Ruined By You | 18+ | ✓

24: bailey | now

I'm about to fall asleep after staring at the ceiling for what feels like forever because I hate the thought of Kaitlyn being there with Hunter. Especially after how miserable she's looked the last couple of weeks.

There is no logical reason I have to be upset about it when Kaitlyn has very clearly drawn the line in the sand with boundaries. I'm going to respect it.

Javi shifts in the bed next to me, stealing more of the covers. He started sleeping with me again since he doesn't have to sleep flat on his back anymore, despite the fact he could have stayed in the room he was in. The familiarity is nice.

Henry and Mirabelle are waiting to talk to Javi about the adoption until I've had time to think about it, just incase I change my mind. I'm not going to, but I appreciate them still giving me the time anyway.

I had thought that maybe my parents might be interested in adopting him or I could have when I had a stable income, but if Javi wants to, I'm on board with Henry and Mirabelle adopting him. I'll get to see him all the time still and like Mira said, I'll have a room at their house where I can sleep. I know that they love him. In such a short time, they've made it very apparent.

My phone starts to vibrate underneath my pillow and I move to turn it off before it wakes Javi up, but when I see Kaitlyn's name, I know that there's no way in hell I'm not answering the phone. She's supposed to be with Hunter right now and instead, she's calling me.

I slip out of the bed carefully, doing my best to make sure that Javi remains asleep. "Kait? Is everything okay?" I whisper, stepping out of the room to make my way down to the room she had been staying in while Javi recovered.

She sniffles and my heart drops. "No. Everything's not okay."

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it can be fixed." I say, even as it kills me to do so. "What happened?"

"I know Bailey." She says, the devastation in her tone as clear as day.

"You know what?" The question is worded carefully because I have no idea what Hunter told her. He's proven before that he'll put himself first.

There's more sniffling from Kaitlyn's end and I hate the idea of her crying. Even worse, I hate that I might be a reason for it. "Hunter and I broke up. He told me what he did to you."

"It's in the past."

Don't give me hope Kaitlyn if you're just going to take it away from me. I'm not sure my heart can handle that. This can be another moment that we forget and shove into the backs of our minds.

She's slow to respond and I can tell that she's thinking of the right response.

"Is it?"

My mouth opens and closes, fighting the urge to blurt out that it's not. Even when I wanted to hate her, I couldn't. Feelings like that just don't go away. I can't tell her that right now. Kaitlyn does not need that right now.

"Where are you?" I ask, rubbing my temple to try and clear my head from the chaos warring in my head. I can't drive but I can call someone to go get her. I can go with whoever to get Kaitlyn.

"I'm outside your house. I ordered an Uber to bring me back. I didn't know where else to go." She whispers softly. She coughs lightly and sniffles. "I'm sorry. I-I can go."

"No." I blurt too loud before lowering my voice again. "No Kait. You don't have to go."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Stay there." I say before hanging up the phone to make my way quickly down the stairs. Kaitlyn's standing on the front patio, wiping her cheeks with her hands. Her hair is piled messily on her head and I hate how sad she looks. Kaitlyn darts towards me before I can even breathe, wrapping her arms around me. There's no hesitation as I hold her to me; Hunter is no longer an obstacle to tiptoe around. "It'll be okay," I rest my head on top of hers, feeling her grip me tightly.