10: Trust

'The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful tool'

-Stephen King

 Bryan tried to focus hard to look sober in front of Ms Harrington, blinking hard. 

"Thanks Bryan." Ms Harrington said, sounding exhausted.

"Not at all." Bryan said, cautiously. 

 Candice looked between the two carefully, playing with her hair. 

"My-uh...shift is a little different tomorrow so i'll be at home more during that day..." She said, giving Bryan a little smile.

Bryan nodded understandingly, smiling back.

"So i guess you can have a day off tomorrow." 

Bryan turned to Candice, then looked away, "Okay...yeah." 

He turned and gave Candice a smile, then said bye. 

Candice walked over the the front door 2 seconds after he left and opened it. 

"Bryan, wait!" She called out. He turned around unsteadily. 

She walked over to him, her fist closed, as she eyes him, her lips pursed. "Don't ever drink like that again." She warned, but he was astonished when he saw a look of  sadness and desperation in her eyes. 

He nodded, feeling light headed, and grabbed her arm, pulling her closer and entrapping her into a hug. "Okay..." He mumbled, in her ear, "I promise i won't."

Candice sniffed, and pulled away, looking at him with big, sad eyes. 

Bryan lifted his hand up and stroked her cheek slowly. Candice put her hand over his and pulled it away.

"Go home." She ordered, firmly. "Call a taxi, or something." 

Bryan sighed, "No, i'll be fine." He said, lazily. He gave her a half smile and started to slowly walk away. 

"Bryan!" Candice hissed after him. He continued walking unsteadily, brushing his unkempt hair out of his face, nearly tripping over his feet. 

She sighed and dropped her shoulders in defeat. 

She got back inside and slammed the door behind her. 

Her mother peered at her from the kitchen. "Why did you just go outside?" 

"He forgot his keys." Candice replied, brusquely. "So what's going on?" She demanded, crossing her arms.

Her mother looked at her, perplexed. "What do you mean?" She asked, but in a monotone voice. 

Candice looked at her, unbelievably. "You know what i mean. Why are you taking time off work?" 

Ms Harrington looked down, guilty and slowly rubbed her hands together awkwardly, then stepped closer to her. 

"I talked to your father today..." She started. 

Candice looked left and right, then shrugged, "And...?" She asked. "Did you guys talk about me?" 

"I wanted to ask him if he could...if you would stay with him for a bit." 

Candice uncrossed her arms, and stared at her, with wide eyes. "Yeah..." Candice said, breathlessly. "Yes, i want to." 

There was a hurt expression on her mother's face. Candice felt a twinge of guilt. "What did he say?" She asked, her voice calmer. 

"He's...i don't think he's interested in having anything to do with us..." 

Candice pursed her lips, then shook her head. "Shut up. You're lying. He's my dad...! You have to tell him i want to-!" 

"I'm sorry, Candice." Her mother said, softly, a look of remorse painted on her face.

"He doesn't want anything to do with me?" She asked, her voice high pitched and tears welling up in her eyes. 

"Candice, people change, and i promise from now on i'll take care of y-"

"-it's your fault." Candice said, her voice low.

Her mother looked at her, bewildered. "Candice-"

"It's your fault. You always mess things up. Like you and dad's relationship. Because you don't care about any one's feelings. You only think about yourself!" 

"Your father only thinks about himself!" Her mother replied, her voice stern.

"No! You ruined this family, mom. Because you're selfish- you couldn't take the fact that he worked hard, and was trying to take care of us-" She gasped, when Ms Harrington gave her a hard slap on the cheek. 

She looked at her mother, mouth wide open. 

"You have tried to ruin this family, Candice! You! You don't understand how much i'm trying to fix things!"

"By staying away from me? Running away from your problems and staying at Jenny's every night-"

"You have tried to push me away! What can i do?! What else can i do?!" Her mother shouted. 

"You say you've tried...but how?" Candice demanded, then walked away, letting her sob out. 

"Stop trying to make your father out to be a hero and me look like a monster!" 

—

Bryan finally got home, closing the door behind him. He sighed and threw himself on the couch, burying his face in his hands, flashes of Bella...with that scum of a manager was appearing before his eyes again, as he tried to block out these images. He uncovered his face and looked over at the half empty bottle of liquor, and clenched his jaw, Candice's voice echoing in his head: 'don't ever drink like that again...' He tried blocking the voice away and stood up and grabbed the bottle, then sat back down. 

—

"I'm going." Candice coldly said, the next day, unlocking the front door.

"Where?" He mother asked.

"Out." Candice said, quickly, and stormed out. 

Ms Harrington sighed and rubbed her eyes in frustration, picking up her phone and dialing the number.

"Marcus, please. You have to talk to Candice she's...we're not at the best terms right now and...and i think we need some time away from each other, call me back." She pleaded. 

—

Candice knocked on Bryan's door, and crossed her arms. It took a while before Bryan opened and when he finally did, she was greeted by tired, bloodshot eyes, and messy hair, he wore the same clothes he did last night and looked sickly pale. She spotted an empty bottle of the liquor on the floor, next to the coffee table. 

Candice breathed out, unbelievably, and looked away, feeling completely betrayed. "You said you promised." She said, and nearly broke down into tears. 

"I'm sorry..." Bryan slowly said, his head feeling like it was about to split open. 

"Why are you still drinking?" Candice demanded.

Bryan shook his head, "You wouldn't understand." 

Candice sniffed in response. "You still love Bella, don't you?" She asked. 

Bryan looked at her for a moment, sighing, a pained expression on his face. He pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned his head back. "I do, Candice. I fucking do..." 

Candice looked down, a tear falling down her cheek, 

"She hurt me." Bryan mumbled. 

Candice stayed quiet, crying silently. 

Bryan sighed and sat down on the couch, leaving the door open for Candice. 

"Can't believe you said that..." Candice said, quietly. 

Bryan turned to her, the dropped his arms. "I'm sorry." He said. 

"You're sorry..." She repeated, finally stepping foot in the house, then walking over to him, until she was right in front of him. 

Bryan looked up at her, and grabbed her hand, pulling her closer to him, until she was laying on the couch.

"Yes." He said, looking down at her, about to kiss her but she stopped him.

"Stop." She said.

He looked at her, confused, and pulled away. "Why?" He asked.

"It doesn't mean anything to you...none of this." She said. "I don't mean anything to you." 

 "No, that's bullshit." Bryan staggered. "You mean...a lot to me." Bryan struggled to say. 

"But you still love Bella...so what am i to you?" 

Bryan didn't respond for a while, then sighed, avoiding her eyes. "You just...-" He shrugged, "I really like you, that's all..." 

Candice felt her heart melting as her face twitched in pain. "That's all?" She repeated.

"I mean...you're a cool girl, i just- I can't get over Bella just like that." He tried to explain, in his drunk and hazy state. "You understand, right?" 

Candice sniffed and plastered on a weak smile. "Come on, this liquor's making you talk nonesense let's throw these away." She suggested and grabbed the other bottles of alchohol. 

Bryan didn't protest, as he rubbed is temples, groaning. 

Candice poured all of the liquids down the kitchen sink and threw the bottles away. She returned back to Bryan and knelt down opposite him, as he was now lying on the couch. 

"You don't need to get yourself drunk." She said, softly. "Not for her. Okay?" 

Bryan swallowed hard, then nodded, slowly. 

"Did you eat anything since yesterday?" Candice asked, worried. 

Bryan shook his head, then sat up to his original position, burrying his face in his hands. "Candice, you should probably go home." He mumbled. 

Candice felt a stabbing pain on her chest, as she froze. "What do you mean?" She asked.

"You're not supposed to be here-"

"So now you don't want to see me?" 

"No..." Bryan struggled, "I'm just saying...you mother-"

"No!" Candice snapped, "Why would i do that? Why would i leave you alone like this? Miserable and...drunk. That isn't right." 

"It's fine." Bryan sighed.

"Well, it isn't to me." Protested Candice. 

 "You should be with your mother." He slowly said, "Don't worry about me." 

Candice grew angry, "You don't want me to worry? Fine, then. I won't care." She stormed out and slammed the door behind her. 

—

"Hey, southern blondie!" A voice called out. 

Candice turned around, her eyes growing wide. "Get away from me." She said, to Steve, Bella's manager.

"Whoa..." Steve said, putting his hands up. He gave her a confused look, "What?" 

"I know what you did." Accused Candice.

Steve narrowed his eyes, looking around, then stepping closer to Candice. 

"You raped Bella, you psycho."

"Now, you listen here-"

"Get away from me. I hate people like you." She spat.

"Oh, come on, now. You got what you wanted, right?"

"You said you weren't going to do anything like that...i'm not being held responsible for-"

"So, tell me...what were you two up to after that whole...scene?" 

Candice felt herself becoming hot, as shivers ran through her spine. "Get away from me, or i'll scream." 

Steve held his hands up, "Just wanted to say hi. But it's obvious that you don't want to talk to me. So, i'll be on my way. See you later, partner in crime."

 —

Bryan sighed, when his call to Bella went straight to voice mail. "Bella..." He began, taking in a deep breath, still half drunk, "I just want to say...i forgive you. No hard feelings. Okay? So...i'll see you tomorrow?-"

"I love you so much, so call me, okay? I'm not mad at you.-"

"Okay, i am a little bit mad. How could you do that to me?-"

"Can you just pick up your phone? We need to talk." 

"I don't understand why you're not calling me. Do you not even care?"

"I'm sorry, i know you care...you're just in a bad place right now. I am too. Let's just start over, okay?"

"Look, you're the one who should be fucking calling me, i'm trying to- forget it. Forget everything i said."

"I didn't mean that."

"Of course i did. You cheated on me. I thought you loved me." 

"Look, i'm drunk...you probably are, too...Let's just talk it out later, okay? Call me..." 

—

"Where were you? I called you." Candice's mother, Samantha demanded.

"I was out." She replied, coldly.

"You never go out. Not anymore." Her mother scoffed.

"Well,i  did. Okay? Get off my case." Candice mumbled. 

Samantha sighed and pursed her lips. "Anyhow, i wanted to take some time off work to talk to you."

"About what?" Candice asked. 

"We haven't been on good terms lately and i want to make things right." 

Candice narrowed her eyes, and kept her mouth shut. 

"Please tell me what's bothering you. I am your mother, you know. You can tell me." 

"I don't need to tell you anything, okay?" Candice said, but there was an unrecognizable look in her eyes. "Just...i want to talk to dad." She said, quietly, then turned around and walked away.

—

Bryan had circles under his eyes but tried his best to look the best he could, as he cleared his throat and gave Ms Harrington a tight smile. 

"Are you okay, Bryan? You don't look too good." 

"I'm fine i just...i didn't get an early sleep." Bryan's eyes darted up at Candice, as he gave her an apologetic look. 

"Well, i should be going now. Bye. Bye, Candice."

Candice pouted, "Talk to dad." She called out, before her mother left.

Bryan gave her a confused look, but didn't say anything.

Candice sighed and was about to make her way upstairs. 

"Candice. Wait..." Bryan said, softly.

Candice bit her lip in anger and turned around. "What?" She asked, coldly. 

"I'm...I'm sorry." He said. 

She shook her head, "No, i am. For thinking that you actually-" She abruptly broke off. 

"Look, i was stupid. I woke up late last night and i thought about everything...and i realized i hurt you. I didn't mean to hurt you i was just drunk...and i felt betrayed. I didn't mean anything i said yesterday...I don't love Bella anymore..." He said, but he sounded unsure. 

"You don't have to lie to me. I get it. Besides..." She crossed her arms. "I'm gonna live with my dad soon. You don't have to worry about me."

Bryan furrowed his eyebrows. "What...?" He breathed out. 

"Do i have to repeat myself?" Candice retorted. 

 Bryan looked down, then shook his head. He looked back up at her. "No...Anyway, i just wanted to tell you that." 

Candice nodded quickly, "O.K." She simply said. 

The phone rang, and she sighed, lazily walking over to it. 

"Who is it?" She asked rudely.

"Candice? It's me."

Candice stayed quiet for a second, feeling as though she was about to cry. "Dad..." Candice whispered. Was he calling about letting her move in with him?

Bryan took off his leather jacket and hung it up on the coat rack.

"I just...I had to call you because, well, your mother wasn't going to drop it if i didn't call you..." She heard him sigh on the other line.

Candice held the phone cord in hope. 

"Well, i'm sorry but i just can't have you stay with me. You know how work is. I'll be really busy to even take care of you."

Candice felt tears pricking her eyes, as she covered her mouth. She was afraid to speak, as she knew she'd break down in tears.

"Once again, i'm sorry...it just can't happen. Candice, are you there?" 

Candice sniffed, and Bryan looked over to her, mouthing to her, but her vision became blurry.

"Look, i know it's upsetting news..." 

Bryan got up and walked over to Candice.

"But you have to understand that..."

He took the phone from her and held it up to his ear, "Hello?" He asked.

Candice wiped the tears from under her eyes. 

"Who's this?" Candice's father asked Bryan.

"I'm...I'm just...i work for Ms Harrington. Who are you?" Bryan asked back.

"I'm Candice's father. Can you just get her on the phone again, please?" 

Bryan looked at Candice, but she shook her head desperately at him. 

"Call another time." Bryan bluntly said, and hung up. 

Candice dropped her arm to her side, frustrated. Wiping her tears with her other hand. "Well this sucks." She mumbled. 

 "What...What was that- What happened?" Bryan asked, about to comfort her, but he was sure she would slap his hand away if he tried.

Candice sniffed and turned away from him. 

"Candice? You can tell me." Bryan's comforting voice said. But regardless, Candice shook her head. 

"M'no..." She mumbled stubbornly, then sniffed again. "It's too fucking embarrassing." 

Bryan softly took her face in his hands, until she was facing him. "You think i'll laugh?" He asked.

Candice's face softened up, but then she frowned at him again, "Why do you care, anyway? You're just a...drunk loser."

Bryan let out an inaudible chuckle through his nose. "I know. I'm a loser for what i did. I'm sorry."

"Yes. I know." Candice pouted. 

"Hey." Bryan said softly, lifting up her chin. "Come on, don't give me that sad face."

Candice raised her eyebrows at him, giving him a 'are you kidding me' look, but her lips automatically curved into a small smirk.

Satisfiyed, Bryan grinned widely.

"He was never there to begin with, anyway." Candice said. 

"Your...dad?" 

"Mm." Candice nodded. "Always more interrested in work than family. No wonder they divorced."

Bryan waited patiently for her to carry on, but feeling sad for her at the same time, Candice seemed to sense that looked up at him, scowling.

"Don't think that i need sympathy. Because i don't." She said, quickly.

"Fine." Bryan said, understandingly, his heart beat racing, as her arm brushed past his skin. 

"The reason we moved out of texas and settled here is because of his stupid new job. He and my mother work in the same business. But he's so focused on climbing the corporate ladder, and he finally got a promotion as the new corporate director. I mean...it was cool but...his work hours were longer so we had to move here. But that didn't do any good. He became too obsessed with work that he and my mother split up. But it's weird..." She shrugged, "They're still in the same business but...it's like she's working for him now." She shook her head, "Whatever. I just wanted to see him again. I'm sick of living in this...shit hole. But i guess i'll be...i won't be better off there, will i?" She asked, looking at Bryan with big, teary eyes.

Bryan shook his head, "From what you told me, it looks like he'd hardly even be home to see you. And plus, your mother's trying to fix your relationship with her. Just...be easy on her." 

"It's easy for you to say..." Candice mumbled. 

"I'm...terrible at giving advice, sorry." 

"-No...Don't say sorry. I mean-" She stopped talking, and sighed, then searched his eyes, they were staring back at her, cloudy with emotions, but looking at her softly. "It's not like i'll have anything good going on for me, not in this shit hole." Candice spat, bitterly.

"This town? Or here?"

"Everywhere." Replied Candice, throwing her arms out and dropping them to her sides gain. "Everyone is so fucking pretentious, they only care about what other people think." She sighed, and slowly dragged her feat to the kitchen island stool, and slowly sat down, staring at her lap. "They're fucked up." Candice mumbled, but it seemed as if she was talking to herself. "I can't believe i ever thought my dad would want me back in his life. That's what i get for being too naive...we never should've left texas." 

Bryan debated with himself whether or not to speak, so he just scratched the back of his neck and bit his tongue to keep himself from saying anything.

"Can i just be alone, now?" Candice said, looking away from him.

"I am sorry." Bryan said, hopelessly. But he felt a sense of relief at the same time, knowing that Candice wouldn't move away to her dad's.

Candice didn't reply, as her back was turned to him, she sniffed quietly, and waited for him to leave the room. 

—

Bryan answered his phone, "Hey Warren." He mumbled, rubbing his face in frustration.

"Bryan, dude. Okay..." His best friend sighed, "What's going on?"

Bryan frowned, confused for a moment. "What?"

"With Bella? I know something's up, dude. I visited her and...she's a mess. And when i mentioned you she just started crying. What the hell is going on?" Warren demanded. 

"I don't want to talk about it. Not now..."

"Well, you better talk about it now, because i'm at her place right now and both of you are refusing to tell me anything."

Bryan suddenly sat up, "What? She's here with you?" 

"Yes." Warren said, impatiently. "Now tell me what the fuck is going on." He demanded, but then lowered his voice, until he was barely whispering, "Look, i found her in the living room with the blinds closed, and the wole place was a mess. That isn't like her." 

"Look- Just get her on the phone. I need to speak to her." 

"I'll try..." Warren said, and there was a moment of silence, then Bryan heard breathing on the phone again, "Dude, she won't even speak to me." 

Bryan groaned, frustratingly. "Then just...put me on loudspeaker."

Warren sighed, "Alright..." Bryan heard Warren mumble something to Bella, then spoke to Bryan. "Okay...you're on loud speaker."

"Okay- Bella? Can you hear me?" Bryan asked, then opened the front door and stepped out, in case Candice overheard him. 

He waited for a response but recieved none. "Bella, i forgive you, alright-"

"She walked out of the room, dude." Bryan heard Warren say. 

"Fuck." Bryan hissed. 

"Forgive her for what?" Warren then asked, perplexed. 

Bryan bit his lip and put his hand in his pocket. "I...Caught her...with someone else."

Warren stayed quiet for a few seconds, trying to understand what Bryan had stuttered. "Like...what...They were...?"

"Yes." Bryan snapped, "Her manager." He suddenly grew angry and frustrated. "But now she's the one who wouldn't even talk to me. Fuck it." He hissed.

"Would Bella do something like that?" Warren questioned. 

"Yes! I saw her do- you know what...I'm done with this. So done." Bryan said, raising his voice, then hanging up quickly. 

Candice crept down the stairs, after she heard the front door open. She heard Bryan's muffled voice and she carefully walked down the last step. 

"Yes! I saw her do-" Candice frowned, as she heard Bryan arguing with someone on his phone. "You know what..." His voice grew closer as he was about to walk inside again. "I'm done with this. So done." Panicked, Candice was about to run back upstairs, but she only made it to the first step before the door opened.

She froze and turned around, slowly.

Bryan, surprised to see her there looked at her silently.

"I-didn't-I didn't hear anything..." Candice cleared her throat. "I thought you left..." She trailed off, as Bryan walked over to her, and carefully, took her face in his hands. 

Bryan desperately pressed his lips on hers, as she stood there for a secondm her heart beat beating hard against her chest, but she eventually kissed him back, as he grabbed her by the waist, and kissed her neck slowly.

Candice regained her focus and pushed Bryan away. "Stop." She said, sternly, "Don't do it if you don't mean it." 

Bryan looked surprised for a second, then looked down on the floor, sighing. "I did mean it." 

"Don't lie to me." Candice said, but her voice was surprisingly calm. 

Bryan gave up, and looked back at her. "She just-...She's shutting me out, like i'm the one in the wrong..."

Candice clenched her jaw, but stepped closer to him. "Because she knows what she did. And she's afraid to admit it because she can't face the fact that she hurt you." 

Bryan seemed to think, as he nodded slowly, both confused and hurt at the same time. He slowly dragged his feet next to the couch.

Candice hesitated, before she followed after him, and stared at his back. She bit her lip, then hugged him from behind. "It's okay, Bryan." She said, sweetly. "You'll find someone else..." She said.

Bryan her arm in his hands and held it close. "Yeah...you're right..." 

After a while, Candice pulled away, and sighed loudly. "That was...that..." She said awkwardly. "But that'll be the last time i say it. Because you need to realize it. It'll get better and you'll forget about her." She took a deep breath, and exhaled. "Now...let's do somethig." She said, sounding energetic. "You bored? Wanna watch some T.V?" She asked, but she didn't wait for a reply, as she took the remmote and switched on the television. She looked at Bryan for a while and spoke up, "Just..." She pushed some loose strands of hair behind her ear, "Keep your mind off it." She said, smiling sweetly at him.

Her face fell when he didn't answer, but she lciked her lips and tightened her ponytail. She tried again, "I uh...i'm sorry for...being a brat and all...and being such a pain in the butt..." She looked around, helplessly, "I don't mean to..." She tried to explain, "It's just...yeah..." 

Bryan shook his head, "You don't have to apologize. I get it." 

She adjusted the strap of her tight overall shorts and cleared her throat. "Do you...? Good..." She said, faintly, then hesitantly say next to him on the couch. 

She jumped when she heard the mail slot opening then closing. "There's mail." She announced, and jumped off the couch and went to get the mail. 

She inspected it and looked at Bryan, "It's from my school." She said, breathlessly, her heart beating in fear. 

"So, open it..." Bryan said, not noticing her panicked expression.

Candice rushed upstairs without a word and closed the bedroom door behind her. She ripped open the envelope and read the letter.

—

"What's up?" Bryan asked Candice, when she came down the stairs, pale faced. 

"They want me to be back at school by next week...or there's gonna be  $1,000 fine." She sighed, and ripped up the letter. "Fuck that." She breathed out, as she let the pieces of paper slip out of her grip and onto the floor. 

"Why don't you just-" Bryan shrugged, "-Go...?" 

"I can't..." She said, sniffing. 

"Why not?" Bryan asked.

"It's- I just can't...It's complicated." 

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to..." Bryan said, when he saw her eyes watering. 

Candice stayed quiet for almost a minute, then she wiped what seemed to be a tear rolling down her eyes, then sniffed. "There was this...party near the end of the semester..."

Again, sorry for the long wait! And sorry this chapter might've sucked, there might be a few things that i need to edit.

I'll update faster from now on!