Warm tears streamed down my face as I stared at my own reflection. Finally, after so many weeks, the anxiousness building up within me exploded. It exploded so violently that it hurt. My tears and sobs were uncontrollable as my chest ached with an unbearable pain. My breathing grew shallower and shallower while my body began to tremble.

I recalled how Jaci yelled at me and willingly chose Sebastian over me before telling him about Cayden and me—then Sebastian showing up at Cayden's place and getting verbally violent with me and degrading me in numerous ways—and lastly, my parents, who flew all the way down to Florida to confront me and degrade me even more.

Everything around that—like the night when I met Cayden's friends and I almost broke down, to meeting her previously disapproving parents who separated us—was what multiplied my spiraling feelings. However, what truly broke me was my parents, the way they looked at me and talked to me, it was so horrible and it'll forever be engrained in my head.

My vision began tunneling as my cries grew harder and messier. I didn't care anymore. I didn't care how I looked or what happened after this. I just needed to finally let this all out. I was beyond tired of carrying this heaviness within me, and what made it worse was that I didn't know if it would fade after all of this.

The knock on the door pulled me from my dreadful thoughts. I weakly stumbled to the door as it became harder for me to breathe properly. It all hurt so much, but sometimes I wonder if I deserve it. That if I did something different, maybe my friends and parents would've stuck by me.

Seeing Cayden as I opened the door didn't help me—and it definitely didn't help my overwhelming tears. Even if I felt embarrassed by the fact that she saw me like this, I couldn't stop crying even if I tried.

Her dark eyes held so much concern as she quickly made her way into the family bathroom and promptly closed the door behind her.

Her warm arms wrapped around me pulling me in close, her spiced cologne wrapping around me. She guided me onto the marble bathroom sink, allowing me to sit properly as she pulled me even closer to her. My crying grew along with my heart which raced rapidly in my chest.

"Vi, please breathe," Cayden's familiar raspy voice urged, concern laced in her voice.

I drew in an unbearable breath, but it only made my chest ache more. "I-I can't. It hurts," I forced out, hoping she could hear my weak voice.

Apparently, she did because she immediately pulled back, her dark eyes holding mine as her warm hand caressed my damp cheek. "Just look at me, focus on my voice."

I stared deeply into her eyes, clinging to her like she was my only life source.

"Everything is okay," she said, her voice smooth and calm. "I'm right here."

Warm tears trickled down my cheeks, but Cayden gently wiped them away. Holding me securely in her strong arms. I felt the world fade along with my problems as I stared up at Cayden, following her breathing pattern. Cayden continued to caress my cheek gently as she held her hand securely to my lower back.

Once I felt somewhat calm, I leaned fully into Cayden, burying my face in her chest. She slid her hand into my sweatshirt, rubbing her warm hand up and down my spine in a gentle manner. I slowed my breathing down while my tears finally began to dry. I could feel my puffy eyes already aching along with my head, which made me groan slightly.

"Vi, please talk to me. Tell me how you feel."

I sighed, clinging to her tighter. "It's a lot."

"And I have time. Our flight doesn't board for another hour," she said, guiding me away from her chest to meet her eyes.

I finally had the time to tell her and the moment was appropriate, but I still felt... I don't know, embarrassed? I'm not good with discussing this all aloud and I feel stupid for even feeling this way. But I know Cayden would never judge me, if anything, she'd help me feel much better.

"Jade and Jaci..." I trailed off, my voice cracking as my eyes grew with tears. "It... started with that and it sort of grew from there," I forced out.

Cayden frowned, "Baby why didn't you tell me?"

I shook my head gently, "I didn't want to worry you after we went through that, and then the whole Sebastian thing happened, which also took a toll on me as well," I said, anxiously playing with my hands in my lap. "Then we... came to Florida, and I met your friends who—"

I cut myself off when I felt the need to cry once again, causing Cayden to wrap her arms tightly around my waist, leaning into me. Letting me know she was here, that everything was okay.

"Who reminded me of the friends that I had lost," I forced out, my throat growing dry and raw from the continuous crying. "Then... your parents seemed to disapprove and separated us—but to add to all of this, my parents flew down here to confront me and disrespect me completely."

My stomach sank further when I realized that we were going back to New York. I didn't fully process it with everything unfolding, but now I am. Now I'm realizing that I'm going back to a place that I fled after being confronted and yelled at so many times.

"Cayden I don't know what to do," I said honestly, feeling like everything was continuously piling on.

"We got this, and now that I know all of this, we can figure it all out together," she said, pecking me gently on the lips. "I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. Everything is okay and it'll continue to be okay."

I nodded softly, feeling secure and content now that I had expressed my feelings to Cayden. It felt nice to finally let out everything that was bottled up tightly inside of me. It was refreshing and freeing in a way.

"Thank you for letting me be here for you, Vi. I know it wasn't easy to express how you feel," she said, leaning down to nuzzle her head into the crook of my neck. "I hope you know that you'd never burden me. I love you Vina, and I always want to make sure you're truly okay."

I nodded holding her tighter to me, enjoying Cayden's calming and grounding presence.

Cayden pulled back slightly, "Promise you'll communicate with me next time?" she asked, holding her pinky out.

I linked my pinky with hers, "I promise... do you?"

Cayden nodded without hesitation, pressing her lips to mine while our pinky's stayed interlocked. I released her pinky to gently pull her closer to me by her torso, hugging her body to me.

We briefly pulled away from the warm kiss, our eyes holding one another. "How do you feel about going back to New York?" she asked, concern still present in her tone.

I pursed my lips reflecting on everything that happened. I actually... didn't care anymore. The worst has happened and I let it all out, even if I am still hung up over my disapproving parents. But other than that, I was fine with going back and finishing the rest of school. I mean I had Griffin... right? Although, I can't help but contemplate whether I messed up our friendship by having him lie for me, and whether or not he even wants to be my friend.

"Why is that look on your face?" Cayden asked, analyzing my expression.

"Do you think Griffin still wants to be my friend?"

"Vi, what? Of course, Griffin would want to be your friend. Why would he not?"

I shrugged, "What if he wasn't okay with lying for me? Or he was upset about me leaving to go to Florida? Or maybe he just didn't want to be my friend from the jump?" I said my thoughts aloud, which caused Cayden's brows to raise.

"You know what I think?"

"Hm?"

"I think you have some sort of friend trust issues... I mean it's only logical after what you went through," she said, tucking one of my stray hairs behind my ear.

I frowned, knowing she was probably right. My trust issues were fucked.

"But I know for a fact, Griffin definitely wants to be your friend. He's for sure a ride or die unlike your previous friends," Cayden said, smiling softly at me.

Griffin is definitely a ride or die—I mean he did so much for me without expecting anything in return. Even if he needed something, I still wouldn't have hesitated to be by his side, just like he did for me. Griffin truly is a good friend, J&J have just ruined my perspective on friendships that I look for issues or expect the friendship to end.

I let out a sigh, "Yeah, you're right. I'm overthinking it." I scolded myself.

Cayden shook her head. "Don't say it in such a negative tone, Vi. It's perfectly normal to overthink it, considering what you just went through," she said. "Maybe express what you're thinking to Griffin?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I definitely should talk to him about it."

Cayden nodded, guiding me off the counter before grabbing some paper towels and wetting them with cold water from the sink. "Close your eyes for a second. This cold compress will help with your puffy eyes."

I smiled slightly, closing my eyes as she placed the cold paper towels gently on my eyes. I immediately felt soothed, the pounding beneath my eyelids easily decreased with every passing second. I could seriously get used to this—maneuvering life with Cayden for the rest of our lives. I never saw myself as a long-term person. As someone who would ever want something for years to come, but with Cayden... I could see a real future with her. A long one too.

"Wow that feels so good," I hummed, basking in the aching pain that was suddenly soothed.

Cayden chuckled once, "Never thought I'd hear you say that in a different context."