It Started with a Dare

32

Back to Braelyn's POV:
I laid in bed, sobbing. My heart was shattered. I trusted him. I trusted him with everything I had. I loved him with everything I had, and this is what I get? No matter what I did, I always got hurt.

What did I do to deserve this? What did I do that was so terrible that I had to be punished this bad?

A knock on the door snapped me from my thoughts. "Come in," I hiccuped.

Emilee poked her head in. She was still in her dress. I had taken mine off and changed. "Hey," she said softly. She walked in, shutting the door behind her.

"Why, Emilee? Why does this happen to me?" I asked then screamed into pillow. "I hate this!"

The bed dipped, so I knew she had sat down. She rubbed my back. "I don't know," she said. "The world is just unfair. Bad things just happen to good people."

I looked at her. "I feel like every time I'm happy people find a way to make me miserable. I just want to know what I did to deserve this kind of punishment. What did I do?" I asked.

"You didn't do anythinng. Ridge did this. He lost you, and you don't deserve him. There will come a good guy, Braelyn, and he'll treat like you deserve. He'll put you on throne and treat you like a queen. He'll love you with everything he has," Emilee said.

"I don't believe that," I sobbed.

"I do. You just have to look for him," she replied.

I wiped my face. "What happened after I left?" I asked.

Emilee looked away. "Things got nasty. Xavier beat Ridge up and got suspended. If Ridge would've stayed, Xavier could've went to jail," she said.

"Why would Xavier do that?" I asked.

Emilee looked at me. "You seriously don't see it, do you?" she asked.

"See what?" I asked.

She just shook her head. "Nothing," she said. "I can't tell you. I promised."

I sighed, leaning back. "You know, you were right," I said.

"About what?"

"This was a memory of a lifetime."
××××××
Later that night when Emilee left, I made my way downstairs to the kitchen. It was past two in the morning, but I couldn't sleep. I grabbed the bucket of ice cream and made myself a bowl with sprinkles and chocolate syrup. I also made myself a glass of chocolate milk.

I grabbed a spoon then began to eat. Footsteps came down the stairs, and I looked up. Nathan went to the fridge. "Couldn't sleep?" he asked.

I shook my head. "You?"

"No," he said, pouring a glass of chocolate milk. "Too many thoughts passing through my head."

I took a bite of ice cream. "Same," I replied.

"Braelyn, what exactly happened tonight?" Nathan asked.

I looked up at him. "It was all a dare. Everything. I guess you were right. Ridge wouldn't even give me a second glance. I should've known it was too good to be true," I said, a stray tear falling. I wiped it away and took another bite of ice cream.

Nathan sighed, "Braelyn, I was jerk to you. I've always been a jerk to you, and I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said. You are a beautiful, intelligent, nice girl, and any guy would be lucky to have you."

"You don't have to pity me, Nathan," I laughed humorlessly.

"It's not pity, Braelyn. It's true," he replied.

I gave him a small smile. "Well, thank you. It means a lot," I said.

"I'm glad. You're a good girl, Braelyn, and I hate to see you get hurt by jerks."

I slid my bowl over to him. "Want some?"