"Hey." I heard from my door when I was getting dressed for school.

"Hey Sabrina." I bite my lip and throw my shirt on quickly. I could tell she was surprised by my sudden change of attitude. I felt so relieved that I wanted to just go on with my life the way it was.

"What's going on?" She asked me trying to figure out if I was okay.

"Getting ready to apologize to my best friend." I smile gently to see her smiling. I wanted her back.

"No need!" She walks over and we embrace tightly. "I missed my Rowboat."

"I missed my Sabrinacat!" We giggled.

"Let's just forget what happened. It's yesterday's news." Sabrina said, trying to move on.

"I agree." Best to leave the past in the past.

"So do you mind me asking what's been going on with you?" Sabrina turned her smile into pure worry.

"Nothing was going on." I paused making sure I really knew what I was saying. "I was really scared I would lose you." I looked down trying to content myself so I didn't let her read the lies written all over my face.

"You will never lose me." She pulled me into another hug. "How did the rest of the party go? Sabrina backed off but still wanted to know.

"I left pretty quickly after you." I lied again. I didn't want her to know I spent the night there.

"Really? Then why was Kendall kissing your forehead today?" She questioned. "That seemed really odd." I could tell she felt off.

"Uh I don't know why he did that. I think he's just trying to be nice." I knew she wasn't buying it, but she let it go not wanting to push me away.

It felt good reuniting with my best friend.

"Honey?" My dad says as he enters the room.

"Yeah dad?" I asked as Sabrina was looking through her bag to find the homework to copy off of me.

"Josh is coming to stay with us for a few weeks." My dad explains my uncle was coming to visit as I watch Sabrina's eyes light up.

"Why?" I wasn't complaining, I was curious. Sabrina always thought he was so cool, growing up she always wanted to be like him. He found it adorable. He's like a bad boy with a good heart is how I described it. Sabrina was doing a good job trying to be like him since that's exactly the way I would describe her. Josh was always way worse than she ever was.

"He got in trouble at school. He's gonna enroll here for a while." Josh was almost nineteen but he failed a grade due to being kicked out of school. This was his second school he got kicked out of. I'm pretty sure it was for drugs from what my brother said but my dad refuses to go into details, so maybe it wasn't.

"Why is he coming here?" Sabrina asked the question I was about to ask.

"Your grandparents are tired of raising a grown adult. They already have enough on their plates being the parents of your uncle Eric." He said before hearing his name being called. My uncle Josh is a great guy. He's had a lot happen to him over the past few years. I never gave him a hard time for the things he's doing wrong with everything that has happened.

"Wow, that's crazy." Sabrina turned to me to see what I thought.

"Yeah, I hope he's okay." I was worried for him. It must be bad if he's practically being kicked out. My dad is such a good brother to him, I know that he'll straighten him out. Josh is really close in age to my brother so they're close and Jame is a lot like I am. He'll have a lot of good influences on him. I'm just worried that he'll be a bad influence on Sabrina. She needed good people in her life to pull her out of the dark side her family has gotten her into. The bright side to Josh coming to stay with us is that he'll take up a lot of my parents time. At this point in my life, the less parent supervision the better.

When I got to school I opened my locker as Sabrina was catching me up in everything I missed since I was all moody. Who knew you could miss so much in such a short period of time. It was really good talking to her. I was finally starting to feel myself. It was needed.

"What's that?" Sabrina pointed out something on the bottom of my locker. I looked and I noticed an envelope. I opened it.

Rowan,

I invite you to be my date to the homecoming dance. If you'll have me? I hope you will.

Love,

Kendall

"That is so cute!" Sabrina said in shock leaning over spying on me.

"I don't know." I was surprised and I don't know if I want to be with him. There were so many emotions that happened the past few days. I don't think I'm ready for a boyfriend.

"What? You've liked him for so long and now he likes you and you don't know?" Sabrina said confused. I understood why she was confused. I would be too if I were her.

"I do like him but I don't want to end up with the wrong guy." I have feelings for him but after everything that happened, I don't know if I can trust him or myself.

"You mean Lucas?" She looked down.

"No!" I grabbed her hand. "I wouldn't do that to you." I explained. I didn't want to have to keep doing this with her. It already hurt enough knowing I would have to distance myself from Lucas.

"I'm sorry, I know you wouldn't." Sabrina relaxed knowing that she can't keep jumping to conclusions. "But why are you off of Kendall now?" She asked.

"I'm not, I just think you were probably right about him." I didn't know what to say to her but that fit the most.

"So what happened with you and Kendall after we left the party? Don't give me the bull you tried to sell me earlier" Sabrina said raising her eyebrow.

"Uh nothing, we made out and then I went home." I was probably being too cautious. I knew that it wasn't fair to Kendall to not give him a chance. It wasn't his fault.

"Oh my gosh!" Sabrina jumped for joy. I laughed.

"It's not a big deal." I shook my head.

"Yes it is! You had your first real kiss." She said clearly not counting the kiss with Lucas. "Listen, I know I said a lot of horrible things about Kendall before the party but clearly he cares about you." Sabrina did have a point. He was going out of his way to be with me. Why would he do that if he wasn't being genuine?

"It's just a lot to process." I said knowing I wouldn't be making much sense to her.

"I was wrong about him. I'm sorry. Don't let what I said stop you from being with a great guy." Sabrina apologized. Maybe she had a good point.

The bell rang and we parted ways. There was so much to think about. I wasn't sure what I was going to do. I ran into Lucas a few times in the hallway but I wasn't talking to him. Not yet, things felt weird now. I didn't want Sabrina getting hurt.

After school ended I was going to catch the bus to avoid another car ride with my dad but Kendall beeped his horn. I walked over reluctantly.

"Let me give you a ride." He said with a charmed look. I was fighting with myself. My gut said no but my head wasn't reasoning. "Please."

"Okay." I said because I didn't know if I'd have another panic attack or not if I stepped back on that bus.

I got in and we drove and talked about homecoming.

"Did you like the note?" He asked me.

"Uh yeah." I tried to be more excited but I was too nervous to.

"So do you want to go with me?" Kendall asked, looking over at me as I stared out the window.

"I'll think about it." I slowly said. He was so happy I was considering it, it made me feel better about my future decision. We arrived at my house and I turned to him. "Thank you for the ride."

"Do you think we can get past this misunderstanding?" He asked, hoping for a different outcome. I wanted to get past it and a lot of other things. It had to start now or it never will.

"I know we can." I said before thinking. I'm sorry I've been acting crazy." I felt bad.

"You aren't, you thought you were raped. I understand but it's okay now." He said softly.

"I know." I thought about what he said. It was okay now. He understands. Things felt off but it has to be because of the thoughts I had running in my head. I also wasn't too proud of myself for drinking and almost sleeping with him, but that was on me not on him. "I'll go with you to the dance.

"Really?" I nodded. "Rowan, can I ask you something?" Kendall said, still smiling.

"Sure." I looked at him and I could barely breathe.

"I've liked you ever since I saw you." He smiled at me reaching for my hand. I was surprised.

"Me too." I admitted softly thinking about the first time I saw him. I really tapped into the feelings I felt the first time I saw him and the first time he talked to me, the first time he kissed me.

"I don't want to be just friends." Kendall twirled my fingers. "I want you to be my girlfriend." Kendall looks me in the eyes.

"Wow." I was shocked. I never thought this would happen. I don't think he's ever publicly had a girlfriend.

"What do you say?" He asked again.

I couldn't really form words. "Why me? Everyone knows you date. A lot." I felt those words coming out of my mouth.

"I don't want to be that guy anymore." His eyes softened.

"You don't?" I was confused at the change in character.

"No, I want you."

I smiled big and grabbed his neck kissing his lips. Whatever I was feeling, this was better.


Author's Note:

Soon a wild Josh hahaha and some more family. Shawn will be soon not just yet. I will have more Lucas as Rowan and Kendall progress. Don't worry people will see through his act. This is really hard to write. No one wants someone to be with an abuser but it's also a message to every girl that goes through anything like this!