Breakdown.

F O U R T H.

26 Hours Later


Somehow, Kayla had managed to get me out of bed and into the shower. Even though I truly felt that I was making the right decision, I was still miserable for some reason, so I didn't end up far. While she sat in the dining room typing away on her laptop, I was sprawled across the couch in the living room. There was a movie playing on the T.V., but I wasn't paying much attention to it, and both of my hands were occupied by a pudding cup and a silver spoon.

Kayla's Blackberry vibrated loudly against the glass table-top, catching my attention. She quickly snatched up the phone, reading the new text she had gotten. No more than ten seconds later, there was a knock at the door.

Peeking over the top of her computer at me, she asked, "Can you get that for me, Bree?"

I rolled my eyes, swallowing a spoonful of my chocolate pudding. "You're closer."

"Please?" She looked back down at her screen. "I'm working on something important."

Sighing dramatically, I pulled myself from the couch. I set my snack onto the coffee table before making my way towards the front door. I didn't bother checking the peep-hole, assuming it was only Jeremy, Kayla's boyfriend.

But boy, was I wrong.

I jerked the door open and was immediately met with a pair of familiar eyes. His hair was much shorter than it had been before and was hidden by a backwards hat. A black backpack was slung over his shoulder and he gripped the straps of a duffel bag, which told me he hadn't even been home yet.

"Wha... W-what are you doing here, Dylan?" I asked lowly, breaking our eye-contact to stare at the ground.

He scoffed. "You really thought I wasn't gonna come? Isn't that why you finally decided to call me after a week? To get me home?"

My cheeks reddened. I guess I had been naive to think that Dylan wouldn't come back to me once he found out about everything. I had known him long enough to know that he would never let me deal with something like this all on my own.

I shut my eyes tightly, holding back tears as I went to slam the door in his face. But he was too quick. He stuck his long arm out, stopping it, and slipped inside the house.

As he dropped his luggage to the floor, I looked over my shoulder at Kayla, wondering if she would help me get him out of here.

She closed her laptop and held it under her arm as she walked past us. "I'll leave you two alone."

Apparently not.

I glared at her back as she walked out of the apartment before looking at Dylan. His face didn't show much emotion, which annoyed me. I couldn't tell if he was mad, sad, or even upset at all. We both knew that we weren't ready to have a kid right now, so for all I knew, he could've been happy.

I groaned loudly, yanking at my hair as I walked back to the living room. I heard his heavy footsteps behind me, and I didn't even make it to the couch before he grabbed my arm and turned me around.

"What do you want?" I growled, pushing at his chest to get out of his grip.

"Stop it!" He practically yelled as he pulled me into his chest. He clung to my body tightly, his arms wrapped around my shoulders. My nose was buried into his shirt and my eyes burned. "Stop fighting me."

"S-stop, Dylan. Go away." I mumbled as confidently as I could.

"No." His voice was stern. "I canceled the rest of the fucking tour to be here. I'm here to be with you. I'm not letting you give up that easily."

A single droplet slid down my cheek. "But it's so hard..."

His chest rumbled as he let a shaky breath escape his lips. "I know. I'm sorry."

He ran his hand over my hair as I held back the sobs that sat in my throat. My body shook slightly and he tightened his grip, holding me closer if that was even possible. My knees buckled and I would've fallen if he hadn't been there.

"Me too." I croaked, the tears staining his shirt. "I'm sorry too. I'm so sorry."

"How the hell did we wind up like this? Why weren't we able to see the signs that we missed and try turn the tables? I wish you'd unclench your fists and unpack your suitcase. Lately, there's been too much of this, but don't think it's too late. Nothing's wrong just as long as you know that someday I will, someday, somehow, I'm gonna make it all right but not right now. I know you're wondering when."