All hell breaks loose once JD shoves Aden. Aden only staggers a bit but reaches out to push JD away. That's when the first punch is thrown. I shout after them as they jostle out the door and Aden punches JD's jaw. We all run out, shouting for them to stop.

Eventually Antwan manages to get between them. But by then, there's a clear bruise on Aden's cheek and JD is wiping blood away from his mouth.
JD turns to a stone-faced Danatha.

We all watch in silence as she stares him down. The motion of their eyes is the only indication that they are having a non-verbal conversation. Eventually, Danatha turns and moves into the dark night. JD doesn't even look back. He trails after her, limping.

Aden walks up to me. The image of him is waves as tears fill my eyes.

"I can't believe you."

"Oh, here we go again." Tonya says.

"Excuse me?" I blink tears away.

"You are so predictable. You're really going to stand there and shout at him when all of this is your fault?"

"What?"

Aden holds my waist to keep me in place.

"Who the hell introduced Jude to Danatha?"

"You're not even making sense. We were both with her when they met."

"She never would have seen him again if you hadn't gone after Aden for-"

"STOP IT!" I shake in despair. Aden can't know. "It was your idea in the first place."

"Even if I give you that, you still knew how she felt about Jude after you two came back from Detroit."

"Enough!" yells Sybil. "I have neighbours."

Once we're inside, I go to confront Tonya once again when the doorbell sounds. Sybil strolls over to get it and finds a very brutish Cassidy on the other side.

"Where is she? Where's Amanda?"

Amanda jumps up and rushes to see that Cassidy doesn't enter, but it's too late. Cassidy marches in, heading straight for Tonya.

"What did you say to her?"

"Hey! I'm right here." says Amanda. "You want to say something, say it to me."

"Alright. How stupid can you be? She humiliated you multiple times-"

"Hold the hell on. How did you even know I was here?"

"Her Snaps."

"You haven't checked on me or cared about me for the longest time. What are you doing here?"

"I know we're not close anymore, but I'm not going to leave you in the pits with a snake. That's what she is. She's poison-"

"Please leave, Cass."

"No."

Tonya finally decides to intercept then.

"Step away from my girlfriend."

"Don't even go there with me. Don't even!"

"Alright guys, can we calm down, please." says Sybil, concerned for her parent's china lining the room.

"Stay in your lane, roadkill Bill."

"This is my house."

"So, now that you got this scrawny mess of a boyfriend, you think you can go toe-to-toe with me? I wouldn't even bother, honey. I can snap both of you like the twigs that you are. You should have stuck with Faust if protection's what you were searching for. Or, you could've asked me for help. I've got guys to spare."

"Give it a rest, Cassidy. We all know you never fucked any of the guys you hired to take pictures with you." says Tonya.

"WHO TOLD YOU THAT?"

"You just now."

"You don't know anything about my life."

"Oh, I know too much - even things I definitely don't want to know. Things so fucked up that I'm sure no one is going to look at you the same after I tell them."

"More fucked up than fucking two guys in front of your girlfriend?"

"Come for me again, bitch."

She approaches Cassidy.

"More fucked up than pretending to care about Amanda just to make London jealous?"

"Let me hear you say-"

"More fucked up than posting a meme about your alleged best friend on the school page?!"

The room stills. The only movement is of Sybil's dark pupils moving straight from Cassidy to Tonya.

"What?" her hushed tone stretches the tension in the room. Everyone's probably thinking the same: not Sybil - not poor, harmless, sweet Sybil.

Tonya tries to step to Cassidy, but Sybil's squeaky voice stops her.

"What...what is she talking about? What did you post?"

Tonya's features remain screwed as does her mouth.

"Tell me."

"Don't believe a single word she says." Tonya shakes. "You know she's always trying to convince you of things that aren't true."

Cassidy smirks, moving closer to Tonya and Sybil.

"Not as much as you do! You think you're so slick. You forgot I have everyone's parents' numbers that my mom stored on my phone for the PTA meetings when hers broke. That text came from your dad's number!"

"It can't be true, right?" seeing Sybil tear up wrings at my emotions like nothing else tonight.

I have never watched her lose faith - lose light in her eyes like this. I want to go help her, but I feel so weak - so tired and useless. I can't fix this - no one can. Her quaking words finally draw Tonya's gaze exclusively to her.

"It's not."

Tonya trembles as Sybil slowly shakes her head.

"What did you do to me?"

"Believe me. Believe in me."

"What?!"

Sybil's eyes are red with desperation.

"You were..." she clears her throat. "You were annoying me again. I told you to leave me the fuck alone and you wouldn't. Being my best friend doesn't give you the right to violate my personal space all the time."

"But it gives you the right to violate my privacy and dignity? How could you do that to me?"

"You have to understand." Tonya tries, voice low. "London had just-"

"No." Sybil's voice comes in winding tremors as she holds her hand to her chest as Antwan catches her and wraps her in his arms. "Not the excuses again, Tonya, please. Just get out. I can't do this anymore."

"Wait."

"You treated me like a stranger - like everyone who you bully. Serves me right for always condoning your behaviour." Sybil moves her hand from her lips. "Since you want space so bad, take it and stay the hell away from me!"

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not your friend anymore. Go, because I-"

She hiccups her way into soft sobs, completely breaking all hearts in the room all at once. Her pain leaves barely any life in me. I can't watch her cry like this tonight, neither can I even so much as look at Tonya. I grab Aden's arm and pull him with me.

"I can't watch this any longer."

We find a cab and head straight to the hotel. As we're nearing it, I break down. Everything is weighing on me. Tonya is right. It's all my fault. I brought Jude into Danatha's life. I brought Tonya into Sybil's life. I brought Aden into my life.

Now Danatha's relationship is falling apart, Sybil is heartbroken, and JD's gums are bleeding because of Aden. I made a mistake; I've been making too many of them. The worst part is I don't know how to fix anything - not even starting with the person sitting next to me right now.

I could leave Aden, I suppose. I love him, but his temper is beyond volatile. I should jump out of this cab. Or when we get to the Montecristo, I can watch him get out and tell the driver to take me home. Just the thought breaks my heart.

A sob escapes me before I think to stop it. Aden is immediately hugging me to him. I want to tell him to let go, but I need him. I need him to comfort me about him.

I'm going to leave him tonight; it's decided. I sniffle into his shirt. Aden then pulls away slightly to view my face.

"I'm so sorry about everything, Princess."

That moniker disgusts me. I should tell him that I never want him to say it again. But then again, he can't ever say it to me again if I leave him, which is what I'll do. My eyes water some more, making more tears roll down my cheeks. I follow them as they spill into my top.

But right there, is the clasp of the necklace Aden gave to me. The rose glints in the passing shadows of the moonlight outside - ephemeral. Nothing lasts. There's no such thing as forever. There are only transitory, seasonal blessings - like the humble rose - like Aden.