Next Day.

I found myself lying in bed thinking about things.. Life actually, and that's not a good thing. You see, I have a tendency to overthink things. Which is why I hate staying awake when I'm really trying to go to sleep.

Last night Jack managed to get me home safely. This time I even remembered in picking up my sister but decided not to because as much as I can't stand her I didn't feel comfortable putting her in the same car as Jack.

So instead I talked to her friend's mother and asked if she can bring Mandy over. Thankfully they understand our situation and are genuinely nice people so it was no surprise when they agreed to bring her over in no time.

The talk about my sister helped me avoid small talk by my doorstep with Jack the way he always does when he drops my off. I didn't want to speak, I didn't want to do anything. It's been a long night and I was already disappointed as it is that it didn't go as planned. I guess that's a feeling I'm going to have to get used to now. The feeling of surprise and disappointment because that's a package deal when it comes to dealing with Jack. He said nothing more, just stood behind me as I quietly entered my house as soon as I was finished with the call. Though I do remember another thing, I told him to stop watching me at my house and following me around the way he does. He just left it with a small nod. I'm not okay with him following me to 'keep me safe' from whatever it is he wants to protect me from. It's my home and my family, and that draws the line. They don't know about his past but I do. I've seen what he's capable of doing and that's not going anywhere near my family.

Sighing, I sat up in bed, rubbing fiercely at my temples. I tried to calm myself down before I go insane.

It's almost four in the afternoon and I'm exhausted. Yet sleep won't overcome me and I have no idea why.

My mom's still not back from visiting that sick relative of ours that I've never met before. I called her this morning asking how everything was, but she sounded a little defeated. She still had no idea on when she would be home and that brought my mood little bit down because I really am starting to miss her. I told her not to worry though, Mandy and I were doing just fine. James isn't back either. I only have Mandy and sometimes that's the same as being alone.

So now I'm stuck here, floating in my own thoughts until something decides to happen.

And for crying out loud, my prayers were answered.

My head sharply turned when I heard my phone buzz. I didn't mind moving from the comfortable position I was in. I rolled over, my fingers clasping hold of the device. Alex's name flashed on the screen, I opened the text.

Alex:

YOU NEED TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED LAST NIGHT!

Okay so maybe it wasn't the best thing to do at the moment but it is what it is. And I wasn't going to lie, I felt bad for what happened. My friends, my best friends who've stuck right by me through thick and thin couldn't be there for me for the first time. That's my fault. They probably felt so confused, so lost, and so scared. They know who he is too.. And they didn't understand why on earth I'd be leaving with him like that.

I know. 😔 And I will. But not here, not like this.

I responded before hitting send.

Looking back up and around my room, I bit my lip. I was so nervous in telling them the truth. As much as I love them and all, they're not as easy to convince or even talk to as James. James is more set forward. He'll stand by your decision no matter what. That's just the free spirited kind of guy he is. You tell him you're thinking of skydiving, he won't even ask if you're sure, he'll ask if he can join. My friends on the other hand, well, we all know how my friends are. They could barely agree on a situation themselves. So what would I be expecting when I tell them about everything that's been going on with Jack? A lot of different opinions that's for sure.

Alex:

Come by my house tonight. I'll tell the other girls too. My parents will be out working late so we can stay up and watch movies and stuff when you're done after. 😊😉

In the end, I liked the idea. Maybe a chill night at a house being just girls would be just what I need.

I'm in! Say.. 9-ish?

It didn't take long for her to reply. Don't count her to reply to your messages when you want to talk or something, she'll take forever. But leave it to Alex go be the first to reply when there is talk about making plans.

Alex:

9 it is. Bring some ice cream too! I'm all out.. xoxo 😇😋🍧

I playfully rolled my eyes as I read her message, laughing before replying with a quick okay. She was lucky my Mom just bought a new bucket of chocolate chunk ice cream and another one of mint chocolate chip before she left that is still left untouched on our freezer. If it wasn't for that I'd tell her she's screwed because I don't have time to go to a grocery store tonight.

I dropped my phone over my duvet, looking back at my laptop screen. The time read five now. I guess now it's time for me to find Mandy yet another place to be at for the night. I'm not taking her with me, she becomes so annoying around my friends and I can't have that, this is serious what we're going to talk about. And I really do feel bad for her moving from place to place like this but no one could get through to her. Only our father. So until further notice, she'll be sleeping over at Jenn's.

And I will be telling my friends about everything that's been going on lately. And yes, that includes the whole Jack situation. They don't know it yet but my friends are in for quite a night.

* * *

Night fell pretty quickly than usual. Maybe it was because of the storming weather coming soon. What ever it was, it wasn't pretty. I wanted to get in doors quickly before rain came down pouring on me and the surprisingly still cold buckets of ice cream. My fist rose to knock on the door but I was beat to it by the door swinging open from the other side. I was welcomed by Alex with my fist in the air, an awkward look in my face.

"Get in here!" She pulled me in.

I looked back at her with furrowed eyebrows as she locked the door with three different locks and a chain. My other friends came surprising me from behind before I had the chance to ask her what she was doing. Much to my surprise, they all looked like they were getting along just fine without me to tell them to be nice with each other.

"Where have you been!" Charlotte exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's almost 11!" Emma stepped in.

I just watched around at all my friends. They all had on their pajamas, big baggy pants and a tank top. I didn't know this was going to be a pajama party too.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know we were doing a pajama party.." I chuckled looking back at all my friends. Alex walked up behind me and gripped me by my shoulders. Moving me past the others and into the living room.

"None of that matters." She spoke quickly moving me to sit down in one of the three living room couches she had. They all took a seat in the other couches and watched me in concentration. I wasn't liking where this was going.

"SPILL!" Alex's eye widened.

"I brought the ice cream." I raised the bag in which the ice creams were in. None of them seemed to care much about it then. All but Charlotte.

"Give me that!" She exclaimed taking the bag and pulling out the cartons in her hands. Emma who was right besides her took the mint chocolate chip one and looked back at me with a strange expression in her face.

"Really, Liz?" She questioned. "You're the only one who could eat this chocolate-toothpaste flavored thing."

"Hey.." Alex jumped in. "That's my favorite too."

I was about to respond to her comment when Charlotte jumped in once again.

"C'mon Liz." She arched a brow. "Talk to us.. You're friends with Jack Gilinsky now?"

"No." I quickly shook my head. Fluttering my eyes back up at my friends, I noticed the concerned looks on their face.

I sighed before speaking again.

"But we're no strangers either.."

* * *

"H-He saved you?" Emma stuttered. "Jack saved you?"

I nodded.

The girls looked astounded at what I had told them. We were all lying around Alex's movie room. It's not really a movie room, just another very ample and empty spaced room in which only contains a couch and two couch chairs. In the back there's a little kitchen with drawers and a fridge Alex had put in so we can watch movies here and eat snacks at the same time. There were pillows everywhere as well as sheets and food. As I predicted, the movie being projected into the empty white wall in front of us was being ignored as we ate out our buckets of ice cream and talked. To my perks, I had the mint chocolate chip carton all to myself after Alex said she didn't want anymore.

"All this time, he's been saving you?" Charlotte reassured, sounding surprised even for herself.

I could feel the pink rise in my cheeks as I confirmed what had happened. We shared pretty muh everything with each other, something that made us close as friends. But I wasn't used to being the one telling the story this time. Usually I'm the one listening to one of their boy problems. Like I said before, I was never that popular with guys. These girls were. Especially Alex.

"I don't understand?" Emma turned back to Alex who was silently still trying to soak in all the new information. "You said the guy doesn't care about anyone else other than himself.."

"He obviously cares about Liz." Charlotte jumped in.

"It's not like I know the guy.." Alex jumped in. "My sister was the one that told me everything about him! Everything I told you!"

"Oh my God, he likes you!" Emma blurted out.

"He doesn't like me!" I widened my eyes back at her. I repeated myself more than a hundred time tonight and they still seem to be capable of understanding that. "If anything, he's annoyed by me. Just as I am with him."

"How do you know that?" Alex arched a brow. "I mean, you two kissed right? And he saved you not once, not twice, but three times? Ended up brutally beating a guy for you. Oh and let's not forget the stalking."

She didn't make things easier by refreshing my memory.

"Thank you, Alex." I smiled back with sarcasm dripping from my mouth.

"All I'm saying is that I don't think he's that bad of a guy after all." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Are you listening to yourself!" Charlotte stepped in, glancing from Alex back to me. "Liz, it's still true what people say about him. They're scared of him for a reason. I don't like the fact that you're with him." She crossed her arms over her shoulders.

Like I said, different opinions.

"Guys--" I tried to make a menace of the situation. Like always, I failed.

"I think he's a good guy." Emma stepped up.

"Thank you, Em!" Alex exclaimed.

"Oh for crying out loud, Em thinks everyone is a good person." Charlotte broke in.

"Girls--" I tried to speak again, this time closing my eyes and signing.

"And, it's not that I don't think he's a good guy," Charlotte spoke up again. "I just want to look out for Liz."

They weren't making things easier. It was already hard enough to tell them such things have been occurring to me. Yet, they didn't even ask once if I was ever okay with some of the stuff I told them. I was already hurt, and they're hurting me more by not even caring about my opinion in this.

I wanted James back, someone to run off to and talk about their nonsense right now. Who knows where he is now, usually he's back around now but I don't see it happening any time soon since he's been taking those late shifts at the coffee house.

Sighing, I watched my friends continue arguing. I didn't see this going anywhere, especially since the talk was about my life. So instead I just leaned over and started putting my shoes back on. They didn't seem to notice me but I continued with my actions. Standing up, I searched for my coat. I strapped it on, buttoning up midway before grabbing my bag.

I was already halfway out the room when I heard my friends call back out to me. I closed my eyes in frustration. They're not even seeing the big picture here and it really hurts me.

Turning around, I felt heat start to rush through my body.

"I didn't tell you this to get your opinion if I should keep seeing Jack or not. That's up to me to decide." I paused, a worrying look growing on their faces. "I came to explain what was going on because I left you guys scared last night and I felt bad. I came to explain this to you so you're not left confused next time if you see us two talking. IF you see us talking again. I already made things clear with him that he has to keep his boundaries. And trust me, I'm not as interested in seeing him again." My friends all gave each other silent stares. Much to my awareness, I knew the felt ashamed. "This is why I didn't tell you guys in the first place. Like always, you make everything about yourselves."

"LIZ!" My friends called out as I gripped the door handle of the room.

Not giving them a second notice, I stormed out. I didn't know what came rushing upon me at the moment. I've never dissed my friends like that. No one actually! And I choose them to start off with? I was so mad, sad even. I just needed to get out, go back home and think things over again.

I was right about my friends. It's just always about them. And now because of that, we have bad blood.

* * *

I safely took a cab back home at the break of midnight. The street was lonesome, no new cars in sight. For once I think Jack actually listened to me when I told him to stay away. I still wasn't ready for him. I wasn't ready for my friends. And I wasn't even ready for James who I'm sure would be dying to keep me up all night just talking about my feelings. Like I said, I just need some time to think. So right now, I wasn't ready for anyone.

"Are you sure Mandy can stay over tonight?" I asked Jenn's Mom over the phone as I struggled to unlock to door in front of me while holding the phone to my ear and praying it would not fall.

"Yes I'm sure, she's no trouble here. You take as long as you need. I'll even tell your mother that I can have her here until she's back." Jenn's Mom spoke over from the other line.

I finally managed to unlock the door and walking inside. I turned in the hallway light.

"Oh no, I couldn't have you do that." I shook my head, switching the hands holding my phone as I removed some stuff over me.

"That's alright. I know how you teenagers are. I was eighteen too, once." She joked. "You're a busy girl, Elizabeth. Mandy will be safe here."

My coat was removed and hung on the coat hanger besides the key holder. A sigh of relief flushing over my body.

"Again, Mrs. Miller, thank you so much!" I locked my house one again, this time moving past everything and heading straight to my room.

"There's no need to be thanking me." I could imagine her smiling over the line. "Come by whenever. We'll be here."

The door to my room was opened and then closed again. Shoes immediately being kicked off.

"I'll call by again tomorrow morning." I responded walking over to my drawers.

"Alright then." I sensed her smiling. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." I responded with a fake happy tone before weakly throwing my phone back over my bed.

Like I said. I wanted to be around no one right now. My sister above all. She's too young to understand anyways. Sometimes I wanna go back to being fifteen, when the only problem I had was dealing with the ending of Gossip Girl.

I quickly changed into my pajamas. A read and black plaid shorts with a black tank top over my torso. I didn't bother to take a shower. The only thing I went in the bathroom to do was brush my teeth and come back out to my bed. There were countless messages and missed calls for them. I didn't even bother to read or hear the voicemails they left me. It'll just make me feel worse than I already am for screaming at them like that. But they deserved it.. I think?

Whatever. All I know is that I need to sleep.

Yeah, sleep sounds good right about now.

* * *

Thump.

I shifted in bed, turning on my side tiredly.

Thump.

Groaning, I tried my best to block out the noise.

Thump.

What in the world..?

Turning around, I looked at the alarm clock that was set besides my nightstand which read 1:45 a.m.

Crash. Bump. Thump.

"Shit"  I heard someone mutter angrily to themselves.

I sat up in bed once I realized the sound was coming from inside my room. My long t shirt, being the only thing I wore over some really short and loose shorts, fell over my torso. There was no one home, I was sure of it. With everyone away, I think it was safe to say I was growing scared.

I swallowed hard, slowly shifting upwards. I dropped my feet to the carpet grounds, my heart beginning to accelerate with each step I took. I was being careful enough not to make a sound. Walking over to where I heard the sound come from, I felt my stomach drop at the sight of my window being open. It was closed before I fell asleep.

Turning around, I ran into something, or should I say, someone.

I opened my mouth, ready to scream my brains out when a hand clasped over my mouth. I began to freak out, trying to pry the hand off of my mouth.

"Will you calm down?!" A deep, yet familiar husky voice spoke. "It's just me!"

Calming down enough for the person to take their hand away from my mouth, I turned around to see Jack standing right in front of me.

"What the Hell, Jack?" I hissed quietly, remembering it was dawn and my neighbors aren't afraid to call the cops because of a noise disturbance.

"I didn't know where else to come." He spoke somewhat sincerely.

I was just about to question his remark when somehow the answer was reflected right back at me. No seriously, the lights from outside radiated off his body which cast a soft glow and contrasting color on his skin-- but it wasn't just any color.

It was blood.