The bell rang. The car engine roared. We were moving. I didn't remove my palms away from my face but I felt the car swerve and I knew we were driving away from the school.

I rubbed the disgusting mucus coming out of my nose due to crying. "What are you doing? Where are we going?"

My voice barely audible, I almost thought he didn't hear me.

"Not to school." He spoke lowly. His eyes glued to the road ahead and he clenched his jaw. He didn't want to look at me, even I knew that.

"Aldan-"

"Just keep crying or something. " he cut me off swallowing. "At least get whatever it is that's bothering you out. It's not healthy to pretend you're okay when you really aren't."

Not once did he look at me since I started balling my eyes out but I knew, weirdly enough that he cared.

Maybe.

Little doubt here and there. But I knew he did.

I wanted to say something at least. Maybe a thank you? I wasn't sure, so instead I remained silent bringing my legs up towards my chest, hesitating a little when I remembered his leather seats, then proceeding when he said nothing to object.

We drove for a while. To where? This girl was clueless but I didn't care. Even if he was going to drop me off at some weird place and let me rot, it was better than going back home. I wasn't ready to face them, my parents. I know it was a very immature move but I just couldn't.

My whole life growing up, my parents were so in love with each other you'd never question it. Or maybe they seemed so in love, I was just too blind to really notice something was wrong.

I know I should go back home, sit down, maybe have a drink with them and talk it out with understanding like a matured person, but God knows I didn't want to face the reality. Because the reality, is scary. It eats you up from the inside out without you ever realizing how much you're broken until you sit alone in your room with no distractions, no friends, no nothing; just you and your raw thoughts and emotions. Then you finally realize how unhappy you are. That's the reality for most.

I didn't want to believe that my mom and dad were going to go seperate ways. What would happen to me? I know I'm almost an adult but I can't choose one parent to love when loving them as a whole is what I've done growing up.

The car suddenly came to a stop and I lifted my head up from my knees. We were at a Food joint.

Why did I lowkey want him to take me to a secret hide out like in the books and movies?

"Food joint?" I asked. My voice was scruffy and sounded foreign in my own ear drums.

He sighed and nodded. Why can't he look at me?

"Aldan," I said slowly.

"Mm?" He raised his eyebrows still fixated his attention to the windshield as if it was very interesting.

"Look at me," I said rolling my eyes. "I'm not that ugly when I cry you know."

"No you actually are," he chuckled.

"Real confidence booster." I huffed and cracked a smile.

After a little silence he finally turned to face me. "I know you don't want to tell me what's wrong with you and I completely understand. I mean, I wasn't much of a friend to you since ... well since forever so I figured this might help. You know, since everyone loves to eat away their feelings. Especially you."

I smiled and looked at him. He returned the stare and then winked. "Let's go fatty, get you something to eat."

My food arrived quite faster than I thought and immediately I concluded I liked this place. We sat at the far end of the place near a window that looked out onto the road where cars passed by. The interior of the little food joint was minimal; white walls, white furniture, white framed pictures hung on the walls. Slow jazz music sounded through the room making the aura seem as if we were back in the 80's. All in all, this place was my new favorite, no doubt.

I stuffed a couple more fries into my mouth. "How don't I know this place?" I asked once I chewed and swallowed.

I ordered a bunch of food. I'm talking fries, burgers, chicken salad, mayo chicken roll and fried chicken while Aldan got a basic coke. Like himself. Basic.

"Because you're an antisocial idiot," he replied to my question smirking.

"No I'm not, I have friends." I said dipping another fry into the sauce and putting it into my mouth.

"The old lady at your work place doesn't count," he scoffed.

"Martha is not an old lady." I rolled my eyes.

"If they're older than you, than that technically makes them old people, you know?" He retorted.

"No I do not know and you make no sense."

We both chuckled. Silence fell over us and I continued on with my fried chicken once I was done with my fries. I already felt full but I knew I would regret not being able to finish all of this beautiful food.

I decided to pack the left overs in a lunch box and soon after we both ended up back in his car. I requested we go to the beach and surprisingly he agreed. We arrived shortly and I wasted no time getting out of the car looking at the beach. The morning waves were rough, crashing and splashing against the rocks at the shore. The wind near the beach had always been harsh and chilly. I leaned against the car bonnet and looked at the beach as Aldan came to join me.

"They're getting a divorce." I said looking over at the beach before I could stop myself.

He looked startled and turned to look at me but I refused to look at him.

"They told me this morning. I know it's not that big of a deal but, I don't know what I'm supposed to do Aldan. I know my family's had a couple of problems but why so suddenly? Is it work? Is it them? Me?" My voice cracked when I asked the last question. I sighed biting my bottom lip feeling my eyes suddenly burning.

"It's like one day we were a happy family and then..." I shrugged, "boom. We're just... not anymore."

"Page," he said slowly.

"I know that some people may have even more bigger problems and I'm probably being a cry baby. This isn't even a big problem and here I am," I laughed, "talking so sadly about how my parents are getting divorced. Amazing."

"Don't do that." He replied. I turned around to meet his eyes. He was focused on me. "Don't think your problems are less important than others. If it hurts you, it hurts you."

"And yeah," he shrugged, "no doubt you're a cry baby, we all are.. not me though," he smiled, "your family isn't a broken family Page. I can say that because I know. And it definitely isn't your fault. Don't ever think that."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I almost whispered.

He shrugged again, "I'm supposed to be your best friend right?"

I gave a sad smile, "I don't understand what happened between us Dee. I needed you sometimes you know? I needed my best friend and do you know how it hurt when I had no one to talk too? How much it hurt when I really stopped to realize how alone I was?"

I swallowed looking over his face. He looked like a totally different person, I wasn't sure whether I liked it. He hung his head in shame. Before I even knew it, a tear rolled down my cheek.

Wow, I'm such a cry about one thing then cry about everything person.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I'm sorry that I failed you Page."

I was crying now. My eyes burned and tear after tear ran down my cheeks. His face from across me grew blurry with each tear that formed.

"Come here." I was startled when he pulled me in for a hug and squeezed my shoulders. My head fell on his chest as he rested his chin on my head.

"Shh let it out." He hummed planting a kiss on the top of my head. "I'm here now Page. I'm here now."