Song Of The Chapter: Dumb blonde by Avril Lavigne ft. Nikki Minaj. This song explains my mood for last week.

"If you think you're doing a good job of avoiding me, I hate to break it to you but you suck at it." He said in an all too happy tone, contradicting his statement.

I looked him in the eye as I gave my response, trying to avoid getting drowned in by the blue swirls in his eyes. "I don't know what you see or how accurate your thinking pattern is but you're wrong." And I scoffed for added effect. "Why would I be avoiding you?

Natasha took that moment to join us as Alexa bounced inside, her phone pressed to her ear. Who was she always on the phone with, anyway?

"Maybe because she was creepily trying to dig up more information about your family?" She came to stand beside Jamie and it was quite obvious that this time, her presence wasn't welcome by the both of us but it didn't stop Jamie from giving me a questioning glance.

I was tempted to turn my back on them to go in but I didn't want her to get that satisfaction. She'd obviously been close when Alexa and I were in the hallway last night. How sad and pathetic was she?

"I don't recall anyone asking for your input in this conversation. Don't you have any other person to go play with?" I didn't want to use the word 'bully' because I didn't want her to get under any impression that she got a reaction out of me.

Jamie ran a hand through his hair as he shot Natasha a glance. "When I'm through talking with Annie, I'll get to you."

His statement came as a shock to me and what made me more surprised was the use of my actual name by Jamie. The look on Natasha's face was priceless.

I shot her a smirk but at the same time didn't know how to respond to Jamie about why I'd been avoiding him.

I cleared my throat when I saw that despite Jamie's works, Natasha refused to budge from her position but then, what I said next surprised me more.

"I didn't know Nicole wasn't your real..."I clamped my mouth shut when I realized what I'd said aloud.

I didn't get any reaction out of him though. If anything, he had no expression on his face at all.

"Alexa told you." Was all he said.

I decided to defend. "Well technically, I was a bit-no, really confused about the whole portrait thing and she kinda gave me a little expo..."

It felt so stupid and awkward with Natasha hovering behind Jamie when this seemed like a fragile conversation.

"It's whatever." I completed, deciding that I'd had enough of the conversation.

This time, he seemed to look a bit annoyed, but I was probably seeing things.

When I had gotten to the door's entrance though, I heard Natasha mutter something to Jamie that made me stop in my tracks.

"All the scary characteristics in a person. She's creepy and has anger issues. Can't blame her. It runs in the family."

I snapped my head back so fast that I almost had whiplash. "What the fuck did you just say?" I questioned harshly but in a low voice. I didn't care if that was going to validate her statement. She'd had it coming and I'd had it up to here with her.

I noticed Jamie's mouth snap shut, probably having to stop with whatever he was planning to give her as a response.

She met my eyes as she snickered. "Woah, she finally removes the stupid pretentious mask she's been wearing all along."

"No, that's not what you're supposed to say, girl. I dare you to freaking repeat what you first said." I glared right back at her, not caring that we had a one-man audience.

"I think that's enough, Natasha." Jamie pulled at her arm to move her aside but she pulled back, apparently ready for a fight.

She looked like she'd been dying to piss me off and after about some seconds of staring her down, I decided not to give her what she wanted and I tried all my best, with all of my energy to force a smile unto my face.

"You should see your face right now, it's scary." I laughed out and I heard the unmistakable sound of a sigh from Jamie as I turned around and matched back in, satisfied when I heard her shriek in anger.

Third time's the charm. I thought. She does that one more time, and she gets it from me.

When I walked in briskly, I vaguely remembered passing by Kyle who threw his legs on the couch in the living room as he typed into his phone. I passed right by before he had the chance to see me.

I was starting to think what a horrible idea it was to come along here but as I threw myself on the bed, I realized that because just a bit of annoying happened didn't mean I didn't have any other kind of fun here.

I guess I'd had it coming though as my thoughts finally began to settle on my mom. I moved my hand up to massage my aching chest, giving my stomach gentle rubs. It'd been a while since I felt this way

The covers were pulled up to my neck and I decided I couldn't lie to myself anymore. I missed her so much and it didn't help that we had so many things in common even if it took a while for me to notice one particular thing I got from her.

It was my dad who started noticing it at first when mom left. I threw tantrums at the littlest things and it was first dismissed as a phase because I had to deal with her leaving. But then, the moment I got a bit riled up, I destroyed everything within my grasp. If anyone as much as made me mad, I could go angry for days.

Finally, when my ways of controlling my anger became terrible and I started to get mad at the littlest things, dad calmly suggested a doctor and I remembered smashing his car's window with a hammer on my first visit to Lee, my psychiatrist was when I was fourteen.

He'd explained that anger affected the health and I could agree that it really did. When I used to get so furious, I would always feel some constrictions in my chest that went down my left side right to the pit of my stomach where it would feel like I drank something bad.

Lee assisted me a lot even when I gave him a tough time for the first six months and it didn't help that I was just in my second year into teenage-hood. He developed a strategy for me which was writing. He originally started with speaking to someone or things when I was down and I felt the anger talking but when I'd yelled at my neighbor's cat once and she never returned, Lee had to find another way.

That was how I started with a diary where I wrote down all of my horrible thoughts. It was obvious I improved a lot and though, Lee wanted me to complete my sessions, I thought it was okay for it to come to an end last year.

Now that I remembered I hadn't given a hoot about writing recently, I gave a heavy sigh. I guess I just enjoyed how occupied I'd been so far that I didn't have time to care about waiting to explode on paper while I could just do it to a person's face. It was nice though that these people hadn't met the fourteen year old me. I couldn't help but chuckle at myself as I thought about it now. I was a rebel. Dad said mom was the same. We both had all these in common. I thought I wouldn't be surprised if that was what destroyed their marriage.

Natasha knew this about my mom obviously but I wondered how she did. If she could know such, it definitely did mean she was the one who placed the recent picture of mom in my locker at school. She didn't go to my school though, so she probably ordered someone to do it and it also meant she knew of mom's whereabouts. That was saying a lot though.

The loud ring on my phone jolted me out of my reverie as I saw Jace's name flash on the screen.

"Shit." I swore. I'd totally forgotten I was supposed to give him a call after I'd rejected his yesterday.

"Hey." I said in the most bubbly voice I could muster.

"You finally pick up." I could imagine him glaring on the other end.

"Look Jace, I'm so terribly sorry. I should've called you-I planned to call you as soon as-" I began to ramble when he cut me off.

"It's okay. It's okay." He sighed into the phone.

"How are you?" He asked immediately.

"I'm fine, Jace. I miss you so much. Feels like I haven't seen you in ages. Even Chloe!"

"Oh, right. I met your dad and he said you went on a trip." He said, emphasizing on the word, trip.

Here goes my explanation. I sighed. "It isn't really a trip per se. I joined some friends on a visit...You know Nico right?" I laughed, trying to sound excited.

He didn't give a better reply than "hmm" and I went on. "And Jamie. Of course, you should know him?" I dared to hope he'd forgotten of his existence entirely but of course, Jace had to reply.

"Are I supposed to answer that?"

I instantly gave up, frustrated. "I know you told me to be careful and all but I got invited by his grandma and I originally said no but then, it started to seem like I was a bitch when Nico and even Nicole asked me again and I just had to go." I breathed into the phone.

"You might as well just be my dad instead because it's harder explaining stuff to him most times."

I waited a while and took a deep breath when I didn't hear any response from Jace.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lashed out at you. I just..." I rubbed my hand across my temple as my body felt hot and seemed to feel so much cooler at the same time.

"Is everything okay? Are you alright, Annie?" He asked instead.

"I'm fine. It's...cramps." I said in response even though it wasn't entirely a lie. Jace would believe though, because he of all people was the next after my dad that witnessed a lot of my crankiness from cramps.

"You see why you shouldn't have gone? You knew this was going to happen and staying home would be more comfortable." He voiced, concerned.

"It's fine. I'm fine." I repeated right when another call was coming in from Chloe.

"Chloe's here. Got to go."

"She's there with you?" He asked, relief evident in his voice.

"No." I laughed. "I mean she's calling."

He laughed too.

"I'll call you soon. I'm just going to be here for a week." I didn't wait to hear his response as I hurriedly took Chloe's call. At least, I didn't have so much explaining to do. Or did I?

Chloe instantly burst into tears when I said "Hello."

"Chloe, what's wrong?" I got up, immediately concerned.

"Michael just proposed to me." She sniffed.

I dropped my mouth open in shock.

A/N:

Hey there, my favorites!

Did you peeps see any of these coming? What did you think about this chapter?

I'll most probably give an update again this week, so be expectant for the next chapter.

The previous week has been emotionally exhausting because of a certain person who keeps getting on my nerves. And no, it isn't what you're thinking. This isn't where the "there's a thin line between love and hate" saying is supposed to be inserted. NO! This is someone I'm dying to beat up. *insert angry emoticon* *insert smiley*

Your votes and comments mean a lot to me and it would light up my day to see responses. To my silent readers, can't you just spare me today and tell me what you think about JIL so far? Hmm? XD

Ps: Is there any of you on Tapas? Could you please subscribe to JIL on there? I'd be so happy. Really happy.

Till the next update,

WWE Hanie. :p :D