When You Try Your Best

                                    

                                          
Posting the update early this week :) enjoy xx-Elle 

                          
***
The sun was pouring in through the right side of the car as I drove the familiar roads back to the house, the sun was high in the sky indicating the morning hours and my eyes still hadn't adjusted to being awake and in daylight quite yet. 
                          
KJ was following behind me in his own car, insisting on coming over to help find out what the hell had happened to Tate two nights ago. I had barely even had time to talk to him, but I had made sure to keep Carter on him.
                          
After pulling into the driveway and having KJ pull in next to me, I got out of the car and made my way to the front door, with KJ in tow. It wasn't long before I was back in the house, throwing a million questions in Tate's direction the moment I saw him lounging on the couch. 
                          
"Listen, I'm fine Liz. All that matters is that you're okay." Tate sighs. 
                          
"what do you mean? What does this have to do with me?" I ask shocked at his comment. Tate simply shakes his head and goes back to watching tv. 
                          
"Tate." I tap his shoulder, "what happened" 
                          
"I just got in a little bit of an argument is all." He shrugs.
                          
"A LITTLE?" I yell at him looking to his black eye and cut open lip. 
                          
"Honestly it's fine." Tate shrugs me off yet again.
                          
"How did this happen. Start from the beginning." I demand. 
                          
Tate turns and looks to me then up to KJ who was standing behind me. 
With a sigh Tate begins, " I was out grabbing some dessert for our whole dinner surprise for you and I ran into someone and we got into an argument..." Tate trails off. 
                          
"It doesn't look like much talking happened." I look to him annoyed. 
                          
"Yeah well he said something to piss me off so I answered by knocking him out." Tate simply shrugs, again. 
                          
"Who." I demand looking to KJ for help who Unhelpfully puts his hand up in a defensive manner. I roll my eyes and look back to Tate. 
                          
"Nick." He says gently. 
                          
***
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" He slurred his words. 
                          
The lights were dimmed at his house, the room reeked of alcohol and I wasn't in the mood to deal with his drunken tendencies anymore.  I found myself walking out of the living room before I felt a harsh grip on my arm pull me backwards. 
                          
"I said where the hell do you think you're going." He spits angrily.
"Leaving you, I'm done with your bullshit. You said nothing happened, but she was here, her clothes are in your room Nick. We're done. Go ahead and sleep with her all you want. You're free." I yell back at him in disgust before yanking my arm out of his grip.
                          
His hand connected with my cheek within seconds, "You bitch!" He had screeched. 
                          
I pushed his hand away before grabbing the door handle, he drunkenly slouched, standing there muttering angrily. 
                          
"You deserve each other." And with that I was gone. 
                          
I walked down the street not expecting Nick to follow in his drunken state. That was until I heard his voice ring down the sidewalk. 
                          
I looked down to my phone seeing KJ say he was on his way and hoping he was close by. Tears began to fall and I angrily wiped them away. He was not worth my tears, he was...he is a pig. 
                          
"Come back here you bitch" he shouted down the street. 
                          
I picked up my pace knowing he would not be able to keep up in his state. Turning the corner I made it to the park and went straight to the bathroom. Locking my self in a stall, my dinner made its way up and out of my stomach. 
                          
"Liz? Elizabeth?" KJs voice rang through the bathroom. 
                          
"Over here." I weakly let out after wiping my mouth and slouching against the side of the stall.
                          
"Shit Liz." He muttered before picking me up off the ground. "I thought you were at Nick's tonight,what happened?" 
                          
"I went over...." I start, "and he...he was smashed, completely smashed and I found HER stuff all over his room. She was there before me and...and..." 
I'm cut off by KJ wrapping his arms around me. I could tell he was getting angry but covering it up for my sake.
                          
"I was trying to leave and..." I turned my face and looked up to him and his hand reached up and barely brushed the red splotches on my cheek. 
                          
"That little..." He muttered angrily his temper beginning to become more apparent. 
                          
"KJ I...just take me home..." I cried into his shoulder. He simply nodded and helped me up before we got in his car and made our way to his house. By the time we made it, I had gone straight to the guest bedroom and went to sleep. I heard KJ on the phone angrily talking about what Nick had done but my mind was too scattered to think straight so I let myself fall asleep. 
                          
****
                          
"What the hell did that asshole want?" KJ asks suddenly invested in the conversation. 
Everyone hates Nick after what had happened. Even just the mention of his name would make any of the boys fill with rage.
                          
"He asked how Lizzie was and I told him to go away with some choice words and he then proceeded by called her some nasty things." Tate sighed. 
                          
"And so I had to teach him a lesson. That's all, believe me he looks worse and he got what he deserved." Tate grumbles the end. "I don't know exactly what happened between you too but I know he didn't treat you well and that's not okay, you're family. My family. And no one crosses that." Tate says sternly. 
                          
I smile and reach over to hug him, "thank you. I'm sorry you had to experience him being an asshole first hand." 
                          
"Don't worry about it, I don't think he'll be bothering you any longer." Tate states simply before looking to KJ with a nod. 
                          
KJ leaves the room pulling out his phone and I watch as he walks away.
                          
"What was that?" I ask 
                          
"Don't worry about it." 
                          
"No that answer is not allowed anymore." 
                          
"The boys will take care of it." Tate nods and turns back towards the tv. 
                          
I let out a sigh before walking out of the room to find KJ. 
I find him on the patio, pacing back and forth and talking to someone on the phone. 
                          
"Who was that." I ask curiously once he hangs up.
                          
"Connor." KJ states before letting out a sigh and coming up to me and giving me a hug. 
                          
"You know I love you right Liz?" 
                          
I look up to him to see his face contrived with worry and I smile leaning up on my toes to kiss him on the cheek.
                          
"I know."