A/N: So, what did you think? Are you with me? It gets pretty interesting in this one. Hold on to your hats and let me know your thoughts!

Chapter 2:

When I got home I went straight to my room and closed the door. I wanted nothing to do with my sister or Jared at that moment. How could she even stand to be in the presence of such a douchebag? It upset me before, but now it was making me irate. And so what if he apologized? One apology was just going to set everything right? No fucking way.

I plopped on my bed and texted Caroline. She said she was feeling better, but our texts were brief. The day had clearly taken it out of her. I took a shower and tried to wash away the afternoon, but everything was still stuck in my head. Caroline's broken heart, my rage at the situation, Paul's goofy gaze at me and his willingness to just apologize when I asked him to. I moved out of the steamy bathroom to find Kim sitting on my bed, perched like a hawk.

"Kim, I don't really want to talk with you right now," I said feeling exasperated. I loved Kim, but in truth I felt distant from her ever since she started dating Jared and wasn't ready to cry on her shoulder.

"I thought you might feel like that," she said. I guess she sensed the distance too. "When you get ready, your friend Quil is downstairs. I narrowed my eyes. Why did he come over?

I put on some sweats and went downstairs to see Quill in a black T-shirt at my kitchen table.

"Hey Mal," he said brightly, his whole face lighting up. He stood up and gave me a hug. "That was some badass shit you did today. I've never seen anyone stand up to Paul like that…" My lip curled slightly.

"I'm not sure what came over me," I admitted. "Caroline was so upset, and he's done the same thing with some of my other friends. Sydney, Olivia… same story." Quil exhaled.

"This is gonna be a tough sell," he said.

"What?" I asked.

"There's no way to even sell it to you…" He went on.

"What are you talking about Quil?!" I asked.

"He's outside, Mal,"

"Who?!"

"And he wants to go on a date."

"What?!"

"With you."

"Quil… you're not talking about Paul? You can't be fucking serious."

"Like a heart attack," he said, looking me in the eye. I scoffed at him.

"No fucking way. Did you not see me screaming at him on the beach?! I am not interested in being another notch on his belt…"

"I don't wear a belt," said a husky voice. I looked over to the doorway and Kim let him in. He was nearly to the top of the threshold, sunlight hitting him from behind.

"Get out of my house, Paul," I said sternly.

"No, Mal. This is my house too. And Paul just wants to talk to you..."

"Fine," I said, getting up and moving toward the back door to leave.

"Mal," said Quil, reaching for my hand.

"What the hell are you trying to pull Quil?" I said jerking away from him. "Are you and my sister fucking wingmen now? For a sociopath with STDs?

Paul laughed. "Funny. She's funny," he said in revelation. "So gorgeous, bold and funny." I looked at him with daggers in my eyes.

I stood up straight. "Listen, Paul. I'm not interested. You've hurt enough of my friends, it's been a long day…"

"I told you today wasn't a good idea," said Kim, folding her arms, "I can't believe you and Jared convinced me to do this now,"

Paul easily pushed past her like some branch in the way of his path and came closer to me. The air around him was heavy, warm.

"Mallory, these circumstances aren't ideal, but I'd really like to get to know you. And for you to get to know me. The real me." His amber eyes glistened as he spoke. "I want you to get to know the guy who apologized to Caroline this afternoon. If you give me a chance, I think you might not hate me,"

I winced at the idea. "You're right Quil. That is a hard sell," I said glaring at Paul.

"I apologized to Caroline. And I meant it! I called myself a coward. Because I was." he said, nearly pleading.

"So one apology and I'm supposed to hop in bed with you so you can do it to me?"

"What? No. I don't want that…" he scoffed.

"Why not? You did it to countless other girls. Sydney? Olivia? Those are my friends! Sydney was 15!" I hissed at him.

"I'll apologize to them," he said somberly.

"And what about all the others?"

"You want me to apologize to all of them, all the girls…" he trailed off.

"All the girls you hurt."

"And then you'll go out with me?" Quil and Kim looked on at us like I was making a deal with the devil. I thought back to Caroline. After Paul's apology she seemed a little relieved. Not totally whole again, but it did seem to help in some small way. Maybe it could help the others. Or going on a Paul Lehote legacy tour of all the hurt girls could convince Paul to change. I could be preventing future hurt girls.

"I'm not sleeping with you. Got it?" I grilled him and he nodded. "But if you apologize to all the girls you ever hurt, and want to go out with me that bad…God knows why, I suppose I will grit my teeth and bare it." I looked at my sister now astounded by the events at hand. "And these idiots and Jared have to go too. Safety in numbers."

"Deal," He said, and smiled widely at me. "Man, you're a bull buster. This is gonna be one wild ride," my eyes narrow at that statement.

"I can't believe you just called me an idiot," my sister scoffed to me, before turning to Paul, "And you need someone to bust your balls!" smacking him on the shoulder.

"Apparently," he said, all happy and joking. What the actual fuck?!

I turn to my sister. "Did you just agree that I am a "ball buster"? What the hell Kim, would you call a dude that?"

"If he was busting my balls," said Paul with a smirk, answering a question not directed to him. Quil and Kim laughed while I scowled at them. Jared knocked on the door and before anyone could answer, he let himself into the house.

"I heard laughing. Are we all happy now? Can I stop waiting in my truck?" I rolled my eyes at him. I couldn't believe I agreed to willingly spend time with these morons.

I looked at Paul and put my hands on my hips. "Ok, you got what you wanted. I still have no idea why you want it, but I agreed. Can you go now?"

A broad smile appeared on his face. "Sure, baby," he said in his seductive voice and then came close to me and kissed me on the forehead. A stinging sensation raced through my body. Was that nerves? I pushed him away from me. "Don't do that! And don't call me baby,"

"Why?" he asked, curiously.

"Pet names like baby are meant to strip credibility away from women. To marginalize them and compare them to weak, vulnerable things that need to be protected. I am neither weak or vulnerable and I can take care of myself," I mustered as forbiddingly as I could. Good thing I just read about this in Teen Vogue.

"What should I call you?" he asked as his voice perked up.

"Mallory. Call me Mallory,"

"Sure, Mallory," He said happily and gave me a repulsive wink "I'll see you tomorrow," I looked at him and tried not to groan. And then they all shuffled out the door, including Kim. I let out a sigh of relief and locked the door behind them.