Walking into the house, Justin slammed the door behind him before throwing his keys somewhere and running his hands through his hair. He was upset, angry and breathing a little too heavy looking as though he were about to blow up any minute.

Fingers pulsating, he needed to relieve his anger somehow. Grabbing a nearby glass, he chucked it across the room, the sound of it breaking resembling his crumbling heart.

"Whoa, what the hell is going on in here?" Bruce exclaimed, eyes big with concern as he rushed into the room, looking around to see if there was anyone else in there, John close behind.

Justin laughed, so hard, tears formed in his eyes. His face was red, cheeks flushed. His head spinning with thoughts running a mile a minute.

They all looked at him, worried. Knowing.

Calming down enough, he stretched his fingers out, inhaling deeply through his nose. "She's not here if that's what you're worried about," he brought his hands down to his waist.

"What happened?"

"What do you think?" Justin exhaled sharply towards the ceiling before walking over to him within an inch apart. "Never pull this shit again, do you understand me?"

"Justin—"

"After the wedding, don't expect me to allow her in this house again."

"What happened?" they repeated in unison, knowing something had to have happened to have him acting this way.

"We're better off apart," he concluded with a basic shrug, "there's nothing else to say." Shoving past them, Justin made his way up the stairs to his bedroom.

Making a move to go after him, John put his arm out stopping Bruce in place, "just let him be." Sighing, he turned to watch his best friend disappear, repeating, "just let him be."

"Hey man, you alright?"

Marco waited for an answer as he knocked on the door, but when he didn't receive one, he walked in anyways.

"I'm good."

"Oh, now you wanna answer me," he scoffed playfully, but when he saw Justin wasn't reciprocating, he stopped. Clearing his throat, he stuffed his hands in his pockets, "want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Stop fucking being stubborn."

"Excuse me?"

"Jump down from your high horse, alright? We're just trying to help you, man."

"I don't need your fucking help," he growled. "Was it your idea to have us in a car together too?"

"No, but I wasn't opposed to it either."

Scoffing, Justin shook his head, "unbelievable."

"It's not the end of the world, for fucks sake. It was Kelsey—"

"Exactly! It was Kelsey," Justin countered angrily, "Kelsey – who I ruined, who I broke, who every time I look at her, it's like we're back where we started. I fucked up big time, and nothing I say or do will ever change that or take it back. Do you know how hard it is to know she's moving on and she's happy without me? Do you know how hard it is not to be able to touch her again? Being in that car brought back so many memories. It was all too much, too fast, and instead of keeping my mouth shut, I was selfish with her. I took advantage of the situation and I almost kissed her, and now she hates me – more than she did before."

"She doesn't hate you."

"Right," Justin laughed humorlessly, looking away. "You know, if I was her, I'd hate me too."

"She doesn't hate you," Marco pressed confidently.

"She does. She may not mean to, but deep down inside, she does because there is no way in hell she'd love me after all I've done."

"You'd be surprised."

Looking at him, Justin shook his head in reassurance. "You said it yourself, I ruined her and I made it seem like it was okay. I made her lose herself and when she's slowly gaining it back, I fuck it up again."

"You can't keep blaming yourself. It's not going to solve anything."

"I'm not blaming myself for sympathy, I'm blaming myself because I need to take responsibility for my part in all of this."

"Do you love her?"

There was a pause.

"What?"

"Do you love her?"

He looked away.

"You already know the answer to that."

"Then don't give up." Marco allowed him the space he needed, exiting the room and leaving him on his own.

Disheveled, Kelsey pushed the hair out of her face as she exhaled a deep breath. She had just walked what felt like endless miles, the adrenaline coursing through her veins still pulsing. He always set a spark inside her, forcing her to feel things she had buried.

Pacing back and forth, she could barely put a thought together, her head a jumbled mess of mixed emotions.

She could hear voices in the other room and for the first time in months, she wanted to be alone again.

Pushing herself off the door after closing it behind her, she walked in a hurry, hoping to catch Carly in time to talk to her despite having guests over, when she saw Tanner sitting across from her.

"Hey!" Carly chirped, but the smile instantly vanished when she saw the look on her best friend's face. "What happened?"

Sliding her jacket, she tossed it over a chair, eyes never leaving Tanner's in a trance. She felt guilty. "Um, nothing."

"Kelsey," Tanner began, concern etched in his voice. He could sense something was wrong which instantly made her feel worse.

"I'm fine," she assured.

"You look flushed, babe."

"I'm okay, really."

"Why didn't you answer your phone?"

"I was just a little caught up, I was just going to call you now actually."

Lie.

"You sure nothing's bothering you?"

"Yes."

"Babe—"

"I said I'm fine!" she snapped, instantly calming. "I'm sorry," she then turned to Carly. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure," she stood almost immediately, excusing herself from the table and following Kelsey out into the hallway and to her room.

Before she had the chance to question Kelsey again, she broke the second they were alone.

"I almost kissed him," she blurted.

"What?" Carly's eyebrows shot up in surprise, a small smile tugging at the seams of her lips.

"I said I almost—" furrowing her brows, Kelsey paused. "Are you smiling?"

"What? No, I'm just –, no. What?"

Sighing, she shook her head before taking a seat across from her on the bed. "I almost kissed him. We were in the car and we were laughing and then we were fighting and he leaned in and I almost..." swallowing hard, Kelsey bit the inside of her lip.

"Why didn't you?"

Kelsey cocked her head in confusion, "what do you mean why?"

"Why didn't you kiss him?" she repeated as if it were obvious.

"I'm in a relationship."

"You sure that's it?"

Looking at her, Kelsey felt her insides churn, a look of defeat crawling through her features, "why is everyone questioning me about this?"

"Because you're my best friend," Carly smiled knowingly, "and I know things."

"I like him." Kelsey scoffed in frustration, "I like him a lot. He makes me happy."

"But do you love him?"

"What?"

"Do you love him?" Carly repeated again, looking her in the eyes.

"Why are you asking me that?"

"It's okay," Carly countered quietly.

"No," she shook her head, standing up. "No."

"Kelsey, it's okay."

"Stop saying that," she took a step back.

"You can't force yourself to love someone, it's normal."

"No."

"This is all so new to you, moving on, —"

"No."

"—you can't expect yourself to jump head first in a situation where you're not sure where to begin!" she finished, pushing herself up off the bed.

"No!" Kelsey shouted, "stop it."

"You love him, you always have and you always will and that's why you're freaking out because you don't want to love him anymore."

Kelsey pulled her lips into her mouth, feeling as though Carly had her by the throat. "Stop," she whispered, eyes watering.

Sharing a small smile, Carly sighed, "it's okay. You're not wrong for feeling this way and you're not a bad person for feeling this way either." Walking over to her, she put her hands on Kelsey's shoulders, "it's okay."

"Tanner's a good guy."

"He is."

"He makes me happy."

"I know he does."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Kelsey—"

"Get out."

"Kels—"

"I said get out!"

Pressing her lips together, Carly nodded before walking past and opening the door before closing it behind her, leaving Kelsey on her own.

Leaning back against the wall, Kelsey slid down until she fell to the ground, muffling her sounds as she began to cry.

"What's wrong?" she could hear Tanner from behind the door. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine, she just needs some time right now."

"What did he do to her?"

"Nothing, Tanner." She sighed heavily, "I've got it under control. She's fine, I'm here. You need to go." She could envision Carly trying to push him out the door.

"If he hurt her, I swear—"

"Tanner!" she snapped, "I said I've got it. You don't need to try and play her night and shining armor."

"I'm her boyfriend."

"Who she doesn't want to see right now so as her boyfriend, you should respect her wishes and leave."

There was silence before the door closed.

Running her fingers through her hair, Kelsey licked the top of her lip as she sniffled, holding back her remaining tears. She didn't know why she was so weak when it came to him – the idea of him, even the thought of him.

Wiping underneath her eyes, Kelsey grabbed her phone, not even thinking twice before dialing a number and waiting for them to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Meet me in ten minutes."

"Kelsey—"

She hung up.

"I thought you hated me?"

"I do."

"Then why am I here?" Justin stood in the middle of the warehouse they had come to plenty of times throughout the years.

"Because I have something to say," clearing her throat, she fumbled with her thumbs, closing her eyes momentarily before exhaling a deep breath, correcting herself immediately. "Something to ask."

"Okay?"

"I need you to forget me."

He paused, unsure of what exactly she was asking of him. "I'm pretty sure I've done that."

"No," she snapped, instantly calming down, "no. You didn't. What happened back in the car shouldn't have happened."

"Nothing happened."

"That's not the freaking point," she laughed humorlessly. "It could have and the only reason it did is because you have this hold on me. I don't know what it is, but I feel it and I don't want to feel it anymore. I don't want to feel anything."

"Don't say shit like that."

"Just promise me."

"I can't promise you anything—"

"Promise me you'll let go," she spoke over him, desperation etched inside every syllable.

"No."

"God, why can't you just—"

"If I promise you that, it'll be a lie and I can't lie to you."

"Right because you've always been so honest with me before," she laughed. "You know; I don't understand why it's so hard for you. It didn't seem to be so hard before when you were in bed with someone else."

His head shot around to look at her, "that didn't mean anything."

"You still did it so it had to mean something."

"You and I both know that's bullshit."

"I don't know what to believe anymore." Looking at him, she shook her head before taking a look around the place, a series of memories flashing before her eyes, "it used to be so simple."

"Nothing was ever simple."

"It wasn't what it is now."

There was silence between them and Justin took it as a good thing, unable to bare the atmosphere. Being around her, it was like he was suffocating – he couldn't not touch her, but with the way things were now, they were better off strangers.

"My life was a train wreck from the start, you're the only thing that made it better. You made it worth it."

"Don't."

"It's true."

"I don't care."

"If you didn't then why are you here?"

She paused, "because for once I thought that maybe, just maybe, you wouldn't be a selfish asshole." Collecting her things, she began to walk out.

"Answer one question for me," he called after her.

"What?"

"Do you love him?"

Unable to move or look at him, Kelsey stood in place, "that's none of your business."

"Just answer the damn question."

"I have to go."

"I don't want to be safe!" I screamed. "I want to be with you!" I threw my hands in the air, all the frustrations built up inside of me finally exploding.

"Well that can't happen." Justin murmured softly as though he was trying to convince himself that, refusing to look at me as he kept his gaze on the sky above.

"Do you love me?" I asked, a bit on edge of the whole situation.

"What?" He managed to pull his eyes to stare down at me.

"I said do you love me?"

When he didn't say anything, I took a few steps towards him. "If you tell me you don't, I'll leave." I negotiated. "Tell me you don't love me and I'll leave you alone forever."

"Kelsey..." Justin groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Answer me." I hissed.

He locked his jaw tight. "I can't."

My stomach flipped in response to his answer. "And why not?"

"Because I love you, damnit" He shook his head, "and that'll never change."

Walking after her, he grabbed her by the arm, forcing her to turn around and look at him though he made sure not to hurt her. "It's a simple yes or no."

"Let go of me,"

"Answer and I'll do whatever you want. You need me to forget you? No problem, but you need to tell me the truth."

She looked at him.

"Do you love him?"

Her stomach twisted. "Yes, now can you let go of my arm?"

He did as she asked.

"Thank you."

Everyone was running around, not an inch of the building untouched as things were being placed where they belonged, a curtain of bodies swaying in every direction to make sure everything was where it needed to be.

It was the day – Today was the day.

"Have you seen Alex?" Carly exasperated, her hair done with one earring in as one of her friends chased behind her with the other one, trying to get it in before she began moving again.

"What are you doing? You need to get ready!" Kelsey hissed, eyes wide in disbelief that she wasn't in the dress yet, but instead she was sporting pajama shorts and a tank top.

"I am, but she isn't here. She's one of my bridesmaids, she needs to be here – ouch!" she snapped turning around, instantly grabbing at her lobe, rubbing at it. "Jesus, Sara, careful next time."

"Sorry," she mumbled, "but you're getting married in less than three hours in case you forgot."

She narrowed her eyes, "ha, ha. Very funny."

Putting her hands up, she took a step back, "I'm just saying."

"She's right, Carly. You're supposed to already have your dress ready to go and you're running around worried about the smallest things."

"If you were in my position, you would too. It's my wedding day, it's supposed to be—"

"Perfect," Marco finished her sentence monotonously, rolling his eyes. "We know."

Gasping, Carly made a move to cover herself.

"Relax, I'm not John, no need to freak out. Jesus," he muttered, turning to Kelsey. "I need your help with something."

"What's wrong?"

"The caterer is sick. I mean, the food's here, but we need extra hands just to bring down the boxes from the back in the kitchen."

"Are you serious? In my bridesmaid's dress?"

"You're not the one getting married, no one's going to pay attention to you."

Kelsey nodded, "alright."

Realizing what he had just said, Marco cursed under his breath, turning to face her as she began walking out, "I didn't mean it like that—"

"I know what you meant, it's okay," she shared a smile, gesturing towards Carly with her chin, "help her. She's having a midlife crisis and can't find Alex."

"Alex? She's eating the food in the back."