Chapter 12- Because Of You

Leila woke up early the next day with the sun glaring down at her. It took her a few moments to realize where she was and why she was there. She rolled over on to her stomach in Joe's guest bed; trying to wrap her around the events that were tearing her apart. Inside her head, a battle raged.

"How could they have done that to me?"

"But they were highly drunk… put yourself in their shoes."

"That doesn't make any difference! They were supposed to love me!

"They do love you; it was just a moment of weakness caused by alcohol. Don't be too hard on them."

"Too hard on them?! I'm the one dying from the inside out!"

"But so are they… Did you not see the look on their faces? Hear the sorrow and regret in their voices?"

Leila quit listening to her conscience. It was making to much sense for how angry she was right now. All she wanted to do was be mad at them forever.

Joe walked into the studio the day after Leila moved in with him. Watching Pete these last couple of days was depressing. He moped every where he went; and that's not many places. Since him and Leila had their falling out, Pete never left his house; or bedroom for that matter. They were all beginning to worry if was even eating. They had to drag him out today, to try and get some recording done. Patrick was reading over some of the new lyrics Pete had written, and became very concerned. They were filled with sadness and depression about a boy that screwed up one of the "best things" he had going for him.

Every time Pete saw Joe, he would ask about Leila. There was no doubt in his mind that Leila still loved him, from the way she moped around; just like Pete. It was only a matter of Leila setting her pride down and looking past this. However, Joe didn't tell Pete anyone that. He kept out of it the best he could, but still assured Pete that Leila was fine.

"I blew everything, didn't I?" Pete mumbled, putting his head in his hands.

The guys didn't know what to say. He had definitely hurt the relationship, but completely blowing it? That was a different story. Only Leila could answer that for him.

Leila rolled off the bed that she had taken to ever since she moved in. She hardly got up off of it. She opened the door to the living room that she had spent all of twenty minutes in. Leila was a little distraught when she had first arrived to notice, but the living room was nothing like Pete's. It was more modern cotemporary and very chic. Black leather couches with matching chairs and shaggy white rug under and steel and glass coffee table. She looked around at the artwork on the wall. It was very abstract and so like Joe. Her eyes landed on a framed photograph of Fall Out Boy. Leila ran her fingers around the edge of the wood frame. She looked at Pete's still form; looking so happy and carefree. Her conscience struck her again.

"This just shows you how miserable he looked the other day. He regrets what he did, and he loves you."

"I know he loves me, but that doesn't change the fact that he kissed my best friend!"

"Nothing will ever change that. It's just a matter on if you're willing to live with that. Think about a future with Pete. Is it worth blowing over some drunken kiss?"

Leila shook her head. She wasn't going to think about that right now. She went to the stainless steel refrigerator to find something to eat. Upon opening the door, she began to laugh. It was like a four year old went shopping and bought all candy, sugar-filled sodas and hot pockets. There was Kool-Aid, Snack Packs, three different types of jelly. The drink selection was hilarious; Sunkist, Fruit Punch, chocolate milk and then three beer cans. There was the occasional carrot that looked like it had seen its better days. But try as she might, she couldn't stop her conscience from nagging her.

"And what about Casie?"

"What about her? She made out with my boyfriend!"

"A friendship over five years is going to be thrown out by some stupid mistake?"

"But she kissed Pete…"

"That's the only reason you're mad at her."

"And it's a hell of a reason!"

"Not when you look at the whole picture. Friends since marching band in high school; even when you went to rival colleges. You share so many happy memories; from Johnny Depp to the biggest that is Harry Potter. Are you willing to throw all of that away for a mistake that she regrets?"

Finally, Leila started listening to her conscience. She sat down and thought about all of the others "best friends" that had back-stabbed her. They went behind her back to get her boyfriend, and didn't even tell her about it; they didn't even plan on telling her. Casie told her everything that had happened that night. She sounded really sincere and sorry. And when Leila really thought about it, she didn't want to lose her best friend over a boy.

They had had tons of amazing times, laughing and watching movies and reading Harry Potter books that it was just not worth losing to a stupid boy. Leila dropped the empty hot pockets box on the floor and ran to her new room. She threw on the first thing she got her hands on (a pair of raggedy jeans and a wrinkled t-shirt) and ran out of the door; leaving her cold hot pockets in the microwave with the door standing wide open.

Casie heard a hard and fast knock on the door. She was the only one in the apartment that afternoon. Cara went with Patrick and Pete to the recording studio and they weren't due back until late. Casie just didn't feel like going any where. She just sat around and watched Johnny Depp movies, thinking about Leila and getting more depressed about it.

She opened the door and mane of long brown hair shot past her. She turned fast to see Leila had made it to the living room in the fastest time. Casie became nervous and happy all at once. She didn't know what Leila had to say to her, but was willing to take anything that came her way; if it meant getting her best friend back. She hadn't seen her best friend since that day, and missed her. Casie eased her way to stand near Leila.

"Casie, before you say anything, I have to say what I came here to say. I can't believe that you kissed Pete! It hurt me so bad!" Leila said, as she began to pace around the living room, almost tripping over Hemingway, who was excited to see her; trying to jump up on her. "But that doesn't mean that I want to loose you as my best friend, either. I know that you were drunk and that you tend to do things you normally wouldn't. I couldn't that fact of loosing you because of a stupid boy," Leila told her. She stopped pacing and looked at Casie. "I'm sorry I was such a pain the other day."

Casie was flabbergasted. She kissed Leila's boyfriend and she was apologizing to her. It was not what she was expecting from her, but was not going to protest it. Casie all but ran to Leila and hugged her. Leila returned the hug, glad to have her best friend back. They just stood there for the longest time, until Casie started laughing. Leila looked at her, confused. It wasn't the first time Casie would bust out laughing in a silent room for no reason.

"When I get a celebrity boyfriend, Leila, you'll have my permission to kiss him," Casie said giggling.

Leila just looked at her. Her lips began to twitch, trying to hold back the laughter that was fighting to come out. But it was futile. Soon the two girls were in tears from their laughter.

-note from the author-

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Casie and Leila made up! Aww… but what's to happen with Pete and Leila? Stay tuned!