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"Hey! Guess What!?" Crystal said bouncing into my room.

I just looked at her with a blank stare.

"Come on Izzy. You could at least pretend to be interested in something other than sulking and looking out that window. Patrick has been gone for two weeks now, you need to move on," Crystal said looking more than disappointed at me.

I just sighed heavily and put on a tight lip smile.

"What's up?" I asked ignoring her earlier comment about Patrick.

"Well, the doctor just informed me that you can leave here in about a week and Katy and I were talking and we are thinking that you should come live with me since I don't have any stairs at my place being that you will be in a wheel chair for a while," Crystal informed.

I just started at her again.

"Well, what do you think?" Crystal asked waiting for a response.

"What ever," I shrugged and continued to look out the window.

I knew that I was being difficult and maybe a little selfish, but I hadn't heard from anyone since they left. Patrick promised me that he would call, but he must have forgotten. And I hadn't heard anything from Pete. Only God knows what he was thinking.

Crystal stared at me for a second and left me alone. That's how I wanted it to be. I just wanted to be left alone.

-----

I stared out my window getting really bored with the same old scenery that I had seen in the past month and a half that I was cooped up in the hospital.

I heard a knock on my door, but I didn't respond. I never did.

"Want company?"

My head wiped over to that voice.

"What are you doing here?" I asked shocked.

"Well, let's just say you have friends that are very worried about you," JB said walking towards me.

I just rolled my eyes.

"Bella, you are being stubborn," JB said shaking his head slightly.

"I know," I sighed.

"You are pushing people away," he added.

"I know," I said again.

"Knock it off," he said simply.

I looked at him confused.

"You heard me," he smiled. My heart melted at that smile.

"I don't know what to do," I said putting my head back against my pillow.

"It's simple. You take it one day at a time and do what you can do. You can't control those around you. Let them make their own mistakes. You focus on you," JB said now sitting down next to my bed.

"Since when did you become such a know it all?" I asked looked at him sideways.

"Since I had my heart broken," he admitted.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"As hurt as I was about loosing you, I think I knew that we weren't meant to be. There was something about looking into you eyes that showed me I wasn't getting your entire heart. I guess I just wanted to ignore that because I loved you," he said openly.

"I didn't know I wasn't giving you my whole heart until I saw him again," I said quietly.

"I know," JB nodded.

"You are going to make someone very happy one day, you know that?" I asked grabbing his hand that laid absentmindedly on my bed.

JB just nodded again.

"So are you ready to stop being so stubborn and get your ass out of this hospital bed?" JB asked smirking at me.

"Are they standing outside?" I asked referring to my so called friends.

"Kinda," he admitted.

"I guess so," I said giving in.

"Good call," he said winking at me and stood up to get Crystal and Katy.

"Hey JB," I called after him.

He stopped in his tracks and looked at me curiously.

"I really am sorry about Pete, the fights, the baby, everything," I said with compassion in my features.

"I know," he nodded.

I was only able to nod back. I knew that he was still hurting by what I did to him, but who could blame him.

"So can we get out of here now?" Katy asked rushing into the room with Crystal on her heels.

"Yeah, yeah. I was loathing in self-depression. Lay off," I said smiling up at Katy.

"I still want to rip off his testicles for what he has put you through," Katy said quietly as she put her forehead against mine.

"I know," I whispered.

"I'll go get the nurse," Crystal said happily upon hearing that I was indeed ready to leave the hospital.

-----

Due to the fact that I had broken an arm and a leg, I couldn't use crutches until my arm had healed, so I was rendered defenseless and I had to go live with Crystal. Her apartment was nice, but small. Her spare bedroom was also a storage room and an office, so I had little space to myself. That may be why her and Katy decided this was where I was going to stay, so I couldn't sulk by myself.

It had been two weeks since I left the hospital. I go to physical therapy daily and I hate it. I also hadn't heard anything from Patrick or Pete except for the random pictures of him and his bitch fiancée on the internet. It finally got to the point where Crystal disconnected the internet and I found myself sitting in front of the TV and watching JB play baseball.

"Come on JB! You're supposed to get those!" I shouted at the TV.

"He can't hear you!" I heard Crystal sing from somewhere in the depths of her apartment.

I just rolled my eyes.

I shifted uncomfortably in my chair. I couldn't imagine having to be in a wheel chair permanently. I had a new found understanding for those who were paralyzed.

I was brought out of my thoughts of being uncomfortable when the door buzzer rang through the apartment.

"Izzy! Can you push the button! I'm busy!" Crystal yelled.

I pushed my way to the buzzer and held it down for who ever was downstairs to enter. I unlocked the door and went back to the TV.

"Hello!" Katy said in a chipper manner.

Crystal came out of the hallway looking at Katy curiously.

"What's up Katy?" Crystal asked.

I kept my eyes on the screen in front of me.

"I stopped by your apartment to get your mail, Izzy," Katy said waiting for me to respond.

"Thanks," I said unenthused.

"You got a package," she sang slightly.

"Thanks," I said irritated that she was still talking.

"It's from a P. Stump?" she said reading the return label.

I heard Crystal gasp as my head shot over to look at Katy. My eyes revealed shock and anticipation.

"Here," she said handing me the package.

I just looked back up at her not really knowing what to do.

"Well open it, silly!" Katy nudged my shoulder.

I opened the package and pulled out the DVD that was simply labeled /For Iz/.

Crystal gasped again frozen in her spot at the end of the hallway.

"What is it?" Crystal asked.

"It's a movie or something," I said staring at the disk in my hand.

I was confused. There was no note or anything. Just a DVD.

"What do I do?" I asked looking at Katy who had a smile playing on her features.

"Watch it. Duh," she said taking the DVD from my hands and flipping on the DVD player. I froze in my spot watching the screen turn to blue and the disk door slowly closed with the mysterious movie inside.

Crystal now came into the room and sat down on the couch along with Katy. I just stayed in my position in front of the TV waiting.

The screen soon went from blue to black to Patrick sitting on a couch looking slightly nervous.

"Hey Iz!" Patrick said and waved at the camera. I couldn't help but smile.

"Hi Izzy!" I heard Joe's voice.

"Joe's taping," Patrick pointed out. I giggled.

"I know I said I would call, but I just didn't feel that would do justice to inform you on what we've been up to. So today is day two of our studio adventures and we are going to document a month, just for you," Patrick explained.

"So I hope you enjoy," he added.

The screen then quickly switched to Patrick standing in the studio with headphones on and guitar around his neck. He and Pete were discussing rhythm.

"Very intense," Joe whispered adding his own commentary.

"Joe, what the fuck are you doing?" Pete asked looking frustrated.

"Documenting," Joe said simply.

Pete just gave him an odd glance and went back to talking to Patrick.

The video continued to show the guys in the studio to playing some songs, which sounded awesome already. It showed them taking trips to Starbucks and In and Out Burger, they even brought a camera for a walk down Hollywood Boulevard where Pete, Patrick, Alex and Joe went shoe and hat shopping. It then broke into the guys sitting around the table playing Scategories and laughing together. I let a single tear go down my face. I wanted to be there with them.

"Hey Iz," the video cut just to Patrick.

"So, that's what we've been up to. Working hard or hardly working, I'm not entirely sure. I know that I didn't call. The fact was I was scared. As lame as that may sound. I know that you were hurt that I didn't tell you about LA and I guess I just don't know exactly what to say. I'm sorry that we left the way we did. I love you, and I will call you. I promise. I hope you are feeling ok and I am still counting on you coming out here to visit me. Let me know when and I'll get the tickets. I love you, Iz, and I'll see ya soon."

The screen went black and I sat there in shock. It was very thoughtful of Patrick to make a video for me, but very irritating that he didn't call.

"Wow, that was..."

"SHHH! There is something else!" Katy interrupted Crystal as Pete sat down in front of the camera.

I froze wide-eyed.

"Hey Izzy," Pete said quietly. He was talking quietly which more than likely meant that no one knew that he was adding his own commentary.

"There are so many things that I want to say to you right now, but there is only one thing that I need to say to you right now," he paused and I was holding my breath. What was he going to say?

"I love you too," he said.

Crystal gasped from behind me.

"I should have said it the night before I left, but I was scared."

"What is it with these stupid boys and being scared!?" Katy asked out loud.

"Shhh!" Crystal hissed.

"All you need to know is I love you, I always have, and I always will," he said looking deep into the camera lens.

I felt as though he was looking right through me. He then stood up and turned the camera leaving the screen black as night.

I was frozen in my spot.

"Whoa," Crystal said allowing herself to sit back against the couch.

"Izzy?" Katy asked looking at my non-moving form.

"Izzy?" she asked again after no reply.

"Huh?" I asked looking at her still in shock.

"Are you ok, dear?" she asked.

"Yeah, Izzy, are you alright. That was kind of huge," Crystal added.

I just nodded slowly.

"I'm ok," I said quietly still trying to grasp everything that had just happened.

I'm not entirely sure if that was the truth or not. The fact of the matter was I had gone completely numb in body and in mind from Pete's words.

-----

Pete and I drove in silence after their performance at The Underground. He was worked up from his recent stage aerobics and I was upset about the tall blonde hitting on him. The tension in that small vehicle was so thick that it could be sliced like a loaf of bread.

I stared out the passenger side window and was reminded of the first night that Pete and I hung out after his soccer game. I recall driving down this same road watching the scenery pass me by under the orange cast of the street lights. So much had changed in our lives, but nothing had changed in the scenery. Cats and dogs were still running across the street, people were still walking aimlessly down the sidewalk, and kids were still hanging out in their parent's front lawn.

I was lost in nostalgia when Pete put his car in park in front of my house. I snapped out of my thoughts and looked over at him staring at his steering wheel.

"Are you coming in?" I asked quietly.

"Do you want me to come in? I thought you were mad at me for talking to a girl," he gave a snarky remark.

"Pete, please, just don't," I said exhausted with the fact that we had been at each other's throats for almost three days now.

Pete took a deep breath and turned the car off.

I smiled slightly and got out of the car as well. Pete looked at me with a curious glance.

"What are you smiling about?" he asked.

"I've just been thinking about the past," I sighed.

"The past?" he asked.

"Yeah, that first night that we hung out after your soccer game. Do you remember that?" I asked laughing a little at how young we were.

Pete smiled and nodded.

"Oh man," Pete said laughing.

"That night Joe and Andy accused me of watching one of your teammates intently and you said that you would hook me up with them. Remember that?" I asked.

"Yeah. I was trying to hide that I was insanely jealous," Pete admitted.

I looked at him with a shocked smile.

"You were jealous?" I teased.

"That night, I saw you up in those stands watching a game you knew nothing about, chatting with my friends who you barely knew, and you looked down on me and smiled, I felt, I dunno. I think I fell in love with you that night," he said as we sat on the steps of my porch.

I stared at Pete who looked down at his shoes. That was the biggest confession I think I heard him say about our relationship.

"Well, you didn't need to be jealous," I said simply.

"Why is that?" he asked playing with his shoelaces,

"Because the boy I was intently watching was you," I admitted nudging his shoulder slightly.

Pete's head turned to look up at me and I smiled down on him.

"I love you Izzy, I always have and I always will," Pete said moving his face dangerously close to mine.

I bit my lip and looked into his sincere eyes and kissed him passionately on the lips.

-----

"So, when you coming out here?" Patrick asked the day after I had received the video.

"Patrick," I sighed into the phone.

"I know you are still doing physical therapy, but I'll take good care of you, and you can bring Crystal, even Katy can come," he pleaded.

I knew Patrick was desperate when he said Katy could come. The woman had him sweating bullets just by the thought of her.

"Really, Katy?" I asked shocked.

"Well, yeah," he said not sounding entirely sure.

"I'm teasing Patrick. I know that she makes you nervous," I giggled.

"She doesn't make me nervous," Patrick said sounding shocked that I would even suggest such a thing.

"Trix, come on," I said laughing at him.

"Ok, she does, but that is just because she looks at me like she may eat me alive," he broke down.

I burst out laughing and Patrick joined in nervously.

"She just might," I said between fits of laughter.

Patrick's nervous laugh stopped with shock.

"Oh Trix. Relax. She's practically harmless," I laughed lightly.

This didn't seem to calm Patrick's nerves at all, but he fought through them.

"So, LA," he said going back to his previous request.

"I don't know," I said looking over at my chair that mocked me from the corner.

I noticed Crystal walk into the apartment and she waved at me with mail in her hand. I just nodded back.

"I don't want to be set back in my physical therapy and going to LA would definitely set me back" I said thinking up excuses.

"Is that Patrick?" Crystal whispered loudly.

I tried to wave her off.

"What if I found someone to do physical therapy here with you," Patrick countered.

"I don't know," I said still trying to wave a very intrusive Crystal away.

"Iz, work with me here," Patrick whined.

Suddenly Crystal got a look of determination on her face and she grabbed the phone right out of my hand.

"HEY!" I yelled grabbing for the phone, but Crystal just put her hand up as to say 'Bitch, Please.'

"Hey Patrick? This is Crystal," she said cheerily into the phone.

"Crystal, seriously," I said irritated.

"I'm good how are you?" she asked walking away slightly.

I just rolled my eyes. This was getting slightly ridiculous.

"That's great. Say, are you inviting Izzy out to LA because she would LOVE to go," Crystal said winking at me.

"What the fuck!" I yelled.

"Oh no, she would love to. Trust me," Crystal said happily.

"Next week? Oh no, it'll just be her, but thanks for the offer. Yeah. She'll be on the plane. Thanks Patrick!" she said and hung up the phone.

"What the hell, Crystal?" I asked upset.

"Here," she said sternly putting my phone back in my hand.

I stared up at her with wide eyes shocked by her quick change in attitude.

"You are going to LA next week. Patrick will make sure that you are taken care of," she said sounding like my mom lecturing me when I was young.

"I can't go to LA!" I said upset.

"You have to," she said with determination.

"Why?" I asked as to what it mattered to Crystal whether I went to LA or not.

"Because you need to go see Pete. You need to find out what he meant by his message. You need to figure out what the hell is going on with your relationship with him. You owe it to yourself to know, Izzy," Crystal ranted and took a deep breath when she was finished.

I sat in silence for a moment.

"Ok," I said quietly. "But will you help me pack?" I asked timidly.

"Of course," she smiled and hugged me tightly.

Crystal was right. I did need to talk to Pete. We needed to get things sorted out. I wasn't entirely sure if I was ready for that talk, but Crystal was determined that I indeed was.