"You really didn't have to invite me Mags. I would have been just as happy at home with my good friends, ice-cream and Netflix."

"Come on Jackie, you know I couldn't go without you!"

I had dressed up as Alice for this party, and Jack dressed as Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid. His jet black hair and striking blue eyes were perfect for his costume choice. I only picked Alice because Mark wanted to get "couple costumes", and was going as the Mad Hatter.

I dragged a reluctant Jack by his sleeve up to the front door of the two story house. You could practically feel the music pulsing through the light blue walls. My boyfriend Mark always threw big parties when his parents were away. I knew knocking would be pointless so we just let ourselves in. The entire house was packed with costume-clad teenagers, and it smelled like a mix of alcohol, weed, and pizza.

"Mark sure is a classy one Mags. You sure know how to pick'em." Jack said sarcastically. He and Mark had never really gotten along. Jack says he has this "sixth sense" about people, and thinks Mark is bad news. I blamed it on jealousy, after all, Jack and I had been friends since elementary school. I had only been dating Mark for a year now, and although he had a temper he was also very sweet. He balanced the good and bad, and I was ok with that.

"Speak of the devil…" Jack said under his breath as Mark strode into the room. He was in his Mad Hatter costume, and he even added a bit of makeup. He and Jack exchanged their ceremonial evil glares, and then he turned to me and smiled.

"Hey Maggie, I'm happy you decided to come. I know parties aren't your thing." I leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

"I figured I should go to at least one of your parties." I teased and we both laughed. Jack raised an eyebrow and said in an extra sardonic voice,

"Please don't let me interrupt this little love fest. I think I'll go get a drink or something…" He started to walk away when I grabbed his sleeve again.

"No! Don't go! I brought you so we could all hang out. Not so you could get wasted."

Marks lips pressed into a line, and his brow furrowed slightly. I looked at him and asked,

"It's ok if he stays with us isn't it?"

"Of course it's fine." He said it through clenched teeth. I knew he wasn't happy about it, but Jack was the only one who knew how to handle one of my little "episodes". Social situations were really tough for me, and he was the only one who knew what to say and do to keep me from passing out. This house was packed, and I could already feel my hands start to tremble. I gave him a look, and he seemed to understand. He came back into the group, but folded his arms across his chest. I looked closer at his face and asked in a concerned voice,

"Jack is something wrong?"

"No…well…not really." I raised an eyebrow at him, but he wouldn't look me in the eye. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Mark shifting his weight from one leg to the other. He spoke in an agitated tone,

"I'm going to go get us drinks, k?" He walked through the crowd before we could answer, and I turned back to Jack.

"I know something's wrong, and if you don't tell me right now so help me…" If looks could kill Jack would be dead. He caved and whispered in my ear,

"Can we talk somewhere private? I don't want anyone to hear."

"Sure, we can use Mark's room upstairs. Come on, we can talk there."

I was a bit freaked out about this. Jack wasn't normally this private. He usually didn't care what people thought of him, and this was pretty out of character. We climbed the stairs, took a right, and stepped into the last door on the left. The lights were off and I reached for the light switch, but Jack stopped me.

"I don't want anyone to know we're in here." He closed the door behind us, and walked past me to the center of the room. Thankfully the moon was bright tonight so I could see where I was walking. I stepped closer to him and put both hands on his shoulders. I turned him so he could face me.

"You're starting to scare me. Please tell me what's bothering you."

"I'm sorry Mags, I'm just afraid of what you'll think…"

"Jackie, don't be silly. You know I'll love you no matter what." I gave his shoulders a squeeze, and he looked up with worry in his eyes. I sighed and pulled him over to the edge of the big queen sized bed, and sat him down next to me. I looked him in the eyes and said,

"Tell me everything."

Mark's POV

I was supposed to be getting some drinks for Maggie and her stupid friend, but I was just too frustrated to go back. Why did she always have to tote that guy around? She had me, wasn't that enough?

I downed another shot, and tried to remember if that was number eight or nine. I could feel the alcohol coursing through me, and decided to go back to the group.

Wasn't I supposed to get something?

I had walked back empty handed, but I guess it didn't matter because Maggie and that idiot were nowhere to be seen. I grabbed the nearest person and asked them,

"Have you seen Maggie around?" They pointed to the stairs and said,

"She just went up there with some guy not too long ago."

I let them go and stumbled over to the stairs. I climbed them clumsily, silently thanking the gods I didn't trip on my way up. I looked right and left down both hallways, and noticed the door to my room was open a crack, but the light was off. I walked over to it and opened it. There was Maggie, in the arms of that guy. I felt my face heat up, and the rage just poured out of me.

"What the hell!?"

Maggie's POV

After Jack told me his big secret I pulled him into a hug and held him tight. I was a little hurt at how surprised he sounded,

"You're ok with it? It doesn't bother you at all?" I hugged him tighter and replied,

"Of course it's ok! You're my family, and I will love you no matter what."

He wrapped his arms around me when I heard a loud crash and a very angry voice.

"What the hell!?"

Mark stood at the doorway with a frightening expression. His face was twisted in anger, and I could smell the alcohol on him from where I was sitting. Jack and I stood up quickly, and I realized what my mistake was. The lights were off, we were sitting on the bed in each other's arms. But Mark knew better than to suspect anything like that! Especially when it comes to Jack.

"Mark calm down, it's not what you think. Are you drunk?"

He didn't seem to hear me because he stomped over to us and grabbed Jack by his shirt and hauled his ass out the door. Mark shoved him out and closed the door. He turned the lock, and I could hear Jack on the other side banging on the door shouting,

"Maggie! I'm getting help!"

I gulped involuntarily, but my throat was beyond dry right now. Mark looked like a drunken mess and his voiced cracked when he spoke.

"How could you cheat on me with that moron? I thought you loved me!"

He sounded like a wounded girlfriend rather than a jealous boyfriend. I pegged it on the alcohol, stepped closer, and tried to reason with him.

"Mark I told you it's not what you think. We weren't doing anything…!"

A hand lashed out, and I felt my head whip to the side. My vision darkened for a moment, and I could taste blood. I brought a hand to my lip and saw the dark liquid on my fingers. I looked up at him in horror. He looked confused, and started rambling.

"I'm sorry I just got so mad I didn't mean to do that please Maggie you gotta believe me!" He tried to reach for me but I flinched away. I bolted for the door, and luckily unlocked it before he could grab me.

I passed Jack and some bigger guys on my way down the hall. He grabbed my arm and got a look at my face. His eyes got wide and said in the most serious tone,

"I'm going to kill him. Mags wait!"

I wiggled out of his grasp and ran down the stairs, through the crowd, and out the backdoor into the chilly October night.