DEAN.

The overwhelming heaviness I feel on my chest this morning is almost unbearable. I try to take a deep breath as I sit up from the couch, resting my elbows on my knees and bury my head in my hands.

It was Scarlett's parents your father killed in the accident.

That had to just be a bad dream, right? I run my hands through my hair and stand up from the couch. I don't even remember going to sleep out here. I make my way down the hall to the bathroom to take a piss when I see my bedroom door open. I step in and see that my entire bedroom has been thrashed. Posters are ripped up, my desk and chair are knocked over, and there is a good size hole in the drywall. The only thing untouched is the picture of Scarlett and I that rests on my nightstand.

I pick up the picture and run my finger over Scarlett's beautifully captured face. Last night wasn't a dream after all. This nightmare that is becoming my life is in fact real and now the girl that I am completely and undeniably in love with is a victim of this nightmare.

I pull out my phone and pull up Dex's number and press call. After two rings he picks up.

"Hey man, what's up?" His voice is raspy and I can tell he must have just woken up. What time is it anyway? I pull the phone from my face and look at the time. 6:00 A.M.

"Shit, sorry bro, I didn't even realize what time it was."

"It's cool. Everything good or what?"

"Actually, Dex, it's far from it. Can you come over later? I...I really need your help."

"Give me ten minutes. I will be right over."

I nod as if he can see me and hang up the phone. I don't bother to change, I would rather wallow in my boxers and stay in my bed. I shove off the shit on my bed and bring my knees up, wrapping my arms around my legs. I must have blacked out from the rage that fueled me last night, because I didn't even notice the dried blood on my knuckles. I look at the hole in my wall once more and replay it in my head. I was screaming and I only seen red when I stormed off from my mother to my bedroom when I started what I would call Hurricane Dean.

I rest my head back to the wall and stare at the ceiling when I hear light footsteps approaching. Too light to be Dex.

"Honey? Are...are you okay?" My mother asks. I look at her as she sits down on the bed. Her face is drained and she sighs as she looks at my bedroom.

"No, mom. I really am not okay right now." I say through gritted teeth.

I watch as a single tear rolls down her pale cheek and she wipes it away. She opens her mouth and is about to say something when the doorbell rings.

Saved by the bell, literally. I know this is in no way her fault, but I can't talk with her about this right now.

"That's Dex." I announce and look away from my clearly distraught mother. She nods and exits my bedroom; I assume to answer the door.

I assumed correctly, as not even a minute later, in walks Dex.

"Hey man, so what's going on? Your mom okay?" Dex asks as he walks in my room. "Holy shit, what the fuck happened in here?" He looks at his surroundings, and his eyes grow wide. My room is usually clean.

I nod towards the door, indicating to shut it. Dex shuts the door and picks up the chair from the ground, stands it upright and sits backwards on it, resting his forearms on the back of my chair.

"Since the story is rather long and fucked up, I will just give you the shorter version. Believe me it is just as fucked." I exhale, running my fingers over my face.

Dex nods and lets me continue. "So, for starters, I asked Scar to the prom last night. She said yes and it was going so good until it started to rain, cutting our night a little short. That is, until the moment we got into my jeep and we both admitted how we feel about each other."

"You finally told her that you are in love with her?" About fucking time." Dex interrupts.

"Yes, I did tell her. I have been wanting to tell her since the weekend we all went to the cabin." I exhale, and take a beat before continuing. "One thing led to another, and well, I ended up having sex with her. And I am talking mind blowing, best sex, and true love making sex. Everything, from the way her body seemed to fit in my hands or how her hair sprawled out on the trunk of my jeep, the way our bodies entangled. I have never in my life, felt something like it."

I pause and Dex cocks his brow with a fat grin. "So, let me get this straight, you finally tell the girl you're in love with how you feel, and not only does she feel the same but you also made love to her. Tell me where the problem is here?"

"The problem is, is that I found out more about the people that died in the car accident." Dex is the only person that knows the full story about the accident and why my mother and I decided to change the story.

For my mother's sake and the restaurant, we decided to tell people that my father was having an affair and decided to up and leave us behind; it isn't a far stretch from the truth. The truth just isn't good for business. See, my father was having an affair, and when my mother discovered my father's infidelity, she called him when he was with her and told him that she wanted a divorce.

My father, the piece of shit that he is, decided it was necessary to wallow in his own self-pity by getting drunk at a bar and then texting my mother saying he was coming home to be with her and that he was done with what's her face. Only thing is, he didn't make it home. He made it halfway before ramming his truck into a car, killing two people on impact. My mother told me I couldn't attend the trials because she didn't want me to see my father like that. I never heard my father's victims' names till last night.

"Paul and Elaine Montgomery." I mutter. Dex looks confused momentarily before he catches on, the color draining from his face as it has mine. "It was Scarlett's parents Dex. My father took away the parents from the very girl I completely gave myself too last night."

Dex gasps and then covers his mouth. "Holy fuck." He says against the palms of his hands.

My phone vibrates as a message comes in from an unknown number.

Well, well. Looks like little miss softball doesn't know all ur secrets huh? We need 2 talk lover boy. Be at my house in twenty minutes. –Phoebe.

The fuck?

How could she possibly know? This bitch has the worst fucking timing.

I rub my temples out of frustration and text her back saying fine.

I get off the bed and grab a pair of jeans out of my dresser and a shirt from my closet while Dex remains silent, staring blankly at where I was sitting on the bed.

"Dean, you need to tell her." He finally speaks.

I pull my shirt over my head and cover my torso and then sit back on the bed so that I can put my shoes on.

I shake my head. "Dex, I can't. Do you know what that will do to her? She just started playing ball again. How would she feel finding out that not only did I lie to her about my dad, but that my dad is the reason her life fell apart."

I bend down to tie my shoes, avoiding Dex's glare when he speaks his mind. "Yes, your father might have torn her life apart, but not completely. I mean, she met you right? Your paths would have never crossed otherwise. You two are in love Dean. She can forgive you for the lie and eventually she can move on from your father's mistake. His mistakes are not your own."

I look up at Dex after finishing tying my shoes and stand up to begin searching for my keys. I know he is right. He is absolutely right. My father's huge mistake is not my mistake, but I lied to her this entire time and to top it off, his mistake cause this ripple effect to where she was a victim in said mistake. I can't tell her. Not right now. This would completely destroy her, but I know that I can't continue lying to her. Though, if she never found out the truth, she wouldn't despise me.

After scattering through all the shit on my floor, I finally find my keys on the floor under the knocked over trash bin. They dangle as I pick them up and grasp onto them. My stomach feels uneasy when I think about what I am about to do. The thought of going to Phoebe's house and seeing her makes me feel nauseas and it brings an unsettling feeling. What does she know? The curiosity and the worry I feel for my girl, is the only reason that I am even considering this.

"Where are you going?" Dex asks as he follows me out the front door. I didn't even realize I hadn't been talking to him or even bothered to tell him where I was going.

"Phoebe's." I admit.

I hear Dex's footsteps immediately stop as I click the unlock button and open the door to my jeep.

"Dean don't do this. Don't become that guy. Phoebe is no good and you know that. You owe it to Scarlett to be honest. You love her, don't hurt her."

I slam the door once I get in and rev the engine up, rolling my window down to yell at Dex for even thinking that cheating is something I would ever consider. Especially when I have a girl like Scarlett. I am not fucking blind, I know what I have.

"You don't fucking get it Dex, what's been done is already going to hurt her. More than she can imagine, if she finds out the truth. And I am not going over there for that. There is just-there's just something I need to fucking figure out." I say through gritted teeth instead of screaming.

I watch as Dex puts his hands in his pockets and watch my best friends face fall with disappointment as he looks at me. "Whatever reason why you are going over there, or for doing what it is that you're doing, doesn't overweigh the damage you are making."

I pull up to Phoebe's house, and as soon as I park my jeep alongside the curb, Phoebe walks out of her front door and stands with her hands on her hips and a devilish grin. Dex's words have haunted me the whole drive over and I feel that whatever it is Phoebe has to say may make it worse.

Before I get out of my jeep, Phoebe opens the passenger door and plops herself on the seat, closing the door behind her.

"You have always been punctual." She says with a sassy tone.

I roll my eyes and mutter to myself what I would really like to say to her, instead I say, "What is it Phoebe? You had me come over, so spill it."

Phoebe's evil chuckle fills my jeep and I close my eyes tightly, leaning my head back on the headrest, and grip the steering wheel, hard enough to turn my knuckles white. I knew this was a bad idea. Just the sound of her voice and laugh causes my bones to shake.

"I have a proposition for you." She says. I am astounded that she can even say such big words. I keep my eyes closed as she continues, last thing I want is to look at her while she offer's whatever proposition she has. "Dump Scarlett and be with me again."

My eyes open wide and I look over at Phoebe. She has completely lost her fucking marbles. I can't help but laugh at her. "Are you fucking nuts? Why would I do that?"

"Oh, you'll do it. That is, unless you want little miss softball to know that your father is the person that killed her beloved parents." My mouth falls open and she smirks at my reaction. Knowing full well, she has me now.

"H-how? How do you know that?" I mutter.

"Lover boy, have you completely forgotten who my mother is?" She boasts. "Attorney Tillman. AKA, your father, Michael Connors attorney." My eyes feel like they may pop out of their sockets. My mind racing as I take in everything she just dumped on me. I knew Mrs. Tillman was the attorney, but that shit is supposed to be kept confidential. How the hell did Phoebe find out?

As if she can read my mind she answers me, "I thought I recognized the name Montgomery in one of my mother's reports from last year when I was helping her file her cases. So, when I went through my mother's things, I couldn't find a case for Montgomery. Instead, I found the case Connors vs. Montgomery. And well, what do you know? Small world, isn't it?"

"Scarlett already knows." I lie. I lie through my fucking teeth.

Phoebe's grin fades and she arches her brow. "Is that so? Okay, well then I guess there is no problem in just calling her and asking her how she feels about kissing her parent's murderers kid then?" Her grin grows back. My lie wasn't convincing enough.

I exhale and run my fingers through my hair. "You leave her the fuck alone, you hear me?" I scowl. I know how she is though, I know she will go after Scarlett with all of this and make a public crucifixion of her. "What do I need to do?" I sigh.

Her smile grows even bigger and she shows her teeth. Clearly amused with my misery. "Well, for starters, dump the prude."

"She's not a prude!" I yell.

"Have you fucked her yet?" She questions and I look away from her. My blood is boiling and I fear I may lose it. I can't afford to break my jeep window, no matter how badly it may help this anger; temporarily that is.

When I don't answer, I hear Phoebe gasp with a soft chuckle. "Wow, you actually have, haven't you? Oh, this is great. Well, guess she loses the prude title. So we will go with slut. I like that term for her more anyway." I chose the wrong time to shut up. Instead, I just made this worse.

I grit my teeth, and look at her. This bitch is infuriating me to no other. "Anyways, you will dump her first, and then you have to start dating me again."

"I am not dating you again. I learned from my mistake the first time."

Phoebe's lips purse together at my words. "Fine. You don't have to kiss me or anything, but you will pretend to be with me and you will go to prom with me." I look at her, knowing this is a losing battle for me. Scarlett means the world to me. She won't understand why I am doing this, but I am doing it for her. At least me going back to me ex won't hurt her as bad as the truth would.

"If not, then I will gladly go through with my plan to announce to everyone how Scarlett fucked you. The boy whose father killed her parents. She will resent you for that, for having your dick inside of her and for lying-,"

"Fuck! Okay Phoebe I will fucking do it okay. I will fucking follow your desperate requests. But you have to promise you will leave her alone. You will not tell her or anyone the truth. Do you understand?"

She grins again and puts her hand out for me to shake. I hesitate, before I bring my hand to hers and we shake on it. I feel like I just made a deal with the devil.