A/N new chapter guys! I'm so excited for you to read it! Francisco Lachowski as Axle :) he is my all time favorite model. <3 Read on!

***

"You can just sleep naked," I mimicked Jacen's deep voice while pacing in his spacey room.

"You seem to be forgetting the fact that I could just sleep in the clothes I have on now!" I shouted at the door.

There is no way I am staying in here until morning. Mornings lead to rough hair, bad breath, and a slightly swollen and oily face, a couple of things I am not keen on being in the eye of boys while trying to get rid of.

Oh, and the fact that I didn't even know the guy. I don't know if I am truly aware of his intentions.

I looked around Jacen's room for something that could potentially help me get out of here. My eyes caught on to a reflection, one that I traced back to his phone that sat on his bedside table.

"Jackpot," I sang with a mischievous grin on my face. I picked up his phone, and quickly got online.

"Ha, idiot doesn't have a passcode," I said to myself while typing in the web address of a security website my neighborhood's security team created together.

"52TYSO," I say, typing in the code to the neighborhood security cameras. Since my mom is in charge of that group, I know the codes.

There were no suspicious cars in front of my house or near it except for some moving trucks. However, I have been expecting neighbors for about two weeks now, so it's not something worth worrying about.

"Time to go." I grabbed my jacket and slid the door to Jacen's balcony open. The cool night's air nipped at my skin and ran through my hair, so I quickly pulled it on.

I walked over to the railing of the balcony, grasping onto the metal tightly in fear of my extremely unintelligent plan.

I was starting to notice a pattern...

Closing my eyes, I sucked in a breath and jumped over the balcony onto the hard ground below me. "Holy Mother, I'm about to die!" I shouted grabbing my already sprained ankle in severe pain.

I internally punched myself for making so much noise when I heard footsteps coming in my direction and saw a beam of light that temporarily blinded me. With a grunt, I lifted myself off of the ground and quickly walked over to a tree for cover. But I heard the footsteps approaching my hiding spot.

"Who's there?" A man with a deep voice shouted.

I closed my eyes in distress, wondering what I could have possibly done deserve my life. I racked my brain for another escape plan, since my first one had failed the second it went into affect. I could either show myself and have a fuming Jacen in my face or I could try to run for it. I think the latter is the better of the two.

I sprinted off into the open, charging towards the wall separating me from freedom.

"Hey you! Stop!" I heard footsteps following me and quickly gaining on me. I jumped up grabbing the ledge that I had just reached, my legs dangling wildly. The smooth stones jutting out, helped me with my footing, and to keep from panicking, pretended that I was rock climbing. I pulled myself up and straddled the ledge using a strength that I didn't even know I had. I was probably going to be sore in the morning, considering the fact that that was the most exercise I have done all year.

The security guard was quickly approaching the wall I was on, so I prepared myself to jump and hopefully not hurt my ankle again although the chances looked slim. I closed my eyes and jumped, bracing myself for the impact of the sidewalk, but instead, I felt myself being suspended in air with someone's hands on my waist.

I opened one eye to peek at my savior and saw a guy in a hoodie with a scowl on his face. Wow, alright he was kind of beautiful. Since when did my town have so many cute guys?

"Watch it bitch, getting landed on by an anorexic child is not on my agenda," he said setting me on the ground.

Great, just what I need in my life. Another Jacen Matthews.

I snapped out of my momentary gawking moment and glared at him, highly offended and appalled that he would even say something like that. Small, yes, anorexic, definitely not. I eat more than my family combined.

"Trust me, I think I would have rather taken the fall," I huffed, straightening my jacket.

He just stared icily at me and then turned around without another word, stalking off.

"And you're the bitch... Bitch," I ended lamely. He just kept walking until he was out of my sight. What did I ever do to him? I have never seen him before in my life.

"You showed him Zaph," I sighed and limped in the direction he had gone, which was towards my house.

When I got home, I rejoiced because I was relieved beyond belief. There was no trouble on the journey other than the hoodie guy, which I was insanely thankful for. I walked up my front porch and leaned against the door once inside my dark house.

I quietly walked up the stairs since I knew my siblings and mom were asleep. I peeked in the twins' room once upstairs, and saw them both fast asleep as I thought they would be. I smiled and gently closed the door, and then made my way down the hallway to my room.

I peeled my jacket off right before entering it, and threw it down without turning the light on once inside.

"And just where do you think you have been?"

"Holy nuts, Mom!" I collided with my closet door, and recovered quickly enough to turn my light on.

"Geez! You scared the crap out of me," I said breathing hard with a hand on my chest.

"Come sit next to me Zaph. Let's talk." She said calmly. I'm dead. She is scarier calm than when she yells at me. I looked at her cautiously. One wrong move and she would erupt.

"Uhh, no thank you?" I asked/answered, as I slid into my closet behind my clothes.

"You have the nerve to think you have an option?" She yelled standing up. I cowered even further back, not brave enough to see her face right now.

"Mom I'm sorry! But at least I'm here right? I mean, I almost died! The least you could do is be thankful."

Silence.

Why do I put myself in these situations? I separated the clothes on the hangers in front of me so I could see her, instantly ashamed of my words when I saw her expression.

Her shoulders heaved with a sigh. "Just go to bed Zaph. We'll talk later on," she said walking out of my room. I could tell she was still super pissed, but I guess we were making progress since she didn't yell at me or even interrogate me that much.

I watched her leave, upset that I had made her so angry. I knew she was just extremely worried about me. I sat in place for a moment before I got up at went into my bathroom to turn on the water. There was no point in going to sleep for an hour before having to wake up for school so I decided to run a bath so I could soak my sore body.

While the water was running I went back into my room and grabbed my clothes for school today. I pulled off my shirt leaving me in my sports bra and was about to go back into the bathroom when I heard music coming from next door, and it was too loud for this time of day.

I pulled back my curtain and opened my window to see a room directly across from mine with the light on.

There was a guy walking around shirtless while folding his clothes while rock music was blasting from his open window.

Guys fold clothes?

I leaned my head out. "Hey, do you mind? Some people are trying to sleep," I yelled, attempting to get his attention over the loud and obnoxious music, but he couldn't hear me. I looked around my desk, and picked up a bouncy ball, returning to the window.

I wound my arm back and threw it, watching the pink ball rebound loudly off of his window. He stopped what he was doing and turned to face me.

"You're that mean guy!" I yelled as I recognized him and pointed once he turned his music down.

The scowl that I had seen earlier in the night appeared on his face in an instant.

"Can I help you?" He asked with an attitude. I regained my composure briskly and raised an eyebrow at his sassy little 'tude.

"Actually you can," I replied just as snarky. "Turn your damn music down."

"And if I don't?" He asked, now leaning out of his window.

"Then I will take your stupid boom box and shove it as far up your ass as it will go," I said smiling sweetly.

He chuckled without humor. "I'd like to see you try."

He then turned the music backup, even louder than before and looked at me waiting for a reaction. "By the way, you might wanna take care of that flooding incident." He smirked and closed his window, and pulled down his blinds.

I scoffed, shutting my window after he had abruptly shut his. I know he did not just cut me off. What flooding incident is he even talking about?

"Bananas!" I yelled as my eyes followed the water trailing from under my bathroom door I saw after I had turned around.

I rushed into the bathroom and almost slipped trying to get to the faucet. I grabbed some towels and pretty much anything that would help absorb the water that continued to pour onto the floor. Resting my head on the bathroom door, I tried to figure out what I did so wrong that made me have such an eventful day.

After I cleaned the mess up with my towels and clothes, it was about four. I am currently sitting in my bathtub with my eyes closed, trying to relax as much as possible.

"Be strong Zaph. This is a test, and only the top dog survives. Be Dauntless!" I raised my fist in the air, cheering myself up with my own special pep talk and splashing the in bubbly water. I stood up after soaking for a while and grabbed my towel preparing to get ready for school after a sleepless night.

***

This was my moment of truth.

I had studied so hard for all of my exams, and I hoped I was going to be satisfied with my results. The principle announced this morning that the top fifty scores would be posted up on the board outside the office. I was shooting for number one for three years in a row.

I had finally made my way through the rough crowd surrounding the office. I looked up at the board, dropping my mouth in shock at what saw before me.

1. Jacen Matthews

2. Zaph Phelo

Second to him of all people?

There is no possible way that he could have beaten me. He wasn't even on the charts last year, and now all of a sudden he just happens to be number one?

"Zaph, I need you to breath," Joney said in my ear. I looked at her, my mouth still partially open. This was actually not possible.

My failure was echoing in my brain, the number two next to my name imprinted itself in my brain.

Jacen walked up next to me and looked at the board with a devious smile.

"Hey what do ya know? I got first." He looked at me with fake sympathy present on his face. "Sorry Peanut, sometimes you just gotta let the big kids handle the big kid stuff," he said and walked away.

I was burning holes into the back of his head, and started towards him with a raised fist. I got second! I wasn't even that far behind him! And quiet frankly I now think that this list is unnecessary, and the administrators should take it down. It makes the other students feel bad.

It has nothing to do with my getting second place instead of the deserved first.

"Get back her you son of -" a hand covered my mouth and pulled me away from the startled crowd that had formed around the office.

I ripped the hand of my face, and turned to look at Joney, who was looking at me with a frightened look on her face. "Do you know what you were about to do?"

"Who does that guy think he is? Taking my spot," I mumbled as I ignored Joney and wished for Jacen's death. First my history seat and now this? Clearly I am not doing well enough at staking my claim.

"He better hope I never get the chance to wrap my fingers around his neck." I stomped off to my locker forcefully putting in my combination.

"Honestly, Z what did that locker ever do to you?" Jo said, poorly attempting to cheer me up. I sighed and turned around putting my back against the cool metal. I looked off at nothing in particular.

"Jo, do you ever think that sometimes everything just fits a little too perfectly? Like all of a sudden some events happen and then right after those, more come, like they are all related to each other?" I said, finally looking at my best friend.

She pondered that for a moment and then looked back at me blankly.

"Nope."

I groaned, letting her know I was not satisfied with her answer. I slammed my locker shut when I heard her gasp.

"No way! You totally had something to do with the break in that went on here last night didn't you? Your cryptic tone and the bandage on your neck are making me highly suspicious," she said when I look at her with worried eyes, but quickly adjusted myself to diminish her suspicion.

"That's insane Jo. Think about me in that situation; would I still be alive? Anyways," I said turning my back to her," I have PE first. I'll see you?" I rushed down the hall before she could get another word in.

***

"Coach why won't you let me sit out? I told you that I sprained my ankle, twice," I said pleadingly to Coach Sal. His stony expression towards me he did not waver for a second.

"Then why do you seem to be walking fine without it wrapped? I won't say it again, go get dressed or you've got yourself a one way ticket to detention!" He yelled pointing in the direction of the girl's locker room. I looked over at it and with a pout I slowly started walking in that direction with my clothes. I hate that guy.

Right as I was approaching the door, someone ran into me, knocking me over. I felt like a freight train had hit me. "Does anybody watch where they are going these days?" I huffed angrily, picking up my clothes that had fallen around me.

"I do, but I just felt like causing you discomfort." I looked up and into the face of...

My new neighbor?

He crouched down in from of me menacingly. "As long as I live in this shithole of a town, I will make your life a living hell," he said and then walked away. What crawled up his ass and died?

I watch him walk off slightly frightened and slightly pissed.

"You should really monitor your cursing. It's unattractive," I called after him.

What did I ever do to that jerk? All I wanted was for him to turn the music down, and may or may not have said that I would shove a boom box up his ass, but he should know better than to take it to heart. After all, if he had been through what I had gone through last night, I'm sure he would have said some choice words as well. I picked myself up and grudgingly walked into the locker room to change.

"Alright brats," I think my coach hated his job just as much as he hated us. "Today we are playing flag football. Any questions?" I raised my hand.

"Great, no questions," he said completely ignoring me. Well then.

"Everyone to the field!"

Once on the field we were all separated into two different teams. Lucky for me I was on a team with Jacen, who is extremely athletic. Unlucky for me though, I am on the opposing team of my neighbor, one who looked about ready to stomp on me and then spit on what's left.

I gulped and took my position as far away from him as possible.

"HIKE!" Someone screamed. Ok well, what am I supposed to be doing now? I'm not educated in the world of athletics outside of my primary non-fiction autobiographies, and they don't exactly give you a play by play outlook.

"Zaph run!" Jacen yelled. I looked at him startled that he called my name. Was he attempting to throw me the ball? Has he seen me play before?

Exactly, he hadn't, because I don't.

"Uhh ok!" I sprinted towards him without a clue on what I was doing.

He rolled off of somebody's shoulder trying to pull his flag and yelled at me. "Not towards me nerd, towards all of the open field in front of me!"

Oh, that does make some sense. I stopped in my tracks and turned on my heel, running in the opposite direction. I guess nobody was worried about the nerd scoring, so no one was guarding me or whatever you call it.

I saw the ball soar through the air, and I put my hands out attempting the catch it. However, as the ball descended closer and closer to my face I got scared. I closed my eyes and shielded myself. I heard a thump next to me and realized the ball landed a few feet in front of me.

I quickly ran towards it and picked it up facing Jacen excitedly. "I didn't catch it, but I have it now!" I said yelling at him happily.

A bone crushing force from my left side immediately threw me on the ground and landed on top of me, crushing me small body. The wind was knocked out of me, and due to the force sitting on my chest, I had no room to breath. Of all the people on this team, why did he throw the ball to me?

The logic of this guy, I swear.

"What the hell man!" Jacen stomped over angrily. "This is flag football, not the real thing. Get the hell off of her."

I was flailing my arms underneath the guy on top of me. Hello? I was suffocating under here! The guy stood up, not even turning around to see if I was ok.

I immediately took in as much air as my lungs could handle, afraid that I would be crushed again.

"Sorry man," he said dusting himself off, "that's how we used to play flag where I'm from."

Jacen picking me up from the ground." Don't let it happen again." He said dangerously. Common sense 101 should tell a guy or anyone for that matter to never aim for a girl's chest. Ever.

"Axle what was that?" The coach yelled from the field. Axle just shrugged and walked back to where everyone else was while coach was calling him over. So the devil that lives next door's name was Axle?

Huh.

By the time Jacen and I reached the bleachers, I was still breathing really hard. My chest and body ached from that hit as I sat down. Jacen sat next to me a blank look on his face as he grabbed my ankle and a wrap.

"You need to be more careful," he said gently wrapping my ankle. I hissed in pain at a sudden movement he did, shifting my unstable ankle in an uncomfortable position.

"Sorry," he muttered. I just stared off at the field. What did Axle really have against me? It seems like his hatred of me expands further than our conversation last night. However, as I recall, that was the first time I have ever seen him.

"Why did you leave last night?" Jacen asked after a long silence. I didn't answer him.

"It was really stupid of you to just disappear in that manner and go home," he kept going since I didn't answer still.

"The others were worried." I looked at him then, searching his face for some emotion.

"And you weren't?" I asked, suddenly curious of his reply. He set my now wrapped ankle on the ground and got up. He started walking but paused and turned his head slightly back in my direction.

"No."

***

A/N to all my fellow readers, I apologize for taking so long to update! I have been busy at camp and haven't really had time to write, but I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Xoxo