"What wrong with Jade?" Tia asked confused.
"Yeah, Evan," Jessica said looking at him. "She was really upset."
Evan wanted to take after Jade but all his friends were looking at him
confused.
"I kind of had a date with her tonight."
"You mean here, at your party?" Maria asked.
"No," Evan said sheepishly. "A different one. I was supposed to go to
her house to watch movies, but I forgot. I also forgot to invite her
here, as well."
Conner let out a low whistle, "Man, you are busted."
"Conner!" Elizabeth said swatting at him.
"You mean, she's not too mad?" Evan asked hopefully.
"You are busted," Elizabeth said quietly. "Conner just shouldn't have
said it."
Evan let out a breath. "What am I going to do?"
"You have to talk to her," Jessica said simply. "Explain that it was an
accident and maybe she'll forgive you."
"You mean she might not?" Evan asked worriedly.
"Maybe. I've broken up with guys for stupider reasons," Jessica said.
"I gotta go," he said getting up from the table and running out of the
Riot.
He couldn't believe how absentminded he had been. How could he have
forgotten? And Jade had been acting strange all week, acting like he had
messed up.
Well, now he had.

"Come on, Jade, I want to talk to you," Evan shouted as he pounded on
her door. Jade felt tears form in her eyes. She couldn't believe that he
had the nerve to show up after standing her up to hang out with his
friends. Again.
As Evan pounded, Jade wondered when the neighbors would start to
complain. And she didn't want to get her mom in trouble with the landlord.
Jade threw the door opened to a very surprised Evan.
"Hey," he said smiling at her.
Jade didn't smile back. "How could you?" she said softly. "How could
you stand me up?"
"I forgot about our date," Evan said pathetically. "They were throwing
me this party..."
"Why didn't you just invite me?" she demanded. "Did you forget about
that too?"
"Yes," Evan said weakly feeling like the biggest loser alive. "I'm
really sorry. I know there's nothing I can do to make you feel better-"
"You embarrassed me in front of my friends!" she shouted.
"But I want to make it up for you. I'll do anything. I really care
about you Jade."
Jade's face softened. But then she said to him coldly, "This has been
going on for a while. Remember the argument earlier this week? You would
rather spend time with them than with me."
"That's not true. I was an idiot. But I like spending time with you.
But I also like spending time with my friends."
Jade looked at him carefully. "Evan, when you were into Elizabeth
after Conner had left for rehab, Jessica said when Elizabeth called you,
you went to spend time with her at the drop of a hat. And you weren't
even her boyfriend."
"But she needed me then," Evan explained.
"Well, I need you too."
"What's wrong Jade? I thought we were having fun. But you've been
acting all weird."
After a pause Jade said softly, "Tell me you love me."
"What?" Evan asked surprised.
"Just tell me that you love me!" Jade demanded.
"Jade, um...you can't just spring this on me. It's a complicated
question and we've only been dating for a few months..."
"You know it's not that difficult of a question," Jade said tears
running down her cheeks. "Jessica and Jeremy, and Liz and Conner knew they
were in love after dating for a few months."
"That's them and this is us," Evan protested. "I care about you Jade, I
care about you a lot. But I don't think I'm ready make that kind of
commitment yet."
"Then what's the point?" Jade cried. "If you don't love me, why should
we keep dating?"
"Love takes time to grow. Some people take longer for the love to grow.
But you have to be patient, Jade. We both have to try."
"You haven't been trying though! But this isn't about tonight, Evan."
"Then what is it about?" Evan asked confused.
"This is about Elizabeth Wakefield," Jade hissed.
"What!?" Evan asked shocked. "What the heck does Liz have to do with
this?"
"You were in love with her, and when he dumped you because she was
confused about Conner, you were so hurt that you won't let any girl get
close to you."
"That's not-" Evan started to say when he realized that Jade was right.
He had had a huge crush on Liz Wakefield and he was so thrilled when
they had 'gotten' together. And when she dumped him, it had hurt a lot.
"I don't have feelings for her anymore, Jade. Please believe me," Evan
pleaded.
"Let me get this straight," Jade said sneering. "You don't love me, you
stood me up, and don't tell me about your party but you want me to
forgive you?"
"Uh, yeah?" Evan said weakly.
"You know before I started to go out with you, I went out with lots of
different guys, sometimes more than one at a time. There were no rules,
and no complications. Sometimes," Jade admitted, "It was better." Jade
sat down in a chair. "Evan. I still care about you, but I can't forgive
you, not yet."
"So we still have a chance?" Evan asked hopefully.
Jade sighed, "Maybe later. But you hurt me Evan. I think I want to go
back to the way I used to be. The real me."
"That's not the way you really are," Evan argued.
"You don't even know who I am," she cried. "You don't care about me,
you don't ask how my day is or anything." She clamed down and whispered,
"I thought I was happy but I want to see if I would be happier..."
"Being a raving slut?" Evan shouted. "That's not who you are Jade! You
belong with me!"
"I belong to you?" Jade said shouting. "I think not. I want to be
alone. Just leave. Give me some time."
Evan looked at her intently then left the apartment. As soon as the
door closed, Jade burst into tears.