“Kid!” I heard a yell. I turned my head towards the street and noticed Brian driving slowly next to me. I had been walking for about ten minutes, thinking about everything and nothing. I stared blankly at him and he motioned for me to get into the car. I walked over to the passenger side and slid myself in, keeping quiet. Brian stared at me for a second, worry in his eyes. “Are you okay?”

I nodded silently and Brian reluctantly nodded in return and began driving. I was anything but okay, but I didn’t really want to talk about it. Brian drove slowly back towards his house, sending worried glances towards me constantly. He must have been taking the scenic route, because after a few minutes we still weren’t at his house. Before I realized it, tears were flowing down my face and I had to hold myself from letting out a sob. Brian noticed quickly and pulled over to the side of the road and put his car in park. He pulled me onto his lap and began rocking me.

“Is this about Matt?” Brian asked quietly. I nodded and bit down on my lip, holding back a sob that was threatening to surface. Brian held me closer and I quietly cried into his shoulder. After a few minutes of rubbing my back and comforting me, Brian gently slid me back into the passenger seat and drove home, rarely ever taking his eyes off me. We reached his house soon and he jumped out of his car to my side. He pulled me out bridal style and brought me to his house, holding me close. Everyone but Zach and Matt were at Brian’s house, so when Brian entered, everyone gasped and looked at me.

“Kid! What happened?” Jimmy asked, jumping up to meet Brian. Brian handed me off to Jimmy and silently went into another room. Jimmy stared sadly down at me and my lip quivered. Brian came back with a towel for me and a blanket, because I had started shivering from the dampness of my clothes. Carefully, Brian and Jimmy wrapped the towel and blanket around me before Brian once again took me in his arms and sat on his couch, setting me on his lap. Everyone stared anxiously, and I forced myself to speak.

“G-Gayle ruined everything.” I croaked, my eyes misting a little. Everyone’s face fell.

“How?” Emma asked in shock. All of the guys looked at Emma and then back at me.

“How do you guys know Gayle?” Johnny exclaimed, looking between Emma and I. Emma gave him a look and glanced back at all the other guys, who were staring at her, just as shocked as Johnny.

“She’s our friend. How do you know Gayle?” Emma questioned, returning the same look Johnny gave him. The boys exchanged glances, and I propped myself up, furrowing my eyebrows together.

“She just told us about her and Matt last week, Emma.” I stated, staring intently at her. She raised her eyebrows in shock and looked at me.

“Wait, her and Matt were together?” Emma asked. I raised an eyebrow.

“Were you that drunk?” I retorted. She pursed her lips and shrugged.

“I guess. But what happened between her and Matt?” Emma inquired. I shrugged myself down in Brian’s lap, not wanting to tell the story. Brian noticed and sighed.

“Gayle and Matt dated for three years.” Brian informed her. Emma rolled her eyes and stared at Brian.

“Okay, I know that. But I mean what’d she do to make you guys all look like you saw a ghost when we mentioned her?” Emma questioned, getting slightly irritated. I flinched and she looked at the guys. “I thought she said something about you guys smashing her car and Matt beating up some random guy because he accused her of cheating.”

“How the fuck do you remember that now and not two seconds ago?” I asked incredulously, wanting to hit Emma for being stupid. She gave me an irritated look and sighed exasperatedly.

“I forgot for a second. Now let the guys get back to the explaining.” Emma retorted.

“We did wreck her car.” Jimmy admitted. Emma gave him a weird look and he just stared back at her. “But it wasn’t just some random guy.”

“And he didn’t accuse her.” Johnny added. Emma’s eyes widened a little and looked at Brian.

“Gayle cheated on Matt for the last six months of their relationship,” Brian explained, his body tensing up a little under me.

“And when Matt confronted her about she chose the other guy.” Jimmy finished. Emma’s eyes almost fell out of her head and I looked down, not enjoying the recap of the story I just learned about.

“So how exactly was it Gayle’s fault?” Brian asked quietly. I looked up at him and bit my lip.

“Matt got really mad at me for not telling him I was friends with Gayle,” I whispered quietly. Brian’s eyes softened and my lip quivered a little. “And he said he was seriously done with me.”

“Oh, Kid. I don’t think he was serious about that.” Johnny empathized, giving me a sympathetic look. I stared at him with hard eyes, tears beginning to blur my vision.

“No. He was being 100% serious. You didn’t see the face he made when I told him about Gayle. I really screwed up.” I said, my voice beginning to crack. Brian held me closer to him and Jimmy rubbed my leg. I let the tears fall for a few minutes before forcing myself to stop, which made me go into a sniffling fit.

“I’m so sorry, Kid.” Johnny mumbled. I nodded and laid my head against Brian. Brian looked down at me sadly.

“Do you want me to talk to him?” Brian asked. I shook my head.

“I had Zach try to talk to him and he told me Matt wouldn’t talk about it.” I sniffled, looking at my knees.

“I think Kid should stay with one of you guys for the next few days,” Emma suggested randomly, looking at me with soft eyes. “I love Jessi and stuff, but I’ve seen her cry too many times to be around it anymore. And she needs strong arms full of love, and my arms are noodle-y.”

“Do you want to stay here?” Brian asked. I shrugged. Jimmy shifted and took out his phone.

“She should probably stay at Zach’s.” Jimmy said. Brian and I looked at him and he pursed his lips. “Because Zach knows more about the whole situation than we do, and you guys are like brother and sister. If you want to stay with Brian and I, you surely can, but I think maybe for tonight you should be with Zach.”

“O-okay.” I whispered, snuggling into Brian. I did think it was better to be with Zach tonight, but it didn’t mean I didn’t like being around Brian or Jimmy. Since I’ve pretty much just been exiled from my apartment, I’d probably stay with all of them. Brian had the hugs to make me feel loved, Jimmy had the jokes to make me smile, and Zach had the emotional support to make me feel not alone. I’d need them all, and maybe they could all just sleep over at Zach’s.

“Hey Zach,” Jimmy greeted into his phone, although his voice was sullen. “Yeah, we need you to watch after Kid for a few days, she just talked to Matt and things didn’t end well… yeah, we’re at Brian’s… okay, see you in a bit.”

“So is he heading over?” Brian asked, tightening his arms around me. Jimmy nodded and smiled a little bit.

“Yeah, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he came with his car totaled. When I told him it had to do with Matt, he sounded really angry. I honestly wouldn’t be at all shocked if Zach would drive his car into the front of Matt’s house.” Jimmy chuckled. Everyone laughed, and I smiled a little. I rested my head on Brian’s shoulder and smiled a little more.

“Brian, has anyone ever told you that you’re an amazing hugger?” I asked quietly, smiling a little bit more. Brian looked down and smiled widely.

“I’ve heard it a few times.” Brian said, poking my nose. Johnny laughed and I looked at him.

“Yeah, like when he’s drunk and won’t let go of us.” Johnny snickered, throwing a playful look at Brian. “That’s the only way we can make him let go.”

“No, you guys say it because you know I’m the one that gives the best hugs out of all of us.” Brian exclaimed, make a smug look. Emma giggled and laid back against Johnny.

“I actually think it’s Johnny that gives the best hugs.” Emma interjected. Johnny hugged her and kissed her temple before smiling in victory. Brian scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, because short people definitely give better hugs than someone like me.” Brian stated, smiling widely. I smiled a little more and looked straight at Jimmy.

“Honestly, I think Jimmy gives the best hugs.” I said. Jimmy looked at me with a wide smile and made a heart out of his hands. Brian and Johnny looked at me with fake hurt.

“Why Jimmy?” Brian whined. I giggled and smiled.

“Because Jimmy’s such a teddy bear. He’s tall and squishy and gives good bear hugs.” I explained, playfully kicking Jimmy. Jimmy laughed and smiled widely.

“Why thank you, little lady. You’re so sweet.” Jimmy complimented. Brian and Johnny grumbled in defeat and I laughed.

“That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy your hugs though.” I added, making a weird face at Brian. He laughed and held me tighter.

“You’re so sweet. Who couldn’t love you, Kid?” Brian cooed, swinging me around a little bit. My smile faltered and soon fell from my face when the reality hit me.

“Matt.”



(Lame chapter, just a filler.)