<---Come on ladies and gents...Vote and show how much you'all love Derek and Evan ;P

Cookie: Hmmm, well...I dont really like this chapter. It feels..."bleh" to me :/ oh well...*shrugs*

I randomly decided that Daisy will be played by Megan Fox. Pic on the right

Youtube song is "Apologize" by One Republic

I didn't edit so I'll be editing this as I re-read along after publishing...lol

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~Derek's POV~

I held Evan's hand a little tighter, trying hard to keep myself from grabbing Charlie's damn shirt and hauling his sorry ass outside where I could beat the truth out the smug look on his face.

      "Hey," I said, making eye contact to make sure that he knew I was talking to him. I jerked my head towards the front door."We need to talk. Let's step outside." Just in case things got ugly, we needed to take this conversation outside.

     That damn annoying grin was still on his face when he stood, taking his time about it. "Sure," he said, "let's talk."

     I wanted to wipe that stupid grin off his face. I could feel my body already straining, shaking from my suppressed rage that this guy, Charlie, someone who I had seen as a friend...could be so fucking two-faced. He must know what we were here for but look at him, he looked completely unnerved, totally chill. It made me wanna knock him out even more.

     "Derek," a gentle voice broke through my pent up anger. I blinked and looked down, meeting Evan's worried green eyes. He had always been able to read me like a book so I had no doubt that he knew what I was thinking and that worried him. I had promised him that I wouldn't attack Charlie unless provoked but...damn.

     I took a deep breath and released it. I gave his hand a firm squeeze and nodded. "I'm fine." As long as Evan was here by my side, holding my hand just like this...I'll be fine. Maybe. Charlie's attitude was getting on my last nerves right about now.

     "The rest of you better stay here," Paul said, scanning the faces of Charlie's friends. "Daisy, I think you should come with us."

     Daisy looked at our grim faces and her frowned deepened. "Guys...what's going on here?" She turned to her boyfriend. "Charlie..."

     "Just come outside with us, babe," Charlie said, shooting her a charming grin. "Let's hear what they have to say."

     Daisy swallowed and nodded. "Okay. Fine." She took Charlie's hand and pinned herself to his side, pressing her body against his.

      I snorted and rolled my eyes. Yeah. Let's see how long their united front will last once she hears what good ol' Charlie has been hiding from her. I didn't want to take my eyes off Charlie just in case he had any funny ideas so I stepped aside and waited for the couple to move. Charlie shot me a knowing look before brushing past me and Evan, Daisy dutifully at his side.

     We all-except Charlie's friends-followed him outside and stopped at his front lawn. We could see his friends rushing to the window from the inside, boldly watching our confrontation. I shrugged. I didn't really care if they watched or not, just as long as they stayed the hell away.

     Evan and I stopped walking and faced Charlie and Daisy. The couple kept their distance a couple of feet away from us on the grassy lawn. Paul and Shelly remained standing on the porch by the door, several feet away. I knew Paul was trying to keep Shelly a safe distance just in case...

    "So," Charlie said casually, looking at our faces, "we're outside. What do you want to tell us?" His eyes strayed to Shelly's before landing on my face.

     Evan stepped forward, untangling our clasped fingers but I grabbed his hand before he could completely do so. He glanced back at me and smiled reassuringly. So he wanted to be the one to talk huh? Most likely didn't trust my social skills...pfft.

    I let his hand go and stepped back. Fine, let him talk first. Besides, I want to hear what Charlie has to say, hear his pathetic excuses if he even had time to come up with any. From the sly smile on his face, he probably did have some excuses prepared.

    "Charlie," Evan began, "we wanna talk about you and Shelly."

     Daisy's head snapped up to look at Charlie but he ignored her and smiled at Evan. "What about us?"

      "Charlie...did you know that you're the father of the baby she's carrying?"

     Silence.

     I crossed my arms and remained standing behind Evan, my hard gaze on Charlie's face. The guy never changed his expression. That same annoying smile was on his lips. His eyes slid to me and held my gaze for a few seconds before he looked towards Paul and Shelly's direction. Shelly stood beside Paul and stared right back at him, probably waiting for him to deny everything.

     Charlie shoved his hands in his black jean pockets and returned his gaze back to Evan. "Yeah, something like that."

     What the fuck? What the hell did he mean by 'Yeah, something like that'?

     Evan glanced back at me, making sure that I wasn't about to spring into action. I flashed a smile at him just to make him feel better. He relaxed slightly and turned his attention back to Charlie.

     "Let me repeat the question," Evan said. "Are you the father of Shelly's baby?"

     "What?" Daisy's voice rose. She looked between Evan and Charlie. "What? Evan-"

     "Let Charlie answer the question, Daisy," I told her, watching Charlie's face. Let him try to talk himself out of this one.

     "Yeah, sure," Charlie said with a shrug. "She told me that I was the father."

    "And?" Evan asked.

     "And I told her to get lost."

     I took a step forward but Evan's arm shot out, blocking me. "Wait," he commanded. If it was anyone else telling me what to do with that tone of voice I would have decked him but this was Evan so I didn't touch him. I stopped but met Charlie eyes to make sure that he knew how close I was to beating the shit out of him.

     "I don't understand," Evan said. "Charlie, if you knew...why hadn't you said anything? Why did you let things go this far? Why didn't tell me or Derek what's really going on?"

     "Bastard," I snapped. "You must have been laughing the whole time, watching us make a fool of ourselves for your amusement."

    "Actually it wasn't like that," he replied.

     "Then why don't you tell us why you stayed quiet this whole time?" Paul asked from his position on the porch. "Why the hell didn't you say anything!?"

     "Charlie?" Daisy looked up at him, her hands loosening from his arm. "What's going on?"

     When he met her eyes, his smile finally dimmed. "I didn't want you to get involved."

     "What?" She released her hold on his arm and stepped back. "So it's true? Your the father...the father..." Daisy couldn't even finish the sentence. She glanced at Shelly and looked down, closing her eyes.

     We all watched her, knowing that she felt as betrayed as we were. Hell, she must be feeling it even more seeing as they've been going out for 2 years and now this...Seeing that pained look on her face made me want to break my promise to Evan and just kick Charlie's ass up and down these streets.

    "Daisy." Charlie reached out to grab her hand but she stepped away, not even bothering to look at him. Instead she wrapped her arms around herself.

     "It's not like we know that I'm even the father," Charlie said. "She's slept with so many guys and when she came up to me, telling me I'm the father...I couldn't accept that. Daisy," he took a step towards her, "I'm not the father."

     "Yes," Shelly said, speaking for the first time since we got to Charlie's house,"you are. I told you, you were! I hadn't slept with anyone in months, no matter what the rumors said. Then I slept with you...now I'm like this."

    "And I was suppose to believe that?" Charlie smirked. "Everyone knows you're a liar and a slut. You whore yourself to any guy who's willing so how the hell am I to believe that I am the father? What? Just cause you say so?"

    "You said you liked me," Shelly cried pathetically.

     "I did, but not enough to admit that your baby is mine. It could have been anyones."

     "Hold on," Evan said, interrupting their little drama. "Let me wrap my head around this. So basically, what you're telling us is that you knew all along that Shelly believed that you're the father of her baby but didn't say anything when she accused me because...you didn't think that you're the father either?"

     Charlie looked at him and nodded. "Yeah, fucked up, I know, but can you really blame me? I had too many things to lose." He looked at Daisy. "And I didn't want her to know that I had any connection with Shelly."

    "So you used us," I growled, "just like Shelly used Evan. You didn't want any of the attention on yourself so when Shelly said Evan was the father of her baby..."

     "I used it as a chance to turn the heat away from me," Charlie finished. "Yeah, I admit it. But it wasn't my idea for Shelly to put the blame on Evan. Hell, I was as surprised as everyone else and even for a minute there, I thought that Shelly was finally telling the truth. That she decided to be honest and name the real father."

    "But I'm not," Evan said.

     "I realized that after really thinking about it." Charlie smiled. "I never really believed any of the rumors about you, Evan. That you slept around. You didn't seem to be that type of guy. And when Derek told everyone that you two are lovers..."

    "You still kept your mouth shut," I snapped.

     Charlie shrugged again. "Like I said, I had too much to lose." He looked at Daisy.

     "And then what?" Evan asked. "Did you think that Shelly would stick to her story? It was only a matter of time before the truth came out, Charlie."

    "I didn't believe that I was the father," he said.

    "And now?"

    "I still don't."

     "And if you are?"

    Charlie's gaze slid to Shelly. "I don't want to be."

     I couldn't help it. I laughed at his face. " Are you serious?" I shook my head, chuckling. "It doesn't work that way, buddy."

     Evan sighed, rubbing his temple. "I wish you two would have worked this out long ago. Look at the mess it caused."

     "There was nothing to work out," Charlie said. "Even if I do turn out to be the father."

      I froze. "Are you saying that you're refusing to take responsibility?"

     "I'll pay for the abortion," Charlie offered.

     Wrong answer. I've had it with Charlie and his bullshit.

　---

~Evan's POV~

I immediately sensed it when Derek's temper snapped and got the best of him.

      I made I grab for his arm when he rushed past me but he dodged me. He was on Charlie in a heartbeat, grabbing the other guy by the shirt and jerking their faces towards each other.

     "Say it again," Derek barked, "I dare you to say it again. Say you wont take responsibility. I dare you."

     "Derek, let him go!" I grabbed his shoulder but he shrugged my hand off. "Derek!"

      Charlie glared back down at Derek. "I wont."

     Derek's balled fist flew back, ready to strike Charlie's face but I grabbed it before it could make a connection. "Derek, stop!"

     Derek looked at me. "Didn't you hear what he just said, Evan!?"

     "Yeah," I said calmly, "I heard." I had heard loud and clear. I was as pissed as Derek was but what would violence solve?

      "Let him go."

     We turned to look at Daisy.

    "Let him go," she repeated. "Please."

     "Let him go?" Derek shook Charlie. "Let him go!? That's all you've got to say?"

     "Derek. Please."

    "Listen to her," I told him. "Let him go."

     He looked at us, clearly thinking we were all crazy for not being on his side on this. Actually, I am on his side but unlike Derek, I had better control of my temper.

     With a disgusted snort, Derek shoved Charlie back. "Damn," he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair with frustration. "Shit."

    "Daisy." Charlie took a step towards her but she stepped back, shaking her head.

     "Don't, Charlie," she whispered, "just don't."

      He stared at her. "I'm sorry."

    She looked up at him. "Your sorry wont change anything. You lied to me, kept things from me. Cheated on me...and you think I'm sorry' is going to cut it?"

     He reached for her but she smacked his hand away. "It doesn't work that way," Daisy said. "You're a coward...and obviously not the guy I thought you were."

     "I love you."

     "And did that stop you from sleeping with her?" Daisy laughed humorlessly. "Hell, who else did you cheat on me with?"

     "Shelly was a mistake."

     Daisy scanned all our faces before settling her eyes on Charlie. "Yeah...and you are mine."

     She took something off her finger and dropped it on the ground with a clink. The gold ring that the rest of us hadn't even realized she had on until now rolled and stopped when it ran into Charlie's shoe.

     Without a word she bumped past Charlie and kept walking down the street. Her house was only a couple of blocks from Charlie's. If I remembered correctly, she and Charlie were childhood friends.

     I looked away from Daisy's departing figure and faced Charlie. He was staring at the ring at his feet. I watched him bend down and pick it up. In the beginning he had been all smiles but now...he just looked lost.

     He had the look of a man who had just lost his everything.

     "You didn't think that she would leave you," Shelly said softly, appearing by my side. "Did you?"

      Charlie balled the ring in his fist and looked up. When his eyes landed on Shelly, they looked murderous. I didn't hesitate. I grabbed Shelly's shoulder and pivoted us out of Charlie's reach, who was already charging towards us.

      Derek blocked his path and drew his hand back before his fist connected with Charlie's jaw. Charlie went down, landing on his back on the driveway pavement. Paul immediately took the shaking Shelly from my hands and I let him take her, turning back to grab Derek's shoulder to keep him from going any further.

     For trying to attack a defenseless female, I would have punched Charlie myself but we were outside in the open. The neighbors could be watching this whole scene and already called the cops on us. Knowing Derek, he wouldn't have held back on his punch so I had to be satisfied with that.

     On the ground, Charlie blinked a couple of times before sitting up and wiped the blood off his lip. He stared at the blood on his hand before looking up grimly at us. But he didn't make another attempt to attack.

     "I think we're done here," I said, pulling Derek back. "Let's go."

     Derek shrugged my hand off and glared down at Charlie. "Do you still refuse to take responsibility?"

     Charlie didn't answer right away. He looked at Shelly before shaking his head. "I'm not ready to be a father."

     "Come on," Paul said, guiding Shelly towards his car. "Let's get out of here." He shot Charlie a disgusted look, probably wishing that he could get his own punch in. From the porch, Charlie's friends watched us but didn't interfere. Surprisingly, other than rushing out, they hadn't lifted a finger to help Charlie out.

     "Let's go, Derek." This time I grabbed his hand and held on. "Enough."

     "I expected better from you," Derek told Charlie, turning away. "Like Daisy said...guess you're not the guy we thought you were."

     I didn't say any parting words to Charlie. I figured that losing Daisy was the biggest blow any of us could give him.

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Cookie: Sooo, Im gonna make the next chapter more exciting cause I just didn't feel the excitement in this chapter. They're going to face Shelly's dad... O.o

2 hint...

He will be drunk....and carrying a shotgun...

LOL oh Snap!

And OMG!! HSS is almost over!!! 2, possibly 3 chapters left! D;