“Yeah…that’s how I used to feel…Listen,” he looks back into my eyes, not as harsh, but nowhere near the caring guy who was once my best friend. “I still love her, and I don’t know how long it’ll take for me to get over this, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive you two for this, but I need to say something. It’s important, so I need you to listen to me.” I nod wearily wondering what he’ll say. “Ashley deserves the best,” he sighs, “you both do. As much as I’m pissed off, you two both deserve to be happy. But don’t you dare…don’t you dare ever hurt her the way you hurt Kyla. She doesn’t deserve that. No one does.” With that he walks away, leaving me dumbfounded. He and Kyla

really did love us so much…still do, and that’s what hurts. Knowing that Ashley and I have caused such pain to those closest to us…it hurts, and I wish that things weren’t this way…but they are.

            I make my way back to my locker and find Ashley leaning up against it waiting for me. She smiles when she sees me and then frowns. I must look upset or something because she immediately comes up to me and hugs me.

            “Baby, what’s wrong?” she asks gently. I shrug my shoulders dejectedly.

            “Do you…do you feel like we’re horrible for what we did?” I can see the panic arise in her beautiful eyes.

            “Spence, are you…are you regretting being with me?” she questions hesitantly. I’m quick to reassure her.

            “No, not at all. I love you, more than anything, more than anyone. I just…Aiden pulled me aside just now to have a little talk with me…”

            “What did he say?” she asks curiously.

            “He told me not to hurt you the way that I hurt Kyla…and that pretty much our friendship is over, and how much we hurt them.” She nods sadly.

            “Kyla is the only family I really have,” she begins to say. “She’s only been here for a few months, and she’s already been in my life longer than both my parents,” I feel my chest constrict as I once again hear just how sad and lonely her childhood was. “So of course I feel bad. Sometimes I wish you two hadn’t dated, so then I wouldn’t have hurt her so much, but on the other hand, if that happened, then I’d have never found you, and I can’t imagine being in a relationship where I wasn’t 100% happy.”