savannah's pov

after seeing jack on the weekend, not once have i spent a day without thinking about him, the trial, and all the evidence that came with it.

everything he said to me just made my doubts even stronger. so, all i know is that i need to put all of the pieces together and figure this all out, so i can find the truth for sure.

"hey, kendall said that you had the paris files?" i questioned max, as i entered his office without a knock.

"uh, i think so," he told as he briefly searched around his desk before his lips curved into a smile. "but, you'll have to earn it first".

i sighed at his playful ways, "max, i really don't have time for this. i have to type up the paperwork and get it to miss carmichael by lunch".

"okay, okay" he handed me the papers and i turned around to leave. "are you okay? you seem bothered by something".

i shook my head, "just tired".

"you've practically been avoiding me all week" he stood and came around to the front of his desk. i've barely been able to look at max after all these doubts in my head. "come on, it's me, savannah. you can tell me anything".

"it's nothing max, seriously" i assured. "please, can you just drop it?".

he exhaled deeply, "fine".

max's phone began to ring on his desk and i caught a glimpse at the caller id, seeing the name 'caleb'. but he quickly turned it over, so i couldn't study it anymore.

"did that say caleb?" i inquired, pointing towards the phone.

"uh, yeah, but it's not the one that you know - this is my old friend from university. any ways, are you excited for your birthday this week?" max promptly changed the topic.

i sighed, feeling the complete opposite to excited, "sure".

"the big twenty-four" he announced, gesturing his hands like it was written in lights. "and i've got the perfect present for you".

"really, i don't want any presents and i don't want a huge fuss".

"no presents?!" he exclaimed. "come on, you deserve them".

"i'm just not that excited for my birthday this year".

"but this is my first one with you, i want to make it extra special".

i gave him staged smile, "well, i need to go get some work done".

"i'm still going to make a fuss over your birthday" he called out as i reached his office door, and finally left.

i sat in my own office, trying my best to keep my eyes open with the three cups of coffee that i managed to consume before lunch.

i typed at my computer, finishing off the work for my boss until kendall casually strutted in, in her heels.

"savannah, do you want to go out for lunch? theo's treat" she eagerly rubbed her hands together.

"um, i don't know. maybe" i muttered as i kept my eyes on the computer screen.

"maybe?" kendall questioned. "you're saying maybe to free food? okay, what's up? you've been really weird this week".

"weird how?" i looked up at her.

"distant, quiet, distracted, not your usual bubbly-self ever since monday" she listed. "did something happen over the weekend?".

i haven't told any of my friends that i have been to visit jack twice now. i know for a fact that they'll think it's a bad idea and say that i'm completely going against mine and max's friendship.

but like i said to jack, i can't just forget that he's in there - despite what he may or may not have done.

"no, nothing. i guess, i'm just lacking sleep lately".

"hmm, okay" kendall replied, not seeming fully convinced. "but any ways, are you up for it? lunch?".

i nodded, "sure".

she gave me a huge smile at my response and turned around to leave, until i felt as if i needed to ask her something.

"wait, kendall" i said and she twisted back around. "how well do you think we know max?".

"i'd say pretty well. it's been almost a year since he started here and since day one, he's been quite open about everything" she explained. "why?".

"so you would say that you trust him?".

"yeah, don't you?".

i looked down at my keyboard, "i guess".

"what's bought all of this on?" she wondered, folding her arms. "does this have something to do with jack?".

i sighed and fiddled with my fingers, "i went to see him on saturday for the second time. but he told me to forget about him and never come back, because i don't believe that he's innocent".

kendall dropped her shoulders, showing that she was almost disappointed in me for giving in and visiting jack.

"it's just the way that he looked at me. i really studied his eyes and i just saw so much pain and hope, and now i just can't help but think of giving him the benefit of the doubt" i added.

"no, savannah. you saw the state that max was in - you saw the blood, the cuts, the bruises and fractured bones".

"but do i really know that jack's the one who caused that?" i asked.

she came closer, "max said it was him, witnesses saw them arguing before the attack, that guy caleb made a statement against him".

"i know, but—".

"look, i'm your friend and i just don't want to see you getting hurt and loosing not just jack, but max too" kendall finalised and i sat back in my seat, pushing my hair back as she left the room.

+

later that week, max dragged me out of my house during my lazy birthday evening and decided that he wanted to treat me to a birthday dinner with a few friends.

i agreed to go and got all dressed up, but i really wasn't in the mood for any of this.

"so, how far until we reach the restaurant?" i asked whilst we gradually walked down the street, like we have been for the past twelve minutes.

"about fifteen minutes".

"and again, tell me why we're walking instead of being in the warmth of our cars or uber?".

"because walks are nice and i'd like to spend time with you on your birthday before we meet the others at 7" he answered, smiling down at my lower height.

"oh".

"don't you like spending time with me?" max innocently glanced at me.

"yeah. i'm here, aren't i?" i bluntly stated, but chuckled to lighten my words.

"true" he nodded as he looked down at his feet and we carried on with our journey.

the conversation died down as we continued walking in the cold breeze to a destination that max only has knowledge of.

although suddenly, he paused and stepped in front of me, so i couldn't move any further.

"are you sure that you're okay, savannah? because i noticed that you're being pretty normal with theo and kendall but then with me, things are all of a sudden...different".

i stared down at the pavement below me, finding a way to answer him.

"did i do something wrong? because if i did, please tell me" max begged, holding his hands in my coat pockets.

"can i trust you, max?" i came out with.

he chuckled lightly at my inquiry, "what?".

"because i don't just trust anyone, okay. you were lucky that i even let you in and opened up to you. i just want to make sure that i'm not wasting my time".

interrupting his response, the sound of a text beeped on max's phone and he took it out to check the message.

"well, you'll realise the answer to that when we get back to your place" he said.

i narrowed my brows, "my place? what about the restaurant?".

he playfully sighed and held onto my shoulders, "first of all, i left my wallet there and second of all, you can trust me. i don't know what bought that on but you can, i swear".

i examined his eyes, watching them sparkle with sincerity, but barely any innocence. although without dwelling on it too much, i nodded my head and followed max as we turned back to my apartment.

once we reached my floor, i twisted the keys in the hole and walked into the dark room until i switched on the light and there was a sudden outburst of surprise.

i gasped as the room was filled with most of my closest friends and others.

"aw, you guys" i touched my heart and tried to refrain from crying, before my eyes quickly spotted lauren and nate in the corner. "oh my god!".

i rushed over and hugged them both tightly.

"i can't believe you're both here, i can't believe you all did this. who's idea was it?" i questioned, looking around the room until everyone's eyes turned to max.

"surprise" he spoke with a large smile and without noticing, i smiled back much more briefly than i should have.

"okay, well now that the birthday girl is here, we might aswell pop open some more champagne" kendall announced.

music started to play across the room, some people went into their own conversations and others came up to me with happy birthday's and a bunch of gifts alongside.

after catching up with lauren and nate, i realised that sammy came too and we haven't spoken since he came to see me with cookies and i kicked him out.

"sammy, can i talk to you quickly?" i asked and he nodded towards a corner, where we went and stood facing one another.

"i'm glad that you came" i began.

"i haven't missed six of these birthdays, so why start now?" he smirked, taking a sip of the beer in his hand.

"well, i'm sorry for snapping that day".

"let's just drop it. i'm sorry too, but it's your party - you're 24 now" sammy said, putting his arm around me. "let's get drunk and enjoy it, then forget about it in the morning".

i laughed at his crazy-self as he lead me to pick up a glass of wine, "fine. but it's on you if i can't function tomorrow".

+

as the party continued, i was speaking to a few of my friends from work until i felt a pair of hands grasp my shoulders.

"hey, do you guys mind if i steal the birthday girl for a second?" max questioned and the few people agreed, before he gently took me away from the group and guided me to my room.

"what's going on?" i wondered as he shut the door behind him with a pink gift bag in his hand, and i stood in the middle of the room.

"well, your birthday's almost over and i haven't given you my present yet" max told, sitting himself down on the edge of my bed and i cautiously did the same.

"so, i overheard something and finally realised why you've been avoiding me for the past couple of days".

my eyebrows raised, "you have?".

"i know that you went to see jack a couple of times".

once again, i raised my eyebrows, "you do?".

"so, i get that you were just trying to stop me from finding out and getting hurt, and i appreciate that".

"...yeah" i responded, looking down at my lap even though that wasn't the actual reason why.

"and i think that i should just come clean and say that i appreciate you too" he added and i stared at him questioningly.

he saw the confusion on my face and thought of a way to elaborate as he turned to face me more.

"you know that feeling where you see that one person and you get butterflies in your stomach, your heart races and you can barely breathe until you're with them?".

"sure" i reluctantly replied.

"well for me, that one person is you. i've been kidding myself this whole time because from the moment i met you, i've never been able to get you off my mind. all these months that we've spent together have practically been the best months of my life and i'm just so in love with you, savannah".

i suddenly felt my palms start to sweat as he took the small, black box out of the bag and showed me a bracelet with a heart-shaped diamond charm attached to it.

"happy birthday" max added.

i shook my head as i remembered back to all the thoughts that i've been having over the past few days.

"max, stop. i can't" i lightly pushed the box away and promptly made my way towards the door.

"savannah, why?...did you not hear what i said?" he chuckled then caressed my cheek with his hand. "i love you".

i immediately stepped back, "and you're hiding something from me about that night that you were attacked".

"what are you—?".

i groaned in frustration, "something is off, max. okay, i know it".

"savannah, this is ridiculous" he snickered at the situation. "i'm not hiding anything, jack attacked me and that's what you know".

"do i?" i questioned him, before we were interrupted by the bedroom door slowly opening.

"oops, sorry" caleb apologised, backing away. "i'm just trying to find the bathroom".

i turned to max and folded my arms across my chest, "actually, stay. max, you either tell me...or caleb will".

i watched max worriedly, but quickly, glance past me at the door.

"caleb, doesn't kn—".

"i'm not stupid" i sternly reminded him.

"well?" caleb spoke. "are you gonna tell her or should i start?".

max pointed his finger straight at him, "don't you dare. we had a deal".

"you know what? i actually couldn't give two shits about the deal anymore" caleb entered the room even further and shut the door. "jack is sitting in prison day and night for something that he didn't even do!".

i stared at max whilst my heart practically performed cartwheels in my chest, "max, what is he talking about?".

"he's lying" he assured.

"max...just tell me!" i now exclaimed, beating his chest until he restrained me and held onto my much-weaker arms.

"i-i can't, i can't" he shook his head and tried to hold onto my hands, but i yanked out of his hold.

"jack did punch max, but that was it" caleb added. "he never beat up max, he went inside derek's house and that was it. this psycho faked his own attack".

-

THE TRUTH IS FINALLY OUT IN THE OPEN

my heart couldn't deal with all those emotional javannah chapters so now it's officially confirmed that our baby jack is innocent

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