Author’s Note: I don’t own Beverly Hills, 90210.
Stephanie and Dylan sat in opposite corners of the 12 foot long white leather couch. Neither made a move and neither said a word. Dylan’s expression seemed to be that of a man awaiting his upcoming execution, while Stephanie slightly resembled the possible executioner. They both kept their sight away from the other and the silence seemed to creep through the room until it became unbearable.
“What are you doing here, Dylan?” Stephanie finally got up the nerve to ask. “I just wanted to check on you. See if you were okay.” His claims were obviously false and she wasn’t about to let it slide. “Is that so? You came all the way here to ask me if I was okay? Since when do you have the right to ask me if I’m okay?” The hostility coming from Stephanie’s side of the couch was building and Dylan wasn’t sure how to stop it from erupting.
“I’m sorry,” he stated. “For what?” she asked. He hesitated. It was now or never, “I’m sorry for everything.” He waited for the inevitable anger to take her over, but it never came. She let out a very slight laugh which caught his attention as he finally turned to face her, “Have you really been holding on to that for all these years? Well, let me make you feel better. I’m fine; life goes on, goodbye Dylan.” She quickly rose from the couch and headed to the front door opening it. Dylan stood up.
“Stephanie, don’t do this. I’m not leaving,” Dylan was now trying to keep his calm over his growing anger. “I came here to say what I need to say then you can do whatever you want.” She just stared at him as she shut the door never moving more than 3 feet away from it. “I’m sorry about how things were left between us. When everything went down I didn’t know what to say. I was lost.” She cut him off, “You were lost? You never even said goodbye. You never wrote. I was so scared and the one person I gave a care about disappeared. How many times did I write and not get one letter back? You knew what was going on and you said nothing. My best friend abandoned me because he was lost? You didn’t speak up then and I sure as hell don’t need you to speak up now! Don’t say you’re sorry, don’t say anything. Just get out!”
Dylan wanted to yell back. Had it been anyone else he would have, but not with her. The axe had fallen and he had truly lost his head. He couldn’t say a word even though there were so many swirling around in his brain. He stood there staring, anger and hurt apparent in his face. The same anger and hurt that mirrored in her eyes as he gazed at her. She was right; there was nothing he could say. All there was left to do was put on the strong face and walk out the door. That is exactly what he did.
Brenda noticed how quiet he was sitting there on the front porch. He had come by unexpectedly, but she was happy to see him no matter what. After what happened earlier in school she had hoped his mood may have improved. She quickly found out the opposite was true. Dylan seemed more closed off than before.
“Please talk to me,” she begged him as he stared out into the front lawn. He just sighed and remained silent. “Who is she, Dylan?” jealousy again slowly took her over as she realized who it was that Dylan was thinking about. It sure wasn’t her. He just shook his head, “Can we please just sit here?” he asked, a slight twinge of annoyance present in his voice.
She tried to control the questions swimming in her head, but she found herself overcome and desperately looking for answers. “Who is Stephanie Sloan?” She didn’t intend it to come out in such a demanding tone, but she couldn’t take it back now. “Why can’t you just leave this alone? I came here to be with you. Can’t you just trust me to tell you when I’m ready?” Brenda felt sheepish, but she still felt like she needed an answer. “Can’t you tell me anything?”
Dylan rose from the stoop step. “No, damn it, I can’t! I thought you might understand that I just don’t want to talk. Why do you constantly have to push me?” He began walking to his car as she stood up, “I’m sorry Dylan, please don’t leave.” He got to his car and opened the door, “It was a mistake to come here.” Brenda ran to him as the ignition sparked his car into motion. “Dylan, wait!” He sped off leaving her even more bewildered and jealous than before. She couldn’t help but be consumed with the thoughts of the girl that had so much power over his emotions. She was more consumed with the fear that this girl had more power over Dylan than she did and if so, where did she come from and why did he feel this deep need to hide it?
Brenda didn’t get that much sleep that night and her return to school the next day was not one she welcomed with open arms. Now she had to face all of her friends, the same friends that were keeping secrets from her and possibly apologize, to her now distant boyfriend. She didn’t want Dylan upset with her and honestly wasn’t sorry for the inquiries she felt the need to make, but if it would get her back in his good graces, she was willing to eat crow if necessary.
A repeat of the chattering halls from the preceding day played out as she again, stared head long into her locker. Today, however, she wasn’t exactly compelled to look out from it to see if Dylan had decided to actually attend classes today. Brandon, again, walked up from behind her, but she continued to stare straight head. He looked around wondering if the girl staring into her locker really was his sister or some similarly dressed equivalent masquerading as her. “Brenda?” She still offered him no answer as he began to wonder why she wasn’t acknowledging him. “Sis?” he grabbed her shoulder and turned her to face him. “What’s up?” he continued to interrogate. “Nothing. Dylan and I got in a fight last night and I’m just not in the mood to play miss cheery, right now.” Brandon threw up his hands, “Alright, I can live with that, but if you need to talk you know where to find me.” He nodded as he made his way down the hall.
She traced his path with her eyes only to pick up another scene from the day before playing out at the end of the hall. Stephanie Sloan was once again pressed against the wall with a guy positioned closely between her legs. There was something different about this scene however. The guy she was with was not Mr. Letter Jacket from the day before. This guy was brunette with a slight mustache. Brenda seemed to now get a clear picture of the girl that had become a new addition to the drama in her life. She was a slut, plain and simple. This epiphany seemed to settle Brenda’s interest for the moment. She knows that Dylan would have no interest in that type of girl, but she wasn’t going to give up trying to figure out why her being here is such an problem.
Brenda took a glance at the clock and made her way toward class. During class, she was at least able to spend a small amount of thought about the assignment left on the board. Whenever she looked over at Stephanie, she could pacify herself by repeating the title ‘Slut’ over and over until her need to stare stopped. The bell rang; her efforts where somewhat successful for today and she exited the classroom heading back to her locker.
Brenda continued the success of keeping the thoughts of Stephanie Sloan in check for the next few classes. The lunch bell rang and she made her way out to the quad to join the group already perched on a spot outside. She caught up to Steve, Kelly, and Donna making their way through their brown bagged lunches. She was somewhat relieved that Dylan wasn’t there, but also worried that his need to avoid classes for today was going to hurt him in the upcoming exams. It was his choice and if he wanted her to stay out, that is what she was going to do.
She greeted everyone, sat down and removed her lunch from her bag. Conversations of the impending doom that filled the minds of everyone thinking about exams and all the cramming they were going to need to do. All were lost in the worry though Steve, of course, added his two cents and the levity of the conversation was lifted. They all looked up to find Brandon making his way over. He seemed very excited about something.
“Hello, everyone,” he greeted as he walked up to them. “What took you so long?” Kelly asked, “You almost missed lunch.” He responded, “Ah, but I didn’t. I ate my lunch with a beautiful young lady new here to West Beverly.” He attempted to continue his story, but was interrupted by the approach of the obviously distraught Dylan McKay. “Hey bro, you alright?” Brandon asked. Dylan nodded, “Yea, just needed some time to think, but I couldn’t miss physics so here I am.” Dylan reluctantly kissed Brenda on the cheek and took a seat beside her. Steve added, “You’re just in time. Brandon was telling us about the beautiful woman he just met.”
Brandon’s cheeks went from their usual tan brown to an unusually bright shade of pink. Brenda had to blush with him. “Really, what’s her name?” Dylan asked. “Stephanie Sloan,” Brandon happily answered. The smile stayed plastered on his face as the mood of the whole group slid down hill with no hope of recovery. He dropped his smile, “Is there something I should know?” he quickly reacted to the sullen faces. They all stayed silent, Steve, Kelly and Donna all passing each other looks while Dylan continued to look away.
Dylan finally broke the silence, “She’s a great girl, man.” “Good, cause I have a date with her Friday night.” Brandon’s smile returned though Dylan continued to stay distant. He sat there, still for a second, then got up and left without a word. “What’s wrong with him?” Brandon asked. Brenda watched Dylan walk away determined to not push as he had requested. Brandon, however, didn’t know of such a promise and ran after him.
“Hey, McKay. Wait up!” Brandon caught up to him and they both walked in silence. “Is there something I need to know?” Brandon was determined to break the awkwardness between them. “Just be careful,” is all Dylan could fathom to say, “She’s got baggage.” Brandon’s eyes never left Dylan’s face though he did his best to hide his feelings, “Does she have something to do with you and Brenda?” Dylan continued to hide in his thoughts, “If there’s something going on between you two, I’ll back off.” Brandon pointed out. Dylan stopped to face him, “No, man. There isn’t anything going on between us. She’s just been through a lot and I don’t want to see either one of you get hurt.” Brandon stood bewildered at his friend’s words, “It’s just a date,” he stated. “Then you have nothing to worry about.” Dylan left it at that and walked away.
Brandon let him go and began the short walk back to the school as the small group finished up their lunches and headed back into the confines of the bright hallway walls. Steve and Donna separated from Kelly and Brenda. Brenda used this time to her advantage. “Kelly, I need to know about Stephanie.” Kelly hesitated, “I told you already, that is something you are going to have to talk to Dylan about.” Brenda stopped her, “Dylan isn’t talking and now Brandon has a thing going on with her. I have seen her with two different guys these past few days and now she is trying something with my brother. I have a right to know what’s going on.”
Kelly again hesitated, but had to agree that Brenda had a point. If there was something she could do to shed some light on the situation, it might help matters between Dylan and her. Kelly started her story, “We were all friends growing up. Dylan and Stephanie were very close. She lived in the room right next to him at the hotel. They both were brought up with too much money and only absent fathers to take care of them so they clicked. They were inseparable. When we were all twelve, something happened between them. Her dad was arrested for abusing her and she was taken into foster care. Dylan really closed off. For months he wouldn’t talk to anyone and he really started living in his own world, hanging out with some strange people and skipping school. It wasn’t until you and Brandon came around that he seemed to snap out of his rebellion phase. That’s all I know Brenda.”
As Brenda took in the short story she slowly began to feel like a fool. Dylan had gone through the trauma of losing such a close friend. She wondered if he had known about the abuse. Did he keep in contact with her all these years and just not expect her to come back? Brenda still had unanswered questions, but at least she felt somewhat content now in knowing that Dylan wasn’t out pining over a lost girlfriend. It finally dawned on her that he was pining over the loss of his best friend and now Brandon was stuck just as much in the middle as she was.
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