The next day at school it was beginning to feel like old times for Brenda. She stopped at her locker in between classes and greeted Dylan with a kiss on the cheek. As soon as she saw Kelly at the other end of the hall, walking towards them however, she put a little distance between them.
"So how was the party last night? Dylan, I'm sorry I couldn't make it."
"It was fun, you should have been there. I have to get to class." Dylan shrugged as he walked past them, unable to fully look Kelly in the eyes for fear that it would betray how hurt he really was.
"Did nobody show up? Also what happened to you last night? I tried calling you." Kelly asked, confused as to why Brenda bailed on their plans. She knew Brenda's parents weren't so keen on Dylan or his family these days, but it didn't make sense as to why she still couldn't have come to the Taylor house.
"Dylan called me after I left and said that nobody was there. Not a single one of his friends showed up to be there for him so I did. My dad is probably going to ground me when I get home, but I don't really care. It was really just a last minute thing, I'm sure you would have done the same."
"So how did things go? Was Jack just like how you remembered him a few years ago?"
"I was pleasantly surprised, last time let's just say it wasn't pretty." Brenda almost shuddered at the thought of their first date and Dylan wanting to get drunk after such a fight with his dad. "But it was nice that I was able to be there for him that night and also last night. Sort of like history repeating itself I guess."
The bell rang and the last of Brenda's words played on a loop in Kelly's head as she made her way to class.
Kelly didn't see Dylan again until later that night at the Peach Pit. He greeted Nat before taking a seat next to her at the counter.
"So you leave your house for a megaburger but you couldn't be bothered with showing up to support a friend?" Dylan tried to act as nonchalant as possible, but his words held a certain amount of snark.
"I was busy okay? I had to babysit Erin and she depends on me more than you do. Besides, it looks like Brenda did just fine keeping you company." The blonde shot back as she tapped her fingers on the glass and waited for the order Jackie had sent her to pick up.
"If you did show up, you would have known that I wanted to pick you."
"Are you saying that depending on who went to your dad's party was your deciding factor on who you want to date?"
"Guess you kind of had to be there."
"What do you mean you wanted to pick me? Did you already make up your mind?"
"After some thought, Brenda and I are giving things another shot."
"Because I didn't show? What would have happened if I did come? Would I have gotten you on Monday and Wednesday and Brenda on Tuesday and Thursday with alternating weekends? Grow up Dylan." Kelly sighed before finally saying what had been on her mind for months now. "I'm going to tell her about this summer."
"No, you aren't. Telling her won't do any of us any good." A hand reached out as Dylan clenched her wrist.
"If I have any real shot at being friends with her again, real genuine friends, then this is the only way."
"Why would you want to cause her even more pain? Things are going back to normal, this is good."
"So you and Brenda go back to being the perfect couple meanwhile there's still this elephant in the room that we can't talk about? How is that fair? Brenda is still upset over our little date way back when. And she doesn't even know the worst of it. If she wants nothing to do with me afterwards, that's fine, but she should at least be given the choice to decide after knowing all the facts."
"Not everything in life is fair Kelly. If anyone does understand that, it's the two of us." Dylan was practically pleading now, but Kelly only shook off his grasp as she paid for her takeout. "Tell Jake I said what's up." Dylan sneered as she headed for the exit and left.
When Kelly got home from school the following day she was surprised to see Dylan waiting for her on her porch. Even more surprising was seeing Brenda behind him, looking nervous and staring at her shoes.
"What's going on guys?"
"Do you mind if we take a walk Kel? There's some things we need to discuss."
"So Dylan and I talked it over and we agreed to give things another shot between us. We wanted to give you the chance to hear it from us directly, to not be blindsided by the news or be tacky and announce it at the Peach Pit or something. We felt we owed you that much." Brenda tried her hardest to remain neutral, but she couldn't help it if her words were more on the cheerful side. Dylan remained silent and that made Kelly's blood boil.
"If you made your decision and this is really what you guys want, then I'm happy for you. I just wouldn't plan on leaving anytime soon Bren. Dylan doesn't have the best track record of keeping his hands to himself when you aren't around."
Brenda's eyes widened in confusion and surprise at how blunt Kelly was being. Her eyes narrowed and her voice sharpened at Kelly bringing up Dylan's slip up this summer. "Look, I know that this sucks for all of us, I understand that you're hurt, but we're stronger than we were this summer. All of our dirty laundry is out in the open and our stupid flings are behind us."
"Not all of it... I was the girl that Dylan was seeing this summer. I'm sorry Dylan, but she deserved to know."
The brunette's mouth dropped open as she began to shake her head. Dylan gave her a cold stare, but Kelly refused to look back at him. She finally felt like she could breathe again.
'Tell me this is all some funny joke. Dylan, tell me that it isn't true." All eyes were on Dylan now as he stuffed his hands into his jean pockets and refused to look at either girl. It was only until he saw Brenda begin to cry that he realized he had to face what he had done. "Yes, it's true Brenda. I didn't know how to tell you."
"I know that you must hate me now. And I have to live with that, just like I have to live with what happened this summer and ruining our friendship. I just hope that you guys can start from someplace more honest now.`` Kelly spoke softly before pushing past Dylan and leaving the park and leaving Dylan to try and explain to Brenda the mess that he refused to take accountability for. If she wanted to hear two people scream at each other she would just go home and hear her mom cuss out David's father. She had done her part, had said her truth, now she just had to be patient and give them some space.
"Dylan said that he basically chose Brenda because she showed up at the hotel that night. And said that if I had showed up, he probably would have picked me instead." Kelly ranted as Jake sat on his couch with an amused smile on his face. It was a Saturday night and instead of Jake making the trip to her, Kelly decided to take the initiative and visit him in Melrose.
"Are you mad about him choosing Brenda or?" He couldn't help but raise his eyebrow, cocking his head to the side in curiosity.
"No, I'm mad that he thinks he can play some kind of game with us. I finally just said screw it and told Brenda the truth about what happened this summer. Dylan didn't care if my relationship with Brenda suffered, if only cared if his relationship with her did." Kelly finally finished her rant as she sat down next to him.
"Sorry, I know you don't really want to hear all about my stupid high school drama."
"I'm just glad you've realized that you're above all that shit. The mind games and crap that Dylan is trying to pull? Pretty immature if you ask me."
"I like coming here, to your place. Normally I'd probably be at the Peach Pit with all of them, but now? I don't even know if Brandon will let me in the door since I'm assuming everyone knows."
"If you don't want that kind of drama in your life, distance yourself from it. I'm sure nobody would blame you. Think about all the other things you could be doing with your time."
"I can think of a few things I'd rather be doing." Her hands began to trail down his chest and down towards his belt. A firm hand was placed on top of hers, one that quickly maneuvered their hands onto Kelly's lap.
"Later."
Kelly glanced up at him in confusion, trying to ignore the instant swell of disappointment coursing through her veins. "Why? Is there already someone else? I thought that night you came over was sort of a green light."
"I want to, trust me. I might even need a cold shower after you leave. But it wouldn't feel right. You're too worked up over this." Jake explained, trying to express his concerns while still making it clear that he did in fact want her in that way. "Over Brenda and Dylan. It'll happen, but not tonight Kel." He moved hair out of her face as his lips crept upwards towards her ear. "Besides, when we finally have sex, I want to be the only thing you're thinking about."
His words sent chills down her spine, her face flushing at the thought. "Dylan who?" She joked, nodding along with his reasoning. It made sense, no matter how much she wished it didn't.
Dylan glanced worriedly at Brenda as she paced around in his living room. He had explained his side of the story countless times now. He apologized, told her that they had both screwed around on each other that summer, but that he hurt the person he loved the most. He had spoke of gaining back her trust and starting from a place of 100% honesty if she would let him. She had barely said a word when she showed up and now her movements were concerning him. She hadn't sat still, just looking back and forth between him and what he later recognized as a picture of the two of them alongside Kelly.
"I don't want you to see Kelly again."
"What? Bren, she's your best friend."
"Was. Not anymore. I'm willing to make this work, and work towards forgiving you. But can't you put yourself in my shoes and at least try and understand why I might be uncomfortable with you and Kelly being all buddy buddy? For all I know you guys might as well have slept together."
"We didn't, I promise you that." Dylan rubbed a hand over his temples. He and Kelly had grown close this summer. He now considered her to be one of his best friends. How could he go from seeing her everyday to going out of his way to ignore her? Still, he found himself nodding along. He told himself he would give it his all with whoever he chose. Now he had to make good on that promise. "Of course. You're right, I should be taking your feelings into consideration."
"And it's not forever you know? I just can't be around her right now, and I'm hoping you will back me up." She grabbed a pair of scissors off the table and began to cut the picture in half. Dylan looked at the half that fell onto the floor below and saw Kelly's smiling face staring back at him.
"A fresh start right?" Brenda looked at the newly reformed picture and smiled as she handed it over to Dylan. "Now it's perfect."
The following Monday, Kelly tried talking to Brenda, but her former friend just steered Donna in the opposite direction and continued her conversation as if Kelly didn't even exist. She headed right into the bathroom and splashed some water on her face. Luckily the bell had already rung and at this point, she didn't care if she was late to class. It was worth it if she didn't have to put up with Donna asking her questions or trying to get her to see things from Brenda's point of view.
"Your friends walked by you as if you weren't even there. Doesn't feel nice does it?" A voice said from behind her, a familiar figure coming out of the stall and standing at the sink next to her.
"Amanda?" Kelly was met with the gaze of her once friend Amanda Peyser. She hadn't seen Amanda in over two years. A part of her thought the other blonde transferred schools she was distant.
"Heard about you and McKay. Guess you were full of shit at that slumber party two years ago. How's it feel to be the school slut again?" Her voice was as mocking as ever, yet she still pressed on curiously.
"I'm not-You know what? Fine, it sucks. I am once again the school bimbo. Happy? Now leave me alone."
"Hey I'm just saying what other people are already thinking. The only difference is that I have the guts to say it to your face. I wouldn't gossip behind your back like a bunch of bitches in a chick flick."
"You were always honest with me, I'll give you that."
"You used to be so much fun Kel, then Brenda sunk her claws into you and made you into a total downer. And don't even get me started about Andrea. "
"She's actually nice, okay Amanda. They all are. If you stuck around after that night you could have become friends with everyone."
"And find out who's breaking up with who? Or which bimbo Steve is trying to date that week, pretend to fawn over Brenda and Dylan and Donna and David being all lovey-dovey? No thanks. I don't know how you put up with them. Isn't it bad enough that you have to see Andrea making eyes at Brandon 24/7? Don't you feel just a little excluded, ignored?"
She hadn't. Until Amanda brought it to her attention. Now she was unsure if she ever truly fit in with them. Everyone was coupled up. Brandon and Andrea were the smartest in the group. Steve, David, and Donna seemed to have their own thing going on with David's music career. Then that left the newly reunited Dylan and Brenda. And Kelly was just the person who broke up the golden couple. She simply didn't fit anymore.
"I'm sorry we lost touch after that night. I just did the same thing, stopped talking to you because I had Brenda and Donna. I didn't even take your feelings into account or asked how you were. That's such a shitty thing to do and I'm truly sorry if I ever made you feel cast aside or insignificant."
"Water under the bridge. Listen, I'm around okay? I know I can be a bit of a bitch, but at least I'm a fun bitch." Kelly chuckled under her breath at that remark. "And I would never just ditch you. I went to that hellish sleepover for crying out loud. Imagine the fun you could have during your senior year instead of wasting it moping over the sad Breakfast Club."
"Now do you want to get out of here or try and face lunch with your so-called friends pretending not to judge your every move?"
Kelly shook her head, linked arms with her old friend and let her lead them out of the bathroom. Then, they made their way out of the school doors and didn't look back.