Going Nowhere - Xavier's Story

Chapter Two - Dirty Scoundrel

After dinner I went to help clear up the dishes, it was the least I could do. After all this time, and after everything I'd put their daughter through in high school... they still welcomed me into their home with open arms. I knew it was because of the patchwork family, a stupid idiotic teenage I had been, but I was family. Even if I didn't deserve to be.

"Oh, Xavier. Please this is your night, we're celebrating your return. I'll take care of the washing up." Sarah exclaimed taking the plates out of my hands.

"I'd like to help. You opened your home to me after all." I replied.

"Really, it's fine sweetheart."

"If you're sure." I said softly. "Uh, was Scarlett okay? She left in the middle of dinner."

Scarlett stopped washing the dishes and turned to look at me. Her eyes smiled and she nodded. "She wasn't feeling well." Sarah murmured. "Besides, she has an early start in the morning. I wouldn't take it personal. I know you two had your issues in school, but she's not a teenager anymore."

I nodded. Sarah obviously underestimated just how much my careless actions had hurt her daughter. I had told them... after that scum sucker ex of her had leaked that preposterous fake sex tape, I had told them everything I had ever done to her. I promised to do everything I could to protect her, to make up for how much I had failed her, but the damage was done. Scarlett already hated me and hate like that didn't change over time.

I had come here to fix the wrongs I had done, but I'd only made things worse for Scarlett. I needed to fix it, once and for all. "Oh? Where is she working?"

"Happy sun preschool." Sarah replied, returning to the dishes.

I smiled, innocent Scarlett was a preschool teacher. As a hot blooded male, who had long dreamt about Scarlett in many various situations, imagining her as a teacher did things to my insides that should have been abhorrent, especially while in the company of her mother. I swallowed my immature curiosity and nodded.

"A teacher?"

"Yes, she's wonderful with children." Sarah noted.

"I bet she is." I murmured. "Uh, thanks again for dinner, it was nice to be around everyone again."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it Xavier. Please, don't leave it so long next time."

**

After I said goodbye to the others I caught a cab back to the hotel. Tomorrow I was going to visit Scarlett, speak to her again, and apologize. She'd probably never forgive me, but I had to try.

I walked into the hotel room, almost instantly I had three pairs of eyes boring holes into me like lasers. I shrugged and sat down on the couch. "Well they all know now." I said.

"And?" Jay exclaimed, moving to the edge of the sofa, he looked eager, like his entire nights happiness was riding on my answer to his invasive, but somehow simple question.

"And nothing, it's all okay." except for her.

"So Scarlett forgave you?" Cris grinned.

I frowned and stood up. I wasn't going to discuss this with them, not tonight. I hadn't even begun to fix things between her yet and I and something told me, it wasn't going to be easy. "I wouldn't say that. I'm going to bed. Night."

I left the guys in the lounge and walked down to my hotel bedroom. I tried to sleep, but the nights events replayed over and over in my head. I had been cocky, and pushed Scarlett too far. It almost seemed like all I was capable of was hurting her... of hurting anyone I got close to. I closed my eyes and fought back memories of the night everything had changed. I had written myself and my love for scarlett into song for as long as I could remember. Sometimes those songs were dark, sometimes they weren't. But it had been my way to cope with what I could never have.