The rest of Saturday and Sunday passed in kind of a blur. I was inside my own bubble not really seeing or hearing anything. When I had gotten home from Ashton's my entire outfit and body was soaking wet, so the first thing I did was hop in the shower. Actually all I did in there was let the water run down me and stare at the wall. I was still trying to wrap everything that has happened around my head. When Sunday rolled around I was still as confused as I was the day before but slightly more coherent. 

Every time anything that involved Ashton I seemed to get clobbered, and I was tired of getting clobbered. He pushes me away and I somehow come right back, he's sweet to me and I fall even more, now when I'm ready to confess my feelings to him he's with someone else. I was fed up with this feeling. When I was younger I was so desperate to feel loved that I welcomed the notion of getting my heartbroken because if it was broken than that means I had something real and good. But now I realize how stupid I was, I am tired of getting my heart broken. What I really need right now is to be by myself. I need to figure out what I want and in order to do that I need time alone. 

It seems like right when my life was at an okay point; I was fine with my job, my life, and my friends, something had to go and ruin it. I hadn't known it but the moment I ran into Ashton at that bar my life has turned a 180. My heart fell for someone again when I didn't think I could, I quit my awful job and are now working at a million dollar company making good pay, I've met new people in my life that I'm coming to love as my best friends, and most of all i've come to realize what I need in my life. 

I am finally coming out of the shell I had built all around me when I was with my parents. I was putting myself in risk and finally being carefree. I am tired of my parents holding me back, and me feeling like I am still with them. It has been 4 1/2 years and I haven't heard from them not even once. I could be dead for all they know and they don't care. I've always felt their presence lurking over me all my life and dictating my life. I am not that little innocent 13 year old who lets her parents beat her anymore. I am 23 almost 24 with a new life I am building. I am not skittish anymore and I am not afraid. It is time for me to live my life the way I want to, no more letting people do it for me or listening to my parents voice in the back of my mind. 

That doesn't mean I am going to party every night, hook up with random guys, or even quit my job. I'm just going to be alone for a while, hang out with my friends, and get my priorities straight. I had just committed to my plan when Kacey and Neena suddenly burst through the front door their faces red like they had ran here. I raised an eyebrow at them from the couch. 

"You guys okay?" I asked.

"L-Layla." Kacey sputtered out. She held her hand out towards me and in it was a magazine. Neena did the same but with a newspaper.

"Doing some light reading I see." I commented standing up. They both glared at me finally catching their breath. 

"You are on the cover!" Neena yelled out coming towards me. 

"Wait what?" Kacey and Neena surrounded me holding out their magazine and newspaper to me. I looked down and gasped loudly. They were right, on the front page of the New York Times and the New Yorker magazine. "What the hell!" I ripped the newspaper out of Neena's hand and read the little article. 

I stood there wide eyed after reading it. Someone had taken Alex's and I's photo when we were on our date, and now it was spread across every newspaper stand in New York. Great just great. Now another thing I have to worry about. 

"So you went on the date with Alex I see." Neena said sarcastically. I held back a glare that I wanted to send her. Now was not the time. 

"How did this happen?" Kacey asked pulling the paper from my tight grip. The edges were bent from how I had gripped it. 

"I don't know. I didn't see anyone with a huge camera taking pictures of us. There were only a few others there with us." I slumped down on the couch. Who has seen this?! "How long has this been out?" I asked suddenly standing back up. I watched both of them looking at each other and practically having a conversation without me. "Well!"

"Since Saturday morning." Kay said softly while looking closely at me. It's been out for 2 days and I haven't heard about it!

Did this mean Ashton has seen it? Alex? What was I going to do?! I was starting to have a panic attack and my breathing hitched in my lungs. 

"Layla breath it's okay!" Kacey said jumping up and putting her hands on my shoulders. I haven't had a panic attack in years and I had forgotten how bad they were. My lungs were closing up, my body was shaking and my head started pounding and my vision going fuzzy. I looked at Kacey with wide eyes trying to take a breath. I barely heard Kacey telling Neena to grab a bag from the kitchen and her practically shoving it at Kacey. She grabbed my shaky hands from my sides and brought them up to grab the bag. With her help the bag was put against my mouth and I breathed into the bag. Slowly my lungs started to open up and I could take deep breathes. My body still shook but my head was clearing up. I felt 2 pairs of arms lightly grabbing my shoulders and elbows guiding me to the couch. 

After about 5 minutes of breathing into the bag I was able to pull it away and breath semi fine. I clenched my shaky hands together focusing on calming my body down. Neena and Kacey stood by anxiously waiting for me to be okay. Shooting them a small thankful smile they finally slumped their tense shoulders and gingerly sat next to me. 

"You okay?" Neena asked almost whispering. 

"Y-yeah I am okay." I choked out. "It's just a surprise I guess. And who know's if Ashton or Alex have seen it." 

"Well has any of them contacted you yet?" Kacey asked. I shook my head. No one has and it was already Sunday afternoon. 

"I know this isn't the best time but who did you choose? I gotta say Alex's date looks pretty fun and sweet." Neena asked changing the topic. 

"It was fun. We ice skated for a while than went and got something to eat before he dropped me off here. Alex is perfect but..." I trailed off. Both Kacey and Neena have made their feelings about Ashton quite clear and I kind of didn't want to get yelled at for picking Ashton. 

"But nothing compared to Ashton." Kacey finished for me. I nodded and hung my head. 

 "It doesn't matter though he is with someone else now." I said bitterly. 

"He's with someone? Since when?" Kacey asked surprised. "I was just with Nick and he never mention Ashton with anyone." Neena look at me waiting for me to tell the story they sensed that had happened. 

"Well my date with Alex was great. He was so sweet and we had a blast getting to know one another but when he kissed me I didn't feel anything. Yeah it was good but not like with Ashton." I reached a hand up and touched my lips almost feeling them tingle. "I thought about both of them and what I felt, I choose Ashton. I know I haven't known him that long and only a month or so isn't enough time to fall for someone, especially someone so aggravating as him, but I have." 

"Anyways yesterday morning I got up later than I wanted so I booked it to get ready and headed to his apartment. It was pouring down rain and the stupid taxi driver practically shoved me outside when we got there. So I was soaking wet by time I made it to his door. I knocked and his girlfriend Natasha opened the door in nothing but his shirt. She was the girl he was with at the Gala too." I added. "I heard him in the background call her 'babe' and considering the way she looked I know they are together. So I left." I finished slumping down into the couch. 

Now hearing it I should have stayed and bursted through the door demanding what Natasha was doing there but like everything else I was to chicken to do it and ended up leaving. That's what I do though, if anything gets to hard or complicated I run never having the guts to stay and work it out or to actually say what I want to say. 

"Oh Lay." Kacey said softly patting my shoulder. Before her or Neena could say anything else I sat up and held up my hand. 

"I don't want to talk about him anymore. What's done is done and I need to move on." I sent them a look and continued. "I have been all wrapped up in my own drama I don't even know what is going on with you guys. Neena how is Liam doing?" I asked taking all the attention off of me. Thankfully they both understood and dropped it all. I knew they would only drop it for so long before they demanded more information or told me their own feelings about the matter. 

"Well....He asked me out!" She suddenly bursted. Kacey next to me gasped and I had to hold back a grin. "Friday night as I was about to leave the office when he came to a stop in front of me. He looked so yummy in his black slacks and a pretty blue button up shirt that I almost jumped him then and there but I was still angry at him. Anyways we stood there staring at each other before he finally spoke. It was so cute he was all nervous but he finally asked me out. Of course I made him wait for my answer for a few minutes before saying yes. And last night we went on our first date."

"It was amazing! He took me to a fancy restaurant that had great food, there we talked about basically everything, afterwards we went and walked through Central Park. It was cold from the rain so he gave me his jacket which was so sweet. And under the stars he finally kissed me." Neena sat there swooning from the memory. "It was just great. We have been texting all day and I think we are going to go out tomorrow night after work." 

"That's so sweet." Both Kacey and I said at the same time. I had to hold back a triumphed yell. What Neena doesn't know is that on Thursday I had to get something from Liam at work so while he was getting me the records for a client, I asked him about what was happening between him and Neena. After hearing how much he really liked her but wasn't sure she would say if he asked her, I basically told him to grow a pair and ask her out. Of course I knew she would say yes Liam just need a little shove to do it. I am glad he finally took my advice and asked her. From the gleaming look in her eyes I knew she was falling for the charming boy. 

I should have taken my own advice and asked Ashton out myself but as I've said before I'm to stupid and chicken to do so. I turned to Kacey this time wanting to hear about her love life. Hearing about how other people love life is going instead of my non-existing/complicated one helped. It got my mind off of Ashton and Alex for the time being. 

"Nothing interesting is going on really." Kacey said shrugging. 

"Boo your boring!" I said sticking my tongue out at her. 

"Hey! Nick and I are just taking things slowly. We both like where we are at the moment, and since we were busy all week we haven't really seen much of each other. I was only with him for a few moments today before seeing the magazine with you, than coming straight here." I couldn't help but feel bad that I had ruined the only time she has seen Nick this week. I have only briefly met Nick but I knew he liked her almost as much as she liked him. Whenever she would talk about him, like now, her face lit up and her eyes seemed to sparkle. I knew about his playboy ways but it seemed he had changed since he met Kacey and I was glad. She liked him and I wouldn't let him break her heart. 

Knowing that my friends love life's were going great made me sad that mine was in shambles. If only mine could be as simple as theirs. It didn't take long for silence settle between us and my mood to dampen. 

"You need to tell Alex." Kacey finally said what her and Neena probably have been holding in for a while. I sighed knowing I have to but I didn't want to. I didn't want to break his heart. I nodded at her and looked down at my hands. The sooner I did it the better. With a deep breath I heaved myself off the couch and towards my phone on the counter. Before I could chicken out I typed a quick message to him. 

T: Alex

F: Layla

Hey. Can you meet me at the coffee shop a few doors down from my apartment. 

I don't know how things went from happy to serious in just a matter of minutes. I was hoping that Kacey and Neena would have kept me occupied for a while so I wouldn't have to do this today but apparently that wasn't going to happen. I had to face this head on and on my own. Alex texted me back a minute later agreeing to meet me in 5 minutes. 

"Layla it is going to be fine. Just tell him what you feel, I know he will understand. You can't help who you love." Neena nodded behind her and I shot them a smile. I am thankful they are okay with my decision and are here to cheer me up. 

"And afterwards come back here and we will get good and drunk." Neena added. I laughed and shook my head. 

"We got work tomorrow."  I reminded her before headed to get dressed. 

I quickly got dressed in a pair of old jeans and an undershirt before sliding on a hoodie. Pulling on a pair of converse I brushed my hair into a ponytail and left. There was no use getting all dressed up for what I was about to do. Leaving the apartment I waved at my friends and smiled at their 'good lucks'. I slowly walked downstairs taking my bottom lip between my teeth trying to think of something to say. I have never done something like this before. In all honesty Alex is only the 3rd guy I have been with. With no experience dumping someone I wanted to go the route where I didn't hurt him but I know there is no other way. 

Coming to a stop in front of the coffee shop a few doors down from my place I took a few deep breathes before walking in. The lovely smell of coffee surrounded me and I breathed it in. My eyes glanced around the small shop before coming to a stop at Alex sitting at a table in the back with two cups of coffee already. He stood up and sent me a big smile as I walked towards him with heavy legs. Oh god I really don't want to do this. 

"Hey." He said leaning down and kissing my cheek. 

"Hey." I replied back softly taking a seat across from him. "Sorry I'm late."

"No your fine. I was a bit early so I decided to get us some coffee. Do you like sugar?" I nodded and he passed me a cup. "So I take it you want to talk about something with me." Alex said breaking the awkward tension slowly rising. 

"How did you know?"

"Well someone doesn't really call someone at such a short notice and tell them to met them somewhere if they didn't have something to say." Butterflies swarmed in my stomach as I stared at Alex's face. I looked at his pretty green eyes staring down at me almost in worry, the slight stubble starting to appear on his jawline, and his blonde hair messy like he just got out of bed. Taking a sip of my coffee to calm my nerves I finally spoke. 

"Alex I'm sorry but I...can't go out with you anymore." I choked out of my closing lungs. "It's not that I don't like you cause I do I just..." I trailed off.

"You like someone else." He stated staring at me. I gulped and nodded peeking up from under my lashes to see his expression. I thought I would see his face crumpled with hurt but instead he looked oddly calm.  I looked at him head on surprised by his reaction and response. 

"How did you know?" I asked surprised. 

"I didn't know at first but on Friday night after I kissed you I knew. You kind of just smiled at me than went inside." I folded my hands in front of me feeling bad. I hadn't realize I did that. "Layla." He reached his hand over the table and put it on top of mine. "I am not mad, really. I am just sorry that I'm not that guy."

"I am so sorry Alex." I said feeling my eyes start to fill up with water. "I wish you were to I really do. You deserve someone who can give you their whole heart not just a piece. Your amazing and I hope we can still be friends." 

"Of course we can still be friends. Even if we aren't involved I would still love your company." He shot me a smile and I returned it with a watery one of my own. "I think I know who the other guy is, just...don't let him hurt you okay? If he does let me know I'll show him that he should." I laughed at his last sentence. 

"Don't worry my best friend has already said the same thing. He's just...complicated." I trailed off. 

"I know just be careful okay?" Alex said squeezing my hands with his. 

"I will Alex. Thank you for understanding and I am so sorry again."

"Don't be. When it isn't right it isn't right." He looked at his watch and back up at me. "I better get going I have a few things to do." He stood up and I got up with him. We walked out the door together and stood facing one another. "Call me if you ever need anything, and don't forget to text me still. If you want to hang out anytime I will be there. I'll talk to you soon." He wrapped his long arms around me and I stood on my tippy toes wrapping my arms around his neck.

We stood there hugging for a few minutes before pulling apart. With a small kiss on the forehead he headed to his car and sent me one last wave. I waved back and turned around. As I walked those few feet to my apartment and up the stairs I felt lighter than I have in a while. 

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Hello! So there is chapter 28. It honestly isn't the greatest but it needed to be a filler for the next 2 final chapters. I know Kacey and Neena don't have that big parts in this story so I kind of wanted to fill you guys in on their love life's. Poor Alex :( His picture on side. 

Also thank you guys for the lovely comments about ending this story with 3 more chapters. I'm glad you guys aren't mad about it and support my decision :) It's been a little over a year since I started this story and I think it's about time it ends. Since I got quite a few requests to continue on with 'A Year Agreement' I am thinking about doing so. I was also thinking of a Vampire one but don't know if you guys would read it. Anyways on the final chapter I will have a contest where you guys can vote on what the 2 part epilogues will be of!!! :) :) 

P.S All Time Low's new album is AMAZING!! If you haven't heard it go take a listen! :) 

Thanks for reading this long authors note :)

VOTE, COMMENT, READ, and give your opinion on what I should do next :)