Green Day, Why Are You In My Room?

Tash's POV

Everything around me seemed so far away. The words he came back swirled in my head constantly.

Tre hugged me close, refusing to let go. I felt as though I couldn't possibly cry anymore...I thought my eyes were running out of the tears...

Tre spoke softly to me, trying to calm me down, trying to reassure me that it would be alright. It felt like nothing would be right again. Like everything that could go wrong did go wrong.

He sat huddled on the floor with me, even when Billie, Mike and Adrienne ran inside. Adrienne immediately hugged me, trying to speak words of comfort.

Tre got up slowly, looking shocked and angry. He hated looking at my tearstained face, seeing my pain...

"It's Ok, Tash, shhh," Adie said soothingly. "Ssh..." she rubbed my back, hugging me just as tightly as Tre had.

Tre's POV

I looked at her hunched over on the floor, gripping Adie tightly. That son of a bitch had dared to come back...

I felt as though my heart was the one that was breaking. My heart was ripping n half just watching Tash.

"Tre - " Mike said softly, looking shocked, like every single person in the room.

Billie and Mike grabbed me into a bear hug. I couldn't deal with it all.

We broke apart, the sound of Tash's cries ringing in my head.

The sadness passed away.

The real anger and hatred set in.

Billie noticed my face suddenly change.

"Tre?" he asked, his voice worried. "What - "

"That son of a bitch came back," I said, feeling my temper rising, my fists clenching. I just wanted to find him and rip him to shreds...I could feel my blood pumping harder and faster...

"Tre, calm down," Mike said. "We have to call the - "

"No, we are not calling the police," I said, my voice eerily calm. I couldn't control myself.

"Tre, he fucking assaulted her! And broke in, he deserves jail time!" Billie exclaimed.

"No, I'm going after him," I said firmly. I looked at both Billie and Mike. They looked terrified.

"Guys, he's fucking caused so much pain to her!" I gestured toward Tash, and Adie trying to calm her down. "That fucking piece of shit, he's a fucking loser and is gonna deserve everything he gets - "

"Tre, outside. Now." Billie's voice was firm. He and Mike forced me out the door.

"Listen to yourself, man," Mike said. "You're stooping to his level."

I opened my mouth to speak. They were right. By going after him I was being as big a sleazebag as he was.

I went over to the lawn and collapsed in a heap. I hid my face in my shaking hands, wondering what the fuck was wrong with me.

Billie and Mike rushed over, trying to get me to stop.

"It's all my fucking fault," I said. "I - "

"DIdn't do any fucking thing wrong," Billie said, his voice firm. "Tre, look at you. You're a mess. But you know that none of this shit was your fault!"

"Fuck, Billie, I shouldn't have gotten involved with her!" I wanted to scream. "But I fucking love her so much!"

"Then you should be with her," Mike said simply. "Now go in there and comfort your girlfriend."

I got up and hurried off. I felt embarrassed enough as it was, being not able to deal with my feelings.

Tash was standing up. Adie had gone into the kitchen. When I saw Tash standing there, all alone, I ran over to her as she burst into tears again.

I held her close, wanting to be near her every second of the day just to protect her. To protect her from Matt...to protect her from anything else...

To protect her from me. To protect her from my love for her.

Because it could hurt her in the same way.