Real World: Malibu

I woke up with Chett next to me. I looked at the time on my iPod.

5:43 AM.

I groaned and got out of bed quietly. I changed into shorts and a sports bra. I slipped on running shoes and made my way to the exercise room.

I put my iPod on full blast and put the headphones in.

I worked out intensely for about 45 minutes until I felt someone watching me.

I turned around and saw Chett standing against the door frame.

“Oh hey. Did I wake you ?” I asked, taking out my headphones and taking a drink of water.

“No you didn’t. What’s got you so worked up ?”

“Just this leaving thing.” I lied smoothly.

“I still don’t understand why you’re leaving.” He said softly.

“I don’t belong here anymore.”

“We’re gonna miss you. All of us.”

“I know. But I have to do it.”

“Promise you’ll at least keep in touch ?”

“Of course Chester.” I smiled, hugging him. “I’m gonna go for a run. I’ll see you in a bit.”

He nodded and I walked outside.

I took a final swig of water before running along the beach.

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After a while I stopped, taking a breath.

All of a sudden a hand covered my mouth, and I was pulled into the shadows.

I turned around and saw the black figure that followed me around the mall.

“Why do you keep showing up ? Who are you ?” I said harshly.

He pulled back the hood and I gasped.

“Zack !” I threw my arms around the familiar bass player. “Don’t scare me like that !”

“Hey, you never asked who I was.” He chuckled.

We walked out of the shadows and started to back towards the house.

“Why are you down here ?”

“Well I was home in Cali so I decided to come see you after everything. What’s going on between y’all ?”

“He kissed me yesterday.”

“What !?”

“And I’m leaving Malibu.”

“What ! Why !”

“I can’t handle it here anymore Z.” I sighed.

We talked more and we were back at the house.

“Look who’s here.” I yelled into the house.

Everybody trudged upstairs.

“Zack. My man. What are you doing here ?” Alex said, manhugging him.

“Just came to hang out.” He smiled.

I walked into the kitchen and started making pancake batter.

I felt someone in room and wasn’t surprised to see Alex.

“What do you want ?”

“To talk.”

“We’ve already talked Gaskarth.”

“Seriously ! Hear me out Kay !”

“Why should I hear you out when you didn’t hear me out !”

“Well I was pissed ! Sorry that I didn’t take you kissing another guy well !”

“Oh please !” I hissed, slamming the bowl full of batter on the table between us.“You’ve done worse in other relationships.”

“That wasn’t this relationship !”

“There is no more relationship between us, Alex. You hurt me a million and one times since we’ve known each other, and you’re not doing it again. I’ll be gone soon. So you won’t have to look at me, you won’t have to talk to me, you won’t have to pretend you’ve ever even cared ! I’ll be gone, away from you, and that’s how it’s going to stay.”

I pushed past him, my memorial rings rattling against my chest.

Bry already had his arms open for me. I walked right into him, burying my face in his neck.

“I’m done crying over him, Bry.”

He didn’t say anything. He just hugged me. He knew that he didn’t have to say anything.

Suddenly the phone started ringing.

“I got it.” I pulled away and walked to the phone room.

“Hello ?” I tucked my hair behind my ear.

“Hey Kay !”

“Oh, hey Shawn !”

“Wanna take the gang and go parasailing today ?”

“Yeah absolutely !” I said excitedly.

“I’ll be there at one or so then.”

“Okay, sounds good.”

“Alright, see you then. Bye”

I hung up and walked back to the gang.

“Guys ! We’re going parasailing ! Get dressssed !”

We all got changed and hung around eating, waiting for Shawn. Zack borrowed some of Alex’s clothes.

When he got there, we headed down to the part of the beach where our adventure would begin.

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“That was amazing !” Kennedy shouted as we headed back to the house.

We were all dripping wet, but we had a blast.

“Do you wanna go out and eat ?” Bry asked.

“Yeah, but we definitely need to shower.” See laughed.

We walked into the house, the girls heading straight for some clothes. We decided to dress up a bit; the girls wearing dresses and the boys in nice clothes.

We all walked into the showers, stripping down and quickly stepping into a shower.

I quickly finished and stepped out, wrapping a towel around me.

I turned around and caught Alex’s stare. I broke the eye contact and quickly walked back to my room.

I changed into a dress and flats and combed through my hair. I grabbed my glasses and slipped them on and blew dry my blond hair with black and red under streaks before lightly curling it.

I put in my contacts before grabbing my things and walking upstairs.

We left soon after and went to a nearby Outback Steakhouse.

Before we walked in, I stopped Alex.

“Here.” I opened his hand and placed the necklace he gave me in it before closing his fist gently.

I walked in with the gang before he can say anything.

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Dinner went well, I guess. Besides having to sit across from Alex. We all just talked like normal, even Alex joined in sometimes.

For a minute, I actually felt like when we first got here in June. But ya’know. With Zack and Shawn tagging along.

After dinner we went back to the house and decided to watch a movie. We all laid around the living room as Transformers played.

I felt someone start playing with my hair. I looked up from the floor where I laid against Zack and saw Alex on the couch.

I didn’t say anything, just started watching the movie again.

I felt my attention span shortening, so I started throwing popcorn at everyone.

“I’m gonna go change.” I whispered to Zack.

I got into my room and threw on a pair of boxer shorts and one of Same’s sweatshirts.

I ran upstairs when I heard yelling.

“It’s your fault she’s like this !” Chett yelled.

All the girls were doing their best to keep the boys back from Alex.

“What’s going on ?” I asked, stepping in between the group and Lex.

“Nothing.” Zack said, pulling away from See’s grip.

“Then why the fuck is Alex bleeding ?”

“Zack punched him.” Cass said.

The boys broke free from the girls’ grip.

“Bryan and Kennedy confirmed our suspicions. “ Chett said.

I looked at them questioningly.

“You cut yourself because of Alex.” Zack said.

“Oh.”

“You swore to all of us you would never do it again.”

“I know. I just. I couldn’t handle it. And I had a nightmare that night and the razor was just there.” I started crying again.

“Kay, don’t cry.” Alex said softly.

I wiped my tears. “I’m sorry. I’ll be out of all your ways soon.”

“We don’t want you to leave.” Cass said.

“Please stay.” Kenny said softly.

Everyone else started voicing in their opinion.

“Don’t hit Alex anymore.” I whispered before heading down to my room.

I didn’t know what to do, so I just grabbed Same’s guitar and started playing random song.

My fingers strummed the guitar as my tears hit the strings.