Decisions...

3

"Hello?" I answered groggily. I galnce at my alarm clock, the time read 2:08. Who calls at 2:08 in the freaking morning? This had better be good.

The voice on the other end was Chris, and he wasn't happy. He was yelling profanities I'd never even heard. I had no idea what was going, but I did know that I was tired. He called at two in the morning to yell at me, are you serious?

"Chris, why are you screaming at me?" I ask with sleep still in my voice

"Check your email." I rolled my eyes.

"I'll do it in the morning, I'm tired right now."

"Do it, and do it now!" He yelled through the phone.

"Okay." I open my email.I don't see anything out of the oridinary, wait I have a picture message. I wonder who sent it. I click it and---

"Oh.My.God." I say surprised.

"Yeah, Oh my God Ms.'I could never replace you'--"

"I couldn't,I mean I still can't.Chris I--"

"You what? lied...cheated?Looks like I'm not the one who's having trouble staying faithful."

"Chris, I don't know who took that picture."

"It doesn't f*cking matter who took it Alayna, all that matters is that you were one in the picture."

"I wasn't cheating, this picture was taken before I said what I did. It meant absolutely nothing at all to me." He paused for a brief moment and then spoke. I could hear a lump forming in his throat, he wanted to cry. Over me.
"How could you do that to me? After all we've been through together."
"Chris I'm sorry, please don't be mad anymore."
"Alayna, it's only been a week and you've already cracked. Do I always have to hover over you to make sure you're behaving?" I stopped to look at the phone. What the hell did he just say to me?
"So wait...you don't trust me?"
"Sometimes I don't, other times I do.Let's face it Alayna, you flirt a lot."
"ME? Nobody would flirt with me. I'm so plain and normal."
"You're way more beautiful than you give yourself credit for."
"Whatever, I can't believe you don't trust me. You're supposed to be my boyfriend."
"And you're supposed to be my girlfriend, but that didn't stop you from kissing that boy." Why is he talking to me like this? He's never been this upset, well at least not with me.
"Wow. Good night Chris." I hung up, not even stopping to hear his responce. He knew that it was wrong to speak to me like that, even if I did kind of deserve it.
I couldn't go back to sleep after that, he'd made my night miserable. I layed in bed staring at the stars through the skylight on my ceiling. "It's all his fault, why'd he have to move?" I asked aloud, but I knew he had to. His grandmother was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer last year, and their new house was closer to her hospital. I sighed heavily, I can't blame him because it's not his fault, none of it is. It's all my fault. I'm the one who kissed Taylor, no one told me too, i just did. A million and one thoughts flood through my mind,it's going to be a long night.
I don't know when I went to sleep, but I woke up at one in the after-noon. My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when I saw the time, I had to go to work today. My job was to help kids at the library with their summer reading. I rushed, but completed, my morning routine. Then threw on a white spring dress with strappy sandals. My hair was pulled into a high pony tail. I didn't spend a lot of time on my make up today. i called out 'mom' and got no answer. She must be on her way to work. Grabbing my car keys I tell my older brother, Angel, that I was heading out. My convertible was parked in the driveway looking as new as the day I got it. I marveled at its beauty, at the way the pink paint perfectly went with the black paint, and the way the customized leather seats had my name written in cursive, and lastly at the way it felt as I drove it. I love my car. i got in, and drove really fast down the street. I got to work in fifteen minutes. As soon as I got inside I saw Jess running up to me. The first thing I asked was 'what are you doing here.'
"I got an email last night." She said singing.
"Jess, I don't wanna talk about it."
"Well we're gonna, so start talking."
"Chris called last night, and he was really upset with me. I don't even know who took the picture."
"Chris?" She said using the peppy voice we use when we're at cheer practice."Most popular boy in school, Football jock? Insanely gorgeous and totally in love with you? That Chris? Your boyfriend?" She said putting emphasis on the word 'boyfriend.'
"Jess, you're so not helping."
"I'm sorry, but Chris adores you. How could you do that to him?"
"I don't need you to criticize me, I was wrong and I already know that, so do me a favor and stop stating the obvious!"
"Alayna--"
"I'm sorry Jess, I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm just really confused right now."
"I understand."
"I'm going to talk to Taylor really quickly, wait here,"
"Okay." I walk over to Taylor, who was pretending to look for a book.
"Found anything?" I ask sarcastically .
"Actually yes." He said standing up. His voice sends shivers through my body.
"Oh really." I ask smiling broadly."What's the book about?"
"Well," he says walking around me." It's about this girl, who's best firend has a really cute brother."
"Uh huh, and you're sure that this is a book?"
"Positive, so what's up?"
"Remember last night?" I said hoping he would catch on so I didn't have to explain, but he looked hopelessly confused. "When we...you know k--"
"Oh, when we kissed." He said loudly. My boss looked over at me with a warning look.
"Shush." I said looking around to see if anyone else heard him, it would be a miracle if they didn't. "Yeah, well my boyfriend called earlier about some pictures he recieved."
"Pictures?" He said after a long pause." Oh yeah, I got those too." He said smirking" And I was just wondering if--"
"If I took the pictures?"
"Well,yeah. It just makes sense, being the we were the only ones close to the water."
"No it wasn't me who took the picture."
"Well then who did Taylor? The picture didn't take itself." I said in a b*tchy tone. He seemed surprised by my sudden change in attitude.
"I don't know who took it, there were a few other people at the beach."
"Like I said before, not where we were. I'm sorry Taylor, but I can't be seen with you anymore. I can't and wont do this to Chris, he loves me and i don't want to hurt him." I say walking off.
"Alayna wait." He said grabbing my arm and turning me around. I tried to avoid contact by staring at my feet. I guess he noticed because he lifted my chin with his finger, and made me look at him. His eyes were beautiful, even against the dull light in the library they shined. He was probably saying something really important, but I didn't hear, I was too busy staring at the perfection that was his face.
"Taylor I really like you and I wish we could be friends, but we can't. You can call me later if you want to. that's the closest we'll come to communicating with one another." As I finished my sentence my phone rang revealing another call from Chris.
"Hello?" I asked as if i didn't already know who it was."
"Where are you?" He asked protectively.
"Well, good morning to you too. And I'm not with anyone ,if that's what you were thinking, I'm at work. Oh and I'm fine, thanks for asking."
"I'm sorry Layna, It's just..I don't know--"
"Know what?! Why can't you just trust me? I don't want to be with anyone else Chris."
"I don't know Layna, maybe it's because you flirt so much, maybe that's why it's so hard to believe you right now. And I do trust you Alayna...just not as much as I did before.
He let out a heavy sigh, one filled with stress, anger and pain.My heart hurt at his last words. It hurt me to know that I had lost his trust, even if was just a little.
"Chris, I don't wanna talk about this anymore...how're your mom and dad doing?" I said quickly changing the subject. He reluctantly stopped our relationship conversation. He wasn't happy with my subject change, but he didn't complain. Thank God he didn't complain.
"They're holding out."
"And how's Nana?" I asked. I love his grandmother, she was a sweet woman, and didn't deserve to be sick.
"She's getting better.She might still have a chance." A spark of hope appeared in his voice. Time for a reality check, I hate to bring him down but I have to...It's what's best for him.
"I know you love her Chris, I do too, but she's 82 and has lived a long and happy life. Maybe she does have a chance but --"
"What, you don't think she can make it?"
"No,it's not that at all. I'm just letting you know so that if anything happens you wont be shocked." God I sounded like a pessimistic bitch.
"Layna, I'll call you later."
"Chris I--"
Click. He hung up on me. I had to go home, I couldn't stay here. I told my boss that I wasn't feeling well,clocked out, and went outside to my car. Jess and Taylor followed close behind, and hopped into the back seat.
When we got to my house I saw something strange, an unfamiliar car was parked in the driveway. It looked new, brand new.
"Alayna, darling, someone wishes to see you." My mom said beaming.
"Who is it Mom?"
"Go inside and see." When I step inside I see gift bags from all my favorite stores. Tiffany's, Coach, Dolche & Gabana, Fendi ,Gucci, Versace, and countless others. Yet the bags aren't what i'm focused on. Beside them a small,brown leather brief case stood. My eyes lit up at the side of it, and then out of no where my father steps into the room.
"Daddy!" I say running into his already open arms. I felt like a child in a candy store seeing my father.
"How's my baby?" I stood there, embarrassed that he'd just called me 'baby' infront of Jess and Taylor. Taylor was chuckling lightly, and I shoot him a warning look that tells him to shut up. I pick up the bag closest to me which also happened to be the biggest.
"Who is this for."
"You of course."
"What's it all for."
" I've been away for a while so I thought I should get you something you liked." He hugs me tightly,and hand me a tiny pink box. Then he covered my eyes, and brought me to the garage, then he let go."Look."
"OH MY GOD, you got me a new car. Daddy you didn't have to do this, I still have my convertible, no accidents.
"And your coach called, she wants you to be the captain of your squad when school starts. I'm proud of you honey."

"Thank you, but does this mean I have to give up the other car?"

"Of course not." I turned to my mother, and told her she looked beautiful then head back inside the house remembering my gifts.

"Go ahead." Daddy said like he could read my mind. I walked back into the house slightly wobbling, careful to not trip on and shopping bags.

"Mom and Dad,we'll be upstairs."

"Okay sweetie."

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*Chris's P.O.V*

"Dammit Alayna,why'd you have to go kiss that Taylor kid? Everything was perfect before he came into the picure." I said to myself. I wish we didn't move so far away, because then she wouldn't have made such a stupid mistake, if it was a mistake. All of a sudden there was a knock at my door, ending the silence in my room and interrupting my thoughts.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Jelisa."
"Come in." She walks in to my room, as beautiful as the day I'd left, and hugged me. I used to have the biggest crush on her when we were younger, but we were good friends and I didn't want to ruin the friendship,so I kept the secret to myself.
"Long time,no see Chris.How are you and princess peppy?"
"Same goes for you, and Alayna and I are um, dealing with the situation."
"Dealing with the situation? Well, I hope she's doing better than you...Chris, no matter what's going on with you guys, working your body to death isn't the answer."
"I'm not working my body to death.I'm clearing my head."
"Oh,that's what you call this extreme workout? What's going on?"
"Turn on the computer and see for yourself," She turns on the computer and looks at the picture, I cringe at the sight of it...I can't believe it was my Alayna, the girl I'd dreamt about someday marrying on more than one occasion, the girl I fell in love with the first time i saw her. My Alayna, my fucking girlfriend.
"Whoa, that's Alayna? The good girl? What are you going to do...you know, besides clear your head."
She said that last part jokingly, but there was nothing funny about it.
"There's nothing I can do, she's all the way out there with him, and I'm here!" I screamed. My blood was boiling now. I notice that my voice had went up two whole octaves and scared Jelisa.She stood in the corner like a five year old, who thought there were monsters' underneath her bed." I'm sorry Jelisa."
"It's..fine Chris." She said so lovingly that I wanted to kill myself for scaring her. I put down the two heavy weights that were in my hand, and sat on my bed with Jelisa by my side. She still looked kind of frightened, but she still sat next to me comforting me.
After hours and hours of talking, I finally thanked her for coming to see me.
"No problem Chris, that's what friends are for." She said smiling at me. "I should get going though."
"I'll walk you out."
When I was completely sure that Jelisa was safe I went back to my room. I looked at her picture on my wall. And began to think.
"I hope my grandmother gets well soon, or Layna could do something that might break us up...for good."
That was the last thing that came out of my mouth before I went into a deep sleep.