"Seth don't," I cried out as he climbed into the car.

"Cleo," he grinned at me, "lighten up, have some fun."

I tried to move but my feet stayed rooted to the spot. The grin on Seth's face faded as he tried to open the car door. I watched as he threw his body weight against the door. He stared at me with petrified eyes.

"It's going to be ok Seth," I called out to him, fighting harder against my unmovable legs.

"Cleo," a voice from behind me called. I whirled around to see Jay standing behind me.

"Go help him," Jay chided. I tried to move but my feet couldn't lift off the ground.

"You can't save him now," Jay whispered in my ear, "just like you couldn't save him that night."

I let out a scream worse than a wounded animal as I watched the car go up in flames....

I jolted awake, feeling my heart race uncontrollably. I grabbed my phone off the nightstand, the numbers 2:38 blinking back at me. A sigh of defeat escaped my lips as I fell back against my purple covers. It felt so real. Dream Seth's voice was still vibrating in my eardrums. And God. Jay.

I shifted my gaze to the beautiful person lying in bed next to me. He was still coated in sweat, but for a completely different reason. My fingers traced over his sculpted back, stopping at the sheet covering a strip of his lower body. I pressed my lips to his forehead, feeling the familiar butterflies in my stomach from being in such close contact. My stomach muscles tightened at the reminder of the pure ecstasy my body endured from only hours before. We were a mess to put it lightly. A breathing, passionate, soulful mess. But I loved him. Being joined to him was conflicting, but the most beautiful thing I've ever done.

My hands were still trembling ever so slightly, a reminder of a less pleasurable occurrence. I pushed the fear still grappling at my mind away and snuggled up closer to Jay, running my hands through his messy mop of curls. I settled into a rhythm of Jay's breathing and leaned against his chest. The soothing sensation grasped at me and slowly began dragging me back into oblivion. I had just felt myself drift off when..

"What the fuck?" a body shifted underneath me and reached out for the nightstand. Heavy metal music assalted my eardrums, forcing me awake for the second time that night. Jay passed me my phone, an unreadable expression on his face, Dale's caller ID flashing. That asshole must of changed his ringtone...

"Hello?" I asked, sleepiness evident in my voice.

"C-Cleo," Dale sobbed into the phone.

I sat up in bed, Jay snaked his arm around my waist after seeing the alarm on my face.

"Dale," I demanded into the phone, "what's wrong? Where are you?"

"He k-kicked me out," he only sobbed harder, "he found out and I..."

I felt adrenaline rushing into my bones.

"Dale, where are you," I repeated, desperately trying to keep my voice steady.

"Denny's," he whispered, I pushed down the physical pain I felt at hearing him so broken.

"Dale I need you to go inside and wait for me, ok? Dale, baby, I'll be there soon, don't hurt yourself, please just go inside."

I heard the click of the line, meaning he understood my instructions.

The tears in my eyes were threatening to spill over.

Jay nelt down next to me already dressed, "Cleo, we're going to drive to go get him. Everything's going to be ok."

He pressed his lips to my forehead, taking my hands and passing me a shirt.

"He's going to be ok," Jay repeated to my shocked form. I whimpered, reminded of the words I spoke in my dream.

He pushed my hair out of my eyes, "Let's go."

****

"Table for two?" the hostess asked tiredly.

"We're meeting someone," Jay said daring her to argue.

She suspiciously evaluated us, trying to determine if we were homeless street kids.

I bit my lip, taking in my appearance for the first time. I had on a tank top and cloud pajama pants. Jay was wearing a ripped shirt, a reminder of when I got a bit over zealous earlier, and batman boxers.

"He's back there," Jay whispered, snapping me out of my thoughts.

Dale and I just stared at eachother until his lip started to quiver. I opened my arms and silently he fell into them. Dale didn't say anything, just burried his face into the crook of my neck.

I hugged him tighter, trying not to let him know my terror. I had never seen him cry. His dog being given away, his fathers deployment, my brothers death...

"Dale, what happened?" I said scooting into the booth next to Jay.

" I got home around 11," he started, his voice shockingly steady, "My mom was having a schizophrenic episode and I took her to the hospital. Normally we manage it, but she was going to hurt herself and I didn't know what else to do. The hospital called my Uncle and he came over to stay with me," his voice broke off at the last part.

My stomach dropped at that.

"What the fuck Dale, how did this happen," My fingers over the welts on his back.

Dale snapped his shirt back down, "I fell ok, give it a rest."

"That is not from falling," I felt sickened at the thought that popped into my head, "Dale did your uncle stay with you this week?"

"He knows," Dale stared directly at Jay, an understanding passing between them.

"Knows what?" I asked.

"How did he find out?" Jay asked

"Pictures," Dale stared down at the table, " the only things I had left of him, he found them and.." He trailed off leaving us to imanige what happened next.

"Pictures?" I asked, understanding nothing of their conversation.

"Cleo," Dale took a deep breath, Jay grabbed my hand under the table, "I'm gay."

The room started spinning, the words repeating in my mind. Dale. Dale who banged multiple girls a night. Dale who was the biggest player in school. Dale who hit on every girl in sight.

"He found the photo set my boyfriend and I took and he didn't take it too well," he said as gently as possible.

"Boyfriend," I squeaked, my mind reeling from this new information.

"Wait but the pictures were the only thing you had left?" I asked, the wheels slowly turning in my mind.

"What are you doing here," I asked Dale as he came down the stairs,"I told you I wouldn't be home till three."

"I am allowed to wait for you am I not? I was just talking to Seth," He laughed, "Come on let's get you lunch."

****
"Homecoming?" My brother wrinkled his nose.

"Come on," I chided holding a tie up got his neck, "you can get any girl at school."

His eyes faded a bit but I continued fitting the silk around him.

"You've made out with plenty of girls," I stated, noticing his unwillingness, "What are you afraid of?"

He rolled his eyes, putting on what I didn't realise as a fake smile, "I'll figure something out."

****
"Can I stay in here?" David asked coming into my hotel room. "Seth and Dale locked me out."

My eyebrows knitted together, "Come on in," I pulled out another mug and filled it with hot chocolate.

"Did they say what they were doing?" I questioned, passing him the steaming mug.

"I'm not sure, they might of been fighting. They were making a ton of noise," He shrugged and turned his attention toward the TV.

I ignored my curiosity and proceeded to explain the show.

****
"I'm sorry for your loss," a nameless women came up to me and stated, her eyes filled with pity.

The lump in my throat only grew and I avoided the women's eye contact.

Dale emerged from the line of grivers and walked up to Seth's casket. I watched as he pressed his lips to his forehead and murmured in his ears words he would never hear.

He came up to me and touched my shoulder, "I know it's not ok now but someday it might be."

I watched him walk away, never thinking twice who his words were truly intended for.

****
I fell out of my memories, feeling like I had been doused in cold water. I stared at Dale, not reconizing the person in front of me.

The pain in his eyes told me that I was right.

"That night you lost your brother," Dale whispered, looking at me dead in the eye, "I lost the love of my life."

So I know this is a huge plot twist dropped on all of you. But maybe you saw it coming?? Anyway, thank you so much for continuing to read and not giving up on this story. Love you guys.