Boy_Undiscovered: Hey, are you around to chat?

Girl_Disconnected:  I suppose I can take a few minutes out of my busy schedule for you. What's up?

Boy_Undiscovered:  I want to talk to you about your blog post that you posted 2 days ago.

Girl_Disconnected:  Oh..

Boy_Undiscovered:  You don't need to say anything. Or even reply. And you can tell me if I'm wrong, but if I'm right, I think that what I have to say to you, will help you somehow. Maybe?

Girl_Disconnected:  I'm intrigued. Go ahead.

Boy_Undiscovered:  As you know, I've read every word you've ever written dating back to your very first blog post after I stumbled across it 2 months ago. And I have come to realize you write things in a way that only you would understand exactly what you mean.

Girl_Disconnected:  I guess.

Boy_Undiscovered:   Unless of course someone who's been through something similar came along and could read between the lines. I have a feeling what you're dealing with, is something that I have experienced, and although I have been hoping I was wrong, what you wrote in your blog post on Friday, made me think I have been right all this time. 

Girl_Disconnected: Go on.

Boy_Undiscovered:  You're not going to say anything, are you?

Girl_Disconnected:  Nope. I want to hear what you wanted to say.

Boy_Undiscovered:  Do you remember those song lyrics I posted for the song  I wrote, 'More or Less'?

Girl_Disconnected:  Yes.

Boy_Undiscovered:  Well, my real father wasn't always a nasty man. One day he just snapped and his life turned upside down, flipping mine and my mom's with him. He would beat my mom up constantly and drink until he passed out on the couch every night. He lost his job and blamed it on us. And I would beg my mom for us to leave, because she deserved better than him. But she wouldn't. She felt bad for the man who used to have everything and didn't want to leave him with nothing. It was only when he used me as a punching bag one night that she finally opened her eyes wide enough to see that I had been right all along. And so we finally left and started a new life far away from him.

Boy_Undiscovered:  Am I close?

Girl_Disconnected:  Wow, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. No one deserves to live a life like that and I'm sorry it took for what happened to you, to be what made her leave.

Boy_Undiscovered: Are you going to tell me if what I just told you is something like you deal with? Or are you going to leave me hanging here.

Girl_Disconnected:  I don't think you would have told me that story if you thought you were wrong.

Boy_Undiscovered: You think you are so alone in the world with no one who understands, and I want you to know that you aren't. People's lives may seem perfect on the outside, but they never really are. I just wanted you to see that I'm here, and I get it. I have lived it. And even though that part of my life has been over for a while, I still understand you. So if you want to talk about it, I'm always here.

Girl_Disconnected:  Thanks.

Reading the words Boy_Undiscovered wrote to me, made me feel quite sad for him, despite that part of his life was over. Knowing exactly the pain he has felt in his life, breaks my heart. I have always wanted someone to understand what I go through and how I feel, but knowing that he does, hurts. It's made me realize I never want someone to understand the pain. What it feels like. Because no one ever should. But he has.

When I hear a knock at my door, I sigh, knowing that it's Mom on the other side. Dad is gone back to work for the week, so I know I am safe from him. I don't really want to open the door to the woman who let that man throw me across the room just a couple of days ago, but I decide I need to anyways.

I open the door to see that her hair is a mess. That even though it's well into the afternoon, she has clearly just gotten out of bed. She still wears her nightgown and her eyes are barely open as she rubs them. "Morning," she says, sleepily.

"Afternoon."

"I wanted to tell you that your classmate can come for dinner next week," she tells me. "I'll clean up the downstairs and make dinner for us."

I stare at her in bewilderment. Although she had said that Harry could come over when Dad was gone, right in front of him, the way he acted after she had said it, made me think that she wouldn't allow for this to happen.

"Just don't tell your father," she goes on. "How about Monday night next week after he leaves again?"

"I'll ask him if that's okay," I tell her. "I start my job next Tuesday night, so Monday would work for me. Thanks, Mom"

I start to close the door, knowing our conversation is over. But she puts her hand out to stop the door from closing. "I'm really sorry, Jayde," she says, locking her tired eyes with mine.

"For what?" I ask, wanting to know exactly what she is apologizing for. Because in my head, there are tons of things she should be saying sorry to me for.

"Making you get a job," she answers. "And—for allowing what happened the other night to happen."

"Yeah, you really looked sorry when it happened," I snap. "You can't look me in the eyes and say that you're sorry for that after not doing anything about it at the time." I'm reminded of Boy_Undiscovered's words and wonder why the woman standing in front of me, can't be like the Mom he said his was like. "I'm your daughter. You should have stuck up for me. You should have done something more than just sit there."

"What did you want me to do, Jayde?" she screams. 

"What I've asked for you to do a thousand times already," I fight back. "Leave that fucker. Seeing what he did to me, should have made you want to leave. A mother—no matter what age her kid is, is supposed to protect them. Why is that so hard for you to do?"

"You know I can't leave him," she says. 

"And that is what will always be so fucked up about this family," I say. "You will always choose him over me. I'll see you next Monday."

I slam the door and lock it, leaning against it to take a deep breath. My eyes meet the window and decide I just need to get out of here. Take some time at The Clearing and just think and clear my head.

As I'm walking across the backyard, I hear Carter call from behind me, making me turn around to see he's climbing down the ladder from the small roof outside of his window. Unsure if I even want to talk to him right now after dealing with my mother. I'm already worked up and all I can hope for, is that I'm not in for another argument.

"Hey," he says, a bright smile on his face as he runs across the backyard to me.

"Long time no talk," I say, crossing my arms, expressing my dislike for him is still existing.

"Yeah, look, I'm sorry," he tells me. "I was such a douchebag the day in the gym."

"You said it, not me." I roll my eyes. "And I heard you've already apologized to Niall. Nice of you to take so long to say sorry to me."

"Look, Jayde," he says as his whole body slumps. "I had to really think about what I wanted to say to you about it. And I figured it out."

"I'm listening."

"Our whole lives, it's always been me and you," he says. "And I know that since we broke up, everything changed between us and we haven't been a part of each other's lives as much as we used to be, but it doesn't mean that I don't see you the same as I always did. You're always gonna be my girl. My best friend. And even though I've been kind of seeing Layla, it's hard for me to think of you with anyone else."

"I get it Carter," I tell him. "But I'm not your girl anymore. And you don't get to have a say in who I date or who I hang out with. That will never be your choice, whether you think it's a bad choice on my part or not. Like with Layla—I don't understand why you like her, and I'm assuming it's because she's the new girl in town, the only new piece of ass that's come around. But I don't tell you she isn't good enough for you. If you like her, that's cool. And I expect you to respect my decision if I decide that I want to be with someone too."

"Like Harry?"

"What?" I'm taken aback by what he's just said. I feel my breath get caught in my throat as I stand here and stare at him, not knowing what to say or how to react properly, but I know I need to keep talking to make him forget he mentioned Harry. "No, I'm not done talking. You're not changing the subject! I still have a bone to pick with you."

"About?" Carter asks, looking at me confused. He's now the one with his arms crossed, his weight resting on his left leg.

"You mentioned my parents in front of Harry," I say, pointing my finger at him. "Seriously, the one thing I have been so pissed at you for, is that! And that's what I want you to apologize for. Because that's the one thing—"

"I know, I know," he interrupts. "I was mad at myself for that, the second it flew out of my mouth. I was just so angry, I wasn't thinking straight. I'm sorry."

"It can't happen again, Carter."

"It won't. You have my word."

"Thank you."

"So—Harry?"

Dammit!

"What about him?"

"There's something going on, right?" he asks.

"No, why would you think something's going on with Harry?" I ask as if he's completely mad. He looks at me with his bright blue eyes, shaking his head as a smile forms on his face, and I immediately know that he knows something.

"You do realize my bedroom window looks out into our shared backyard," he laughs. "I see Harry come and go constantly. I know there's something going on."

"You need to get a life!" I roll my eyes at him, unable to help the smile on my face that suddenly appears.

"Ah, so you do like him then?" he laughs some more, punching my shoulder softly.

"I don't like him," I tell him. "We're just—hanging out."

"Hanging out?"

"Yeah, hanging out." I shrug my shoulders nonchalantly. "You haven't exactly been around for me to escape the shit that goes on in my house. I kind of needed someone else, and he's there to do that for me."

"So, I've been replaced with the school flirt?" he asks sarcastically, his hands covering his heart. "I'm hurt!"

"Oh, whatever!"

"Just be careful with him," he says. "He's got a reputation, ya know."

"We're just hanging out," I remind him. "Just—if you could not tell anyone, that would be great."

"More secrets?" He shakes his head at me again with his eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Honestly, Jayde. I don't know how you survive with so many secrets."

"Well, you know me!" I shrug my shoulders again.

"Yeah, I do," he stifles a laugh. "So, are we good?"

"Yeah, we're good—As long as you keep me and Harry a secret."

"You know I always keep your secrets." He wraps his arms around me tightly and I breathe in a long breath, taking it in. I have missed his hugs. I have missed being in his arms and most importantly, I have just missed him and how easy it has always been with him. I have needed this hug, any hug at all, since I got that one embrace from Harry that day in the wardrobe room, that didn't feel like it lasted long enough. And they never do last long enough apparently, because as Carter pulls away from our hug, I instantly feel like I want to wrap my arms around him again, just to feel that extra ounce of love that I am so desperately in need of.

But I don't. And I can't. I just look up at him and smile to show him I'm happy that we're okay. And that I'm okay, even though I'm not. Not really. And as I look up at him, seeing him look back at me, I wonder if I really even know who he is anymore.

"Well, I gotta go and meet Layla," he tells me. "I just wanted to say sorry. I'll see you later, okay?"

I know that as we all grow up, everyone is bound to change. He looks the same and yet, even though we just made amends, I feel far away from him knowing that he's got some new girl. Things will never be the same as they used to be with us no matter how many times we try. And the only thing I can think of, as I watch him walk away from me, is how much it sucks growing up and moving on and drifting away from some of the most important people I ever had in my life. 

But that's life. And soon, everyone will be gone. Moved away and starting new lives away from here. And as I walk towards The Clearing through the woods, I realize I don't want to think about that just yet. There's too many other things to worry about before that time comes.

And when I get to the edge of the woods to The Clearing, the sight before me makes me really not want to think about the near future, because I don't know how I'm going to feel about the boy in the middle of the field playing with his dog, leaving me for his new life.

He has become such a big part of my existence in such a short time. Someone I rely on. My go-to. And although I don't have to worry about people leaving for college until the end of August, which is still three months away, and there is plenty of time for us to end before then, I can't imagine not having him to run to when I need someone.

As I lean my body on one of the trees, watching him throw a stick for his dog and his dog run back to him and pummel him to the ground, I can hear him laughing as the dog licks his face before he gets back up again and throws the stick across the field again.

I don't know how he became what he is to me. I don't know why it happened the way it did. There is so much that I'm unsure of. I know that not everything in life lasts forever, and there is always goodbyes, but I know I don't want to see that day come anytime soon.

I know that I've been seen, when a stick flies in my direction and lands a few feet in front of me. And it's only a few seconds later, Harry's dog comes running at full speed toward me, making me panic. It's not that I don't like dogs. I just haven't been around them much, and apparently seeing one come flying at me, freaks me out, making me run into the field as fast as possible, to get away from the thing.

I can hear Harry yelling something, but I can't hear what he's saying over my heart pounding and the sound of a heavy breathing dog behind me. And when I turn around, the dog jumps up on me, taking me to the ground. He lays himself down on top of me, licking my face and all I can think, is how humiliated I am at the moment, hearing Harry laughing.

When I open my eyes, Harry is standing above me, a bright smile on his face. "Oh, Riley, that's exactly how I feel about her too."

"Can you just get this thing off of me?" I ask, trying to cover my face as to not get licked again. "So much slobber, make it stop!"

Harry laughs as he pulls the dog off of me and helps me up off the ground. "That was the funniest thing I think I've ever seen!"

"Shut up!" I slap his arm.

"Seriously, you were afraid of a pit bull," he says. "So typical of you to think they're mean dogs, when in reality—well, you can see, they're nice. He loves kisses!" He leans down to the dog to pat him on the head as the dog looks up at me with his tongue hanging out. "I know boy, she is pretty, isn't she? But she doesn't like your kisses as much as she likes mine. Sorry buddy!"

I laugh at the way he talks silly to his dog, and find it quite endearing and sweet, as I pull the bottom of my shirt up to wipe my face of dog slobber.

"How's that bruise?" Harry asks, shifting his body towards me still leaned down. He puts his hands on either side of my waist, grazing his thumb over top of the colored skin.

I look down at him, still holding up my shirt up as he inspects it, and watch as he presses his lips softly to the part that's showing over my jeans, before he stands back up again. He looks at me intently, eyes flicking back and forth between mine. I know he's holding back from saying something, because of my rules, which two nights ago he said he would abide by. And I wonder if he will keep his word and not say anything.

"You want to throw the stick this time?" he asks, a dimpled smile forming on his face.

"I'd love to!"

A/N: Thanks for 17.3K Reads and 3K Votes! And so so many very nice comments! You guys are incredible and I have felt so much love lately! ♥ You keep me going! 
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