As Fate Would Have It

I was broken. Everything inside of me ached. I ran from Ian that day. Threw the pictures in his face and just...ran. I didn't know where I was going, and before long I had ended up so lost that I just broke down. I cried. Even now I don't really remember how long I was leaning against the brick wall, just crying my eyes out. It wasn't until some kind old lady came by and asked me if I was okay. That's when I realized I had no idea where I was, or how to get back. She directed me towards my apartment, and sooner or later, I stumbled my way back.

That was three days ago. Since then, I have packed a bag, went to Ellie's apartment, and not left since. I lay in her bed, tears filling my eyes for what had to be the millionth time when I heard the door to her spare bedroom open. "Savannah, sweetie, you've got to get up," Ellie whispered, climbing into the bed, much like she had for the past few days, and rubbed my shoulder lightly. "You can't let this get to you. It might not even be true."

"Have you seen the pictures?" I chimed, the tears in my eyes becoming so full that they began to pour out slowly. "I can't just forget that."

"I know, I know." Ellie said, sighing at me, "But this cannot cripple you. We're going out. Get up." And with that, she pulled the covered off of the bed and pushed me onto the floor. Sympathy had never really been a strong point of Ellie, but she had been trying lately with me. She knew I was hurting, and she knew that I needed to grieve, but apparently it was time for my grieving process to end. Looking at the clock, I noticed it was about nine o'clock at night. My eyebrow raised, but before I could ask, Ellie had already laid out an outfit for me and started out of the room.

I took a look at myself in the mirror and blinked several times. Judging by how short this dress was, and the hooker heels that had been put out with them, we were going to a club. What in the fuck was Ellie planning?! I tugged at the bottom of the dress, trying desperately to make it longer. It wasn't budging much. "You're moving it the wrong direction," Ellie chimed behind me, walking up behind me and forcing me into a chair. "You are going to get over this whole mess tonight, whether you like it or not." She began to apply make-up to my face like it was nothing.

"I don't think this is..." I started

"I'm sorry, but what you think is a good idea isn't going to fly tonight," Ellie said, taking a look at her work before going back to what she was doing. "If I left this up to you, you would still be in bed." She moved back slightly, putting down her tools of the trade before putting her hands on my legs. "Savannah, I know this hurts, but you need to get back out there. Come out with me tonight, and have a good time. I promise, you won't regret this." The look in Ellie's eyes told me that I just had to trust her.

"Fine," I answered. As soon as the word was out of my lips, there was a knock at the door. My head shot around, looking through her bedroom door towards the front one. "Who the hell is that?!" I practically yelled. Turning back to Ellie, she just smiled, patted my legs and started towards the door. It wasn't until now I took in what she was wearing. A short little shirt and a top that I vaguely remember her wearing once or twice. She looked stunning in them, to say the least. As she opened the door, Max Talbot walked through the threshold without being told. I was surprised to see the man standing behind him though.

James Neal.

-x-

The club was loud enough to drown out your thoughts, which is probably why Ellie had picked it out of all the others. It wasn't even two minutes after we walked through the door that she was dragging Maxime to the dance floor and I was left standing next to James Neal, feeling lost and confused. I hadn't been around any of the team since she saw the pictures. I had refused to answer any of their calls, go anywhere near my apartment of CEC, and wouldn't even go back to my apartment in fear that Kris was there waiting for me. I knew Ellie had at least filled Max in on what was going on, but he hadn't mentioned the incident, or Kris, yet tonight. But it was still early.

"Do you want a drink?"

The words made my jump, but I turned to James, noticing that he was just as nervous as I was. Out of all the guys on the team, I would imagine that he would be used to this by now. There was no doubt that James was good looking. I had always thought so. It took me a minute to register his question before I nodded and walked with him towards the bar. We took a seat and ordered out drinks before he spoke again. "How have you been doing?" He finally asked, looking at me with genuine caring in his eyes.

"Not that great," I answered, playing with the short hem of my shirt. "I don't really know what I'm supposed to do." This was supposed to be my escape. In a way, I didn't want to start talking about Kris and the mess I had gotten myself into. But, I hadn't really talked to anyone about it yet, so maybe it would be best to confined in someone who was basically a complete stranger. "I feel like I can't talk to him about any of this. I...I don't even know what to think."

"I think," James started, but he was interrupted by our drinks being set on the counter. He took a sip before looking back at me and starting again. "I think that you need to talk to him."

Looking at my own drink, I ran a finger over the rim. I let the silence carry on a little too long before I looked up. Those eyes were still on me when I did. I couldn't help but look back at my drink. "How is he?"

James opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, Ellie came walking up, all smiled. She was already slightly glistening with some sweat, but she didn't care in the slightest. Max walked up behind her, quickly taking her in his arms and kissing her neck slightly. "You guys really need to hit the dance floor. Come on Savannah. Please?" Her puppy dog eyes were pleading with me as her hand reached for my drink. I knew that she wouldn't let this go, but maybe I could postpone my trip to the dance floor to get an answer to my question.

"Give me ten minutes," I answered, and she was gone again.

James looked back to me, looking at his own drink now. I sighed, wishing Ellie didn't have the worst timing in the world. I didn't want James to have time to think about his answer, but now he had. I wanted the truth, not some lie about it all. "He's really not doing that well, Savannah," he began. Just at that, I felt the lump grow in my throat. "The one thing he cares about more than anything in the world walked out of his life with no explanation." I opened my mouth to protest, but he shook his head. "He knows why you did it now, but there's a lot more to that story than you understand. Those pictures...they didn't tell everything."

"What else is there to tell?" I spat out before he had time to stop me.

"The only reason he was with that girl was because...I asked him to." James had guilt written all over his face before he continued. "I had this date that night, but she refused to go out with me unless I found someone for her friend. She practically demanded that I ask Kris, so I did," He stopped, looked at me expression, and then went on, "I figured that this girl would just want someone to pal around with, not hang all over. She wouldn't leave him alone all night. Everything you saw was all her. It was my fault he was there, but she...she went after him and would not let up. Savannah, Kris was caught in a terrible situation that I helped to put him in. Don't blame him."

And that like that I was gone. I shot up, knocking over the barstool. I knew that I should be furious with James, but instead I kissed him on the cheek and dashed for the door, knocking people and drinks as I went. I didn't care at all. I needed to fix this. I needed to make sure that everything was alright. As soon as my face hit the cold city air, I looked around, trying to figure out that fasted way to get to him. I had to get to him. Waving down a taxi, I hoped in, not caring that the fare would probably break me. The address flowed from my lips as if it was my own and before I knew it, we were off.