"Well, after snapping your bone back into place," Dr. Hydrant points at the before picture of my X-rayed nose. "It should heal just fine, but we must keep this wrap over the arch so it won't be forced to move."

I already knew that, when Jackson got his nose broken in baseball when he was ten, they did the same thing. That's probably the only way I knew my nose was broken when it happened, that and I hear the crack.

Colten will pay for this.

"Thank you Doctor," Jackson nods and heads out to sign the papers and what not. Leaving me with Adam and Colten.

Colten hasn't talked much, not after I tried strangling him in the car. I don't think he really feels bad about what happened. It's just what he does. As far as Adam goes, he doesn't talk unless he's asked a question, only keeps his eyes fixated on me like he didn't leave me after taking my virginity.

I sigh, my nose kills even after all the pain killers and numb injections they have me filled with. All I want is to be back to normal. I know that won't be happening anytime soon because my nose looks like I got stomped on by a reindeer. Just my luck that on the first day of school Colten breaks my nose.

"I'm gonna go see if Jackson needs any help," Colten grunts and leaves the room. Good. Now I don't have to look at his ugly face that I want to punch so bad.

Wait a minute...Adam is still here. Not good. Not. Good. Colten needs to come back right now!

"How're you feeling?" He asks, making me mentally bang my head against the dry wall.

"Fine," I mumble. He doesn't even deserve that much. I shouldn't even be talking to him right now. Where the hell is Colten? And why is that when I could actually use him he's gone?

"I get that your mad," he pauses, but I'm not giving him the satisfaction of me shutting him down. "But you need to let me explain."

I finally look at him, a glare burning through my eyes and into his. By the wavering look of his deception, I can tell he's effected by it. I seem to be good at the "I'm going to kill you" look.

"Please," he swallows. "You don't even have to say anything. Just let me explain it."

I don't have to talk? Hmm, I'm not sure. I'd rather not listen to him, either.

"Whatever," I grumble and move my hand to motion him on.

"Alright," he takes a deep breath. "It was hard for me to leave you after what happened, it really was. I didn't want to, you should know that. I loved you and still do, it killed me to do that."

He looks at me, biting his lower lip as a sign of nervousness. Dammit. I know to much about him.

"I had to leave because my grandpa was sick. I told you once he lives in Virginia, right?" I don't want to answer. I want to ignore everything he's saying, but everyone is full of curiousness, so I nod. "Okay, so we left quickly the next day, my only worry being on my grandfather."

I stop him. "You're telling me that because you went to see your grandfather, you couldn't answer my calls? That makes no sense."

He sighs. "I could've, you're right, but like I said I was only focused on him. I was by his side every second of the day until he passed. I wanted to reach out to you again, but I figured you would be upset and so I let it go. When I saw you in chemistry, though, I lost it."

I shake my head, closing my eyes as it all sinks in slowly. He left for his grandpa. Couldn't call. Thought I'd be upset. I was. Couldn't resist talking to me in first hour.

"No," I shake my head again. "No, that's not true. You're bullshitting me again and I'm sick of it."

"I'm not!" He defends, looking sincere and upset. "I would've never willingly left you. I love you to much-"

"Don't," I snap. "Don't say you love me when you don't have the decency to call or text or even email! For gods sake you could've done something!"

I'm pissed. He's trying to make excuses for not wanting me and I'm sick of it. Just say you don't want me. Say you only used me! I don't care, but I'm not putting up with this.

"God, Nikki!" He growls. "I'm trying to apologize and explain to you why everything got so fucked up, but you're not understanding."

My mouth falls open in shock. Now it's my fault? How? I've done nothing, but try to stand up for myself and not get sucked back into what I was in before.

"I'm not understanding?" I scoff. "I understand perfectly, it wasn't me you loved it was my body. And after you got that, you left. It's super easy to piece together."

He's about to argue again when Jackson steps into the room, Colten right behind him.

"You guys ready?" Jackson asks, eyeing us both.

I should've stayed with Nikki and not left her with that Adam guy, but the silence was killing me. I'd much rather have an abusive, smart mouthed Nikki than a quiet one. So, instead of putting myself through the torture, I found myself walking out the door after Jackson.

He signed some papers and we had to wait for the lady to get back from copying them, it's silent again.

"Look," I start. "I'm sorry about Nikki. I didn't mean-"

"You did," he says quietly too quietly. "You always mean it."

I swallow. "I know, but breaking her nose wasn't exactly my proposition."

"So?" He turns to me. "You still did it? You're always doing something and it's honestly starting to get on my nerves. I don't need to be wondering if my sister is okay every time she's left without me."

Right...

"I'm sorry," I run a hand through my hair. I know I've been super mean to Nikki, but when her overprotective brother is breathing down your neck every second, it becomes daily.

I'm sure he already senses my slight feelings for her, that's already enough to land me in the hospital, but now I'm purposely hurting her. I'm a dick. I get it.

"You always say that," he sighs, frustrated with my behavior. "If you can't stop pulling pranks on her, I can't let you be by her."

I nod, understanding his point exactly. Though, I want to blame my actions in him. If it wasn't for him being protective of his sister to the point he broke my nose and told me to stay away from her - none of this would have ever happened.

I follow Jackson back in the room, eyeing Adam who is staring intently at Nikki. I clench my jaw ready to say something when Jackson speaks up.

"You guys ready?"

I'm very pleased to go back home, I don't have home work, but I'd rather not be in the hospital all night. Especially with Adam and Colten.

After dropping my ex-boyfriend off - if I should even call him that - we head back home. I don't hesitate in stepping into the house and letting out a sigh of relief. It feels nice to be home.

"I'll order some pizza," Jackson mumbles before heading into the kitchen, leaving Colten and I standing in the entry way.

Well, this is awkward....

"I'm going to go shower," I say more to myself, heading in the direction of the stairs. I don't go far when Colten's hand reaches out and grips my forearm, pulling me back to him. I look up at him, my mouth agape while he stares down at me. "Wha-"

"I'm sorry," he whispers, his eyes full of an emotion I've never seen before. "I really am."

I nod, not sure what to say. Never in my life have I ever heard Colten Mathews say he's sorry.

Colten let's go of my forearm and I take a moment more to stare at him before walking up the stairs. This day has been crazy. I just need to take a shower and go to bed. Well, not before eating pizza.

I make sure not to get my nose wet when I'm in the tub, it hurts to much and I don't want to get the wrap thing wet.

I change into a pair of Soffee shorts and t-shirt before heading downstairs, guessing the pizza must be here by now. I'm proven right when I see Colten and Jackson on the couch, screaming at the tv with two boxes of pizza on the coffee table.

"You guys are insane," I roll my eyes and grab a plate with a glass of pop. I put two pieces of pizza on my platter and sit on the opposite couch as them.

"You know," Jackson comments. "I'm pretty sure you're going to be the one to eat these two boxes of pizza."

He's probably not wrong. I love pizza and that about sums it up. Food in general is awesome, but then pizza is just...ugh so good.

"Probably," I shrug and go back to eating. The entire time, I feel Colten's eyes shifting between me and the tv. Weird.

•••

"I think I'm going to bed," I announce, the clock reading a quarter to ten. I'm already missing summer.

"You sure?" Jackson questions, looking at me like I'm crazy for going to bed this early.

"Yeah," I yawn to prove my point. "It's been a long day."

"Alright, see you tomorrow morning," he says and goes back to watching tv.

I make my way to my room and plop down on my bed. My head kills from all the brokenness going on in my nose so I take my pain killers before getting comfortable

Something about this year feels like it's going to be different. Last year, I was a freshmen. I made friends quickly with a lot of seniors and juniors on the varsity team, but I didn't have many my age. Added to that, my brother is also older.

I would hang around with them instead of girls my age and I think that's what got me into parties and boyfriends and losing my virginity. I'm not blaming this on them, but I also think it influenced everything.

I was introduced to Adam the same day Brittni was introduced to Nathan. Except, Nathan is a year older than us and Adams cousin. It was a sunny day and we were on the beach in late June...

"I'm so excited!" Brittni squeals as we ride to the beach with my brother driving and Colten in the front seat. "I just want to tan and relax."

Brittni loves tanning. Naturally, she's pale and so whenever there's a chance for her to get a darker colour she takes it. I'm in between, I'm pretty tan over all and don't like tanning much.

"We get it," Colten groans. "You've only said it like a million time.

"Shut up," Brittni scowls.

When we finally pull up to the beach, Brittni and I nearly jump out, only to be stopped by Jackson. It's irritating that we still have to listen to his rules when we're both fifteen, but whatever.

"We're going to meet up with some friends," Jackson explains. "Meet us back here at five o'clock."

By friends he mans fuck buddies. I may not know everything about my brothers life, but I do know that he doesn't go without a girl every week.

"Gotcha," we both salute and run off somewhere.

We spend some time sitting in the sun and swimming, just relaxing really.

"Hey," a male voice says and I look up to see a good looking guy. He has bright blue eyes and blonde hair with a somewhat muscular body. "My cousin and I were wondering if you'd like to play some volley ball with us?"

I look over at Brittni who nods at me. The guy smiles and we get up to walk over to who I assume is his cousin.

"Hi," the cousin says. "I'm Nathan."

"Hello," we wave and state our names. I learn that the guy that asked us to play is named Adam. Adam Donaldson.

The rest is pretty easy to figure out. I fell for his charming ways and a month and a half after dating I gave myself to him in a way that would get me killed if my brother ever found out.

I was young, but I'm almost sixteen in a few months so I wasn't that far off. I'm not proud of what happened, but you can't reverse the past.

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