"He is such a fucking dick Avina, I swear I almost punched him in his ugly ass face," Griffin ranted as he handed me the large glass filled with white wine. "I mean who the fuck does he think he is? I mean seriously, he deadass thinks everyone is supposed to kneel before him and take his side for every idiotic thing he does?" he asked. "If I ever see him again, I'm throwing hands—just casually putting that out there."

I smiled slightly, hearing Griffin talk about Sebastian in such a demeaning way. It distracted me from all the sad emotions lingering after not only the fight with Sebastian but the fight with Jaci that happened twenty-four hours prior to this. It was definitely a lot, handling all the heavy feelings that came with the angriness that was put onto me. I had been yelled at, belittled, and insulted by two people in the span of twenty-four hours—and for me to be able to say that one of those people was one of my closest friends makes me absolutely sick. If she was here when Sebastian acted this way, would she have still chose his side? How bad of a person was I to make her choose him? Someone who was so mean and hostile?

"I think it's a little too fresh to discuss Sebastian right now," Cayden said, taking the wine glass extended from Griffin's hand.

Griffin's dark eyes softened, realizing that this all was probably a lot for me. His gaze met mine, nodding in agreement. "I do have to ask how you feel? Mentally? Emotionally?"

I pursed my lips, trying to put my finger on the exact emotion I was currently harboring. I was so engrossed with sadness which turned into anger, and even at one point, I had been self-blaming. Now, I just don't feel anything, or maybe it's that I don't want to feel it. I'm so over crying, being angry, trying to figure out what I did wrong—it's so exhausting. I need a break, even if it's only for the rest of the night.

"I guess... nothing? I feel completely drained of feeling sad or angry right now." I said, taking a sip of my wine as my stomach twisted in anxious knots.

Cayden frowned, guiding us all over to the large sectional couch, bringing the wine bottle with her. "The worst is behind us," she said as I sat between her and Griffin, me leaning into Cayden's warm body.

"Amen to that!" Griffin raised his glass before taking a sip, earning a chuckle from Cayden.

I couldn't help but smile as I looked between the two most important people in my life currently. The people who genuinely cared about my well-being whether it was physical or emotional. I felt my heart grow warm with gratefulness. Grateful to even have these two here by my side. Even if my entire past life collapsed beneath me, something bigger and better rose in it's place. Maybe it wasn't supposed to be viewed as a bad thing—maybe it was a good thing. A second chance... a fresh start with genuine people surrounding me as I finish off this chapter of my life and graduate.

"I love you guys," I blurted, feeling the immense comforting weight harboring in my warm chest.

Cayden smiled, "I love you too," she said without any hesitation.

Griffin looked between us with a growing smile, "Hold on... hold the fuck on..." he trailed off piecing together the words that Cayden just said to me. "I...wait. Am I hallucinating or did you guys exchange those three little words? Or might I say big fucking words!"

Cayden let out an amused laugh taking in how animated Griffin really was, "He's funny... maybe I do have a little competition."

Griffin laughed. "I'd be a little worried if I were you," he said, sipping his wine.

I smiled to myself. "Oh yeah, Cay, you should be so worried—scared even," I joked leaning into her warmth further.

Cayden playfully smiled as she sipped her wine, her hand gently resting on the back of my neck, caressing it gently. Seconds after, the doorbell rang, causing my heart to drop as I looked between Cayden and Griffin. Was Sebastian back to yell at me more? Jaci? Or maybe even both? I no longer felt as safe knowing they could stop by anytime they pleased. I knew Cayden or Griffin would make sure I was safe and okay, but it was still scary to even think about being put into a similar situation again. Even thinking about it has me feeling nauseous and unsettled.

"Don't worry it's just the Italian food I ordered," Cayden assured me, sensing my anxiousness.

Griffin rose from the couch, "I'll get it," he said, walking out of the living room toward the door.

Cayden's hand slid up from the back of my neck, her fingers tangling in my hair as she gently massaged my head. "You're really strong, you know that?"

I met her dark eyes that were already on me, taking in her astonishing features. I swear I could stare at her all day, she's so beautiful it's almost unreal. "It's hard to feel that way when I feel so weak... but I guess being yelled at by numerous people will do that to you."

Cayden pursed her lips, looking saddened by the state I'm in, "I refuse to let them treat you like that ever again," she said.

I nodded silently leaning further into her gentle touch, soothing my pent-up nerves that somehow seem to keep growing tenser as the days go on.

"What if we... got out of here?" she asked, hesitation laced in her tone.

"What do you mean?" I said and Cayden smiled softly at me, gently playing with the silky strands of my brown hair.

"Like, we left. For the rest of your winter break. We just went somewhere else." she suggested.

"Where would we go?" I asked, tilting my head slightly.

Cayden was quiet for a second. "What if you came home to Florida with me?"

The words completely stunned me. Cayden, who'd been holding off on talking about her family wanted me to meet them? To spend winter break with them? My heart pounded just thinking about it. It was a big step, one that I didn't think we'd take for a long, long time.

But my head was also filling with visions of the beach, the sun. A new location away from shitty friends and exes would definitely ease my anxiousness. It was a way to refresh away from all of it. And I'd get to do it with Cayden.

It honestly sounds like a dream... Not only getting to try out a new place with the girl I'm head over heels for, but also meeting her family, and seeing where she partially grew up at. Although, it's intimidating considering it's a really big deal, meeting parents can make or break a relationship, and I definitely didn't want to break Cayden and I's. Still, her feeling comfortable enough with me to take this step meant something—in fact, it meant more than something. It meant that we were ready to navigate this next stage together.

"You want to run away to Florida with me?" I asked.

"Does that sound ridiculous? Sorry, I—"

"No, I want to go," I said. "Let's do it."