Tobias

I am sitting in bed, watching Elite, standing in the bathroom, straightening her hair. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for your own bachelorette party?" She asks. "Ash's best man is getting everything in the hotel's bar." I say. "Oh, each and every one of you boys is getting a stripper for the night, then?" She jokes. I let out a light laugh. "I don't like strippers much, you know that." I say. "Your dad?" She asks. "They bring back memories, I chose to bury." I say. "I am sorry." She says, putting on lipstick. If anyone saw Elite now and compared her to last night, they would definitely find a lot of differences. Seeing her all broken down last night, broke my heart. I don't know what to do. I have no mother to ask for advice. I am thinking about calling Tessa. "I gotta go." She says. A sliver dress with straps is covering her small tall body. "Have fun." I say, as she pecks my lips. "You, too." She says and leaves the room. As soon as she leaves the room, I dial Tessa's number.

"Ready to party laids!!" Oliver, Ash's best man says. He's a fair guy with black long hair. He keeps it into a small ponytail. Small eyes and a medium nose. His lips are massive. A mustache covers a good part of his big lips. We enter the bar that was reserved just for us. Girls in short sparkly dresses roam the place, with drinks. I sit at the bar as Albert and Oliver hype Ash to drink a lot of beer. "Okay?" Alexander sits into the chair beside me. "Yep." I say, nodding my head. "Weird is it?" He says. I look at him. "To choose one person for the rest of your life." He continues, looking at me. "Yeah, odd enough." I say, taking a sip from the whiskey cup, the bartender left by my side.

"This is deep shit right there." She says, sighting into the phone. I close my eyes, knowing she's totally right.

"You and Ruby knew each other, huh?" He starts. "Yeah. High school. Senior year." I say. "She never mentioned you, really. No offense." He says. "Non taken, really. We didn't exactly have a good history." I say as the memories flow back to me.

"I am not sure what to say, Tobi. You have to eventually choose. And remember she has a choice as well." Tessa says.

"I am sorry. What happened?" He asks. "She didn't tell you, then?" I ask. "No. She rarely talks about her past." He says. "I am sure there is a reason, then." I say with a shrug. "Yeah." He sights. "She's a special girl, Alexander. A really special one. You should know that." I say out of the blue. I look at him. He's looking back at me. "Yeah, I know that." He says. "Good." I say, looking back at a girl giving Oliver a shoulders massage.

"I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want to hurt El or Ruby. I want them both safe and happy." I say, burying my eyes into my hand. "Someone has to get hurt eventually, Tobi. It's life." She says in that tone that makes her sound a lot like mom.

My thoughts are a slur. My mind is messy. The liquor messed up my whole system. "You're such a fucking whore, I love it!!" I yell with the others, Kanye's music is blasting through the bar. We laugh as we drink a lot more. I feel my phone as it vibrates in my pocket. I leave the crowd, exiting the bar. The street is crowded and chilling. I take out my phone. I answer the incoming call. "Hello." I say with a slur. "Tobi? It's me, Tessa." Her soft voice says. "What do you want? To fucking call me an asshole again?" I ask.

"You did this to yourself! I told you to leave to come with me! You wanted to stay in this damned house! You're an asshole for breaking this girl and leaving her right after her brother was murdered!" She yells into the phone, setting my nerves on fire.

The memory comes out of nowhere. "I am calling to apologize." She says. "I don't need your apology, Tessa! I needed your fucking help! You just made things worse." I yell into the phone as my words slur. "I know. I just. I am sorry." She says. I chuckle drunkly. "You said some mean things, too!" She starts at me. I go into a side alley. I lean against the wall.

"Where were you, huh? When he fucking shot her? Where were you? You were on a trip with your fucking friends! You chose to shut up as well as I did! I was only a fucking kid!" I yell into the phone, knowing I will regret all of this later. I can hear her cry on the other line.

"I am sorry." I say as I sit down on the ground. "I am sorry for being such a dick. I am sorry I am such a fucking asshole. I am sorry I turned out a lot like him." I cry into the phone. "No, Tobias. No, you're not like him. You will never be. You're much better." She says, sounding a lot like mom. "I miss her so much, Tess. I miss our mom." I cry like a child. "I miss her, too. I really do." She joins in. We both cry into the line. "I am coming home. I want to see you and Anne." I sniff. "Oh, she would be so happy." She says, sniffing as well. "Remind me in case I wake up totally not remembering this." I say with a chuckle. She laughs. "Okay, then. Take care." She says as we hang up. I dial in another number. Her number. It takes me straight to voicemail. "Hey, I need to say a couple of words. This is gonna be messy." I say.