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Chapter 28: I'm In

The next day drug by slowly. Every class seemed to take an eternity, and I just couldn't focus. My mind was too busy with everything else. It took the teacher three times to call my name and Kate to tap me to get me to answer a question. Finally lunch came. I grabbed my food and joined my friends. My mind continued to wander as I took unnecessary interest in my sandwich.

"EVER!" someone shouted. I looked up.

"What?" I asked dazed.

"Girl what is wrong with you?" Kate asked. I just shrugged.

"Seriously, Ever, you seem way out of it," Sarah agreed. I was about to make up something when the boys noisily plopped down beside us.

"Reid, what are we doing for your birthday, man?" Pogue asked, slinging his arm around Kate. Reid just shrugged.

"I haven't really thought about it that much, especially," he stopped. I realized how quiet the table had gotten. Everyone held their breath, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"Especially since my parents talked about taking me somewhere," he finished. I rolled my eyes. That was not what he was going to say.

"Where are you going?" Kate asked. I was glad to have the attention diverted from me.

"Don't know yet," Reid answered. I heard a chuckle in the back of my head. I froze. How could Chase keep doing this?

Suddenly I'd lost my appetite. I put my sandwich down and rose from the table.

"Hey, where are you going?" Sarah questioned. I was just about to answer when Chase's voice rang through my head.

Sit down. He commanded.

No. She thought back before answering Sarah.

"I have a headache," which for the first time in a long time was not a lie.

I'll give you a headache. Chase sneered. All of a sudden my head felt like it was splitting open. I shut my eyes and held my head.

What do you want. I thought.

Sit down. He seethed. I looked back at the table. I couldn't do this to them. I couldn't let Chase near them. So, thinking a few colorful words just for Chase, I whirled around and left the cafeteria.

Alright, if that's how you want to play, was the last thing I heard before I was plunged into darkness.

"What happened?" someone whispered.

"I don't know, she just, like fell."

Oh please, five more minutes please! I stirred a bit to find another comfortable position.

"Hey, I think she's waking up!"

"Ever," a pleasant voice cooed. I opened one eye. Blurry figures were standing over me. I opened the other.

Finally, everything came into focus. Sarah and Kate were both standing over me. I went to sit up but the room started spinning so I lay back down.

"Hey hon. How are you doing?" Kate stroked my hair. I let out a groan. She giggled.

"What happened? Where am I?" I managed to get out.

"You passed out. You're in the nurse's office," Sarah explained. I tried to remember what exactly happened. Oh yeah, Chase.

I tried to sit up again, this time Sarah and Kate helped me. The room managed to stay in place.

"Feeling better, sweetheart?" the nurse walked in. I smiled. She walked over and checked me out. After writing some stuff done, she dismissed me to my dorm. Sarah and Kate ever so kindly missed class to stay with me. We ate and watched movies

I heard the final bell ring in the distance. A few minutes later, a knock came at the door. Kate answered it and in walked the Sons.

"How ya' feeling, Ever?" Reid asked, plopping down next to me on my bed.

"Um, fine Reid," I pushed him off. He landed on the floor with a thud followed by a fit of laughing. The boys stayed for a while. After watching The Dark Knight, Caleb, Sarah, Pogue, and Kate decided they wanted to go to Nicky's.

"You three coming?" Pogue asked us.

"No, I think I'm just gonna stay right here," I answered.

"I gotta get home, family dinner tonight," Tyler answered. All the boys let out a nod of understanding.

"Reid?" Pogue addressed the blond. He looked at me, then back at Pogue.

"No, I think I'm going to stay here with Ever," he answered. My mouth fell open. I would've protested, but I couldn't find my voice. Why would Reid want to babysit me?

Everyone looked at us curiously. I didn't blame them. All Reid did was smirk at me.

"You okay with that, Ever?" Sarah asked. I wanted to answer, but Reid answered for me.

"Of course it is! You kids go have fun!" Reid began ushering everyone out the door. I just sat and watched.

"Okay, but, call us if you need us, Ever!" Kate called before being unceremoniously thrown out of the dorm. Reid turned back to me. I crossed my arms and glared at him.

"What?" he shrugged.

"What was that about?" I asked him.

"I just wanted to spend some time with you. You like Chinese?" he said, pulling out his phone.

"Um, yeah," I answered, a little taken by the quick change of subject. Reid put our order in then came back to sit by me.

"So," he began, "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know what you are going to do, but I'm going to watch a movie."

"Wait," he grabbed my hand so I could get to the remote. I looked back at him.

"Before we do that, I wanna talk to you."

"Okay, well what do you want to talk to me about?"

He was silent for a moment.

"Why are you here?" he finally asked. I scoffed.

"No really, I want to know why you are really here halfway through senior year," he defended.

"Family problems," I answered and left it at that.

"Okay, so how to you like it here?"

I rolled my eyes at him.

"Is this really what you want to talk about?" I asked him.

"No," he answered, "I'm just trying to figure you out."

"Why?"

"I pride myself on being able to read people…especially girls."

"Oh really," I snorted.

"But that's the thing…I just can't figure you out." I felt him staring at me. I met his blue eyes. They were a really pretty blue, like cerulean. It was really hard to ignore the tension, and it made me feel uncomfortable, in a good way. I think he was about to say something, but at that moment, a knock came at the door. I tore my gaze away as Reid got up and opened it. It was the Chinese.

Reid paid him and rejoined me. He handed me a box of rice and chopsticks.

"They deliver to the dorms?" I asked incredulously.

"You just have to know the right people," he smiled. I smiled back as we settled in and put on Law Abiding Citizen.

I'm sure the movie was really good. I'd been wanting to see it for a long time, but it was so hard to focus with Reid sitting beside me. We weren't touching; just feeling him next to me was enough. Why did I feel this way? Reid was an annoying, egotistic brat. He was full of himself. And yet, here we were…here I was, unable to focus on the movie or eat because butterflies had taken over my stomach.

I'd never felt like this around another guy. No guy had ever gotten me this frazzled. About halfway through the movie, I felt him slip his arm around me. Perfect, just what I needed. But I didn't feel uncomfortable sitting this close to him. Something about it all felt right. I couldn't help but smile.

Then, of course, it had to get ruined.

Well, well, well, glad to see you've decided to listen to me.

No matter how many times Chase may appear in my head, I don't think I'll ever get used to it. I went rigid. Reid looked at me.

"Hey, you alright?" he asked. I smiled at him and nodded.

"Ever," Reid was still looking at me, "You know there's this band that plays in the park every Friday. We like to go out there every once and a while."

I glanced at him, waiting for him to finish.

"And I was wondering if you might want to go with me?" he asked shyly. I smirked. Just as I was about to say yes, I remembered, Chase.

Say yes.

I wanted to say yes. I wanted to say yes so badly.

I know you want to, Ever, if not for me, for you.

"Everyone else is going," Reid commented. Well, I'd probably end up going then for sure.

"Okay," I answered. A grin broke out on his face. Any other time, I would've been just as excited as he was. I couldn't help but think if I was making a big mistake with this. In the back of my head, I heard the echo of low chuckling.


Has Ever made a mistake by joining Reid at the concert? What does Chase have planned for them? And what are these sudden feelings between Reid and Ever? R&R!