Chapter Six

Disclaimer: I do not own Beverly Hills 90210.

"Me? Your son was scared that he wouldn't have anywhere to live!"

It had been two weeks since Dylan's father was laid to rest, but Kelly was once again reminded that things weren't looking up for the Silver-Taylor clan. The only saving grace seemed to be that she was finally losing weight, down 5 pounds since then and her clothes were finally beginning to feel looser.

Kelly was only able to hear Jackie's portion of whatever argument she was having with Mel, but she would give anything to be in Erin's shoes. Her little sister was too young to remember anything right now, or at least Kelly hoped that was true.

She entered the kitchen to find Donna sitting down beside David, eating breakfast as if the screaming match going on in the other room wasn't happening.

"Kelly, don't take this the wrong way but you look kind of sick. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Don. Just pretty tired, I was out late."

"With Amanda? Jake?"

"Yes. Both."

"Hey we were thinking about getting together for a cookout type thing. You should come by, I'm sure everyone would love to see you."

"I don't know Donna."

"Didn't you say that you and Bren have been getting along better since the funeral?"

"I guess."

"So come hang out with us like old times. Bring Jake even or Amanda. It'll be fun."

"I'll ask them, thanks Donna." For once, Kelly felt touched that she was actually being invited to something the gang was throwing. These days she mostly kept to herself, under the impression that everyone was seemingly better off without her or that they wanted nothing to do with her. But when Brenda extended the olive branch, she figured she needed to put in the same effort.


Dylan was drinking a cup of coffee at the Peach Pit before his AP English class when the bell rang and Jake entered.

"Hey man, I never got a chance to say it, but I'm still sorry about your dad."

"Are we suddenly friends again?"

"I didn't think we ever stopped being friends."

"You've been back for weeks now and I can't remember once getting a call from you asking to hang out or even catch a few waves together." Dylan suppressed a scoff, trying to hide the bitterness laced between his words.

"You want to talk shop? Bikes, construction, how your trust fund makes up for the fact that you lost your father while I still don't know where my next paycheck is coming from?"

"Our friendship may as well have ended the minute you decided to roll back into town and make your move."

"On Kelly you mean?"

"I warned you not to mess with her."

"She told me about this summer Dylan. So you aren't in any position to be lecturing me on screwing with Kelly." Jake's eyes darkened, his fists curling as he tried his best to let Dylan's words ricochet off him. "You've been messing with her head this whole time. Making her feel like this dirty little secret, acting like you were going to leave your girlfriend for her and then ignoring her."

"I bet nothing screams romance like counting the days until she's 18 and officially not jailbait anymore."

"Well she is a screamer alright." Dylan wanted to punch the smug look off Jake's face.

"Also like you can talk, the epitome of commitment is waiting months to decide between a girl and her best friend like you are choosing between what you want to major in right? Kelly finally decided that she deserved more than being a piece in your ping-pong game."

"Don't talk about games. You keep her on a yo-yo string, always pushing her away to pull her back in, when it is convenient for you. It wasn't a clear cut choice. Either way someone would have gotten hurt."

"See that's the difference between you and me. There was no choice for me. I only wanted Kelly and once I realized that, I knew that she was worth the trouble, worth any consequences. My happiness has never come at so many people's expense. I didn't fracture your precious clique. That's all on you."


Jake, Kelly, and Amanda strolled into the McKay residence where everyone else was already situated. Andrea brought Jordan, who was discussing colleges with Brandon and Steve and Dylan were cooking while Donna and David told Brenda all about David's blossoming music career.

"Sorry we're late." Kelly announced with a sheepish smile. Jake's arrival was met with a frosty reception from Dylan as he thought back to their conversation from earlier.

"It's no problem! I'm just glad you guys are here." Brenda gave her a quick yet awkward side embrace as they made themselves comfortable.

"Hey guys, how many burgers do you want?" Dylan asked, moving a handful of burgers from the grill to a nearby plate.

"None, thanks." Amanda was quick to turn down the food, her face furrowing in disgust, as if she was repulsed simply by the offer.

"I'll take one." David shrugged before grabbing a bun and fixing himself a burger.

"Here you go Kel." Steve had one made for Kelly before she had the chance to refuse. Not wanting to be rude, she accepted the plate and tried not to let her hands involuntarily shake.

Kelly glanced at the burger in her hand and her eyes shifted towards Amanda, as if looking to her for guidance. Donna noticed the exchange with worry in her eyes. She shared a look with Brenda and Andrea before their gaze reverted back to the current situation.

"There is no way she is eating that!" Amanda's sudden outburst caused everyone to direct their attention to the blondes. Amanda's eyes were flashing with anger and she wore an incredulous expression on her face.

"Why not?"

"Have you seen it? It's not cooked properly. Maybe you are fine with getting food poisoning from raw hamburger meat, but I don't think Kelly wants to endure that." Amanda reasoned before her eyes narrowed in on her friend.

"Throw it away." Dylan looked at Kelly, something stirring in his gut as the once bright and headstrong girl he grew up with, was now staring blankly ahead, eyes drained of any individual thought or feeling. She wasn't sticking up for herself, it was like she had no fight left in her. The girl he fell in love with over the summer was nowhere to be found. He felt like grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her. Did he have something to do with this?

Steve grabbed the food out of Kelly's hand without another word, taking a bite and sneering at Amanda while he did so.

"Tastes fine to me. You're just crazy."

"Better a crazy, skinny bitch than a boring, fat loser."

"Emphasis on the crazy and bitch part." Steve retorted, shoving a handful of potato chips in his mouth as he spoke.

"You know it." Amanda grinned in response, an arrogant tone making itself known.


"Amanda, we have school tomorrow. I need to be home early." Kelly warned her friend the next day as she finished applying mascara. It was Sunday, but luckily Jackie was too focused on selling the house to care about where her daughter was going.

"Lighten up will you? You're so goddamn moody these days."

"I'm starving and I have stomach aches."

"Well you used to be more fun. Drink some water." While at the refrigerator, Amanda grabbed a bottle of water and poured it into her glass before stirring in something she had taken out of her purse.

"Here." Amanda pressed the glass into Kelly's hands. "Now stop bitching and enjoy yourself tonight."


That same afternoon, the gang sat around the Peach Pit, talking about the fiasco at the barbecue the other night.

"Something's not right with her you guys. It's like someone took everything that makes Kelly who she is and replaced it all with a robot who hangs off every word Amanda says."

"Maybe this is just who she is. And maybe it took being away from Brenda, all her friends, for her to show her true colors." Brandon reasoned, not really caring about the topic of conversation either way.

"Steve, is it possible that Kelly's, you know, on something?" David turned towards one of Kelly's oldest friends with a raised eyebrow.

"Like what?" Steve asked, trying not to get offended on Kelly's behalf.

"Drugs. Jackie was always doing drugs when Kelly was growing up. It would make sense that she's fallen down that same path don't you think? And look at how skinny she is getting. How else would you explain that?" Donna carefully advised, not wanting to assume anything, but it was the first thought that popped into her mind.

"She isn't some kind of junkie Donna. I've seen her pick Jackie up off the floor, have to find her own way to school and check her mom into rehab after rehab. She knows what that stuff does to a person." Steve didn't mean to sound harsh, but he had seen first hand what kind of hand the world had dealt Kelly.

"How else do you explain her behavior then?" She's cranky all the time, she's dropping weight like it's nothing. What else could it be, if not her waiting for her next fix?"

"It doesn't sound like Kelly though. Then again, having a fling with her best friend's boyfriend and now dating an older guy didn't seem like something Kelly was capable of doing either. So what do I know?" David said before sending an apologetic look towards Brenda.

"It's like ever since Amanda showed back up, she's trying to become this party girl again." Donna and Steve shared a glance, remembering how things were before Brenda came along.

"Dylan's father just died and now Kelly wants to make things all about her again?" Brenda scoffed, rolling her eyes because, of course, when Kelly wasn't getting attention, she had to go out and ask for it. "No, I'm sorry but some things, some people are more important than whatever Kelly's melodrama of the week is." Brenda fixed a glare at David who was looking at her expectantly.

"I thought you guys were civil now."

"It doesn't mean that I have to like Amanda. Or the attitude that Kelly gets around that girl. She was so rude at the cookout. I'm all for giving people the benefit of the doubt, but at some point you just have to realize that some people are never truly going to change. Amanda is one of those people. And I don't know what Kelly sees in her as a friend."

Nobody could argue that fact so they went back to their food and let the silence wash over them.


Later that night, the gang, albeit out of place, walked into a club off Melrose, waiting to see if Kelly would show up. David had overheard Kelly on the phone earlier and took a guess at where she would be.

Dylan sat in the corner, taking swigs of a Coke as his eyes scanned the room before stopping on Jake's familiar face. Kelly's back was turned towards him, but he saw all he needed to. Minutes prior, Kelly had tried to get Jake to dance with her and was now grinding on him and twirling around without a care in the world. Jake fixed Dylan with a hard stare as he saw the other watching them. The older guy's lips curled into a smirk when Kelly started kissing him down his neck and his fingers tangled themselves in her blonde locks, lightly tugging on them. He was more than happy to give Dylan a look into what he could have had, but didn't.

Eventually Dylan had to look away, or he'd run the risk of Kelly eventually seeing him, sitting there seething at the sight before him. Signaling towards the bartender, Dylan ordered a Jack and Coke without a second thought. The drink was consumed in a single sip, followed by another.

When Kelly excused herself to the restroom, Dylan took it as probably his one and only chance to talk to her alone.

She was washing her hands when the door swung open. "Get out of here Dylan, I know money can buy you a lot of things, but access to a room that reads girls only, isn't one of them."

"This isn't the Kelly Taylor I know and love."

"There was never a Kelly Taylor that you knew and definitely not one that you loved. Now if you don't mind, I'm leaving."

"You're better than this. You're better than some 20 something loser who can't get a girl his own age. You don't need to slum it with Jake, okay?"

"The thing is Dylan, I'm not, and I'm not slumming anything with him."

"You're hanging out with Amanda, being a bitch to your friends, fucking a guy who has probably never even introduced you to his friends yet." Fucking a guy who isn't me was on the tip of his tongue, but he refrained.

The next move Dylan made was a dumb one at that, but he couldn't help backing her against the wall and kissing her. Only for a brief moment, did Kelly give in and kiss him back which was all Dylan needed to part her lips with his own and explore her with his tongue. The second his hands started wandering further though, she pushed him off with a hard shove.

"At least I can say I broke one bad habit of mine." Was all Kelly said in reply before she backed away and left without even a glance in his direction.


Jake meanwhile, had seen Dylan follow Kelly into the bathroom out of the corner of his eye and then again when Dylan left the same bathroom Kelly had gone into a few minutes later. His first instinct was to go and confront him, but he saw Dylan heading straight for the exit and let it go for now. Instead, he strolled up to the bar and took a seat next to Amanda.

"Dylan is getting on my nerves." He grumbled, wavering down the bartender and asking for a beer.

"He gets on everyone's nerves. Some more than others. Aren't you guys supposed to be friends or something?"

"Suppose to. When he's not making eyes at my girlfriend and ignoring his own."

"Here." Amanda took the beer out of the bartender's hand and instead handed Jake a clear glass. "On me, don't sweat it."

"What's in it?"

"It's just water, chill. I just figured you need to stay hydrated in between glaring at Dylan and dry humping Kelly in the corner over there. But I gotta say, it's fucking hilarious to see him turn green with envy after the crap he's pulled. Plus if you drink anymore, you'd probably end up starting some kind of brawl."

"Good point." With that, Jake let Amanda have his beer and took a sip of the water, nodding at her in thanks. He didn't need to embarrass himself nor Kelly by causing a scene. If Kelly wasn't there though, well that would be another story. In Amanda's opinion, both he and Kelly needed to liven up, stop talking about the same old shit and enjoy life. Public displays of attention normally made her uncomfortable, but if her friend was finally starting to enjoy herself, Amanda wouldn't complain. If Kelly was this fun now, Amanda couldn't wait until the two were in college together.

Kelly came bouncing back and practically jumped onto Jake's lap.

"Someone's excited to see me." Jake grinned as Kelly wrapped an arm around his neck and kissed him passionately. When they finally broke apart for air, Jake smiled and stroked her hair.

"Guess you're excited too. Or part of you is." She giggled, her hands trailing towards his jeans while she licked her lips.

"Go dance, I'm sure you'll feel better after a few sips of water." Kelly gladly took a large sip of Jake's water before nodding in agreement. Amanda had been making increasingly valid points all evening.

Jake twirled Kelly around before leading her out onto the dance floor.


A half hour later Jake had begun to loosen up and was now matching Kelly's energy and enthusiasm as they practically eye-fucked each other on the dance floor. If it went on any longer, Amanda would have suggested they find an empty bathroom stall and get it over with already. Luckily, that was the moment that Steve, David, and Donna approached the curly-haired two-time senior.

"Is Kelly here?" Donna asked as she tried to spot her friend in the sea of sweaty bodies and flashing lights.

"Look for yourselves. I know it may be hard to recognize, but this is what it looks like when someone has fun."

Kelly saw her friends and her eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store. She grabbed Jake's hand and began to make her way over to her friends.

"Steve! David, Donna." She greeted each of them with a hug before she was back by Jake's side, trying to undo the buttons on his shirt which he didn't immediately scold her on. Instead they were both looking at each other with glazy lustful expressions.

"You okay Kel?"

"She just had a little too much to drink."

"Since when? Kelly doesn't drink."

"Well tonight she did, and I can see why she normally refrains. She's a hot mess. But what can you do? Guess they started early without telling me." Amanda dismissed the obvious concern in Steve's voice and David's glance, turning towards the two in question who were still swaying to the music while feeling each other up. "Why don't I drive you guys home?" Seeing as they were both in a good mood, Amanda figured now was a good time to drop them off at Jake's apartment complex and make a clean break from them. Plus if they hung around Kelly's annoying friends any longer, they would probably know that the two were on something.

"Okay you might be right Donna." Steve turned towards the remaining two of his friends as he watched the trio leave. Jake was wobbly, but Amanda quit literally had to hold Kelly up from toppling over. "If this isn't proof that she's high on something, I don't know what is."

"Think it's time to voice our concerns to Jackie?"

"I'm already looking at her former rehab places."