Tables are overturned, glasses and crockery have been smashed, customers are flattened against the wall and in the middle of the room, two high school guys are lunging at each other, punching and kicking.

I recognise the jacket...

"Rhys!" I say at the same time as Avril cries, "Elijah!"

We both look at each other, panic-struck. I run forward into the middle of the room. Rhys has Elijah on the floor. I try to prise him off, "Rhys! Stop it! Rhys!" Rhys just pushes me away and continues to batter Elijah with vicious punches and kicks. They both struggle upright and I make a risky decision. As Rhys is about to throw a punch, I step in between them. Rhys stops, his fist inches away from my face, his eyes wide with shock. I say firmly, "Rhys, let's go home. You've done enough."

"Oh my god!" Avril says from begind me. I turn to see her clutching Elijah's face. His lip is cut, blood slowly oozing out. Bruises colour both of his eyes and one of his cheeks. "What the hell happened?" She asks.

I shake my head, "I was with you. Rhys? You're not like this. I... We only went for two minutes. What happened?"

"We need to go." Rhys is still glaring at Elijah, "Right now, Donna. Bring Avril."

"No!" Avril cries, "I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying with Elijah, he's hurt."

"He's not hurt yet Avril, come with us. You'll be safe. No matter what he said to you, Elijah is not my friend. He lied to you, he's manipulating you."

Tears appear in Avril's eyes, "I know. He told me before that he isn't a close friend to you. Why have you hurt him? What did he do to you? I'm staying here."

"Okay. But... look after yourself. Don't be alone with him, not even for a second." Rhys takes my hand and drags me out of the restaurant.

"Rhys, what on earth?!" I cry as soon as we're away from the witnesses, "What just happened? You attacked Elijah!"

"Yes, I did." Rhys agrees stonily, "The most important thing is to get you home now. You have to be extra careful, Donna."

"I'm nothing but careful." I lie, "Now tell me what happened."

"I will. Somewhere private."

We both enter through the front door. Mom and Dad are instantly in the hallway, "How was the date? You're back a little earlier than I expected."

"The date was fine." I nod, "Er, it was getting too late and Avril's mom called so we scattered. I'm going to show Rhys my room, okay?"

"Sure." Mom says, "Don't do anything I wouldn't."

I roll my eyes and lead the way into my room. I flop down on the bed after making sure the door is completely closed, "Okay. Now tell me. What happened in there?"

"Nothing. He said some things that affected my temper. We're just lucky we got out of there before the manager came." Rhys runs a hand through his hair.

I shake my head, "No, Rhys. I'm not letting this go. You have to tell me exactly what went down."

"Don't press the issue, Donna." Rhys says in a clipped voice.

I sigh frustratedly, "Rhys, you attacked him in front of everybody in a crowded restaurant. I need to know what happened. I'm your girlfriend!"

"That's exactly why I'm not telling you."

"Rhys!" I cry and then will myself calm, "Look, I need to know. My best friend is falling for this guy and I have to know what happened. Rhys, I can't be in the dark. You have to tell me exactly what happened."

Tears roll down my cheeks and Rhys looks appalled. He brushes my tears away, "Why are you crying? Don't cry, Donna. I'll tell you, okay? I'll tell you. After you and Avril left for the bathroom, Elijah began boasting. He told me how he was going to..." Rhys clenches his jaw and his fists, his eyes going dangerously dark. I take his hand in mine. Rhys sighs and continues, "He said he was going to have some fun with you when Avril got boring. That he liked having two toys at once."

I swallow noisily, my heart hammering and instantly Rhys is assuring me, pushing strands of my hair behind my ear, "I won't let him touch you, Donna. You don't need to worry. I live to protect you. No one, okay, no one will ever harm you if I have anything to do with it."

Later that night -- 3 am...

My phone buzzes. I look at the time: three am. I pick the cell up groggily, "Hello?"

"Hello, Donna. Guess who?"

I sit up straight in bed, "How did you get this number?"

"It's not hard to get Avril's cell and copy a number down. Dating your best friend comes with a lot of benefits."

"You're sick, you know that?!" I spit out, "No wonder my boyfriend beat the crap out of you! I'm starting to think he did the right thing."

"Good for you. About that, you need to look out of your window."

I haul myself out of bed and stand up shakily. I go over to the window and pull the curtain aside. Elijah is on the oak tree in front of my window. I stumble back, letting the curtain fall back in it's place. "What are you doing here?" I say into the cell.

Elijah chuckles, "Open the window. Let me in."

"No! Get out of here, go away!" I whisper-shriek.

Elijah laughs again, "Do you want me to break in?"

I hesitate, immediately thinking of my parents. With shaking hands, I open the curtains and then the window. Elijah is in immediately, shutting the window behind him. He takes me in; tank top, shorts and all. Then a lazy smile spreads across his face, "Were you sleeping?"

"Why are you here?" I say, grabbing my duvet and rolling it around me like tin foil around a sausage for modesty.

Elijah steps forward and tugs at the duvet, "Come on, Donna. Why are you being modest? I'm not a stranger." He gives the duvet a final tug and wrenches it from me. I glare at him. Elijah's eyes roam up and down once more and then he nods, "Impressive. Night wear, huh? I bet Rhys just can't resist it. Neither can I."

Elijah pulls me against him, burying his face in my neck and taking a long breath. I stand stiff, my teeth clenched. "Mmm." Elijah says, "Humans all smell of something different, you know. And you, you smell of... pungent lavender."

"Get off me." My voice cracks.

Elijah pulls away from my neck and looks at me, "Afraid of me?" He trails a finger down my cheek. I feel my cell press into my hand. I put my hand behind my back and press one and then the button to connect the call. "Elijah, go away. My parents will kill you."

"Oh, violence is not the answer, K?Lavender." Elijah says sweetly, "I need to tell you something. I told Rhys I would have some fun with you. I don't go back on my words." He whirls me around to face the window and pushes me up against the wall.

I gasp, my eyes wide.

Elijah leans forward until his face is inches from mine and then laughs, "Beautiful even when in fear. Trust me, you have nothing to be afraid of. I'll be done before you even know it. But first..." Elijah's hand travels up to my shoulder and to the strap of my tank top. He takes it between his fingers and then pulls it down until it's dangling at my forearm.

Then he moves to the next one. I scrunch my eyes up and whumper, "Please... Don't do this to me."

Elijah comes close again, "Why not? Rhys took great pleasure in humiliating me in public, why can't I have pleasure... with you?"

"Just leave me alone."

"Shush." Elijah says, "I can hear something." He lowers his head to my chest and then listens, "Why, it's your heart thrashing around!" He raises his head back to mine and then replaces his hand with his head on my chest. A smile lights up on his face, "I can feel it pumping it away. How delicious. You are afraid of me." I close my eyes, trying not to sob. I feel Elijah's breath brushing against my cheek, his lips touch the skin just under my lips. A cry escapes my throat and Elijah presses me against the wall, his eyes suddenly blazing.

"Don't make a sound." He says, "I am trying to enjoy myself here and you are spoiling it!"

"Well, I am going to spoil it now."

I look to the window to see Rhys standing in the room, his hair dishevelled, his eyes filled with pure rage. I must look a wreck. My mind reels off to me. Rhys looks at me. He grabs my wrist and pulls me to him. I look up at him, tears overflowing on to my cheeks. Rhys pushes me behind him. I clutch the sides of his shirt, not daring to peek at Elijah. "How dare you come into her room?!" Rhys spits out.

"How dare I? I have no idea. I didn't realise you are the only one who can pay late night visits to pretty little human girls." Elijah grins. Rhys growls in response and I hear Elijah take in a sharp breath, "Oh, I'm sorry. Are you getting protective? Well, it is in our nature, Rhys. I only came to have some fun. We were just getting down to the best bit, weren't we, Donna?"

Before I know it, Rhys has jumped forward and now he has Elijah by his collar and is holding him up against the wall, "Don't you ever touch her again!" He snarls, "The next time you dare to enter this room, I will make you wish you hadn't been Created!!"

The smugness has disappeared from Elijah's face now. Rhys drags him towards the window, "Good bye." And then he throws Elijah out of the window.

Literally throws Elijah out of the window.

Then he turns toward me. The shovck of what has just happened hits me and my legs go weak. Rhys rushes over and holds me up, helping me over to the bed and tucking me in. He pushes strands of hair away from my face, all the time looking as if he's in some sort of pain. I gaze at him, unwilling to take my eyes off him for even a moment.

"Sleep." He whispers, his lips barely moving. I shake my head and then intertwine his fingers with mine. Rhys sighs, "You have to try. Go to sleep, Donna." Again, I shake my head. Rhys runs his free hand through his hair and looks down at me, "Donna, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not protecting you as well as I should. I should have known that he wasn't going to back down, especially after what I did to him."

"It's not your fault, Rhys." I tell him, "You didn't know any of this was going to happen. Just stay with me... until I wake up."

"Fine." Rhys nods and caresses my cheek, "Now, will you sleep?" I hesitate and then nod reluctantly. Rhys half-sits, half-lays beside me and I throw an arm around his torso, curling up into a ball...