Unsteady

30. Don't Leave

I knew he hated speaking about his childhood. His parents neglected him in ways where they brushed off everything about him, they never really cared for him and treated him like an object rather than a product of their affection.

He was never heard, and his parents never listened. Maybe that's why they didn't notice their own child slowly slipping away day by day. Replaced by a cold monster, with his walls built so high and no way to break them down.

"By that time I had already formed my gang. Dylan would have been an amazing asset, but he wanted nothing to do with me. He was studying and living with his uncle, he had a girlfriend and was all set for life," Brandon continued, conveniently leaving out the part his parents played.

"After a while I forgot about Dylan, then I met you and you know that story. You got into a car accident with your brothers-"

"A car accident you caused," I irritatedly cut into Brandon's sob story.

"As I was saying," Brandon rolled his eyes at me, "I visited the hospital to check you were unharmed and only your brothers were dead. That's when I was reunited with my brother. I convinced Dylan to help me, and poor Dylan who had lost his girlfriend and had nothing else to lose, agreed."

My eyes filled with tears as I pieced the rest of the story together in my head. My anger had subsided and was replaced by hurt once again. The ache in my chest I had done such a good job in suppressing had grown, until it was all I could feel.  After everything we've been through, it's all been a lie.

I trusted Dylan, I didn't know why I did it. I thought he was my friend, I was so lost and had no one else. He was there and I relied on him, thinking he was good. I was fooled by his innocent looks and his fake words of confidence.

I was such an idiot.

"Dylan agreed to bring you to Grey's Town and treat you like his younger sister. All the while you thought he was helping you get away from me, meanwhile he was actually helping me get you," Brandon chuckled as if it was the funniest thing in the world.

The tears continued to trickle down my cheeks. I didn't expect it to hurt this much, but it was like losing Brody and Danté all over again.

"But...when I told you Brandon knew about where I was, you wanted to pack up and move to Canada, and you were so mad when I didn't tell you Brandon was in my school! How-"

"It was all an act Riley!" Brandon exclaimed, a smile spread across his face. "Of course Dylan had to play the part of the over protective brother, but it was all a lie."

I brought my knees up to my chest so that I was rocking back and forth. It was all a lie, Brandon was lying to me and this was going to be okay. Everything was going to be okay.

It was all a lie...

What was it that Brandon said that day?

"Your girl trusts the wrong people...it will get her killed."

It all made sense now. Dylan avoiding me, his look of guilt every time he spoke about trusting people...all this time he was speaking about himself.

"I thought, I thought you actually wanted to help me," I said helplessly, wiping away my tears.

I stared at Dylan, who had finally lifted his head to meet my eyes. He wore a guilty expression as he bit his lip and stared down at my tear stained cheeks.