A/N- Thanks for the reviews! This is kinda where it starts becoming an M story. Trigger warnings! Thanks-SGB

Chapter 4: Good, Good Things

E POV

I walked into history, and was greeted by the sight of Jackson, and the same asshole smirk on his face.

"You in CP US history now?" I asked as Jackson shrugged.

"When the teacher in the AP class doesn't know what to do with a kid who has already finished the course work, they tend to let you do what you want. Especially if it means he doesn't have to deal with the smart ass in his class at the same time." Jackson said as she sat back.

"So why here?" I asked as he shrugged again.

"Maybe I just want to learn from someone who isn't a drone like Rizzotte is." Jackson quickly answered as I pulled out my notes. "What's your sudden interest in my buddy Batman?" Jackson asked as I raised an eyebrow in confusion and turned to face him again. "Paige. I forget, you don't know about that shit." Jackson said as I laughed and shook my head.

"No sudden interest. She's my team mate, and competition for captain of the swim team." I said as Jackson shook his head.

"Do you really want me to call bullshit on you too?" Jackson quickly said as I scoffed, then sat back again.

"Look, I don't have an agenda…I'm not Alison. I haven't done anything against you, or Paige. I don't get your music or style but I'm sure you don't get me either." I said as he chuckled.

"What's to get?" He asked as I scoffed and turned away from him. "I know you know about the letter." Jackson said honestly, and I shot back around and stared at him hard. "Paige may have beaten herself up with the Ramones and Philly punk shows to forget, but I haven't." Jackson said as I turned my back to him.

"I don't have an agenda, Jackson." I assured as he rolled his eyes.

"I don't think you do. It doesn't mean that your friends don't. Hanna found her way to Caleb in less than a day, Spencer has taken to yelling at me whenever tickles her fancy, and you want to be closer to Paige. What does Ali have to do with it?" Jackson asked as I shook my head.

"You forgot to mention Aria." I said as he shrugged.

"Haven't figured her out yet. So, what does the queen bitch have in store for us next?" Jackson asked again.

"She isn't speaking to us until I stop talking to you and Paige." I confirmed as he sat back and smirked.

"Oh really? Is that why she's turned up the name calling? Look, do me a favor, and I'll owe you one. Whatever you want, whenever you need it." Jackson said as I turned around and stared at the guy behind me.

"What favor?" I asked seriously. He smiled and leaned forward.

"Call her off of us. It's driving Paige crazy. I've had enough of it. Toby has nothing to do with us, yet he gets the brunt of what we go through. It's fucking tiring. You get Alison off our backs, I'll owe you whatever. Deal?" Jackson asked as he extended his hand. I looked at him seriously, before taking a minute to think about what Jackson was saying. This guy wanted only one thing, and it was for my best friend to stop the constant torment. I nodded and shook his hand firmly, and pulled back as he smirked, before standing up.

"Mr. Mendez, are you supposed to be in my class room?" The history teacher asked as he smiled, and waved, before walking out of the classroom. I shook my head, and pulled out my notebook, before concentrating on my class.

XxxxxX

P POV

Today was rough. I just want to go home and forget today. First, Alison, calling me Pigskin again, making fun of what I was wearing, and of my best friend, yet again. Then Ben, Noel, and their lackeys taking my bag, and dumping it down in front of everyone. I'm tired, and all I want is to go home and forget all about this today. I left the building in a hurry and found my way to my bike.

"Where are you going in such a hurry, friend?" I heard, and turned around, only to be met by Caleb and Toby.

"Home. Away. Anywhere. Toby, tonight at the clearing? Let Jackson know, please…I just got to…" I started as the doors opened, and out poured the person I wanted to get away from. "Shit." I yelled as I grabbed my helmet, and bag, and started to bike away from the parking lot. I sped away as fast as I could back to my house. I ran up to my room, and locked the door, before finding my way to my drawers. I pulled out the razor, and stared at it on my desk. It's been a month since the last time, and I'm honestly struggling with it. I want to feel it; I've been craving it lately. It's always like this though. Bad day at school, with my parents, at swim practice, I'd come home and do this exact routine. I sat on the bed and continued to stare, when my phone went off. I grabbed it and opened my messages, and grunted as I read the name.

'New Message from Emily F.' I read and sat on the bed. My eyes kept going back to the razor sitting on my bedside table. I scoffed as I kept staring at the shiny razor. The message noise went off again and I grabbed the phone and opened the message. I quickly wrote out a response, and threw the phone on the bed. My eyes drifted back to the shiny blade sitting in front of me. My phone went off again, and I rolled my eyes and opened the message.

'We were supposed to do this homework together tonight, Paige. Where are you?' The message read. I just let out a frustrated sigh and typed out my own message.

'Busy.' I quickly wrote out as I stood and grabbed the razor. I stared at it, wanting it, but my phone went off again. I slammed down the razor, and grabbed my phone.

'Paige…I work all weekend. Today is the only day I have free. Can we please just get this over with, and I promise to leave you alone all weekend.' It read. I scoffed and grabbed my bag, and asked for her address. I hid the razor again, taking another quick glance at it again. I slammed the door shut, and went to my bike, riding back down towards Emily's house. I really, really, really don't want to do this.

XxxxxX

E POV

I opened the door when she messaged me, and watched as she rode up the driveway. She looked annoyed as she climbed up the steps and pulled her headphones away from her ears.

"Can we just get this over with?" She asked as I moved away from the door and invited her in.

"Sure. Let's just go up to my room, and we can get started." I said as she nodded and followed me up the stairs. I opened the door and walked in, and watched as she surveyed my room. She let out a light chuckle as she looked around. "What's so funny?" I asked as she pulled her bag off her back.

"Nothing. You have a window seat. It's kinda neat." Paige said as she opened her bag, and pulled out her books and binders. True to form, Paige got straight to work, and within an hour, we were finished and she was hastily packing up.

"What's wrong, Paige?" I asked as she let out a frustrated groan and kept packing her bags. "Seriously…you seem…more tense than normal." I said as she stood up straight.

"It's nothing, Emily. What do you expect from me? To spill my guts? Newsflash, Emily…we're not friends." Paige said meanly as picked up her bag.

"That's because you keep everyone at an arm's length, and refuse to let anyone new in. You are so god damn too thick headed to see that not everyone in this town is out to get you and your merry band of misfits." I said as she turned towards me and stared at me hard.

"Maybe if your best friend hadn't driven us to the brink of near insanity, we could be friends. But since she's the one who outed me, and the one who turned most of the people in our class against us, I'm pretty sure that we can't even be friends." Paige said as she walked towards the door.

"So just run away from it all Paige, just you always do. I'm trying to be your friend Paige. Not because I have a sinister plan against you, or because I'm trying to score prom queen points, or for any reason. You would rather run away from your problems, than do what real punks do and stand and fucking fight." I said as she stopped, and turned around again.

"What the hell do you know, Emily?" She asked seriously. "How's this for size? Every single day, Noel Kahn and his friends call me a stupid dyke, Alison DeLaurentis takes time out of her busy schedule to make sure that Jackson and I stay in our places by reminding of us the one thing that neither of us can control. No one helps us. Not my parents, not his parents, not the stupid teachers, and especially not you. What the hell do you know about constant reminders of your damnation, your unfit lifestyle, your damned soul?" Paige asked seriously. "Have you ever been called Pigskin? Have you ever been called filthy? Have people purposely tormented you? Have you ever been called a stupid fucking dyke?" She asked again. I looked down, and hid my eyes from her piercing stare. My shoulders fell, and she scoffed. "Didn't think so. Call me when it happens. Then you can tell me how to stand up and fight." She said as she opened the door and quickly left. I followed her down the stairs and out the door, but before I could catch up with her, she was already down the driveway and speeding away. What the hell just happened?