Next Time You Point a Finger, I'll Point You to the Mirror

“Alex! Noo!” I whined as he yanked my covers off the bed. I had absolutely no desire to leave.

“Yes!” He stated firmly. I groaned and pulled a pillow over my head.

“Kaitie,” I felt the bed sink next to me as the pillow was pulled off my head. “You can’t hide up here all day and wallow.” He whispered in my ear. I shook my head no and Alex sighed, sounding quite frustrated.

“Get up, or I’ll get you up myself.” Alex got off the bed and I turned my head, quirking an eyebrow.

“You. Wouldn’t. Dare.” I growled.

“Watch me.” Alex and I both narrowed our eyes and glared.

“No.” I growled before pushing my face into my mattress and closing my eyes. Alex huffed and I could practically see him rolling his eyes.

“Kaitlynn,” He said in a stern voice.

“Nuh uh.” I shook my head no again and just laid there, knowing he’d try something soon. I felt the bed sink again and my left side was touching something. I turned my head to face Alex and opened my eyes. He was lying on his back facing me.

“Kaitie, you can’t and WON’T stay in this bedroom all day. We let you do that yesterday. I know it’s tough, but you need to do this.” Alex said softly putting his palm on my cheek, thumb just below my cheekbone. I felt the tears spill over for the second time that day. Alex was right and sitting here wouldn’t help me forget about him. I nodded my head yes. “Come here.” Alex held out other arm and I scooted over to him, laying my head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me closer. I wrapped my left arm around his waist and just cried.

About twenty minutes later, the tears finally stopped and I decided to do as Alex wanted.

“What exactly is your plan?” I asked as I looked up at Alex.

He chuckled. “Well, Kaitie…. I plan on you first of all, taking a shower and getting dressed.” I nodded. “Then you and I are going to Zanesville –” I groaned cutting him off.

“ALEX!!” I whined.

“Ah, ah, ah. No whining. We’re going to Zanesville and we’re going to have fun. No ifs, an’s, or buts about it.” Alex finished. I huffed.

“Fine,” Alex let go of me and I hopped out of bed. “But, I’m NOT under any circumstances hanging out with Drake. He’s NOT to come.”

“Deal.”

“Mkay.” I walked over to my closet and pulled out a pair of blue straight legged jeans, a white tanktop, my black Simple Plan t-shirt, black boy shorts and matching black bra. When I came back into my room, Alex was gone. So I headed to the bathroom.

I stripped out of my pajamas and turned on the water before stepping into the shower. Not wanting to make Alex wait too much longer, I hurriedly, yet thoroughly washed off with my Sweet Daydream body wash and shampooed my hair with Dove. I rinsed off, trying not to linger; shut off the water and hopped out. I dried off and put my clothes on.

It felt weird wearing straight legs again, considering I haven’t since I moved here for reasons I’m not saying. I towel dried my hair after brushing it out, and then threw it into a ponytail. I washed my face and put on some moisturizer before putting on some mascara and lip gloss.

“KAITIE!” Alex called up the stairs.

“Coming!” I yelled back as I ran out of the bathroom. I ran back into my room and grabbed my black zip-up hoodie and black converses before going downstairs. Alex was in the living room, staring at some of my band pictures on the wall.

“Er… hi.” I said stupidly as I walked over to his side. Alex jumped a little, making me giggle.

“Oh, hi.” He blushed and smiled a small smile. “you know…” Alex started, “…Drake never mentioned that you were a band geek.”

“Well Drake never mentioned you were skater.” I retaliated, turning my head to show him my smirk.

“Haha, I’m not skater, I’m…okay. Whatever, let’s just leave.”

I snickered. “Fine.” Alex finally looked at me and just grinned before chuckling. I raised an eyebrow.

“Nothing.”

MALL…

“Lex!” I whined for like the millionth time in the past ten minutes.

“What, Guppy?” I immediately quit walking and just stared at Lex.

“Guppy? Are you fucking serious?” Alex turned around and walked back up to me, putting his hands on my shoulders.

“Watch your language and yes, Guppy. Would you rather I call you ‘Babe’ or ‘Fish’?” Lex smirked as I gave him a ‘whatever’ and sighed. “What do you want to do first?” He asked as he took his hands off my shoulders and tugged on my arm. I looked around and my eyes landed on a hair salon.

“Can I get my hair cut?” I smiled my six-year-old grin up at him and he caved. ‘Yay’

“Fine.” He sighed before tugging me to the salon. We walked up to the front desk and waited for the girl to get off the phone. After about a minute or two she got off and smiled up at us.

“Hi! Welcome to Master Cuts. Do you have an appointment?” The bubbly blonde asked.

“No, but do you guys have any available appointments today?” I asked biting my lip and leaning a little into Lex.

“Let me check sweetie.” She said.

“Thanks.” I said in a flat voice. I felt Lex put an arm around the middle of my back.

“Someone need a Ritalin?” He whispered. I looked up at him and giggled.

“No, sorry.” I stopped bouncing and put my hands in my back jeans pockets.

“Emily has an opening in about five minutes, will that do?” She asked sweetly.
“Yes, thanks.” Lex and I walked over to a row of chairs and sat down.

“Why do you want your hair cut?” Lex asked turning towards me.

I shrugged, “I need a change.” And Lex nodded as if he knew exactly what I was talking about.

A couple minutes later, Emily came over to me and got me. She wetted my hair down and asked how I wanted it cut. I just told her to take five or so inches off, and she did. She dried it when she was done then did a semi-formal curly do to it. It looked cute, and so did I. I quickly paid and pulled an awe-struck Lex out of the salon.

“Wow.” I rolled my eyes and pulled him towards the food court.

“Lex, are you just gonna stare or are you going to start what you had on your agenda?” I asked ask I stopped in the middle of walkway. Lex blinked a couple times and shook his head. “Does it look bad?” I asked biting my lip.

“No, no.” Lex finally snapped out of it and shook his head again. “Honestly, it’s cute…fits you better, Guppy.” He smiled and grabbed my hand.

“Thanks.” I smiled too and we walked around for awhile, just walking. Everything was going good, until I saw him. Eli.

Lex and I were walking towards the cinema since he wanted to see some movie when out of the corner of my eye, I see Eli and his wrestling buddies. Immediately I stopped and pulled Lex in the other direction.

“Guppy, what the hell?” He asked, shocked that I was pulling on him.

“Eli.” I whispered, afraid I’d burst into tears or worse he’d see me. Lex eyes widened and he quickly pulled me into his chest.

“Come on, let’s go.” Lex said as he turned me around. We got maybe five feet before I heard the least appealing sound.

“Kaitie!” I abruptly stopped and slowly turned to face Eli. I couldn’t help but let the tears fall down my cheeks. He was the last person I wanted to talk to. Eli slowly walked towards me and stopped about a foot from me.

“Baby,” He cooed softly.

“NO! I’m not your baby, not your babe, nothing.” I spat out. Eli pursed his lips and nodded.

“Kaitie, look I’m sorry –” I cut him off with a hard smack to his left cheek.

“Don’t. I don’t wanna hear it, Eli. You cheated on me for a month; you told me you c-couldn’t live without me. You told me you loved me, but I guess that was all a l-lie.” I managed to say without too much cracking in my voice.

“I didn’t lie.” I saw the tears in his eyes.

“Yes you did. You lied to me for a month! Eli, I-I-I can’t do this.” More tears slid down my cheeks as I slid the promise ring off my finger. I grabbed Eli’s hand and flipped it palm up. “I-I’m sorry.” I whispered as I placed the ring in his palm and closed his hand around it. I let go and took a couple steps backwards before I felt Alex stop me. He turned me around, but not before I saw the tears slide down Eli’s face. Not before I saw the pain in his eyes, the regret, it broke my heart into more pieces.

Alex led me to his truck and we drove back to my house in almost complete silence. I refused to let myself sob and just let the tears fall. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Lex glance over at me every now and again to see how I was. The truth was, I wasn’t okay, far from it. I didn’t know how to feel. Yeah I was upset, and I was angry but I was somehow happy. Some unexplained reason was obviously lurking in my head for God only knows what reason. Was I relieved that I had found out about him? Or the fact that he cried?

“Guppy?” Alex said interrupting my thinking.

“Huh?” I asked as I turned to face him.

“You okay?”

“Uh…I guess.” I mumbled as I fidgeted with the zipper on my hoodie. Lex placed his right hand on my left.

“Kaitie, you did the right thing.” I looked into Alex’s face. He had one side of his mouth pulled up at the corner and the sweetest look in his eyes. “If someone could do that to someone as beautiful as you are inside and out, then he was a jackass. Guppy, you deserve better.” More tears fell and I nodded my head a little.

“But who would take me? I’m broken.” I whispered the last part before I closed my eyes.

“I would.” Alex mumbled. My eyes shot open and I looked at Alex in astonishment. A small blush crept onto his cheeks. I smiled a little and turned towards the window again. We weren’t far from my house now, maybe five or ten minutes away. Lex and I didn’t talk the reset of the ride home and as soon as we got to the house, I ran upstairs to my bedroom and locked myself in there. I’d figure out my feelings one way or another.