:46 and I still couldn't fall back asleep. I couldn't stop thinking. I couldn't stop thinking about Ashleigh and Tyler.

Ashleigh had avoided me since I came back to school. I saw her at lunch sitting with Kira the other day, and although I was trying to be mature, I couldn't muster up the strength to go sit with them. Kira was a nasty bitch. She treated everyone like shit. And I couldn't stand that. I would never get along with Kira. Ever.

I had been spending more and more time with Sarah and had formed a close bond with her. Sarah was different from all the other girls my brother has dated in the past. She had substance, not just perky tits. Sarah knew that Apple was a huge computer company, and not just a fruit. She knew the difference between Portugal and Spain, and even knew where to locate them on a map. Sarah was outgoing, funny, and she was a sweetheart. But as great as Sarah was, she wasn't my best friend. No one could replace Ashleigh.

Memories flooded my mind. There was this one time, in third grade, when Benny the class troublemaker broke my crayons, and Ashleigh punched him square in the face. That was the start of our friendship. And then there was the time I got my period for the first time, Caleb had told me that I was going to die, but Ashleigh just insisted that I was better than him because I could bleed for a week straight and not die. Caleb stopped teasing me after that. I smiled, as I remembered the first time Ashleigh kissed a boy. His name was Thomas but everyone called him the Tiny Tommy. He was short, scrawny, and wore braces up until he moved to Tennessee a few years back. They were on the monkey bars one day during recess in the sixth grade. I remembered how Ashleigh ran up to me crying saying Tiny Tommy just violated her. I laughed as that memory played over and over in my head. I would hate to have the end of our friendship be over a boy.

And Tyler. I couldn't stop thinking about him either. I blushed as I thought back to the time I had told him I loved him, right before I tried to kill myself. Did I really love him? I think so. I mean, I've never been in love before, but I'm pretty sure what I had felt for Tyler doesn't compare to what I feel for Pogue.

Pogue. He's a great boyfriend, he really is. He's funny, great to look at, but we really have nothing in common other than my brother. He likes riding his bike, and don't get me wrong, I like watching him ride his bike, but I'd rather be shopping or hanging out with friends. But I liked Pogue, maybe not as much as I used to like Tyler, but I still liked him nonetheless. He had this sensitive side, in addition to his biking rebel personality. It was a nice contrast, and they complimented each other.

I needed to do something. I know that things in life change, but why should friendships? I sat up in my bed and found my laptop. If Ashleigh was going to ignore me at school then fine. But I might as well try to get her attention another way. I could accidentally run into her at school tomorrow and risk running into Kira, or I could get her attention a different way. Via e-mail maybe.

Powering on my silver robot, I clicked on internet explorer and signed into my email account. Letting my heart do the talking I started typing furiously onto my computer.

Hey Ashleigh,

I know that we haven't talked lately, but I just wanted to you to know that I miss you a lot. I know it's probably not easy for you, dating Tyler and being friends with someone who used to have feelings for him, but I wanted you to know that I'm okay with it. I mean, I want you to be happy. And if Tyler makes you happy than I'm happy for you.

I miss you a lot.

Del.

Re-reading the email three different times, I finally sent it. It was short but sweet. It was perfect. I turned my computer on power save, and returned back to bed. I laid on my side, and pulled the covers up and over my head. I closed my eyes and fell back into a peaceful sleep.

--

"Alright Kiddo, we're going to work on a few meditation methods today, just to help manage the stress." Robbie and I were sitting Indian style, on my back porch. Robbie was decked out in a yoga outfit, while I was still in my pajama's. It was odd, being up as the sun was just rising, but I figured Robbie had a good reason for waking me up this early. Either a good reason or a death wish. And I'm hoping it isn't the latter. I'd really hate to be rid of Robbie for good. She's pretty cool despite being an early bird.

"So just breathe in deep like this," she demonstrated for me, "And breathe out. Breathe in deeply… and breathe out." Her eyes were closed and I could tell she used this meditation method herself.

I studied her for a moment. Robbie was beautiful, with shoulder length dark brown hair and huge chocolate brown eyes. She was barely past her 30's, and although she denied repeating her 29th birthday for the past decade, I believed her. She was beautiful, full of life, and I loved being around her. She was like an older sister to me. Minus the bitchy part. That part went to Caleb. I couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" She asked me, one eye open the other closed. For a second there she looked as though she was winking at me. That only made me laugh harder.

"Caleb's a bitch." That got Robbie to crack up. Sometimes, I just amuse myself.

--

That day at school, I was my own worst enemy. I kept sneaking glances in Ashleigh's direction during the classes we had together and she had shown no reaction to me whatsoever. I had checked my email once more, before I left for school that day, and Ashleigh had not written me back. So all throughout school I kept thinking two different things; Maybe she hadn't read that email yet or maybe she already read it and doesn't care?

At lunch, she was sitting at the familiar table her and Kira ate at every day since I had been back. The only difference, was that today Kira wasn't sitting there. I took my only chance, and sat down across from Ashleigh, causing her to look up and then back down at her tray of food. Maybe she had read that email?

"Hey." I picked at my salad. I could feel the gazes Caleb and Sarah. They were watching me. Technically, they were supposed to because I wasn't allowed to eat by myself.

"Hi." Ashleigh kept staring at her plate of food.

"I'm sorry." In reality, I wasn't so sure of why I was apologizing. But it sounded like the right thing to say at the time.

"For what?" Apparently, she was just as confused as I was. Maybe she hadn't have read that email then.

"For being a selfish bitch." It was true. All I've ever thought about was myself, because I figured I was the only one that cared. But I was wrong. Spending that month with Robbie and Chloe in the institution made me realize how very wrong I had been.

"I'm sorry too." She had tears in her eyes. Before I knew it, I was crying too.

We spend the remainder of our lunch period, eating and catching up. Thankfully, Ashleigh had filled me in that Kira had gotten food poisoning and had been too sick to go to her classes today. I silently prayed to the Gods, thanking them for cursing us with bad beef.

--

After school let out for the day, I talked Caleb into letting me stay at Ashleigh's dorm. He agreed to pick me up in a few hours. After we said our goodbye's I met Ashleigh in her dorm room. Her roommate, Aubrey, was at track practice so we had the room to ourselves.

"So what's new with you?" I asked her, looking around her semi-neat dorm room. It was the standard dorm room, two beds, two desks, two dangerously small closets, with a sink and toilet in the back, because this was Spencer's and we prep students tended to be spoiled. Ashleigh's side of the room was mainly adorned in pink and blue, while Aubrey's was strictly black. I wondered how these two very different personalities managed to live together, peacefully. Pink and Blue vs. Black. Weird.

"Nothing, really." She shrugged. She walked over to her closet and threw a pair of jeans and a shirt over her shoulder. She walked back to her desk and pulled out her make-up bag.

"Do you want to go to Nicky's tonight?" She looked back at me through her mirror, as she applied her lip gloss.

"I actually have to meet Robbie for some stuff." It was true, Robbie and I were going to go over a new work out plan, one that would help tone my lower body and make me feel better about my thighs in general.

"Who's Robbie? I thought you were dating Pogue?" She giggled.

"Robbie is actually Dr. Ruiz, she came back after I thought I was going to relapse. She's staying with us for a few weeks until everything gets back on track." I answered her. I spared the details of Chase.

"What kind of mother name's their kid Robbie?" Ashleigh was now running her hands through her hair.

I laughed. Ashleigh was intensely book smart. But common sense just didn't come naturally to her.

"So, you're with Pogue though right? I've heard gossip and stuff, and I've seen the two of you in the halls, but are you guys like official?" She pulled one leg up on her chair, and now rested her chin on her knee.

"Yeah," I smiled. "It's official." I looked over and saw a picture of Ashleigh and Tyler together, hanging on the desk wall just behind Ashleigh. Tyler was looking directly at the camera, smiling, while Ashleigh was looking up at Tyler. The word "Babe" was written just below the picture.

"So like, what's it like?" Ashleigh had a dreamy expression on her face.

"It' great, it really is." I sounded like I was trying to convince myself. I couldn't take my eyes off of that picture of Tyler.

"If you guys have babies, you're going to pop them out, and they're going to be fully ripped." I laughed. The image of a newborn baby with a six pack flooded my mind. I laughed harder.

"I doubt that will happen, but thanks I guess." I half-smiled. "So how are things with you? You and Tyler I mean."

Ashleigh's smile faded. "We actually broke up a few days ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry." I said, not sure what else to say.

"Don't worry about it. I figured he's probably hurting more than I am anyways." Ashleigh turned around, grabbing her jeans and t-shirt, and walked into her bathroom to change. "I mean, it must suck for him seeing you with Pogue." She yelled out as she changed from her school uniform to her regular attire.

"What do you mean?" I was confused. And curious. I hoped she couldn't tell the last part.

"Well, when Tyler and I broke up, I asked him if he still loved you and he didn't have to say anything. I already knew the answer." Ashleigh looked a little sad as she said this.

"Ashleigh, Tyler never loved me. He told me so the day I left for Boston. He's the reason I cut myself in the bathroom." I looked down at the faint scar that was permanently etched into my skin.

"Maybe he just said that, thinking that would make you go with Dr. Ruiz." Ashleigh sat back down on her desk chair and started spraying her hair with anti-frizz mist. This I knew, because I remember taking her to the beauty supply store to buy it in the first place. Ashleigh had asked the lady about products to tame her afro, and the lady, without pausing, grabbed a bottle of anti-frizz and told Ashleigh it wasn't a fro if it wasn't higher than three inches. Ashleigh left the beauty supply store a little disappointed that day.

We spend the remainder of our time together talking about school gossip, where Kate Tunney ended up transferring, and Ashleigh informed me that Kira was a semi-decent person when she wasn't around her usual group of friends. I found that hard to believe, but refrained myself from pointing that out to Ashleigh. If Ashleigh liked Kira, I had to respect that. I would never like Kira, but that was my own personal judgment.

--

I waited in the school quad for my brother to pick me up. Ashleigh had to meet some of her friends at Nicky's and asked me if I needed a ride. I politely declined, telling her Caleb would be here for me and she left. I felt somewhat at ease, knowing that Ashleigh and I were going to be okay.

I flipped open my phone and was about to text my brother to see where he was at, when an unknown trespasser of my personal space decided to grab my cell with his fingerless gloves, and throw it a good fifty feet or so, across the grass field.

"Reid, you're such a twat!" I yelled out, running over to where my phone now laid, thankfully unbroken. I wiped off a few blades of grass and turned around to face Reid fucking Garwin.

Reid was standing there with a stupid smug expression plastered across his face, next to Tyler. And yeah, you guessed right, Tyler was looking down at his feet. Again.

"Did you just call me a twat?" Reid was amused.

"Words can not express how much I hate you right now." I walked back to the bench at sat down in the same spot I had been sitting previously, before that jackass decided to play phone hockey.

"Baby Boy and I are headed to Nicky's, need a ride?" He asked, looking over at Tyler, who just stared at him with huge eyes that practically were screaming 'awkward.'

"No thanks, I'm waiting for my ride actually." I opened my phone again and began typing a message to Caleb.

"Pogue's letting you ride on his dirt bike?" I caught onto the double meaning. Reid and his sexual innuendoes. He's such a slut.

"Reid, you ignorant slut! My brother is picking me up!! Caleb will be here any minute." I stated, flatly. I finished my message telling Caleb to hurry up and I slammed my phone shut.

"Well, this chat was lovely but I've got money to win and chicks to bag. So I'll catch you later mini-Danvers." Reid laughed as I flipped him off and walked towards the student parking lot. I secretly wished he'd get hit by a car or something. I mean, I didn't want to see him get hurt... too much anyways. Maybe a mini compact car, like a mini-couper or some tiny Toyota would do the perfect damage. I'm not talking about a semi- or Tyler's Hummer for crying out loud.

I figured Tyler must have followed him, because it was dead silent after Reid stopped talking. The sun was slightly visible, through the clouds, and thankfully it wasn't raining just yet. The weather was tolerable, although it was slightly on the chilly side.

"Adele." Shit, I knew that voice. I knew that voice all to well. It was the voice that haunted my dreams.

"Tyler." I looked up at the sky as he sat across from me, on the same bench. "Ashleigh told me the two of you broke up." I didn't know what else to say and that was the only thing that came to mind.

"Yeah," he looked up at the sky as well, "things just didn't work out."

I watched him as he spoke. His eyes were still the dark blue that I had remembered them to be. He was wearing a dark blue overcoat and a black button up shirt underneath, with a pair of worn in dark blue jeans. He looked nice, like date nice, and I wondered if he was meeting up with any girls at Nicky's. I brushed off that thought. I was with Pogue now. It didn't matter if Tyler dated other girls. He probably was dating other girls.

"You okay?" Tyler was now looking at me. I must have started staring into space or something, because I don't remember seeing Tyler's gaze fix upon mine.

I nodded. But a part of me wished I hadn't of nodded. A part of me wanted Tyler to hug me, to tell me everything was going to be okay, and reassure me that everything works out the way it's supposed to. But I knew better. Happy endings only happen in fairy tales. And my life was far from being a fucking fairy tale.

I snapped out of my negative thinking. I couldn't think like this anymore. It was just going to stress me out and Robbie says stress is the worst feeling in the world. I wondered if she'd ever been in love with someone that never loved her back. Because stress seemed like nothing to that.

"I just wanted to apologize. For everything." Tyler looked adorable, sitting in front of me, kicking his feet on the cement. I could tell he hadn't shaved today. He had stubble around his chin. I'm sure Reid was giving him shit for that; "Baby boy has peach fuzz!" I started laughing. Tyler looked mortified.

"No, sorry, I'm not laughing at you." I reassured him. "I was just laughing at something I was thinking, about Reid. Anyways, it's okay really. You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I have everything to be sorry for." He looked serious. Like he had been planning to say this or something. "I lied, when I told you I didn't love you. I thought if I lied to you, that would get you to go to Boston. I was worried about you but that gave me no excuse to lie to you."

"Why are you telling me this?" I could hear my voice crack. I would not cry in front of Tyler. Not after everything that had happened. I was stronger now. I could handle these things on my own.

"If Pogue makes you happy, than I want you to be happy. But I don't think he does. I don't think he can make you as happy as I can." I looked past Tyler and saw Caleb's dark grey mustang pull into the parking lot. "I love you and I want you for myself… I-If that's what you want." Tyler's blue eyes were gazing into mine. They were almost hypnotizing.

"Tyler," I began. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and stay there forever. But I was mature now. And Pogue was my boyfriend. Tyler wasn't.

I shook my head and picked up my bag. Tyler's eyes never once left mine. "We can't do this. I'm with Pogue."

I knew in my head that what I was doing was right. Why risk breaking Pogue's heart when I did have feelings for him? Pogue was a great guy and I really did want to see where things would go with him.

But I knew in my heart that leaving Tyler behind was wrong. I couldn't tell you why. I just knew.

--

I opened the passenger side door of my brother's dark grey Mustang. I threw my black book bag into the back seat and sat down in the leather passenger seat, closing the door beside me.

"What's wrong?" Caleb asked me as he pulled out of the parking lot and made a right onto the intersection, heading home.

"Tyler told me he loved me." I looked down at the floorboards and kept my gaze there. Thoughts of Tyler were permanently burned into my head. Why could I not stop thinking about him?

"Whoa." Caleb was at a loss for words. To be honest, I was too. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of silence, Caleb spoke again. "What are you going to do?" I looked over at my brother. I could read Caleb like a book. He was pretty much asking me if I was going to pick Pogue or Tyler.

"I'm with Pogue for a reason Caleb. Just because Tyler's had a change of heart doesn't mean I'm going to break things off with someone I actually care about." The words I spoke were convincing. Truth be told, I almost convinced myself.

Caleb stayed silent the rest of the way home. I did too. Right now, the last thing I wanted to do was to talk to my brother about boy problems. Hopefully, when I got home I'd find Robbie wasn't too busy and be able to talk to her for a while. Or maybe Sarah was visiting. I knew she'd understand where I was coming from. Caleb was a boy after all. The only thing that seems to hold his interest are Sarah's boobs. And that's a subject I'd like to forget about altogether.

We pulled up into our driveway and I made my way inside. I threw my bag at the entry way and walked into the kitchen, hoping we had a few tubs of ice cream I could pour my heart into. We didn't. Instead we had a sober-like mother, a doctor who was barely older than I was, an overprotective older brother, an overprotective older brother's girlfriend, and my jealous boyfriend who wasn't too happy to hear that Tyler had been talking to me while I waited for my ride.

"He's your best friend and I'm your girlfriend. You don't trust either of us?" I was half-angry and half-turned on. This jealousy thing was starting to get to me. In different places of course.

"I'm just saying that I don't feel comfortable hearing that the two of you have been spending time alone." Pogue and I were sitting on my bed, alone in my room, half-yelling at each other. I had a brush in my hand and was so tempted to chuck it at him, but I refrained myself. Just the thought of throwing it at him made me feel better.

"Look, there's nothing to worry about. Nothing's going to change. I'm with you, now. I don't care about anyone else." I set the brush down and scooted closer towards him on the bed. "You know this whole jealousy thing is kind of sexy." I leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.

"Is it now?" He laughed, and flipped me over so now I was laying on my back and he was hovering above me with one hand on my waist, the other propping himself up.

"It's very hot in here. Don't you think?" I teased, pulling on the sides of his jacket, moving my head up, and meeting his lips in a passionate kiss. As if he was practically reading my mind he threw off his jacket. We stayed like that, for awhile. Just kissing and heavy petting. Nothing too sexual. I was just coming to terms with my body and I highly doubted I would be comfortable letting someone else see me naked. But that didn't mean I didn't enjoy what we were doing. Not in the least.

Pogue's hand reached up under my buttoned up school shirt as he made a trail of kisses down my neck. I moaned as his hand slipped under my bra and cupped my breast. I pulled him closer to me, grinding my hips onto his. This time, he was the one to moan. He moved his kisses lower, first towards my collarbone and then even lower. Although I still had my shirt on that seemed like no problem for Pogue. He unbuttoned the top two buttons on my white shirt and finished his quest. I moaned and closed my eyes, as he tenderly bit down on the flesh of my cleavage. "Tyler, don't stop." I moaned out.

Pogue stopped. He looked confused. And then that confusion turned into an expression of anger. "You just called me Tyler." He got up off of me and began looking around for his leather jacket that had been thrown off in the early process of our heated make out session.

"No I didn't." Did I?

"I heard you Adele. You called me Tyler." Pogue threw on his jacket and stormed out. I ran out after him, buttoning up my shirt in the process.

"Pogue, wait please" I yelled after him. He threw open the front door and walked out, pulling his keys out of his pocket. I followed after him. "Pogue stop!"

He listened. He turned around and faced me.

"I'm not Tyler Adele. Let's stop pretending here!" He screamed. I was taken a back. I have never been yelled at like that before. Pogue was kind of scaring me.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it." I tried to reassure him. Maybe I was trying to reassure myself as well.

"Look" his voice was somewhat normal now. "It's obvious, okay! I'm surprised this relationship lasted this long! You belong with Tyler, not me."

I couldn't find the words to speak. I didn't know what to say. In my entire lifetime, I normally just spoke. I never thought about what I said. And now, when I needed to say anything in general, I just couldn't. Words failed me.

"The very first day of school, Tyler came up to me and punched me square in the jaw at swim practice. He didn't say one word to me until Coach pulled us apart. You want to know why he punched me Adele?" Pogue was looking at me with a strangely sad looking expression pressed across his face. "He told me that punch in the face was for letting a girl like you get away."

I stood there. Expressionless.

"I had a feeling that you were only with me because he was off fucking your friend Ashland, Ashton, or something like that. I knew it was Tyler that you cared for all along and now I know I was right." Pogue slipped his helmet on and took off on his bike.

I turned around to head into the house when I was met by Sarah at the door. She looked worried. "Are you okay?" She asked me, in a voice so soft it was barely a whisper.

"I don't know." I answered her, making my way up the old cemented stairs and onto the old wooden front porch, which squeaked beneath me.

"What happened?" She moved aside as she opened the front door and followed me inside.

"I called him Tyler." I walked down the hall and into the living room where Robbie and my mom were talking animatedly about something.

Sarah followed and sat down in the couch, next to Robbie. I sighed, as I sat down next to my mother hoping I'd be able to take my mind off of things.

"What's wrong?" Robbie asked me. Everyone turned their attention towards me.

"I think Pogue and I just broke up." I couldn't help but let the tears fall from my eyes. My mom's arms instinctively wrapped around me. I leaned in and smelled a fragrance I used to be familiar with. No it wasn't alcohol. It was perfume. The perfume that my mom used to wear when I was younger. It smelled faintly of roses and lavender.

"What happened?" My mom asked me, kissing my forehead.

I looked over at Sarah and she answered for me. "She called him Tyler."

And as I had thought my night couldn't have gotten any worse, Robbie started cracking up. "I'm sorry" she said in between breathes. "This isn't funny at all." She looked over at my tear stricken face. "But it is."

I could feel my mom shaking. She too, was trying her hardest not to laugh. I smiled, and soon the four of us girls were in hysterics.

--

The truth of the matter, was that it was not funny. I had hurt Pogue. I had led him on. It was Tyler, who I cared about. It was Tyler, who I loved. I couldn't go to sleep that night knowing I screwed up again. I had to talk to Pogue. And I had to talk to Tyler. And it couldn't wait.

Everyone was asleep; It was a few minutes past mid-night. I crept downstairs and found my mother's car keys and Caleb's car keys on the coffee table. Deciding Caleb would KILL me if I touched the paint of his car, I decided to take the Audi for a little test drive. All the way to Pogue's apartment.

I sang along with ABBA on my ten minute drive to Highland Apartments. My mother's choice in music wasn't very good, in my opinion, but there was something catchy about Dancing Queen.

Highland Apartments were the pristine of Ipswich rentals. Renting out even a studio granted the renter a supply of gold-digging ass, expensive wine by the barrels, and a membership to the local gym, depending on the amount of time the lease lasted. It was no surprise that the Parry's only rented the best for their son. Pogue, never seemed fazed by it though. As long as he had his precious Ducati he was all good.

I parked my mother's car into an available parking spot and made my way up the flight of stairs, to apartment number 76. I saw his Ducati parked in the parking lot, so I knew he was home. I hoped he was still awake, because sensing his anger earlier, I doubted he would be jumping for joy when awoken in the middle of the night by a girl that had just fucked him over.

I knocked twice. No answer.

I knocked once more. Still no answer.

I rang the doorbell and heard footsteps.

"What the fuck?" I was greeted by Pogue, fully decked out in a bad case of bed head.

"Can I come in?" I asked pleadingly.

"No." Alright, so it's safe to say that he's still mad.

"I came to apologize. I shouldn't have led you on." I spoke bluntly.

"It's in the middle of the fucking night. Couldn't you have waited until school tomorrow?" He did have a point.

"I figured you deserved an apology right away." I looked away. I felt horrible after everything had happened.

"You can come in, as long as Caleb doesn't find out." He semi-smiled.

I smiled back and walked in. It was the typical bachelor pad. Empty beer bottles scattered around the place, left over pizza boxes still on the counter. And his apartment smelled not so pleasantly. I of course, didn't voice that opinion. I've put the poor boy through enough, the least I could do was spare him an insult.

"I'm sorry" I turned around to face him. He was wearing a pair of boxer shorts. No shirt and no pants. It was like sex on a stick.

"I accept your apology." He semi-laughed and I chuckled thankfully.

"So, what do we do now? I've never broken up with a boyfriend before." I stated flatly.

Pogue raised an eyebrow. "You're a pretty good kisser for a rookie."

"Just because you were my first boyfriend doesn't mean you were my first kiss." I teased him. I was happy that the mood was lighter than before. Before, it was just tense and depressing.

"Oh, and who happens to have that honor?" He teased back.

I looked at the floor and thought of Tyler.

"I see" he said, heading to the kitchen and grabbing a beer from the fridge. "I'd offer you one but we all know what happens after you drink." He laughed.

--

I was happy to leave Pogue's apartment that night seeing him in happier spirits. I knew that things with Pogue and I were going to be okay. And I hoped that he truly had forgiven me for everything I had done. A year ago, I would have never thought that Pogue and I would have gotten together. A year ago, I would have never thought I would not be in love with Pogue. A year ago, I would have never thought that I was crazy in love with Tyler. Tyler fucking Simms. It's always the quiet and shy ones.

I hit the alarm button on my mom's keychain and walked through the dewy grass from the parking lot and into the dorm building. Luckily, Manuel the security guard, was at the opposite end of the building and I was able to sneak in without getting the third degree. I walked the darkly lit hallways and rehearsed mentally what I wanted to say to Tyler. I stopped at the staircases, looking up and locking eyes with Chase, who was standing at the very top of the stairs. My heart sunk low into my chest and I felt my breathing quicken. Instantly, I remembered what Caleb had told me about Chase. He was bad. Very bad.

"Hello Gone, I've missed you." He said in an eerily creepy voice. "I think it's about time we catch up."

--

"So you're telling me that unless my brother wills away his power to you, you're going to kill me?" I was scared. Chase had grabbed a hold of me on the stairwells and had transported me to some dark unknown location. I wanted to make sure I had the story straight. Chase wanted my brother, a witch, to will away his powers to him and die, or else he was going to kill me. I knew this guy was an asshole when I had first met him. I didn't realize, until now, how big of an asshole he really was.

"You're smart, for a blonde." He chucked. It was an evil chuckle. It made all the hairs on my body stand straight up. He turned around and slapped me hard. There was no doubt in my mind that the blow on my face hadn't of left a mark. It stung but I wouldn't dare cry. It was dark, but I would never give Chase the satisfaction of seeing me cry. Before I knew it, I felt his scratchy palm spread across my face once more, and I drifted off into unconsciousness.

For once in my life, I had finally gotten a firm grasp on controlling my actions, and now this. This was one situation I had no control over. I just wished I had taken the chance to tell Tyler I had loved him yesterday, when I had waited for Caleb to pick me up, after hanging out with Ashleigh. Even in my unconsciousness, I wondered if Tyler would ever know how I truly felt about him.