Best Friends

"Kate, I know you're upset, but will you listen to me?" My dad asked as he followed me inside the house. California was a lot cooler than Arizona, especially since we were in the valley. But that didn't mean I didn't miss home.

"No." He told me I'd be sharing a room with Penelope. It's fair to say that I saw it coming.

"Katelynn," he sighed. I stopped and turned around, and I stared at him.

"What?" I asked.

"I'm sorry. But this is what's happening. I have to know you're okay with it," he said.

"I haven't been okay with it since you told me you were getting married! Dad, you took John away from me," I said, and I stormed down the hallway to my new room. I took my phone out of my pocket, and I texted John my address, and he sent me back a smiley face. I smiled at it, sighing and shoving my phone back in my pocket. I sat down on my bed, staring at the blank wall ahead of me. We'd gotten here three hours ago, and all i had set up was my bed. Of course, Penelope's bed was on the other side of the room covered in pink sheets and blankets. I sighed and leaned back against the pillows.

Penelope entered the room shyly, and when I didn't say anything, she went and started setting up toys and other things. I watched as she moved around her half of the room, and I decided that if I wanted to be warm tonight, I'd have to get a move on with setting my things up and putting my sheets and blankets on my bed. So, I stood up with a groan and headed out to the moving van, grabbing the first thing that was mine, and I headed back inside. I'd grabbed my nightstand, so I lugged it next to my bed, and then I dug around in my suitcase for the photo John gave me, and I put it there, all by its lonesome. I smiled at it, but my happiness was crushed when I heard Drew speak.

"If you stop thinking about him, it won't hurt as much," he said. I glared at him and turned the picture toward the wall so he couldn't see it.

"Get out. Leave me alone," I said. I pushed past him, but he grabbed my arm and held on tightly.

"Let me go!" I yelled, causing my dad to retreat from his room. I yanked my arm out of Drew's grip, and I pushed him away from me so I could walk away. I bumped into Kyle who was on his way to his room. He was really the unlucky one. He had to share a room with Garrett and Drew. I smiled sadly at him, and he returned it.

A couple hours later, I had all my things unpacked, and my feet were killing me, so I decided I'd take a nap. Or at least relax. I sat on my bed, looking over at the photo, and i grabbed it, bringing it to my chest.

The door opened and I heard heavy footsteps, but didn't look up until the photo was yanked from me and tossed on the floor. I looked up at Drew, and then back down to the now broken picture frame. I hopped to my feet, glaring at him.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!? That was a gift!" I shouted. He rolled his eyes and pushed me back on my bed. I glared up at him before losing it and walking over to the picture, making sure i didn't step on any glass. I crouched down and picked up the picture and the broken frame, and tears clouded my vision.

"What the Hell is going on back here!?" My dad asked with Jennifer behind him. I stood up, the frame in one hand, the picture in the other, and I looked at my dad hopelessly. He glanced at Drew, and I could tell he knew exactly what happened.

"Jennifer, can you give us all a moment?" My dad asked. She left, and my dad entered the room, closing the door behind him. He approached, taking the broken frame from me, and he placed it on my dresser. Then he ran his hands through his hair as I stared at the picture. That was then snatched out of my hands, and I yelled as I tried to get it back.

"You give that back!" I said, making my dad look at Drew. I watched as he took it in both hands and ripped it into fourths, and he dropped all four pieces on the floor and left. I sobbed as I crouched down to pick them up, and I stuffed my face into my arms as I leant on my bed for support.

"Katie," my dad said. I just continued to cry. The only thing left that in bad from John, and now that was destroyed.

"Would you believe me if I told you he touched me!?" I asked angrily after rising from the floor.

"Touched you how?" He asked. I ran my hands through my hair and looked down.

"Oh. Oh, my God. That little fucker didn't," my dad said.

"Yeah. He did. That was back at the hotel the morning after the wedding," I said.

"God damnit, Katie. This is fucked up! I just married her!" My dad yelled.

"It's not my fault her son is touching me inappropriately! He's disgusting and creepy and a complete asshole, dad!" I yelled back.

"What did you do after?" He asked.

"Well I was about ready to knee him in the fucking dick, but I threw a cup of water in his face instead," I said. My dad brought me into a hug.

"Is there anything I can do?" He asked. I sighed.

"Help me move out. I really don't want to be here," I said.

"Well, I'm a little low on money because of the wedding, so it'll be a while, but I can do that," he said. I nodded.

"Do you have another picture?" I asked after stepping away from him. He nodded and retreated to his room to get it. He came back and handed it to me, and I took it gratefully.

"Thank you," I said. He nodded.

"Anytime," he said. He left, and then I cleaned up all the glass.

~~

Three months later, and I still hadn't received anything from John in the mail. But, I'd gotten a job at Dimple Records, and I was loving it. My employees were amazing. But the school I was at sucked. Everything about it sucked: the teachers, the students. I hadn't talked to John at all, mostly because I was busy with work, and he probably was too. I missed him though.

So when I arrived home from work, I was ecstatic to see a box for me with a bow on it from John. I set my keys down and opened it, up, seeing the CD he promised. Can't Stop Won't Stop. I squealed excitedly and ran out to my car so I could listen to it in peace. I sat in my car, looking at the tracks, and I recognized all but one. It was called Into Your Arms. I popped the disc into the player, and I surfed until I got to that track, and I rolled the windows down when the intro started. I smiled.

There was a new girl in town
She had it all figured out.
And I'll state something rash
She had the most amazing.... smile

I widened my eyes. This was a love song.

I bet you didn't expect that
She made me change my ways
With eyes like sunsets, baby
And legs that went on for days

I'm falling in love, but it's falling apart
I need to find my way back to the start
When we were in love,
Things were better than they are
Let me back into
Into Your Arms

She made her way to the bar
I tried to talk to her,
But she seemed so far, outta my league
I had to find a way to get her next to me

I'm falling in lo-

I shut it off, my heart beating quickly.

"Hey, why'd you turn it off!?" That familiar voice made me shriek, and I turned around to see John himself standing right next to my window.

"John. Oh my God. You're actually here," I said. I got out of my car, and I flung my arms around his neck. He hugged me back tightly.

"You got taller, and your hair is longer! You're fucking cuter. Oh my shit, O'Callaghan, where's your girlfriend?" I asked. He laughed.

"I don't have one, Katie," he said. My jaw dropped.

"Look at you, writing these love songs and you have no girl?" I asked. He shrugged.

"I actually... wrote that song for you, Katie," he said, and my heart skipped a beat. I stared at him, and he stared back at me.

"Y-You did?" I asked. He nodded.

"It's obvious that I'm in love with you, Katie. And it's obvious that you're in love with me," he said. I smiled and did the only thing I could think of: I kissed him.