Dallas.

bad friend

Dallas

I arrive at the bakery and after fighting some old man for parking, I finally get the spot. I forget how awful some of the old folks around here are and with it being a smaller town, things aren't big like in the cities we tour in. One thing being this parking lot. You have to fight for your spot, but that just how good sissy's desserts are. People are fighting to get in. I put on my sun glasses and head inside. Yes, I am sure I look ridiculous. It is dark out, and only a crazy person like me would do this, but it is more so people won't recognize me. Most people here don't make such a big fuss over the band, but the younger people do. I would hate for someone to post that we are here and reporters show up. I like to stay private and all I can do is hope that no-one leaks where we are at, especially right now with everything going on. The last thing we need is to be plastered all over the news and for my friend and her family's names to be everywhere as well. The pain that hits me when I think about Stephen nearly has me breaking down, but I am happy that I am meeting up with Adeline. I hope we can fix our friendship. I hope we can move on from whatever it is that even happened.

I look around searching for her. My eyes land on the one person I would be okay with not seeing right now, today or ever again. Unlucky me though, Beau just so happens to be here too. Maybe he won't notice it is me through my Oakley's. "Can we talk?" he asks me. Dammit. He notices me instantly. Stup!d glasses, why are they so big if I can't hide behind them. "I'm busy right now Beau," I say. "Can we meet tonight? In an hour? At the bar or wherever you want? We have to talk at some point, Dallas" he says. I know he is right. "Fine, the bar in 1 hour," I say. "Go alone. Don't bring that man with you" he tells me. "What man?" I ask him. "The one you always put before everyone, even before me when we dated" he says. I shake my head. I watch Adeline walk in the door and wave her arms in the air. "bye," I say, not wanting to get into it with him about Tyler. It was always this way when we dated. He was always jealous of Tyler. I walk over to Adeline, embracing her in a tight hug.

My sister allows us to use her office for privacy, so we grab some treats and drinks and head inside. "I am so happy to see you again. I have missed you," I tell her as we take our seats. "Of course you have. You are such a good person, Dallas." she tells me. "I am not that good, Adi. I just do what I can and try to live an honest life," I say, feeling like this conversation is already getting off to a weird start. "Dallas, I have a lot to say, so please let me speak and then you can tell me whatever you want once I am done," she tells me. I nod, because since earlier she was being very cryptic, and I want to know what she has to say.

"First off, I want to apologize for everything my mother has done to you or ever said about you, Dallas. My mother is way out of line. She can be a bit much," she says. A bit. It must be opposite day. "She clearly needs help and I wish she would consider therapy, but you know how she is," she tells me and I nod. I do know how she is. "But I am not here to talk about her. I haven't seen you in such a long time, and I thought by now you and Tyler would be a couple," she tells me and that shocks me. I was not expecting her to say that. To even bring Tyler up in this conversation. "What? Why would you ever think that?" I ask her. "Come on Dallas. You love Tyler. You always have and you always will," she says. I don't say anything. I mean she told me not to speak until she was done and I already interrupted her.

"Remember when we were starting high school and you told me you had feelings for Tyler, real feelings? You told me you loved him and you were trying to get the courage to tell him? Well, I was so jealous. I knew that Tyler had feelings for you too. Anyone with eyes could see it. I was so jealous, not because I had feelings for Tyler, but because I was jealous at how easily everyone loved you. How you always got what you wanted. I convinced myself that it was time that I got something for myself and I knew you wanted Tyler, so I had to have him." she tells me. I frown. Wait, what? "I had heard from some guys on the football team that Beau Benjamin Miller was going around saying that he thought you were cute, and I used it all to my advantage." she says and it all becomes clear to me. "I told Beau that you had a crush on him and encouraged him to talk to you. I told Tyler that you confessed to me that you loved Beau and told him that we should date. He never even said yes, Dallas, but he also never said no. I think he went along and didn't say he wasn't even my boyfriend, because he was jealous you liked Beau, and he also didn't want to seem like a loser at the time. I could tell how hurt he was when I told him that you and Beau were talking. You weren't by the way, but he didn't know that and it's not like he was going to go ask you. We know how shy Tyler was back then."

"I had to have Tyler, because you liked him. You don't know how good it felt when I threw in your face that Tyler and I were girlfriend and boyfriend," she tells me. I can not believe this. Is she serious right now? She sniffles and wipes her nose with a tissue. "I finally got something before you did. It was so much fun hanging out and you being the third wheel to Tyler and I. At first, I lived for the thrill it gave me. Tyler wouldn't kiss me in front of you or even hold my hand. I mean, he almost never did. Even if you weren't there either. I can count the kisses he ever gave me, but the fact that you knew that he was with me and chose me over you just made me so happy. As time passed, I noticed that no matter what I did, I never caught Tyler's attention, he seemed to fall more and more in love with you and you didn't even have to do anything but exist. Even when you were with Beau. When we would see you two around school, I could tell he was dying of jealousy and he would do everything to get your attention."

"Little did he know he should have never been jealous, because your heart was always his as well. I could tell that even if you two were in a relationship with others, your hearts belonged to each other. You have always been like two magnets. You two would sneak out of your houses at night and go play at these undercover events. He would tell you about all of his fights. He always wanted you there with him. He would tell me that you were his lucky charm, and he wasn't worried because as long as you were there, he would win his fights. He is such a good fighter, yet he would give you the credit for his wins. I was just too deep in by then. Then we graduated high school and your group became so popular and you guys signed your contracts, and mom got wind of it all, and even though Tyler wasn't good enough before, and she encouraged me to break up with him, he suddenly became the center of our world. It was all about Tyler. She put it even more in my head that I couldn't let Tyler get close to you, especially since you and Beau had broken up. I didn't even care at that point. I wanted to be honest and tell you two to just be together. I wanted to go on and live my life, but again, I was in too deep and mom kept pushing me to him. She wouldn't let me break up with him. Telling me we needed money and all that. Then we find out you are pregnant. I could swear that he cried when he found out you were having a baby with Beau. That didn't stop anything though. He took care of you your whole pregnancy, and the whole time, you were an angel with me. See, you are such a good person, that even though you were hurting deep inside, not only, because you were pregnant and not in a relationship with Beau, even though you didn't love him, but you couldn't even be with Tyler at a time when you really needed him the most. You would never go there as long as I was in the picture. You aren't a b!tch like I was. You actually put our friendship first, whereas I put jealousy first. I was guided by jealousy and did things wrong. I stopped caring. Trust me, there was no point in even continuing this lie, especially once I saw him hold Austyn. I think he was the happiest that he got to name her with you. He loved your little brother. Losing him was so hard on everyone. I know how he was so attached to you both. You always had him with you. Tyler would always talk about his little man. I was so used to him being around too. Then naming your daughter after him was the sweetest thing. It was such a gift, I think. A nice way to honor him. But you have to know Dallas, that I honestly feel like he thinks Austyn is really his baby. To Tyler, he made her. Beau not recognizing Austyn is really the best thing to ever happen to everyone involved. That family is terrible, but also because it proves how much Tyler loves you and how much you two belong together. He has accepted another man's child unconditionally. You two aren't even together and that's his baby."

"Dallas, you have to know that I felt guilty the whole time you were paying for law school. It was not something I wanted to do, but mom pushed and pushed me. She told me I had to benefit from our friendship. I feel so bad about it now. Stephan always told me to be honest. She always told me not to listen to mom and to get out of the way because she knew that Tyler and you loved each other and I was just in the way of that. She knew that I didn't love Tyler. I never even liked him. I f*cked up badly and I want you to know that when I found my husband and fell madly in love, I realized my mistakes. I just didn't know how to end it all. My mom wouldn't let me. I was just pushed and pushed deeper into the relationship with Tyler and into our friendship," she says and I scoff. Why does she keep blaming her mother? "I'm sorry Dallas. You know how she is. She filled my head with things and I don't know if it was anger, jealousy or what, but at that time I allowed her to fill my head with her poison, but you have to know that Tyler loves you, he always has and you two deserve to be together and be happy. He and I never even had s3x. I saw the light now and I am sorry for separating you two. You and Tyler were born to be together and it hurts that I did this. Tyler loved me like a cousin or sister and I don't even see him as that. The only thing that hurts now is that I ruined our friendship by admitting this, because if there is one thing about Tyler, it is that he is honest and keeps his word. When Tyler and I broke up, whatever it was that we had going on, I told him everything, but begged him not to tell you. I wanted to be the one to tell you, so I know that he hasn't said a word to you. Look, gosh, I am rambling and all over the place. It's the hormones." she sighs and stops talking. he takes a bit out of her pastry and sips on her tea. She smiles at me, but I feel like a veil has been lifted from my eyes. " Dallas, let's forget about everything and start over. You are not a bad person, but neither am I. Please forgive me. I am so sorry for all of this. Please," she tells me. I can't believe her. Adeline, the one person I believed to be my best f*cking friend is sitting here telling me that she played match maker because she was jealous and an angry, bitter b!tch. Albina was right not to trust her. She always told me she got a hater vibe from her. She would warn me about her. I was always too blind, no, too stup!d to see what was right in front of me. "Is that it?"I ask her. "That's it," she tells me. She sits back and rubs her belly. I take a deep breath, because I need it to calm down. She is pregnant, I remind myself. "I would love to forgive you Adeline..." I say and she smiles. "but I can't. You want to know why? Well, because I don't believe you." I say. "Wait, what?" she asks. The fake smile drops from her face. "You heard me. I don't believe you. Your fake a$$ apology. I didn't believe not one word you just said. I mean the hater story, yeah. That you would do that to us, yeah, but that apology, and blaming your mother for everything. How low. You are a piece of sh!t human Adeline and I am never going to forget about this and I do not want to be your friend. At least Stephan was decent. The only good person from your family. I will never forgive you. I thought we were friends, how could you do this to me?" I say, and get up and walk out. I can't even look at this girl right now without wanting to slap the dog sh!t out of her. She deserves that and so much more. I am not one to fight over a guy. I never would, but it's the principle. Things could have been so different if she hadn't done what she did. "Dallas, Dallas," I hear my name being called, but I need to get out of here. I get in my truck and drive to the bar. I just need to get this next conversation over with and go home and talk to Tyler and hug my baby. I remind myself that she is the goodness that came from all of this mess and for her it was worth it, but if Adeline wouldn't have inserted her unwanted a$$ in between Tyler and I, then just maybe Ty would really be my girl's daddy. I need to see him. I need him to hold me. Why the f*ck didn't he tell me everything so I would never have met with her? Ughh!! I try to calm myself down as I drive to the bar. It's all in the past. It is stup!d highschool drama. I just need to let it go. For some reason, every time I am back home, the past is always being dug up. I am just glad I know the whole truth now.