A/N: Since some of you asked me really nicely, here's the next chapter :) Thank you for all the lovely reviews.

I'm sorry to tell you that I won't be able to update as often as I do now in the near future, because I'm heading off to university and I'm gonna be busy with the move, but don't worry, I'll continue writing and updating this story. I could never abandon you guys completely.

Hope you enjoy :)

Chapter 12.

A knock on the door tore Evie away from the English essay she was currently working on and her and Mal shared a look before she stood up to get it.

„Hi, Jay." She smiled brightly as she stepped aside to let him into the room. His eyes went directly to the purple-haired girl lying down on her belly on Evie's bed.

„Mal, I'm sorry, could you leave us alone for a moment?" Jay asked and Mal nodded her head at his serious expression, pushing herself up and hopping off the bed.

„Sure." She didn't ask why, she just hoped Jay was finally going to make a move on Evie. Passing her friend on her way out, Mal smiled at her encouragingly and left, and the bluenette shut the door behind her.

„So what's up?" Evie asked, facing Jay and her smile quickly turned into a look of concern when she saw that his face was void of his ususl grin, the one she loved so very much. „What's wrong, Jay?" She quiestioned, taking a step towards him and her fingers twitched, as she longed to extend her hand and caress his face. He was never this serious, something was definitely wrong.

„Chad told me something and I don't know whether to believe it or not." Jay said, looking at her face with a mixture of sadness and anxiety, which only intensified when she blinked uneasily at the name he had mentioned.

Chad? Oh, God. Did he tell Jay he attacked me?, she wondered worriedly but then she reasoned with herself. No, why would he admit to doing that? He knows Jay would probably kill him.

„He said you two had an encounter last night." Jay continued, worry and nervousness clawing at his chest. So he knows, Evie thought and sighed dejectedly. No point in hiding it then.

„It was more like in the afternoon." She joked, trying to lighten the mood but it was to no avail as Jay just stared at her blankly.

„You mean… it's true?" Jay asked her bewildered, his eyebrows knitting together in shock and confusion.

„Yeah, but don't worry." Evie hurried to calm him. She hated it when he got troubled over her. „I didn't let him get too far." She stated with a small smile, not wanting him to worry about her but also a little proud of her accomplishment. She wanted Jay to know that she wasn't that weak or defenseless, that she could stand up for herself.

Jay's thoughts became even more mixed-up. Too far? Did that mean her and Chad really hooked up, but she stopped him before they… Jay didn't want to finish that sentence, not even in his mind. He needed to be absolutely certain about this.

„He said he had you pressed up against the wall and…" and that you were moaning his name. Jay finished in his head in bitterness and disgust, unwilling to speak the offensive statement out loud. It was completely ridiculous and he tried to shrug it off. He waited for her to laugh at the impossibility of it and firmly deny it, setting his mind at ease but her next statement caught him completely off guard.

„It's true." Evie admitted, casting her gaze down, a little ashamed by the fact that she had let Chad sneak up on her and gain the upper hand when she was not on alert, but to Jay's ears this confession sounded a whole lot different. What…? The word echoed in his head, making his ears buzz unpleasantly. She let him do those things to her? He just couldn't wrap his mind around it. The hurt he felt was so shocking it paralysed him. He felt the blood pulse in his temples.

„So…" Jay trailed off, his voice becoming hoarse as his throat threatened to close up. „He really…" He began but his voice cracked. Evie felt so bad at seeing him like this. It was overwhelming how much he cared for her. This is exactly why she hadn't told him about the accident in the first place, she knew he'd be worried sick, he always was when it came to her. Then suddenly anger flashed in his eyes.

„How could you, Evie?" Jay demanded, his voice stern but the wet anger in it made it waver. Confusion overtook Evie, as she didn't understand why he was so upset. Was he mad because she didn't tell him that Chad had attacked her? Yeah, she thought bashfully, remembering that day in the yard, I promised to tell him if Chad ever tried anything.

„Look, Jay, I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I knew you would snap." She told him apologetically, reaching out for his hand but he sharply pulled away before she could touch it.

„Damn right I would snap! I can't believe this!" He yelled, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. This wasn't happening. „How could you be so stupid?!" Jay shouted, not realising what he had just said in his rage. How could she be with Chad after everything he had done to her?! But she confessed and Chad's words had proven to be true. Jay felt his heart shatter in his chest.

Evie felt like he had just slapped her across the face. That was her weak spot and he knew it, he knew she never felt smart enough. It was such a low blow that she suddenly found it very hard to breathe.

„Get out." She said lowly, feeling the stinging in her eyes, fully aware that in less than a minute she'd be in tears which she didn't want him to witness. Jay just looked at her startled, his anger forgotten for a moment, with a pained look on his face. „Get out!" Evie repeated more forcefully, gritting her teeth, and Jay lingered in his place for a second before brushing past her and storming out of the room.

As soon as the door swung shut, Evie burst into tears. She was barely able to make the few steps which separated her from her bed, before she collapsed on top of it, sending Mal's sketch-book tumbling to the ground along with the pencil which was resting on top of it.

Ten minutes later Evie was still sobbing into her pillow and she was so miserable, she didn't even hear the door open and gentle footsteps approach her shaking form. Her head snapped up when she felt a hand rub her back and she whirled around straight into the arms of a very concerned Mal, who immediately engulfed her friend into a hug and let her keep crying on her shoulder. She knew better than to ask what had happened but she was dead set on having a serious conversation with Jay once she had made sure Evie was alright, Mal thought angrily. She was his friend too but he had no right to make Evie cry, whatever had gone on between them.

Did he reject her feelings?, Mal wondered, running her fingers through her friend's blue locks in a comforting manner. She decided she'd wait until Evie had let it all out before figuring out what the hell was going on.