So Wrong, It's Right

We were back in L.A. and I had nothing at all to say to Stephen.

"Why are you so mad at me? You just left me there..." He spoke up as I rolled my eyes and squeezed the couch pillow to my chest.

"You could have punched me...not him." I said, through clenched teeth as I seen Stephen's hand touch my knee.

I gulped and got up off the couch as I headed toward the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of Jack from the cabinet.

I popped open the cap and chugged it down as Stephen walked into the kitchen and cocked his eyebrow at me.

I rolled my eyes and parted the bottle from my lips.

"I didn't do anything wrong here." He said as I groaned and hit my forehead up against the kitchen cabinet.

"You hit him!" I shouted as Stephen's eyes popped out of his sockets.

"Oh, come on! He was being a dick to me the whole night and you knew it! You just let it happen, Mae!" He yelled as I felt the lump coming up my throat and I took another sip of Jack.

"Why are you such a asshole?! You're fucking crazy! You know that?!" I screamed, at the top of my lungs as I continued to chug down the Jack.

"Oh, I'm crazy?! Huh?! Look at you, Mae! You're drowning yourself in Jack Daniels! When there is problems you always turn to fucking liquor or alcohol!" He yelled as tears rolled down my cheeks.

"It's the only way I can forget!" I screamed as the Jack slipped from my fingers and glass appeared all over the kitchen floor.

"Mae, why are you being like this?! Ever since we went down to your dad's place you have changed!" He yelled as I gulped and stared down at the glass all over the floor.

"I'm sick and tired of you getting angry over the most smallest things!" I shouted.

"Me? Look at you!" He yelled, his face getting red as I sobbed into my shaky hands and stepped all over the glass, making my feet bleed and me scream out in pain.

"Mae, why in fuck would you do that?!" He shouted, making me step over the glass as I continued to sob and I pushed him away from me.

"I don' want you talking to me for the rest of the night! I mean it!" I screamed as I fell into him and I cried on his shoulder as he rubbed my back and picked me up bridal style.

He carried me to the bathroom and sat me down on the counter. He made me put my feet in the sink as he got the tweezers and started picking the glass out lightly, making me bite my lip to keep from screaming out in agony.

"Just relax." He whispered as he got out the antibiotics and turned on the faucet. He poured the liquid over my cuts on my feet, making them sting.

"Thanks." I sniffed as he looked up at me and gave me a half smile.

"I'm sorry. I was a dick and if you want I can call and apologize to your brother." He said as I gulped.

"Step." I corrected as Stephen chuckled.

I still had the taste of Jack Daniels in my mouth and I wanted to tell Stephen about what happened with me and Alex two nights ago. I wanted to tell him the reason me and him were a little distant was because of my step brother...Alex.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked me as he wrapped gauze around both of my feet.

"Nothing..." But we both knew I was lying...

~

"This is so pretty, Mae! I mean any dress you get you would look absolutely gorgeous in!" Ashton smiled, straighting my veil in the big mirror at David's Bridal.

I shrugged and danced my fingertips across the sequences on the waist of the white wedding dress that cost four hundred and fifty bucks...

"I don't know. Do you think Stephen would like it?" I asked her as she smirked and put her hand on her hip, looking at me in the mirror.

"I'm sure he'll love it." She replied.

Better question would be...Would Alex like it?

"Maybe...I want to try on a different one." I said.

"Mae, come on! You tried on at least ten dresses!" Ashton groaned as I rolled my eyes.

"Sit down and text Jack! I am picking a different one!" I exclaimed as she shook her head and sat down on the small stool in the corner by the mirror and got her phone out.

I walked over to the rack of wedding dresses and picked out one that caught my eye. I gasped and looked it up and down.

"Ash, this is the one." I managed to say as she looked up from her phone and I put the dress up to my skinny body as she grinned and nodded.

"Go try it on!" She shouted as I smiled and ran to the dressing room and slipped off the dress that was on me.

I pulled on the other one and walked out of the dressing room and turned to Ashton as she zipped it up for me.

"You're just...I don't even know what to say." She smiled as I blushed and twirled in front of the mirror.

"This is the one." I sighed happily as she squealed and hopped up and down, hugging me tight as I laughed.

"I can't even believe you're getting married in three weeks to Mr. Surfer Boy!" She giggled as I shrugged and continued to twirl.

"Yep. It seems like a dream. A living nightmare." I muttered.

"Wait. What?" Ashton said as I chuckled and rolled my eyes.

"Nothing. I said it's driven me out of my nightmares." I said as she nodded and gave me a suspicious look.

"Alright then. Well, get the dress already! You look fabulous!" She said as I smiled at the girl looking back at me in the mirror.

I was a whole other different person without Alex by my side. I acted different. I laughed different. I was a total fraud. And I keep on putting on a front and acting like I am happy when I really am not.

I sighed and nibbled my lip as I made Ashton zip me out of the dress and I walked into the dressing room and slipped it off as I put it back on the hanger and walked out in my skinnys and a purple Cami with purple sandals.

"You ready?" Ashton asked, wearing a smile on her pale face as I nodded and we both walked up to the desk as I asked if I could rent the dress and then we paid for it and left. I put the dress in my trunk.

I drove Ashton and I out of the parking lot and to a small smoothie place called, MILK. Here in L.A.

We got out and ordered what we wanted as we sat at a small table in the corner.

"So, have you heard from Alex lately?" Ashton asked me as I shrugged and took a small sip of my strawberry smoothie.

"Jack was talking about him yesterday after we got back." Ashton said as I cocked my eyebrow up at her.

"He said his nose is still sore and he is drinking a lot..." Ashton said as I gulped and rolled my eyes.

Couldn't she see that I didn't want to talk about him or think about him?

"So..." I dazed off at what Ashton was about to say because over the speakers at MILK I heard Alex's voice...Dear Maria, Count Me In.

"Oh my god..." I whispered as Ashton chuckled and gave me a look of sympathy.

"Maybe we should leave?" Ashton said as I nodded fast and I got up before she could and walked out with her behind me.

"Look, I know you're pissed at Alex for being mean to Stephen but-." I cut her off before we could get in my car.

"Who said I was pissed at Alex? I'm pissed at Stephen more then anything...Oh my gosh. Dude, Alex is like...I can't even explain how much I care about him..." I said, shaking my head as Ashton raised her eyebrows up at me.

I rolled my eyes and got in my car as she got in after me and we both slammed our doors at the same time.

"Maybe...you should call him or something?" She said as I shook my head and pulled out of my parking place.

"Calling him will just make it worse for me. I'm torn to tell you the truth, Ash." I said, looking in the rear view mirror, watching out for any cars behind me.

"Torn? Between who?" She asked in confusion.

"Stephen and Alex." I replied flatly as she sipped her orange smoothie and continued to give me a confused look.

"It's not that hard to decide, Mae. Who do you love more?"

Hell, like I know...