My breath hitched in my throat as I re read Austin's comment. This had to be a mistake. I stood up from the couch and walked to the bedroom that Shayley and I had been sharing for almost a year. This could not be happening. Austin was in Shay's band? I worked so hard to get away from him. I shut the door behind me and leaned against it, sliding down to the ground after. I buried my head in my hands and took a deep breath.

"Baby?" I heard Shay calling from the hallway.

"Yeah?" I shot up from the floor and went over to the dresser. My shirt flew across the room as I took it off my body.

"Are you alright? You looked upset then you just disappeared." He questioned after walking into our room.

"Yeah I just spilled beer on my jersey." I smiled and kissed him after pulling a crew neck over my head. He started to walk out of the room after nodding. "Baby I think I'm gonna go for a walk. I need some air or something."

"Alright. You sure you're okay Lil?"

"I'm fine. I promise." I smiled and kissed his cheek before leaving the room. I walked out of the apartment and waited until I was a full block away before taking my phone from my pocket. My fingers grazed over the appropriate numbers before I hit send. One ring. Two rings. Then a third.

"Hello?"

"Hey. I need to talk to you.." I mumbled. I was still debating whether this was a good idea or not.

"Yeah? Sorry I can't hear you hold on!" He shouted into the phone. I heard shuffling and the loud music in the background faded away slowly. I heard the slam of a door and a few footsteps before he spoke again.

"Sorry my girlfriend is having a Super Bowl party. Who is this again?"

My heart stopped when he spoke. I couldn't do it. I took my phone from my face and hit the end button as soon as it lit up again. I shoved my phone back into my pocket and kept walking until I came across a park. The swing squeaked as I sat down on it, pushing back and forth with my feet. What the hell was I doing? The swing moved back and forth beneath me while I stared over the city below the hill I was on.

"Hey." someone said behind me.

"Hi Tino. How long have I been gone that he sent you to look for me?" I smiled without looking at him.

"Almost two hours." he laughed and took a seat in the swing next to me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I smile over at him.

"I know a fake smile when I see one Lilly."

"It-"I let out a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through my hair. "It's really complicated Tino."

"Go on."

"Fine. A few years back. I ran into this guy at the wal-mart in Huntington Beach. We both went to get the same Slipknot cd an there was only one left. So we started talking for a while after that and he was my best friend. I couldn't for anyone better then him. He was perfect."

"So what happened?"

"Well he had a really bad heart. He had what's called Marfan Syndrome."

"Yeah I've heard of it. A friend of mine has it."

"So we were coming back from a cardiologist appointment, I always went because his wife didn't like the doctors, and we went to the beach. We were hanging out and eating ice cream or whatever when I suggested we go swimming. Now keep in mind it's like ten-thirty at night and neither of us had bathing suits." I laughed and closed my eyes, remembering how reluctant Austin was to go swimming in his underwear. "So I start pulling my clothes off so I can swim in my underwear and he does the same and at some point we were...he uh..he kissed me.."

"Didn't you say he had a wife though?"

"Yeah. And I had a boyfriend. So I freaked out and pushed him away then we went back to the car and I drove him home. We didn't talk for weeks after that. But he called me one day and said he had to tell me something and it had to be said in person. So I go to his house and he tells me.." I took a deep breath and calmed myself. I hated talking about this but I knew Tino wasn't going to let me stop in the middle of the story. "He told me he had to get surgery on his heart because he had Marfan Syndrome, which I knew, I just didn't ever think it would get that bad. I started crying and I don't know. I started kissing him and I told him I loved him. And I did. I do. I love him so much Tino."

"What happened after that?" He started rubbing my shoulder, just to comfort me.

"We- we were okay for a while. We left everything the way it was because knowing we loved each other was enough. Everything was okay. He was with Gielle and I was with James. Then before his surgery he took me out and bought me all this stuff when I wasn't paying attention and when we got back to his house things got a little..uh..heated? Then Gielle got home. She didn't really do much. She justed pushed me out of the house. He followed after me and begged me not to go. He kept telling me how much he loved me Tino. It took everything in me to leave him behind. I built myself up in a new city where I knew no one, I found someone who means the world to me and it's all going to be destroyed."

"What do you mean it's going to be destroyed? Lilly, Shay loves you. I know you love him. I see the two of you and it's perfect. You live together, you pushed him into doing what he loves, he pushes you just the same with your modelling, nothing is going to ruin everything you've worked for." He smiled as we swung back and forth together.

"Tino you don't get it. My life is built on running from people. I moved to Huntington to get away from my family in Colorado. I moved to San Francisco to get away from my problems in Huntington. All I do is run and now I'm going to end up running from my problems here too."

"What problems do you have here Lilly?" He scoffed.

"Austin Carlile is the guy I'm in love with. He's the one who bought the last Slipknot CD. He kissed me on the beach. He gave me this ring. He cheated on his wife with me. I ruined someone's marriage. And now it's all coming back for me. He's the singer of the band you guys are all in."

"Oh my god..." Tino said. We both got up and started walking back in the direction of my and Shayley's apartment building.
"And when he commented on the picture before-"

"Is when he found me." We stopped in front of the building and I turned to face him. "Please don't tell Shay."

"I won't."

"Thank you so much. Tino, for everything." I smiled and hugged him before we walked back into the apartment.

The rest of the night went along perfectly, the guys hung out for a while after the game before leaving and going back to their own places. Shayley and I were laying in bed when he started speaking.

"Baby?"

"Yeah Shay?" I turned and layed on my side, smiling at him.

"I want you to hear what Austin wrote. He doesn't really sing so he gave me the lyrics to do something with." He whispered.

"O-okay. Lemme hear it." I stuttered. Shay started singing and the lyrics were beautiful, but my heart almost stopped when he hit the chorus.

"Pretty little lady with your swollen eyes
Would you show them to me?
I know I’m not that perfect
But you stay awhile
Baby, then you will see" Shayley sang to me. I closed my eyes as tears pooled up in the corners, hoping my boyfriend hadn't noticed I was crying.


"Lil just listen to me for one second before you go!" Austin shouted next to me.

"No Austin. None of this should have happened." I closed my eyes and shook my head.

"You don't believe that Lilly. I know you don't." he whispered.

"Austin we-"

"I know you don't believe that! If you did, your pretty blue eyes wouldn't be swollen from you crying. Lily I've made so many mistakes in my life but the only thing that keeps pushing me through it all is you. I love you so much Lily. I know this isn't perfect Lil but just stay a while baby then you'll see. We can do this. I don't want this life that I have. I want a life with you. One that I can say I'm proud of."

"So?" Shay's voice brought me back to the present.

"It was beautiful." I whispered and kissed him sweetly.

I turned my back to him as he wrapped his arms around my waist. I cries silently as Shayley slept. Austin had to know. He had to know hat he was doing.