Choose Me, Not Him

Chester awoke from a dream, a nice one too, but he didn't open his eyes. He didn't want to because that would prove she was gone. She always left in the morning, so quiet, leaving him to wake up alone. He slowly turned on his side and reluctantly opened his eyes. To his surprise, the smooth contures of her body were under the sheets still. A small smile came to his lips and he wondered if she was done with leaving him. If this is where she would stay from now on. He loved her so much, there was nothing else to say but that. She was perfect for him, he only wished she could see that he was perfect for her.

There was a buzzing behind his head and he looked back to see her phone vibrating on the nightstand. He took it and looked at the lit up screen. 5 New Text Messages from: Derek. Chester's eyes narrowed as he read them. They all said the same thing: Where are you?

Chester looked over at the girl beside him, then deleted all five messages. She didn't need to read them. Her and Derek didn't love the same that him and her did. She refused to have an intimate relationship with Derek, only with Chester. That had to mean something right? She was a complicated person, Chester knew very little about what went on in her head, and Derek knew even less. He was ignorant and a complete ass who figured he could mold a girl into any way he wished. But with Kylee, he couldn't.

Chester turned on his side and kissed her shoulder and then her neck. "Let me see those blue eyes of yours."After a moment, her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him. "Morning, beautiful,"he smiled and kissed her. She kissed him back, but then pulled back with a jerk.

"What time is it?"she asked suddenly, her face worried. Chester showed her phone's screen. "Shit!"she swore, scrambling out of bed and grabbing for her t-shirt and jeans laying on the floor where they'd been thrown the night before.

"What's wrong?"he asked cooly, knowing the answer before it left her lips.

"I was supposed to meet Derek more than an hour ago! Dammit!" Kylee searched around for her socks before she found them under the bed.

"You don't have to go,"said Chester.

Kylee looked at him and she noticed the look on his face. "Chester...I'll be back."

"No."

Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "What?"

"No,"Chester said again, not meeting her eyes. "If you're leaving, don't worry about coming back."

Her face was shocked, her blue eyes had gone wide."Chester..."

His head shot up to glare at her with an angry intensity, making her flinch. He'd never looked at her like that before. "I am tired of being second place, Ky. I don't want to be the third party, the person to come running to when something goes wrong. That's not what I'm here for."

"Chester, come on."

He shook his head. "I have been waiting for you for six months, and I'm sick of it. You have to pick one of us. I'm tired of waiting. You're marrying him because of your dad. I get it. But, I don't want you to change. I can give you anything he can, plus I can make you happy. I love you. I'm asking you..."he looked into her eyes with a different kind of intensity now. "Choose me, not him."

Kylee stared back at him, the room deathly quiet as Chester waited for her answer. "I can't,"she finally whispered, shaking her head. "He's...he's the one I..."

The pain on Chester's face made her stop and he tossed her phone to her. "Just leave,"he said and turned his face away from her.

Silently, she left the room. She walked out the door, looking back one last time at the large house. Just like she figured, the happiness was gone, but this time it didn't even linger in the house like usual. When he'd told her to leave, it had died there. Died there with that look of hurt on his face.

She got into her car and drove. She didn't know where, just away. Let me see those blue eyes of yours. Derek couldn't make her feel so loved with such a simple statement. He couldn't put that much compassion and love into his voice. Not like Chester. But now Chester was pissed at her and did she really blame him?

He was right. It hit home so hard, it hurt. They both loved their music, loved each other, so why was she choosing Derek over him? There was a feeling of duty to her dad. Sure, she'd fallen in love with Derek at one time. Their meeting had been coincidence, that led to "puppy love". It was only a crush to Kylee, that ended when she’d met Chester. However, her dad was gun-hoe on her marrying Derek and she couldn't let down the man that had given up his life to raise her by himself. He wanted her to get married to someone who could support her, give her everything she wanted, make her one of those homemakers and not let her work.

But she loved to work, loved her music too much. Derek couldn't except that lifestyle. His dad was a top lawyer in the country, and he was following in his footsteps. He'd be a billionaire before he hit thirty. Chester could give her anything she wanted, he could support her too. He was in Linkin Park for God's sakes! When the answer was so clear, why was she lingering on it?

Almost an hour later, Kylee pulled up to her apartment building. She got inside and immediately called Derek. When he answered, she hurriedly tried to explain about an emergency meeting she'd had with the band.

"We were supposed to have breakfast,"he said flatly.

"Yeah, I know. I'm really sorry."

"Brunch then."

"Sure?"

"Good, I'll come pick you up. We'll meet my parents somewhere."

"Great. Awesome."If there's one thing Kylee couldn't stand about Derek, it was his revoltingly rich, stuck-up parents. His mom was pure hell, constantly complaining about all of Kylee's tattoos and her white hair. Kylee almost smiled. She didn't have even half as many tattoos as Chester, so technically it wasn't that bad. Most weren't usually visible either. Chester was the only one who knew where they all were...

Kylee hung up and went and took a hot shower, trying to push Chester from her mind. She couldn't be with him. It just didn't feel right. Stepping out of the shower, a thought she didn't want to consider wormed itself into her head. Or maybe it felt just right.

She shook her head and put on a nice blouse and slacks. She hadn't ever owned anything like them until she'd met Derek. It seemed like she had to look nice every time she was with him in fear that he–or his parents–judged her. She usually wasn't a self-conscience person.

Derek came about ten minuets later and she went to have a torturing time, that idea of Chester being just right still worming itself into her mind.

--

"What?"Kylee finally demanded, catching her best friends look as they sat at her small table, discussing next week's gig.

"Oh, nothing,"Teal said and shrugged.

Kylee's eyes narrowed. "What's wrong, Teal?"

"You're still with Chester, aren't you?"Teal asked, her tone sounding like she already knew the answer. Out of all of the Dark Labrynth members, the girl drummer was the only one that knew of Kylee's affair with the other singer.

Kylee pushed her bangs back from her forehead. "Not really."When Teal looked at her questionably, she explained. "He kicked me out."

"I don't blame him." Kylee glared at her. "Look,"she sighed. "If I were guy and I really loved a girl, I wouldn't want to be used just as her sex toy." Kylee's glare became more lethal. "I'm not saying you exactly do that, but...Kylee, let's face it. You have been leading him on. He honestly thought you'd give up on Derek. He still thinks that."

"How do you know?"Kylee mumbled.

Teal seemed somewhat uncomfortable. "Mike and I sorta... have been discussing it."

"You what?!"exclaimed Kylee, shooting up from her chair.

"I knew this was probably gonna end badly. Mike thought it was probably gonna end badly. Chester talks to him. You talk to me. We're the only two who know about this whole thing. We tell each other what you guys say. Just think of us as the middle man–men."

"I can't believe you'd do that!"her friend snapped.

"Well, you know what Chester's thinking now. He told Mike that he thinks you'll still come back. That you're not done. Kylee, you've gotta tell him you are, if you are still keen on getting married to Derek. Tell him that you and Derek are getting married, before this thing drags on anymore."Teal's voice was almost begging. "I know you and Chester are great together, but do it for his sake. And your's."
--

Kylee pulled up the driveway and slowly walked up to the door. Her heart pounded in her ears as she knocked on the door. She'd used to just walk in. Some little part inside her, the same little idea that been squirming around before–-told her not to do this; that she was making a mistake. But there was a bigger part of herself that said she had to do this, that it was for the best.

Chester opened the door, and seeing her, his face became hard as stone. "What do you want?"he asked and leaned against the door frame.

Kylee took in a deep breath before she spoke. "I"m sorry that I hurt you. I used you and you have every right to call me a bitch and hate me. I won't be coming back. I've got some growing up to do...But marrying Derek doesn't mean we have to hate each other."On the last sentence, her voice quavered.

Chester didn't say anything, just stared at her. Then, to her shock, he stepped forward and kissed her. His hands were on both sides of her head, keeping her from escaping this guilty pleasure of his. She gave up on resisting and kissed him back. One last time, she thought. That's it.

Chester pulled back and looked into her eyes, his face remaining inches from her's. His voice was breathless."Choose me, not him. Tell me you love me."

Kylee looked into his eyes and her hands covered his. Slowly, she pulled his hands away. She knew what she was about to say would kill him inside. But she had to do it. "I don't love you, Chester. You were just a distraction. Its over." Then she quickly turned away and got into her car, leaving Chester alone on the steps.

Her vision blurred and she pulled over to wait for the tears to pour themselves out before she could drive again. He loved her and she knew that. He'd told her that, told her he'd never hurt her. And she was the one that had hurt him. She couldn't love him back and for what reason? Greed, luxury...Sure, she said it was because of her dad, but if it came down to it, he only wanted her to be happy too. New tears formed in her eyes and she buried her face in her hands. She was so confused, her feelings completely lost in the hurricane of despair that was overcoming everything else.

--

Kylee's phone vibrated beside side her, and sighing, she turned down the radio that was blaring Three Days Grace. Usually in times of strong emotional issues, it'd be Linkin Park, but that involved listening to Chester's voice. She grabbed her phone while keeping another hand on the wheel. Mike. "Crap,"she muttered. Hopefully, he was just calling her to inform her of the recording session they had today, but she doubted it. It'd been only yesterday she'd visited Chester."Hey, Mike,"she said as casually as she could.

"Hi, ready for the recording?"he sounded almost happy when he spoke.

A wave of relief went over Kylee. "Yeah, you bet."

"Good."There was silence on the other end and Kylee almost thought he'd hung up. "Ky, can I ask you a question?"

"You just did–"

"Don't go there,"he said, his voice completely different now. "Why'd you do that to him?"

"I had to, Mike. I had to pick one–"

"You've pretty much killed him, Ky. After Teal told me what you did, I finally had to go over there because he wasn't answering any of our calls. The guys are worried about him, but I can't tell them what's making him do this, because he won't let me."

"Mike, I can't help it. I let it go on. I let it happen in the first place. I screwed up, I know. But...just help him out, okay? Please?"she begged.

"He says he still loves you. He's incomplete without you. Can't live without you. All that stuff. He's drinking himself stupid. Seriously, Ky, I've never seen him so screwed up like this."

"What do you want me to do, Mike?" Kylee snapped. "I want to marry this guy! I still love him too. I love him more than Chester. Chester was just...a distraction."Those sentences were all lies, she knew it, but she didn't let Mike know, because she was trying to get herself to believe it first.

"You sure?"Mike asked. How did he know her so well?

"Look can we talk about this later. I gotta go."She didn't wait for a reply and hung up. She got the paper bags of food out of the back and climbed the steps to her apartment.

She unlocked the door and stepped inside. "Where have you been?" Kylee almost screamed and whirled around. Derek was sitting on her couch, his legs crossed and his arm stretched out on the back of the couch. He was a handsome guy, tall and well-muscled from all time he spent at the gym.

"Groceries,"she said, showing him the bags and then setting them on the table.

"Make any detours?"

Kylee looked at him quizzically. "No..."

"Really? Because it seems you've been making quite a few of those lately,"Derek said, leaning forward and opening a folder on the coffee table. Kylee saw they were photographs, but she didn't know of what until he showed her. It was a picture of her the day before, telling Chester good-bye. "Who is this man?"

Kylee swallowed hard. "A friend."

Derek smirked. "Oh, really?"his voice was deadly poison as he shuffled through the pile of photographs. "I found out your 'friend's' name; Chester Bennington and he's the singer for some band called 'Linkin Park'. And, oh, what a coincidence that the other singer is Mike Shinoda, your new record contractor."Kylee shook her head at how naive Derek was. He knew nothing about them, acting like he'd never heard of them before, when he should have known they were her favorite band.

"You two look pretty friendly here,"he said, showing her the picture of when Chester kissed her. Kylee opened her mouth. "Don't make excuses! You let him kiss you! The photographer mentioned how he could have used a whole role of film with the amount of time you two did...that!"

"You had someone spying on me,"Kylee accused between clenched teeth.

"Good thing I did." He looked at her with a dangerous look. "Tell me, is this the only time you've seen this man. Or was there something else?"

"It just sort of happened,"was all Kylee dared to say.

Derek sneered. "What 'just sort of happened'? Did you sleep with this guy?"Kylee didn't say anything. "Did you?!"

"What's it to you?"She was suddenly slammed into the wall with such force, it knocked the breath out of her.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that, you little bitch!" Derek snapped, pinning her shoulders to the wall.

Kylee struggled to get away, but Derek threw her to the side, her head smacking against the coffee table. Disoriented, she scrambled blindly to get up with blood running down her face, only to have Derek's hand snare into her white hair. He swore at her as she continued to struggle, and finally managed a quick elbow jab into his gut. He gasped and released his grip and she tried to crawl away only to be back-handed in the side of the head. Grabbing her by the front of her shirt, his fist collided with her jaw twice before he threw her down in a heap on the ground.

She barely had time to react as his foot slammed into her stomach continually. She tried to get into the feeble position, tears pouring down her face. The hot, iron taste of blood was potent on her tongue, when her mind finally dropped her into a dark pool of agony.