When we finally reach Ryan's house, she opens the door and we go straight to her room up stairs where we both fall back on her bed with heavy sighs.

"I'm so sorry," She says and I shake my head staring at her white ceiling with the twinkling Christmas lights hanging from it. 

"It's not your fault," I reassure her and now It's her turn to shake her head. "I left you. I thought everything would have been fine but," She sighs, "You were right." 

Usually, I like to be told I was right, but this time it didn't feel as good. Although I knew something like this would have happened, it wasn't Ryan's fault. Her intentions were to take me to a party and make some good memories before we had to graduate. It wasn't her fault Bain was a total psychopath. 

I tell her this and she laughs. 

She shakes her head and says, "All this is just insane. I mean it was a drink spilled on his t-shirt," She shrugs, "Who cares?! I'm sure he has a lot more. He completely freaked out over nothing when he can just wash it. He's so over dramatic." 

I turn my head to her looking at her, "What's his story anyway?" Ryan turns to her side and props her head up on her elbow looking down at me and smirks about to spill some "juicy" gossip I'm sure. 

"Well rumors are that when he transferred in sophomore year, he was actually the quiet shy type," I nod following along, "and then just like that, halfway into sophomore year, he showed up to school all big and bad. Everyone just thought he was fake and stupid pretending to be something he's not. Until he proved it." 

"And how did he do that?" 

"Well, this kid named Rodney Miller? He decided to call out Bain for pretending to be something he's not. Pushed his buttons hard and," she shrugs, "Bain snapped. Next thing you know, Bain has Rodney pushed up against the lockers then threw him to the ground. Bain was beating the crap out of him," she shakes her head, "He got suspended for four months and arrested for assault. Rodney was so scared he dropped the charges and switched schools."

How could someone do that? It makes you think about what would possess a human to do that to another one. I agree, bullying is wrong, but the way that Bain handled it was terrible. I know somewhere there must be people have gone through much worse and don't go around beating the crap out of people right? I just can't believe he'd do that. 

Actually, I take that back. I can believe it, sadly. 

"So, then what? Everyone stopped bothering him?" I ask Ryan. 

She nods, "Yep, and he kept proving to everyone that he was as badass as he said he was by going to parties, has a new girl in his bed every week, hell every day," I shiver with the thought of Bain and his revolting player ways. I mean someone new every day? How much does that boy need? Or how many diseases he carries... "It's surprising at how much respect you can get with fear," Ryan scoffs, "Except for us of course. That guy has no respect from me." 

I sigh. "He definitely has my fear," Ryan frowns. 

"It's going to be okay Ashley. He's going to have to cool off sometime. You never know he might just get so distracted by his next flavor of the week or kicking puppies that he'll forget all about you. It's not like he's going to beat you up for a spilled drink," Ryan bites her lip with a worried look, "At least I hope not...." 

I whine and stuff my face into a pillow, "I'm so dead."

"Ash, I promise everything will be okay." She assures me and I take the pillow off my face. "I don't want to talk about it anymore." I look at Ryan and sit up next to her hugging the pillow and give her a small smile, "So what happened with you and Trip Livingston?" As soon as I say his name Ryan's lips curve into a smile and her cheeks glow pink. 

Oh my god. 

I grin. "Ryyyyyan," I say her name and squint my eyes at her, "What happened?" 

A grin breaks out on her face and she looks at me her eyes sparkling and I can say I've never seen my best friend look like this while talking about a boy. "Nothing much." Lies! 

"You're such a liar! Spill," I say and she giggles. 

"If you must know. We went to the kitchen, he offered me some punch, and we just stood there just talking." She shook her head with a dreamy sigh, "It was amazing Ash. I've never just talked to a guy. He was so sweet and open and he's so cute when he laughs, oh my god Ash," she freaks and slaps my arm repeatedly with a grin, "he has dimples." she dramatically falls back on the bed and I laugh. 

"What a dreamboat," I say rolling my eyes smiling. 

Ryan laughs, "Ew, who says that anymore?" 

We both laugh and just like that everything seemed to be okay. That's what I love about my best friend. No matter what happens I know that she'll always have my back and I'll always have hers. That no matter what happens she'll always turn my tears into happy ones. Times like these are definitely the ones I'll always want to remember when we graduate. 

Later, once we've fully recuperated we both changed into our pajamas and took off our make up. Ryan still gushing about Trip and making jokes when I take off my eyeliner instead of spreading it over my eyes and look like a raccoon. 

We head to bed and Ryan reaches next to her nightstand and turns off the lights, "Night Ash," 

 "Night Ryan." 

Somehow just like that, I fell asleep with the calm feeling of knowing that everything will be alright. 

Or so I thought. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------