(LMAO WHO CAN GUESS WHICH ONE IS BLAKE'S HAND)

Naomi Black

An engagement ring—he bought an engagement ring to the bar. How fucking dumb is that? And then to tell me it was my engagement ring?

Did he actually think I would take him back that easily after he just left me?

I have trauma from people leaving me my entire life—and he somehow thought it would be different because he came back, told me he loved me, flashed an engagement ring to me, and apologized?

I am not the same girl I was from the day I got hit with the locker room door.

I grabbed my purse off of the couch and stormed out after him—ready to tell him off, but I paused recognizing the atmosphere around me. Ten minutes until the clock hit midnight which meant it would be a new year.

A new year, a new job, a new degree, a new life; and I could do it with or without him.

I walked back over to our table, Matti of course returning to his seat. I however was stopped by an arm yanking me. Sloane's claws digging into my flesh. "Ow—" She cut me off by shushing me. I looked into her eyes and saw tears—I raised my eyebrows in concern.

"What's wrong?" I ask as she tilts her head back.

"He brought another girl." She rushes out her words as I shake my head. "Who brought another girl?" I ask. She groans, wiping the minimal tears that leaked from her eyes. "Caden dammit! He brought the fucking girl he cheated on me with—Chloe's friend!" She exclaims as I recoil back.

I step to the side getting a good fucking look.

And my heart breaks for her.

Sitting right next to Blake was Caden—who had a blonde girl sitting on his lap. At first glance, I forsure thought that was Sloane. "She looks just like me? Right!" She gushes as I nod.

"But—you've taught me well enough to know that she isn't because the red on the underneath of those heels—isn't actually Louboutin red." I try to reason with her as she chuckles out a laugh.

I nod, "Go make out with Blake." I urged her as she immediately started shaking her head.

"No—he said some pretty harsh things to me while you and Matti were in the office." She put her head down as I raised an eyebrow. "Like what?" I asked, I would beat the shit out of him.

He wasn't going to bully and harass her just because she was new to him, like he did to me.

She sighed, shaking her head. "Maybe one day I'll tell ya. But this fling—him and I had going on? It's over. You couldn't give me enough Prada or Don Julio to make me kiss that asshole ever again." She ranted as I gave her a frown.

I did feel bad for Sloane.

She almost lost her best friend because of a stupid boy. But deep down, I knew why she did it.

Sloane was a queen for seeking male validation—actually it didn't have to be from a guy at all.

Her eating disorder had developed when she was a young girl in her New York City private school for the rich and the famous. Like so famous that she could probably wine and dine with JLO and Kim K.

She had zero self confidence unless she was surrounded by men that she knew would make her feel confident.

But the saddest part is that she shouldn't even have developed the disorder to begin with and she will never tell why she started, but my money is on the kids at her high school.

She sleeps with all of these men and I'll never truly understand why but she just gushes to me about how she is the best at sex, and I think it's honestly true. I mean—if you have that many bodies, you must be good at something.

I was not slut shaming her nor do I tolerate the slut-shaming that she gets every so often, I was just stating the obvious.

Sloane Beck has probably had more sex than Matti and Blake combined.

And that was perfectly okay.

"Wait—so what did Matti say?" She whispers in my ear. I chuckle, picking up my left hand and wiggling my ring finger at her as her mouth drops open. "Wait—what?" She asked as I just motioned for her to keep quiet.

"Middle of arguing—don't worry I denied him every time. He pulled out an engagement ring and told me it was mine! The nerve of that man—" I get cut off by her motioning for me to shut up as a large arm wraps around my shoulders.

"Want me to take you home tonight?" Reese's voice comes from beside me as Sloane raises her eyebrows. I turn to face him, "Meaning I stay at your place not because of you but because I miss Mimi." He corrects himself, stumbling over his words as I chuckle.

Before I could even respond though he continued to ramble. "I think that you're so beautiful. You and Sloane—seriously. And you both have the worst taste in men. How about this—in three minutes, it will be a new year. Let's make-out—all three of us." He suggests.

I look at Sloane in amazement as he just smiles at us. Sloane shrugs, "I don't care. If it's not Reese—it's going to be a bottle. As of right now, both are looking very tempting." She teases as he lets out a drunk giggle.

I sigh, I'll decide when I decide.

"Alrighty everyone! Two minutes until you can kiss this year goodbye!" The announcer goes over the loudspeaker as everyone cheers.

Pasquel walks over to us with drinks in hand. He winks at me, "Miss Naomi—you do not have a drink in your hand." I chuckle nodding—he was correct. I thanked him and took the glass of whatever it was and turned to follow Reese and Sloane back to the table.

The flat screen in the corner was playing the New Year's Eve special and we were all on our toes. "One minute!" Finn yelled—she was in the corner with a guy. I think it was that Cole guy from the baseball team that she had mentioned before.

And this was it.

This was the year of gains and losses.

I had essentially lost everything that was important to me at this moment—including him. But I had gained so much more. I had found out I had a living family, a trust fund, a big friend group—and most importantly even though we weren't together; I could actually love someone even if that scared the utter shit out of me.

"Twenty!" Everyone started screaming a countdown.

That's when I'm pushed in between Reese and Sloane. Was I actually about to makeout with the two of them? Maybe. But that's okay because I was inhaling the good shit and exhaling the bullshit.

"Ten!" At that moment—my eyes scanned the room for him. I wanted to see who he was going to kiss. But when I found him, he just winked at me. His eyes caught mine for a brief moment before he smiled and nodded.

Essentially giving me the go-head because he didn't care who I was kissing tonight. He truly thought that deep down, I was still his.

Blake had pulled a waitress in his arms.

Finn was with that guy in the corner.

Natalie and Griff were together right next to us.

And Caden was nowhere to be seen at that moment.

"Five! Four! Three! Two!"

And I didn't even hear the one because I pushed myself back from Sloane and Reese, and let them have at it. I didn't feel like kissing them— they both probably had cooties anyways. This was the year that I found myself, maybe I could settle down.

I had been working so hard my entire life that I didn't take time to recognize how amazing I am. I didn't need to kiss anyone but myself tonight because that's all that I needed in this world that I was living in.

Me, Myself, and I.

I threw back my glass and chugged—wanting the high to hit me, full blast.

Everyone was cheering around me and kissing, but I was too busy to recognize that Matti's eyes found mine again, and it was almost as if he looked relieved. He tipped his drink towards me and then swallowed the rest of it.

Maybe he was only wanting himself too.

But I was so embarked and consumed in my thoughts that I didn't even see the cat fight that was erupting in front of me.

Sloane had pushed Reese off of her and was over the table before I could catch her. She was on top of the girl that was on Caden's lap—beating the shit out of her. Everyone started screaming, pulling their phones out to film.

Matti and Blake immediately jumped out of camera sight as I went over the table to grab her off of the girl who's only move was to pull hair. I caught Sloane's arm before she could throw another punch.

"Take your tops off!" Random boys started yelling as I groaned.

"Sloane! The skank isn't worth it!" I yelled at her over the cheering. "Yes she is!" Her elbow broke out of my grip and she then again went to town on her.

Suddenly—I was being ripped off by Caden-who at that moment didn't care about manhandling me. I squeaked as the tall, muscular, cheating dickhead chucked me to the side and I dropped.

Jesus.

I watched as he ripped Sloane off of the girl, who had a clump of Sloane's extensions in her hand. I chuckled as Sloane stood on her legs, pulling her dress down. She then turned around and waved to the crowd, blood on her.

I chuckled, but walked towards her—she needed to go home before she killed someone.

And that's when a punch landed on my face.

"Woah!" I covered my face to realize that it wasn't the girl that had punched me, but it was a new fight between Caden and some other guy. Sloane turned and gasped, blood immediately pouring from my face—when I had absolutely nothing to do with this situation in the beginning.

I was being pulled in five different directions until I was hoisted into arms, and carried out of the messy section that was being invaded by security.

I was carried quietly as I was in a daze, but I still felt the blood dribbling down from my face into my hand that was currently cupping my face. "NJ?" The voice spoke but I was out of it.

"Naomi?" Another voice spoke and I felt someone laying me down, and I tried to stand up. I got shoved back down again and that's when I opened my mouth. "No—it's a bad nose bleed. I have to stand up and tilt my head back, not lay down." I spoke, my eyes watering because of the muted sting.

Adrenaline was pumping through my body.

"She definitely needs to go to the hospital." I shook my head. No hospitals, I was fine. " It's Blake. You're not fine—your nose is broken and you probably have a concussion. You won't stop bleeding either." Blake, who was still fuzzy in my vision, was crouching down to see my face.

"Naomi—it's Nat. Move your hands so I can use paper towels." I moved my hands and I heard people gasp as the blood I was cupping from my nose was now all over me. By the sounds of it, you would've thought I was stabbed.

"I'm going to kill Sloane and Caden."

I could recognize that voice from anywhere.

"Matti—get out. You're just going to make her upset." I heard Blake try to argue. "It's my fucking club—" Matti's voice started to fade out.

"Okay—let's take her out on the street then if that's what it will take for you to leave her alone." And that's all I heard before I passed out, hitting the ground hard before someone could catch me.

"Do you ever stop crying?" A voice broke me out of my moment. I blinked my eyes, trying to get rid of the tears. I look at the man who was sitting in the front seat, glaring at me from the rearview mirror.

I whimpered, "No. But it's not everyday that your mom dies." I point back to him as the car comes to a halt.

His body completely turns around in the driver's side chair. "What the hell did she discipline you with? If she did it right—you would know not to backtalk me." He raged.

I wanted so badly to keep my mouth shut but every single neuron in my body was telling my brain not to be quiet.

"She didn't hit me, I just went into time out and she definitely never yelled. What she did teach me though was to never inject a drug into your body or else they might turn out like my deadbeat father." I smiled at him as he narrowed his eyes on me.

If looks could kill.

He slowly just turned around and faced the driver's seat.

"At least I'm not the dead one at this moment." He spoke, putting the car back into drive. And I locked eyes with him—tears refilling mine and I slowly gave him a nod.

He was right.

I thought for a second, I could've seen remorse in his face, but whatever it was was gone in a second. I sat in the backseat and silently let tears flow from my face. It was a harsh reality that I was going to learn to have to live with.

I was now a child with only one parent, nothing new. I don't think his and mom's parenting styles would be any different. However—maybe he might maybe make me run a mile or two if I acted out.

"Wanna hear my school project?" I asked him as he sighed. I took that as a yes so I started. "The Winter Drug and Rehab Facility is the place to go if you're looking for a wild science experiment. I went there to visit my mommy last week and her roommate used a hairbrush to stab someone. My mommy went there because the chemicals in her brain were imbalanced— which meant she needed help. Mommy went and got help there and she is all better now. Mommy had an addiction, she was allergic to pain and they gave her medicine to take away the pain. In conclusion, the drug and rehab facilities are more important that Aurora's Fox, or Michale's Pengiuns, Lola's sea turtle, and Jacobs Queen Bee. Because my science project is about my mommy, who needed the help and science saved her! And it saved me too because mommy became a better mommy with the science!" I finished speaking as he nodded at me.

I gave him a smile.

Maybe we could get along, maybe this would work.

Or maybe this was about to go as well as the Winter Facility and my mother went.

I started to braid Bun Bun's ears and that's when his throat cleared again.

"Your stuff will arrive tomorrow. And the cat will go, I'll let you say good—" I glared at him.

"No she will not go." I demanded as he chuckled. "Yes, that ugly cat is leaving. Keep acting out and see how fast that bunny goes out the window and down the highway." I narrowed my eyes on him.

I might be my mother's daughter.

But I was just as much his kid too, and I wasn't going to back down.

Mimi was the only thing I had left and I would die for her.

So I sat quietly and gently set Bun Bun to the side, in the next seat over. Dad was watching the road as I reached down and unhooked my seat belt. Unluckily for me—as soon as I unclicked, an alarm started going off.

His throat cleared.

"Put your seatbelt back on, we're almost there." He states as I smile. And then he watches as I slowly use my arm to reach for the door handle, pulling on it. Slowly opening it.

Anywhere with Mommy was better than being here with him.

"Naomi Jade, get your ass back in that seat and buckle up." His voice got louder. But I thought it was funnier.

So in the middle of the interstate, my father was going multiple speeds ahead, I wasn't wearing my seatbelt and I flung my door open.

I watch as he gasps, immediately trying to pull over as I giggled.

I wasn't actually going to do it, I was just thinking about it.

Slamming on the brakes and pulling over, the door flying open completely, and smoke was coming from around the tires. Semi trucks honked as they flew past us. I just giggled.

Dad glared at me, getting out of the car, and marching around to my opening door—crouching in front of me.

Instead of yelling, I was met with my cheek being on fire and stinging.

My giggles stopped and I couldn't hear the traffic anymore.

I was zoned out. I had watched men do to mommy what my daddy just did to me. I remember how hard mommy fought to protect me, but in the end mommy left me.

And daddy had just hit me.

"Naomi, wake up." A voice spoke, shaking me. I mumbled words, struggling to open my eyes. Pain finding me right away.

Pain galore.

As a nursing student, we tend to take everything with a grain of salt and more, we had to be invincible— we were going to face everything. "Ouch—ouch. Holy shit, ouch." I rushed out as I tried to sit up.

I got shoved back down though.

"You can't move until the doctor comes in." Another voice rushed out.

"NJ, it's Sloane—do you want some water?" I opened my eyes, yes. I was parched beyond belief in this moment. I wanted nothing more to get the dry metallic taste out of my mouth.

"You dumbass—she can't until the doctor comes in." The second voice grumbled out.

"Blake, would you just shut up! This is serious. Her brain would have fallen out." I let out a painful chuckle at Sloane's words.

"She wouldn't even be here right now if it weren't for you—thanks." Blake growled back at her as I groaned. "Everyone just–shut up. I'm fine." I started, trying to sit up again but I was pushed back down.

"I know you hate me right now–but I don't give a shit. You look like you just got hit by a lineman, Black. Lay down." The voice rushed out and I knew who it was, I just didn't want to admit he was here. Next to my hospital bed.

I moved my arms around getting a feel, and that's when I felt the IV's in my hand. I let out a whimper. "I'm going to throw up." I whined out as Sloane groaned.

"Why is she going to throw up?" Blake rushed out as I heard walking towards me. I rolled over on my side, towards the trash can.

"She hate's needles and she just felt the IV so she knows they stuck one-" And that's when my hair was pulled back as I started to gag—throwing up into the bin.

Blake was standing across the room still and Sloane held the bucket closer to me. Which meant, Matti as usual was holding my hair and rubbing my back.

I wanted so badly to hate him.

A knock sounded at the door as it opened, "Woah!Party is going on in here!" I groaned. Shoving the bucket away as I laid my head down on the side of the bed railing–weak.

"Miss Black. I'm Dr. Levine, I see we got into a fight." I chuckled. I