Val’s P.O.V

I wrapped my arm around Tyler’s and smiled at him widely and just thought about the fact that Erin had completely disregarded that I apologized to her.

“So… you ummm said that Matt has been hurting Erin? Is that why she was acting the way that she was?” He asked me and I just smiled and laughed… that’s right… I called him… I have my ways since daddy was stationed in Texas once.

“Yeah she is just really really scared… her father doesn’t even realize that he has been hurting her.. he makes sure not to go for the face” I said and I saw him stop and his jawline tense up.

“I can’t believe that anyone would do this to her…” He said… oh yeah… we all just fucking love her.

“Listen you help me… I help you remember… you want her back well then you are going to have to completely change how you look at her… don’t cling to her… ignore her and go for me and put on a show… we will make her want you” I said and he just raised his eyebrows and turned his head to me.

“You sure that you are her bestfriend?” He asked me and I smiled and nodded.

“Listen… Erin and I have our issues but I just know that the more we draw her to you the safer she is being away from Matt… so one question” I said.

“Sure” He said folding his arms across his chest.

“You in?” I asked and he stood there for a moment and then rubbed his hair while adjusting his hat and then nodded.

“Yeah… I will do it” He said and I squealed clapping my hands.. this will make things much more interesting.

Tatum’s P.O.V

“Mo! Come on you are not making any sense… all you are doing is cussing in a whole other language!!! SPEAK HUMAN!!” I said loudly as she was recounting what just happened before Matt and Erin’s father came home.

“Okay… I was late getting there… but according to Izzy before I left… Erin had a run in with Val and her ex Tyler… I warned her over the phone that he was coming” She said and I just motioned for her to continue.

“Well I guess that Val played like she was Erin’s best friend and Izzy said that he is dead afraid of us and had no idea that we were even here… he looked so mad when Izzy said that Matt was Erin’s boyfriend” She said and I just rubbed my hand through my hair.

“I honestly think that something is fishy… he randomly just gets transferred out here to study right after the three of you come here and Erin makes enemies…. I don’t know but something is up!” I said to her trying to process everything.

“Detective mode?” She asked me and I just shot up high fiving her. And then suddenly Erin barged through the door.

“I KNOW YOU ALL AINT GETTING INTO MY BUSINESS!” She said loudly… and then started laughing as we sat there freaking out.

“Dudes… I am just kidding… jeeze… what are you two even talking about?” She asked grabbing some popcorn from our bowl of munchies. Thank god she didn’t know what we were doing… After a few hours she left to go to her dreaded mother’s house and we started planning.

Erin’s P.O.V

I walked down the street with my earbuds in listening to some Social Distortion and I was getting into it until I bumped right into someone and when I looked up it was Zack… I took a deep breath pulling out my earbud.

“Jesus Christ… sorry Z… got a little into my music, you heading over to Mo’s to see Tatum?” I asked and he just smiled still holding my arms… he let got after a minute but was freaking me out looking around.

“Z?” I asked and he just looked at me and grabbed my hand and walked with me towards my mom’s house.

“Look I was walking by the park and this guy Tyler stopped me along the way asking if I knew you” Zack said and I just stopped and took a deep breath and he sighed.

“What the hell is going on?” He asked and I felt like I was running out of oxygen and I started waving my hands in front of my face to fan air onto it. I sat down on the sidewalk and moved back and forth and Zack kneeled down.

“Breathe Erin… breathe… deep breaths… do you want me to call Matt?” He asked and I just shook my head.

Zack’s P.O.V

Erin was having a break down and I had no idea what the fuck was going… all I said was
that there was someone named Tyler asking if I knew her. I kneeled down to her as she rocked back and forth and struggled for air.

“Breathe Erin… breathe… deep breaths… do you want me to call Matt?” I asked her grabbing out my phone as she grabbed my arm but she took me off guard when she shook her head… but then as I grabbed her hand I noticed that they were turning a hint of blue and her face was read.

“Oh dear god…” I said and stood up and called her dad letting him know that I had to take her to the emergency. I picked her up and kept her airway open and tried to keep her awake. When I got in through the sliding glass doors at the emergency room a nurse shot up.

“What’s going on?” She asked in a panic grabbing a gurney for Erin.

“I don’t know I was just talking to her and then she just sat down freaking out taking shallow breaths and then started to lose all oxygen… she was just losing it” I said and Erin just sat there shaking.

“Panic” Erin said and then the lady took her away and 15 minutes later Matt and Erin’s father were in the building and everyone just kept us from going back to the back.

“What in the living fuck happened?!” Matt asked and I could tell that he was upset and worried.

“I don’t know! One minute I told her that a kid name Tyler was asking if I knew her and next thing I know she is losing oxygen… she just said panic before just was taken away” I said and Erin’s dad just started crying and Matt grabbed his shoulder and comforted him.

“What’s going on Mr. Collins?” Matt asked.

“It’s starting again… he is bringing her down again” Mr. Collins said.

“Again?” I asked and Mr. Collins took a deep breath almost like he had hoped the story would never come to light again..

Notes