I collapsed on my bed after school, mind running in so many circles that I could barely keep up. Usually, in these types of situations, I'd call Xander...but he was part of the problem now. He hasn't called or texted me since the incident this morning. Ryker had driven me home, fidgeting a little while he was driving. When I had gotten out of his car, he stared straight ahead and backed out of my driveway without a word.

Ugh, freaking boys. And why me? I wasn't anyone special.

Oh! I could call my mom.

"Honey? Is everything alright?" My mother asked when she picked up. I breathed a sigh of relief just hearing her voice and responded, "Mo-om. I have so much to tell you. I need some advice."

Then I told her everything that had happened with Ryker and then with Xander.

"Well, who do you love?" My mom asked.

I groaned. "I love Ryker. Xander is my best friend and I've never thought of him differently. I had no idea he was in love with me. I feel so bad now."

My mom continued to give me some advice and I thought about calling Xander to make sure he was alright. But what could I possibly say to him? I hung up the phone with my mom who would be coming home in a few days and dialed Xander's number.

"Eve!" Xander yelled through the phone, startling me. "You'll never guess what happened!"

That was so not the reaction I had been expecting from him. "Uh, what?"

"The director of All Aliens Return to Space died so apparently there won't be a fourth movie. It ended with the spaceship exploding and now it's up to the fans to imagine their own alternate ending," he babbled.

"What! That can't be! Don't get me wrong, I feel bad the director died, but I really wanted to know what happened!" I said, sitting up.

"Hmm. Wanna binge watch the first two movies together since the third one doesn't come out on DVD for another few months?" He offered.

Xander was acting like nothing had happened; as if he hadn't just told me he had feelings for me. I grinned and said, "That sounds great! And by the way, don't tell anyone, but I have a signed copy of All Aliens Return to Space 3 so we can watch every movie when you come over."

"Are you serious? How the hell did you get that?"

"X! Language! Oh, uh Rykergaveittome," I said really fast, regretting even saying it.

"Oh..." Xander trailed off. "Alright, I'll be there soon, Eve!"

Xander was taking this whole thing really well. I had expected him to be distant from me, but the fact that he's coming over my house to watch our favorite movies was really shocking. I wondered how he was actually feeling.

I went downstairs to gather the movies together and made some popcorn until my best friend got here. He rang the door bell and beamed at me when I opened it. I flashed him the three disks and his grin widened.

"Hell yeah!" He said, fist bumping the air as he came inside and took a seat on the floral couch in front of the television. I set the bowl of popcorn down on the coffee table and placed the first movie in the DVD system, jumping beside Xander on the couch.

I paused the movie right when it began and turned to Xander who gave me a confused look. "Why'd you pause-"

"X, about what you said earlier-"

Xander waved his hand in the air, leaning back against the couch. "Forget I said that. I'm just happy to be your friend, that's all I need. I don't want to ruin our friendship, so I'm glad to just be by your side." He gave me a sincere smile and my heart melted. Xander was the best. I leaned over and gave him a tight hug. He squeezed me back and I pressed play on the movie.

We giggled as the graphics got more and more cheesy with each new movie. By the time we had finished all three movies, my stomach hurt from laughing so much. Xander wiped his eyes after he couldn't stop laughing for five minutes straight.

"Okay, so I'd like to believe that the aliens got off of the spaceship even though it blew up," I said, poking my chin with my finger. Xander rolled his eyes and said, "Yeah, but that's not likely. I think the aliens got fried and there wouldn't have been a fourth movie anyway."

"Ew, X. I hate your ending," I said, sticking my tongue out. He chuckled and ate the last few bites of the popcorn. I checked the time and yawned, stretching my arms above my head.

"It's getting late. I should go," Xander said, getting up.

"Wait!" I said, leaping off the couch. I ejected All Aliens Return to Space 3 out of the DVD system and placed it inside the signed case of the director's autograph. I handed it to Xander and said, "I want you to have this."

His eyes widened as he pushed it back at me, shaking his head. "No way. I can't take that from you."

I ignored him and grabbed his wrist, firmly pressing the disk in his hand. He wrapped his hand around it and gave me a huge smile. "Wow, thanks so much. This is amazing!" He said, eyes sparkling.

"No problem. Well, I'll see you tomorrow at school," I said, sweeping the front door open. I watched as Xander walked down my driveway right as another car pulled up. I recognized the sports car immediately and my heart started pounding in my chest.

Ryker opened his car door before he had even parked the car and slid out. I tightened my fist around the doorknob when he passed by Xander as he strode up my driveway. His eyes lingered on what was in Xander's hand and then his angry, blue eyes flashed to mine. I sucked in a breath.

Ryker was pissed. Xander shot me a worried look and I shrugged. He hesitantly got in his car, mouthed a quick "sorry", and drove away. Ryker bumped into my shoulder as he entered my house without permission. He took a seat on the arm of the couch Xander and I had just been sitting on and waited for me to close the door and join him in the living room.

I went to stand by his side without touching him.

"Uh, Ryker?"

"Tell me if I'm wasting my time and I'll leave right now," he spat, not looking at me. He rolled up the sleeves of his black shirt, displaying his impressive tattoos.

"What are you talking about?"

He turned to face me as his eyes bored into mine. "Why was he here?"

I gaped at him. "Listen, I thought you guys were friends now. And Xander is my best friend, why else would he be here?"

"Angel, it's your choice."

"What's my choice?" I asked, getting aggravated.

"Me or him," he deadpanned.

"You can't be serious."

He stood up abruptly and said, "That's all I needed to know. Goodbye, Angel."

I ran over and grabbed his arm. "There is no way I'm picking between my boyfriend and my best friend. If you can't trust me when I'm alone with Xander, then that means our relationship will never work."

Ryker threw his tattooed arms in the air and turned his glare on me. Every step I took back, he took another forward until I was backed up against the wall with his arms on either side of my shoulders. "Of course I'm going to think the worst when the guy who just told you he was in love with you comes over alone and leaves with the disk I gave you."

I pressed my hands firmly against his chest, trying to get him to move and give me some space. He didn't budge. I sighed dramatically and said, "And that's exactly what I meant. You have to be able to trust me just like how I trust you. Don't let your emotions get in the way-"

"Oh, so I'm emotional?"

Are you freaking kidding me? That's what he got out of what I just said?

"Oh, for the love of-"

"Of Xander," he said, spinning around and latched his hand on the doorknob. I grabbed his arm once again, trying to get him to stay. "Just know," he said with his back to me, "Xander had told me that it would never work between you and I. When we shattered, he knew he would be the one to pick up your pieces and you'd end up loving him. That's why he encouraged our 'relationship' in the first place."

I was speechless as he turned back around to face me. "And you know what else?" He asked with his voice much deeper than usual. "He wasn't wrong. I fell too hard for you that I was blinded by what was in front of me. You and Xander are meant for each other, so go after him."

"What the hell, Ryker! I asked X to come over because I thought he felt down after he had admitted his feelings to me knowing full well that I was in love with someone else; you. When he had came over, he told me to forget he ever said anything to me. He acted normal, like how he always did."

I tightened my hand around his arm, pleading with him to believe me. He shrugged my hand off and placed his hand on the doorknob. I knew that if I let him leave, then things between us would be different. I silently begged him not to leave, but for some reason I couldn't say it out loud.

"Why are you so damn thick headed?" I blurted. Ryker's fist tightened on the doorknob and he flinched. He opened the door and stepped out, slamming the door with full force, blowing my hair back.

I yanked the door open and sprinted down the driveway after him. I banged on the driver's side window until he finally rolled it down. He cocked an eyebrow and flicked his lip piercing.

"So this is it? You're ready to just give up on us because you can't over yourself enough to believe what I have to say?" I asked with my hands on my hips.

He just shrugged. I gaped at him, feeling tears starting to form in my eyes.

"Drama queen," I sneered. Ryker didn't appreciate my compliment and narrowed his eyes on me.

"If you don't mind, I'm gonna be late so," he said, motioning at me to step away from his car.

"Yeah right. Late for what?"

"Hannah mentioned something about a meet up session at her house. Or was it a make out session?" He pondered, rubbing his chin.

"Oh, don't be such a jerk. You're overreacting."

He really was overreacting. He never cared before when I hung out with Xander. No matter how many times I told Ryker that I didn't have feelings for Xander, he wouldn't have it. What? Was I not allowed to hang out with any guys while I was dating Ryker?

And here I had thought we had finally established a stable relationship full of our love and trust.

"Are you done?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

My jaw dropped. "Fine, leave! Go with Hannah and do what you do best!"

"Which is?"

"Suck that bitch's face and stab me in the back while you're at it."

I spun around and dashed back inside my house before Ryker could see the tears that had been on the rim of my eyelids finally fall.