Story: Don't Wanna Be Torn

Pairing: D/G/T (Duncan/Gwen/Trent)

Chapter 4: The Shattered One

Author's Note: Will this chapter title mean anything by the end of this chapter? I don't know, I think of ideas for these stories along the way (except for TDNY, which I think about constantly as I try to finish the Musical Special Part 3) so anyways, let's start! This chapter is very, very, dramatic, and involves something kids should NEVER do.

That night, Gwen decided it was time to run away from home. She went to her room, and grabbed her duffel bag, and her luggage and started packing all of her clothes, and important things inside the luggage. She went downstairs, snagged some chips and water and packed them as well. Lastly, she grabbed her heart locket necklace, a gift from her father on her 11th birthday, right before he died in a car crash, and kept it in her jacket pocket. She wrote her mom and David a note, then stuck it on her door as she closed it. She quietly snuck out of the house, then turned around and sighed.

"Everyone's gotta leave sometime right?" she asked herself. It was raining, she decided that she would just go to the motel down the street and stay in a room for the night, then find a friend's house to sleep in until then.

Once Gwen got into the motel, paid the $15 night stay, and got up to her room, she decided to call Duncan.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Hey, it's me," Gwen said sighing.

"Sweetheart?" he asked. "You sound like a mess, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, just at some motel,"

"Why? Did your mom kick you out?"

"No, more like I ran away."

"Why though? Gwen, you know this isn't right,"

"Well, Duncan, I need to tell you something also." Gwen admitted. "I think that I need some time to just find myself, so until that happens, we need to break up."

"I understand, but just promise me that if you need a place to stay, you'll come over to my place."

"I promise," she said a tear shedding from her eye. "I promise," she repeated.

"I love you sweetheart,"

"Duncan please, you're gonna make me cry," she stammered, teary eyed.

"Don't worry, I'll see you tomorrow though, right?"

"Of course," she said.

"Good night sweetheart,"

"Good night stud," They both hung up, Gwen walked over to the bathroom and saw a piece of shattered glass. She look in the mirror, running eyeliner was coming from her eyes. She never even thought she actually looked this way on the way to the motel. Ignoring that, she rolled down her jacket sleeve on her right arm and grabbed the shard of glass, she ran a 4 cm gash across her forearm and started sobbing. Eventually, blood came out of the cut, and she washed it off.

After cutting herself, she laid on the bed, wrapping her arms around her legs and quietly sobbing herself to sleep.

The next day, on the way to school, it was raining again. Gwen didn't bother to pull her hood up. She let little raindrops trickle over her hair as she was quietly sobbing pulling her luggage at the same time. She stood in front of the school's closed gates and sighed. She sat in front of the gate, leaning her back towards the gate. Luckily, Bridgette, who lived about two houses away from the school, noticed the goth outside and quickly ran towards her, holding a baby blue umbrella.

"Gwen!" She called as she sat next to her, placing the umbrella between the both of them to keep themselves dry. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know," she mumbled as she laid her face between her crossed arms. Bridgette raised Gwen's head with a concerned look.

"What happened?"

"Mom found out about me and Duncan," Gwen said sadly. "So I ran away, last night, right now I'm homeless,"

"Really?" Bridgette asked as she gave her friend a comforting hug. "If you need a place, my house is always open,"

"Thank Bridge, but I don't think I should just come in like some hopeless hobo,"

"You're not a hobo,"

"Yes I am," Gwen admitted unconfident. "I'm some hobo who might as well just be developing feelings for her best friend, having family trouble, and on top of it all, failing most of my classes."

"Gwen, it's only been what, a day since your mom found out about you and Duncan. How can you be failing classes?"

"Just watch me," Gwen said unhappy as she brought her face down on her arms again.

"Wait, but you also said you're developing feelings for your best friend…would that be…Trent?"

"I don't know! I broke up with Duncan Bridge! I don't think this isn't the time to be questioning by love life."

"Wow, you must be really moody if you broke up with Duncan, don't tell me you cut yourself last night!" Bridgette said. Gwen pulled her right jacket sleeve down, showing a big gash that was trying to heal on her arm. "Gwen!" she said hugging her once more. "You need to stay at my house, plus you should take a shower after all this rain," she grabbed the goth girl and dragged her into her house.

As Bridgette and Gwen were walking towards Milano school grounds, Duncan walked by and gave a sheepishly wave at Gwen. Gwen shuddered in Bridgette's white long jacket and cringed.

"Wow, you really did break up with him!" Bridgette said surprised.

"I told you Bridge," Gwen said rolling her eyes.

"So, when are you going to ask Trent out?"

"I'm not asking him out,"

"Oh, you want me to ask him out for you?"

"No!" Gwen snapped. She suddenly turned red. "I told you once and I'll tell you again, I don't need too much drama in my damn life!" Gwen started breathing heavily.

"Gosh, I'm sorry," Bridgette apologized.

"I just need some time alone okay Bridgette?" she asked.

"Okay," Bridgette said giving her friend another hug. "Just be careful,"

"It's school," Gwen reminded her. "How bad could it be?"

Instead of going to school, Gwen decided to go outside. As she ran outside the school gates, there was someone waiting for her.

"Hey sweetheart," he said passionately. Gwen smirked.

"Who are you trying to be? Duncan?" she asked. The guy just gracefully smiled and approached Gwen, it was none other than Trent, who was wearing a green jacket and a dark green hat on. "What are you doing here?"

"Eh," he shrugged. "Decided to take a day off, it is raining anyways, you?"

"Need some time to think,"

"Wow, are you as stupid as Lindsay?"

"SHUT UP!" she snapped. She took a deep breath. "I'm serious Trent! I really need to be alone,"

"Look, even if you're boyfriend hates me, I'll leave you alone, anything you say." Trent promised. "See ya," he said as he walked off to his car to go home.

"Wait Trent!" Gwen called as she ran to his 1986 green Camaro. "I dumped Duncan okay? So if in any way you felt disconnected with me, we can start new, and I didn't mean to snap at you."

"I'm sorry Gwen, but if I see you with someone else that I don't like, my life will be a living hell,"

"Trent…please," Gwen begged. "You're the only friend I can turn to,"

"Sorry G," Trent apologized. He started his engine and drove off to his house.

"Trent…" Gwen trailed off.

Gwen sadly ran trying to chase her friend in the rain, but ultimately, Trent was driving too fast for Gwen to catch up. She continued walking looking up in the sky and praying for some guidance. She looked towards her left and saw her empty house, her brother at school, her mother at work. She sat in the front door steps, just sobbing and crying tears.

Trent, who lived just across the street from her, looked outside his room window. He grabbed his guitar, and strummed the strings carefully. He was trying to write a new song, but couldn't find a topic, or lyrics to write.

Suddenly he thought of an idea. He grabbed a piece of sheet music and wrote "Shattered: A Trent Original. I'm Sorry Gwen"

Eventually he figured out a right tune, and right lyrics. He grabbed his guitar quickly and looked outside. Gwen was gone, and it was nighttime.

"She has to be at Bridgette's," Trent muttered to himself. He ran downstairs, passed by his mother and father who were eating dinner. "I'M VISITING A FRIEND! SEE YOU LATER!"

Although it was still raining, Trent continued running towards Bridgette's house, hoping to see Gwen there. He noticed a silhouette of Gwen walking through the front window, Trent grabbed a rock and threw it at the balcony window. Gwen appeared, still sobbing.

"Tr-Trent?" she stammered. He smiled and started playing his guitar.

"And I've lost who I am,
And I can't understand
Why my heart is so broken,
Rejecting your love,
Without, love gone wrong,
Lifeless words, carry on,

But I know,
All I know,
Is that the end's beginning,

Who I am from the start,
Take me home, to my heart,
Let me go, and I will run,
I will not be silenced,

All this time spent in vain,
Wasted years, wasted gain,
All is lost
Hope remains,
And this war's not over,

There's a light
There's a sun,
Taking all shattered ones,
To the place we belong,
And his love will conquer,

And I've lost, who I am,
And I can't understand,
Why my heart is so broken,
Rejecting your love,
Without, love gone wrong,
Lifeless words carry on,

But I know,
All I know,
Is that the end's beginning,

Who I am from the start,
Take me home to my heart,
Let me go, and I will run,
I will not be silenced

All this time, spent in vain,
Wasted years, wasted gain,
All is lost, hope remains,
And this war's not over,

There's a light,
There's a sun,
Taking all shattered ones,
To the place, we belong,
And his love will conquer all…
Yeah, his love will conquer all…."

"Trent," Gwen said happily with tears in her eyes.

"You like it?"

"Of course!"

"Listen Gwen," Trent said. "I like you, a lot, for a really long time. But, I think you should get back together with Duncan. His love will conquer anyways,"

So! Happy Ending for Duncan and Gwen fans right?

Okay; maybe not. But the song I ripped off of Trading Yesterday, it's the shorter version so if you want to hear how the song sounds like go to youtube and type it down and look for the version that's about 2:30 seconds long.

SOO! Anyways, I'm thinking of a car crash later in the story, to who? You'll have to wait and find out. :P why am I so evil?

So, if you haven't realized it, the song is suppose to reflect on how Trent was feeling the past 10 years of friendship between him and Gwen. Then, he realized that maybe he isn't the right one for Gwen, and advises her to get back with Duncan.

Will Gwen follow Trent's advice?

Who will be in the car crash?

Will they live to the end of this fantastic story? (okay maybe not fantastic but you get the point)

Plus, will Gwen have a deciding point if she likes Trent back?

Find out the answers to this and more on the next chapter of Don't Wanna Be Torn!