I Hate This Part

Levi sat in the guest room, thinking about her options. There was a pamphlet from Washington State University and an old photo album. Those were her choices: school or her friends.

It was mid-August and there are only so many days until she had to choose if she was going back to college. She growled to herself and flipped through her pamphlet. Then opened her photo album. Pictures of her and Amarie, pictures of her, Amarie and Caleb. Later pictures of her and Kyle.

She stopped at her favorite. Kyle had his arm around her waist and her face was buried in his chest. They had fallen asleep while watching movie and Marc had crept into Kyle's room, around 2 am, seeing them, then grabbing a camera and taking the picture. Next to it, there was a disk, holding the tape the boys had taken that night.

Levi pulled it up from the page and padded across the room to the DVD played atop a television in the room. She slipped the tape in and pressed play.

"Is it on?" Austin had asked from behind the camera. Caleb popped up in front of the camera.

"Yeah, the red lights' on. Come on, before Marc wakes them up." The camera shook a little and was directed into Kyle's room. Austin chuckled and zoomed in on them. Kent thumbs up to the camera, then there was a flash and Levi sat straight up.

"What are you-? Who is-? You're so dead!" Levi jumped up and started chasing Marc. He yelled and threw the camera at Caleb, who caught it and jammed it in his pocket. Kent followed them with the camera, laughing really hard.

There were footsteps and Austin turned the camera to the doorway. A 17 year-old Kaylin was rubbing her eyes, wearing a tight tank top and plaid pajama pants.

"It is two..." She pulled her phone out of the waist of her pants, "Oh- six am. Why are you being so loud, I was sleeping, dammit."

"The guys think they're funny and are taping Kyle and I, so I'm about to kill Marc," Levi explained, still running after Marc around the room.

"Oh, fuck this, give me that camera, Austin." Kaylin said. The camera moved around and there was no actual footage of anything. Then it was directed at Austin and Kaylin starting a slap fight. Jonathan was in the frame of the camera then.

"Why are my friends so stupid?" He asked the camera. He shook his head and turned it back to the group. He walked towards Kyle and he was still sitting on the bed.

"I don't know. This is our group of friends, speaking of which, where is Amarie?" She jumped on the bed, next to Kyle and sighed. "Oh, there she is."

"Yeah, trying to sleep, then said screw it, and ended up here. How'd this..." She guestured to the choas of Levi tackling Marc and Kaylin slap fighting Austin, while Kent and Caleb reviewed the picture. "Happen?"

"It's a long story." Jonathan panned the choas in the room, then the camera shut off.

Levi shut the DVD played off and sighed to herself.

"I remember that night, I was fifteen." Levi looked at the doorway and Amarie was standing in the doorway. Levi motioned to her sister and Amarie walked in, sitting on her sister's bed.

"That was crazy."

"You gave Marc a black eye and sprained his wrist. And we fell asleep all over that room, not waking up until 12.45 at the earliest. And that was you." Levi laughed and messed with the bed spread. "Why're you looking at the pictures and videos anyway?"

"Trying to decided if I'm leaving for Washington next month. I came back to see you guys, but without a real reason for me to stay, why should I?"

"Because we love you. Because we all missed you like crazy when you were in Washington," Amarie told her. Levi chuckled and looked at her hands. Amarie made a good point. "What did you mean by 'without a real reason?'"

"I mean, Kyle isn't dating me anymore. He's happy with Hayley, and you don't need me, you have Jonathan. I think I should probably just stay in Washington, get a job there... meet some other guy," Levi sighed. Amarie pouted to her sister, and Levi started laughing. "Don't poke your bottom lip out at me. You know you don't need me."

"But I do. I always will, you're my sister. I love you, and just because you're not dating Kyle doesn't mean anything. Why would you want to-" there was a door slam in the living room and the girls looked at the bedroom door. "What was that?"

"I dunno. I'm going to check. Coming?" Amarie nodded and they both got up, walking down the hall to the living room. Kyle walked past them, and down the hall. They walked into the living room, looking around. "What just happened?"

"Hayley broke up with Kyle. Don't ask me why, 'cause I don't know," Kaylin said, standing there. Amarie looked around.

"Did Hayley leave?"

"Yep."

"I'll go talk to her," Amarie said and rushed out the door. Levi sighed and Kaylin looked at her. "What?"

"You talk to Kyle. I think that's best." Levi sighed irritably, but Jonathan and Caleb nodded. She hung her head.

"But-"

"No buts. Go." Kaylin pointed in the direction Kyle left in and lLevi stuck her tongue out at Kaylin as she left. Kaylin returned the favor as Levi walked down the hall and guessed the bathroom. She knocked on the door.

"Kyle, are you okay?"

"Go away," Kyle stated flatly through the door. Levi sighed and pressed her forehead against the wood of the door. She was not one to give up easily.

"No. I'm not leaving you alone until you talk to me. Remember senior year?" Senior year, Levi hadn't left Kyle alone until he promised the band would play at graduation. He refused to say yes, until he talk to the guys, but she was so annoying, he agreed. The guys almost shot him, but they wouldn't have found another drummer.

Kyle opened the door and smiled a bit at her. He moved out of the way and Levi stepped in, Kyle shutting the door and locking it. Levi sat up on the bathroom counter and Kyle sat down on the closed toilet seat. Levi put her hands on the counter, her fingers curling over the edge of it, resting next to her knees. Kyle rested his back against the back of the toilet, looking at his lap.

"Are you going to talk to me?" Kyle grunted under his breath and Levi bit the inside of her lip. "So you're gonna sulk?" He grunted again, with a shrug. Levi smiled a bit then jumped off the counter, and stood in front of him. He looked up at her and she pouted a bit. He shook his head and looked away from her. "Kyle William Burns." He ignored her.

Levi pushed his arms out of the way and sat down on his lap. Her legs dangled off the side of his thighs and her arms wrapped around his neck. He looked over at her and put his arms around her waist, putting his head on her shoulder.

"You're still not saying anything." Kyle sighed against the fabric of her hoodie, and leaned up gently kissing her lips. Then dropping his head back against her shoulder. Levi ran his fingers through his hair and kissed his head. "Why did Hayley break up with you?" Kyle shrugged and kissed her neck. "You're not helpful right now," Levi laughed.

"What do you want me to say, Levi?" Kyle asked her finally looking up at her. Levi leaned down and touched his cheek, kissing his lips. That ectasy he felt when he held Levi when they were dating ran through him again.

Levi broke the kiss and rested her forehead against Kyle's, the breath emitting from his mouth brushing against her lips.

"I want you to tell me to stay," Levi whispered. Kyle looked into her chocolately brown eyes. "Tell me you want me to stay here, not to go back to Washington. Give me a reason to stay here."

"Am I going to be enough?" Levi rolled her eyes and kissed him again.

"Remind me why I love you?" Kyle picked her up and set her onto the bathroom counter. His hands went to her waist and he kissed her, her arms wrapping around his neck. "That's why."

"You're not allowed to go to Washington. So you obviously have to stay here." Levi laughed and pushed him away, jumping off the counter. She opened the door and there was a chorus of 'Ow!' and four stumbling bodies. She looked around the door and Jonathan, Kaylin, Caleb and Amarie were on the floor.

"Are you sure you want me to stay?" Levi turned to Kyle.