The barbecue party went really well, at some point I remember dancing with Hale but I was so exhausted by the end and with wine in my system, the party was a little blur. But I remember James, the way his eyes followed me all night and the time he kissed my hair. Mark picked us up since James had a few beers and didn't want to take a risk driving.

As I drink milk on the Monday morning while sitting on the bar stool in the kitchen counter, I can't help the smile on my face when I realise how better things have been between James and I. He hasn't snapped at me in what seems like forever.

"Mrs. George, do you have kids?" I ask as she seems to be chopping vegetables.

She smiles at me, "Yes, my dear. An eleven year daughter, just as beautiful as you."

"I would love to meet her sometime." I tell her before pulling out my pill pack from the bag and setting it in front of me just so I don't forget to have it after breakfast.

James enters the kitchen in his dark gray suit, moving to the refrigerator as he pulls out a cold water bottle. He doesn't say a word to me, not even good morning which makes me scowl as I stare at him.

Maybe I spoke too soon about the things being good. I hadn't seen him yesterday at all apart from the dinner where we barely exchanged a couple of words but at least he acknowledged my presence last night.

He turns around, setting a glass on the island as he scrolls through his phone and I scold myself to look away because frowning at him won't make me feel better. Every time he gives me a cold shoulder, there's this deep sinking feeling which sets in my stomach that I cannot seem to shake.

I sigh, ignoring him just as he ignored me and pull out a tablet before having it. When I put the glass of water down, I feel his gaze on me, scowling at me, actually.

"Are you sick?" He asks, pointing at the tablet pack and I wonder if there's a way to disappear right this moment.

"Nope." I say as I slide off the stool and put the pack in my bag before turning to wash the dishes I just used.

"What's the pill for?" He asks, crossing his arms across his chest, having his full attention.

This is an awkward conversation as it is but with Mrs. George's presence it just makes things more embarrassing as I turn around to stare at James.

"It's birth control pill." I tell him and his eyes widen a little, clearly surprised as he continues to stare at me.

"Why?" His eyebrows frown so deep that it looks painful.

Mrs. George must sense the tension because she silently leaves the kitchen and I stare at James. "Why what?"

He opens his mouth to further explain his question because I really don't understand what he's trying to ask. "Never mind." He runs a hand through his hair before picking up his phone from the island and leaving the kitchen.

I let out a sigh of relief as he leaves but it still doesn't ease the tension in my shoulders. I pick up my bag and make my way out in the driveway. The sedan I drive is blocked by James's car who's on the phone in the front yard.

His ignorance just pisses me off more as I go sit in my car and wait for him to finish his phone call but when it's been ten minutes and he doesn't budge from his place, his back to me, I honk the horn and he turns around, his eyes narrowing as he notices it's me.

He continues to speak something in his phone as he turns to walk to his car. He backs up in the driveway, giving me enough space to let my car out and without giving any gesture, I drive away.

On a red light, I remove my rings and keep it in my jeans pocket before driving to the similar streets to my college. The semester is almost over with finals in the next month and I can't wait to be in Senior Year so I can work the entire year.

When I enter the cafeteria where Max said I should come, Natalie is the first to spot me and waves me to where they are sitting.

"Hey guys." I smile at everyone before Ashley pulls me into a hug.

"So, I think you've got us all super curious and Austin here has pledged to convince you to come to at least one college party." Max says and I squint my eyes at Austin who just shrugs.

"You dream big, don't you?" I tease and Caleb laughs, kissing his cheek.

"We'll convince you. Just wait." Austin smirks at me.

"Good luck with that." Natalie laughs and I look at her, she winks at me.

"See, at least someone has faith in my resistance capabilities." I tell Ashley who just gives me a look.

Max laughs it out before he offers me his coffee but I shake my head. Everyone talks about the party tomorrow night and I cringe at the thought of a weekday college party, that cannot end well for anyone.

"We're thinking about having a sleepover on Saturday, at our place. Just the five of us, anyone can bring dates if they want." Ashley suggests, looking at Max and I look between them.

A sleepover sounds nice, like really nice. I'm not a party person so I know if they had mentioned clubbing, I would've straight out said no but staying in sounds like fun. I don't know how well that will go when I have to explain to James that I won't be home for the night.

I look between everyone, "Can I confirm in a few days?" I ask and Max nods.

"Yes, of course."

If I really want to do this I just have to be honest to him and tell him that I won't be home Saturday night. I just have to tell him when he's in a better mood. Gosh, it reminds me of freshman year when I had to take my parent's permission for sleepovers. Except I'm not taking permission, I'm telling him about my whereabouts.

Since I'm pissed at James and he's clearly pissed at me, I skip going to office after the classes. I have an assignment to do anyway so I decide to make use of the study room because I've been dying to spend some time in peace alone.

I already had lunch with Ashley after classes so I head straight up to the study with my bag. I sit down in the chair behind the desk and pull out my laptop as I begin the assignment. I get very easily distracted by the books on the shelves as I look over the cover of each one of them.

"Alright, Lillian. Focus." I scold myself as I start my assignment which is due in two days and I know I won't get it done if I start anytime later.

My stomach grumbles in the evening as the sunlight stops pouring from the blinds and I sigh but just open Netflix to take a break and watch one episode of The Office before going back to the work.

The door to the room yanks open, making me jump in my seat from surprise as I look at James standing there, his expressions filled with annoyance.

"Where the hell have you been?" He asks, putting his hands in his pockets and I frown at him.

"Right here."

"Where's your phone, Mrs. Clark?" He asks, his voice layered with annoyance.

I pull out my phone from the bag on the table and there are five missed calls from James and two from Mrs. George. I had no idea my phone was on silent, I must've forgotten to put it on ringer after the lecture.

"I'm sorry. It was on silent and I was just doing my assignment." I apologise because I know how worrying it would be if the situation was reversed.

"Why didn't Mrs. George know you were back from college? Or why didn't you come to the office?" He asks, and I stand up from the chair as I clear my throat, putting the laptop screen down.

"I couldn't find her when I came back home so I came upstairs, have been cooped up here ever since." I breathe, trying that my calm tone also calms him down.

He glares at me, taking a step into the room as the door shuts behind him, "Why are you on the pill?" He asks, and I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

Has he been pissed about this all this while? I give him a look, "My mother doesn't know we live two different lives, and she's very intruding so I had to go on the pill in order to convince her I'm not getting pregnant anytime soon."

"And it has nothing to do with sleeping with, I don't know, someone else?" He asks, his jaw twitching, making me scowl at him.

"What are you accusing me of, Mr. Clark?" I ask, standing right in front of him as I cross my arms, offended by his words and honestly, a little hurt that he would say that.

His eyes drop down to my hand resting on my forearm and he immediately frowns. When I look down at what's got him even more infuriated, I realise that my fingers are bare.

Before I can even react, he glares at my hand, examining my fingers before looking up at me.

"Did you lose your ring, Mrs. Clark?" His voice is way too calm for my liking, aware of the storm brewing behind his eyes.

I slowly shake my head, "No."

His gaze is enough to knock me in the knees but somehow I manage to stand. God, what an idiot I am. How can I forget to wear the ring? It's so simple to remove it before lectures and wear it again. Whatever upper hand I had in this conversation is down the drain now as I look at his with nervous knots in my stomach.

"Where the hell is your ring, Lillian?" He asks, anger lacing his every word.

I take a shaky breath before opening my mouth to speak, "I must have taken it off during the shower in the morning, I do that." I say and his glare is challenging, as if daring me to lie even further.

"Mrs. George would have returned you the ring if she would have found it." He says, and I look down at my feet.

It's vain lying to him, there's no hiding from him. He will find out sooner or later, so I slip my hand down my pocket and pull the rings out and put them on my ring finger.

"Why did you take it off?" He asks, taking a step forward but I take a step back, not realising that I was so close to the wall.

He had me trapped now and I look into his eyes, fear crippling me about how he would react.

"I am not going to ask again, Mrs. Clark, you know how I hate to repeat myself. Why. Did. You. Take. It. Off?"

"I take it off before college lectures." I say, my voice barely a whisper but the way he slams a fist to the wall beside me, I know he heard me. "Please, James.. you're scaring me." I say, tears welling up in my eyes.

He takes a step back at my words and tugs at the root of his hair, clearly exasperated as his eyes come down to settle on me again. "I've done everything to make you comfortable. I know I'm not the easiest person to deal with, but I've catered to everything you asked. You have your own room, you're getting a degree, I even let you in on the company. What else has to be done for it to be enough for you?"

I gulp, his words making the tears run down my face, "What are you talking about?"

My voice is barely a whisper as I try to make sense of his words. I'm grateful for everything he's done, I really am. I can't even begin to thank him for accommodating to my needs.

"You got a boyfriend in college, Lil? Oh, what was his name, Max?" He glares at me. "And since you aren't wearing your rings, I'll assume no one knows you're married."

I part my gaze from his deadly eyes and let out a breath, "He's a friend, James. That's all." I tell him honestly. How can he even think otherwise? If he had met my group of friends, he would realise that Max and Ashley are so oblivious to each other's feelings I feel almost sorry for them.

"Is he, really?" He cocks his head to the side, eyeing me.

I see something behind his eyes, something I haven't seen before in a man's eyes, especially when the emotion is directed towards me. I don't know how I feel about the discovery, but it sure as hell leaves me surprised. It's the same look he wore at the barbecue party when Sam was staring at me, it's the same look he wears when Hale and I are joking around.

"You're jealous." I state, shock lacing my words.

If his glare could turn colder, and his eyes any darker, it happens, because his eyes mask everything I could see through. He's taking deep breaths as he clenches his hands into a fist.

"You're jealous, aren't you?" I ask, again. Because I want to know if it's true.

"The hell I am jealous, Lil! You're my goddamn wife!" He practically yells and something bubbles inside me, something so raw, clawing at my heart and I stare him.

"Am I? Your goddamn wife, am I, James? Because you sure as hell don't treat me like one! You barely talk to me, you are always on the phone with your colleagues and you sure as hell don't give me your time. I have my own fucking separate room, for pete's sake!" I exclaim, my voice laced with anger and he stares at me dumbfounded.

"I gave you the room because I wanted you to be as comfortable as possible! You slept on a damn couch our whole honeymoon." He states and I glare at him.

"What did you expect me to do? Climb in a fucking bed with you, like Amy?" I say through gritted teeth.

He stares at me for a moment, reading my face, as if unravelling a mystery before he finally opens his mouth, "You're jealous." He says and my eyes turn even sharper.

"The hell I am jealous, James! You're my goddamn husband!" I yell.

He takes a step forward but before I can even comprehend what the hell is happening, he crashes his lips against mine, rushing it with so much haste as his arms come to circle my waist and I am thankful for the support, because if it weren't for this, my knees wouldn't have been able to take the weight of my body.

His lips press against my own but the shock is such, that I stand there frozen, not saying or doing anything and that's when he speaks up. "Please, Lil." He pleads, his voice almost cracking and it's like I break out of the trance.

My hands meet his hair as I pull him even closer to myself, my lips moving against his own as I take in the smell of his cologne, and his minty breath lacing every part of my lips. His hands move under my shirt and I make no attempt to stop him, because I don't want to. I have waited too long for this, too long to imagine what his lips tastes like or how he kisses.

He dominates the kiss as his tongue asks for the entrance, to which I immediately oblige, and our tongues mingle, exploring and savouring every bit of each other as we hold each other in a death grip. I don't want to let go as I devour his kisses against my mouth because I'm so afraid of what will follow after this.

So I hold him close to me as I continue to kiss him, praying that my life could be frozen right this minute. His teeth graze my lower lip before biting on it lightly, enough to make me moan.

"Fuck, Lil." He groans, pressing himself against me and I gasp when his groin rubs against me, making me realise that I have this impact on him, that I can affect him this way.

His mouth leaves mine as he takes a step back, his arms still around my waist as he studies my face. When his arms leave my body, I immediately know what's about to come next which is what I was so afraid of, which is why I wanted to continue kissing him.

He looks at me for a second, his eyes lingering on my face before he tugs on his hair and turns around to leave the room, leaving me completely devastated and my knees finally give under me.