"I'm not going down there." Kelly said firmly once Dylan had parked in front of paradise cove
"Why not?" He asked, his arm wrapped around her shoulders, playing with her hair.
"We both don't think down there." She warned
"Kelly..." He rolled his eyes, "What's between us is real. What happens down there, can happen anywhere. You can't deny it by avoiding places that have sentiment."
She shrugged, but he ignored her. Grabbing a blanket from the backseat and heading off. She eventually followed him.
He built a fire, while she stood there. Examining this familiar spot on the beach. That same spot where they first connected. The memories came rushing back to her. That night, almost 2 years ago, where they stayed up talking, hugging kissing, bonding...
She eventually joined him as he sat on the sand. She gazed up at the dark sky, smiling to herself as a shooting star raced by.
"I forgot just how beautiful it was." She sighed.
"Me too." He agreed, not taking his eyes off of her. She turned to him and smiled, his arm wrapped around her once more as she leaned onto him. He kissed the top of her head gently. She titled her head up, and his lips softly grazed hers, his nose brushed against the tip of hers. Her lips searched for his again. Now their lips locked, as they fell into a passionate embrace. She lowered herself to the ground, pulling him on top of her. They finally made love after all this lost time.
Once they were done, he pulled the blanket over them, she snuggled up to him as he held her tightly. They were both content. They were both home in each other's arms... And finally he said those three words they rarely said. Those three words they were always afraid to say to each other, because of how deep and intense their feelings were. But tonight, they didn't dwell on the fear of loss. They just wanted to embrace the moment.
"I love you..." He whispered, and she turned to face him.
"I love you too..." She replied. Finding his lips once more. Before they fell asleep.
The next morning, Dylan drover her home.
"Home sweet home." He sighed, turning to face her. But she was silent. "What's wrong?" He asked, almost irritated by her mood swings.
"...Last night was... amazing." She breathed out, "But I hate waking up to guilt."
"Brandon." He answered with a scoff.
"It's not fair to him." She shook her head, fiddling with her fingers
"Then why are you with him?" He urged
"He makes me feel safe." She turned to face him
"...I can't have this conversation again..." He groaned
"Okay..." She sighed.
"We said things last night, Kel." He whispered
"And I meant them." She nodded
"So did I..." He agreed
But everyone leaves. She thought to herself. Getting out of the car.
Dylan hadn't heard from Kelly the next day. Knowing that Brandon was on a reporter job in Chicago gaining work experience. He knew she wasn't with him. He eagerly went over to her apartment. Determined for answers.
"Dylan, what are you doing here?" She asked as she opened the door.
"Let's go for a walk." He gestured to the beach below them. She hesitated but eventually obliged. Not wanting her housemates to hear the conversation.
They walked along the beach in silence, until Dylan finally broke it.
"You've been avoiding me..." He acknowledged
"Dylan..." She groaned but he interrupted her.
"-You're staying with him, aren't you." He sneered, his demeanor became tense
"Dylan, I can't just drop a life I put so much effort into because you showed up!" She said hysterically
"How can you make love to me and then still choose him?!" He snapped
"Dylan, calm down..." She spoke anxiously.
"No!" He yelled, kicking sand into the air.
"This is why we can't be together!" She snapped, watching him throw what could only be described as a tantrum "Look at you, you're shaking! You're a recovering alcoholic and I can't watch you do this to yourself."
"I'm not doing anything, Kel. You're doing this to me." He hissed
"See.. this is what I'm talking about!" She shook her head, "You abandon me...my father abandons me, and I'm the one made to feel guilty? Well, not anymore!" She yelled, turning on her heel and heading back home.
"Hey!" Valerie cheered as Dylan opened his front door. Valerie's occurrence became regular at the bar. Which then developed into chats and beers at Dylan's. Bonding over being somewhat outcasts searching for family.
"Now's not a good time." Dylan groaned
"Oh come on, a couple days ago we were bonding over having no family and you said you enjoyed my company... well up until the last two days, I tried calling but you didn't answer so.."
"If I don't answer my phone it means leave me alone, it does not mean come over unannounced!" He groaned, but Valerie ignored him, heading over to the couch.
"So what have you been doing?" She asked, rummaging through his stuff on the coffee table.
"Nothing." He observed her, snooping, "Do you mind?" He hissed, noticing his glare, she kept her hands to herself.
"Well with you being MIA and Brandon overnighting in Chicago, I've been lonely." She sighed
"Sorry about that, but you need to leave." He breathed out
"But I just got here." She whined
"I'm in no mood for company."
"Why?" She asked, as he slouched on the couch, "...Kelly?"
"That's over." He sighed
"What happened this time?" She turned to face him
"Something about me not being dependable... again." He mumbled
"Seriously, what is it about this chick?" Valerie asked, "You're gorgeous... you could have any girl you want... and yet, you're obsessed with winning back your best friend's girl."
"She's mine not his." He sneered
"What about Brandon?" She asked
"What about him?"
"You two were close..."
"Yeah... he was... my brother, but... I gotta do what I gotta do, you know.." Dylan fumbled with his t shirt.
"You miss him don't you?" She proclaimed, noticing the despair in Dylan's eyes. He didn't need to say anything, she knew how he felt. Like his world was slowly crashing down and he was helpless to stop it. "Tell me... about Kelly, your connection." She pleaded, and Dylan let out an exasperated sigh.
"I can't explain the connection... All I know is it's the same one I had with my dad... Besides him, Kelly was the only person who made me feel alive, they understood my soul. After Jack died, Kelly was the only inspiration I had left. If I lose her too... why am I even alive?"
"So why give up?" She asked
"because... maybe I should." He mumbled, getting up and grabbing a bottle of scotch.
"No!" She ordered
"Val, if now's not a good time to drink, when the hell is?" He growled
"Give it to me!" She snatched it back from his hand, and took it to the kitchen, where she spotted something on the table.
"What is this?" She asked, holding it up
"What does it look like?" He groaned
"A trip around the world in 80 days." She read out loud. "Dylan, this must have cost a fortune... when did you get it?"
"Yesterday... when I got back from paradise cove."
"Kelly going with you?" She asked, as she read the name Kelly Taylor on the paper.
"I didn't ask her." He mumbled
"Why not?"
"You know why not." He snapped.
"Dylan..." She began, heading back over to him on the couch, "If you really want her back, you need to can the attitude!" She warned, "You're... treating her like an addiction!"
"Maybe she is." He nodded
"Dylan, the neediness... this approach, it's just reminding her that your unstable, unhealthy... everything Brandon's not."
"Jeez, thanks!" He rolled his eyes
"Look, if you keep acting like you're entitled to her love, you're never gonna get it back!"
"Are you done?" He scoffed
"...Remember when you first fell in love and... connected. Remember how romantic you said it was? You need to be that Dylan. The Dylan that loved her the way you did before you feared losing her."
"Dylan, it's late." Kelly exclaimed, after opening her door.
"No, it's not..." He sighed, "I won't be long." He insisted, and Kelly nodded for him to continue.
"Well, what is it that you want?" She asked
"I wanted to apologize.." He began
"For what?" She asked, bewildered
"Everything..." He breathed out, "I'm sorry I left... knowing how many times you've watched people you love walk away. I'm sorry I didn't call or write and tell you how much I missed you... I'm sorry for coming back and treating you like my property... I'm sorry I acted like you were something I owned and not something I earned... I'm sorry I ran away instead of fighting for us, I'm sorry I never listened, I'm sorry I lost you... But most of all, I'm sorry I was too afraid to tell you I loved you, everyday when I knew I did."
"Wow..." She inhaled deeply, surprised.
"Yeah..." He nodded, he reached into his jacket pocket, about to pull out the tickets.
"Is there...anything else?" She asked
He stopped himself, shoving them deep inside the pockets.
"No... that's all." He let out a soft smile and turned to head down the stairs.
"I can't believe you backed out!" Valerie groaned
"What are you still doing here?" Dylan shrugged
"Dylan!" She ignored him, demanding an explanation
"I... I didn't want her to think I apologized with an agenda... I meant what I said. I want her to know it was genuine."