Wilted (14 page)

“Yes, Sir.”

It doesn’t take long and everyone’s already cleared out, leaving us there standing alone. We stare at each other for a few minutes. Neither of us knows what to say to the other. Worry and guilt still fill her gaze. She probably thinks I’m pissed at her for zapping me with that Taser, but I’m not. If anything, I think I love her a bit more for it. Crazy, right?

“Can you walk?”

“I’ll be fine. Don’t let me keep you. I’m sorry I bothered you in the first place.”

“Nik. I…”

“No, Kylie, look, I’m sorry, all right? You obviously have your life here now. Besides, you’re right. No one can love me. Now go!”

“I didn’t mean—”

“GO! Leave me the fuck alone!”

She staggers back from me with huge tears in her eyes. Each step she takes is more uncertain than the one before. I need her to leave. I can’t bear the look of pity in her eyes.

“Get the fuck out of here, Kylie!”

She takes one last heartbreaking look at me and then runs away. Sliding back against the brick wall, I throw off the blanket the paramedic left me.

“You’re destined to be alone.”
Her words echo in my ears.

She’s right.

I am.

KYLIE

I miss home. I miss my family and Skylar. Most of all, I miss Nik. I can’t continue on this way. I’ve got to snap out of it. Taking another sip of my drink, I hear
Baby Got Back
coming from my purse.
Skylar
. I’d picked that ringtone because we always have so much fun dancing to that song.

Frantically, I dig the phone out, barely answering before it goes to voice mail.

“Hey, bitch!”

“Kylie?” Her panicked voice terrifies me as it echoes over the phone.

“Skylar? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“Kylie, I… I’ve got to get out of here.”

“Honey, calm down. Are you in some sort of trouble? Did Lucas hurt you?”

“N-no, b-but I can’t stay here. Can I come stay with you? Please?” Her voice shakes so much that she doesn’t even sound like herself.

“You know you can. Do you need me to come get you? I will so whip some ass if I need to!” I feel so helpless being this far from her.

“No, I’m still in London. I’m at the airport now trying to get the next flight out.”

“When will you be in LA?”

“I… I don’t know. Noon, maybe?”

“I’ll be there. Call me when you get your flight details, and I’ll pick you up at the airport.”

“Thank you, Kylie. I’m sorry to bother you.”

“Listen to me, you’re not bothering me. Right now, just get your ass here so I can take care of my best friend. You’re sure you’re all right?”

“Not now, but I will be.”

“I love you, babe. Whatever is going on, I’m here.”

“I love you, too. I’ll call you as soon as I get my flight booked. Thank you so much, Kylie.”

“You’re welcome, sweetie. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Between what happened earlier with Nik and my conversation with Skylar, sleep certainly is not happening for me tonight. I don’t know what to make of what is going on with my best friend. Obviously, something has with Lucas for her to be so upset. When I see the asshole, I plan on beating the living shit out of him for it. He promised me when they left that he would take care of her, that he’d never hurt her. Well, Mr. Drake, it seems you have quite a bit of explaining to do.

Skylar’s flight comes in around two in the afternoon. I get there early just because LAX is always such a fucking madhouse. This being a weekend only makes it worse. Just in my hour of waiting, Brad and Angelina with Colin Farrell and Ian Somerhalder make their way through the flashing lights of the paparazzi. I’ve learned you never know who you will see here in the airport.

The minute I see my best friend’s face, I almost break out in tears. It feels like it’s been years. I practically knock an old lady down on her ass running to Skylar.
I mean, really, lady? Get the fuck out of my way.

“Hey babe! I have so fucking missed your face!” I yell as I throw my arms around her neck. I’m so glad to have her here!

“I’ve missed you so much!” she says, holding onto me tightly. Yep, something bad has definitely happened. When she pulls away, I catch a good look at her face. Skylar’s beautiful eyes are bloodshot and it’s obvious she’d been crying most of the flight. She tries to hide the pain in her smile, but it’s not fooling me for a second.

“Are you hungry? We can grab some lunch somewhere if you want.”

“I’m not hungry. Can we just go to your place? I don’t feel like being around anyone.”

“Of course, we can. Let’s grab your bags and then we’ll get out of here.”

I’d decided not to push her to talk until she is ready, but I can’t stand it anymore. When I walk in and find her sitting on the bed and staring into her open suitcase, I know I have to do something. I climb on the bed beside of her, startling her out of her deep thoughts. I am just about to say something, when she beats me to the chase.

“So spill. What is going on with you and Nik? And don’t you dare lie to me!”

What?
How the fuck did she know? Damn it!

Grabbing the throw pillow, I hug it to me and try to change the topic of conversation.

“I don’t want to talk about him right now, all right?”

“Kylie, what is going on?”

I know she isn’t going to let this go. Perhaps I don’t want her to. I’ve tried to hold this all in for so long now and I just can’t anymore. I need someone to talk to before I lose it.

“They want me to stay on here in LA. They even offered me an associate position. It’s the chance of a lifetime, but Nik doesn’t want me to take the job. At first, I thought that it was because he had been thinking about us getting married, but he made it clear that he never wants to get married or have kids.”

“I’m sure he might change his mind on that one day.”

“I was so sick and this lady I worked with told me I was pregnant. That’s when I realized that I’d missed a few pills and I may have been late. I didn’t want to say anything until I knew for sure, so I bought a pregnancy test from the pharmacy down the street. Even though I hid it, he saw the strip and completely flipped out.”

I go on to explain how we argued and what he said when he walked out, and the false positive test. After I get everything out into the open, I’m shaking from crying so hard.

“Oh, honey,” she says, climbing over the bed to me. I listen to her tell me how much Nik loves me and how he’ll come around. I won’t lie. I thought that too, but deep down, I know it’s just far too late for that now. Love can only do so much, after all.

“It will be okay, Kyles. I promise you!” she says, rubbing my back.

Wiping my tears with my hand, I decide to push her to spill her guts to me. If she wants me to get all vulnerable and shit, then she’d better be damn well prepared for me to expect the same from her ass.

“Well, that is enough about me. So are you going to tell me what the hell is going on with you and why you are here?”

She takes a deep frustrated breath and blows it out.

“I told you on the phone, Kyles. I just need a break and I wanted to see my best friend. I miss you.”

“Uh-huh. Well, look here heifer, I know you like the back of my hand, so let’s have it. The truth this time, bitch.”

“I told you. I just need a break. It’s too much traveling and I rarely get any time off to see anyone.”

“You need a break from that fine ass man? I don’t think so! Spill!”

She looks at me and then darts her eyes away. She’s embarrassed, but she need not be. There isn’t anything she can’t tell me. Surely, she knows that. Skylar stands and paces in front of the bed.

“All right! I slept with Sebastian and Lucas walked in and found us right afterwards.”

I’m so shocked, I can’t stop the words from flying out of my mouth.

“What? Are you kidding me? And you didn’t call me?” I yell.

How the hell can she have kept that from me? That is some heavy fucking shit!

“Calm down, Kylie. I didn’t call you because it all just happened and I didn’t want to go into it over the phone.”

“So… does this mean you and Sebastian are back together?” I can’t help but sound hopeful. Don’t get me wrong. Lucas Drake is so much better for her, but I’ve never known anyone who’d loved a woman more than Sebastian Thorne loved her. The love they shared, well, it’s epic. I guess the stupid, optimistic girl inside of me wants them together.

“No, we are not together. I had to get away from the both of them, so I came here.”

“Wow, sister. And I thought I had drama in my life!” I giggle. She smiles and throws the pillow beside her at me. Both of our lives are fucked up right now and we need each other more than ever. I’m so thankful she’s here. I leave her to unpack and head to the kitchen to grab two spoons and a new tub of Ben & Jerry’s Karamel Sutra ice cream. Once she’s situated, we grab a blanket and crash on my new comfy couch. Flipping through the channels, we decide to watch a horror movie marathon. Nothing like a good scary movie to make you forget the woes of your life.

“I’m heading to work. Are you sure you’re going to be all right?” I ask. The weekend has flown by so quickly. I have a major presentation to get ready for, so I can’t take off today.