I couldn't blame Val for hating me. I mean, Michelle was her sister. Brian had left Michelle for me. It didn't really sound good and of course Val had to hate me. I would've hated myself too if I'd been in her shoes.

But then again, Val didn't know me. She didn't know what I was like so therefore she couldn't hate me for who I was. She could only judge my actions and not me.

But that didn't stop her from being a complete bitch to me. She didn't say hi like everybody else did. She didn't even look at me except for when she glared at me. I figured that she just really didn't like me at all. And, honestly, it didn't make me feel that good.

”You okay? Just ignore Val,” Brian whispered into my ear.

”Yeah but what about when you guys go on stage? I'm going to be left alone with her,” I whispered.

”You don't have to be with her,” he told me, ”You can stand on the side of the stage or go into the crowd.”

When the boys got on stage, I watched them play from the back of the crowd. There were a lot of people and I was amazed of how well-known they were. They had gotten far and somehow I felt really proud of Brian and the rest of them. They had become huge and they were simply amazing.

Fortunately, I didn't see Val until the show had ended and I found my way back into the dressing room. The air smelled like sweat, beer and cigarettes and I had to hold my breath for a while until I got used to the disgusting smell. I didn't find Brian because the room was packed with people so I went to Jimmy instead.

”Hey, did you have fun?” he asked me with a grin.

I smiled and nodded. I watched as he finished his beer and put down the bottle before burping loudly.

”Do you know where Brian is?” I asked and looked at him. His face fell and he looked away.

”He's... He's outside. With Val. It's probably the best if you wait for him here,” he told me.

”Why are they outside?” I asked and furrowed my eyebrows.

”They're talking.”

”About what?”

”About you, Michelle, their break up, everything. They were, like, best friends until you showed up and now Val is really angry at him for ruining people's lives,” Jimmy told me quietly.

”But he didn't ruin anybody's life, did he?”

”No but that's how she feels. Gates really hurt her sister,” Jimmy explained.

I sighed and just looked at the people around me. I didn't feel like I belonged there. It wasn't my world nor place to be in, I didn't fit in at all. I could only wonder if the people there had liked Michelle more than me. What if they all secretly hated me and wished that Brian had never left Michelle? What if they were all like Val and only wanted what was best for Michelle? What if nobody really liked me?

I panicked and had to find my way out of the dressing room. I went to search for some fresh air and before I knew it, I was standing outside and staring right into Val's eyes.

I swallowed hard but couldn't make my legs move. I felt like I was paralyzed and couldn't control my body.

”Get out of here. We're having a private conversation,” she muttered to me.

”Val, come on, that's not really nice,” Brian muttered quietly.

”No. She doesn't belong here, okay? You're not supposed to be with her. You're supposed to be with my sister!” Val exclaimed.

”Val!” Brian exclaimed.

”Everybody agrees with me! Nobody even knows who she is,” Val pointed at me, ”Don't you get it, Brian? Don't you see what you're doing? You're ruining everything!”

”Listen, Val,” Brian said, ”This doesn't have anything to do with you.”

”Yes it does! You cheated on my sister and left her for somebody that's a lot worse than her. It is my business if you hurt my sister!” she shouted.

”Well what do you want me to do about it?”

”I want you to leave her,” Val said and looked at me quickly, ”Leave her and come back to Michelle. Come back to us.”

I couldn't understand how she could act like that in front of me. Well, I mean, surely I understood her reasons, but, come on. She was a grown woman, she should've known better than to act so immature. All I could do was stand there and stare at her in disbelief.

”I'm done with this. I'm not going to talk about this anymore, not with you, not with anybody. I'm sure that Michelle will get over this and so should you,” Brian told her.

Then he turned around and started walking away from us.

”You ruined my sister's life, you hear me? We would all be better off without you,” Val muttered to me.

”Val, shut up!” Brian shouted suddenly.

I saw him standing a few feet away and glaring at Val.

”Don't you dare say another word to her. She hasn't done anything wrong! I'm sick of you telling me what to do and I'm sick of you sticking your nose into my fucking business. I cannot believe how much you've changed,” he shouted to her.

”But – ”

”Sophia, come on. We're leaving,” Brian said.

I nodded and took all control of my body. I walked to Brian as fast as possible and started following him to where his car was.

Brian was furious as he opened the car door and sat in. I was afraid to say anything and we drove in silence until we reached my house. I was about to open the door but then realized that Brian wasn't going to get out.

”Aren't you staying the night with me?” I asked carefully.

His eyes were closed and he was taking deep breaths in. Then he shook his head.

”I need to be alone. I'm going home,” he said.

”Okay... Are you going to be okay?”

”Yes.”

”Uh... Well... Goodnight, then,” I whispered before getting out of the car. He didn't say a word.

Then I watched as he drove away.

That night I didn't sleep very well. I couldn't stop thinking about what Val had said – that they'd be better off without me. I had a bad feeling that it was true, that they didn't want to be friends with me and that they didn't want me to be with Brian. I didn't fit in.

And on top of that, I was afraid that Brian was pushing me away from him. And what if he had realized that Val had been right? What if he would go back Michelle? I couldn't even stand the thought of it.

When I woke up the next morning, I felt like I had only slept for a few minutes. I looked absolutely horrible as I stared at my face in the mirror while brushing my teeth. I had to put on loads of makeup but really, it didn't make me look any prettier. As I sat down and ate breakfast, it felt weird to be without Brian. I had spent so much time with him recently that it was actually weird to be without him.

I waited for Brian to call me for the whole day but it never happened. I started to get worried but I didn't want to call him because maybe he just wanted to be alone. Maybe he didn't want to be with me 24/7. But really, deep down inside I was afraid that he had realized his mistake and gone back to Michelle.