You are everything I wanted
The scars of all I'll ever know
If I told you, you were right
Would you take my hand tonight
If I told you the reasons why
Would you leave your life
And ride
Ride - Cary Brothers
Steve threw a last minute party at the beach house before they had to move out. A final goodbye to summer.
"Look at all these babes!" Steve recalled to Brandon and Dylan,
"Uh, Steve... Remember Celeste?" Brandon reminded
"Yeah, yeah... I'm saying for you guys!" Steve smirked
"Oh, of course." Brandon mocked, "So I never got a chance to tell you..." He said, turning to Dylan once Steve had gone
"What's up?"
"While you were away... I went to see Emily."
"Whoa how did that happen?" Dylan asked
"I honestly don't know. It just felt right... Nothing's been happening with Andrea all year, and I found her picture in my drawer... Just took the leap."
"And how was it?"
"It was amazing... Just confused me even more. How is it the two girls I've ever cared about are so far away from me... figuratively and literally."
"Leave it to you to use big words while intoxicated..." Dylan grinned
"Ha! Well, it's been on my mind... Speaking of matters of the heart, how are you doing?"
"No comment." Dylan shrugged
"Well, you have two choices... you can take a page out of Steve's book and mingle with the babes or... you can talk to her." Brandon nodded over to the door, where Kelly and Donna had just walked in
"Oh man..." Dylan sighed, "She has to wear red, right? She has to torment me."
"What's it gonna be, Dylan?" Brandon demonstrated weighing with his hands
"I don't want to talk to her..."
"If she talks to you, would you forgive her?" Brandon asked and Dylan was silent.
"Exactly. Go talk to her." Brandon urged and headed over to Steve. Dylan stood there, eyeing the girls.
"Kelly!" Donna grabbed her away from a group of college kids, "You can play the I'm having the time of my life game all you want, but I see right through your smoke screens!"
"Donna, I told you I can't talk to him yet." Kelly moaned
"Why not?" Donna's tone was firm
"Because... I'm scared."
"If you don't talk soon, you'll regret it." Donna sighed
"Hey, guys!" Kelly said once she reached Steve, Celeste and Brandon
"Hey, gorgeous! Enjoying the party?" Steve grinned
"Not exactly..." Kelly groaned
"What's up, Kel?" Brandon asked
"I'm just... looking for Dylan..." She brushed her hair back
"I think he left, Kel." Brandon sighed
"Really?" She asked, anxiously
"Well, you took your sweet time." Brandon grinned
"Hey..." Kelly said quietly once Dylan opened his front door
"...What are you doing here?" He asked, his demeanor was cold, uninviting
"Can I come in?" She asked
"No..." He sighed
"Okay..." She let out an exasperated sigh, "Dylan, I'm sorry... I was acting crazy and jealous... I lost my patience with you... and I know you're probably not going to believe me but I never slept with that guy... I just wanted you to think that." Kelly finished, noticing his demeanor change as he made his way towards her.
That was all he needed to hear. Those six words, I never slept with that guy. She was still his. It didn't matter if it made no sense. It was the relief he was waiting for.
He grabbed her, and pulled her into the house and kissed her passionately
"I didn't do anything with Brigitte either." He whispered between kisses
"I know." She smiled, "I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too, Kel."
The next few days the gang had been attempting to settle in at college. Which came easy for some, prepared by some, surprising for some and then... pointless for Dylan.
"Dylan, come on! I don't want to fight about this again!" Kelly groaned as she got dressed for college, "You can't seriously consider this travel the world thing. I just don't get it! Why are you trying to ruin this for me!"
"I'm doing no such thing, Kel... I just don't get how all of a sudden you're all about The College experience!"
"It's called embracing it, Dylan." She said firmly, "Donna and I deserve some teenage normalcy and I couldn't have fathomed it would be this enjoyable but it is, and I'd really appreciate it if you gave it a shot."
"This wasn't my first choice..." Dylan sighed
"No. No, it's not... But don't mock it til you try it!" She grabbed her bag, "You coming or not?" She turned to face him
"Fine."
"Kel.." Dylan said rushing over to her and some girls from her sorority.
"Just a sec, Dylan." She turned back to the girls
"Kel, I'm out of here." He kissed her forehead and left
"Dylan!" She called after him
"See ya at home, Kel." He continued walking
"Ladies, one sec." She forced a smile, before running after him
"Dylan!" She said, finally catching up to him outside
"What?" He groaned
"You can't be serious... it hasn't even been half a day, just give it the old college try!" She tried to make him chuckle,
"Kel... I can't. I don't even feel an ounce of motivation... I'll come pick you up though, I know David's got your car."
"Dylan... I have my sorority meeting after school."
"So blow it off, Kel, it's not even a real meeting."
"Dylan, it's real to me!" She retorted
"Fine..." He shrugged, "I'm sorry..."
"...Look, I'll come by later, alright?" She tried to mellow the mood
"Don't do me any favors."
"Dylan, what is going on with you?"
"Nothing! But if you're gonna come home late again, don't bother coming at all." Dylan scoffed
"Fine, I won't. I think I'll sleep at my own place tonight." She snapped and stormed off
"This whole thing is ridiculous. I don't know what I'm doing there. I don't even wanna be there!" Dylan snapped, complaining to Nat behind the counter of the Peach Pit.
"Of course, Kelly doesn't want to hear it because she's got her own life there. Completely sailing off without me." He continued
"Thought you didn't want to do those things?" Nat asked
"I don't... but, it's taking up all her time." Dylan sighed
"Dylan, Kelly embracing her place in college really doesn't take away from you, you get that, right?" Nat assured
"Really? Because it's all sorority meetings, campus gathering and frat boys." Dylan scoffed, "You know what..." He paused, "It's only a matter of time right... first my father, then Berkeley and now-"
"Dylan... seriously you gotta get a grip! I'm sorry your dad died, I'm also sorry you didn't get into Berkeley, I understand loss, believe me... but you can't keep living life afraid to do anything incase you lose... The only way you'll lose Kelly is if you keep throwing this pity-party... because, and this is just some fatherly advice.. no one wants to come." Nat sighed
"Hey, Kelly!"
"John, I told you, stop harassing me, I have a boyfriend."
"And yet he never seems to be on campus..." John Sears mocked
"Not a big fan..." Kelly sighed
"Well, his loss is my gain." John smirked
"I don't think so." Kelly rolled her eyes and headed over to class when Dylan showed up.
"Hey!" She said walking over to him "I'm glad you came back."
"Thank Nat." He kissed her cheek, "...Who was that?"
"Oh, a guy from Steve's frat house." Kelly said nonchalantly but it didn't stop Dylan from glaring at John, who was walking into his own class.
"Hey, Dylan!" Brenda called from her desk, "You're taking romantic poetry too?" She asked all giddy
"Why not." He sighed
"Well, at least there's one friendly face..." Brenda smiled
"It's the only decent subject they're teaching at this school."
"Aren't we all glass half full today." She joked
"Whatever,"
"So... what do you think the poem is about?" The professor asked
"Well... I think the narrator is... somewhat sexist." Brenda began
"No." Dylan interjected, "The guy's jealous."
"Jealousy isn't an excuse for sexism, Dylan." Brenda insisted
"Okay, okay." The professor called out, "One at a time... ladies first." He nodded to Brenda
"That's sexist." Dylan retorted
"Okay." Brenda smiled at the professor before giving Dylan a glare. "I think that the narrator's need to control his lover's life to feel needed is.. holding her back. He can't allow a woman to succeed before him." Brenda remarked
"Okay... and you?" The professor turned to Dylan.
"That wasn't my take at all... He wasn't afraid of her success or holding her back... he was... afraid of losing her, so he's jealous of anything that took up her time."
"Which is sexist!" Brenda groaned
"No, it's not." Dylan scoffed, "He's just a little lost and scared."
"Now you're making excuses for his behavior!" Brenda rolled her eyes
"It's gonna be a long semester." The professor sighed.
Dylan opened his front door to Kelly
"Hey you." She said all cheery
"It's late, Kel." He groaned
"Oh get over it. I brought a peace offering." She grinned, handing him Chinese take out.
"You mean that?" He cocked one eyebrow, "No more discussions or arguments about college?"
"I won't if you won't." She grinned
"So.. you gonna spend the night?" He asked
"Hmm... As much as I love living in my new beach apartment with my best friend and my brother... I hate sleeping alone." She smirked
"Good. Come here..." He pulled her in and planted a long, passionate and playful kiss which made her chuckle.