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"Reese, baby! Let's dance!"

Kira has clung to my side all fucking night and it's starting to irritate me.

All I want to do is leave. I'm already in a bad mood since I got detention for punching a kid in the face after making fun of Marnie. I was fuming. I wanted to wipe off that fuckers smile for making Marnie embarrassed like that.

The principal gave me a final warning, explaining how 'easy she's been on me' because of the incident last year and my brother's passing. She quite sternly told me I would be suspended if I carry on behaving like I am -- as she was informed about what happened outside of school yesterday.

After school, I came to Tina's party and pulled Kira aside to talk. I was pissed to find out that she unlocked my phone without my permission to change my relationship status on social media. Kira and I hooked up once and I already regret it ever happened. I was selfishly using Kira to make Marnie jealous and conceal my own pain.

I've changed my status back to single. Kira cried and sulked for while, and now she won't leave me alone.

I thought showing up to a random party and drinking might help me stop thinking. Thinking about Marnie.

Of course, that's not possible. Whenever I try to stop thinking about her, she seems to pop right back into my brain and it fucking hurts. I've never felt pain like this. It's like she's taken my soul away and now I'm just a shell of a person.

Every day I see her. In the hallways of school and classes. It's hard to just ignore her. It's clear I've hurt her and for some weird reason, I can't bear to see her in pain.

The pain I've caused her.

I shrug Kira off and she pouts her bottom lip at me. I've not touched Kira since the first night. Yeah, we have kissed, but only when I see Marnie watching from afar.

I know I'm an asshole. I just don't know any other way to deal with my pain.

"Kira! Let's play beer pong," one of her friends drags her away from me and I sigh with relief.

Thank God for that.

I stare down at my full bottle of beer, the music killing my ears and voices around me blurring together. Why can't I forget about her?

I've known Marnie for a little over three months and since the first moment I laid eyes on her, she had captivated me. My feelings have grown stronger in a short period while she played with my heart. I let my guard down to someone I thought would understand me and she turned out to be a liar. I told her everything about my life.

"Are you going to sit here and feel sorry for yourself?" Roxy's voice rings in my ears. I shift my eyes to meet hers, I was expecting her to pity me, thankfully I don't see that in her ice-cold eyes.

"You don't have to make me feel better. I deserve the crap I'm feeling. Hell, I've been doing this shit to girls for years, it's about time I taste my own medicine right?" I take a long sip of my drink, letting the bitter taste run down my throat.

"I'm not." she bluntly states, "You're right about one thing, you are an ass. I've seen the way you treated girls in the past and I turned a blind eye because I knew you were struggling to come to terms with Hayden's passing. As soon as Marnie came into the picture, you started feeling yourself again. You weren't a heartless jerk. She changed you, Reese."

I rake my hair between my fingers and slump back in my seat. I don't want to think about Hayden, it still hurts. I bury that pain until I feel absolutely nothing.

"Where are you going with this Roxy?"

Yeah, I know I'm a heartless jerk. That's what happens when someone hurts me, I hurt them back twice as hard. Although I don't think Marnie looked hurt to me, she has another guy after her.

"I was so delighted to see you happy with Marnie. She's a lovely girl and she brought out the best side in you. Do you realise how badly you messed up?" I messed up? Me!? Does Roxy think I did something to mess up my relationship?

"What the fuck are you talking about? Marnie wasn't some saint Roxy, she played me this whole time! She cheated on me!" Anger builds up and my eyes narrow into slits, my breathing uneven.

What the fuck is this? Why do I take the blame for everything?

It's always my fault.

"Who told you that, huh? Did you ask her if she cheated? Or did you make that judgement yourself?"

"I didn't need to ask her, I saw her in the arms of another guy," I say through gritted teeth.

Roxy starts laughing bitterly and I narrow my eyes at the raven-haired girl as she shakes her head in disbelief. "You're a fucking idiot Reese. Do you know that? You're so clueless."

My eyes widen in shock and confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Did it ever occur to you to talk to her first before you go off and start punching her brother?"

Her brother?

I shake my head in denial. I would know if she had a brother. "She hasn't got a brother."

"Yes, she does. Apparently, it's her long-lost brother she just found out about. Her mom kept him from her or something."

What?

Wait, this doesn't make any sense. How could Marnie have a brother who randomly turns up out of the blue?

What the fuck?

"Why didn't she tell me?" I whisper.

"Because you never asked her. You ruined everything by cheating on her with Kira, punching her brother and calling her a desperate slut. Seriously, Reese, what the hell?!"

I wince when Roxy reveals how serious I've messed up. And I have seriously messed up.

If that guy was Marnie's brother and I went and cheated on my girlfriend--

Fuck.

"Shit, what do I do?"

Roxy shakes her head, her eyes filled with sympathy and a hint of disappointment. "I don't know but I think you should apologise to her for a start."

She is right. There's so much I need to apologise for and I don't know how I'm going to do it. She probably doesn't want to speak to me ever again. Hell, I wouldn't.

I jump out of my seat and dash out of the room, I run to my bike and drive away as quickly as I can. I speed through traffic, my mind jumping from thought to thought, like a pebble skipping on water.

Shit. I messed up bad.

I hurt her. I hurt my girl because I was so fucking stupid.

Why the hell didn't I just talk to her? Instead, I acted on impulse and then I called her every bad name under the sun.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I need to fix this. I need to fucking fix this.

The next thing I know, I'm standing outside Marnie's house. It annoys me how her mother always leaves the gates open since she lives in a monster house in the middle of Beverly hills. I brush the thought away when I think about the beautiful blonde I need to talk to.

I knock on the door and wait anxiously for a few seconds. When the door swings open, I'm greeted by Marnie's mom dressed in a long red gown. Her lips are painted a deep crimson and her hair is styled in a neat ponytail. I could tell by her dilated eyes and rosy cheeks -- she was high.

"Is Marnie here?" I ask rather blunt. I don't care for this woman since the day I saw her yelling at Marnie.

"She's left to buy me more alcohol, but she'll be back soon if you'd like to wait for her." she fakes a smile.

Of course, she got her daughter to buy her alcohol.

"No, I'll just wait for her outside."

"Don't be silly, it's cold outside and there's a party here." her thin hand grasps my upper arm and tugs me into her house. I grunt, following her inside reluctantly. I notice a few dozen people standing around chatting. Woah, she wasn't kidding, there was a party.

"Would you like a drink?" I stand inside the hallway, frozen on the spot.

I need to talk to Marnie though I don't know how long she'll be out.

"No, I'm good thanks." Mariah scoffs under her breath, taking my hand and dragging me through the crowd of people.

"Mariah, the party is great. Thank you for inviting me." a petite woman with brown skin and curly black hair squeals to my left.

"Thanks, Jules. Enjoy." The next thing I know, I'm standing in the living room as Mariah takes a bottle of whiskey and pours two glasses, handing one to me.

"No, thanks." There's no way I'm drinking with this woman.

"Come on honey, it's just one drink." she thrusts the drink with the strong-smelling amber liquid in my palm. "It won't hurt."

I exhale, giving in and drinking the rich, burning liquid. I can taste the strong, smooth fluid going down my throat and making me wince.

My mind drifts away, thinking about Marnie. She is all I can think about and I want to make things right with her. I have to, I can't imagine my life without her anymore. It's crazy how one human being can make me feel this way.

"So, Reese was it? Marnie tells me you're in a band?" Mariah drinks her drink within seconds like it's a glass of water after a long run.

"Yeah, that's right." I look around the room awkwardly. I couldn't wait to get out of here, I find it strange I'm speaking to Marnie's mom at a party she's throwing, not to mention she's intoxicated.

"Let's be honest, you came here to see me and not my daughter." my back straightens.

Excuse me?

Okay, this woman is fucking mad.

"What?"

Mariah smirks, her dark eyes flashing and making me sick to my stomach. She takes a few slow steps closer to me while I'm glued to my spot, my hand gripping the expensive glass, I wouldn't be shocked if it smashed into small pieces onto the posh burgundy rug.

"You befriended my daughter so you could meet her famous mom, though I wouldn't be surprised. Lots of men love me, especially the young ones." Her voice drops low.

She's crazy.

My teeth clench and I scowl deeply at the woman in front of me. "You got it all wrong Mrs Love."

"Do I?" she's a scheming woman and I don't like it.

I draw my face close to hers and she wavers slightly, her body stiff as a board and eyes uncertain. If she wants to play games, so can I.

I open my mouth and freeze when I hear a soft voice behind me.

My body felt like it had been electrocuted when I hear that sweet voice. An angelic, small voice. "Reese?"

I turn my head and see the girl that's been driving me insane since the moment I first met her. Her face is contorted in confusion as she gazes back and forth between me and her mother. Shit.

"Marnie..."

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