"WE aren't going to do anything because THIS isn't your problem, Nathan." Lainey says to me angrily.

Not my problem? How can she say that?

I'm more mad than I've ever been and I honestly don't know why. It must be because I feel hopeless since she won't let me help, but I'm like blackout angry right now.

I'm mad at her uncle for being an abusive bastard. I'm mad at Candace and Wyatt for not telling me. At Adelaine for not calling the police. Hell, I'm even pissed with Keith for calling me on my shit. I don't even know what I'm saying right now and I'm definitely not processing anyone else's emotions. That has to be the only reason I say my next words.

"See that's where you're wrong. This is my problem. You made it my problem the second you brought all your shit into my life. So you want to stand there and continue to get beat the fuck up by some old man. Fine, be my guest. But don't come crying to me when it gets to be too much." I all but spit in her face.

The shocked gasps and movement around me doesn't even register in my mind and when Wyatt moves his sister behind him and lets out a low growl, I get even more mad.

"The fuck did you just say to my sister?" He asks in a menacing tone.

"You heard me. I tried to help you all, but if you want to live your crappy lives then go ahead. I just wish I would've known about all this before you RUINED MY FUCKING FRONT DOOR." I yell the last part and pick up some random mug next to me, throwing it across the room.

Still, nothing registers. That is until I hear Katie's quiet words between sobs.

"I heard yel-lliing like whe-hen Unc-cle would come ho-ome. I want-tted to make su--rre you were o-oo-okk." She stammers out.

My mind is immediately turned back on and everything that just happened comes rushing back.

You bastard.

"Oh my god. What did I just do? Katie, are you ok?" I ask, still confused at how mad I got.

I move to go see if Katie is ok, but Lainey stops me by holding up a hand. My words and movement seem to shock everyone else into motion because Wyatt runs to his sister, Candace towards the kitchen, and my three friends come and start pushing me outside. Once they get me past the threshold, ignoring the still mess of my front door, I'm about to argue to get back inside but Keith stops me.

"Take a walk Nathan. You need to blow off some steam or something. Just. Just go take a walk." Keith says to me, shock still obvious in his words.

I move to ignore him because I don't want to leave like this, but when I look into Lainey's eyes all I see is fear and betrayal. Knowing that I did that to her, I just hang my head and walk down the driveway. Leaving my family alone to clean up my mess.

I don't know where I'm headed nor do I know what time it is, but I just walk and think about what just happened.

This wasn't how tonight was supposed to go. I was going to tell her I love her and we were going to get going with our forever.

You did tell her, dickwad.

Shit! I told her that out of spite. The first time I said I loved her, I said it out of spite and she said it to me too. I just left the girl of my dreams crying in my house because I'm too much of a selfish bastard to see how much it took for her to finally tell me everything.

Ya, she should have told me earlier. And she really needs to tell the police, but there was no reason for me to react like that. I probably just lost the girl who I wanted by my side for the rest of my life, in a fight that took less than an hour.

Why did I say those things to her? I couldn't care less about the damn front door. I was pissed off someone would do that to her and I was afraid for her. I knew she had secrets, granted I didn't know they were this bad, but I honestly don't care. I threw all that in her face because I knew it would hurt her. I didn't mean a single word.

The hell are you doing out here?

What am I doing out here? I need to go get my girl. I need to make her understand that I didn't mean any of it. She has to see how sorry I am. I don't deserve her forgiveness but please, God, let her give it to me. I honestly can't live without her.

_____________________

I must have been gone for quite a while because my front porch smells like bleach and everything is cleaned off of it. I also notice Keith's car is gone, but figure he just took Candace home before she found a really rusty knife to torture me with.

She's going to kill you.

I think I deserve anything I have coming from her.

I slowly open my front door and walk into the house. The coffee mug is cleaned up but there's a small dent in the wall where it hit, but that's all I see. Lainey's cute reading glasses and book aren't sitting by the fireplace. Katie's dolls aren't strewn throughout the living room. I don't see Wyatt's gym bag that was sitting by the front door nor Dylan's star wars action figures that sit on the windowsill. My house looks empty, without the tell tale things of my family thrown everywhere.

The anger I have towards myself comes raging in fast. Before I know it I'm punching a hole through my wall. I pull back to see my hand bleeding and a fist-sized hole in my foyer. I'm about to do it again, because the pain is better than not feeling anything, when I feel something hit the back of my head. I turn around to see an ice pack laying on the ground by my feet and an angry as hell Candace glaring at me, with a only slightly less angry Keith behind her.

"They aren't here, asshole." Candace spits out. I slowly pick up the ice pack she threw, placing it on my hand, and go to talk but am interrupted by her furious voice.

"No, you don't get to talk. You've said all you needed to say tonight. It's my turn. First, I didn't tell you because my friend trusted me with something and frankly, it wasn't my story to tell. What you said hurt me, but I actually couldn't care less now. You see, when Lainey told me everything, she also told me how hesitant she was to let you in on the secret. I defended you, you bastard!" She yells the last part out.

"I told that sweet girl that she has nothing to worry about. That you were a good guy and you would support her, when she finally told you. But did you do that? NO! You acted the exact same way that the abusive bastard in her home does, when he gets angry. You yelled, clenched your fists, and you ended up hurting someone." I go to explain that I didn't mean to hurt Katie but she holds up her hand and Keith motions for me to 'keep my mouth shut'.

"No. I said you don't get to talk. I get that you didn't mean to hurt Katie. We all know that, so that's why the person I'm saying you hurt isn't Katie. It's Lainey. You acted exactly how she was afraid you would. She trusted you with the biggest thing in her life and you threw it back in her face. She gave you every single part of herself and you ripped it to shreds." She says angrily. I watch Keith run a soothing hand on her back as she lets out a few calming, deep breaths. Then she turns to me with a look more of hurt than the previous anger I saw on her face.

"Look. I know it was a lot to take in and yes, Lainey really needs to call the police. And the ONLY reason I'm not stabbing you with a knife right now is because I'm positive the guilt your feeling is doing more damage than anything I could do. It was a bad situation all around, but regardless of that, you hurt her. That's something that isn't going to be fixed right away. I know you probably want to run and start begging for her forgiveness right now, but she needs time. Hayes and Johnny took her back to my house and that's where she's going to stay for a while. You need to stay here and figure out how you are going to fix this because I know you love her. But Nate. The girl that walked out your front door was broken, hurt, and terrified of what you did. You can't just win her back with your charm. She needs to see a change. And you better do it fast because if my best friend stays heartbroken like that, I will be back, without Keith, and I will have a knife." Candace finishes and starts out the front door.

I just stand there, staring at Keith before he walks over to me and puts his hand on my shoulder. I can tell he's still mad but his gaze also shows sympathy.

"Candace is right man. You need to give her time. I'll keep them safe, while you figure this out." He says before following his girlfriend. Right after he crosses the threshold he turns back around and gives me a menacing look.

"And Nathan? You ever talk to my girl the way you did tonight again. Best friend or not, I will put you six feet under." He growls out before slamming my door shut.

My legs give out and I just sit on the floor in my entryway. I can feel tears streaming down my face, but have absolutely no care. The only thing I care about is what I just did to my Angel.

You need to fix this.

I'm going to. I'll show her that the man she saw tonight is someone she will never see again. I'll show her how much I love her and beg for her forgiveness.

If it's the last thing I do.