"Get up you stupid brat!" I kept moving towards the yelling.

"You worthless piece of crap!" I couldn't stop. My ears were filled with the yelling and crying. I tried to stop but now I was standing in a room.

All the walls were white and the floor matched. Something red caught my eye. The was red liquid, blood, splattered across the floor. My eyes followed the blood path all the way where a guy, Troy was beating a girl...Baxlyn. His hand raised up and she screamed as it came down it hit her.

"You don't ever leave me! You here?" He yelled, going to hit her again. I tried to over but it was like I was trapped in one spot.

I tried yelling but nothing came out. My breath quickened as Troy reached for his pocket. He pulled out something small and shiny. It clicked and I realized it was a pocket knife. Baxlyn's cries grew louder. I started freaking out inside. he was going to cut her but I couldn't do anything. Troy's face turned at me and he gave me the dirtiest grin. He pulled his arm back and let the knife swing towards her.

***

I bolted up in my bed. My body was sweating and my breath was going in and out uncontrollably. I wiped my hand over my face and calmed down. I looked over next to me and there was Baxlyn. Sleeping like a little baby. Her hair was a knotted mess. Make up smeared all over my pillow. She was beautiful even when she was snoring and drooling everywhere.

I went to move hair out of her face but hereyes fluttered open. She quickly sat up and held her head in pain.

"Ah! My head. Where am I? Tanner?" She looked like a confused idiot.

I laughed and crawled out of bed. "Ugh you were a huge mess last night so I brought you to my house to clean you up then you passed out," I said turning on the news.

"Okay...am I in your clothes?"

"Yeah. Like I said you were a mess and passed out so I undressed you...wait, I mean-"

"Hey! It's fine. Thank you," she got up and kissed my cheek like she did that day in the hall. "My knees feel like sand paper. Is this your bathroom?" Baxlyn pointed towards the door by my closet and I nodded.

She walked in and shut the door behind her. I din't hear anything at first but then the sound of the shower started. I walked over to my closet and pulled on a sweatshirt and some khaki shorts. I ran my fingers through my hair and walked into the hall way. I made my way downstairs and saw my parents at the table with Neena pouring them coffee.

"Mom? Dad?" I said. I was so confused. I thought they were leaving at 5 this morning.

"Oh hi Tanner," mother sat down her cup and looked at. "Our plane got delayed we leave in an hour."

"Oh, I thought you guys were actually home for once," I said dismissing Neena from the kitchen.

"We won't be gone long actually. We are going to do a case in New Jersey and while we are there, we will be meeting with the headmaster at Princeton. That scholarship is still open you know?"

I was about to say something but I then heard footsteps coming downstairs. Baxlyn, crap. What were my parents going to say? Baxlyn got to the last step and looked straight at my mom, then me.

"Oh hello," my mother said. "Tanner? Who is this?"

"Oh, this is-"

"I am Baxlyn. Your neighbor." As Baxlyn said this, my father looked up and set down his phone.

My mother looked at me. "Right...Tanner, can I speak with you for a second?" She got up and strode into the kitchen and I trailed behind her. "Why did a girl, I don't know and that is not Lexia come out of your room?"

"Mom, after the party stuff happened and she needed help so I brought her home and washed her up but she ended up passing out so i just left her," I said. My mom did not have a very happy look on her face.

"How do you think Lexia is gonna feel about this?" she asked.

"I wouldn't know. We aren't gonna be seeing each other anymore."

Mother turned away from the window and looked at me. "Why on earth not?"

"Because she cgheuted ohn meh..." I muttered.

"I am sorry, what?"

"Because," I really didn't wanna talk about it. I really just wanted to forget about. Maybe if I tell my mom what she did last night, she wouldn't make me marry her. "she cheated on me. I caught her sleeping with Baxlyn's boyfriend."

"That is a bunch of bull! She would never!"

"Really, because I saw her last night, half naked, on top of Baxlyn's boyfriend! Even ask Baxlyn herself! She knows! I wouldn't lie to you!" I didn't realize I was yelling until I was finished.

My mother was about to say something but my father came into the kitchen. "Hey, we have to go now if we wanna make our flight," he said, grabbing their suitcases. Mother shoved passed me and the next thing I knew they were out the door.

I was still looking off into the distance until I heard soft steps. I spun around and saw Baxlyn with her hand on her arm. I walked over to the pot of coffee and pulled out two mugs. I poured in creamer and then the coffee. Dropping in a sugar cube, I gave it to Baxlyn.

"So...I take it your mom doesn't like me?" she says taking a seat at the island.

I awkwardly laughed and rubbed the back of my neck. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough to know she doesn't like me."

"She can't dislike you because she doesn't even know you. She just really liked me with Lexia,"

"Lexia and you aren't together anymore?" At this, she looked up at me.

I let out a sigh and set down my mug. "Honestly, I don't know. She has done this to me before but the last time she was drunk. I on't really wanna give her a second chance to be honest. I'll try to get a hold of her today and tell her off."

"Well, good luck with that. Now, are you gonna make me breakfast or let me starve?"

***

"I still can't believe you put butter and salt on your toast," I beamed to Baxlyn. We were headed to the store to get supplies for something. Baxlyn just wouldn't tell me what we were getting though.

"What? It's good. You know, I eat salt with almost everything," she chimed rolling down her window.

"You're gonna die by the time you are 35."

The whole way to Wal*Mart, we laughed and listened to music like nothing happened last night. It was nice to actually have fun and be silly with a girl I liked without getting yelled at like Lexia always did to me.

Before we had left, I checked my phone and had 7 missed calls and 10 text messages from Lexia.

Lexia: Hey babe?

Come back! I am so sorry!

Let me explain! It was a mistake...

Yadda, yadda, yadda. I'd put my phone in my pocket not bothering to read the rest of her dirty lies. Same crap as last time. I could never trust her again. There was not a chance I was gonna get back with her again. No matter what anyone said.

I pulled into Wal*mart and found a spot up front. As soon as I came to a stop, Baxlyn giggled and hopped out. She ran around to my side before I could get out. 

"You stay here! I will be right back!" she squealed through the window. Then she took off for the sliding doors.

It took her about 10 minutes. She came running out, threw the bags in the back seat and looked out the front window. I looked at her. Baxlyn had the biggest grin across her face and her breathe was racing. She looked at me.

"What are you waiting for? Start heading for Lexia's house," she breathed.

I shook my head, putting the car into gear and backing out. We were there in about 15 minutes. Baxlyn reached back and grabbed the bags. She looked at me and oohed. I hopped out with her and walked to my trunk where she was pulling cartons off eggs out.

"No way," I mumbled.

"Way!" Baxlyn squealed. "There is 2 cartons for Lexia's house and 2 for Troy's."

"You are something else," I grinned. She put a finger to my mouth and shoved an egg carton at me. 

"On 3."She didn't even wait a second. "3!" 

We started chucking eggs at Lexia's windows, new car, all over her house. We were having the time our lives. I think she was having more fun than me though. I have never done anything bad like this before. So a little bit, deep, deep, way deep down inside, I felt guilty. 

Finally, we were all out of eggs so we sprinted back for my car and drove off as quick as possible. The both of us were laughed until our sides hurt and tears ran down our cheeks. I pulled into Troy's house and we randomly started chucking eggs everywhere.

I no longer felt guilty.

We used the last of our eggs and sat back in my car. Baxlyn was still laughing. I loved the way she threw her head back and laughed. She had the best smile, perfect, white teeth. She must of felt me staring and looked at me with her bright blue eyes. 

"You're amazing," I said.

She awed and playfully punched my arm. "Tee Hee...thanks so are you pal!"

Pal? Friend Zoned.