Jason's POV

I stared at the blank canvas in front of me and then drew in a deep breath.

I needed it all to go away.

This.....emptiness.

I couldn't seem to get it out of my head,the image of her running.

I couldn't seem to forget the sight of Dre pursuing her..of Dre hitting her.

I dipped my paintbrush into my palette and then made a bold dark stroke across the canvas. The black paint stained the white canvas instantly.

A visual representation of darkness in light.

I didn't want to live like this.....I didn't want to be like this anymore.

I didn't want to feel so ....damaged all the time.

Honestly,I would give up everything if it meant I got to lead a normal life. If it meant I got to throw silly high school parties every once in a while. If it meant I got to get drunk on cheap alcohol once in a while.  If it meant so many deaths didn't have to happen around me.

Every stroke on the canvas was heavier than the previous one. And I let the colors consume me. I let myself drown in the painting because it meant that for a few seconds,I would get to forget....to feel numb.

Twelve years ago my therapist had told me it was okay to talk. She said it was toxic to keep things in.

"It's okay to be a boy sometimes." She had told me. I wished she could see me now.....see the person I'd become.

Who could I talk to now?

How would anyone understand?

Who would choose to stay if I showed them the demons in my closet?

I exhaled loudly,feeling hot,wet liquid roll down my cheeks.

I think I finally understood it now.... Whatever drove Ruby to the bridge that night,I think I finally understood it.

I think i finally understood the pain....The feeling of not wanting to be damaged anymore.

The sudden vibration of my phone in my back pocket Snapped me out of my trance,causing me to drop my palette.  I cursed out loud as I pulled out the phone and glanced at the screen.

Due to my sudden disappearance over the last few days, I'd earned myself a good number of unread messages from Roxi,from Tyler and the rest of the group. But today was different. Today,I stared at the digits of the unknown number that'd texted me.  Just then my phone beeped,signaling another text had just entered. This time it was from Tyler.

"Hey man. You've been awfully distant these days. Is everything okay?"

Beep.

Another text.

"You know you can talk to me.... That's what brothers are for."

I glanced at the screen and then scowled.

Could I really?

Could I really trust him to keep my secret? To keep Andres secret?

Beep.

Beep.

"Brie's really worried about you. We all are. Please tell me you didn't skip town again?"

"By the way,Ruby asked for your number earlier. I had no choice but to give it to her. You guys are working together for the project anyway."

Beep.

"Jason be good to her."

I sighed and then ran my fingers over my face,noticing the paint stains on the sleeves of my shirt.

Fuck.... I'd just bought it.

I glanced at the text message from the unknown number and then exhaled.

"It's Ruby. Text me your address." It read. I pouted and then tucked my phone in my pocket.

I needed to be alone.  I needed sometime to be able to think....to get my thoughts together. I mixed some new colors in a clean blanket and then reached for my paintbrush but for some reason, I found myself reaching for my phone in my back pocket instead.

"Text me yours."

Kimberly's POV

Keenan was avoiding me.

That much was as clear as day.

Worse still,I had no idea what I had done this time.

It was astonishing how quickly he could switch up on me.

How he could be hot one minute and cold the next.

At first,I'd wondered if I'd chewed too loudly during our date. If I'd laughed too loudly,if I'd used the wrong utensils at the wrong time.

And then,I'd wondered if it was the sex.

I'd wondered if I was bad,too inexperienced for him.

Of course,I never had the chance to ask him myself. He was gone everyday before I woke up and he returned at early hours in the morning when I was fast asleep. Every single day except today. He sat beside me in the back seat of the rolls Royce but even at that,he'd been on his phone the entire way back home.

New York.

It was frustrating really.

The fact that one moment,I mattered and the next he barely even noticed me.

The fact that I craved his attention more everyday.

I sighed under my breath as the car pulled over behind a silver Bentley parked by the side of the road.

"Sure thing Senator Aldrich. Let me put some thought into it and get back to you." Keenans voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "Of course, it's always an pleasure doing business with you. " He said and then sighed,lowering the phone from his ear. He finally turned to look at me and even though though he hadn't said anything yet, I turned to face him,giving him my full attention.

"Paul will take you home."  His expression was stoic as he spoke. He broke his gaze away and then glanced down at his wristwatch. I opened my mouth to say something and then shut it,the words seemingly stuck in my throat. I drew in a deep breath and then exhaled.

It was pointless to say anything. He was glancing down impatiently at his wristwatch again.

"I have some business to take care of in Italy. I'll be back in a few days." He added as Paul alighted from the driver's seat. He pulled the door to the passengers seat open. Keenan turned to the door and then turned back to face me,our eyes meeting.

And maybe it was just my wishful thinking but I could have sworn he was hesitating. I could have sworn his hand inched closer to mine. I could have sworn his pupils dilated.

After a moment of awfully painfully silence,he broke his gaze away and then alighted from the car.

"Keenan." I breathed,my voice barely audible. I was unsure of whether or not he heard me but if he did, he didn't look back.

Guyssssss.....I'm really sorry about the late update.
I'm also sorry if some of you feel like Keenan is being really confusing,or being an asshole. He had his reasons and I promise, he'll come around soon.

Please vote and comment and share.

Love,Chay.