Author's Note/Warning: This chapter includes mature theme. 

***

"Cheer up, girl!" Amy poked Hailie in the arm and turned the radio louder. One of her favorite songs was played and she sang under her nose. "We're going to a party!" she yelled through the open window.

Hailie preferred that she stayed focused on the road, but that's how it was when she was driving. Singing, yelling and having fun. At the beginning it was even amusing, but right now Hailie wasn't in a good mood for joking around. Besides, Amy was driving her car. She always said she likes Hailie's car better, much better than her own.

"That's not really a party. There's going to be only nine of us."

Their group. All except one, as she hoped.

"Stop being so grave, it's annoying, Hailie."

Not more annoying than you, she wanted to say but bit her tongue and stayed quiet.

She wasn't planning on going anywhere tonight. Her plans included chill and TV shows, maybe a pack of chips although they had many calories. Amy and their other friend Tessa just kept writing and calling Hailie, trying to pull her out of the house. She was sinking under their requests and so she finally said 'yes'. After all, they were still her friends.

Since break-up with Jayson she started to isolate herself, because nobody wanted to talk with her anyway. It was just like he said. A popular girl who became unnoticeable. It didn't bother her as long as her other friends kept talking to her. There was the problem though. Everybody from their group except Amy and Tessa ignored her as well. Just as if she didn't exist. As if they didn't spend the last months together, almost everyday.

They've stopped next to Tessa's house. She flipped her hair over and got in the car. Hailie felt timid next to her and Amy. Both of them were wearing visible make-up, short dresses and high heels. Their legs looked so long. She on the other hand chose a loose dress with a belt and short boots. Her make-up was light, but emphasized by shining earrings.

"They really want to see me?" she asked with uncertainty. Stress was running through her body like a waterfall. How could Amy and Tessa know if the others also wished for her presence?

"Chill out." Tessa leaned to Hailie from a backseat. "We're friends, right? No man can change it."

"Even if you did wrong breaking up with him," added Amy.

Hailie's eyes became wide and confused as she looked at her best friend.

"He was beating me."

"You're overreacting. I have known Jay since we were kids. He was aggressive only to other boys, you've seen him fighting. And to be honest, I've never seen any bruises on you."

She shrugged like it was not a big deal. Hailie clenched her fists and narrowed eyes. How could she!

"Maybe because I've hid them under tons of foundation and long sleeves." Hailie tilted head. "Wait, you don't believe me?"

"Of course we believe you," said Tessa with her supporting voice. She placed a hand on Hailie's shoulder.

"What's between Jay and you, well, is between you." Amy had a different point of view and it was harmful for Hailie. She was supposed to be her friend, to keep up with her.

At once Hailie felt like no longer in a mood for a meeting with the rest of their group. If others shared Amy's opinion, there was no place for Hailie in there.

Then Tessa spoke out, "stop being a bitch, Amy! Only because Jayson never wanted to fuck you doesn't mean you can pick up on Hailie."

For a moment there was a complete silence between them and the tension was growing. Even song playing from a radio became serious.

"You're right. Sorry, Hailie," she said, but there was no repentance in her words.

Tessa squeezed Hailie's arm. Right now only she made her feel calm.

"Jay's not coming tonight?" she asked even though she spoke about it with Amy only something like a hundred times already.

Amy didn't look at her. She tightened her lips.

"Yeah, that's what Declan said."

Declan Waller was Amy's boyfriend and Jay's best friend. They've been practically inseparable. If he said that Jay's not coming, Hailie took it for granted.

Ten minutes later they've parked outside Declan's mansion. Hailie procrastinated with getting out of the car. Was it a good idea to come in here? She got scared, thinking how Jayson will get back at her if he finds out she's still sticking with their friends.

Hailie shook her head. She wasn't going to let any man dictate her how to live and who she can and cannot meet with. Jayson was a history and he couldn't hurt her no more.

Amy threw her keys to the car as they've been walking to Declan's mansion. Tessa embraced her and all three of them got inside.

"Here we are!" exclaimed Amy, putting her hands in the air. "The best girls in the town!"

"My sexy girl." Declan came up to Amy and caught her hips. He pulled her closer and kissed with passion. "Hi Tessa. Hello Hailie," he said when they stopped kissing. "Long time no see." He smirked and Hailie frowned. Actually, they've seen each other everyday in the school. He just ignored her.

"Come, let's get some chocolate muffins." Tessa caught her hand. "You look like you're in a desperate need of some chocolate. Or at least I am." She laughed, but Hailie didn't want to eat anything right now. She was too stressed out.

It took her an hour to relax. Most of their group was so nice to her she finally felt good again. Playing cards, talking about what happened lately at the school, all those gossips and laughter. And what's the most important, no Jayson anywhere near. Without him everything seemed better. She felt free.

"Yo, Hailie!" Declan sat beside her on a couch. "Go get us some vodka, can you?"

"Go get it yourself," she hissed as he was not a person she liked.

Declan looked at Amy with a pleading face. His girlfriend stood on Hailie's road just as she got off the couch.

"Please, Hailie, you're the only one sober and you know how Declan is." Amy hung on her shoulder. "He'd probably smash the bottle before he'd get back in here."

"Fine." Hailie rolled her eyes. Some fresh air might even help her. In the living room everything smelled of alcohol. "It's in your funhouse?"

"My favorite place in the world," he admitted with self-satisfaction, gazing at Amy.

His parents were out tonight so they could've sat in his mansion. Usually the funhouse was the place where they've been meeting. It was a large, elegantly furnished room along with a kitchen and two bedrooms, perfect for loud parties.

It took her a moment to go from the mansion to their favorite fun place. It was almost like Declan's own house for meeting up his bros, so she wasn't surprised he stored there an alcohol.

The door swung open under her touch, moonlight pouring into the room. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she found a light switch on the wall. It was so quiet here unlike in the living room with eight party people. Hailie thought that she didn't have to rush. She put her purse aside and slowly started walking towards the kitchen, touching books on the shelves. Hailie was sure Declan hadn't read any of them. They were here just for decoration.

She opened a fridge, seeing seven bottles of vodka inside. That was a large storage. More must have been hidden inside the kitchen shelves. Hailie took one of it. As she turned she froze in fear and gasped for air. The bottle slipped from her hand and smashed on the ground with a loud thump. She shook her head in denial.

"Hello, pretty. Missed me?" asked Jayson, comfortably leaning on the table with his hands joined on the kitchen worktop. His black hair was styled and his blue eyes were shining with amusement.

"What... What are y-you doing here?" she slurred. Desperation was running through her veins.

"Isn't that obvious? I wanted to see you, Hailie. I missed our face to face meetings." It seemed like a game for him. He had no shame. "I asked Amy and Declan for help and here we are." He smiled dangerously. "Cause they were the ones who told you to come here, am I right?"

"Y-yes." She tried to find a way to run from him. The only thing standing between them was a table in the middle of the kitchen. If only she could make it to another room. "I don't want to talk with you."

Hailie couldn't believe that Amy would betray her like that. She knew that Hailie avoided Jayson, that she was scared of him, that he hurt her.

"But I do," he said like only his needs mattered. "I told you, I can do whatever I want. You're practically mine."

Her whole body was trembling. He surely has seen it and it only made him feel better and more powerful. She thought to be brave. Nobody was untouchable. He'll try anything against her and there will be a punishment.

"I'm not yours. Fuck off, Jayson. Don't you have nothing better to do than getting into trouble? If you touch me even with one finger, I'll go to your mother, the sheriff, and I'll tell her everything about her golden boy," she said bravely and raised her head higher as if she was above him.

"Oh my, now I'm really scared," he mocked. "I guess I have to see what will happen if I lay that one finger on you."

Jayson started walking in her direction from the left side, so she tried her chances and ran up to the right. She should've known better, but was there anything else left to do? He was faster as a professional sportsman. It was like she barely moved and he already stood in front of her.

"No, no, no, you can't run away from me, Hailie."

"Leave me alone!" she yelled, stepping back until her back came across the fridge. There was no place to hide. "Help! Help!" Her screams were loud, but in here nobody heard her.

"Shut up!" he drowned her out and hit the fridge. "It annoys me, remember?" Hailie stayed quiet, trying to figure out her options. She couldn't let him win. "You look so beautiful tonight. I always liked how different from the other girls you are." He took a strand of her straight, brown hair in his hand and smelled it.

Hailie did the only thing that came up to her mind. She tried to hit Jayson in the crotch with knee, but he stopped her and gazed like she just betrayed him.

"Incredibly bad move."

He punched his ex-girlfriend in the stomach with no delicacy. She hunched over but he pushed her onto the fridge and punched again, this time in the face. Pain spilled over her whole body. The helplessness hurt almost as much. Hailie slowly raised her shaking hand to the bleeding nose.

"And now you're bleeding. See what you've done?!" he screamed like it was her fault. "But don't worry." Jayson kissed her in the forehead while her tears were running down. He was unstable. "I desire you anyway."

"Please, Jayson."

"Yes." He wiped her tears. "I like when you beg."

Hailie couldn't believe how it was possible that there was a time when she loved him and thought of him as a good guy. He was a completely different person then. Scary, how appearances might be deceptive.

"Let me go, please. If you ever cared for me-"

"Oh, Hailie, I'll let you go," he said sweetly, but his eyes remained cold. "When I'm done with you."

He brutally turned her and pressed onto the worktop. Hailie knew what he was planning as he slightly tucked her dress. But in her favor was Jayson's belief in his greatness and power. He didn't win yet, he acted like it though. As he was busy, she reached for a vase standing nearby. There was no time to think whether it was a good or bad idea. Hailie caught the vase and quickly turned around, hitting Jayson in the head with momentum. He rocked from side to side as the glass crushed on him. Pushing him on the floor, Hailie once again gave it a shot to escape, but he grasped her ankle making her fall on the ground as well.

As Jayson drew her back there was a moment to notice a dripping blood from his head. The hit was a hard one, but not enough to make him pass out. Now Jayson was angrier than he ever was. Hailie could swear there was a pure fire burning in his eyes. He hit her in the face once again.

"You little bitch!" he cursed when he touched the bloody wound. His hand tightened on her throat, making it difficult to breathe. "You wish to see blood? All right then!"

Jayson took a big piece of glass from the broken vase. Hailie attempted to break free, but he was sitting on top of her and tighter choke holding her throat when she was moving. He stabbed her deep in the arm and loosen his grip as it was a pleasure for him to hear her agonized scream.

Sweat running down her back, her whole body trembling and pleading for help. She was alone, at the mercy of a maniacal ex-boyfriend. The worst was yet to happen. Jayson dragged down in her arm the broken piece of glass. As the room filled with her screams she begged her body and mind to give up and lose consciousness.

"See? There's no point in resisting," He leaned over and licked her cheek. A nasty smell of  alcohol was coming from his mouth. He was drunk, but there was no telling how much. "I can do whatever I want with you," he reminded her, his voice hoarse. She choked on the air as he finally let go of her throat. There was a burning pain in her lungs, which finally got smaller when she breathed in. "And I want to fuck you. I'm afraid I won't be delicate. But there's another problem of what to do with you when I'm done." He unbuckled his belt and zipper. "I guess I'm gonna have to improvise."

She squeezed another piece of glass from the broken vase in her hand. The floor was filled with them. She swung and stabbed Jayson in the leg. He hissed in shock while she pulled out the piece stuck in her arm and stabbed him with it in the other leg. She had no idea where her strength and bravery came from, but she threw Jayson off. Even though blood was dripping from his legs, he tried to grasp Hailie yet she caught a chair and hit him with it. She crawled forward and got up from the floor while Jayson was fighting the feeling of disorientation and dizziness.

Hailie ran up to the entrance, getting hold of her purse on the way. She quickly searched inside for car keys. Adrenalin was rushing wild inside her, making her numb to the pain. She managed to get to the car. The tires screeched on the road as Hailie drove off with full speed.

Death was so close to her today. Jayson was aggressive but never like that. He was ready to strangle her, maybe even to repeatedly stab her. She couldn't be safe anymore. Next time she might not make it out alive.

Tears were running down her face when she was crying. It was hard to see, so she told herself to calm down at least for a moment or she might cause a car accident. The heart inside her chest beat like it couldn't catch a rhythm. Her body was burning along with blood dripping on her dress and a car upholstery. She got out tonight. Next time she will not.

There was only one place where she could go.

The Police Station.