- Can I Be Him; James Arthur - 

Aurora Holland

I've never been the one to attend parties. At least, on my own anyway. Paige had always taken me to one or two back in Point Prep, but I was more on my own than I was here. It was like she knew there was no changing my ways or what others thought of me when we were back there, but here? She had full access to turning me into someone I'm not.

That probably explains why shortly after I moved here, our relationship deteriorated - quite quickly at that.

Paige had immediately insisted I change the way I am, going to parties, wearing makeup and clothes you usually wouldn't see me in. Still, she failed to realize I'd already begun to figure out the person I was meant to be and she was trying far too late to have too much of an influence on me.

That being said, I've never really attended a New Year's Party. I still attended the ones my parents had and still forced Jason to attend, the ones where they drank wine or champagne of their choice and gave us kids that sparkling grape juice so it seemed as if we were drinking along with them.

I sat at the kids' table every year, silent in my thoughts as everyone around me mingled. Sometimes Jason would talk to me because he was bored and felt bad, and I let him. He was my brother after all, but then again I knew it was purely out of pity and he knew deep down I didn't have any friends.

Now, things are different.

I've now moved away from being Paige's little Barbie doll, and instead have found myself more than I had before moving here. Of course, I think I always knew myself, but I'm more confident that I'm not weird or a loser because I'm more into art and romance movies than partying and alcohol.

Parties aren't a complete no from me now that I've been to my fair share of them, but the idea of attending Ashley Wilde's New Year's Bash didn't give me the best feeling one would think. Usually, the idea of getting an invitation to the most popular girl in school's party would excite you, letting you think that for just once - for one night - you were one of them.

Unfortunately, not for me. I'm simply going because I want to put everything past me. I want to live my life without worrying about whether Ashley and her minions, the Jackson brothers, or even Paige will be there. I want to be able to spend time with my best friend without cowering away whenever Maya or Gwen come up and talk to her. I want to be able to be content with hanging out with my best friend's boyfriend - who is also one of my closest friends - without worrying if his best friend will be there.

I can't move on and live my life if I continue to act as if I'm a hurt little victim who doesn't get any love. I accept the fact that Carter and I aren't meant to be, and I accept the fact that Logan only wanted me because he liked the idea of me. I accept that the all-mighty Jackson brothers aren't who everyone makes them out to be, and I choose to not let that affect my life any longer.

Not to mention Elijah wouldn't leave me alone until I agreed to go, so there's that.

 A knock on the door caught my attention, and I glanced back at Katherine who had been sitting at the edge of my bed waiting while I finished getting ready. She sent a glance my way before standing up to get the door.

I put my attention back to the mirror in front of me, making sure none of the makeup I applied was smeared. 

It was different than my usual makeup routine, but it didn't look bad. Instead of just the usual foundation and mascara, I decided to add a little nude-colored eyeshadow along with a small winged eyeliner. It definitely causes the blue in my eyes to pop, but at the same time, it's nothing dramatic in the way that Paige or even Katherine does her makeup.

I applied some lip gloss as Elijah walked through the bedroom door, dressed in his usual attire for the party.

"Hello, you beautiful ladies!" He exclaimed with a grin on his face, plopping himself down on the bed. "I see you've gotten ready for the big bash tonight."

"As ready as we'll ever be," Katherine spoke with a smile as she glanced at me. I could tell she was nervous for me tonight, which was understandable.

I wasn't super on board with this whole party thing, although Elijah was quick to change my mind. 

"I'm ready," I mumbled as I turned in my chair. I grabbed my black Converse from the floor next to the vanity and slipped them on. As I tied them, Elijah spoke up.

"Converse with a dress? I dig it."

"She wears stuff like that all the time," Katherine spoke from her spot as she pulled her own shoes on.

"I know, I know." Elijah countered from the bed. He rolled onto his stomach and rested his head on the palm of his hand, "Looks nice. Classy but not too classy. Looks like you're going to a high school party."

"We are going to a high school party," I said as I looked up. I sent him a soft smile as I stood from my seat, straightening my dress out.

It was a simple black silk fabric dress, the bottom of it ending just in the middle of my thighs. The top of the dress was strapless but fit my curves perfectly so it didn't slide off of my body.

"I'm going to head to the car, and get it started since it's cold outside," Katherine spoke, holding her hand out. "Can I get the keys?" 

Elijah nodded as he stood from the bed, pulling the car keys from his pocket. Katherine went to grab it but Elijah pulled his hand back, causing the keys to be out of reach. "Nuh-uh," He motioned with a goofy smile. "I believe some sort of payment is due."

I looked away, letting them have their moment as Elijah told Katherine she owed him a kiss for the keys. Instead, I just continued to gather the rest of my things, and it wasn't long before Katherine was out the door and on her way to get the car warmed up.

Elijah cleared his throat as I continued what was left of getting ready. I glanced at him to see he was rubbing the back of his neck, the goofy grin on his face only moments before wiped as if it was never there.

"Look, I know you were hesitant about going because Ashley's kind of a bitch-"

"Kind of?" I couldn't help but cut him off, smiling when he let out a chuckle.

"Okay, yeah, you're right. She's a mega bitch and I get that - but she probably won't even acknowledge you with how many people are going." He shrugged, picking at the earring in his ear. "But I know Carter's going too, so I just wanted to say I'll make sure he doesn't come near you so you can actually have a stress-free, relaxing night that doesn't consist of him."

"Why would he come near me anyway?" I asked as I looked at the ring on my finger. It was the same ring Carter gifted me for Christmas, one I only took off when I was sleeping or in the shower. I smiled softly as I twirled it around my finger a few times before looking back at him, the smile fading almost instantly.

Elijah looked at me for a moment before nodding, wiping his thumb against his bottom lip. "Right. Yeah, what a silly idea." He cleared his throat, "I was just- just looking out for you, you know. That goes for more than just Carter, if anyone bothers you- you can come to me."

"Thank you, Elijah." I softly said, "We should get going before we're super late."

Elijah agreed, and the two of us left my room and went out to the car. It was a miracle we managed to avoid my entire family minus my father, who just gave us a 'be safe' along with a hug before letting us go.

I sat in the backseat while Katherine and Elijah talked in the front, my mind on other things as we made our way to where Ashley lived. I wasn't sure where it was, all I knew was that it was in a house very similar to the Jackson residence. I expected it, considering Ashley was one to flaunt her money around.

The sky was dark, the leftover snow on the ground glittering in the moonlight. It was pretty, but it'd be even prettier if the entire ground were covered in snow instead of just giant ugly clumps in random spots.

As we arrived, the butterflies in my stomach began to catch my attention. I hadn't really been worried or nervous at all, especially since Elijah said that there'd be so many people Ashley probably wouldn't even notice me.

To say there'd be a lot of people was an understatement. There were so many people I could see what looked like dozens in every window available minus the ones with the lights off, and people even lingered around outside. It was much like the very first party I attended, the one I got super drunk at because my feelings were hurt.

Elijah struggled to find somewhere to park at first, but finally, we decided to park down the street and walk the distance. It wouldn't matter anyway and if anything it'd make it much easier to leave when everyone sobered up and wanted to leave, which was good enough of an excuse for me to walk in the cold.

When we first walked in, the cold was immediately replaced by heat. People were already drunk as they danced against each other, with some girls gossiping in one corner and guys drinking from a keg in another. It was just like the party I went to before, but this was a lot wilder due to everyone here being high schoolers instead of a mixture of high school and college kids.

I lingered around Elijah and Katherine until I somehow managed to get separated from them, which I wasn't upset about. It was awkward after since I was standing on my own, but I just stood by some of the drinks.

Looking over, I watched as Ashley kissed Carter's cheek. He smiled, and although it didn't look real - it looked real enough for me. I looked at the ring on my finger, twirling it quickly as the feelings I'd swore up and down all day were gone. The pep talks I continuously gave myself, the feelings I worked so hard to shove down - they all flooded back. It was as if I were experiencing the heartbreak all over again, even though I knew I'd be okay.

I took a deep breath, taking my mind away from Ashley and Carter. Just as if the Gods up above had heard my prayers asking for something to take my mind off of it, the feeling of someone grabbing my arm and shouting my name caught my attention.

"Rory!" Bailey exclaimed happily, Layla trailing behind her. Layla smiled a greeting at me that I quickly returned before looking back at Bailey. "What's up? I didn't think you were coming!"

"I changed my mind," I told her with a smile. "I'm glad to see you!"

Bailey began to speak with Layla chiming in here and there, but my eyes kept wandering behind the girls to where Carter stood with Ashley. They were in their own conversation, Ashley resting her hand against his chest.

I squeezed the cup in my hand before looking back at Bailey, seeing her begin to glance behind her to see what I was looking at.

Layla, having picked up very quickly on what I was staring at wrapped her arm around Bailey to keep her facing forward. "So, what do you say, Ror?" Layla asked to bring the subject back to whatever it was they'd been talking about.

"Sorry, what?" I asked, blinking a few times.

"The PROM committee! Your artistic abilities would be fantastic plus we could really use your creative mind to figure out the theme-" As Bailey went on, I watched as Carter whispered something to Ashley.

My blood boiled, and it was then I realized how much of a jealous person I am. Although I'm ready to be over everything that happened and move on, I'm clearly not in the right mindset to see them together.

"Okay, yeah," I mumbled, not paying attention to anything Bailey was saying. Her smile grew wider and she looked at Layla in excitement.

"I told you she'd say yes with enough convincing! I didn't even have to pull the puppy eyes!" 

"Uh huh, yeah. Let's go party now, okay? We can talk about PROM later." Layla sent me a look before pulling Bailey along.

Bailey waved an excited goodbye as Layla led her to where more people were dancing. This left me alone once again. I downed the rest of whatever juice was in my cup before throwing the cup away and going to where a bunch of Jello shots sat.

Grabbing three, I was quick to take them. They were strong but I ignored the taste, the liquid burning as it went down my throat. It made my body feel a little hotter than usual, and I knew soon enough I was going to feel a little tipsy. But that's what I wanted, to be drunk enough to where I didn't make a fool of myself but was able to let loose and have fun and stop worrying about what Ashley and Carter were doing every two seconds.

If I really didn't wanna know, I could've just stayed home. I could've planned something with my family and did what I usually do every year, but I didn't. So this truly is on me.

I waited a little bit after the shots to get another drink, knowing to pace myself so I didn't get myself sick. Eventually, I was past the point of tipsy but not embarrassingly drunk. It was the perfect balance in between, or at least so it seemed.

As I went to leave the drink area to cut myself off, someone pushed past me. I lost balance and bumped into whoever had been walking behind me. My arms reached out to grab whatever it was I could to prevent myself from falling, although it did nothing.

My hand gripped onto someone else's tightly, another grip wrapping firmly around my waist to prevent me from falling any further. I let out a laugh as I stood back up, the person reluctantly letting go of me once I got my footing.

"I-I'm so sorry-" I continued to laugh, despite the fact it wasn't the funniest thing. I looked up to see who it was I'd bumped into. As my vision cleared up I saw that it was Garrett - someone I hadn't spoken to in a very long time.

Anything that had been funny only moments before was gone. The laughs stopped, the smile wiped off of my face as I cleared my throat and straightened my dress out. "H-hey, Garrett."

"Aurora, hey." He sent me a soft smile, pulling back to give me my space. "Crazy I always seem to find you at a party like this, huh? Really didn't expect to see you."

"Didn't think I'd see you here either," I mumbled.

"Yeah, I can see why." He awkwardly spoke. He looked around before back at me, his cheeks tinted pink. It was hot in here and he was wearing a hoodie, which could explain why. "We-" He stopped as he leaned in enough for me to hear him better, his mouth near my ear. "We should talk."

"Why?" I asked, before realizing how rude it sounded. "I- I mean about what?"

"About the last time we saw each other." He spoke loudly, but not too loud.

Memories flooded back to the last time we spoke, which just so happened to be at a party much like tonight. He wouldn't let me go when Carter wanted me to leave, almost causing a fight between the two.

Well, not almost. It did. It was the last time I saw him and the only, really.

Not to mention the things he said and how he acted, the same feelings I felt before hitting me all over again.

Man, I'm such an emotional drunk, aren't I?

"I want to apologize," Garrett spoke up again after I hadn't said anything, seeming to read my mind. "For the things I said."

I began to protest, but then realized it wouldn't hurt to at least talk to him. I finally nodded with a small smile, causing him to smile in return.

He looked very similar to when I first met him, except his hair was slightly longer than it was before. It looked good, but that could also be the alcohol talking.

Leading me out of the noise and outside, we stopped where only a few people were to get fresh air. It was a nice comparison to inside, and it felt nice to not have sweaty bodies touch me every two seconds due to lack of space.

It was silent at first, the both of us seeming to be lost in thought. It wasn't awkward, more so content as my mind was running way too much to attempt to speak.

"I'm sorry about the way I acted months ago when we first met." Garrett finally spoke up. "I know I technically said that already but I guess this is more of an official... apology..." He then trailed off, messing with one of the rips in his jeans.

"It was pretty fucked up," I mumbled as I remembered the things he said. I then laughed, "Man, I was so embarrassed that night."

"Not really." He shook his head as he made a face. I just looked at him with a serious look, and he quickly smiled. "Yeah, it was a little awkward considering we'd just met."

"I'm sorry for being embarrassing, I'm not usually like that." I shook my head, "I was just dealing with a lot and I think with it being my first time getting drunk it just didn't mix well."

"Well, your embarrassing drunk moments were nothing compared to me grabbing you the way I did. Or trying to force you to leave when you didn't want to... or insinuating to Carter that you were... unloyal. Just the heat of the moment I guess." Garrett mumbled as we walked along the yard, straying a little further away from the group of people.

The alcohol was beginning to wear off since I hadn't even had that much, but at the same time, I could still feel what was in my system. I was still under the influence, but at the same time, I was more normal than I would be if I were blackout drunk.

"So why don't we restart then, yeah?" He asked as he stopped walking. I stopped as well and looked at him to see a look of hope in his eyes, probably wanting me to forget about the fact that he'd done what he did.

"Carter and I aren't together, you know that... right?" I asked, ignoring his question. "We were- we were never together."

"So why did he say so?" Garrett asked softly.

"I don't know," I told him honestly. "I thought something was going to happen but he truly isn't interested in me. Which I respect, you know? It's his choice and he's into whoever he's into, I just hate I was dragged along as if something was going to happen."

"The Jackson brothers aren't really good people. They act like they're all that, but you should hear them when we're competing on the field. They start almost every fight between Riverway and Arrowway." Garrett shrugged, "But that doesn't matter. Thank you for telling me there's nothing going on between you guys."

We turned in our spot and began to walk back toward the house, knowing it was too cold to walk a huge distance from the giant house. 

I just shrugged in response, feeling content with the alcohol left in my system. We got inside and Garrett held an arm behind my back to lead me through the groups of people, but not tight enough to hurt me. In fact, it was so loose on my waist that it could easily be removed if anyone were to try. I think he's trying to not overstep any boundaries and touch me without permission, which I appreciate.

My eyes met with Carter's from across the room, and surprisingly I didn't feel the heartbreak I felt earlier when I saw him. Maybe it was due to the alcohol, or maybe the fact that I was distracted by Garrett - who knows - all I know, is he didn't look too happy when he saw me with Garrett.

I don't care.

We hung out the majority of the night together, me meeting a few of the other people he knew at Arrowway and him greeting some of my friends. I could tell my friends were on edge considering not only what happened the last time we met but the ongoing rivalry between Arrowway and Riverway, but nobody said anything. Nobody even so much as glanced at him differently. It was nice as it didn't feel like I was doing something wrong for once and people were just accepting the fact that I was doing what I wanted to make myself happy.

"I'm going to go grab us drinks, okay?" Garrett asked loudly over the music. I nodded with a soft smile, causing him to smile. "What would you like?"

"Um, do they have water bottles?" I asked. "I've had enough alcohol and I think I need to get some water in my body before I get dehydrated."

"I will search for one if they don't," He said with a grin. "I'll be back okay?"

After one last nod, Garrett weaved his way through the crowd of people, leaving me on my own. This wasn't long, however, before I was pulled back away from the wall I was leaning against and down the hallway where little to no people stood.

"What the fuck?" I asked aloud, looking to see Carter bringing me away from everyone.

He didn't say anything and stopped when we were out of sight of everyone. This was probably to avoid another run-in with Garrett, along with whatever wrath Ashley would let loose if she were to see us together.

"What the fuck are you doing Carter?" I asked as I pulled my hand from his.

He looked down, the tiniest smile covering his features. "You're wearing the ring."

"So?" I asked as I covered that hand with my other one. "It just doesn't hurt and I figured since I was coming to a party it'd be useful."

Of course, that was true. But I wasn't going to give him any satisfaction that I was also wearing it due to the fact it was a thoughtful gift given to me, a gift that held more thought than almost any I'd ever received.

"What are you doing with Garrett after what he did to you?" Carter asked, changing the subject.

"What are you doing talking to me after what you did to me?" I retorted with my arms crossed, "Besides, it's none of your business."

"Rory I can't handle seeing you with him," He mumbled.

"And I couldn't handle seeing you with Ashley at first, but I dealt with it because that's how things are meant to be." I shrugged. Part of me was glad I had the amount of alcohol in me that I did, otherwise, I probably wouldn't have had the confidence to speak to him like this.

"You're not meant to be with Garrett." He shook his head.

"Well that's not your call, is it?" I asked with a cocked brow.

"FIFTEEN MINUTES TILL MIDNIGHT!" Someone in the crowd shouted, catching our attention.

"I need to go," I mumbled, beginning to walk away.

"Rory, wait-" Carter began as he grabbed my hand. I stopped and looked back at him, seeing a look I couldn't decipher on his face. "You- you look so pretty tonight."

I stared at him for a moment before sighing and pulling my arm away from him. I didn't say anything as I walked away and down the hall, hoping to get back to my spot before Garrett noticed I was gone.

I was unlucky, however, as when I walked up I saw him standing there with a cup and an unopened water bottle. "Hey," I mumbled, catching his attention.

"Oh, there you are." He smiled at me as he held the water bottle out. "Thought you ditched me or something."

"No, just-" I stopped, waving a hand back. "Went to use the restroom. Got lost coming back. Huge house and all."

He chuckled as he took a sip of his drink, glancing around the room. "Yeah, you'd think there'd be more space to move with how big the house is, but considering Ashley invited people from both Arrowway and Riverway here, it kind of explains a lot."

"Plus she's the most popular girl in school and all." I shrugged as I broke open the water bottle. "Thanks for finding me a water bottle."

"Had to do a little searching but managed to find a closed case in the pantry. Sure they won't mind if one's missing." He responded.

I nodded as I looked around. It looked as it did in the movies, where teens partied for the New Year. Considering I'd never attended an actual party outside of my house before, I didn't really know how these worked. How long do New Year's parties last? Do people actually do the whole kissing thing? I know my parents do but, they're also my parents and all.

"You ever have a New Year's kiss before?" Garrett asked, breaking the silence between us.

"Me?" I asked, before realizing how stupid the question sounded. "Well, no." I quickly recovered, "If I'm being honest I usually stay with family, I don't think I've ever attended a New Year's party."

"They're just like regular high school parties." He shrugged as he leaned off of the wall, "Except there's more decorations, the countdown to New Year's, then people do the whole kissing thing."

"So the kissing thing is real?" I asked, "When you kiss someone at midnight?"

"Yeah. Sometimes is your best friend, or significant other, at other times it could be a random person you don't know." He explained.

"Really?" I asked, looking at him. "You just grab someone and kiss them?"

"Yeah, I mean, most people are blackout drunk anyway and won't remember it in the morning. Some people just want it to be memorable so they kiss a friend." He took another sip of his drink. "Depends on who you are and what you're comfortable with."

"Right," I mumbled, stuck in my thoughts. "So like, do you just go up and ask a stranger to kiss them or do you just like-" I stopped, "Grab their face and mush it with yours?"

"Is- is that how you kiss, Aurora?" Garrett asked with a look on his face.

"No, at least I don't think so. I hope not." I laughed.

"TWO MINUTES TILL MIDNIGHT!" The crowd announced, although Garrett and I just ignored it. We didn't seem to pay attention to anyone around us, ignoring the hollers and shouts of the drunk teenagers.

"You hope not? Meaning you don't know?" He asked, tapping his finger on the cup in his hands. He finished the rest of it before throwing it in a nearby trash can, one of the many littered around the house.

"Well, I've only kissed like... two people ever." I admitted, "One wasn't really one I wanted, and in a way... they mushed their lips against mine?" I made it sound like a question. "It wasn't like a slammed-their-lips-on-mine type thing but it definitely got mushed against mine since I was in the middle of speaking."

My mind went back to the day Logan kissed me, remembering how I was just hanging out with him. I'd somehow given him the wrong idea, and part of me wished I had just gone home that day instead of going with him to the auditorium.

"Really?" He asked. "I've kissed like five, if I'm being honest."

"Oh, so you have experience." I nodded, "Nice."

"Some would say so, some wouldn't." He shrugged.

The conversation went dead after that, as we didn't have any more to say. The countdown from thirty seconds until midnight began, and I stood in thought as I listened to the chants around me.

"30!"

The New Year's kiss thing seemed fun. Kissing someone with no meaning behind it, no hidden feelings that you know will screw you over after. Getting to just let loose with someone without having to worry about the possibility of hurting someone's feelings, or vice versa. I sat my water bottle down on a table with other abandoned drinks, not so thirsty anymore.

"20!"

Glancing to my right, I looked to see Garrett's focus on someone in the crowd. He was lightly laughing at whatever the drunk teens were doing, completely unfocused on me and our previous conversation. He counted along with the crowd as well, seeming to be having a genuinely good night.

"10!"

I then looked over at where my friends were mixed around the room. Cameron and Lila were somewhere in the crowd next to Griffin and his siblings, while Logan and Paige stood amid a crowd. It was like that throughout the room, but I couldn't see all of my friends due to there being so many people in one house.

"5!"

I looked back at Garrett, my stomach growing with butterflies as he looked over at me. Maybe it was because I was still a little intoxicated, or maybe I was just genuinely curious as to what it'd be like, but my mind wandered further when he glanced over at me as the idea of kissing someone made my stomach flutter.

"4, 3, 2-"

"Hey, Aurora-"

"Garrett began to speak just as they shouted the last few numbers counting down to midnight, but I didn't bother to wait and see what he was going to say. As soon as everyone shouted the number one and began to yell Happy New Year's, I pressed my lips to his.

It was a quick movement, one he didn't seem to comprehend until I touched him. I'd taken one big step forward and pressed my hand to the side of his neck, bringing his lips down to mine. He stood frozen, unsure whether to proceed or just let me kiss him. Eventually, just as I began to think it was a mistake and I was in the middle of being rejected, he relaxed. His hands found my waist quickly as he returned the kiss.

It wasn't the softest kiss I'd experienced before, but it wasn't rough either. It was somewhere in between, but I wasn't complaining.

Something felt off about it, but I can't exactly say whether it was off in the sense that it was wrong. It just felt different, and maybe because I've never done anything like this before, it felt so odd.

I pulled away before the moment got too heated, remembering we were in the middle of a party. "I-I'm sorry, that was-" I stopped, my face growing hot in embarrassment. I stepped back, pressing my palm to my mouth. "I should've asked, I think I had too much to drink and I know that's not an excuse-"

"Hey, hey," Garrett mumbled quickly, cutting me off. "I was going to ask if you wanted to be my New Year's kiss, it's okay."

"Wait, really?" I asked, looking up at him.

He nodded with a small smile. "I just didn't wanna... mash my face against yours, you know?"

I couldn't help but laugh, although the hotness in my face didn't go away. "Man, it's hot in here," I muttered, waving my hand in my face.

"You wanna get some air?" Garrett asked, motioning to the door.

I nodded. He gently put his arm on my waist and led me out of the house, his arm much more comfortable than the first time when he was leading me back in. I was okay with it, considering I did just kiss him without a second thought.

We got outside and walked to the side of the house. It was lit enough to be there without it being creepy, and it was also away from everyone else to give us some privacy. 

I didn't say anything, too afraid I embarrassed myself in front of him once again. He didn't say anything either, only causing my worries to grow. 

"Look, I-"

"Can I kiss you again?" Garrett asked, cutting me off this time.

"Uh-" I stopped, not expecting the question. "Yeah," I spoke, the comment coming out a little breathy as I was caught off guard.

He smiled as he stepped closer to me, his body heat engulfing mine in the cold weather. He looked nervous as he smiled, but leaned in anyway, connecting his lips to mine once more.

I kissed him back, knowing deep down this wasn't the best idea. I was under the influence, but by the taste of vodka on his lips, I could tell he was too. I was already in this far though, so instead of backing out, I let myself relax into the kiss.

It got heated much too quickly, and I felt butterflies growing in my stomach as his hand lowered from my back to my hips. My back was pressed against the cold wall of the house, but I didn't feel cool at all. Instead, my body felt on fire as I felt him begin to deepen the kiss.

Considering I was still new to this, I didn't really know what to do. But instead of pulling away, I let him lead and followed.

Whatever was beginning to happen between us was cut short, however, when Garrett suddenly pulled away. I opened my eyes expecting to see him standing there telling me why he didn't want to kiss me anymore, but instead, I saw something much more horrifying.

Carter had grabbed onto Garrett and shoved him away from me. Instead of pushing him to the ground as he had last time he continuously shoved at Garrett. Garrett shoved back, not letting him have the upper hand like he had last time. 

They shouted incoherent things at each other, and I stood there stunned as I didn't know what to do. I wasn't going to be able to pull them apart from each other no matter how much I tried, but all I knew was I had to do something to stop this from escalating.

Carter threw a punch a Garrett, finally getting the upper hand. Garrett stumbled back as he held his hand over his mouth, red beginning to drip through his fingertips.

"Carter," I tried to shout, but my voice didn't seem to want to work. Instead, I just stepped forward, reaching for the two.

"What's your issue?!" Garrett shouted to Carter.

"I told you to stay away from her," Carter spoke, breathing heavily.

"You're not her keeper dude," Garrett spoke through his hand. He pulled away for a second to spit, blood leaving his mouth.

Carter went to lunge at him again but I threw myself forward before he could, grabbing his arm with all of my strength. This caused him to stop and shove himself off of me, and I was quick to stand between him and Garrett.

"Rory, move."

"No!" I exclaimed, holding my hands out. "No, Carter, no! You- you need to stop. You have no right."

Carter didn't say anything, and instead just looked at me.

"You left me, you chose Ashley over me," I told him, my voice wavering with emotion. "You cannot keep going around kissing Ashley and then turning every corner to try and tell me how much you care for me. You don't and you never did. You can't beat someone up that I like because you're hurt that it's not you. You have no right to do anything you've been doing because of your decisions. Leave me alone and let me live."

He stood there, shocked at my words but didn't say anything. I slowly backed up away from him, putting some more distance between us. "You ended things. Not me. Whatever was beginning to grow between us ended because of your choices. Not mine. I can be with whoever I want, without permission from you. So just leave me alone."

Carter took one last deep breath, clenching his jaw. "You and I both know you don't want to be with Garrett, Rory."

Instead of saying anything, I just sent one last glare before looking away. I looked back at Garrett, who was still holding his mouth in pain. Grabbing his hand I pulled him away and toward the house, leading him to the bathroom.

It wasn't long before we found an empty one, and I shut the door behind us. Garrett leaned against the door as I looked for stuff to stop the bleeding, and I ignored his eyes on me.

"I'm sorry that every time I see you Carter decides to use you as his personal punching bag." I apologized as I got a rag from the cabinet wet with warm water. 

"It's not your fault he's in love with you." He murmured.

"He's not in love with me. He likes the idea of owning me, it seems." I muttered in anger, turning the sink off. I turned to him with a fake smile, ignoring the tears threatening to spill.

"Either way, he's got feelings for you." He mumbled as I pressed the rag to his lip.

"Doesn't give him any right to do this to you," I said. "Or me. Or anyone."

"He's just protective, right?" Garrett asked, the words coming out slightly muffled due to the rag.

"No, possessive," I responded.

"He doesn't want anyone to have you, and it's understandable." He told me.

"Not really," I mumbled. "Either way, still sorry. It wouldn't have happened if it weren't for me."

"If it weren't me it would've happened to it would've happened to someone else." He pointed out, "Either way, Carter Jackson doesn't scare me."

"That's surprising. He bounces on you with punches every chance he gets." I took the rag away, relieved to see the bleeding stopped. I turned and rinsed the rag out in the sink, ridding it of as much blood as possible.

"That's Carter for you," Garrett spoke as he pulled himself off of the door.

"It just makes me mad, he doesn't own me. We never even officially dated." I sat the rag to the side. "It's like the one moment I was having fun he has his own little pity party and ruins it."

"So why don't you stop caring what he thinks? Just don't bother giving him the time of day and he'll go have his pity party elsewhere." He shrugged.

"How are you not angry?" I couldn't help but ask. "Dude just decked you in the face like a lot and you're not mad at all."

"Cause I'm the one that got to spend the night with you."

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I spent roughly 6 hours on this chapter, I hope you like it <3 Over 6500 words