"I followed you guys after you left Cameron's job, I was bringing him his lunch," Emilia said.

"So you're a stalker too," I snapped.

"Why did you do what you did to Lauren? In what world did you think that shit would be okay?" Jack asked her.

"The bitch has done nothing but be in my way," she answered. "At every turn, there she was being little miss perfect."

"Jack, I'm this close, I'm this close. You better call the cops now before I take off my earrings," I muttered.

He squeezed my hand. "I got this," he told me.

"Emilia," he continued. "I'm gonna ask you one more time-"

"And I'm gonna tell you one more time. She's been in my way. I admit, yeah, I was trying to make it official with you, Jack. We make a great team and we used to light the bedroom on fire."

I was ready to throw her into a volcano by this point.

"But your heart wasn't where I needed it to be. Almost, though. Remember when we almost kissed on your first day of college?"

"Yo, stop purposely bringing shit up to upset her," he shouted.

"She deserves every piece of shit I dish her. Especially after what she did with Cam."

"That was his fault!" I chimed in. "He wanted to piss you off, that was his master plan. He said if we got you running back to him, I'd get Jack back. Why aren't you out ruining Cameron's life?!"

"Oh he's next, don't worry. Tell him the next time he wants to buy you a sexy dress & get you drunk, not to leave you alone for me to play with. I hope you enjoyed the drugs I slipped into one of your drinks, by the way." She winked.

All I saw was red...deeper than the forbidden dress. Jack really had to hold me back because I was ready to shank her with my keys. You'd have to be seriously insecure and jealous to do that to another person.

"Wait," Jack shook his head in disbelief. "So you drugged her? My fucking girlfriend?"

Emilia shrugs. "Well, she wasn't yours at the time, now was she?"

"You're so done," my voice shook.

"How exactly? You can't see me in the video, you can't hear me in the video. If anything, my ex-boyfriend Kyle will get in trouble. It's his old number. And my phone? Well, it's swimming with the fishes. Daddy will buy me another one. You've got no proof." She seemed really fucking pleased with herself. Not an inch of guilt on her face.

Jack's grip on my hand loosened and he gulped. "Let's go," he spoke softly.

"We're just gonna let her go?" If it were possible, you would've seen steam come out of my ears. I just wanted to hit this bitch with a shovel but I guess violence isn't the answer. That would make me twice as terrible as her.

Jack pulled me along and I got in the driver's seat of his car. I was ready to break down again but I saved it for whenever I'd get home that night.

"She's going down," Jack said discreetly as he got back in the car.

"I don't see that happening now, she's got a point," I replied.

Suddenly I heard his phone ding.

"Recorded everything," he smiled as he held up his phone. "When you know Emilia like I do, you've gotta be goddamn James Bond."

"Oh you're good," I told him.

"Say it again," he smiled, being cocky.

I kiss him. "You're good."

He kisses me back. "I know."

. . .

We were able to bust Emilia. Austin got pulled down with her. They both were up for jail time but Emilia's dear old rich daddy stepped in and shelled out money that kept his sweet little daughter & Austin out of the slammer. They were both reduced to community service...a LOT of hours. But I still am left without justice. They'll get what's coming to them, though. Karma works in mysterious ways.

Now we're a few days from Winter Break and Shawn was having his first show, performing an original acoustic set. I was so excited. I brought Jack and Matt along with me. All three of us had blazed in the car and Matt was the most humble high person you could ever meet. He was smiling at everyone and his eyes were low. I tried not to laugh so loud in the venue when he began waving to everyone he didn't know and directing seating arrangements. Jack was nearly in tears, cracking up on my shoulder. Eventually he stepped up and helped Matt calm down.

Shawn came onto the stage with his guitar and we all applauded. He performed an original song called 'Life of the Party' & a few other tunes. Jack held my hand the entire time.
I decided to use the restroom after Shawn's set before we all went out to celebrate. There was someone inside so I pulled out my phone to pass time.

"Lauren?" I hear a male voice call out to me.

I look up and recognize his face from class, but we never talked.

"Yeah?"

"I'm in your class, well, was. I'm Charlie."

He had a kind face, his clothes were pressed, & his hair was perfectly combed.

"Nice to meet you," I replied. I didn't know what else to say.

"I've always thought you were pretty...thought you should know," he moved some hair out of his face, looked like he was sweating. He was coming off a little bizarre and I began to inch away from him.

"Thanks," I nervously chuckle.

He clears his throat, shifting his weight to his other leg. "Do you wanna maybe hang out sometime?"

"Uh...I don't really know you, Charlie," I gulped.

"So get to know me. We can get to know each other. We're the same, you and I. We're perfect," he said softly, sliding his hands around my waist. I pushed him off.

"I have a boyfriend, Charlie. You remember? Jack Gilinsky?"

He shrugs. "So? That's not what that video showed."

His smile creeped me out. My instinct was to run...so I attempted to. But he blocked me and I bounced off of him, hitting the wall.

"You're just another loser that watched a video. I was taken advantage of."

"I'm not a loser." His demeanor went from creepy to threatening. He saw how I took notice and tried to calm down. "Okay...fine. Just one kiss and I'll leave you alone."

Fear washed over me. I went to knee him in the balls but he blocked me again, laughing like he was insane. I shook my head as he grabbed my chin, forcing his tongue in my mouth. He was so strong, pinning me against the wall. I yelped with every breath of air I got, never kissing him back. Suddenly a weight was lifted off my shoulders and I could breathe again.

I looked up to see Jack beating the crap out of him, pummeling him. 

"You think you can just touch her?! Huh?!" Jack was seeing red.

Matt held me back and I brushed him off, forcing him to pull Jack off Charlie. When he finally did, Charlie had a bloody nose and black eye.

"Dude, we gotta get out of here," Matt suggested.

We weren't even thinking, we just ran out.

Matt was freaking out once I made us sit in the car. "What if he finds out who I am? What if I go to jail for fleeing the scene? I can't go to jail, I'm too pretty for jail," he said, his voice shaking in the back seat.

"For fuck sake, calm down Matthew," I told him. "No one's going to jail."

"I might," Jack said in a calm voice.

"Shut up. Don't say that. We'll just tell the police what happened."

"It wasn't even self defense. My knuckles are all red, he barely fought back."

I shook my head and soon the cops pulled up to the venue. I took a deep breath and grabbed tight onto Jack's hand. Soon, I felt his hand slip out from under mine and heard the car door open.

"I'm sorry," Jack said.

"Wait," I protested. "No! Wait!"

But he didn't wait. He got out of the car and walked toward the police interviewing a beat-up Charlie. He says a few words and without a fight, puts his hands behind his back. Matt and I got out of the car at the same time and I ran toward them.

"Wait! It's not his fault," I shouted at the officer. "He was defending me. Charlie was pushing up on me without my permission."

"Miss, we don't have proof of that. But this situation is assault & they're both going in for questioning," the officer spoke. I felt disgusted.

"It's okay, Lauren. Go home. I'll see you soon," Jack said.

"What the f- No!" I struggled in Matt's embrace.

"Go home," the officer demanded.

"I love you," Jack told me as he got put in the backseat of the cop car.

"I love you, too," I cried.

I didn't understand. I just got him back and now he's gone again. If Charlie's as much of an asshole as I know he is, he'll press charges.

I waited up all night by the phone, restless, fidgeting, biting my nails, and pacing my room. My cell phone didn't even ring twice before I answered it, not even checking to see who it was.

"Hello?" I nearly said out of breath.

"They're keeping him," Jack J. said in a sad voice. "I don't know for how long."

My knees turned into jello as I fell onto my bed. I didn't want him to hear me cry but nothing else came out.

"Are you still there, Lauren?"

I quietly gasped for air, realizing I stopped breathing. "Yeah," I whispered. "How much is bail?"

"More than we can afford," he answered. "You gotta get that guy to drop the charges."

. . .

I felt so drained, coming back to campus to turn in both Jack and I's final term papers for History. I knew I would see Charlie and sure enough I did. I wasted no time confronting him outside the classroom.

"Drop the charges, please," I pleaded.

"Why would I do something like that?" He responded.

"Because I know deep down, you're a good person. Maybe you're just misunderstood."

I actually understood him perfectly but I had to lie my ass off.

"Maybe if you kiss me, I'll think about it."

"I'm still with Jack, Charlie."

"Oh. Pity." Charlie proceeded into the classroom.

I leaned against the wall, staring at the ceiling. I'm not stooping that low, I refuse. Charlie came back out from dropping his paper off. Out of impulse, I grabbed him by his scarf and kissed him...but quickly.

"Hmm," he said, seeming pleased. "Have a nice break, Lauren."

He walked away and I threw my arms up. "What does that mean? Are you gonna drop the charges?"

He just continued to walk away and I was left to wonder what the future held for Jack.