Isla' POV

I've been running for what seems like hours. In reality it seems that I've been running for about thirty minutes. I stop running and find myself at a deserted park. There's a beauty in this old park. It's been worn down from the weather and time, but there is a tranquility to it. This park seems so familiar. After surveying the area, it dawns on me.

This is the park that my foster parents took me to first meet Alissa and Ramiro. This is the park I also first met Luke at. The wind blows the park causing the swings to slightly sway gaining my attention. I walk over to the swings and take a seat. Tears fill my eyes as I am met with memories of my parents and old best friend. Thinking of Luke causes me even more pain. I remember the sweet kid that once would push me on this very swing that I am sitting on now.

I remember how a kid that was a few years older than me, pulled me off the swing because he wanted it. Luke hadn't taken very kindly to the older boy taking the swing from me. He had tackled the boy off the swing so that I could have it back. Thinking of him causes my head to hurt and for more tears to betray me as they fall from my eyes continually. How can my once sweet best friend turn around and call me a slut? How could he make out with Chelsea? How can I love someone who has hurt me so badly?

But how can I not love Luke? Thinking that he may come back for me all these years is what helped me get through the name-calling and bullying that Chelsea caused me. How was he there the entire time right in front of my nose yet I didn't recognize him? Do I still love him? I do, but it's strained. Do I give up on him? I always said I wouldn't, but I don't know anymore.

He was the one that I loved, but after the pain goes, I need to say goodbye and allow myself to heal? What about Hayden? My feelings for him are growing, but I don't know about him either. He's been nothing but kind to me. He hasn't turned his back on me, but with part of me still loving Luke would it be fair to Hayden. What if I can't stop loving Luke?

I don't want to lead Hayden on. He's a great person and deserves someone that isn't broken like me. Silently I cry, throwing myself a pity party with all the thoughts in my head, but I snap back to reality when I hear leaves crunching beneath someone's feet getting near me. I try to wipe the tears from my eyes. The guys must have realized I left and went out searching for me. I continue to swing with my head bowed. I don't want to face who found me.

I don't care which guy it is. He sits on the swings next to me and slowly swings alongside me. "Angel, why is a beautiful girl like yourself crying all alone in this old park?"

His voice is deep and smooth like velvet. Looking at him, I am surprised to find myself met with a stranger. I had expected to see Hayden or Nick. Maybe even Luke, but instead I find myself looking at a beautiful guy with blonde hair and vibrant blue eyes. "Sorry," I whisper.

"It's nothing," I say as I force a smile onto my face.

He looks me in the eye and it's as if he can see straight into my soul seeing all the pain that lives within me. "Angel, your smile is nothing more than a lie. Your eyes are like an open book. I see the pain and hurt. By no means do you have to tell me anything? We just met, but I can tell you're struggling. I see it, and I care. I would love to help you."

"Why do you care?" I ask.

"You don't know me. We don't even know each other's names. Nothing good will come from you befriending me."

My words seem to strike a note with him as he gives me a puzzled look. "I-I don't know. There's something about you. I want to know you. How about we start with something simple."

He puts his hand out for me to shake. "Hi, I'm Killian. I'm new here," he says with a genuine smile.

I give him a small smile in return before taking his hand and shaking it. "I'm Isla. It's nice to meet you."

"Isla," he says as if he is thinking about it.

"It's a beautiful name but I think, Angel, suits you better."

"Thank you, but I guarantee you that most wouldn't agree with that name," I say in a hushed tone.

"What do you mean?" He asks.

"Never mind. It's nothing. Anyways, where are you from?" I ask quickly trying to change the subject.

"From all over. My family moves around a lot," he replies, but there is something in his voice that says there is something more to it.

"What about you? Have you always lived here?"

I think back to when I lived in the two foster homes. I don't remember if they were here or somewhere else. I never got to go out when I lived in foster homes. "As far as I can remember this has always been my home," We fall into a comfortable silence as we swing.

"Do you want to talk about why you were crying?" He asks hesitantly.

There's something about him that makes me want to open up to him, but I'm too scared too. After opening up the Kaira and being called a slut by her and Luke I just don't have the strength to tell my story to someone else and have them hurt me too. "You seem like a great guy, but I'm not sure I'm ready to tell you just let."

He looks disappointed but still gives me a smile. "Maybe another time, Angel."

A cool breeze blows through the park and I shiver. The sun is slowly starting to go down. "It's getting late. I should probably head home before people start to worry. It was very nice to meet you, Killian."

"Likewise, Angel."

I jump off the swing, but before I can get any farther Killian grabs my wrist and pulls me into a hug and I hug him tightly back. Sparks. I feel sparks, but how? It must be my imagination. Either way, the hug was needed. When Killian finally lets me go, he has a bright smile on his face. "I hope to see you again soon."

"Me too," I say as I wave goodbye.

I really hope I do see him again. We didn't exchange any information that would help us contact each other, but I can always hope to run into him again.

Hayden's POV

We've been searching for Isla for a few hours now. I'm beyond terrified. I call the guys and tell them to meet me back at the house, so we can make a plan to find her. How can she have gotten so far just on foot? I'm pacing the back and forth in the living room when Nick and Lucas arrive back at the house. I rake my hand through my hair. "Where could she have gone? Do you think she's hurt?" I croaked out.

Yes, I've been crying. I can't help it. Isla brings out all types of emotions in me. Luke looks like a mad man. This is affecting him as much as it is affecting me. Nick seems to be the only sane one in the group. Nick's not happy with Luke helping us, but he agreed that it's better to have an extra person helping us.

"Maybe we should call the cops," Nick suggests.

"They won't do anything. She's considered an adult and would need to be missing for at least twenty-four hours before they would put out a missing person report for her," I respond.

Luke's anger is starting to get the best of him. "This is all my fault. I never meant it. I never meant to hurt her or call her names."

Nick pushes over a chair. His anger matching Luke's. "Of course, it's your damn fault." He says as he marches over to Luke. "You..."

Before he can finish whatever, he was going to say to Luke, the front door opens and in walks Isla. "Love," I say, almost tackling her to the ground. "You had us so worried."

"Where did you go? Why did you leave without telling us? Are you hurt?" Nick says joining in on our hug.

"Sunshine forgive me. This is my fault. I shouldn't have brought her here with me. I didn't mean any of the bad things I said about you." Luke cries as he also hugs her.

"Guys," She giggles.

Damn I love when she giggles. "I'm-I'm fine except for the three of you crushing me."

We all instantly release her. "With everyone arguing, I felt like I was suffocating. I needed to get out of here so I ran until I couldn't run anymore and ended up at a park. I'm sorry for scaring y'all."

She gives us a small smile before speaking directly at Luke. "I already told you that I forgive you. You now need to forgive yourself."

He gives her a sad smile and nods. Nick rushes into the kitchen and grabs Isla's medication that she was supposed to take earlier and brings it to her with a glass of water. "You haven't taken your medication yet, " he says as he hands her the pills and water.

"Isla, please don't run off again. It really had us worried."

She gives him a tight smile before saying, "I'm sorry. I promise I won't do that again."

She hands the glass back to him and he returns it to the kitchen. "Hayden," she says cheerfully.

"What are you making me for dinner?"

I had forgotten that I promised to make her dinner. "Anything you want, Love."

She smiles excitedly. "Surprise me please."

God, I love this girl. She constantly brightens my day. "I'm going to go take a shower to get clean off from running to the park. Luke, are you staying for dinner?"

He looks over to me hesitantly asking if I'm okay with it. I still haven't forgiven him completely, but he did take up for Isla against Kaira earlier. I give him a small smile and nod at him letting him know it's okay with me. He gives me a grateful smile in return before saying, "I would love to stay for dinner, Isla."

She smiles at him and walks upstairs.

Nick's POV

As I put Isla's medication away and wash her glass, Hayden walks in and starts pulling out stuff to make dinner. It dawns on me that this will be our first dinner in our home. For the first time in years, I can say I have a home. Before I walk into the living room Hayden stops me. "Luke is staying for dinner."

This angers me. "Why?"

Hayden sighs. "Isla invited him to stay."

"Why is she forgiving him so easily?" I ask.

"Nick, you know why. They were childhood best friends." He rakes his hand through his hair in frustration. "He hurt her, but Isla is a forgiving person, and they have a past. For Isla's sake, I think I am going to forgive him too."

I look at him in shock, "But, like Isla said, I will forgive him but not forget what he did."

That put me at ease a little. I'm glad everyone's not going to pretend like he didn't do anything wrong.

He hurt Isla, Hayden, and me. I will give him points for turning Kaira away today and helping us look for Isla. "I guess I'll try to do the same, but I don't want to see them become a couple or any type of shit like that."

Hayden chuckles. "Same here."

Hayden gives me a weird expression. "Can I tell you something?" He whispers.

Unsure of what he's going to say I nod my head. He rubs the back of his neck. "I think I love her."

My eyes widen before a huge smile makes its way across my face. I pull Hayden into a big hug and spin him around. "Yes!" I say excitedly.

"My best friend and my little sister. Y'all have to end up together."

Hayden laughs. "First, she's not really your little sister."

"I've always wanted a little sister and that is how I see Isla," I say sternly.

"Secondly, I'm taking it slow. She knows Luke has feelings too, but she already told him that he needs to work on their friendship before anything else. She knows I like her, and she wants us to get to know each other."

"Give it time. Y'all are meant for each other."

I tell him as I walk into the living room so he can cook.

Sitting on the couch in the living room is Luke. He tenses when he sees me. Things haven't been good between us in a few weeks. "Nick," he starts to say but I cut him off.

"No, Luke. Let me talk first."

He only nods at me. "For Isla, I'm going to do the same as Hayden and forgive you. By no means does this mean we are best friends again. I don't know if we will ever even be friends again, but I am willing to set aside our difference if it makes Isla happy. I will act civil around you and maybe one day we become friends again, but I can't just up and forget what you did. Dude, you hurt her more than you will ever know."

Tears form in Luke's eyes. "I know I did. For the rest of my life, I will work on making it up to her. I love her. I always have."

It aggravates me hearing him say that he loves her. If he loved her, he wouldn't have hurt her. Hayden also loves her, and he will treat her a thousand times better. "Just because you love her doesn't mean you're good for her. She deserves to be happy and not have to worry that the person she's with is going to run off with someone else because they're upset with her."

Luke lowers his head into his hands. "I'm not stupid. I know Hayden really likes her. I know everyone thinks she would be better off with him, but I can't give up on her. She's the reason why I am alive. She's the only thing that kept me from doing things that I shouldn't. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here today. She doesn't even know the impact that she has had on my life. I can't lose her Nick, I just can't."

I knew that Luke had been extremely depressed before, but from what he just said I now fear that it's more extreme than what I thought. If Isla and Hayden were to get together does that mean Luke would do something to himself?