The next week, Brian and I started school. Brian and I had choir rehearsals every day. Andrew didn't particularly like that, but I made up for it by staying at his apartment for the next few weeks. It was almost Kevin's birthday and he was having a party at his apartment.
It was the night of the party, and I was getting ready. I was going alone, I didn't want Andrew to come.
"Andrew, I'm going," I said while I was walking to the door.
"Where are you going?!" he asked angrily.
"To Kevin's party."
"No you're not, bitch."
"Andrew, I've been telling you about this party for the past week. I'm going."
"No you're not!" He pushed me hard into the wall. And I fell to the floor. "I don't like you hanging out with those two."
"But they're my friends. My best friends," I said still on the floor. "And I'm going, I'm not going to miss Kevin's birthday." I stood up and walked out the door. I went out to my car and off to Kevin's apartment.
I reached Kevin's apartment building and parked my car. When I got to Kevin's apartment, I just walked in. I took off my coat and took it back to the bedroom. My next mission was to find Kevin. I wanted to forget what happened at Andrew's place, and just have a great time with my friends.
"Hey Kevin!" I said.
"Hey Amanda. What took you so long?"
"Oh, nothing. Don't worry about that. Just worry about your birthday. Happy birthday." I gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. But when he hugged me back, I pushed him away.
"What's wrong?" he asked concerned.
"My back hurts," I responded.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"Are you sure?"
"No."
"Come on, let's go in the bedroom and talk." I walked back to the bedroom, holding on to him. We sat down on the bed. "Now tell me what's going on. You haven't been your normal self this past month. Are you ok?"
"No, Kevin, I'm not."
"What's going on?"
"I know I said before that I don't need your help... but Kevin, I do."
"What's wrong? Is Andrew treating you badly?"
"No... yes... But it's not his fault. It's mine. I do things that make him mad."
"Tell me what happened tonight, Amanda."
"Hey guys, what's going in here?" Brian asked walking in.
"We're talking. But I think you should hear this too," Kevin said. Brian walked in and closed the door. He sat down on the bed on the other side of me.
"Now tell us, Amanda," Kevin said.
I didn't speak for a moment. "Well, he didn't want me to come tonight."
"Why not?" Brian asked.
"He doesn't like me hanging out with you guys."
"Then what happened?" Kevin asked.
"When I told him that I was coming..." I paused. "...he pushed me into the wall, hard." I started crying.
"That's why your back hurts. That son of a bitch," Kevin said standing up, with fierce anger in his eyes.
"But, Kevin, Brian, I love him. And he loves me."
"He says that. But that's no excuse for him to hurt you!" Kevin hollered. He stormed out of the bedroom.
"Brian, where's he going?" I asked.
"I think I may have an idea, and I'm going with him." Brian stood up too and went to catch up with Kevin.
"Brian, where?" I stood up quickly and followed both of them. By the time I could get through the people, Kevin and Brian were already out the door. I ran out the door, in search of them. Hopefully they hadn't left yet. I knew by now where they were going. They were going to Andrew's.
Chapter 10
Chapter 12
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