Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: I do not own Beverly Hills 90210.


Dylan stopped at his locker to exchange his Spanish textbook for his Biology one, pausing when he saw Kelly across the hall at her own locker. He hadn't heard from her all week and decided it must have had something to do with his actions from the weekend before. Most it was a blur. When he does in fact slip up with drinking, he does so expertly. This time was no exception.

He had talked to Andrea about switching to AP English and he would have to ask Gill Meyers if he could transfer. It would mean giving up one of the classes that he shared with Brenda, but if he wanted to get serious about writing this piece for the blaze, maybe it was for the best.

"I'm sorry about the other night." At the club, when I kissed you. "I was drunk." He started out, walking up to her when she was heading in the opposite direction.

A beat and then Kelly turned to him with anger flashing in her eyes. "You were drinking? Why the hell were you drinking?" Her anger masked her hurt, her concern, but it was still evident when you knew Dylan as long as she did. She knew how hard Dylan fought to hold onto his sobriety.

"I needed something to take the edge off after everything with my dad." And having to see you with Jake, filled the silence as Dylan avoided her gaze. "I already regret it so spare me the lecture okay?" He only regretted kissing her when he was drunk, and not doing it when he was sober and had the chance to.

"I was just going to ask if you were okay." Her eyes softened as she took in his dishelved appearance. He had dark circles under his eyes and looked as though he was still recovering from the weekend.

Lately whenever he tried to write, Kelly would pop into his brain in one way or another. When he thought about Jack, he thought about that party at the Bel Age. He thought about Brenda, about getting back together with her that night, but he also thought about Kelly. About what could have been. All the times that they sat together in the parking lot at school, waiting for their respective parents to show up and take them home. All three times that they walked home or strolled into a nearby hotel and ordered room service until their parents inevitably came looking for them.

The bell rang and before Dylan had the chance to thank her or cement his apology in place, she was down the hall and out of sight.


Dylan flipped through photos of Jack, stuck on a recent picture of him with Christine the night that they got engaged.

"Hey Bren." He greeted his girlfriend with a soft kiss to her lips as he led her inside one afternoon after school had let out.

"You've been distant these past few days. Are you okay? After everything with your dad, I can understand if you are feeling overwhelmed." Brenda asked, a worried expression taking hold as she looked at her boyfriend. He wrapped an arm around her and easily slid her into his lap. He had been distant since his father's death, that much he knew. But getting a chance to write about everything that had happened to him, that seemed to take priority these days. Which Brenda would for sure have understood, had she been given the chance. He now realizes just how cold he's been lately and Brenda didn't deserve it.

"Andrea came by earlier. She wanted to do a piece about me for The Blaze."

"Really? What did you say?"

"I told her that I wanted to be the one to write it."

"Dylan that's great!" She didn't press him for when she would be able to see his work, knowing that Dylan was quite private when it came to writing, especially if he was going to be writing about his life, his father. The last thing she wanted to do was pry and have things end up like they did with the Backstory, her revealing too much information about her friends only to have it all broadcast for the world to see. She still cringed when she thought about that moment in time.

"I'm sorry that I haven't seemed as focused on you or attentive. All of that is going to change." He assured her, trailing kisses down her collarbone and neck while his hands gripped her waist tighter. "I really have missed you." He told her, genuine admiration evident in his gaze as he looked into her eyes.

"Why don't you show me just how much?" Brenda inquired with a grin, involuntarily letting out a squeal of delight when Dylan picked her up bridal style before kissing her again.

"Oh, I plan to." Dylan maneuvered them over to his bedroom, where they would remain for the next few hours, getting reacquainted with each other's kinks and desires. Sex with Brenda, being close to her again, was like doing a familiar dance. All the steps came back to him, he felt in tune with every caress, every breath, his hands traveled down familiar pathways, eliciting familiar moans when he kissed certain places that he knew drove her wild.


Ever since Dylan had mentioned it the other night, all Kelly could think about was the fact that she had never met Jake's friends, aside from Sandy this past summer. So that same night, Kelly finally brought it up while sitting on Jake's couch.

"How come I've never met any of your other friends? The other people that live in the complex. I know I met Sandy, but there's got to be other people that live here right? That you see on a daily basis?"

"I didn't think you wanted to meet them, spend all your time down here and have to hear about their drama.'

"You know all of my friends and our drama. Do you not want them to meet me? Is it the age difference?"

"If I was ashamed of you, I wouldn't even let you come in okay?" Jake shook his head before grabbing her hand and pulling her up to her feet. "Come on, let's go down to Shooters. I'm sure a few of them, if not more, will be down there so you can be properly introduced."

"You mean it?"

"Just remember that you asked for it." Jake replied, only half-joking as he ushered her out the door.


Dylan and Brenda sat at the Walsh's, helping Cindy clean up after dinner. Dylan loved that he was having a home cooked meal after his last few meals consisted of take out from the Peach Pit or Chinese food that he kept in the fridge for days on end.

"Anyone in the mood for pie?" Cindy offered,

"Eat today, die tomorrow so please pass the pie." Dylan grinned as he grabbed his fork, only pausing when Brandon walked through the door and seemed eager to head straight upstairs.

"Brandon, I thought you had to work late?" Cindy asked, surprised to see him when she wasn't expecting him to be home for a few more hours at least.

"Nat said he could close up by himself so I came home. Hi Dylan, I've got homework to do okay."

"Come on and sit, don't you want a slice of pie?"

"You do remember your best friend right Brandon?" Brenda asked, narrowing her eyes at her twin.

"Sorry," Brandon sighed before taking a seat next to his mom. "Sorry, how are you holding up D?"

"Can't complain. Being here helps." And he really did mean that. But as much as he loved being around the Walsh family, he couldn't be three 24/7. He needed his own space to deal with this, and having to look at the picture-perfect happy family all the time wasn't something he could stomach without turning to the bottle again.


"So Kelly, what do you do?" Matt asked as they sat around a table at Shooters. He seemed to be the most friendly in Kelly's opinion.

"I'm in school." Kelly said, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach as she waited for their reactions.

"College? I know a few friends that graduated from USC." Allison asked, giving an encouraging nod and friendly smile.

"High school actually, I graduate in a few months." Kelly waited to see if their faces would drop, if they would be weirded out or disgusted at the revelation.

"Are you sure she should be out past her bedtime Jake?" Billy couldn't help but tease his friend as Jake tried not to glare at the mockery.

"I can admire a girl who goes after what, or who, she wants." Amanda complimented, sending Kelly a wink. "And Jake is a catch so I can totally see why you couldn't wait to sntach him up."

Jake gave Kelly's hand a firm squeeze and sent a reassuring look her way.

"Get all the jokes out of your systems now because I guarantee you they will get old fast."

"I'm more shocked at the fact that you got Jake here to commit. I've only ever seen him committed to his motorcycle." Jo replied playfully.

"How did you two even meet?" Allison asked, changing the subject, which Kelly was grateful for.

"I did some work for her mom last spring. We had a mutual friend named Dylan. I taught the kid everything he knows and by luck, his friend hooked me up with a job. Who knew it would lead to meeting this one and seeing her mom get hitched?"

"First round's on me. What are you drinking Kelly? Root beer?"

"Lay off her guys okay?" Jake warned, his voice lowering and his body tensing up. To his surprise though, Kelly didn't look annoyed at the question. In fact she handled it like a pro.

"Last time, Sandy mentioned chocolate milk and never followed through." Kelly quipped, earning chuckles from the table.

"We're just messing with you Kelly. We would be like this around any girl that Jake brings around. You just seem to be the first that he's actually serious about."

Soon after, everyone began to loosen up and Kelly felt more relaxed around Jake's friends. They were like a breath of fresh air in comparison to her own friend group.


"I didn't see you eat anything the whole time we were there." Jake had commented when they walked into his apartment later that night.

"I had a big lunch."

"Is this something I should be concerned about?"

"No, if it was, I would tell you."

"If you want to talk though, I'm here."

"And if I need to talk to someone, you'll be the first person I dial. Promise."

"I still think-" Whatever thought was on the tip of his tongue left his brain as soon as he felt his girlfriend slip a hand beneath his jeans, past his boxers, and her fingers ran up and down his length while the other hand pressed a finger against his lips, shushing him. The concerns he had vanished as he struggled to even form another sentence.

"W-What are you doing?" He was grateful that they were inside his apartment and not in public so nobody noticed his sharp intake of breath. The only thing he could focus on was the feel of her hands on his lower region.

"What's it look like I'm doing?" Kelly knew what she was doing, using sex as a distraction. She had countless boys do it to her over the years, mainly as a way to continue screwing her long after she sobered up or asked for some type of commitment. Boys were easy, a thing she had long discovered after that first night with Ross Webber. All they really wanted was sex when it came down to it, so if Kelly was the one to suggest it, to initiate it, that took away some of the guys' power. It also made them keep coming back for more.

"I'm helping you relax. You had a long, hard day and I'm simply helping you alleviate some of the pressure." Her fingers continued their work as she felt his body pulse.

Only for a moment did her hand pause its movements and a deep growl in the back of Jake's throat made itself known when the contact stopped.

"Unless you want me to stop?" Kelly asked, eyes innocently fluttering as she took in his look of frustration. She stepped closer to rest her head against his shoulder, her hand sliding deeper as he bite back a moan.

"Fuck. Don't stop." Kelly smirked when Jake's eyes began to shut and he relaxed into her touch. The subject wasn't brought up again.


When Kelly entered her house after school, she was shocked to see not only her mother, but also David, Donna, and Steve sitting there, as if they had been waiting for her to walk through the door for a while now.

"What's going on?"

"Honey, your friends have informed me of some recent changes going on with you, and I have to say that I am starting to worry."

"What changes?"

"Your mood changes constantly."

"You come home late on weekends or stay out until all hours on a school night. Sometimes you just disappear and don't even let anyone know until we call Jake or Amanda and find you with either of them."

"You're seeing Jake again?"

"Yeah."

"See, this is what I'm talking about. We used to be able to talk about these things."

"We think you're on drugs."

"What?" Her voice broke as she looked at her oldest friends, the people she thought she could trust with anything.

"It's okay Kel. We aren't here to judge or gang up on you. We just want to get you help." Steve spoke softly, reaching out to lightly pat her on the back only to be rebuffed by Kelly moving closer and closer to the door.

"It makes sense. And I'm not mad sweetie." Jackie lightly touched her daughter's hand as she picked up a broche from the coffee table. "I just wish you would have come to me sooner so we could get you checked in somewhere."

"You aren't seriously thinking about sending me away."

"I've already called one of my old facilities and they have a bed waiting for you. We can say that you are going to visit some relatives upstate."

"I'm not on drugs mom!" Hurt was flashing in her blue eyes, shocked that her mother could even think she was capable of such a thing after all the things she had to witness in her youth.

"Then how else do you explain your behavior?"

"Last week we were out at a club, and you looked strung out Kelly. You were energetic and practically groping Jake right in front of us." Donna cleared her throat, unsure how much she should reveal to Jackie, but knowing that her friend would be better off in the long run.

"It's called being happy and in a relationship. Maybe you guys should try it instead of sticking your nose into my business."

"You're moody, snapping at people left and right. You look like a zombie half the time. I hardly ever see Brenda or any of your old friends around the house. Your skin, your hair, your eyes. I know what cocaine abuse looks like, young lady. And the worst of all is that you don't seem to think anything is wrong with you."

"What's going on here?" Amanda had walked into the house, presumingly bored of waiting in her car, and looked at the scene before her with an eye roll.

"Family business Amanda, please leave." Jackie motioned towards the door only to have Kelly grip her friend's arm tighter.

"So Steve and Donna are family? I think I'll stay for as long as Kelly wants."

"Steve and Donna have her best interests in mind." David muttered under his breath.

"Mrs. Taylor, I couldn't help but overhear Kelly is not on drugs. She wanted my help getting in shape for summer so we've been dieting a little bit here and there. You were a model at her age. Beauty doesn't last forever and she is in her prime right now." Jackie only narrowed her eyes at her daughter's so-called friend.

"Did you do this? Did you get her hooked on something? You look just about as sick as she does, if not worse."

"We've been drinking a little bit here, and there. It was stupid and she's had her fair share of hangovers and that's why she looks like crap."

"You are not a good influence on my daughter. I don't think you ever were."

"And you are hardly a mother to her Jackie." Amanda said the older woman's name as if it was a curse word. "You locked her out of the house when you were drunk or high and she was what, 13, 14 years old? What makes you the expert on preaching sobriety?"

"Do you want me to take a drug test? Check my arms for marks to see if I've been shooting up? You aren't going to find anything!"

"You are not to have any more contact with her anymore."

"Mom, you can't do that."

"Yes, I can. You are not 18 yet and you still live under my roof."

"Come on Kel, let's go."

"Kelly, don't leave. Can't you see that Amanda's trying to control you?"

"You're just jealous that Kelly and I are so close. I have been more supportive of her in a few weeks than you have in a few years."

"Amanda's the only one that understands me. She's trying to help me be the best version of myself. She's supportive of my relationship with Jake and doesn't freak out every time I can't hang out with her."

"Kelly, we need to be a family unit right now. With the move and the divorce, I can't take another crack in this family's foundation."

"I'll be back for my stuff later." Was all Kelly said before turning on her heel and walking out the door with Amanda trailing behind her.

Amanda's hand reached out to grasp Kelly's arm and once she did, she dug her nails into the latter's skin. Kelly winced at the contact as Amanda's voice lowered into a whisper, harsh breath on her neck.

"You're lucky I came in when I did. You were only a few seconds away from letting them commit you somewhere and ruin everything that we have worked on."

Kelly's head began to spin as she saw a flash of red once Amanda let her go, deep marks covered her pale skin and made her woozy.

Once situated in Amanda's car, Kelly turned to her friend with a slightly panicked expression once reality set in.

"Will your parents mind if I stay with you for a while?"

"Mind, they'd probably welcome you with open arms. Plus, they aren't even home half the time. They leave me money for pizza and food for the week but I normally spend it on booze and more diet pills."

The car sped off down the street and Kelly could only see her house in the rearview mirror, untouched, unscatched, without a hint to the ruin that lay inside.


"I don't even know why we are planning her a birthday party with how she's been acting lately."

"She's clearly hurting David. We just need to find a way to get her alone, without Amanda or Jake, and let her know that we care."

"Still think she's on drugs?"

"I think the only way we are going to find out is if we separate those two, for good..."