𝑱𝑼𝑺𝑻 𝑭𝑶𝑹 𝑨 𝑴𝑶𝑴𝑬𝑵𝑻 (18+)

thirty || "Do You Trust Devon?"

                                          ➳♥

What was it about birthdays?

Every year, in the weeks leading up to mine I've always dreaded that cursed date. It was too much stress, too much preparation, too much unknown. I'd much rather stay home, maybe invite over a few friends and treat myself to some cake and ice cream. We'd laugh, play a few games, and then everyone would go home, returning to their normal schedules in the morning.

Devon came around and changed all of that though.

The first August of our friendship he had surprised me with meet and greet tickets for a band that I was a huge fan of. I had mentioned it to him in passing not thinking much of it but like the sweetheart he was, he noted that my nonchalant mention of the event meant I really wanted to go.

So, he made it happen.

He endured every second of the fawning girls screaming around him, which was ironic considering the reputation he had worked so hard to maintain. He wasn't a boy band type of kid, I got that. Yet he followed me around that venue smiling and laughing because I was having the time of my life, and that was all he cared about.

He'd start to top himself every year after that. It became a challenge for him, a game of 'let's see how bad I can make Summer feel about getting me shitty gifts.' I mean it wasn't my fault I wasn't as creative as him, he was so infuriating with all of his hidden talents I just couldn't keep up. He even made me a few paintings as just because gifts when he was getting into art. He'd invite me to his house and show me pages full of sketches and drafts, and a garage full of colorful canvases he poured everything he had into.

I asked him why he was so secretive about this side of him, but he assured me it wasn't a secret.

"I'm not hiding it Summer it's just, everything I do is always on display. This is something I can have to myself without the influence of others."

I didn't ask him about it again after that.

Since Devon was arrested, those little moments I'd shared with him were playing in my head like a movie. I thought about everything I'd ever said to him, everything we've ever done with each other, and held onto it like it was the last thing I'd ever remember. It had been two weeks without him, and I didn't know how I was still standing. I felt an incredible amount of guilt for what had happened. I wondered, if I hadn't run inside to tell my parents, they would've never called the police and Devon would've been fine. Wanting to protect him landed him in the very place I wanted to keep him out of.

Tyler had given me time off for obvious reasons, but I wished he hadn't. Now with nothing to do I spent my time in bed crying my eyes out forcing my brain to think of Devon. Honestly, I was afraid that I might forget him. When I wasn't locked away in my room, I was at his house, meeting with the lawyer with Sandra. None of the meetings were ever promising, he based Devon's freedom solely on the chance that Chris would have a change of heart and drop the charges. I guess on the bright side he didn't judge Devon for his actions. He had a sixteen-year-old daughter that just started dating so he related to him.

His words exactly were, "if someone did to my daughter what that son of a bitch did to you, well, they'd lock me up and throw away the key."

It wasn't as comforting as he thought it would be, but I appreciated the sentiment if you could even call it that.

Tyler, Jess, and Maya all extended their trips, wanting to help support Devon throughout this entire process. They were looking on the bright side while I was beginning to feel like a burden to them. I felt especially bad for Jess so I opted to stay at Devon's house with his mother's permission of course. I packed some things and camped out in his room, desperately needing something to remind me of him.