What Makes It Wrong for Us to Fall in Love?

"In," Pat rubbed his palm against my back. "Out,"

I breathed in, then breathed out simultaneous with Pat's words.

Pat had been calming down-- Attempting to calm me and my crying down for at least two hours since we got back to Arizona. We were doing the party thing at Kennedy's place because he was in charge of everything, inclusive of food, drinks, music, other shit.

"Breathe in," He said. "Breathe out." He said again as he pulled his palm away from me and shut his laptop, setting it back down on the floor.

We just figured out I was right. Charlotte did spread the shit about us. She even made the fucking gifs. She even used Photoshop to add effects and shit. Stephen didn't even look at the source, it was right fucking there. -charlottelogan. For Christ's sake.

Her blog was shit to say the least.

"Thanks, Pat." I mumbled as he wrapped his arms around me.

"You're turning twenty tomorrow, it's not fair for you to be crying like this right now."

"I'm turning twenty in four hours." I looked at his watch.

He looked at the his watch as well.

"What did I do wrong? I didn't mean to make Stephen feel cheated. I love him."

"I'm sure you do, sweetheart, but try to understand. He didn't know-- I didn't know. No one did. You were keeping it a secret."

"We just wanted to protect Kennedy."

"I know, Charlotte's a really bad person, I could only understand your need to protect Kenny from her, okay? But you didn't have to keep it a secret. You wanted to protect Kenny. I'm sure you did." Pat comfortingly said. "But just try to understand Stephen."

"He didn't try to understand me." I scoffed.

"Because he was overwhelmed with his emotions. I've seen it happen a billion times, Jess."

"But I'm his girlfriend,"

"You can't stop those things, Jess." He sucked in his lips.

"But,"

"Pat!" A drunk Garrett slurred. "Pat, where are you, baby?!"

Pat looked into the guest room from the terrace where we've been spending the night.

"Baby, there you are!" Garrett smiled.

"This isn't a good time." Pat sighed as he got up to tell Garrett off.

"But baby!" Garrett yelled as he enveloped his best friend in a hug.

I sighed as well. I should've known Pat would've wanted to be somewhere else instead of up in the terrace with me crying my eyes out.

"Gare, get out of here for a while." Pat pushed Garrett off.

"But baby--"

"You weren't even supposed to drink." He scolded.

"So what?!" Garrett laughed. "Everyone downstairs is drinking! Everyone downstairs is drunk and making out! I'd rather be here with you--"

"Is Stephen downstairs?" I casually asked as I tried not to break into sobs.

"Yeah, he's making out with this blonde chick, I think her name is Charlotte--"

"What?"

"Have you been crying though?" Garrett asked as he walked away from Pat.

"No." I mumbled as I got up from the terrace.

"It's pretty fucking obvious, Jess." Garrett pouted. "I hope you're okay."

"Thanks." I muttered as I left the room with Pat and Garrett following me.

"Garrett, don't--" Pat pushed him off. "Don't."

"Aw," Garrett frowned.

I let the two of them walk ahead of me by the stairs.

I was still crying when Kennedy bumped into me halfway the stairs.

He was drunk too. His eyes were glazed and his breath smelled like beer.

He stopped by me. "Babe, are you crying?"

I quietly nodded.

"Babe, what's wrong? Who did this to you?" He put his hands on my waist and pulled me closer to himself.

I shook my head and refused to answer.

"Babe, come on, let's get you out of this mess." He took my hand and started leading me back to the guest room. "Remember when we hung out in my room all the time?"

I nodded.

"Remember when I'd always get called out by my parents for bringing you up there?"

I nodded again.

"And," He closed the door behind him as he and I walked to the bed. "Remember when you'd cry over math and I'd help you,"

"How would I ever forget?"