I keep walking, down the hall to the elevators, tears filling my eyes. I didn't want to leave him but I can't be around him when he's being like this. I needed his support. I needed him to tell me to stay here, to not even consider going back to my old school, but instead he told me to go.
The elevator doors open and Danny walks out, along with the rest of the team.
"Hey, where are you going?" he asks, stopping as the other guys go down the hall.
"I'm leaving." I try to go past him but he gets in front of me and sees my tears.
"What's wrong?" he asks. "Did something happen? Is Dean okay?"
"He's fine. And he's awake. You should go down and see him."
"In a minute. What's going on? Why are you crying? Is there news about Jake?"
I shake my head and wipe my eyes. "I really need to go." I try to go around him but he holds me in place, his hands on my arms.
"Brook, tell me what's going on."
"I don't want to talk about it." I sniffle. "It's just Dean...being Dean."
"What does that mean?"
"Danny, just let me go. I don't want to be here right now."
He slowly moves back. "Let me give you a ride."
"I'll take the bus. You should go see Dean." I glance down the hall at Dean's room. A few of the guys are standing outside it. "Why are you guys here so early? I thought you had practice."
"Coach cut it short so we could come see Dean. Brook, c'mon, just let me give you a ride."
"Some other time." I give him a weak smile. "Bye, Danny."
He watches as I get on the elevator. I take it to the first floor, then go find a restroom and let myself cry in the stall.
Why does Dean keep pushing me away? Why can't he just let us be together?
I take the bus home, and when I get there I go straight to my room. I check online for any updates about Jake but there aren't any.
Maybe everyone was right and I never should've got involved with Dean. If I hadn't, I wouldn't be spending my time crying about him and worrying about his missing brother. But I also wouldn't know what it feels like to love someone like this.
Why does love have to hurt so much? Why does it have to be so complicated? And why is this happening now? Why couldn't it happen when I'm older and have my life together?
I hear noise coming from the living room and jump up from my bed. My mom won't be home for hours and she and I are the only ones with keys. I search my room for a weapon but all I can find is an award statue I got from winning the eighth grade spelling bee. I grab it and walk to my bedroom door, slowly opening it.
"Hi, honey," my mom says as she passes by the door.
"Mom, you scared the crap out of me!" I follow her to her room. "I thought you were a burglar. What are you doing home so early?"
"I needed time to get ready so I took off a little early. What are you doing home? I thought you'd be at the hospital."
"I was, but then the football team showed up and I decided to go."
"Are you going back later?" she asks, taking off her necklace and setting it on her dresser.
"I don't know. Maybe."
She walks over to me as she takes off her earrings. "Honey, is something wrong?"
"No. Why?"
