A/N ugh i'm tired

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*Kaitlyn MacDonald*

Hanging out with Chelsea makes me realize that I was in the wrong all those years. Like, I've never met anyone else who would willingly call Drew McCarthy a dick to his face! And they're family too!

Eventually, she has to leave, so I'm left to my own devices for the rest of the night. Jordan knocks on my door around 9 pm.

"Hey, Kaitlyn, do you want to finish off sibling day by watching some good old High School Musical?"

I consider my options. Sit in my room in the dark and cry over my pathetic life or eat burnt popcorn and laugh at Jordan's commentary.

"Count me in."

It's only after Sam burns the popcorn twice, Jordan cries when Gabriella and Troy break up, and I roll my eyes for the 482nd time at my brothers, that my mind wanders to Drew.

What could he be doing right now? Why did Asher disappear at the same time? What's so bad about my childhood best friend? The only person that's acted weird around him is Mack, but other than that, only Drew seems to have a problem with him.

I'm confused.

The movie finishes, and we all clean up before heading to our respective rooms. I brush my teeth, take off my makeup, and turn the lights off, rolling into bed.

Tomorrow, I think to myself as I snuggle under the covers. Tomorrow will be better.

My eyes close.

And then, they open again due to the bright sunlight streaming through my window. I groan, rolling over onto my stomach. How is it morning already?

Checking the time, I'm shocked to see my phone screen read 9:30 am.

Ugh.

My stomach growls, and I grudgingly get up to brush my teeth. Morning breath is one of my least favorite things on this earth.

"Jordan and Sam, lazy as always," I say to myself as I walk past their closed doors. "I guess it's up to me to find my own breakfast this morning."

I end up grabbing a bagel and some peanut butter, and settle in front of the TV with a plate and a knife. Time for some cartoons.

Halfway through an episode of Phineas and Ferb, the doorbell rings. I groan, pausing the show and hauling myself off the couch.

When I check who it is before opening the door, I'm surprised to see Blake and Ashton standing on my front porch, holding Oreos and a stack of movies. Blake also has a tissue box tucked under his arm.

"Guys, what are you doing here?" I ask, opening the door for them to come inside.

"Well, we talked to Chelsea, you know, because she tutors Ashton," Blake starts, setting the Oreos and tissue box down on the table, "and she told us that you haven't really had a good cry yet."

"Why would I need a good cry?" I question, tearing open the package. So much for breakfast.

Ashton shrugs, snatching an Oreo. "I think it's because crying is part of the process of getting over Drew. Then you can move on and date other boys, if you want."

What?

"Maybe I don't want to get over Drew!" I shoot back, heading over to the couch and sinking down into the cushions. Blake and Ashton sit on either side of me. "I mean, I broke up with him, I know, but it was because he wasn't willing to take risks for our relationship. And I know I probably sound like a broken record, but that's what happened."

Blake strokes an imaginary beard. "Exactly! He wasn't willing to take risks because those risks could end up, and probably would end up, hurting you. He was just looking out for you, Lyn."

"I see where you're coming from, but for a girl, these things are important." I can feel the tears pressing at my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. I do not need to cry over Drew.

I... do not need to cry over Drew.

I... do... do...

Tears leak from my eyes and I begin crying. Not cute crying, either, like you see in movies. Ugly crying. I make the ugly duckling look like a swan when I cry. It's that bad.

Blake wraps an arm around me and hugs me into his chest, which I gratefully accept, burying my face into his shirt, hiding from the world. Ashton grabs the tissue box and shoves one in my hand, which immediately goes to my eyes and nose to keep tears and snot from running onto Blake's shirt.

As I blow my nose, I feel Blake's arm squeeze me closer, comforting me. I sniffle again, wiping my eyes on my hoodie sleeve.

"S-sorry for messing up your shirt," I mutter, ruefully taking note of the additions to Blake's wardrobe.

"Hey, it's no problem, Kaitlyn," Blake responds, removing his arm from around me. "I can just take it off, and that way it won't be a problem anymore." He proceeds to take his shirt off, chucking the balled up fabric across the room where it lands by the staircase.

My mouth drops open, and I glance over to Ashton, who looks slightly surprised as well. I shoot him a 'can you believe this guy?' look and he raises an eyebrow.

"Um..."

"Does this make you uncomfortable?" Blake looks concerned, standing up off the couch. "Because I can put my shirt back on if you want."

"No!" I shout a little too quickly. Upon seeing Blake's face, I nervously clear my throat. "I mean, no, you can keep it off. I'm not going to make you put a wet shirt back on."

"Ah, thank goodness," he says, sitting back down and relaxing into the couch. His arm finds his way around my shoulders again and I actually don't mind.

"So." Ashton says.

"So." I echo. "What now?"

"Well," Blake starts. "I think you're all done crying for now. And do you feel better now?"

I nod truthfully. "Thanks for keeping my company during my bawling. It was much better than it would have been had I been alone."

"All things cleared up then?" Ashton asks.

I frown, thinking.

"Actually, there is one thing," I start.

"What's that?" Blake asks.

"I still have no idea how Ashton's number got in my phone," I respond thoughtfully.

The arm that isn't around my shoulders waves around nondescriptly.

"That was my fault, I confess," Blake says. "When you pitched off that table and it didn't look like anyone else would catch you, I thought that I would. Better than that than to let you fall. After I caught you, I noticed your phone about to fall onto the ground, so I grabbed it with one hand and took it over to Ashton."

"Right, he was DJing that party," I say, slowly understanding.

"Yeah. I handed him your phone and told him to put his number and mine in so you could reach one of us if you ever needed help."

"How did you unlock my phone?"

"Thumbprint," Ashton comments, an Oreo in either hand. "You should really get rid of it; it's much less secure."

"Noted." I turn back to Blake. "So, then Ashton gave Drew my phone and he brought it over to my house the next day. And you...?"

"I was the one that brought you home," Blake finishes, folding his hands in his lap.

Do I ask him about the star comment I heard?

Not right now, not when someone else is here.

"Cool. Thanks for that, by the way."

"No problem," he casually replies, settling his arm around my shoulders for the third time that day. His body heat engulfs me, and I find myself snuggling deeper into his side.

Ashton coughs, and I sit up, embarrassed.

"Sorry," I apologize, fixing my t-shirt, which had ridden up my midriff.

"It's all good. Can we watch a movie now?" He holds up two DVDs and looks at me pleadingly.

I laugh. "Sure."

Halfway through Despicable Me, Ashton's phone rings, and he gets up to answer it. When he comes back, he sighs.

"I have to go, guys. My parents need me at home to help clean up for our guests that are coming." He gathers his stuff and snatches a couple of Oreos for the road. "See you later."

"Bye!" Blake and I call out, waving as Ashton leaves.

Once he's gone, I take a deep breath and decide to ask the question that's been plaguing me ever since Blake told me he was the one to carry me out.

"Hey, Blake?" I ask timidly.

"Mmm?" He responds.

"When you carried me out of the house that night, do you remember saying something to me? Something about... stars?"

Blake freezes, but only for a fraction of a second before his usual demeanor returns.

"Yes, I think I did. Why do you ask?"

"Because if so, then you also said something about a certain someone being the only star you saw. Would you know anything about that, by any chance?"

Blake sighs, probably for the second or third time in half an hour. "Yes, I do know about that, because I said that you were the only star I saw. And you might hate me for saying this, but that still holds true."

I'm starting to put the pieces together now.

"So, when I met your sister..."

"Yes, Kelly knows that I like you. She's gotten mad at me quite a few times for being so shy, but I could tell that you and Drew had something, maybe even still have something, and so I didn't do anything about it. I figured I wouldn't even have a chance against Drew."

He looks down at his phone, checking the time, then looks back at me expectantly. When I don't respond, he stands up.

"I should get going. You obviously need time to think this over, because I've given you a lot of information today. So I'll see you later, Kaitlyn."

"Bye," I mumble half-heartedly, sending a little wave in his direction as he picks up his shirt and movies and heads for the front door.

"You can keep the Oreos," Blake says. "I think you'll enjoy them much more than I will."

The door opens, and then shuts, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

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A/N i'm not going to make excuses as to why this chapter is so late, or why i won't have the book finished today, because it's not my fault

i got sick early in the week, so between dealing with the end of school and my voice that sounds like i chain-smoke, i was sleeping most of the time

i have also decided to get rid of the epilogue and make it chapter 50, because i combined two chapters to make this one to make things easier on myself :)

these last few chapters are going to be a little shorter, only so i can get them up quicker. a 3000-4000 word chapter takes me around an hour, an hour and a half, but a 1000-2000 word chapter will be half an hour, tops. again, trying to make things easier for me

so yeah. i hope you liked this one

-love me some oreos