Tyler's POV

I winced as her words sliced through the air and sighed deeply as I let them replay in my head. She never asked to be apart of whatever rival it was that Carter and I had and she really didn't deserve it.

I knew for a fact that Arabella didn't sleep with Carter. I mean who would, he's probably a walking STI and I know she's not stupid enough to do it, despite the fact that she almost did at his party.

The real reason why I was being such an utter ass towards her was to push her away from me. Yes, my methods were brutal and yes she may not forgive me but I'd rather have her hate me for a long time than I string her along and make her hate me even longer.

For the past two weeks, I've hardly been on campus because I've had other important and urgent things to do. Important things that I don't want her to know about because she doesn't need that kind of burden on her back at this moment. And after all, I've been doing for the past two weeks, I come back and hear she slept with Carter.

Hilarious. Not after the nights, we shared in New York, not after everything we've been through she would never betray my affection like that.

We were currently sitting in an empty classroom after an hour of being and I quote Mr. Santos–"Interrogated for our juvenile actions."

The room was frankly quiet and awkward, to say the least, and the tension was a tad bit high. Oh, who am I kidding! I know that both of them want to maybe get a weapon and possibly murder me with it.

I mean I was the common denominator here.

But right now I can't endure Arabella and the way she can easily affect me and draw me closer to her.  Let my guard down so easily, she scared every living organism in my body the night I nearly confessed to her about why I turned to fighting. I knew I couldn't risk doing it again because frankly, I didn't want her to see less of me.

Am being the stubborn girl she was she wasn't gonna let it go at all so I did the only thing I could think of. I broke her heart.

Having a substance abuser as a mother and a father who is currently in prison isn't something that you'd want to tell the girl you're fond of at any time.

The only reason why I'm fighting is just so that I could get enough money to pay off my college loan and pay to support my mother. She was the one who sent me off to college when she practically told me that I'm wasting my life on her.

At first, I didn't want to leave but she pressured me and eventually I gave up. I never stopped caring for my mom even if I was here, with the money I earned, I hired a caretaker for her and she was doing pretty good until she had a drug overdose a week ago.

I immediately drove back home to take care of her after she was discharged from the hospital and I never planned to come back until she once again begged me to leave.

I was prepared to leave everything behind and although I knew my friends would have hated me for it I just couldn't bear to say goodbye. Especially to Arabella.

I hated her for it, for making me feel so vulnerable. Hell, I would have cried at the moment she nearly broke down when I called her a slut. I hit somewhere hard, I know. Maybe I overstepped but I just didn't want her anywhere near me anymore.

I needed to push her away and I needed to strike hard no matter how shitty it makes her feel. No matter how much she hates me for it. As long as she hates me enough to get over me and move on with her life.

"God, I'd rather be stuck in a prison cell with Jeffery Dahmer than being caught up in this sexual tension radiating off of you two!" Carter sneered.

I clenched my jaw tightly and shook my head as I let out a shaky breath. My fist fidgeted beneath the table in anticipation to add onto his broken bones. "Better watch that potty mouth of yours before I cut out your tongue and break your teeth Jones." I spat.

"Why'd you do it. Why'd you say I had sex with you? Out of spite?! Now everyone is for sure gonna call me a freaking slut. Why are you such an egoistical bastard Carter!" She snapped loudly.

Snapping my gaze towards her my heart ached as her voice cracked. She was on the brink of tears and that asshole only sat there laughing like all was funny. "Ask your boyfriend."

She clenched her fist tightly and muttered something under her breath as she leaned back in her chair. Guess now is the best time to add fuel to the fire. I hate myself for it and maybe I shouldn't give more blows but knowing Arabella, her head is as hard as a rock and I know for a fact that she'd attempt to speak to me after this.

But I can't let that happen. Not now. "She can ask Hunter, Aiden, you, that Ryan guy. Nate and the list goes on and on and on. . ." I trailed off, forcing a smirk onto my lips as I swivelled my head in her direction.

At first, she didn't react until her brown eyes found mine from where I sat, narrowed in slits and ready to pounce at me. "What do you want from me, Tyler?"

"Nothing I've never gotten before," I mumbled.

She blinked once then twice and even from afar I could see her eyes gloss over.

Pushing others away by hurting them was not a smart choice. I know it, but it's assurance that whatever happens after this is for the best.

"Drama. . ." Carter chuckled softly as he planted his feet onto the desk in front of him. I scoffed and flipped him off which he returned. I rolled my eyes and turned back towards Arabella who was staring blankly ahead of her.

"Why'd you have sex with me Tyler?" She blurted out.

"What?" Carter and I exclaimed simultaneously. I shot him a glare and he snorted as he raised his hands in surrender. "You heard me! We never finished that conversation, why did you have sex with me!?" She clipped. I pursed my lips in a thin line and cleared my throat as I contemplated the answer.

Memories of that painful day surged back into my mind and I knew exactly why I rushed into things with her that day. It was the day I got the call from my dad saying that mom was in the hospital from a drug overdose and that we were bankrupt and the bank threatened to take our house.

I didn't even know mom was taking drugs till she ended up being hospitalized that day. And after all of that, I found out that my dad was the one supplying it to her.

My life changed that day and it never went back to how it was after that. That was the same day Arabella came over looking innocent as ever and I used her to take away my anger and pain.

I was heading to the hospital to see my mom and when I saw her. I knew I couldn't face my mom and dad with all that anger and pain so I found a way to make myself feel better. To make that pain flow away and conceal myself in something less painful. In the arms of the girl, I was secretly in love with.

Not that she knew anyways, I never made it known to her for various reasons but I always admired my neighbour next door. I always did and I still do.

God, she'll hate me when she finds out why I slept with her. And that's what I feared, but I would tell her one day and now I was only gonna reveal half of the truth.

"I was hurting. So when you came over, I saw my chance at a vulnerable girl and I took it, I used you." I never thought she was vulnerable, I thought she was intelligent and beautiful but yet still I thought she was gonna push me away and tell me she wasn't gonna have sex with me just because I batted my lashes and said please. But she didn't and I took advantage of that.

"God! Why was I so stupid. Of course, the school's most popular guy never liked me for me, of course, he used me as one of his boy toys! Of course, I was just another one of the many girls who stumbled off your porch after a night of fun and to imagine I was actually thrilled to have lost my virginity to you!" Her voice cracked loudly as she spat them out, slapping me right across the face.

"What!?" Carter and I spat in unison once again. I snapped my gaze towards him and narrowed my eyes in his direction if only looks could kill. He shook his head with a slight chuckle and turned towards Arabella, "Sorry man shit just got interesting."

Deciding to ignore him, I snapped my head toward Arabella and frowned. I, Tyler Hart took Arabella Smith's virginity. The girl I was secretly in love with for three years, the girl I went crazy about the moment she trekked down the hallways of our high school. My geeky next-door neighbour who I always knew had a crush on me, I took her virginity.

"I lost my virginity to you that day Tyler." She mumbled softly.

"Yeah right. I'll just head onto my flying pig and be on my way to the magical pot at the end of the fucking rainbow." I spat.

In a way, this was just all part of the act but I was genuinely angry. Why couldn't she say no!? Why couldn't she shove me away and tell me to get off of her? Why couldn't she tell me that she didn't want me? Why did she let me take away the thing that was most precious to her?

I didn't deserve it. Someone who isn't damaged should have been the one in my place. The hold that dearest part of her in their heart. Not me? Never me.

I kept my gaze fixated on her as she rose from her chair. "Erika warned me that day." She mumbled, her head shaking vigorously. "She warned me," she mumbled again.

"Arabella. . ." I trailed off as she appeared completely in a daze. Her eyes gazing far off and her body swayed ever so slightly from left to right. "She's probably being possessed or some shit." Carter laughed amusedly.

And suddenly like his words were a trigger she let out an animalistic shriek as her hands wrapped around one of the metal chairs. She hoisted it up into the air and pelted it after Carter who stumbled onto the floor after the chair missed him by maybe an inch and clamped into the wall, leaving a huge gaping hole in it.

"What the actual fuck!" He screamed in horror.

"Arabella, what the hell!" I spat loudly. She snapped her head towards me and her eyes, well her eyes were completely black, the menacing scowl on her lips made me stumble back in my chair and I almost didn't recognize her. "Bella–"

Before I could finish my sentence she charged towards me and raised her foot in the air so that it came into contact with my stomach. The chair, as well as I, stumbled backwards and I tried to catch my fall but I toppled to the ground quickly.

The back of my head slammed against the cold tiles beneath me and I blinked rapidly as an eruption of pain surged through my spine, my head and my bones. My vision grew blurry as I cried in pain and I could feel the hot sticky blood flowing from the open gash in my head and the strong scent of metal.

"Bloody hell," I mumbled groggily.

"Arabella! Are you off your rockers girl damn!" Carter hissed as he staggered towards me. I blinked back the tears pooling in my eyes and shifted my head but that was a grave mistake as another bottle filled of pain struck my spine.

"You're bleeding," her voice mumbled softly as her face appeared before mine. And as if seeing me in such pain struck a chord inside of her I finally recognized my Bella. She frowned down at me deeply, concern and fear evident on her face as she cupped my cheek in her hand.

"She's crazy dawg, I suggest you dump quickly or this bitch will kill you!"

"Carter such the hell up and go get help you asshole!" Arabella exclaimed loudly. I could hear Carter sigh in defeat until I could no longer feel his presence in the room. The only sounds I could hear now was my own ragged breathing and Arabella's steady breaths.

"I'm sorry, shit I'm so sorry I don't know what came over me." She cried out as her soft palm caressed my cheek softly. With as much strength I could muster up I found it in me to slide my hands over her wrist and force a smile onto my face. "I–It's okay. I'm f–f–I'm fin–"

Soon enough the black dots that swirled around my vision enveloped every sense and sight in my body until everything went completely blank.

~~~

I stepped out of the shower and quickly dried off myself before slipping on my boxer shorts and a pair of black jeans. I strolled towards my nightstand table and peered out of my window when the sound of laughter filled my ears. I chuckled softly as my gaze landed on my neighbour, Arabella and her other nerdy little friend.

"What are these two up to today?" I mumbled to myself as I stared down at Arabella strutting up the stairs with Erika beside her. Erika appeared as though she was explaining something to Arabella who wasn't even paying attention to her but instead her gaze fixated on something else.

I rolled my eyes and closed my blinds before making my way towards my bed and slumping down. I grabbed the remote for my television and turned it on.

Surfing through the channels, I finally landed on a movie I could actually watch. G.I Joe. Best action movie to ever live.  With a smirk, I leaned back onto my pillows and engrossed myself in the movie.

Halfway through the film my phone blared beside me. I grabbed it off the nightstand table and checked the caller ID before answering.

"Hey Dad," I mumbled softly as I stared back at the television. "Dad you there?" I asked after moments of complete silence. I could hear his irregular breathing on the other line and I sat upright, my body on full alert.

"Dad?"

"Tyler, it's your mom. S–She had an overdose. . ." My breath suddenly hitched and immediately I kicked the duvet off my bed and sprung to my feet, but I was sure I heard the next words that escaped his lips as I scrambled towards my closet for a shirt. "–And it's all my fault."