Evangeline pressed her books tighter against her body as her shaky hands struggled to open her locker.

She couldn't believe what just happened in that office, spending the entire morning thinking about what Mrs. Biggun had said and whether the news traveled to her mother yet. Zarek had got Eva into so much trouble in the past, but administration was never involved. He never used her mother - her family - against her and she hoped he wouldn't start now.

Her delicate fingers set the three pass numbers, yet the lock wouldn't give in. She always hated lockers, they were too frustrating. As she was inserting the same three digits over and over again, she didn't understand why it wouldn't just open. 1-12, that was the lock. It was the day she ever stepped a foot in Dessertville - January 12 - yet the metal box was too stubborn.

"Hey," Justin greeted in a hurry, "Where's Trudy?"

"I'm fine, thanks for asking." Eva's eyes never averted from the lock in her hand. "She's home."

"What?" Justin's big eyes widened, his face mortified, "Why? Is she avoiding me?"

Justin is acting so cute. She wished she had someone as sweet as him. Her hazel eyes only glanced at him for a second, her free hand brushed her red, silky hair away from her freckled face. "She's not," she assured, bending down and abounding her heavy textbooks on the floor, "She's sick. Food poisoning. She won't come to school for a couple of days, at least."

"Oh." Justin's eyes were so broken it touched Eva's thin heart. He was such a cutie. "So no chance for me there, huh?" he mumbled as he walked away.

Eva rolled her eyes. "You're welcome," she muttered, her gaze fixed on the lock with a mission. As her hands kept fingering the lock, she couldn't help but hear Iliza and Flora gossiping a few feet away from her.

"Didn't you hear?" Iliza asked Flora, "Wendy didn't come to the Spring Ball. She was too embarrassed because Ashton rejected her."

"Forget about that for now," Flora said, leaning towards Iliza, "I heard that Anna and Hunter got back together."

Evangeline was dissapointed with those two girls. They had a million other topic they could've talked about but they still chose to stick their noses in the personal lives of others. Evangeline shook her head, giving up on them and on opening her locker - she already wasted enough time that she could've used to feed her hungry stomach.

She bent down and picked up her heavy textbooks, deciding to carry them to the cafeteria. As she rose to her feet, her hazel eyes crossed with Ryan's forest green ones. She had expected a sort of reaction from him, especially after the tantrum she threw at him a couple of days ago at the Central Donut Park. What she didn't expect, however, was for her to be met with Ryan's total ignorance.

Ryan pretended as if he hadn't recognized the glinting hazel eyes and continued walking straight across. He didn't acknowledge Eva's existence in the slightest - he didn't even offer her a nod. The gesture was too similar to what Hannah always did whenever they crossed paths in the hallway, and the pang in Eva's heart intensified by a million.

Eva was furious. What Ryan did was immature and childish. Eva might have overreacted the last time they talked -more like fought- but her anger was justifiable. She had just been told that her love interest wasn't exactly interested. She couldn't have helped it. What Ryan did, in the other hand, was his own choice. He was cool and calm yet chose to make matters worse between them.

All of her anger turned into frustration when she bumped into Alisha, her causin. Alisha was wearing a white tank top; her signature clothing piece. The transparent fabric clung to her body so much that someone could easily see the pink bra she had underneath. Eva wondered for a second how the girl wasn't shivering from the chilly spring atmosphere - Eva was wearing a sweatshirt and a jacket and she was still cold - or how no one talked to her about violating the dress code.

Alisha's coated lips curled in a disgusted pout, their bright pink color matching her bra so perfectly as if it was done on purpose. "Are you blind?" Alisha hissed, "Watch it, bitch."

Eva winced at the hurtful language, her causin never failing to humiliate her every chance she got. Eva never knew where all the hate her causin directed at her came from. Eva didn't want to make a scene, and since Alisha looked eager to, Eva chose to avoid her causin and be as subtle as possible.

"Sorry," Eva muttered, not meeting Alisha's gaze. Evangeline was about to head to the cafeteria to have lunch - her stomach was screaming at her.

Alisha disagreed. She pulled Eva's wrist, hazel eyes similar to Eva's yet so different. "Not so quick," Alisha said, her voice loud enough to attract the students' attention, "I see you've been wandering the nights, lately?" She smirked, her pink fingernails picking at her pink bra strap. "I don't think Aunt Hannah would like that, would she?"

It was just then that Eva's mind took her back to when she fought with Zarek, realizing that Alisha witnessed it all.

Evangeline was scared. Alisha had been waiting for Eva to mess up her entire life, and Eva just gave her the golden chance. What if Alisha told Hannah about Eva's affair with Zarek? There was no affair to begin with, but Hannah would never understand Eva and assume the worst.

Feeling all the students' eyes on her, Eva couldn't help but blush. "What do you want?"

Alisha took a step forward, her slightly crooked tooth evident. Oh, Eva remembered, Maybe she is still holding a grudge ever since I crooked her tooth when we were five? But that was unlikely. It was so far back in the past. Surely, Alisha wasn't that immature.

Alisha's smile fell as she glared at Eva. "I want you to stay away from Zarek."

"What? Zarek?" Eva frowned, "Why? He doesn't even like you." He doesn't like anyone for that matter, Eva thought sadly, Not even me.

Zarek appeared out of no where, his face blank. "Think again," he said as he grabbed Alisha's face with both hands roughly, his lips devouring her own.

The crowd of students gasped. All the color fell from Eva's face as she watched their heated tongue action. Zarek is making out with Alisha. Alisha's eyes were closed but his were wide open, electric green staring right at Eva's broken face.

They finally separated. Zarek wiped his mouth. Eva was about to run away like the coward she was when a strong grasp grabbed her arm and pushed her back to the locker, knocking off all of her heavy books to the ground. Before Eva could comprehend what was happening, a wide chest wearing a black shirt was in front of her. It took another second for strong cigarette smell to hit her, and for Zarek's gaze to meet hers.

Zarek's electric green eyes were cloudy and gloomy, lightning striking in them. It was as if she was staring at a wild storm. Her eyes flickered to his lips. They were moving fast. Angrily. Eva frowned. She was too intoxicated with him to hear his words.

His profanities were getting clearer and clearer every time she blinked. Zarek's tight grip was still holding her, pinning her in place. His chest was so close that it made her push herself against the locker to keep some distance between them. His eyes never left hers as he continued to roar his threats.

"Do you hear me, whore?" he sneered, shaking her arm, "You better fuc-"

Eva glanced at Alisha, too perplexed to react. Alisha was smirking, enjoying the situation way too much. Eva's eyes glanced at the crowds' sympathetic eyes, feeling too familiar to last year. All of Zarek's previous bullying rushed to her head, overwhelming her.

Eva felt utterly stupid and dumb for believing he had changed, having faith is so wrong.

When Eva's eyes returned back to look at Zarek's own, she saw something in them. His eyes were still cold and emotionless, but to the point of desperation.

Zarek masked it so quick it made Eva question whether she mistook what she saw. He glared at her. "This is the last time I let you pull shit like that without physically hurting you, but I promise you to turn your life hell nonetheless."

Physically hurting her? Eva was visibly shaking, her breathing interpreted with her fear as her ears whistled. She clutched at the locker behind her so she wouldn't faint and make a bigger fool out of herself. Eva had no idea how to feel about Zarek's threat, still not over his proximity yet.

He let go of his firm grip on her arm and stormed away. Eva's other hand nonchalantly massaged the spot with the possible bruise. She didn't feel the pain immediately though, she was too numb for that.

Eva was met with the heavy silence of the hall. She couldn't hold her tears, so she ran away like the coward she was. She let her feet guide her all the way to the schools' front lawn. She sat under the shadow of a tree, hugging her knees to her chest. She was crying, she was so pathetic.

She just let Zarek walk all over her in front of everyone. So much for standing up for myself, Eva internally whimpered.

She didn't understand why Zarek hated her so much. She had done nothing, absolutely nothing, to hurt him, yet he kept bullying her. Was Alisha his girlfriend all along? Was the bet to date both cousins at the same time? Even if, Eva couldn't imagine someone in their right mind would do such a senseless thing.

And her causin, Alisha. Eva had never understood why her cousin considered her an enemy. For anything, they were family, the people who were supposed to be there for each other and not the other way around. Eva couldn't blame her, after all her own mother wasn't there for her.

Someone's shadow fell on Eva's crumbled body. Her wet eyes looked up, the sun too blinding to see who the tall figure was.

He sat down next to her, ginger hair competing with her own red one. "You forgot your books," Ashton stated, putting the pile of textbooks on the grass. One of the covers was folded, Eva fought the perfectionist in her to fix it.

Eva hated being seen so weak and fragile, it made her feel small and stupid. She cleared her throat, wiping the hot tears as she forced a smile. "Thanks."

"Are you okay?" Ashton's concerned eyes observed Eva, "How are you feeling?"

Eva nodded, trying to convince herself. "Fine, I guess." She was not fine, she was a mess. She needed Trudy at her side, especially since Zarek was back at bullying her again.

"Why don't you tell anyone?" Ashton said, a hint of blame in his voice, "Don't let him get away with it."

"Just-... please, forget it. I-I can handle this."

Eva's stomach growled so loud she was sure Ashton heard her. She cursed herself. The situation was uncomfortable just the way it was, it didn't need her hunger to add up to the pile of awkwardness. She was supposed to go to the cafeteria for lunch, but her encounters didn't let her. She was also too embarrassed to show her face at school after what happened.

Ashton chuckled. "Hungry?"

Eva was glad Ashton dropped the subject. She nodded, "Yes," she admitted, a blush coloring her tear-stained face.

Ashton searched his pocket, pulling out a cereal bar. He offered it to Eva. "There you go."

Eva gladly took it. "Thank you." She frowned when she had a closer look at the wrap. "A fitness bar?" she questioned, "Why do you eat that?"

Ashton averted his gaze, obviously hiding something. "Ah, I don't."

Eva laughed, he is too cute. As Ashton laughed along, she couldn't help but slightly appreciate Ashton next to her. Even though they weren't that close, he was the only one who came after her.